Encroachment

Australia was engaged in a competitive match, with the current score at 2-1 and only ten minutes remaining. Sara was substituted in shortly after halftime following a hard tackle that resulted in Alex's departure from the game. Kara had scored a goal just a few minutes prior, granting USA the lead; the objective now was to maintain this advantage in order to advance to the finals, where the victor of the match between England and Brazil would be their next opponent.

The entire team transitioned into a defensive strategy, responding to directives from Nia and Lena. Australia intensified their offensive efforts, pushing players forward in a concerted attempt to equalize the score, fully aware that the match outcome was critical to their progression—win or be eliminated. As time elapsed, Australia's urgency escalated. Sara pursued a clearance executed by Nora out of the penalty area, determined to distance the ball from their goal. Unexpectedly, she was struck from behind by an opposing player, resulting in her being knocked to the ground, with her wrist becoming trapped beneath her body.

“Son of a…,” Sara exclaimed, turning to face the whistle that cut through the boos from the crowd. She cradled her wrist, grimacing. “Ouch.” The pain shot up her arm, and she sighed.

“What just happened?” Ava's voice rang out as she spotted the tall blonde confronting the Australian defense player.

“Looks like an accident to me,” Mandy interjected, stepping up to Ava.

“Seriously? That's not what it looked like!” Ava shot back, then glanced at Sara, who was still on the ground. “You okay, Lance?” Sara met Ava’s gaze and saw the genuine concern in her eyes. She nodded, although her wrist was throbbing like crazy.

“Hey, ref, card her!” Ava shouted, raising her hand towards the referee.

“Come on, you can’t be serious?” Mandy retorted, and Ava quickly turned back to her.

“I’m dead serious, and you know I am!” Ava responded, fire in her words, but Lena stepped in between them to defuse the tension.

“Alright, let’s keep it cool, Sharpe,” Lena said, nudging Ava back a bit. Ava reluctantly took a few steps back, but her gaze remained fixed on the opposing player.

“She better keep her distance,” Sharpe muttered as she turned to walk away.

“Or what?” Mandy called back, not backing down.

Meanwhile, the medical team was wrapping Sara’s wrist as she sat on the sidelines. Ava glanced over and noticed the effort Sara was making to mask her pain. She knew how determined Sara was to finish the game. But if things were serious, it could mean Sara would miss the rest of the tournament, and that thought made Ava furious. A reckless foul shouldn’t be able to take someone out of the game, especially someone as valuable as Sara. Mandy was notorious for pulling cheap shots; she had a history of it back when she played in Houston.

“I’ll show you what.” Ava said to herself as she walked away.

The game was still going strong when Sara felt ready to jump back in. She waited patiently on the sidelines, keeping an eye on the ref for the green light to rejoin her teammates. Her wrist was still bothering her, but that was a worry for after the match. When the ref waved her on, she dashed back onto the pitch. Australia was really working to break through the defense, but nothing seemed to be working.
Suddenly, a breakaway from midfield had Sara sprinting back to help defend. She saw the ball soar over Nora, heading towards the same defender who had knocked her out earlier. That’s when Ava took off, charging towards Mandy to contest the ball. Time seemed to slow as Sara watched Ava tackle beautifully, taking the ball cleanly—meanwhile, Mandy fell down dramatically. The whistle blew, and Ava jumped up, looking bewildered at the ref.

“Come on, that was all ball, ref!” Ava exclaimed, making her way over just as the ref pulled out a yellow card. “You’re kidding, right?” she shouted, throwing her hands in the air. “Everyone’s been fouling this whole game, and now you decide to pull a card? She should’ve been booked ages ago!” Sara sprinted over as Ava pushed against Lena, who was trying to keep her calm while Australia set up for a free kick.

“Ava, take a breath, or she might pull another card,” Lena pleaded just as Sara joined them.

“Maybe if she actually officiated fairly, I wouldn’t be so furious!” Ava shot back at her captain.

“We just need to hang on for four more minutes,” Lena replied. “That’s it.”
Ava scoffed and moved to confront the ref again, but Sara stepped in her way.

“Hey,” Sara said gently, and Ava paused, looking down at the smaller blonde. “We’ve got this. Just four more minutes. Let’s not get you a red card, or you’ll miss the final.” Sara kept her tone calm, even though she could feel Ava's frustration radiating off her. “I’m okay, but if you pick up another card…” Sara glanced around before locking eyes with Ava. “It’s the Olympics, Ava. We’re just four minutes away from the final.” As she leaned in closer, placing her hand on Ava's forearm, she noticed Ava's tension easing a bit. “Besides, Nora struggles without you,” Sara whispered, which made Ava chuckle. “You good?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Ava replied softly.

“Great! Now get out there and defend. I’ll distract them from here.” Ava smiled and shook her head, beginning to jog away.

