Little Sanchez // USWNT

Chapter 49

Wild cheering from the stadium. 

My emotions were high, but I was holding myself together. 

The ball flew right at me, and I jumped up at it, hoping to get something, on it. Just anything, maybe. 

Well I got enough on the ball to tie up the game. 

The force of my header had knocked me to the ground, but I got up and ran to the sideline where Ash was. 

"You're a fucking beast!" She said, lifting me off the ground and spinning me around, then giving me a kiss on the forehead. Everyone from the bench and the field had made their way over, forming a huge group hug. 

As we broke up, Trin pushed through the others to grab me, and I'm pretty sure we were covered my teammates when she gave me a kiss on the cheek. But I couldn't care, because I just fucking scored in the World Cup. 

We played tough, for the rest of the game, but we ended in a 1-1 tie. I got lots of congratulations from my teammates, but I wasn't satisfied. We should have won, and now we have to go into the game against Portugal with a world of uncertainty. 

When we went back to the locker room, I got a call. I was reluctant to answer, as I didn't fucking feel like talking, but I answered anyway. 

"WHADDUP LITTLE SANCHEZ!" Mal yelled from the other line, making me drop my phone. 

Everyone's heads turned my way, but I just bent down to grab my phone, running my finger over a crack in the screen.

"Yo dude." I said. "What's-" 

"You're insanityyyyy!" She sung into the phone. "Literally crazyyyyy." 

"Thanks. Um, are you drunk right now?" 

"Yes. Yes. Very. Y'all gave me the biggest heart attack EVER. Don't care me like that again." 

"We won't." 

"Well I'm proud of you, kiddo. My Little Sanchez is growing up. I can't believe it. Just PONE thing I need to tell you." 

"What's that?" 

"Keep your composure. You're already on a yellow and you've got....yeah. That many games to go. It's on my hand." 

"Five games?" 

"FIVE GAMES!" 

"I'll do everything I can for you, Mal. I'm sorry you can't be here." 

"I know you will, Ains. It's the rest of the team I'm concerned about. Why does nobody want it like you do?" 

"They do, trust me." I scanned the room, everyone doing their own thing. 

We didn't even look like a team, let alone looking like a team that wants to win a World Cup. It's concerning that we still have about three, maybe more, field players that didn't get to see the field yet, one of those girls being my sister. My big sister, the one I looked up to, the one who even got me into soccer in the first place. And I'm playing over her right now. 

"Little Sanchez? You there?" Mal asked, snapping me back into reality. 

"Yeah. I'm here." 

"I don't care what they want, I care about what YOU want. You keep doing your best, you keep fighting, inject that mentality into the team. You're the most important player there, except nobody knows that except for me, and now you. You're amazing, Little Sanchez. Take those words to heart, because I don't lie, especially when I'm drunk." 

I laughed, staring down at my cleats, still on my feet. Ideas ran through my head as she continued to talk.

"I'm gonna let you go, Little Sanchez. But remember. This is YOUR tournament. Yours, and no one else's. You make sure the team knows that. You make sure that team doesn't let you down. You make that girlfriend of yours knows that too. I talked to her the other day, she's real proud of you. So no more messing around, Ainsley." 

"Got it." 

"Where they said you'd never be is exactly where you are, and you're the only one playing like you deserve it. Keep that going." 

I nodded as if she could see me. 

"Got it, Mal. Thank you." 

"Alright. I'll talk to you later. Bye Bye." She said. "Love you!" 

"Love you too." 

She hung up, and i put down my phone, pushing myself all the way into my locker and just observing everything going on around me, wishing she could be here with me. 

I had no idea if I believed her, when she said I was the only one that wanted it, but I guess the next game will truly tell. 

She told me we have five to go, but I'm worried it's gonna be a lot less than that.