Chapter 5
As Ali shut the door of her hotel room she couldn’t help but dance around like a little kid. Her lips tingled and her mind couldn’t get Ashlyn off of it. She silently cheered to herself as she danced in a circle, pumping her fists in the air. Ali was glad that Kelley was asleep at this moment, that girl would never let her live this one down. She felt like a teenager all over again and she had to admit, she really loved the feeling.
It was as if Ali’s stomach was always in nervous knots around Ashlyn. Her palms would sweat and she would giggle uncontrollably like a fourteen year old whose crush is finally talking to her. It was a bit embarrassing but Ali loved the feeling. She liked the excitement she felt in her stomach every time the blonde girl was in her sights. She could never get that girl off of her mind, it was as if she had her brainwashed with her strikingly good looks and amazing charm.
God, that Harris charm really had Ali seeing stars. As she stripped down and changed into her pajamas, thoughts of the blonde girl filled her mind. They filled her mind as she fell asleep and once she woke up, the cycle just continued. Kelley and Ali got dressed in silence before heading down to breakfast to meet with the rest of the team. It was obvious that Kelley was curious about what had happened between Ali and Ashlyn but she refrained from questioning the brunette this morning.
As they made their way to the lobby of the hotel for breakfast, Ali’s eyes scanned the team before landing on a certain blonde. Without being too obvious, she excused herself from Kelley who was now engrossed in a conversation with Hope and made her way over to Ashlyn. She grabbed a plate of food before sitting down next to her favorite girl. Ashlyn looked up from her plate and gave Ali the warmest smile ever. If a smile could kill, Ali would be dead by now.
The look didn’t go unnoticed by Whitney Engen, but she figured she would question Ashlyn about it later. The two girls stayed quiet for most of the morning but under the table, their knees were touching and hands were intertwined. They couldn’t keep their hands off of one another; they were a new couple in their defense. Ali and Ashlyn were so cute together and anyone could see that, but the two girls were pretty sure the team would die if they found out the girls were finally dating. According to Megan Rapinoe, Krashlyn was the team’s OTP.
It made Ashlyn snigger every time Pinoe would bring it up and it would cause Ali to blush profusely. It was definitely the cutest thing anyone has ever seen. “Girls”, Jill said knocking Ali out of her thoughts, “practice is going to be a tough one today. I want to see you all taking ice baths afterwards. We can’t afford any sore players.”
Jill hadn’t been lying either. The girls all finished their breakfasts and when they got to practice, they were beat. From instep drills to 4v4 sessions to individual tactics for defense, 1v1, Ali was tired. Her body ached and her head was clouded from the soreness. As she stripped down to her compression shorts and sports bra, a warm hand touched her back. She turned to see Ashlyn standing there in the same attire.
“Mind if I join you?” Ashlyn asked and Ali couldn’t help but grin.
“I wouldn’t want to suffer in an ice bath with anyone else.” Ali said with a cheeky grin and a wink.
Ashlyn couldn’t contain her laughter as the two girls lowered themselves into the ice cold water. It sucked for sure but it also did amazing wonders for the body. If you’re sore, the best way to feel better is to take an ice bath and just let your body do its thing.
“You looked really good on the field today, Al.” Ashlyn said after some time of silence.
“You didn’t look too bad yourself, Harris.” Ali said whilst sticking her tongue out. “But seriously, I saw you running drills and stuff and you looked great. I love seeing you play.”
“Well at least I get to see you in action almost every game. Your passion for the sport is amazing. I love watching how technical you are on the field.”
“Ash,” Ali said reaching her hand out, “You’re bummed at the thought of not being able to play during the world cup, aren’t you?”
Ashlyn ran her hand through her hair. “More than you know. At least it’s obvious you’ll play. I have to try and outshine THE Hope Solo, I’ll be lucky if I even get subbed in for the last 10 minutes of a game.”
“Babe, I think you’re amazing and just as good as Hope. If you got to prove yourself out there, you would surprise so many people.”
“You just called me babe.”
“Well you are my girlfriend.” Ali said as it was the most obvious thing.
With that the two girls fell into a comfortable silence. They finally finished their ice baths and headed back to the hotel with the rest of the team. When no one was looking Ashlyn and Ali shared a quick kiss before splitting ways to their rooms to get some rest before dinner. As Ali entered her room she saw Kelley sitting on her bed and knew right away what was about to happen.
It was the infamous Kelley interrogation. She knew she was about to be questioned about her and Ashlyn and as she tried thinking up a game plan; Kelley grabbed her hand and pulled her onto her bed. They were silent for a moment until Kelley decided to break the silence.
“Sooooooo???” Kelley questioned, drawing out the ‘o’ in so.
“So what, Kels?” Ali asked with a questioning look. She wasn’t stupid, but in this case she decided to play dumb.
Kelley rolled her eyes and let out a huff. “You know what Krieger. Don’t play dumb with me now. Spill what happened between you and Harris.”
“It was nothing Kelley.” Ali said with a shrug. “We just hung out and went to dinner.”
“That’s it?” Kelley asked with a disappointed look. “No juicy details? No hot make out sessions?”
Ali shook her head and Kelley let out a groan. She muttered something about “having to owe Pinoe money now” and made her way out of the room. Not even two minutes later a knock came from the door and Ali opened it to find a smiley Ashlyn. She didn’t even question the girl; she just moved to the side and allowed her to come in. She loved when Ashlyn would show up unexpectedly.
When the door shut Ashlyn grabbed Ali’s waist and turned her around, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss. Ali’s arms snaked around Ashlyn’s neck as their tongues met for the first time. It was a blissful moment between the two. Once again, Ali got that teenage feeling again. Not only was she currently making out with someone absolutely stunning, her hormonal needs were currently off the chart. Yet, she knew she couldn’t act on them because Kelley could be back any minute and her and Ashlyn did just start dating.
But her will power was wearing weak. She soon found herself on her hotel bed with Ashlyn hovering over her in the hottest way possible. Ali’s hands crept up Ashlyn’s shirt and she raked her nails down the girl’s abs earning a moan from the girl above her. As Ashlyn started kissing her neck the hotel door swung open and she went tumbling off Ali’s bed. Tobin, Kelley, and Megan all walked in, stopping when they saw the scene in front of them.
Ali was sitting on her bed with her shirt all bunched up and her hair messed up as Ashlyn was currently sitting on the floor with her shirt half unbuttoned and lipstick smeared on her face.
“I TOLD YOU!” Kelley yelled in excitement, turning to Pinoe. “Now give me my $20 back.”
With that, both Ashlyn and Ali let out a groan. They were caught red handed…