From My Love to My Life (MXM) (sequel to From My Enemy to My Love)

Chapter 19

Chet Watakeekul

I parked my car in the designated parking for the players. My phone had chirped with a notification while I was driving so I pulled it out now to look at it. I had an email from the catering place confirming for next Tuesday night. My heart beat a little faster at the thought of proposing to Vincent. I was ready. I was excited. Tuesday couldn't come fast enough. I could imagine his face as it lit up with happiness as I revealed the ring and asked him to marry me.

I walked into the building and headed to the locker room. Tonight was an important game.We already had enough wins to make it to the playoffs, but the team we were playing tonight was a rival. We lost to them as much as we won. The fans on both sides got particularly invested when we played against each other. The goalie for the opposing team was good. Maybe the best in the league. I actually played against him a few times when I was a freshman in college. He was the one goalie I could never score against in college. I had scored against him in my professional career, but it was still difficult.

When I got in the locker room, there were only a few other players. I began to get dressed, but as more and more players came in, I found myself talking more and more and I was still one of the last to leave the locker room.

We went out to the field to warm up a little before the game. I looked up into the seats where Vince and my parents usually sat. Right now those seats were empty. Dean and Antonio were coming to tonight's game and then they would leave in the morning. I was going to miss them. It was always great to see them.

I got focused on the warmups and the game that was soon to start. The other team came on the other side of the field to warm up as well. When it got closer for the game to start, the coaches called us over and went over the game plans. As the game got closer to starting, I looked back to the seats where my family usually sat. There they all were, Vincent, my parents and his. I waved to them. They waved back and then I turned my attention back to the field and the upcoming game.

The game started with the other team in control of the ball. They headed fast towards our goalie, but our defenders were ready for them. Alvarez managed to get the ball and then we were all running back towards the other side of the court with the ball being passed among us.

I was vaguely aware of the crowd's growing roar as we approached the opposite goal, but I was too focused on the game to really get caught up in that. Bradley had the ball. He kicked it towards the goal. The goalie dove for it and caught it. He passed it along to one of his players and we ran down the opposite side of the field.

The first half of the game went like this with neither team making a goal. The coaches gave us new plays to do for the second half. When half time was over, we went back onto the field.

The opposing team had the ball, we all ran down the field trying to stop them, waiting for an opportunity to take the ball. Alvarez and the other defenders tried to stop them, but one of their players kicked the ball between our defenders. Our goalie - Rusnak - dove for the ball. It barely hit the tip of his fingers, but the momentum was not enough to stop it and the ball hit the net behind him. The opposing team had scored.

We received the ball and headed down the field to the goal. Martinez dribbled the ball. He passed the ball to me. I saw the slight opening between the defenders and took the opportunity. I kicked the ball low and fast. Their goalie dove for it, but the ball was slightly faster than he was and it hit the net in the corner giving us a goal. We were tied. I was quickly surrounded by my nearest teammates as they patted me for the goal. I gave a nod to Martinez for the assist. He acknowledged it and then we were heading back down the field towards the other side.

We went back and forth a little bit without either side gaining a goal. And then for the second time that night they got the ball past our defenders and goalie for another goal.

The time on the clock was quickly winding down as we looked for another opportunity to score. The opportunity game with only a few seconds left in the game. I had the ball. I quickly looked at my other players to see if any of them had a better opening than I did, but none of them did. I heard my fellow teammates from all sides encouraging me to try and make a goal so I tried. I kicked the ball to the goal even though I didn't have a good opening. It was the only opportunity we were going to get before time ran out. Their goalie dropped to the ground over my ball effectively stopping it from going in.

We lost the game 2-1. In sportsmanship like fashion, we greeted the members of the other team to congratulate them on their win before heading to the lockers.

I was pulled aside on the field by a reporter. It wasn't the first time. It wouldn't be the last. She had a cameraman with her. He already had the camera pointed in my direction.

"Close game tonight," she said. "What do you think the team needs to do in the future to win?" She held the microphone out towards me.

It was a question I was familiar with and I knew how to answer it. "We need to focus, tighten up our defense and our offense needs to make more openings happen."

"How is the team preparing for the playoffs?" she asked. I was familiar with this reporter like I was with several others. They all tended to ask the same questions, but that was alright because it made it easier to answer.

"The coaches know what our team needs to do against certain teams, whether it's to focus on offense or defense or a combination. We are a good all-rounder team. We just need to tighten up what we already can do."

"What were your thoughts on your last goal attempt tonight?"

I opened my mouth to answer her, but suddenly there was someone next to me. It was Vincent. Sometimes family members of the players or coaches came down to the field, but Vincent rarely did and he had never come to me while I was being interviewed.

His arms were down at his side, but I realized he held something down in his hand away from the camera's view. I looked at it. It was one of those small jewelry boxes that came with the rings. It was open and inside it I could see the ring I had picked out the day we had gone ring shopping. My heart stopped and then leaped and then beat rapidly against my chest as I realized what was happening. I met his eyes.

He leaned in and whispered into my ear away from the camera, "Will you marry me?"

Happiness and excitement burst throughout me giving me tingles everywhere as I practically yelled out, "Yes!" and threw my arms around his neck in a tight hug.

He buried his head in my shoulder as his arms wrapped around my waist. Then I remembered the reporter and the cameraman and that they were probably recording this and that made me even happier because there would be some kind of record of this moment forever.

I pulled away from Vincent just long enough to face the camera and say, "I'm getting married!" I couldn't contain my excitement. I couldn't pretend to be subdued at that moment, but both the reporter and cameraman were smiling so maybe it didn't matter.

"Congratulations," the reporter said. I gave Vincent a quick, chaste kiss on the lips because we were on camera and then I pulled him to the side of the field. The reporter left us alone and went to find someone from the winning team to interview.

"Wait for me," I said to Vincent. He usually went home by himself after the game, but I wanted to spend as much time with my fiance as possible now.

"Okay," he said with a huge smile on his face. He turned to look up at the stands where he had been sitting. Our parents were there smiling down at us. Antonio waved. I waved back. "Let me give my dad my car keys so he and Antonio can drive back to our apartment and then I'll wait for you by the locker room."

"Okay," I said.

We both smiled at each other as if it was impossible to do otherwise. Then he kissed me. It was still a chaste kiss, but lingering longer than the one we had just done on camera. We parted ways temporarily as he went back to our parents. I wondered if they had known he was coming down to do this or if he had surprised all of us.

Then I sprinted to the locker room and as soon as I was inside I shouted, "I'm getting married!"

My teammates congratulated me and I couldn't imagine this night being more perfect. It didn't even matter that Vincent had beaten me to the proposal. It was perfect.