“You can be really distracting, you know,” Ava laughed, glancing back at Sara with a grin before sprinting off.

“What just happened?” Sara mused to herself as she turned around to follow the ref’s directions, positioning herself at the right distance from where Mandy stood, ready to kick the ball back into play.

Four endless minutes stretched out before them, each tick of the clock echoing like a heartbeat in the suspenseful silence. Mandy approached the free kick with a rush of emotions, her foot connecting awkwardly with the ball, which spiraled directly into the path of Kara. Time seemed to freeze as Kara seized the moment, her heart racing, muscles tense, she launched herself forward in a desperate sprint toward the opposing team's goal. An imposing wall of Australia's defense loomed ahead, but the energy on the field was electric. For a brief while, it was a frenetic dance in midfield, players scrambling, breaths quickening, each side vying for control as the pace soared.

Then, like a spark igniting a flame, a bad pass revealed the toll of exhaustion on Australia’s weary legs. In an instant, Sara and Kara were off, communicating through their frantic movements, a symphony of teamwork fueling their every stride. Sara, with her fierce determination, slid in to seize the ball, snatching it just moments before the defender could intervene. She sprang up, the ball cradled at her feet, and her eyes flicked to Lena—a brief, knowing glance that spoke volumes.

With a perfect resolve, Sara passed the ball back to Lena, who didn’t hesitate for a second. With a powerful kick, she sent the ball soaring over the defense, a beautiful arc of hope and ambition. Kara was already in motion, darting through the line like a streak of lightning. As the ball descended toward her feet, she met it with precision and passion, sending a roaring shot past the goalkeeper into the net. The stadium erupted in a symphony of cheers as Kara turned, exhilarated, her voice breaking free in a triumphant scream. She spun around to see Lena and Sara, their faces lit with joy, chasing after her like stars racing toward a comet. In that moment, as they leaped into her arms, echoing the thrill of victory.
The whistle blew right after kickoff, and the US team burst onto the field, celebrating with a huge group hug. What an exciting moment! They were bound for the Gold Medal match! After a few minutes, the excitement began to settle down. Sara's hand was throbbing, and she realized she needed to head over to the medical team to check on her wrist. Just as she started to walk away, she felt a gentle tug on her good wrist and turned around.

It was Ava, pulling her into a warm hug before stepping back shyly. “Sorry, I just wanted to say thank you,” she said, gesturing over her shoulder. “I kind of got a little overwhelmed out there.” Sara smiled at the taller blonde, appreciating the moment.

“Why are you apologizing? You were totally right! I just didn't want you to blow up at the ref and get sent off,” Sara smirked playfully. “I mean, you do have a bit of a reputation!”

“Okay, that only happened once! And the whole team was in on it!” Ava shot back, but she couldn’t help but return to her shy demeanor. “Seriously though, thanks for grounding me there.”

Sara remembered Ava's earlier distraction and figured it was worth mentioning. “About that…” she started, but Gideon swooped in before she could say more.

“Lance, you should really get that looked at,” he said, eyeing Sara's wrist. “Let’s make sure it’s just a sprain.” She turned to the two of them with a grin. “It’s nice to see you two finally communicating and getting along!” Gideon turned and walked away with a sly smile on her face.

“Hey, I really should get this checked out,” Sara said, lifting her arm to reveal her wrapped wrist.

“You know, she’s got a point,” Ava chimed in. “I mean, about trying to get along and all.”

“True, but I’m way better at non-verbal communication,” Sara smirked as she started to walk away, leaving Ava standing there with her mouth agape, unsure of how to respond.

That night was a bit of a whirlwind! The team gathered up their things at the hotel and set off for Paris, and everyone pretty much slept the whole bus ride. Ava found herself lounging in the back with her head buried in a book when suddenly, someone plopped down next to her. She looked up to see Nora grinning at her with that knowing smile of hers. Ava quickly slipped her bookmark into the pages to save her spot and closed her book. Nora’s smile usually hinted at some mischief, and Ava wasn’t sure she was ready for it.

“What’s up?” Ava asked softly, glancing around to make sure no one was eavesdropping.

“So, I might have overheard your chat with Sara,” Nora whispered with a playful grin. “I have to say, the flirty back-and-forth is…well, adorable.” She quickly checked to see if anyone was close by.

“Nora, you know I love you, right?” Ava said, leaning in a bit closer.

“Of course,” Nora replied, a little coyly. “But do you love me like you…” She was cut off when Ava playfully covered her mouth.

“I swear, if you don’t keep out of my love life, you’re going to regret it!” Ava whispered, trying to stifle her laughter.

“So you admit we are talking about your love life?” Nora asked as Ava lowered her hand from her mouth.

“I don’t want to discuss it,” Ava replied, gazing down the bus aisle at Sara’s head leaning against the seat.

