2018
It was only six days into the new year until Kelley got to see Emily again. They spent some of their time together in Atlanta, but not as much as both of them would have liked. But now, they have three whole weeks of enjoying each other's company before they go back to their clubs and prepare for the new season ahead.
Only eight days ago, Kelley had been traded to the Utah Royals. She didn’t know how to react, if to be angry or excited about the new chapter ahead of her. She didn’t want to live in Utah, she didn’t want to leave her friends or her soccer team that she had grown to love over the past couple of years.
She pulled the hood of her sweatshirt over her head as she stepped out of the car, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she let herself breathe.
Her duffel bag slung over her shoulder, Kelley walked into the team hotel, scanning the lobby for familiar faces. The moment her eyes landed on Alex, standing near the check-in desk, she felt a rush of relief. After what felt like ages apart, they were finally in the same place again.
Alex spotted her almost instantly, her face lighting up as she rushed over.
"Oh my God, you're finally here!" She practically tackled Kelley in a hug, squeezing her tight. "It’s been way too long."
Kelley chuckled, hugging her back. "Tell me about it."
Alex pulled away, her expression softening slightly as she looked at Kelley. "Hey, I’m sorry about the trade. I know it sucks."
Kelley exhaled through her nose and shook her head, forcing a small smile. "It is what it is."
She had told herself she wasn’t going to dwell on it. What was the point? The trade had happened. Utah was her new home, whether she liked it or not. She really didn’t
But Alex being Alex wasn’t about to just let it go. She gave Kelley a look. "Still… It happened barely a week ago. It’s okay to be upset, you know?"
Kelley sighed but didn’t respond. Instead, she shifted her bag on her shoulder, glancing toward the front desk where a few teammates were still checking in.
Alex didn’t push. Instead, she asked, "So… where are you staying? You settled into your new place yet?"
Kelley hesitated. "Uh…" She scratched the back of her neck, suddenly feeling the weight of the conversation.
Alex’s eyes narrowed. "Kelley…"
"I haven’t been to the apartment yet."
Alex’s jaw dropped. "Wait, what? Are you serious?"
Kelley shrugged. "I just- I don’t know, Al. I don’t want to get comfortable there."
Alex groaned, running a hand through her hair. "Kelley, you need to settle in. You need to make it feel like home, otherwise, you’re gonna be miserable."
Kelley shook her head. "That’s the thing, I don’t want it to feel like home. I don’t want to live in Utah, and I definitely don’t want to live in an apartment by myself surrounded by a bunch of strangers."
Alex sighed. "You’re not alone, though. Becky’s there. You know she’s got your back."
Kelley didn’t answer. Instead, something- someone caught her eye from across the room. Through the busy hotel reception, she spotted Emily, walking in with Lindsey beside her. They were laughing about something, completely oblivious to Kelley’s presence.
Kelley looked back at Alex. "I gotta go."
Alex blinked. "Wait, what-?"
Before Alex could stop her, Kelley was already walking off, weaving through the crowded lobby toward Emily.
"Kelley!" Alex called after her, but Kelley ignored it.
She reached Emily just as she and Lindsey were heading toward the elevators. "Hey, stranger," Kelley said casually, her voice cutting through the noise. "Wanna get coffee?"
Emily turned, a smirk already forming on her lips. "Took you long enough to ask."
Lindsey raised an eyebrow but said nothing as Emily stepped away from her, falling into stride with Kelley. Without another word, the two of them slipped out of the hotel before Jill - who was somewhere in the lobby, undoubtedly keeping tabs on everyone - could notice.
They found a small coffee shop just a few blocks away. It was one of those local spots, not too crowded, where they could sit in a corner booth and talk without worrying about being overheard. They had at least an hour until the rest of the girls landed.
Kelley wrapped her hands around her cup, letting the warmth seep into her fingers. Emily, across from her, was stirring her latte absentmindedly, watching her.
"So," Emily finally said, "How’s Utah treating you?"
Kelley huffed out a laugh. "Wouldn’t know. Haven’t been there yet."
Emily raised an eyebrow. "Wait, what? You haven’t even seen your apartment?"
Kelley shook her head, sipping her coffee.
