Little Sanchez // USWNT

Chapter 43

"There you are!" Mal said opening the door. "Come here! I missed you!" She pulled me into a giant hug and literally moved me into the room, showing me into the bathroom. 

"Is that Ash?" I asked, seeing my sister and someone else in the room. 

"Look at this." Mal said, showing me something, but I was more concerned about the people in the room. It sounded like they were leaving. 

"I want Ash." I said sadly.

"She's not out there, see?" She opened the door and let me out. 

"Oh." 

"I don't know what you heard." 

"I'm hungry." 

"You're drunk and you need to go to sleep." 

"I don't want to." 

"It's time. Come on." 

She made me get changed and then I laid down but I wasn't tired. 

"I'm not tired." 

"Yes you are." 

"I'm not." 

"You are." 

"Where's Trin at? I miss her." 

She sighed, and came over to me. She turned off my light and sat next to me. 

"It's time for bed." 

"I'm not-"

"Shhh." She pulled me into her so I was cuddled up with her. I tried pushing her away, but she made me stay. 

"Mal let go." 

"Go to sleep." 

"I'm not fucking tired." 

"Alright fine then. Act like a child, I don't care. You're acting ridiculous." 

I sighed and gave in, closing my eyes and falling asleep immediately. 

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Ashley's POV

The next day was awful. 

I'm mad at Ainsley for kissing Edelman and I'm also mad at Mal for leaving her at the party. 

My sister is so fucking stupid. 

I spent all night consoling her girlfriend? I don't really know.. But all I know is there was four really disgruntled girls showing up to camp today. 

Mal and I did our best to keep them separated in the beginning. Bus ride was fine, Trin and I took the back (some people were not very happy) and Mal kept Ainsley in the front. Then when we got to training, hell broke loose. 

For once, Ainsley wasn't causing the problem. She was just minding her own, tying up her cleats and getting ready to practice when Trinity went up to her and started talking. At first, Ains was smiling, and I thought that things were going alright. Then she started to look angry, and then she stood up. 

I knew this wouldn't end well. 

Ainsley is significantly shorter than Trinity, but that means nothing when she gets angry. 

The words started flying, surprisingly from Trinity first. She fired the first shots at my sister, and then my sister fired shots at my best friend. A few girls looked up, and a few stood up. 

As I was looking around, someone hit someone else, and then everyone went running. I couldn't see what was going on, but within a few seconds Kelley O'Hara and Sofia Huerta had my sister pulled away, and Julie Ertz and Emily Fox had Trinity held back. 

I don't think any of the staff saw somehow, and I angrily dragged my sister off to the side. 

"Get your shit together Ainsley!" I said. "I know you didn't start it, but you need to keep your composure." 

I looked at my poor sister. I guess they didn't hit each other, because neither had a mark on their faces. But she had tears in her eyes, and they were tears of sadness, not frustration. She was clearly trying not to let the tears fall. 

"You need to calm down." I grabbed her arms. "It's gonna be okay. You just have to play soccer, then we'll figure it out. I promise. You fucked up but you can't think about that right now." 

"Got it." She said, and I wiped a tear from her cheek. 

"It's okay. Take out your anger on the ball." 

She nodded, and we walked back to the group. 

She kept her distance, which I was proud of. She also stayed quiet to everyone, which was also impressive. 

Then we did a big scrimmage with everyone divided into three different teams and there were subs and stuff. We used the big nets. 

Ainsley was on my team, which was very confusing most of the time. But she was playing great. She was outplaying me and all the other midfielders. 

When we were playing against Trinity's team, my sister got an open path to dribble. She was about to pass the ball off to me when Trinity came out of nowhere and tackled her out. I thought my sister was dead for a second. 

"Little Sanchez! You alright?" Kelley yelled. 

"Rodman! Terrible tackle! Come here!" One of the coaches said. 

I ran to Ainsley, Kelley coming with me. 

"You got Ains?" I asked, shaking her a little bit. 

"Yeah." She sighed, and I helped her sit up. "I'm fine." 

Kelley and I pulled her up, and she jumped up and down, and then she did a quick jog. She claimed she was fine over and over again, and she wasn't limping or struggling at all, but the trainers made her come off for a few minutes. 

"You understand?" The one coach yelled at Trin. She nodded. "Now get on the line down there! Go!" 

I'd never heard a coach so hard on a player for something like that on the national team, so I was a little bit confused. 

But practice went on, and Ainsley was back on in minutes, Trinity back on when she finished her sprints.