Little Sanchez // USWNT

Chapter 32

But Ashley told Trinity to come to the bathroom with her, and I assumed they were going to talk about whatever just happened. Ash gave me a look, and I figured we were supposed to do anything we could to occupy her 18 year old sister, which wasn't a hard task. 

She was just sending Snapchat filters back and forth with Civana and they were both laughing hysterically. 

"Are Snapchat filters really that funny?" I asked, laughing a little bit at how much they were laughing. 

"No but if you write on it yes." Ainsley giggled. 

""What?" 

"She's drawing on it!" Civana said between laughs. 

I pretended to understand what was going on and just watched them laugh for 5 more minutes before the others came back. 

"Ashley, cna you tell Mallory to stop texting me?" Asked Ainsley. "I'm about to block her number." 

"Don't do that." Ash sighed. 

"Are you sad?" She asked quietly. 

"No Ainsley. I'm okay." 

"Are you sure?" 

"I'm sure." 

Ainsley continued to look at her older sister, her small frown and big eyes making her look 12 again. 

"What's really wrong?" 

"You don't have to worry." 

"I do have to worry Ash. You're my sister. I have to protect you." 

"You've got it wrong, Ainsley." 

"No I don't. You protected me for so many years, it's my turn." 

"I don't need protecting." 

"You were so good to me for so many years. You deserve everything you have, Ash. And I want to make sure you know that by protecting you. Why do you think I spent every minute in the gym when I wasn't playing soccer? I need to make sure can defend you, and myself." Ainsley's voice broke. "But in a matter of, like, 5 days, I failed you twice. Twice, Ash. I failed you and myself twice in less than a week, but I swear, it won't happen again." 

The table was silent, and I glanced at Ashley, who had let a tear escape, but she wiped it before the others noticed. 

I think Civana was pretty confused, and understandably so. She's known Ash for a long time too, but not nearly as well as I always did. 

No one spoke a word about what Ainsley had said, and after about a minute of silence, she got up. 

"Someone wanna come get food with me?" She sighed.

"I'll come." Trinity said, getting up and following the younger Sanchez towards the lines of people. 

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Ainsley's POV

We got settled back home quickly, and I was about ready to crash and actually fucking sleep for the first time in weeks. 

But Trinity wouldn't leave, even after Ash went to take a nap. So we just watched basketball, and when Ash woke up, I ordered food because we had nothing in the house. 

We started binging some stupid TV show that we all got hooked on and couldn't stop watching, so it was about 1 am when we shut it off. 

I assumed Trinity was going to go home, and Ash and I ciuld just sleep in tomorrow and not have to be bothered by anything one last day before I had to go back to training. 

But she didn't fucking leave, she decided to stay in my room. 

I felt bad kicking her to the damn couch, and if it was a normal night right after we hadn't both been sleeping on chairs and couches for the past few weeks, I'd go sleep there, but I didn't have the energy. I also wanted to sleep in my own bed. 

"What are you doing in here?" I sighed as I pulled my hair back into a low ponytail. 

"Can I stay in here?" 

"Why not Ash's room?" 

"I'm afraid to touch her scars or something. It's better not to." 

"Well you should be afraid to touch me too." 

"You're not as scary as you think you are, Ace." 

"Really?" I teased, flexing my arm. 

"Damn girl!" 

I laughed. 

"I never wanna make you mad." 

"That ship has sailed, babe." I paused. "Ew. Never let me say that again." 

We both laughed a little bit, and then I climbed into my bed, barely able to hold my eyes open. 

She did the same, and I grumbled at her. 

"I hate you." I sighed. 

"I hate you too." 

She took off her sweatshirt, and before she could throw it to the end of the bed, I snatched it. 

"Thanks." I sat up and put it on, and it was so warm and comfortable. "You're never getting this back." 

"I will one day." 

"Nope. My closet eats clothes. Ask Ash about all the clothes she hasn't seen in forever. Mainly sweatshirts and sweatpants. They're hidden until she forgets about them." 

"I'm telling her."   

"Bitch don't you dare." 

"Then you better swear to give my sweatshirt back." 

"I'll think about it." 

I settled into my spot, pulling the blanket up to my neck. 

"Night, Trina." 

"Night, Ace." 

We were quiet for 10 minutes, and in those 10 minutes I expected to have been passed out. But I tossed and turned the whole time. 

"Damn it, Trina!" I said. "I can;t sleep with you here." 

"Well you're gonna have to, because I'm not moving."

I grumbled and another restless 20 minutes went by. This was unlike me, really. I usually fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow, but not this time. 

"Can't sleep either?" Trinity asked finally. 

"Nope." 

"Is something bothering you?" 

"A lot, really." 

"What's bothering you?" She asked. 

That set something off in my brain, because suddenly I couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful she was, and how she somehow found a way to look this good at 1 am. My mind wandered further and further from the question she asked and it flooded with thoughts of kissing her. 

I only felt like that one other time, and that was when I was drunk and I actually did it. 

I felt myself get nervous, and she asked again. I took a deep breath and absolutely berated myself in my head, because I couldn't let myself feel like this. She's supposed to go back to being my enemy, the only thing that could ever come between me and my sister. 

"What's bothering you?" 

I took a deep breath and kept myself calm as I answered. 

"A lot, like I said."