HOUSE OF GLASS
„Ash, are you coming? We are going to be so late! “Ali yelled trying to get Ashlyn’s attention. „I am almost done; just let me pack my stuff. “It was 9 a.m. and they had practice. Ali always loved morning practice; she really was a morning person. On the other hand, Ashlyn hated getting up early, but they had to go, it was the last practice before Olympic qualifiers.
„Am I driving or do you want to? “ Ali asked throwing their stuff on the back seat of a car.
„Go ahead, I don't feel like driving. “ Ashlyn said looking through the window, trying to catch some fresh air.
„Is everything okay? Are you feeling okay? “Ali gave her full attention to her best friend sitting right beside her.
„I am okay. Just a little dizzy, I didn't get enough sleep, that's all. “Ash gave Ali what seemed to be a reassuring smile even though it didn't look very reassuring. „I will be okay.“
The drive to their practice was very quiet which was really odd. Whenever Ali was driving, Ash would call a shotgun even though no one else was going with them. She would play Taylor Swift throughout the whole trip and wouldn’t stop teasing Ali about whatever. But today was different. Today she was quiet, didn’t even try to play the music and didn’t look at Ali once.
“Okay, spill it, what’s going on?”Ali asked, pulling over and turning her body to Ash. Ashlyn tried to ignore the question and stated the obvious. “Ali, we are going to be late, could you please continue driving?” This time she looked at Ali, her eyes were swollen because she didn’t sleep much last night.”I promise you, if there was something serious, you would know about it.”
“I will always worry about you. You are my best friend.”Ali tried to comfort Ash, but this only made it worse.
“Yeah, that is the problem...” Ash whispered to herself while she turned away from Ali.
“What did you say?” Ali narrowed her brows and tried to face Ash.
“Nothing, it doesn’t matter.” Ash shrugged her off.
“Suit yourself. If you want to deal with this alone, who am I to push you into anything different?” Ali was feeling a bit angry because Ash would always confide into her. This time it was either something about her family or her girlfriend, because she never talks about either of them with Ali. She started the engine and hit the road.
They finally arrived and practice was about to start.
As soon as they walked onto the stadium Lucy was the first one to walk up to them. She was Ashlyn’s girlfriend and the only person that Ali couldn’t really read.
“Did you sleep well baby?” Lucy threw herself on Ash as soon as she saw her, without even saying hi.”Thanks for bringing her on time; I know she can be grumpy in the morning.” Lucy looked at Ali and winked.
“Yeah, whatever.” Ali walked past them and took the ball to do drills. Ash knew she didn’t like Lucy, but didn’t know why. Either way, she didn’t like the way Lucy was treating Ali.
“Could you be a little nicer next time?” Ash removed Lucy’s hand off of her and headed to catch Ali before the real practice started.
“Hey, I’m so sorry about her. I don’t know why she’s like that.” Ashlyn tried to start a conversation.
“I know why. She thinks that I am trying to take you away from her because you spend more time with me than with her. Which for the record, I am not trying. I know how much she m-“ Before she could finish that sentence, Ashlyn hugs her tightly and kisses her forehead.
“I know you wouldn’t do that Ali..” Ashlyn pulls away and stares into Ali’s eyes. “If she makes you happy, there is nothing I won’t do make sure that you two stay together.” Ali looks into Ashlyn’s eyes and can already feel tears streaming down her face.
Fuck. Did you really have to cry right now? Calm the fuck down Ali, she is not yours. Deal with it.
“I’m..I’m sorry.” Ali quickly wipes the tears away and distances herself from Ash.
But as always, Ash won’t let it go. She cares too much about Ali to forget about such things.
“Hey princess, talk to me.” Ash cups Ali’s face and pulls her head up so she can stare into her eyes, hoping that she could read what’s wrong.
She always calls her princess, that’s kind of their thing. Ali doesn’t have any other nickname for Ashlyn except for Ash, but she doesn’t mind the one Ashlyn has come up with.
“It’s nothing really, I just.. I don’t want to come between you two. That’s all.” Ali looks away from Ash, but she is soon looking into those beautiful eyes once again. She is so pretty, like an angel..
Ali shakes her thoughts and pays her attention to Ash.
“You know that you can’t stand between the two of us. If I had to choose between you two I would choose you. I would always choose you.” Before Ali could even process the words that Ash told her, she finds herself in a tight embrace and closes her eyes.
“You are wearing that perfume that I bought for you.” Ali states and looks at Ashlyn.
A big smile appears on Ashlyn’s face and she nods happily.
“I love that perfume. Not only because you bought it, but because it’s Taylor Swift’s perfume.” Ashlyn teases and tries to duck before Ali pushes her a little too hard and she falls to the ground but not before she pulls Ali with her and Ali lands on top of Ashlyn.
