Epilogue

MAX

Playing for the National Team during the World Cup was a completely different feeling. Watching everyone and their mother cheer on our country and fly out to wherever the games took place was incredible. Maybe I was just lucky that after having it held in Qatar in previous years, now it was Mexico, Canada, and the US, so the fans didn't need to fly that far. But still, the support and the atmosphere were intoxicating. Especially knowing my family and friends were all there cheering me on, together with Ivy. Knowing the girl I loved was up in the VIP box with my family and closest friends, wearing my jersey with my name on it, made it way more special than any game before.

Our team was strong, but we had no chances against the World Cup Champions, Spain, despite the friendly game. We all knew it was probably the last time the US was going to play, and my summer break was about to start.

It was bittersweet, walking into a game knowing we would lose, but after the 8-0 Spain vs. Greece game three days ago, we needed a miracle.

Considering their team was made up of players from FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Atletico, it was no surprise. Hell, even Coach Hitchings and Coach McCarthy had played with those players before. They were in a completely different league.

As for me, it felt like I was playing against myself. Their midfielders were like me—energetic, with sick footwork and passion. The only difference was they were seventeen. It was mind-blowing.

"Soak this in." Coach Hitchings patted me on the back as halftime was ending, and I put my water bottle down. "Learn from them. Who knows, maybe one day you'll play with those guys."

I offered him a soft smile. "I don't want to play in Europe. I know, shocker—sue me."

He let out a laugh. "I wasn't planning to play for FC Barcelona either. Sky was an LA Galaxy kid too. But once you taste the game in Europe, how different it is—the level, the spirits... it's addictive."

"I know." I nodded as I listened to the crowd. "Hell, I can feel it just by playing against them, but I want to make a difference in American soccer. I mean, never say never, but... I think I want to stay here."

Coach nodded and clamped me on the shoulder. "Well... based on how this looks, our World Cup run is coming to an end. And... you've already made American soccer better... we have never made it to the semi-finals since..."

"1930." I grinned at him, knowing our soccer history. It was great that we got this far, and I could have made up thousands of motivational speeches about not coming this far to only come this far, but the 3-0 on the scoreboard didn't look great.

"Exactly." Aiden nodded. "I gave you a shot, and you exceeded my expectations. Everyone on this team has proved themselves, and I couldn't be happier with all your performances. But you really stood out. Giving several goal passes—I just wish you'd scored a goal. I think that would have really made this experience unforgettable for you."

I nodded, as I agreed, but I also knew our strikers were top-notch. There was no need for me to score; they could handle it, and it worked. But I would have liked to have at least one goal to my name—especially against Spain.

"We still have forty-five minutes." I grinned, walking out to the pitch. "I better make the most of it, and who knows... maybe I'll surprise us all with a goal."

"I seem to recall you always knew how to leave with a bang." Coach smirked. "Try and do that again for us."

I let out a laugh, and with a quick salute, I jogged out to the field. Glancing up to the viewing box, I immediately found Ivy leaning against the railing and waving at me.

I waved back and sent her some kisses, loving how she looked in my blue jersey—three sizes too big on her, and as usual, she tied it around her waist.

With a wink, I pointed at the goal, then back at her, telling her I would score for her.

She laughed and made a heart shape with her hands.

I grinned as my national teammates clapped me on the back, and our captain said something about the strategy. But my eyes still focused on my girl as she turned toward my parents, my mom giving her a hug, before I looked at Nova, Dex, and Maddox—all three of them laughing, wearing my name on their backs.

How did I get so lucky to have all of them in my life?

IVY

I never got tired of watching Max play, especially when he was playing the best I'd ever seen him. His dedication and passion were visible, and he really stood out to me during the entire game.

"Isn't that a conflict of interest for you?" I turned toward the girl on my right, Natalie Hitchings. She was Coach Hitching's daughter, sitting there with her boyfriend, Gabriel, and her mother, Hazel. She played for FC Barcelona's Women's Team and had lived in Spain for most of her life.

"Not really," she replied, not taking her eyes off the game, while her boyfriend did glance in my direction. "I'm American. Just because I was born in Barcelona, lived there for eighteen years, and now I live there again..."

"You're totally Spanish," Gabriel muttered with a grin. "She's Spanish, and she's low-key rooting them on."

"Not low-key at all," Natalie laughed. "Gosh, Perez is so good."