Emily sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Kel…"
"I just don’t want to be there," Kelley admitted. "I don’t want to pretend like it’s my home when it’s not. When it never will be."
Emily tilted her head, studying her. "Okay, but you’re stuck there for now. Avoiding it isn’t gonna change anything."
Kelley exhaled, rubbing her temple.
Emily took another sip of her drink before setting it down. "Tell you what - after camp, I’ll come with you. We’ll check the place out together. Help you get settled."
Kelley looked up at her, surprised. "You’d do that?"
Emily smirked. "Obviously. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t?"
Friend.
Kelley felt something in her chest loosen - a small relief, maybe. She had been dreading going to Utah alone, but with Emily there, it didn’t seem as daunting.
She let out a breath and nodded. "Okay. Deal."
Emily grinned. "Good. Now, tell me everything I missed in the last few weeks. And don’t leave anything out."
Kelley rolled her eyes but smiled. For the first time in a while, things didn’t feel quite so overwhelming. And she wondered why.
****
The team sat in the meeting room, Jill stood at the front, going through an agenda that had already felt too long before she even reached the second slide.
Kelley slouched slightly in her chair, her arms crossed over her chest as she listened, or at least pretended to. Three weeks in San Diego for training camp and then a game against Denmark somewhere. Intense sessions, fitness tests (Kelley doesn’t mind that), tactical meetings, and her personal favorite… media duties. Jill was going over everything in excruciating detail, and Kelley was pretty sure time was moving slower just to spite her.
Across the room, Sonnett was sitting a few rows ahead, her elbow resting on the table, her chin propped up in her hand. Unlike Kelley, she at least looked like she was paying attention, but when Kelley’s eyes drifted toward her, she noticed the slight tilt of Emily’s phone screen resting against her thigh.
A second later, Kelley’s own phone vibrated against her leg. She glanced around, making sure Jill wasn’t looking, then subtly tilted her phone up under the table.
Emily Sonnett: u look like ur about to die.
Kelley bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smirking and quickly typed back.
Kelley O’Hara: I AM. This is hell.
A minute passed before another message popped up.
Emily Sonnett: u should be taking notes.
Kelley raised an eyebrow.
Kelley O’Hara: On WHAT??? She’s been talking about hydration for ten minutes.
Across the room, she saw Sonnett glance at her phone and smirk.
Emily Sonnett: maybe u need to hydrate more. ur looking a little grumpy.
Kelley rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. She was about to type a response when-
"Are you serious?"
Kelley nearly jumped as Alex, sitting beside her, let out an exaggerated sigh, dramatically rolling her eyes as she glanced at Kelley’s phone.
"What?" Kelley whispered, feigning innocence.
"You’re texting Sonnett during the meeting?" Alex hissed under her breath.
Kelley shrugged. "I’d rather text her than listen to another speech about team bonding."
Alex groaned, shaking her head. "You can’t be without her for an hour? You have the attention span of a toddler."
Kelley smirked and shot back a quick text to Emily.
Kelley O’Hara: Al’s mad at me. I think she’s jealous.
Emily’s head snapped up immediately from across the room, and she turned in her chair just slightly, just enough to send Kelley a mischievous smirk. A second later, her reply came through.
Emily Sonnett: don’t blame her.i’d be jealous of me too.
Kelley snorted, quickly covering it with a fake cough when Jill shot a glance in her direction. Alex sighed dramatically, shaking her head.
"Unbelievable," she muttered.
Kelley leaned in slightly. "Relax, Mom. I’m still listening."
Alex shot her a pointed look. "Oh yeah? What did she just say?"
Kelley blinked. "Uhh… something about… teamwork?"
Alex gave her the most unimpressed look she had ever seen. Kelley just grinned. At the front of the room, Jill flipped to the next slide, her voice still droning on. Three more weeks of this. Kelley sighed and texted Emily again.
Kelley O’Hara: Meet me after this. I need to escape.
Emily Sonnett: already planning our escape route ;)
****
One week had passed, just like that.
Kelley wasn’t sure how, but somehow, time was flying. It felt like she had just arrived in San Diego, dragging her duffel bag through the team hotel, but now they were already a third of the way through camp.