“Right, let’s skip it. Just like you didn’t want to hear about my crush on Ray,” Nora said, leaning in. “How do you room with her without confessing your feelings?”

“Mostly we’re too tired to do anything but watch documentaries and fall asleep,” Ava answered quietly.

“So you avoid real conversation?” Nora questioned.

“We talk,” Ava said, looking back at Nora. “She asks questions while we watch.”

“Yeah, those are deep questions—a great way to really know someone.”

"I know Sara," Ava said, glancing at Nora. "Well, I know her well enough."

"How so?"

"She’s incredibly loyal to her family and friends, and she really can't stand liars or anyone who pretends to be someone they're not. Sara prefers quiet nights at home, curled up with a scary movie. A lot of people think she’s just a party girl craving attention, but that’s not her at all. She loves wrapping up in a blanket for a good thriller. And when it comes to relationships? She once told me they’re just too complicated for her. So, that’s that—she doesn’t do relationships." Ava shut her eyes for a moment, while Nora watched attentively. "So, there's really no point in discussing..."

"You don’t do casual," Nora whispered. Ava opened her eyes, offered a small smile, and nodded in agreement.

The buses finally rolled into Paris just after eleven, and Gideon gathered the team to let them know it was time to get some rest. They’d have practice tomorrow after lunch. Ava headed over to Gideon, grabbed the room key from her coach, and started searching for Sara. She spotted her leaning against the bus, fast asleep with her bag at her feet. Ava couldn’t help but smile at how adorable the smaller blonde looked.

“You doing okay?” Ava asked as she approached Sara, who squinted up at her.

“Yeah, they gave me some Tylenol for the pain and it’s knocking me out,” Sara replied with a groan while reaching down for her bag. “Let’s get to our room so I can crash.”

Once they reached their room, Ava swung the door open and ushered Sara inside. They both took a look around and realized there was only one bed. Ava stepped back out to double-check the room number before looking back inside. Sara was just standing there, staring at the king-size bed. Ava placed her bag down, and for a brief moment, they both just stared at the lone bed.

“Must be a mix-up,” Sara said, breaking the silence.

“Yeah, we must be in someone else’s room or something,” Ava agreed. “Let me check with Gideon and Nate.” Sara nodded and headed toward the bed.

“I’ll just wait here,” Sara said, crawling onto the bed and lying down as Ava left the room.
Ava walked toward the elevator, pressed the down button, and made her way to the staff floor. She spotted Gideon and Nate chatting in the hallway and joined them.

“Hey, so I think there’s a little hiccup. We’ve only got one bed in our room!”

“Yeah, looks like the hotel mixed up some arrangements. They’ll sort it out in the morning, but you’ll have to manage tonight,” Nate replied, exchanging glances with Gideon.

“I already gave them a piece of my mind about this. We were not supposed to have four rooms with king-sized beds! I thought Kara was going to have a meltdown, but Lena managed to calm her down,” Gideon chuckled.

“Just put a pillow between you and Sara, and you’ll be good,” Nate said with a grin.

“What are we, twelve?” Ava laughed, shaking her head.

“That’s what Lena told Kara, and it seemed to work,” Nate added.

“Of course that would calm Kara down,” Ava mumbled. “Alright, it’s just one night, right?”

“Go get some rest, Ava. We’ll get this all sorted out in the morning,” Gideon encouraged, and Ava nodded as she headed toward the elevator. As she stepped in and pressed the button, her heart started racing, and she felt a wave of panic wash over her.

When Ava returned to the room, she found Sara fast asleep on the bed, curled up in a little ball. She paused for a moment, wondering why Sara had curled up like that. How had she been rooming with her for so long and never noticed? Ava gently tapped Sara on the side, and she turned towards her, blinking her tired eyes open.

“So, there was a mix-up, and it turns out we’re not the only ones with just one bed,” Ava explained, and Sara listened intently. “They’re going to fix it in the morning, but for tonight, this is what we have.” Sara nodded and sat up, ready to face the evening.

“Alright, no worries!” Sara said softly as she walked over to her bag, eager to grab some clothes for bed. “Do you have a favorite side you like to sleep on?”

“Um… not really,” Ava replied, digging through her bag to pull out a towel and some pajamas.

“I have to say, it’s pretty amusing that you always travel with a towel,” Sara chuckled.

“Hey, hotel towels can be scratchy! This one is nice and soft, so don’t judge!” Ava laughed, heading towards the bathroom. She paused and turned to Sara. “Would it be alright if I took a quick shower?”

Sara smiled and shook her head. “Of course, go ahead!”

“Thanks!” Ava said as she disappeared into the bathroom.

Sara settled onto the edge of the bed, her heart racing a bit.

“This is totally fine,” Sara whispered to herself. “Just sharing a bed with Ava. We’re adults—we can handle this.” She nodded, reassuring herself. “I can handle this.”