my best friend....//Trinity Rodman

Chapter 24

Katie's POV

The nerves wore off eventually, and I was numb to all feeling because I forced myself to be. 

When we walked into the locker room, everybody was already there and went crazy. 

But not in a good way for me, because they'd decided to tell someone important or something that I could sing and they want me to sing the national anthem now that the other girl got the flu or whatever Kelley said earlier. 

Everything comes back to bite me in the ass, I swear. 

So now I had no way to get out of this. 

I've never sung in public before. Now I have to sing in front of tens of thousands of people? Thanks but no thanks. But I have to be thanking Trinity and honestly everybody else too. 

During warmups, I heard it was a combo of Sonnett and Bayley Feist that put me up to it. Of course it was. 

After warmups, we went back to the locker room to talk. I just forgot to pay attention because I was thinking about singing now and not soccer. 

I don't wanna sing!! I just wanna listen!!

I heard them announce the Portland Thorns starting lineup, and then I heard them announce Aubrey Kingsbury, then Sam Staab, and so on. I held my breath as they announced my name in relation to the starting lineup, and then we all walked out, the crowd cheered like crazy, and I got dizzy. 

"And tonight, singing the national anthem, one of Spirit's very own, Katie Callahan!" Said the announcer. 

I stepped out of my place in line between Sonnett and Tara to grab the microphone. 

I almost just ran away so I didn't throw up in front of the whole place, but I stayed because the music started playing. 

I think I did okay. 

I quickly put the mic back down and went to go back to my spot in line, my cheeks bright red. But Aubrey Kingsbury held out her hands for a high five, and everybody else after her did the same. 

I wanted to disappear by the time I got back to my spot. That was probably horrible. 

We watched in suspense as our captain went up to the middle and she got ball first, which we wanted. 

"Kates, you hit every note. How???' Trin asked as we walked over to get our starting XI picture. 

"There's no way I actually hit the notes right. I just need to stick to soccer." I laughed, bending down and smiling. 

"You really did!" She said, putting her arm around me for the picture. 

"There's no way!" The picture was snapped. "What do you know about hitting notes anyway?" 

"I don't know, but it was the best version I ever heard." 

"Well you're bias." 

"I'm serious. I'm not saying that just because I love you." 

"Will you two stop fighting and listen up?" Coach said. 

"Sorry." We both grumbled at the same time. 

Before we went out, I felt like the few seconds of silence that came over us left a perfect opportunity for me to talk. 

So I said things that were apparently uplifting and made the whole team go nuts. 

"And remember, win or lose, you all proved everybody wrong and made it here." I said, feeling a hand grab my shoulder. "But we aren't gonna lose, because we're not here for nothing. We're here to keep the trophy here. That thing isn't going back to Portland. It's staying right here, in D.C. where it belongs!" 

"Hell yeah!" Kelley yelled. 

"Our name isn't the Spirit for nothing We've got the winning spirit, and that's what's gonna get us through this game. Let's do it." 

Everybody cheered again, and then we did our team cheer before running out to the field. 

Devon and I did our handshake before I ran on, then did the same with Trin. I took a few deep breaths, and then the whistle blew, sending me into action.