THE PLAYERS SERIES : S.M. {book 2}

XL (part III)

"Please stay because I don't wanna live without you."

At this very moment, it felt like the whole world had stopped working, and that there were only the two of us now. 

I know some of our teammates, as well as my parents and Kristie, overheard what Alexia said because of how close they were from us. 

Setting my jaw, I just grab Alexia's hand and basically force her to follow me on the dance floor, as a soft music I know damn well was playing. 

Surprised, Alexia nevertheless wraps her arms around my neck, looking at me with a frown. 

"Please, say something, because telling you that was hard as hell."

Holding her closer to me, I just let my mouth find its way to her ears, while her delicious scent invades my nose and causes my brain to malfunction. It was as if we were hugging each other dearly while also moving at the rhythm of the music. I knew everybody was looking at us, but I couldn't see them. 

I then just whisper:

"You know what I've always dreamed of? Like, what I would've done with my life if football hadn't worked out?" 

Holding her breath, Alexia responds:

"No?" 

"I love books, so I guess I would've tried and open my very own bookstore. Like, Joe from You but minus the psycho part. I've always pictures myself doing that in Boston, 'cause that where I grew up, and where I thought me and my sister would live forever. We'd have those long conversations about what our imagined life would be: our kids would be best friends, growing up in the same neighborhood and everything. I could literally hear their laughs through my ears."

Alexia sighs. 

"I get that you don't want to give that away - it's a beautiful dream."

Cracking a smile, I just continue, ignoring her on purpose:

"However, when I started to enjoy life in Barcelona, I found this cute bookstore nearby your apartment, as I was on my way to you. I stopped right in front of it and just looked at it for ten minutes - I was running late already, but I couldn't help myself. There was this old lady walking out of it to ask me if I needed anything. You know what I said?" 

Alexia shakes her head, confused. 

"No?"

"I said to her: 'you are living my dream life'. And you know what she answered?"

"No."

"She said: 'no, I am not, because I am all alone here, and I lost the love of my life'. I couldn't stop weeping while walking toward your place, thinking that what happened to that lovely old lady was terrible. Only, I realized it didn't have to be like this."

This time, a flash of hope lightens Alexia's eyes, as she softly pulls away from me, still in my arms, looking up inside my intense gaze. 

She raises her eyebrows, before asking:

"I am having a hard time understanding what you're trying to say...?"

Taking a deep breath, I just declare:

"I couldn't stop thinking about that old lady since we got here, and this is when it hit me: of course I could stay in Boston and raise cool kids and be there for my sister and everything. But I could never find another Alexia. I could never love the way I love you. And although I thought losing my career and my proximity to my family would be the worst thing happening to me, losing you would actually be the worst thing ever."

"Sam..."

"Ask me your question again. Please."

Alexia hesitates, as we stopped dancing to just look through each other's eyes.

"Will you move in with me?"

I couldn't hold my smile back, as I say:

"Yes."

For the first time ever since I've known her, Alexia sheds a tear in public, looking at me with the most loving and softest eyes I've ever seen. She then grabs my jaw with both her hands, before getting closer and bringing our foreheads together. 

Gasping in happiness, I just kiss her dearly, wrapping my arms around her and lifting her from the ground a little in order to get her on the same height than I am. 

While the witnesses start cheering loudly, my sister in the front line, I just crack a gigantic smile and pull away, looking at Alexia. 

"Are you sure this is what you want?" I then end up asking, raising my eyebrows.

"It's taken me a lot of time to realize I couldn't fight my feelings for you, Mew, and I am done doing that. I wanna be with you, fully, and I don't care who knows it."

Cracking a smile, I lean in again, while she would caress the back of my neck with her soft fingers. 

She then meaningfully looks around us and shouts:

"Yes, I'm in love with Samantha. Now, let's get back to celebrating Kristie and Lucy!"

Everybody cheer loudly, as I kiss her once more. 

As I am dancing with Alexia, I see from the corner of my eyes Abby and Keira laughing their asses off while being seated on the couch, before the blonde almost drops her glass to kiss Keira with fierce. Obviously, the Brit renders the passion quite well, as they end up on each other's arms for the rest of the night - and I've never been so happy for my best friend. 

Kristie and Lucy also danced the whole night together, exchanging loving looks, biting their lips from time to time. Then, I stole my sister to my new sister-in-law, and hug her tightly. 

"I'm proud of you, Kratch" I whisper, smirking. 

Kristie turns her face where I am looking, as the women of our lives are laughing together, clinging their glasses together. 

"This is what I call pure happiness" my sister answer, before adding: "I love you, Sammy. And that will never change."

"I love you too, sis'."

As she hugs me, I catch eyes with Alexia, who just winks at me. Deep down inside of me I knew she would be the woman I'd end up with for the rest of my life, because whenever she was around, everything was well about the world. 

My heart is full at last...