Every day had been a blur of high-intensity training sessions, 11v11 scrimmages, tactical drills, and fitness tests - the last of which Kelley had been absolutely dominating, of course. If nothing else, at least she could take pride in the fact that no one could outwork her when it came to fitness. Not even Lindsey, who had been annoyingly close a couple of times, Sonnet too actually.
The mornings were brutal. Jill and the coaching staff made sure of that. The high-pressing drills, passing patterns, and defensive shape work had everyone drenched in sweat before breakfast even had time to settle in their stomachs. And there were the meetings. Kelley didn’t understand why they needed to do it every time after training. What else was there to talk about? Alex was starting to get annoyed by Kelley's complaining, even though she didn’t understand the point of them either. But all they could take from the meetings was the preparations for the world cup next year. It was scary, but exciting. Jill kept repeating herself, saying that time will fly by.
The scrimmages weren’t much easier. They were competitive, intense - everyone was fighting for something. A starting spot, a call-up, a chance to prove themselves for next year and now. But for Kelley, it wasn’t just about proving something. It was about getting lost in the game. Forgetting, for a little while, that after this camp, she’d have to go back to a place she still wasn’t ready to call home.
And then there were the fitness tests - probably the only part of camp Kelley actually enjoyed. Every few days, the team had to go through endurance and speed drills, and Kelley? She was winning. Every. Single. One.
"You're an actual psycho," Lindsey had muttered after Kelley edged her out in yet another sprint test.
Kelley had just grinned. "You're just mad I’m faster than you."
When they weren’t training, they were off doing team bonding activities - which, to Kelley’s surprise, had actually been fun. They had spent an afternoon paddleboarding along the coast (where Kelley may or may not have "accidentally" pushed Alex into the water), gone to a baseball game downtown, and even done one of those ridiculous escape rooms, where Kelley had to fight the urge not to break the props just to get out faster.
Despite all the running, all the training, and all the team activities, Kelley wasn’t exhausted. If anything, she felt good. Strong. Focused. Like she was actually enjoying herself.
But in the back of her mind, she knew this wouldn’t last forever. Camp would end. And then? It was back to Utah. Back to the unknown. For now, though, she pushed that thought away. There were still two weeks left. She had to make the most of them.
The last and only game couldn’t have gone better. A 5-1 win against Denmark was the perfect way to wrap up camp.
Kelley had felt good all game, but if you were to ask her the highlight of the 90? It wouldn’t be the goals, it wouldn't even be the win, it would be getting to be on the field at the same time as Sonnett.
It didn’t happen as often as she would have liked since Jill is training Sonnett in Kelley's position, so they’re always replacing each other, but for that stretch of time in the second half, they were out there together. And it felt pretty good.
****
For the first time since the trade, Kelley actually went to Utah.
Only because Emily had come with her.
"You’re welcome, by the way," Emily had said as they landed, stretching out her arms dramatically. "I could be in Portland doing absolutely nothing right now, but instead, I’m here, making sure you don’t run away from your own apartment."
Kelley just smirked. "Oh, don’t act like you don’t love an excuse to hang out with me for a whole week. And hey, you offered!"
Emily didn’t even try to deny the first part.
The first couple of days were a blur of getting settled - groceries, furniture shopping, unpacking. Kelley had no motivation to do any of it, but Sonnett? She made a list. She dragged Kelley to the store. She forced her to actually pick out things for the apartment instead of just saying she didn’t care.
"If you’re gonna live here, at least make it livable," Emily had said as she tossed a set of dishes into their cart. "And no, we’re not surviving on paper plates and plastic cutlery."
For only being 24 years old, Kelley thought Emily was very mature for her age… Some of the time. Well, compared to Kelley she was. And by the time they had finished organizing everything, the apartment almost felt like home. Almost.
Then, Emily had another idea.
"You need to actually see the city," she announced one morning. "You know, get used to it, so you stop acting like you’re being held hostage here."
Kelley rolled her eyes, but Emily had a point. So, they spent the next few days exploring - going to cute coffee shops, finding random little bookstores, checking out hiking trails, just so Kelley could start associating the place with something other than frustration.
