Let Me Love You | Toni Kroos

Chapter 34 - Maybe

Toni's POV

I'm never going to forget this day, I thought to myself as I watched Gabi walk up the stage, collect her degree, and then bound down the stairs and towards us. I hope you never forget this day either.

Her face was almost splitting into two with her wide grin as she charged towards us. Her parents gave her a warm bear hug, and Amelie gave her a bone-crushing hug, and then they released her so she started walking towards me.

"Congrats, Gabi," I beamed at her.

"Thank you," she giggled. Suddenly, she lunged over and wrapped her arms tightly around me, almost drowning me in her gigantic graduation gown. "Thank you for everything," she whispered in my ear.

"Thank you for inviting me," I said into her hair.

"Of course," she pulled away and smiled. She grabbed my hand and started dragging me along. "Come on, let's go get some food."

"Gabi! Toni!" Amelie's shrill voice came from behind. "Take a picture first!"

Gabi turned around, grinned at me, hooked her arm in mine, and pulled me towards her. Her eyes were filled with the purest excitement and happiness, as if that very day, the day of her graduation, was the happiest day in her life. They were the brightest, glowing aquamarine blue, so joyful and stunning that I was momentarily shocked, completely taken in by them.

My gaze was still fixed on Gabi when as she turned back to the front and towards the camera. I assumed Amelie was staring at me, because Gabi slowly turned her head back around to look at me.

"Hey," she whispered, nudging me gently with her elbow. "The camera is there. In front."

I don't want to look at the camera, Gabi. I want to look at your eyes.

"Hey," she nudged me again.

"Yeah, I...yeah," I snapped out of my daze. "Hold on," I said as she turned back in front. I grabbed her chin and turned her to face me, sweeping her hair out of her face and tucking it behind her ear.

She smiled at me shyly, her cheeks turning a slight pink, and then she wrapped both her arms around my waist and leaned her head in the crook of my neck. Instinctively, my hand rested on her shoulder.

I'm so proud of you, Gabi, I thought as she grabbed my hand and dragged me towards the food. You're finally here, after going through so much. I'm so proud of you. I wish you knew how proud I am. I wish you knew how proud I am of you, as proud as you were of me all those times. I wish you remembered how that felt.

——

I opened the door with Julius and Lennox's leashes in my hands, only to feel them being tugged violently as they rushed out towards Gabi, who was standing there with her gaze directed on the ground. She smiled when the dogs reached her and stood up on their hind legs to be petted.

"Hey," I called, surprised. "Why are you here?"

"To walk the dogs with you," she turned her smile towards me. "I mean, we got them together in the first place, right?"

"Yeah," I said as she grabbed Lennox's leash. "How are you?"

I'd been busy with the football season, both domestically and on the European level, and she'd been busy filing all her work in her portfolio, digging out old pieces and sending her resume out in hopes of scoring an interview. She'd been working so hard, even before she'd even gotten a job, ironically.

We hadn't had any of our long talks in a long while, and we only saw each other when we were both free, which wasn't very often. I really missed her, but we both knew I had to give her time and space, so I did, no matter how much it hurt me. It'd been eight months since our reunion in Cologne, and four months since her graduation, and I was still waiting for her. I would always be.