Little Sanchez - USWNT

Chapter 15

Ainsley's POV

"You can't go back to LA." Ashley said as soon as he left. 

"But I have to, Ashley. That's where my school is, that's where my friends are, that's where all my stuff is..." 

"I don't care." She sat down on the edge of the bed. "I almost lost you twice over this trip. I can't be across the country from you. It's not going to work." 

"But we've made it work for the past 2 years. Why can't we do it now?" 

"Listen to me, Ainsley. You're all I have. I'm all you have. That's it. It's just us. You don't wanna be a little bit closer together?" 

"Spirit was gonna draft me, Ashley. I already got a call while we were at camp. But the fact that it's unlikely I'll ever be back into form, there's no chance. I'll go undrafted and somebody will pick me up, hoping I recover enough to at least be a bench option. All of my soccer dreams are crushed, even if I find a way back. It's just not gonna work out the way I'd hoped. I just have to work a little bit harder, just like always. I've gotten through everything else, right? How's this time any different?" 

She just looked at me with big, sad, eyes. 

"And yes. I can put myself in your shoes. If I almost lost you twice in the span of, like, a week,  I'd want you close to me too." 

I paused and she was just staring at the floor. 

"I'll come stay with you in D.C. until I'm better." I said finally. 

"Really??" 

"Yes." 

She started crying and she leaned over to give me a weird hug.

"All I've got." My voice broke as I said it.

She sat up and nodded. 

"But with soccer, I'm essentially back at square one." 

"But we're gonna get you back to....whatever square you were in. Actually an even better square. And I can't wait." Smiled Ashley. 

I looked at the TV, and much to my surprise the local news was about me. 

"Jumpscare." I grumbled when I saw my face. Ashley laughed and turned up the volume. 

"Last night, the third floor of the Dallas Hilton Hotel caught fire when food in a microwave was left unattended. There are no reported deaths from this disaster, but there are 4 reported hospitalizations. Two of the reported hospitalizations were players from the U.S. Women's National Team that were here for their November friendly games. It was reported that Trinity Rodman ran back into the burning building to save her teammate, Ainsley Sanchez, who was stuck on the burning floor of the building. Both girls were taken to the hospital after they made it out, and Rodman has since been discharged. Sanchez, however, wasn't so lucky. She was last seen being loaded into the back of an ambulance in seemingly bad condition. There has been no further update on the condition of her or the other two hospitalized people." 

"Ainsley, look at this." Ashley handed me her phone that had an article on it. 

"I don't wanna hear about almost dying again. Seriously." I said, handing it back to her. 

"Please just read." 

"Fine." I grumbled. 

Disaster struck the U.S. Women's National Team last night after a successful pair of games against Germany. 

The hotel in which they were staying in erupted into flames with 15 of the 23 players in the building. 13 of those players got out of the building safely, uninjured and completely fine. The other 2, however, were hospitalized. 

Forward Trinity Rodman only sustained minor injuries and was discharged from the hospital almost immediately upon examination. 

Midfielder Ainsley Sanchez did not seem to be as lucky though. She has not been released from the hospital, nor has there been an update on her situation. 

Her sister, Ashley Sanchez, another midfielder for the team, was last seen getting into the ambulance with her sister. 

After talking to five different parties of witnesses, it is confirmed that Rodman put her life on the line when she ran into the burning building to save her teammate. 

"We honestly didn't think they were going to make it out." Stated their teammate, forward Mallory Pugh. 

"There was no hesitation really. Ashley started yelling about her sister being in there, and without skipping a beat, Trinity went running in." Defender Kelley O'Hara says. 

"It's the bravest thing I've ever seen anyone do." Says Pugh. "It shows how much we all care about each other so much and we're all a family." 

U.S. Soccer will award Rodman for her bravery at the U.S. Women's National Team's next home match, which is yet to be announced. 

So it was true, and I didn't just make up that whole story in my head. Trinity really did run into a burning building for me, and here I am telling her I fucking hate her more than anyone in the world. 

I'm the shittiest person in the world.