At night, they’d collapse on the couch, eat way too much ice cream, and watch terrible movies - some good, some awful, but all of them entertaining enough to keep them distracted.
And she was so incredibly grateful for her.
One week flew by, and before Kelley knew it, she was driving Emily to the airport. Neither of them were great at goodbyes, so they kept it light, cracking jokes, playing music way too loud in the car. But when they finally pulled up to the curb, Kelley couldn’t avoid it anymore.
She put the car in park and turned to Emily. "Thanks for everything."
Emily raised an eyebrow. "Wow. Actual sincerity. Do you need a minute?"
Kelley rolled her eyes but pulled Emily into the biggest hug anyway. She held on tight, letting herself soak up the moment before finally pulling away.
"Try not to be too miserable without me."
Kelley exhaled a laugh. "I’ll do my best."
Emily grabbed her bag, taking a few steps toward the entrance before pausing. She turned back, eyes glinting with mischief. "You gonna cry?"
Kelley flipped her off without hesitation.
Emily just laughed. "Knew it!"
Shaking her head, Kelley got back into her car. As she pulled away from the curb, she found herself smiling to herself, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of it all.
Yeah, Utah still wasn’t home. But she felt a little better.
****
After winning the She Believes Cup in February, Kelley went back to Salt lake City because the first league game of the season was fastly approaching. She had spent most of her time with Becky, Lo, Rachel and Katie Stengel too. The team has been great, she would like to think she’s settling in nicely. Training has been somewhat fun, and she’s starting to enjoy herself, which was something she thought wouldn’t be possible this time last month.
She speaks to Sonnett often, always talking about the next time they’ll see each other again. Kelley finds it cute that Emily’s excited to see her, she doesn’t know why though. Kelley’s just Kelley.
She played in the first couple matches of the season before starting to struggle with her hamstring. She’s still come to training, still pushing herself to the max. But after a few weeks, it started to really affect her. She knew she couldn’t continue like this for much longer, but she really didn’t want to have any time away from soccer. But it got to a point, and she finally spoke up about it.
She had some weeks to recover, getting told strictly no exercise. Also meaning she’d miss the national camp games. She was bummed about that, and Sonnett was the first person she told. And when she sent the text, it only took four minutes for Emily to facetime her.
“Hey.” Kelley sighed.
“Hey. How are you?” Sonnett sounded concerned for her friend, which Kelley thought was quite sweet,
“I’m doing okay… I think. Anyway, enough of my hammy please. Tell me what you did today.”
Kelley stayed silent as she listened to Sonnett talk. It was nice, nice to be distracted from everything.
“Sooo… I’ll see you in exactly…” Sonnett looked down at her phone, “Twenty days. And I’m expecting you to be back by then and also an invite to sleep over after the game.”
Kelley looked confused, but then realised what the blonde was talking about. “Twenty- do you keep count or something.”
“You’re telling me that you haven’t got our games written down on a calendar?” Emily’s eyes widened, being sarcastic of course.
“I mean… I don’t exactly own a calendar, Em.”
“I’ll send you one.” Emily smirked.
****
For weeks, Kelley had been stuck in a cycle of rest and rehab, trying to get her hamstring back to full strength. It had been frustrating - watching from the sidelines, going through endless treatment sessions, itching to get back out there. She enjoyed cheering on the girls in the stands, but it wasn’t the same. But finally, just in time for the game against Portland, she got the green light.
The moment she found out she could play, she texted Emily.
Kelley O’Hara: Guess who’s cleared to play on Saturday?
It didn’t take long for Emily to reply.
Emily Sonnett: no way. r u serious??
Kelley O’Hara: Dead serious.
Emily Sonnett: hell yeah!!! i can’t wait to kick your ass on the field again.
Kelley smirked, shaking her head and laughing to herself.
Kelley O’Hara: In your dreams Sonnett.
Emily sent back a bunch of laughing emojis before adding-
Emily Sonnett: No talking before kickoff. I need to get in the zone.
Kelley O’Hara: Oh, so we’re enemies for 90 minutes?
Emily Sonnett:you won’t last that long, grandma. but sure.
