But I don’t fucking care what he thinks.
Even if we do lose, I have it all.
‘All’ has a certain someone sitting in the crowd, ready to watch me play for the very first time.
And if everything goes according to plan, tonight will be the night.
In front of everyone in the stadium.
In front of everyone in Australia.
I want every person to watch as I officially make her mine.
Gabriella
People watching at a soccer game is on another level.
The stadium is packed. It’s a sold-out event, which according to Pa beside me, has everything to do with Olly being back on the field.
Olly’s Ma and Pa are everything he described them to be. Ma’s a doting mother always worrying about her son but not too overbearing which would drive him nuts.
Pa is every bit the man Olly said he is—strong, opinionated, and has the biggest heart. He loves to talk, and one thing always stands out—he’s damn proud of his only son. His exact words.
We met for lunch a few days ago, and according to Olly, they instantly fell in love with me. Meeting them sealed the deal, and if possible, it made me fall in love with him even more.
Our seats are right up the front, amongst other family members of the team.
The atmosphere is electrifying and tense, the music blaring through the speakers intensifying as the minutes count down.
According to Pa, the away supporters are segregated to one corner of the stadium. There’s not as many of them, yet both groups of supporters are vociferous in supporting their respective team.
The next ninety minutes is the most intense ninety minutes of my life.
Olly’s on fire.
Pa’s fixated on the game, so every few minutes Ma explains to me exactly what’s happening. It’s all fast and furious, action-packed with drama and tension. There are near-misses, penalty shots, and undeserved abuse hurled at the referee.
By the last five minutes, I’ve almost bitten off all my nails. The crowd’s just anxious, glued to the field or big screen. The time is ticking over, and just when we think it’s a draw, Olly takes the ball off another player, gets past the attacker, and kicks it straight into the net, much to the disappointment of the goalie and the away fans.
The crowd jumps in glory. I squeal in delight, clapping my hands, watching Olly’s teammates pounce on him with pride. I’m so incredibly proud of him and had no idea how intense a game of soccer could feel.
The second they jump off him, his eyes scan the crowd until they gaze upon mine. He begins to walk toward me until a flock of reporters stop to interview him.
“Would you look at my boy?” Pa says with the proudest grin on his face. “Always knew he would bounce back. Just needed to find his feet again.”
Ma wraps her arm around me, placing her hand on my shoulder and bringing me in for a hug. “And find a reason to smile every day.”
I lean my head on her hand, welcoming the sentiment.
Inside my pocket, my phone begins to vibrate. I pull it out, and there’s an incoming FaceTime call from Aubrey.
I answer the call with enthusiasm. “Hey!”
Both Aubrey and Chance appear on the screen, grinning like fools. Just like me, they are proud of Olly. Chance told Olly he would stream the game since they couldn’t be here.
“Did you guys see Olly? He killed it!”
Chance nods in agreement and begins talking about the game, but it’s hard to hear him over the crowd noise. Beside him, Aubrey cannot wipe the grin off her face. She looks like she’s ready to burst with a surprise, and part of me wonders if she’s pregnant again.
Olly is leaning on the fence in front of me, drenched in sweat, face red with a satisfied smile.
I turn the phone around, giving Chance and Aubrey a moment to say hello.
“Hey, listen, guys, I’m going to go—”
“No, don’t go! Just hand the phone over to Ma,” Aubrey demands.
What has gotten into her?
I pass the phone to Ma, shrugging my shoulders. I knew they met during their stay in Sydney, so I assume she wants to say hi.
With my full focus on Olly, I’m well aware fans have gathered around, desperate to grab an autograph and take a selfie. I lean over the fence, wrapping my hands around his neck and bringing him in for a long-awaited kiss. “I’m so proud of you,” I say, rubbing my nose against his. “You looked so happy in your element.”
“Do you know what would make me even happier?”
Tilting my head to the side, my slack expression stares back at him with curiosity.
His hands run down my arms, ending with them nestled into my own. With a glorious smile, he drops down on one knee, watching me steadily.
Oh. My. God. This can’t be happening.
Ma hands him a navy-blue box, and quickly thanking her, he perches it in the middle of his palm.
Yep, it is happening.
I can feel my heartbeat, every single pound in my chest. It’s louder than the crowd around us, rapid and relentless, making it impossible to breathe. But the reason it’s hammering within my chest is because of the man standing in front of me.
My love.
My best friend.
My soulmate.
“Everyone is watching us,” I whisper, unable to hide my nerves.
“The whole world needs to know you’re mine.” Olly clears his throat, biting on his bottom lip with slight nervousness until the corners of his mouth turn upward. “Gabriella, from the moment I saw you, I knew you weren’t like anyone else. You challenge me, make me a better person, and most importantly, you are my best friend.”
I bring my hand toward my chest as Olly snaps the box open, and inside buried in the matching navy cushion sits a platinum square-cut diamond ring. It’s breathtaking.
“I love you. No matter how much I’ve tried to stop loving you over the past