“You really love punching me, don’t you?” Ashlyn asks pulling Ali into a tight hug.
Lucy was watching them from afar and even though she knew they were always this close, she felt angry. She didn’t want Ali so close and the more she thought about it, the more she felt angry, which soon turned to rage. She asked their coach if she could head home because she wasn’t feeling well and Jill allowed.
Their practice started and Ash was really focused on the drill, she didn’t even hear Ali calling her. Alex approached her. “Yo Ash, Ali is calling you.” She jogged away and Ash looked up searching for Ali.
“What’s wrong?” Ash jogged to Ali and inspected her from top to bottom.
“It’s not me, I’m fine, don’t worry. I just wanted to tell you that I talked to the coach and she said that Lucy left because she wasn’t feeling well. I thought you should know.” Ash could see sadness in Ali’s eyes. “Thanks for telling me, I will go to the locker room, maybe she’s still there.”
“Oh, okay, I need to change my pre-wrap, so I will be there in a minute. Unless you want me to wait until-“Ash interrupted her. “It’s okay, you don’t have to wait.” Ali nodded and she and Ashlyn slowly started walking to the locker room.
On their way, Ali was left behind because Syd wanted to talk to her. “Yo, what’s up with Lucy? She didn’t even do the laps; she was starring at you two all the time.” That got Ali thinking. Was Lucy faking it? Why would she do that, I mean Ashlyn was her girlfriend, not mine.
Ashlyn was approaching the locker room and she could hear someone inside.
“Lucy, is that you?” Ashlyn opened the locker room door and saw Lucy walking up and down.
At that point Ali already reached the locker room but she heard some voices and didn’t want to come in just yet.
As soon as Lucy saw Ash, she smirked in disgust.
“Are you eye-fucking all of your friends like that?” She asked throwing her stuff into the training bag.
“Eye-..Wha..What are you talking about?!” Ash approached her and crossed her arms looking at Lucy confused.
“Oh come on, just admit it and stop lying to me and to yourself. You were all over that bitch!” Lucy punched her bag and smashed her water bottle against the floor.
“First of all, she is not a bitch, to you she is Ali Krieger and second, I wasn’t all over her, she had some problems and I was there comforting her!” Ash yelled and narrowed her brows.
Sooner than later conversation started to heat up. They were both yelling at each other until Lucy crossed the line.
“Doesn’t she have anyone else to talk to?! It is always you! She can’t live one day without you! Do you ever think why she chose you?! Because you have money Ashlyn! Your family has money!”
As soon as she heard that, Ali unintentionally hit the door while trying to cover her mouth so the sob wouldn’t come out. She felt tears streaming down her face and before she could even turn around she saw Ashlyn opening the door.
“Ali, I’m so sor-“Ali ran away crying before Ash could stop her and the only thing on Lucy’s face was pure success.
“I hope that you are proud of yourself! Look what you did.” Ashlyn eyed Lucy and ran after Ali.
After solid 15 minutes of trying to find her, she found Ali who was leaning against the goal. The practice was finished long ago and the only thing there was Ali, she and the reflectors that were illuminating Ali’s tears and the wet grass that she was sitting on while looking at the dark blue sky.
“Princess, I’m so sorry, I didn’t think that you were listening...” Ashlyn carefully approached her.
“Don’t call me that.” Ali shrugged her off and looked the other way. “Would it make any difference if I wasn’t there?”
“Ali...” Ash sat beside her, crossing her legs. “I didn’t mean it like that. I know that everything that Lucy said was wrong.” She cupped Ali’s cheek and turned her head to look at her hazel eyes.”Please don’t cry. I can’t stand that..”Ash wiped Ali’s tears and kissed her forehead.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t listen to what she said. Maybe we should take some time apart.” Ashlyn’s worst nightmare just came to life.
Take some time apart? No. No no no no. I can’t do time apart.
“No, Ali, please..” Ashlyn tried to stop her but she already make her mind.
“See you soon Ash.” Ali cupped her face and kissed her just below the right corner of the lips.
She left Ash alone on the stadium. Her whole world just crashed down on her. Without Ali she doesn’t know how to live. Ali is her anchor, her life path.. Before she knew, her morning alarm went off. She jumped in fear only to find herself in the same spot that Ali left her in. She didn’t go home last night.
All of a sudden her phone went off. The screen read Engen.
“Yo Ash, where u at? I just stopped by your house and rang for like 20 minutes. Are you seriously still sleeping?” Whit asked turning off her car engine.
“No, I’m..I’m at the stadium.” Ash didn’t want to talk really. She was just being polite because Whitney was her friend since birth.