Kelley laughed but respected it. Once game day rolled around, they didn’t speak. Not in warmups, not during the lineup announcements, not even when they passed each other in the tunnel. Both of them were locked in, focused on winning.
The game itself was a battle - physical, intense, fast-paced. Utah scored first, but Tobin equalized not long after, and the game ended in a 1-1 draw.
After the final whistle, Kelley made her way across the field, looking for Tobin. She spotted her near the benches, and they immediately fell into conversation.
"You looked good out there," Tobin said, nudging her. "Hamstring holding up?"
"Yeah, feels good," Kelley nodded. "I mean, I wouldn’t say I’m at my best yet, but I’ll get there."
Before Tobin could respond, a familiar force slammed into Kelley’s back, nearly knocking the wind out of her.
"KELLEY!"
Kelley let out a dramatic groan but instinctively gripped Emily’s legs, holding her up as she clung to her like a backpack.
"Jesus, Em," Kelley laughed. "You trying to injure another part of me or what?"
Emily snorted but didn’t let go.
A second later, Lindsey jogged over, grinning. "God, I missed you."
Kelley rolled her eyes. "Linds, it’s only been a couple months. Relax."
"A couple months too long, Kep," Lindsey argued.
Before Kelley could respond, Becky showed up too, and suddenly, all five of them were standing there, catching up like they hadn’t all seen each other back in February.
Kelley kept a firm grip on Emily’s legs as she stayed wrapped around her, occasionally bouncing her up so she wouldn’t slide down. It felt normal. Like nothing had changed, even though everything had.
Eventually, everyone started heading off - Becky back to the locker room, Tobin waving goodbye, Lindsey giving Kelley a quick hug before leaving.
That left Kelley and Emily.
Emily finally slid off Kelley’s back, stretching out her arms. "So. How’s Utah treating you now?"
Kelley gave a small shrug. "Better."
Emily raised an eyebrow. "That’s it? Just ‘better’?"
Kelley smirked. "Well, it helps when I have people like you showing up every now and then to keep me sane."
Emily bumped her shoulder playfully. "Damn right."
They both laughed before realizing they needed to grab their stuff.
"Alright, I’m gonna go take a shower, I’ll meet you in the parking lot and then we can get out of here," Kelley said.
They went their separate ways - Emily to the away locker room, Kelley to hers - both of them quick with their post-game routines.
When Kelley walked out to her car, Emily was already waiting, leaning against the passenger door like she owned the thing.
"Took you long enough," Emily teased.
Kelley rolled her eyes. "Get in before I change my mind about driving you."
Emily laughed, hopping in. The drive back to Kelley’s place was relaxed, the adrenaline from the game fading into the quiet hum of the city at night.
Emily glanced over at Kelley. "So… tell me the truth. How are things going in Utah?"
Kelley exhaled, gripping the wheel a little tighter. "Honestly? I still don’t love it, but I’m figuring it out."
Emily nodded, watching her. "That’s good. I was kinda worried you were just gonna hate it forever and be miserable."
Kelley smirked. "I mean, I still might."
Emily snorted. "Well, at least you’re self-aware."
They drove in comfortable silence for a few minutes before Emily spoke again.
"So. Do you have ice cream at your place, or are we making a stop?"
Kelley glanced at her, grinning. "What do you think?"
Emily grinned back. "Grocery store it is."
The ride had been lighthearted, full of laughter and teasing, the way it always was with them. But then Kelley said something that changed everything. She hadn’t planned to bring it up - not tonight, not like this. But it just slipped out.
"So… I’ve actually been seeing someone."
Emily, who had been messing with the radio, glanced over at her. "Oh?"
Kelley nodded, tapping her fingers against the steering wheel. "Yeah. Her name’s Isabel. She’s great. I really like her."
She tried to sound casual, but the moment the words left her mouth, she felt something in the car shift.
Emily was silent for a beat too long. She knew she was a lot younger than Kelley, and Kelley was older and more ‘mature’ than her, but she thought they could’ve had a chance. But obviously not.
Then she let out a breath and forced a small smile. "That’s… that’s awesome, Kell. I’m really happy for you."
Kelley glanced at her, trying to read her expression, but Emily had turned her gaze to the window.
