little love

65

"maya!! carina!!" maddie called "i gotta go, lily is here- you guys will be at the game, right?!" maddie called. it was the day of the state championship and lily had swung by to get maddie early in the morning so they could meet up with the rest of the team at the stadium for warmups.

"yes little love!! we will be in the front row like always along with the rest of the fam! come here let me hug you!" maya called back

maddie dashed back to maya and carinas room, hugging them both as they wished her luck and each planted a kiss on her forehead.

"you'll be great sorellina!" carina yelled after her

"we are so proud of you mads!" maya called

lily and maddie headed to the stadium while maya and carina finished getting ready before heading in that direction to meet up with the firefighters and doctors as well as the matthew's family for their usual tailgating. carinas brother andrew was picking them up.

"you ready bambina?" carina asked. maya exited the bathroom and both women laughed.

they had each stolen one of maddie's soccer shirts to wear to support the team, and they were totally matching.

"i am, let's go my love your brother will be here any minute." maya said and moved to kiss her wife through their giggles

they loaded up in andrew's car and soon were in the parking lot with the rest of their chosen family.

maya was nervous, she knew how much pressure maddie had been putting on herself. touring all the schools seemed to only put more pressure on her. maya did her best to reassure maddie that she was proud of her regardless, but she was not sure if it was sinking in.

"i'm nervous too" alexa said, coming over and handing maya a drink.

"what gave me away?" maya asked.

"you and maddie have so much in common i don't think either of you really notice but you both bite your bottom lip and get this look in your eyes when your anxious" alexa explained

"wow i'm that easy to read?" maya asked

"only because i know maddie so well" alexa gave her a reassuring pat in the shoulder before heading over to sit with jack.

"something is definitely going on there" vic said walking up to me with travis in tow

"if he hurts her i'll kill him" maya joked

before long, they headed in and took their seats in the front couple rows, center pitch. there were so many of them they needed more than one row. in the front row sat maya, carina, andrew, alexa, and ellen and kenneth matthews. behind them were jack, travis, andy, vic, dean, and sullivan.
in the row behind were callie, arizona, ben, bailey, meredith and amelia. behind them were maggie, owen, teddy, richard and jo.

maya turned to carina to ask "who the hell is staffing the hospital? it looks like all the surgeons are here"

carina chuckled and hugged her wife "our baby girl has so many fans"

maya blushed hearing carina call maddie that. maddie was her baby sister, but also now maya was her legal guardian. it was a whole new level of responsibility and she was so happy carina was taking it on with her.

the announcer began to welcome the crowd and introduce the teams. as maddie's team came running out of the tunnel, she waved at the group of her supporters with a huge smile on her face.

the state championship was underway. both teams were very well matched and were fighting hard. in their own defensive end of the field, maddie managed to make a play on the ball and clear it out. their team had numbers as maddie passed the ball forward and continued to sprint up the pitch. she really was fast. erin had the ball and drew defenders towards her before passing it back to maddie who was coming in hot. maddie took a long shot from just outside the box, just one touch was all she needed to send the ball sailing into the top right corner of the net.

maddie slid on her knees, cheering in celebration as her teammates hugged her. the cheering section of doctors and firefighters were losing it with excitement at the goal.

for the rest of the first half, maddie's team remained up 1-0.

when the second half started, it was just as competitive as the first. both teams were playing a very physical game. every time maddie was involved in a challenge maya held her breath, but maddie always popped back up.

there wasn't a ton of time left, when the other team managed to equalize of a really good header. it was all tied up again and there were only about 15 mins left in the game.

the other team conceded a corner kick, and maddie stood over the ball to clear it in. she put the ball up in the box where erin managed to head it into the back of the net. celebrations went wild!

play continued as the other team was getting desperate to draw even again and force extra time.

maddie was dribbling up the pitch, trying to stall for time, but also see if there was an opportunity to put another goal up and put the game out of reach for the other team.

as she ran, another player came in for a challenge and got absolutely none of the ball, her cleats went straight into maddie's left leg.

there was a sickening crack that echoed through the stadium as the crowd collectively gasped at the rough challenge. maddie fell to the ground and let out a blood curdling scream. maddie did not pop back up this time. whistles blew, coaching staff and trainers rushed the field. maddie screamed again.

"matthew's- get her sister down here NOW" coach nick told his goalie. lily took off sprinting towards the section maya and her family was sitting in.