Chapter Text
"Yo, Sanchez! Heard you dumped your boyfriend!"
"What's it to you?"
"I was thinkin-"
"Fuck off, asshole." I said. "Suggest it again and I'll beat your ass."
"You wouldn't even hurt me." He laughed.
"Again, Edelman, I'll beat your ass."
"Again, Sanchez, you couldn't hurt me."
"What I think you should do is go have a catch with your little football friends before I knock your stupid teeth out."
"Maybe I will."
"Alright good."
I sighed and finished looking through all of the websites my sister had sent me about where I was predicted to go in the NWSL draft.
"I'm only 18, Ash. Nobody's gonna want me after only playing 1 season of college soccer." I told her on the phone later that night. "Nobody's gonna be stupid enough to take me in the first round. I'll be lucky if I get second."
"Spirit's stupid enough." My sister said.
"Not that stupid."
"They took a huge chance on Trinity. She hadn't even played a college season. Trust me, you're gonna be picked here 3rd pick."
"Dream on, sis."
"I'm serious!"
"Whatever."
"Listen. You got your USWNT call up, that's gonna show you everything you need to see. Trust me on this. And finally, after all these years, we get to play together. And it's at the highest level. This is tell enough to get drafted. Everyone's gonna want you. Ainsley. You're stupid good at soccer. You make everyone look like this is rec soccer ans you're a travel girl. And you're playing D1."
"But Ashley-"
"It's getting late here. But I'll see you tomorrow. I can't wait. I love you."
"Love you too." I sighed, and ended the FaceTime call.
I laid back on my bed and let my arm cover my eyes. I thought of how I still had to pack and how I was supposed to fly out to Dallas tomorrow for my first ever USWNT camp to close out their year. They had a few issues and Vlatko had his eye on me.
I just rolled out of bed and threw a bunch of clothes in my suitcase, having no idea what I needed for this trip. I could literally just call my sister, but she's just going to ignore it or tell me to shut up, the same way she used to when we were younger.
I realized I missed Ashley like CRAZY all the time. We grew up so close that seeing her to go college was hard, and now her living all the way across the country is even harder. And I don't think it really affects her too much, because she's an adult doing adult things with her (mostly) adult friends.
The only one that is still not really an adult is Trinity Rodman. The stupid girl that keeps my sister from talking to me when I call her. She's always with Trinity, and seems to not have time for me anymore.
I feel like I've been replaced, because Trinity and I are the same age almost. Ashley seemed to adopt her as the new me, one that could be with her a lot and not across the country in college.
And honestly I didn't want to put those feelings aside. I hate the feeling of being replaced. I sighed and finished packing up and waiting for my roommate to come home so I can actually go to sleep.
I scrolled through Ashley's instagram. Towards the top there was a lot of pictures of her and her new friend, but as I got farther it was her and her old friends, and I was in there too. A lot.
When my roommate came in, I finally clicked off my phone and turned off my lamp.
"Only took you all night to get back." I told her, seeing the time was 12:30.
"Sorry. I was watching a TV show with my friend." She said.
"Friend as in-"
"Yes, Ainsley."
"No need to get feisty on me, Madison."
She sighed and I know she rolled her eyes but I couldn't see because it was dark.
"So how is he anyway?" I asked.
"He's good."
"You know, Edelman was all over me today. Wouldn't leave me alone because I dumped James's bitch ass." I told her.
"He's annoying."
"You're telling me." I sighed. "If he talks to me again, I swear, I'll deck him in his stupid fucking face."
"Is he as afraid you you as I am?" Madison laughed.
"Pfft. No. But he will be."
"You've got no reason to be scared of me." I said, standing up out of my bed and tackling her onto hers. "I wouldn't hurt you even if you turned out to be Edelman."
"Are you sure about that?" She giggled.
"I don't know. Just don't become him. I'd hate to see such a pretty face be so messed up."
"Better not talk to people like that on the USWNT."
"Ashley already warned me. And she's well aware that went in one ear and right out the other."
"Pretty standard." She said. "Now get off my bed so I can go to sleep."
"What if I just stay?" I teased.
"Then I'll rail you."
"You're cute and all, but I'm good." I got up and stretched before laying back in my bed and falling asleep almost immediately.
---
I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night and was too terrified to go back to sleep.
I had dreamed that I was in the back of a car, and Ashley was driving and someone else was up front. I had no idea who it was. Then we got rear ended, and the car was on fire. I couldn't see anything, but I heard someone screaming, and then a few seconds later, I was pulled from the car. My shirt was on fire and somehow the fire was put out, and then I was pulled close to someone.
I woke up before it could go on.
I checked my phone, and the time read 4:07 am. I had to leave for the airport in 3 hours, so I figured I wouldn't torture myself by going back to sleep and I'd just go to the gym. I slipped out quietly after getting changed and then covering my roommate with the blanket that had fallen off of her.
When I walked into the gym, I saw 2 people I hated, and quickly turned around to leave.
"Yo Sanchez!" Edelman called. I turned on my heel and stood with my arms crossed staring at him.
"What the fuck do you want, Edelman?"
"Heard you're going to Dallas to play with the national soccer team or something."
"I am."
"With your sister that's hotter than you."
"Edelman, we're both so far out of your league I have no idea how you can even see us."
"Not saying you're not hot, Younger Sanchez. Your sister's just hotter."