The conversation died right there. The energy between them disappeared, replaced by an awkward silence that stretched through the rest of the drive. Kelley could feel it, could feel the weight of whatever Emily wasn’t saying. She regretted telling her immediately.
Not because she didn’t like Isabel - she did. She really did. Isabel was kind and funny and a little crazy. She was someone who made Utah less unbearable. Someone who Kelley thought could be good for her. But as she sat there, watching Emily stare out the window, quiet and distant, she realized something that made her stomach twist. She had only started seeing Isabel because she thought there was no way - no chance - she could ever be with Emily.
So, she found someone else instead.
And judging by Emily’s reaction, Kelley had just confirmed that she’d been wrong all along.
****
The months dragged on, and Kelley hadn’t set foot on a pitch in ages.
Her hamstring never fully healed, she tore it, and the constant setbacks were eating away at her. Every time she thought she was making progress, another complication appeared, keeping her stuck in the cycle of rehab, frustration, and disappointment. The pain was no longer just physical - it was something deeper, something that latched onto her mind, making her question if she’d ever feel like herself again.
Her relationship with Isabel was fine, at first. Isabel had been supportive, keeping Kelley distracted, taking her out, making sure she wasn’t just sitting in her home sulking over her injury. But as weeks turned into months, the fights started.
Small disagreements turned into shouting matches, frustration turning into something sharp and bitter. Kelley was stressed, angry, drowning in the reality that she couldn’t do the one thing that made her feel alive, and Isabel? She didn’t seem to get it. Instead, she pushed Kelley to go out more, to party, to drink, to stop feeling sorry for herself.
So, Kelley did.
She let herself slip back into old habits, drinking herself to sleep almost every night, letting alcohol blur out the thoughts she didn’t want to face. She stopped checking in with her teammates, stopped replying to texts, stopped caring that people were worried. Or maybe they weren’t. Maybe no one noticed at all.
She and Emily hadn’t spoken in months.
They had both missed June camp with the national team - Emily out with lower back pain, Kelley still sidelined with her hamstring injury. When Portland hosted Utah that month, Kelley didn’t travel with the team.
Becky had told Emily about her, about how she was spending all her time with Isabel, how she never really saw their friend anymore.
Emily didn’t seem to care.
Then came July, and again, Kelley didn’t travel for the Portland game.
Again, Emily didn’t seem to care.
At that point, Kelley wasn’t sure if it even mattered.
Emily had recovered from her injury and was back getting called up to camp. Meanwhile, Kelley was falling deeper and deeper into something she didn’t recognize - something she wasn’t even trying to stop.
Alex didn’t have a clue.
She was too busy focusing on her own career, assuming Kelley was just getting back to fitness. Maybe Kelley should have told her. Maybe she should have told someone. But what was the point? No one cared.
So, she let herself spiral.
The drinking got worse. The partying got more reckless. Isabel encouraged it - she made it easy, handing Kelley drinks, always making rue then was some sort of alcoholic beverage in the refrigerator, pulling her deeper into a life she had fought so hard to escape years ago.
Kelley wasn’t even phased by it.
Then, October came by.
Kelley had to get ankle surgery - a whole new issue, a whole new reason to hate her body for betraying her. She had tried to ignore the pain, tried to push through it, but in the end, she couldn’t avoid it anymore. It was either struggle for the rest of her career and risk not getting selected for the world cup next year, or getting the surgery now, rehabbing for the months ahead and making sure she was fully fit for the call up.
She did what she had to do.
And Isabel wasn’t happy about it.
The night after her surgery, they had their biggest fight yet.
Kelley had barely been able to move, still groggy from the meds, but Isabel had snapped - called her useless, said she was tired of dealing with Kelley’s injuries, tired of babysitting someone who “wasn’t even a proper athlete anymore.”
Something in Kelley snapped right back.
"Fuck you, Isabel."
The slap came before Kelley could process it. A sharp, stinging pain across her face. A pain that would most likely bruise when she wakes up the next day.
For a moment, everything froze. Kelley just stared at her, the reality of the situation hitting her. She had lost control of everything.
Her career. Her friendships. Herself.
And the worst part? She had let it happen.
