Little Sanchez - USWNT

Chapter 37

Ainsley's POV

Our home opener against OL Reign started at 4:00. 

I was genuinely so excited that I felt no nerves.

"So I am about to take the field for the warm ups before my first professional game." I said, turning to walk backwards so I was facing the camera. "I'm not nervous at all. I'm actually super excited. I'm hoping I get to play today. Reign is supposed to be one of our stronger opponents, so it's a toss up for a rookie. Especially since I missed some time this preseason." 

I turned around and kept walking, coming up behind my teammates. I stepped up next to my sister, who put her arm around my shoulder and talked to me. 

"You nervous?" She asked. 

"Not really." I replied with a smile. "Maybe a little bit." 

"Well I want you to know that I'm proud of you and I love you, and you're gonna do great." 

"Thanks Ash. I love you too." 

She squeezed my shoulder and kissed my forehead as we followed the team out of the tunnel and into the open air stadium. 

A few people were already in the stands, and they all cheered when we took the field. I blocked them out, completely locking in and focusing on what I was doing. 

I had a ridiculously good warm up, great passing, good shots, quick feet, and a smile on my face the whole time. 

"Nice work Ains." Trinity said after shooting, giving me a high five. There were cameras all around, so I tried my absolute hardest to Act completely normal around her, but I was just too excited. I ended up jumping on her back, jumping around her, and hanging around her a lot. 

I realized after the fact that there was literally nothing wrong with that, for all anyone else knows we're best friends. But she was like a fucking DRUG. I can't seem to get away from her, no matter how far I try to go, I always find my way back.

Then when the time came for me to sit on the bench, the camera people set up along the sidelines with the official broadcasters, trying to get good video of the game I guess. 

Halftime they followed Ash and I to the locker room, then they followed us out. 

I was on the sideline, stretching to keep warm when Trinity got a good ball over her defender, which she controlled and dribbled about 40 yards, then she took a shot into the lower right corner, catching the keeper off guard. The ball kissed the post and went in, and the place went nuts. Trinity ran over to me and we did our handshake we've been practicing, then she did some dance celebration with my sister while Hatchy watched and laughed. 

About 5 minutes later, I was called up to the coach. 

I was followed by cameras all the way there, they caught everything he told me, and I took off my pinny. I was going in for Paige Metayer, another rookie midfielder. 

Deep breath in, deep breath out. 

My number in green, hers in red on the sub board. She gave me a hug as she stepped off, I handed her the pinny, and sprinted out to the field. 

Reign was subbing a few as well, and I ook the extra time they were taking to look around the stadium. 

I just took it all in, looking through the packed stands. I've never seen the place have so many people. 

I probably looked like a kid in a candy store, looking all around and turning in a complete circle. 

"You've been in a more packed stadium before." Ash came over to me laughing. 

"But this is different. This is home." I said. "Plus, it's been 4 months and a one hell of a ride ride since I last played a game." 

"Well I'm fucking proud of you." She said, then walked into her spot, the game about to start again. 

That made me smile bigger than I ever had, it gave me a sense of security and calmed my nerves. 

The ball went into play, and I ran to be the first to it. 

If I'm going to be out here for the next 20 minutes, I'm gonna give it everything I have. 

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I didn't have a goal contribution, but I took three shots on target, two off. I was tearing up Reign's tired midfield so badly that I was getting my shirt pulled every time I had the ball. One time I got dragged down and it resulted in a yellow. 

It had started to bother me, but I brushed it off because I was better off not letting my emotions get the best of me. But with two minuted to go, I almost lost my cool. 

I got double teamed and double fouled. One player came from behind, pulling on my shirt and dragged me down to the ground while the other one slide tackled me out at the same time, missing the ball completely. 

I made the recovery look cool, doing a somersault and then popping up quickly, the other two on the ground still. I threw my hands in the air to show that I was frustrated by it, and the sideline ref put up his flag. The center ref finally looked over after what felt like an eternity and called the foul. The other two begun to complain, but I walked away, my ankle throbbing but I tried my best not to limp. 

Ash came over to me and put her hand on my shoulder, checking up on me. When I told her I was alright, she looked over at where the ref was talking to the other girls, and I noticed Trin had gotten involved. I jogged over and pulled her away, telling her I was okay and it was no big deal. 

"Don't do anything. If you do anything to either of them I swear Trina, I'll skip the wedding." I whispered. 

She rolled her eyes and told me she wouldn't do anything, and I tried to trust her. 

Right before we were told how much stoppage time, I got a breakaway, and I pushed with everything I had. I ripped a shot that was saved by the keeper, a great save. But it bounced off her hands and I recovered it, finding Ash in the middle who found the back of the net for the tap in. 

I jumped before running to her and jumping in her arms, and we both squeezed each other as hard as we could. When she put me down, we did our handshake and then the team came in for a group hug. 

As we walked back to the center circle to restart, ash threw her arm around my shoulders and I laid my head against her. 

We played 3 minutes of stoppage, and when the final whistle blew, the crowd went wild. 

The team rushed the field as if we won the championship, and we all got into a huge muddle. 

After our team talk, we all sort of went off and talked for a while. We saw some of our USWNT teammates and I got interviewed. The before we went to sign autographs, I saw Trin laying down on the ground, so I laid next to her. 

"That run you made was pretty hot." She whispered. 

"I could say the same for you, Little Miss Goal." I smirked. We both sat up. 

"So I take it you'll be attending the wedding?" 

"How many nights with you?" 

"Two." 

"Sold." I smiled. "One for each goal contribution." 

She stood up and gave me her hand to help me up, and we signed some autographs before we had to split. 

When I got home, I made sure I had everything packed. I grabbed a few last things and then Trinity came to pick me up. Ashley waved out the front door as we drove away, and then it was just us.