Audrey's POV
"Hey Mini Solo."
"Ali?" I whisper.
"Sweetie what's wrong?"
"Is Ashy with you?"
"Yes Audrey. She just got home with our take out."
"Oh. I'm sorry I can call someone else."
"No Audrey it's fine. What's going on?"
"Someone followed me home from practice today."
"Are you okay?" Ash says.
Guess the phones on speaker.
"I'm hiding in my closet."
"Okay." Ash says. "Audrey we need to call HAO and tell her so the club can do something about it then we'll come get you."
"Okay." I say.
"Audrey don't open the door until you hear me say pancakes okay?" Ali says.
"Okay." I say then everyone hangs up.
After I hang up I get out of my closet and walk into the kitchen and grab a knife then wait in the kitchen. What feels like hours later there's a knock on the door so I tiptoe towards it.
"Audrey its us." A voice that sounds like Ash says.
"Audrey we brought Pancakes."
That's the unmistakable voice of Ali Krieger.
Hearing the code word I set the knife down on a table then open the door to reveal Ali, Ash, Alex, Syd, HAO, and some big burly men. When I notice the men towering over everyone I back away from everyone.
"Audrey?" Alex asks and tries to touch me.
I cower away then run back to my closet, shut the door, and hide.
"Audrey it's just us." Ash says.
"Can you open the door sweetie?" Alex asks.
I peak through the crack in the door and see Ali, Ash, Alex, Syd, and HAO standing in my room. I slowly open the door, but stay in the closet.
"Hi." I whisper.
"Hey Audi." HAO says.
Ash then opens her arms and I get up then jump into her arms and breakdown.
Ash and I have always been close since she got called up to the national team in 2009. I always stayed with the keepers so I could be close to Mom and Ash has come to be one of my best friends.
She's also very cuddly and I love to cuddle.
"I got you." Ash says and runs her hand through my hair.
Ali then leads Ash to my bed then Ash sits on the bed and leans against the headboard. The other girls sit on the bed as well and surround us.
"Audrey." Alex says as Ash wipes the tears from my face. "What happened?"
"Well." I say and cuddle into Ash. "I walked to training today because it was nice outside and I just felt like walking."
"Right."
"And when I was coming back home I noticed someone behind me so I took the long way home to see if he was following me and he was. When I got to the apartment building I took the stairs to my floor and when I got to my room I saw the dude get off the elevator so I quickly opened my door and went inside. The dude sprinted toward me as I closed the door so I quickly locked it then hid in my closet as the dude banged on the door."
"Excuse me." A big burly man says making me cuddle deeper into Ash. "There's a woman in the hallway who says she's your mother."
"Mama?" I say and look at Ash.
"Let her in." Ash says.
The man nods then leaves.
"Audrey?" I hear my Mom say.
"MAMA?" I shout and remove myself from Ash.
I then swiftly walk into the living room and see my Mom frantically looking around.
"MAMA." I shout making her turn towards me.
I then run at her and jump into her arms, wrap my legs around her waist, and bury my head in her neck.
"What's wrong babygirl?" Mom asks and runs her hand through my hair.
I don't respond. I just tighten my grip on my Mom.
"Uh Hope." Ali says. "Why don't we go sit in Audrey's room."
"Okay." Mom says.
Mom then walks us into my room and stands by the bed. I then unwrap myself from Mom then we sit on the bed and I cuddle into my favorite player ever.
"So what's going on? And why does Audrey have armed security at her door." Mom asks while wrapping a protective arm around me.
"Well I know you hate when we beat around the bush so..." Ash says. "Audrey was followed home after practice today. The man tried to get into Audrey's apartment, but she shut the door and hid in the closet while the guy banged on the door. She then called us and we then called HAO before we rushed over here."
"Have they caught the guy?" Mom asks.
"No. They're looking at the security footage right now." HAO says.
Mom nods then looks down at me.
"Are you okay?" Mom asks.
"Mama." I say.
"Uh what?" Alex says.
"Dammit." Mom mumbles.
"Hope?" Ash questions as Mom looks down at me.
"Are you hurt?" Mom asks.
"Mama." I say.
"I'm so confused." Syd says.
"Come here." Mom says then pulls me onto her lap.
Mom then grabs my head and pulls it down onto her chest so I can hear her heart.
"You're okay baby." Mom says.
Mom then tilts my chin up so I'm looking at her. She then kisses my forehead, then my right cheek, then my left cheek, and finally my nose.
"Mama?" I ask a bit confused. "W-what are you doing here?"
"I was doing my work for beIN and I decided to stop by and surprise you"
"Oh." I say then nuzzle my head into Mom's neck.
"I don't mean to pry." Ali says. "But what was that?"
"That's happens sometimes when Audrey gets scared." Mom says and tightens her hold on me. "She'll respond to everything you say with Mama until I hold her like I did then I kiss her forehead, her right cheek, her left cheek, then her nose and after that she'll be back to normal."
"Audrey why don't we pack you a bag and you can come stay with us for a few days until this is figured out." Ash says and I nod.
The girls help me pack a bag then we leave my apartment and head to the lobby. Once in the lobby I head to Mom's car then we follow Ash to her and Ali's place.
"AHHH." Ash shouts as I get out of the car.
"What?" Alex questions as I walk towards the garage
"SNAKE." Ash says and points in the garage.
"Scaredy cat." I say as I walk past Ash.
Once in the garage I corner the snake then grab it behind its head and pick it up. I then walk with it out of the garage, take it away from the house, and release it.
"It's a black racer." I say as I walk up to Ash. "It's non-venomous."
"How the?" Syd questions.
"Before I moved down here I researched the snakes that were down her so I could know which one's to leave alone and which one's were okay to touch if I needed too." I say.
"I'm calling you next time someone is afraid to take care of the snakes." Ali says and looks at her wife.
"So." Mom says and everyone looks at her. "You ladies ready for the Olympics?"