Kelley’s house smelled like a liquor store that had been left to rot. Christen had barely stepped inside before she had to pull her sleeve up over her nose, wincing at the overwhelming stench of alcohol.
She cautiously walked through the place, her stomach twisting as she took in the mess - empty beer bottles stacked on the kitchen island, a few rolling on the floor like they had been knocked over and never picked up. When she stepped into the living room, her eyes landed on a half-empty bottle of vodka, tipped over on the carpet, its contents long dried into the fabric.
She called out, “Kelley?” but got no answer.
A chill ran through her as she checked every room in the house. More bottles. More emptiness. No Kelley.
Then, finally, she pulled open the curtains in Kelley’s bedroom and saw her.
Sitting in the backyard, legs stretched out on the grass, a bottle of beer resting in her lap.
Christen sighed heavily, rubbing her forehead before heading outside.
"Kell?" she tried again, stepping onto the grass.
Kelley barely reacted. She was too far gone, eyes unfocused, barely even registering that someone was there. Moments later, she passed out, the bottle slipping from her fingers and landing in the grass. Christen stood there for a long moment, staring down at her friend, feeling something close to anger and heartbreak all at once. She didn’t know what else to do.
So, she carefully picked Kelley up in her arms, bridal style, carried her inside, and gently laid her down on the couch, throwing a blanket over her. Then, she grabbed her phone and dialed the only person who she knew Kelley would listen to.
Emily almost didn’t pick up.
She saw Christen’s name on the screen and almost let it go to voicemail. They weren’t close like that - they got along, sure, but they didn’t talk much outside of the team. If Christen was calling her, it could only mean one thing.
Something was wrong with Kelley.
Emily answered, trying to keep her voice casual. “Hey, what’s up?”
Christen’s voice came through, tight with worry. “I need you to come here. As soon as possible.”
Emily sat up straighter. “What? Why?”
Christen hesitated, then sighed. “Kelley is… not okay. Like, really not okay.”
Emily felt something sink in her stomach. “What do you mean?”
“She’s been drinking herself into oblivion, Son. I walked into her house, and it’s just- God, it’s bad. I found her passed out in the backyard with a beer bottle. I don’t know what to do, and there’s no one else I can think of who could actually get through to her.”
Emily exhaled slowly, running a hand through her hair. She and Kelley hadn’t talked in months. Not since the morning after their game in April. Not since Kelley told her about Isabel. And if she was being honest? Emily had been avoiding her ever since. She told herself she didn’t care. That Kelley made her choices and it wasn’t her problem. But now? Now she could hear the worry in Christen’s voice. Now, she could picture Kelley - not the strong, confident, stubborn person she had always known, but someone lost. And she couldn’t ignore it. Emily grabbed her laptop, booked the earliest flight to Salt Lake, and started packing.
By the time Emily landed, Christen had already cleaned up most of the house. The bottles were gone. The vodka stain on the carpet had been scrubbed. The place looked almost normal. But Kelley was still passed out on the couch, wrapped up in a blanket, oblivious to the world. Emily stood there for a second, just looking at her. She looked thinner, like she hadn’t been eating properly. There were dark circles under her eyes, and even in sleep, she looked exhausted.
She let out a slow breath. “What the hell happened to you, Kell?”
A couple of hours later, Kelley finally stirred. Christen had to leave, so Emily was the only one there when Kelley grumbled something incoherent, slowly pushing herself up on the couch. She didn’t even seem to realize Sonnett was there.
Instead, she blindly reached for her crutches, hopping over to the fridge, yanking the door open. Emily watched as she grabbed a cold beer, twisting the cap off like it was just another morning routine. Before Kelley could take a sip, Emily stepped forward and snatched it right out of her hand.
“No fucking way.”
Kelley froze, blinking in shock as she finally registered who was standing in front of her.
Her eyes widened. "What the hell are you doing here?"
Emily didn’t flinch. "Stopping you from doing something stupid."
Kelley let out a short, humorless laugh. "Too late for that."
Emily clenched her jaw, setting the bottle down on the counter. “I’m not leaving until you’re sober and you’re okay.”
Kelley stared at her for a long moment, something unreadable in her expression.