"That's the guy who plays for FC Barcelona," Maddox informed me, pointing at number eleven.

"Got it. I feel like Natalie knows everyone."

"I do," she grinned. "On both teams. It's really stressful. I mean... the US has no chance anymore. Unless your superstar boyfriend wants to score four more goals. Which would be impressive, but highly unlikely. I'd give him 54% chances at a goal if he gets past their defense."

I almost let my jaw drop from her assessment as I watched the red and blue players run on the field. Clearly, I needed to polish my soccer knowledge.

Exchanging a look with Natalie's boyfriend, I leaned against Nova. "I really hope he manages to score."

"He will." Nova squeezed my hand. "How are you feeling about the whole Ander issue?"

Maddox and Dex both glanced at me as I took a deep breath, painfully aware of Max's parents looking at me too. Daisy transferred to Hillview for the rest of her college career and told the school board at Westpoint everything Ander did to her and me. She had more courage than me in speaking up and making her voice heard. And I was proud of her. The therapy she was going to was paying off. As for Ander, his soccer scholarship was revoked, and he was removed from the team after I had to give a statement to the school too.

"He got what he deserved." I shrugged. "I kind of feel bad, but Max said I only feel bad because I'm a decent human being."

"Which is code for you shouldn't give a shit," Maddox muttered.

"It's not like he ever cared," Derek agreed. "If it was the opposite, he would have bragged about kicking you out."

I nodded, but part of me still felt guilty over him losing soccer. I knew it meant a lot to him, but after what he did to Derek, he was living on borrowed time.

"It feels good knowing I won't have to see him again next year," I admitted with a smile.

"You can always transfer." Nova hugged me. "I would love that."

"Doesn't make a difference for you," I reminded her, as we were in different majors.

She just lifted a shoulder when Derek leaned over. "What about Kaia? Did you girls make up?"

I grimaced. "Kaia called me briefly, apologizing and telling me she broke things off with Tristan, but us being friends again is something we both need to work on, and I promised her that come next school year, we will do our best to leave all the negativity of the previous year behind. But I'm not going to blindly trust her."

Derek nodded, a pensive expression on his face. "Seems fair."

I offered him a soft smile, and we both watched the field, catching the way Max's eyes narrowed at the ball and how his footwork caught it.

It was easier to follow soccer when Max had the ball, and I was looking at the exact same thing. Just the ball rolling in front of Max and his Nike shoes as they ran across the field.

"Holy shit." Dex took a deep breath and almost pushed me over as he leaned against the railing.

"How the hell did he do that?" Natalie followed, both of them staring.

Glancing around the field, I noticed Max was surrounded by all red players, breaking through their defense.

"He can't hesitate," Maddox said, slamming his fist on the rail in front of us.

Nova and I both jumped up, and we watched with bated breath as Max pivoted with the ball, breaking away from the Spanish players.

"He needs to score," Derek said, pointing at the opening only people with soccer knowledge saw. All I saw was a sea of players and an impossible positioning.

Max must have come to the same conclusion, as he did some fancy trick with the ball, pretending to shoot it away, but in the last moment, he caught it with the top of his foot and let the ball fly in the opposite direction.

The entire stadium sucked in a deep breath, waiting for the pass between the goalie's extended arms and into the net.

I've never screamed so loud in my life as when I saw Max's serious, focused face light up, the pressure lifting off him as he pumped his fist in the air and celebrated the goal. It was his first goal during the World Cup and the last one for a while, but watching his new teammates congratulate him and seeing Coach Hitchings' proud face light up, I knew he was exactly where he was supposed to be, and it was all worth it.

All the late-night phone calls, the early morning practices, the endless text messages we exchanged, and the fact that I hadn't seen him properly since May had put a strain on our relationship.

Around me, everyone screamed and celebrated. The way the stadium roared with noise felt like the US had just made it into the finals when, in reality, they lost. But they went out with a bang.

My eyes remained glued to Max, and within seconds, he turned to look at me too, a wide grin on his face as he blinked up against the bright sunlight.

"I love you," he mouthed without shame, not caring that people would make a meme of him for saying that.

But through all the practices, media tours, and games, I knew that I always came first to him. He made time to call me, text me, and send me flowers. And what was most important, he showed up for me when it mattered.

Soccer was his career and his first love, but I was his future.

The End