“Bro what are u doing there already? The practice starts in half an hour and you are usually always late.”Whit stated a little bit shocked.”Did you sleep there or something?” She tried to joke but she didn’t know how true that was..
“Funny. Yeah, well.. Se you in a bit.” Ash hung up and tried to stretch. She placed her hand on the back of her neck where it really hurt.”I should probably head to the locker room and take a shower before they come.”
Ash took a shower and got dressed. As soon as she closed her locker she saw Ali’s bag on the bench beside her.
Oh boy..This is going to be hell..
Approaching the exit she meets Lucy who is humming.
“Morning baby!” Lucy tries to kiss Ashlyn but instead Ash shrugs her off and narrows her brows.
“Don’t baby me! You don’t really think that I am going to forget about yesterday?” Ash walked past Lucy and she followed. “Jesus Christ, I just said what no one else would. The truth!” Ashlyn turned around raising a finger to Lucy’s face. “Don’t you dare talk about her ever again!”
“You see? This is the problem! Whenever I say anything about her, you jump to her rescue as her hero! Why do you always do that?!” Lucy yelled and in that moment it all came out.
“You know what?! I am tired of you treating her like some kind of trash! I am tired of you not respecting her! She is my best friend and I will do anything for her, you can’t change that!” Ash clenched her jaw and looked at Lucy with rage in her eyes.
“And what am I to you?! Huh?! What am I?!” Lucy didn’t really get the answer she expected.
“Nothing anymore.” Before they realized, the whole team was listening to their fight. Ash turned to face Whit and she nodded, reassuring Ash that she did the right thing.
Lucy stood there in shock, her eyes never leaving Ashlyn. It was over. It was all over because of her.. that fucking Krieger.
The practice passed really quickly considering the tension between Ash and Lucy. Whit approached Ali while they were stretching.
“Have you talked to Ash today?” Whit knew that something was going on. Over the years she became really good in reading people’s faces. Especially Ashlyn’s. Ali looked up at Whit and smiled weakly.
“No, why?” She didn’t sleep last night either. When she got home the feeling of emptiness hit her and she cried for hours before passing out.
“Well I called her this morning because she wasn’t opening the door and she told me that she’s already at the stadium which was odd because Ash is never early.” Whit looked at Ali seeing that look in her eyes. The same look that Ashlyn has when something happens to Ali.
“Look Ali, she really loves you. I don’t know what happened but I can only tell you that she has been here all night and you are the only thing she needs to live. Without you she is lost. Even I can’t replace that hole in her heart..Please, try to forgive her. She is really trying here. I guess Lucy will never know now, will she? Oh god, did you see the look on her face when Ash broke up with her? That was so dope haha..” Before Ali could ask her anything, Whit ran away to do suicides.
She broke up whit Lucy? Was it my fault? Oh god I hope she doesn’t blame me for it.. I should probably go and apologize for overreacting..
Ali found her in the locker room, sitting on the floor hugging her knees. She didn’t know if it is the smart idea to approach her, but she took the risk anyway.
“Ash, I’ve heard what happened.” Ash stood up the second she hears Ali’s voice.
“Yeah..I..I ended it with her.” Ali ran to her crying and embraced her into a tight hug.”Was it because of me? Please tell me that it wasn’t because of me!” Ali was panicking at this point but Ash was quick to calm her down. “Oh princess, it wasn’t your fault, don’t ever think that! She was disrespecting me by talking all those stuff about you and I couldn’t bear to listen to it anymore so I-“ Ash was surprised by a sudden situation. Ali kissed her. It was a relatively short kiss, but it was still a kiss.
“Oh my god, Ash, I’m..” Ali covered her mouth and started to walk backwards.”Hey, It’s okay, Ali I..”
Ali left the stadium. Ashlyn tried to search for her but she was nowhere to be found. So instead of wasting her time searching for her, she texted her.
“Ash: Ali, please call me when you get this, I need to talk to you. Don’t run away now. I finally got you back.”
Ali’s phone rang and she wiped away the tears. She saw who sent it and immediately felt sick to her stomach. “Did I just ruin everything we had? I can’t open it..I can’t” Instead, she crawled to her bed and cried for hours..
In the meantime Ashlyn was worried sick. She was walking up and down Whit’s apartment trying to remember any place beside her home that she might be.
“Whit, I’m terrified. What if something happened to her? I can’t.. I can’t live with that!” Whit walked up to Ash and hugged her.
“Why did she run anyway? Did you not accept her apology?” Whit asked.
“I did, I accepted, but she..” Ash stopped and she knew that Whit understood what happened. “She kissed you?” Whit looked in Ash’s eyes.”Yeah..Yeah, she kissed me.”