Then, she scoffed. "I don't need your help, Sonnett. Just fuck off and get out of my house, alright?"
But Sonnett didn’t move. Didn’t even blink.
Kelley expected Emily to leave. To sigh, shake her head, walk out the door like everyone else eventually did.
But she didn’t.
Instead, Emily just stood there, arms crossed, expression set in frustrated determination.
Kelley scoffed, rolling her eyes. “What, you think you can just show up and fix me? That’s not how this works.”
Emily didn’t bite. Didn’t give her the reaction she was pushing for.
Instead, she just stepped closer, voice calm but firm. “No, I don’t think I can fix you. But I’m sure as hell not gonna stand here and watch you destroy yourself.”
Kelley hated how those words landed - how they hit something deep in her chest, something she had been desperately trying to ignore.
She turned away, gripping the counter until her knuckles turned white.
"I don’t need you here, Em."
Emily laughed. "Yeah? Then why did Christen have to call me? Why did she walk into your house and find you blacked out in the backyard like some fucking cautionary tale?"
Kelley winced at that.
Emily saw it. Saw the way her jaw clenched, the way her shoulders tensed.
Good. Let it sink in.
"This isn’t you, Kell," Emily continued, softer this time. "I don’t know what’s going on, I don’t know how it got this bad, but this?" She gestured around at the empty house, at the lingering smell of alcohol, at the half-healed scars on Kelley’s face from old fights with Isabel.
"This isn’t you."
Kelley swallowed hard, staring at the counter like it held all the answers.
For a second, Emily thought she was getting through to her. Then, Kelley laughed- sharp, bitter, broken.
"You don’t know shit about me, Sonnett."
Emily felt that one, but she didn’t let it show.
"That’s bullshit and we both know it," she shot back, voice steady. "I know you better anyone. And I know you’re pushing me away because that’s what you do when you don’t wanna deal with your own shit."
Kelley whipped around, eyes flashing with anger. "Oh, so now you’re a fucking therapist? You don’t know what it’s like, Emily. You don’t know what it’s like to wake up every day and realize that the one thing you love - the one thing that made you feel like you had a purpose - is gone. You don’t know what it’s like to look in the mirror and not even recognize yourself anymore."
Emily stayed silent. She did know.
She had missed months of playing because of her back injury. She had gone through her own moments of doubt, her own struggles with feeling useless, feeling like she wasn’t the same player anymore.
But Kelley wasn’t looking for understanding. She was looking for a fight.
Emily refused to give her one. Instead, she just stepped even closer, lowering her voice. "You’re right. I don’t know exactly how you feel. But I do know that you don’t have to go through it alone."
Kelley’s mask cracked for half a second. Just half a second.
Then she covered it up again, shaking her head, forcing out another scoff. "Look, I don’t need your pity, alright? I don’t need you showing up like some fucking hero. I’ve got it handled."
Emily raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? You’ve got it handled?" She looked around, nodding sarcastically. "That's why you’re drunk off your ass every night? That's why you’re letting some shitty excuse for a girlfriend treat you like crap? That's why you’re throwing away everything you worked for?"
Kelley’s temper flared, and before she could stop herself, she shoved Emily’s shoulder. Hard.
"Shut the fuck up!"
Emily stumbled back a step but didn’t retaliate.
Didn’t even flinch.
Instead, she just stared at Kelley, eyes filled with something heavier than anger. Something that looked a lot like heartbreak.
"Is this what you want?" Emily’s voice was barely above a whisper. "For everyone to give up on you?"
Kelley froze.
She didn’t want that.
But it was easier this way. Easier to push people away before they could walk away on their own. Easier to pretend that none of this mattered. But she looked at Emily, standing there, refusing to leave, refusing to let her go down this road again.
“This won’t last forever Kell, you’ll have some more time out, and then you'll be back before you know it. You’ve got a world cup to win.” Sonnett offered her a small smile.
Kelley felt awful, how could she still be this nice after everything Kelley had just said to her?
“Please, Em. Just go.” Kelley sighed and stopped herself from letting a tear fall.
“Like I said before - I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for you, okay?” She pulled Kelley in to hug her and held her tight as Kelley couldn’t fight the tears anymore.