Thank you, Kelley

Chapter 49

Meghan's POV:

I wake up in someone's arms feeling absolutely exhausted. I barely have the strength to open my eyes. I eventually get them open and discover that it is Eliza's arms that I am in not Kelley's.

I soon remember that Kelly is away but last night is still foggy. I remember going to bed but nothing else. Why am I so tired?

I feel Eliza stir awake. I roll over so I am facing her.

"Morning," I mumble sleepily, too tired to even question why she is cuddling with me.

"Hi..." she says but I can hear concern and confusion in her voice.

I peel one eye open to look at her.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes?" I questioned her back. Why wouldn't I be? I feel like I had the worst panic attack of my life. This is what they used to feel like when I was back in New Hampshire. Nobody would be there to calm me down and they would last for hours. But I always remembered them after. I don't remember having one last night. But maybe I did. That would explain why Eliza is here.

"You didn't seem great last night..."

"Ya... I don't remember anything." I admit to her. I can see her face change with concern. She knows I usually remember them too. She proceeds to fill me in on the details.

Well shit. Sounds like I was really having a good time last night. I feel bad that I had to wake her up and Kelley. Before I get any farther on my thoughts my phone rings. I grab it and answer knowing it's going to be Kelley.

"Hi," I state simply.

"Hi..." she responds. I can hear the exhaustion and worry in her voice. "How are you?"

We talk for a while. And about everything. She even threatened to fly all the way back just to be with me. I promised her she didn't need to do that. It feels so good to have someone care about me again.

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The next few weeks are filled with a lawsuit with the federation. Kelley and the other Utah girls all come home after they win the She believes cup. Emily came down as well for a few days so I could see her. It was the best surprise ever. We spent every minute she was here together. I had missed her so much.

Let me just say having an ongoing lawsuit is complicated. I went from being the new kid on the US team that no one knew about to a social media star. And I hated it. I didn't want to be the center of attention. I just want to play soccer. Thankfully most news stories that were being published were about how I was fighting for my right to be on the team and not spinning it into something else. You know, sometimes the media does stuff like that.

We spent a lot of time meeting with Nicole and even had a day in court. It was very nerve-racking. I had to stand up in front of a whole courtroom and tell them why my rights had been violated. Thankfully the whole team camp to stand behind me. It was so sweet of all of them to stop everything they were doing and come all the way out just to show their support.

After not too long a ruling was made.

The US soccer federation was at fault. Legally they could not deny me from playing on their team because of my service dog. It was made clear that they could still choose not to have me because of pure talent but I had trained hard enough in the last few weeks to make sure that was not an option.

Let me just say we had quite the celebration after as well. Since all the girls were in town you know it got a little crazy. It was all in good fun though.

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A month later I was back at camp. And wow was it a great experience. I had missed it so much. Both the girls and the level of play that occurred. It was challenging but good. It pushed me farther.