Fearless - Ashley Sanchez

Chapter 23

The next day, I drove to practice, getting progressively more nervous about putting this note in Ashley's locker. Is she gonna rip it? Will she just read it and laugh? Is she gonna find me and kill me? Will she completely ignore it and just throw it out? 

I walked in and got ready, not really talking to anyone. 

When I went to the bathroom, I came back to see a baseball in my locker, with a piece of paper under it. I smiled, and picked it up. 

This is yours not mine. 

The only other people left in the locker room were Tara and Ashley, which was GREAT. Like amazing. 

I put the baseball in my bag, and I was gonna find a creative way to give it to her tomorrow. 

Everyone thought it was crazy that I gave it to Hatch in the first place when she mentioned it earlier, because I went viral because of my catches. 

On TikTok, MLB posted the clip of me leaning over the edge to catch it, and then the other one of me giving the other one to the kid behind me in the same video. They also tagged me, and I got about a thousand new followers on TikTok and a bunch on Instagram too. 

I also posted the pictures of Hatch and I at the game, and tons of people liked it, like way more than followed me, probably because the MLB brought them here by tagging me. 

I had a ton of comments too, but I was kind of afraid to open them. 

When Tara and Ashley left the locker room, I put the note in Ash's locker and headed out to practice. 

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Ashley's POV

After practice, I went into the locker room, and right on top of all of my stuff was a note. 

It was just a piece of paper folded 4 times, and on the outside it said my hand in Kyla's pretty loopy cursive handwriting. 

I completely skipped showering, just gathered up all my stuff and went right to my car. 

I took a deep breath, and then carefully opened it. 

Dear Ashley, 
I'm so sorry for being such a selfish, shitty person. I don't know if it broke your heart as much as it did mine, but don't tell me, because I'm gonna feel even worse than I have since we broke up. This note isn't me asking for you to forgive me. This is my apology because you won't let me actually talk to you in person. And I get why. I wish I listened to you and not been selfish, because everything about my life would be so much better. I also want to thank you for caring so much about me at such an important time in my life. You were my first love, and they say you never forget your first love. I know for sure I'll never forget mine. And I don't blame you for hating me, because I'd hate me too. I already do. "Just 'cause you break a heart don't mean your heart don't break too." -Cassadee Pope. I'll never be completely over you, Ashley.
I'm sorry.
Love, Kyla. 

I started sobbing, and I dropped my head into my hands and just sat there for a long time. 

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Kyla's POV

Ashley ran out of the locker room so fast I couldn't see what she did with the note, which is better I guess. 

I walked over to Hatch's locker to talk to her while she was packing up. 

"So I wrote her a note like you said to do the other night." I said. 

"Good. What did she say?" 

"She left so fast that I have no idea if she even saw it." 

"Shoot." 

"It's fine. Better to not see the pieces of a letter that I poured my heart into in the trash can."

"I guess." 

"And I just wanted to thank you again for the other night. I had a great time." I said. 

"No problem. Let's go to another game sometime." 

"I'd like that." I said. 

"Also what did Tara want that night?" Hatch asked. 

"Um...." 

"Why's your face like that?" 

"Oh. Oops." I was making a mortified face, and Hatch was laughing at it. 

"Clearly not anything you want to share, huh?" 

"I will, just not in a locker room full of gossipy girls." I laughed. "Meet me in my car." 

"Sounds good." 

I told her everything once she got to the car, and she probably thinks I'm a horrible person now. 

"And if you think I'm a terrible person, I think I am too." I said. 

"Kyla, listen. You are so far from a terrible person. No one's perfect. But you know what you went viral for?" Hatch said. 

"For making that catch?" 

"No. If you read the comments, a lot of them were saying how awesome you are. How kind od you that was. And the way you didn't even hesitate? Kyla, you're not a perfect person, but no one is. Everyone makes mistakes." 

"Hatch, you don't get it really. I'm terrible. I'm selfish. Shitty. Careless." 

"Okay, you broke up with her for a stupid reason. You apologized in that letter, right? You know you did something wrong. And this time it was a learning experience. But you're very very far from the worst person I've ever met. Couldn't be farther." She put her hand on my shoulder. "You can't stay hung up on her forever. You've got so many people that care about you. Being hung up is only going to make things even harder for you going forward." 

"Thanks Hatchy. You're the best." I gave her a hug. 

"I wish I was." She laughed. "You go rest up now. Game tomorrow night."