Joe is just about the best bloke on earth.

I know this.

I've known it for ages.

He pushes us, all of us, as hard as he can, and then he makes us push ourselves.

He's incredible.

The party is swingin' in full. One more season for the girls club when they thought the sponsors last year had decided to drop them. It's almost over, and Joe will drive Jules home.

She leans on him, their laughter combined creates a series of almost drunken trills and titters, and she feels the warm vibrato of his voice on her ear, "You're a great player, Jules."

"You're a wonderful friend.." and they almost make it to the car, when she pivots so they face each other fully, and his eyes are so bright and he turns away to hug her tightly.

She's the most incredible thing I've seen on the field.

And possibly the sweetest girl, no- woman that I've cared to kiss.

And she's leaving in fifteen hours, to grab hold of some comet of a dream I've basically had to help hitch her onto myself.

"So will you miss me?"

Suddenly bashful, Jesminda inclines her chin and gaze to my scuffed shoes. "Well, we've not really gotten a chance to do much together, yeah?"

When raising her eyes to mine, they have a deep, muted glow. He wishes he could fathom where the light is coming from.

"Barely a fortnight, it seems like. Maybe we should...," she finishes off a tad uncertainly, waiting for me to pick up where she leaves off.

"Well, we can try to fit in a snogging session behind the magazine stand.." He nudges her teasingly, and it draws a brilliant smile, white teeth gleaming all in a row.

Taking her hand firmly, but gently, he draws her toward a relatively quiet corner by some ciggies and various bottled beverages. He aims for her open mouth, as a quick tongue licks nervously on her bottom lip, but she dives sudden into the crook of his neck, pressing a chaste kiss there and holds on fast, tightly.

There are many things I love about Jules. She looks sprightly, but she's tough as Pinky's Dahi Vada.

Probably tastes better, too.

During exercises, she pushes herself almost as hard as she pushes me. Together, we are a team.

I love her moves, I love her drive. The way she usually kicks to the left, just slightly, for goals or passes when she's tense, when the scores are tight or even.

Her smile, her scoffing. The way she reminds me that the both of us are a slice of London in California, U. S. A.-- and we're birds who kick arse!

Because I'm shorter than her, the way the light shines through her hair, and flares from brown to gold.

The way she mumbles sometimes in her sleep.

The way our other roomate could never understand we don't want none of her wacky backy, and why we call it that!

I have no idea what she's saying in her dreams.

"I'd do anything for a ribena right now," Jules murmurs thoughtfully.

Jesminda returns with a couple of drinks. "Well, here's your Sprite."

"How come Joe left so soon before Christmas? I thought he could stay until New Year's, maybe. Did you guys have a row?"

"Ah, he got a bit of business he had to take care off all sudden-like. He'll come back for another visit, soon as he can."

When Jules gives her that look, Jess decides to squint back and stare instead of avoiding.

"Did you break off, then?" Softly.

"Well, I guess you could say that."

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm all right."

Jules leans over, and gives her a warm hug. She holds on to Jess for a few seconds in silence, then, arms still around Jess she draws back to inspect her friend closely.

"Are you really all right?" Pause.

Jesminda leans over, slowly, so slowy. Drawn to Jules, whose worried lips form an O.

She gently, swiftly turns away.