"No idea what you're trying to get at, asshole." He looked to his friend next to him, who was my stupid ass ex that I dumped 3 days ago.
"Tell your sister to give me a call if you're not gonna."
"Talk to me again and like I've said every single day since I met you, I'll beat your ass. And my sister doesn't even have your phone number anyway."
"You dated this girl?" Edelman asked James, my ex.
"It was pretty miserable." He replied.
"Shoulda gone for the sister. Way hotter, better temper, nicer hips, probably better-"
I went up closer to them and got in Edelman's face.
"Listen to me, Jason Edelman. If you finish that statement or say one more thing about my sister, I swear I'll fuck you up so bad you won't be able to get out of bed tomorrow morning."
"If you really think you could do that, you're obviously the more delusional Sanchez as well." He said.
"But I'm the stronger one too."
"That's true. She's got a point." James said.
"I could break your stick ass in 5 seconds." Edelman said to me. "At least your sister's got an ass to make people look-"
That's when I swung right at his face, open palm. I wasn't going to punch him until I had to.
"OW!" He said, grabbing the side of his face.
"Say one more thing about me or especially my sister, I'll close my hand. You understand?" I grumbled.
"Yes ma'am."
"Thank you. Now if you'd let me workout in peace, I'd really appreciate it."
---
I got off the plane at the airport, hoping I would see Ashley waiting for me, but I was disappointed. I went to the bag carousel to grab my suitcase, and someone came up behind me and made a sound that scared the sit out of me.
"What the hell?" I said, turning around.
"Hey! Little Sanchez!" Said the girl.
"Mal Pugh. It's been a few years!"
"Damn right." She smiled. "So how do you like UCLA?"
"It's great, actually. I'm just sick of some of the people. And I'm always getting compared to my sister. Not just from coaches and teachers and players, but other students as well. It's shitty but I've learned to ignore it."
"I bet that's pretty rough." She said. "So have you decided if you're you going to stay or go enter the draft?"
"Wish I could tell you."
"Well you're projected first round. Told Chi Town to consider you." She threw her arm around my shoulders. "I remember the way you play. And I've watched a UCLA game or two. You'd be a nice addition to our midfield. Where do you want to go?"
"The dream would be to play in D.C. with my sister. I hate being so far from her."
"If you got drafted anywhere else would you sign?"
"This is a lot of questions Mallory. I haven't seen you in a million years."
"Please. I'm one of your sister's best friend and I've known you since you had braces."
"Don't talk about the fucking braces." I threatened. "But anyway, to answer your question, it depends. I'll just go back to college if I hate my selection." I reached down to grab my other suitcase and I heard her laugh.
"Overpack much?" She laughed.
"Listen I'm new to this." I said. "I like Ashley a lot more than she likes me. The more I call her the more she dislikes me. So this didn't feel like something that I needed to call about."
"She loves you."
"Only 'cause she has to." I sighed.
We headed for the doors to get an Uber to the hotel, but then out of nowhere Kelley O'Hara came up behind us and scared us.
"Is this how you all greet each other?" I asked after my second heart attack in 10 minutes.
"Pretty much, yeah." Kelley said. "Hey Sanchez Jr. I'm Kelley."
"I know."
"I figured."
"So if you're here, did Ashley fly out on the same plane as you?"
"I was coming from home. Sorry kid." She said. Then she jingled her rental car keys. "Look what I have."
"Yay! No Uber!" Mal said happily.
---
When we got to the hotel, everybody was waiting in the lobby for the whole team to arrive.
"Momma's home!" Kelley yelled as she walked in, and everyone cheered.
The front desk lady looked up harshly, but Kelley had no idea.
"I brought some friends with me. Mallory and Sanchez Jr." She said happily.
"Aww! Little Sanchez is so cute!" Someone said.
"She's a copy of her sister." Another one said.
"Ashley?" I saw a glimpse of her head.
"Ainsley!" She said happily.
I pushed through the crowd to jump into her arms.
"It's happening. It's really happening." She said.
"Ashley, it's happening." I said, hugging her again.
It had been a few months since we last saw each other. I went out to D.C. twice this summer, saw her twice when she came to California to play ACFC and Wave, but not for a very long time. I felt a little bit out of place because everyone knew each other already. I barely knew a few of the girls, so I stuck close to Ash's side.
"Hey look. It's mini Sanchez." Said Trinity Rodman.
"Oh look, it's....Trina Rodman?" I said, starting my mission to get under her skin.
"It's Trinity." She said nicely. "You literally came over my apartment last time you were in D.C."
"Weird. I'm usually good with names. I guess you just weren't important enough to remember." I said.
She laughed awkwardly, and Ashley slapped my shoulder.
"Be nice."
"Thing is I'm not."
"But you are. So act like it." She hit me lightly on the back of the head.
We got to pick our roommates, and I ended up with Mal, because guess who ended up with my sister?
"You wanna room together, Little Sanchez?" Mal asked me.
I peered over at Ashley and Trinity, who were getting their room keys from the front desk.
"Sure." I tried to sound excited so she didn't think I was being rude, but she noticed.
"Sorry about your sister." She sighed. "But we're gonna have a great time! We can have movie night every night!"
"Sounds great!" I put on my best fake smile as she slung her arm over my shoulder and dragged me to the front desk.