Finding Your Person

Chapter 20

Driving home after the game, I was unable to not cry--thinking of what my team just accomplished; the thought of how Coach Meyers was barely able to give a speech to us, being consumed by her tears that were choking her up; her being so proud of Scotty and the other two seniors; the words she tried to speak about all of us; and how she couldn't be more proud of the players we were and the individual people we had become.
In the locker room, she pulled me aside to tell me what an amazing captain I've been and how surprised she was, especially since it was only my junior year. She was so supportive of me, and that meant the world since she had been a role model of mine. The way she was able to connect soccer to the real world and her outlook on life, she was so wise at such a young age. She said that if I ever needed anything ever, to come to her.
After speaking to her, I saw GC in his office. He gave me a huge high-five and a 'Congrats, Lady!' like he told me after every win.
Walking into my house, my eyes were still puffy thinking about all the amazing people in my life I had supporting me. I almost didn't realize the banner above my kitchen door and my family all waiting there with flowers, balloons and a cake.
"Congratulations!" they all screamed.
Just like that, I started crying hysterically. I was so emotional.
"Ohh, my gosh! Not again." Aiden threw his arms up in a huff.
"I am not waiting any longer to eat this cake." He grabbed it from my mom's hands and walked away.
"What's wrong, honey?" my mom said as she, my dad, Brady, and Liam walked over to me.
"Nothing. I'm just so blessed."
"Ohh, my gosh! Get up stairs, Mas. We do not have time for this right now," Brady said as everyone tried their best not to laugh at me.
"I know, I know. I'll go get ready. I just love you all."
"And I love cake and waffles, but you don't see me crying every time I have to wait to eat them, from your mental breakdowns," Aiden said, as Liam covered his mouth with his hand.
"Aiden! Don't be rude." My mom tried to correct him. Aiden moved Liam's hand away from his mouth.
"Why is she allowed to be all emotional, but I can't speak about my emotions towards her emotions?"
"Liam, get him to stop," My mom said.
"I'm trying, Mrs. S. He's wild."
"Well, Aiden, if you really want to know why your sister is so emotional, when a young girl hits a certain age her body starts changing..."
"Mom!" Brady yelled. Then I watched as Liam went from covering Aiden's mouth to covering Aiden's ears.
"Dad, get her to stop." Brady pointed at Mom.
"I'm not getting in the middle of this," my dad said, laughing with his hands up in the air.
"Mrs. S, you know I love you, but gross," Liam said with a facial expression as if he had smelt some foul odor.
"Liam, you know I love you too, but it's all natural both me and Mag..."
"Mom, stop!" I yelled. It was all funny until she brought me into the conversation.
"What?" she said, giggling.
"I'm going upstairs to get ready. Aiden, don't eat all of my cake," I said.
"It's not me you have to worry about." Aiden pointed his fork to Liam that was shoving a huge piece of cake in his mouth.
He looked up and shrugged his shoulders. "Dude?" he said to Aiden, as if to say why are you eating me out.
"Seriously, how are you not fat?" Aiden said to Liam.
I laughed to myself, walking upstairs.
Once I got up to my room, I immediately hopped in the shower. Getting ready for things irritated me when I didn't know what to wear. As I turned off the shower, I heard voices in my room. I wrapped a towel around me and poked my head out to make sure it wasn't Brady and Liam. Instead, I saw Scotty and Gabby sitting on my bed.
"You almost ready?" Scotty said.
"How did you guys get ready so fast?" I asked.
"Mag, we don't take hour long showers like you," Gabby said.
"It wasn't that long," I said, looking at Gabby who was making an exaggerated facial expression with her eyebrows raised and eyeballs bulging. I just rolled my eyes at her.
"You both look cute," I said. Gabby was wearing a pair of lightly faded blue ripped jeans, with a skin-tight, burgundy, short-sleeve shirt. Scotty was wearing a plum color shirt tucked into a black, short, skater skirt. I decided to go for a mixed look of what both of them were wearing. I grabbed a dark royal blue, tight, long-sleeve shirt that my mom said the color always brought out the blue in my eyes. I then put on a light vintage blue overall dress that ended a couple inches above my knee. It had buttons all up the front, and a cute little pocket right by my chest. I turned to Scotty and Gabby, trying to get their attention as they stared up at the ceiling in my room.
"Is this okay?" I asked with my shoulders shrugged.
"Why, who are you trying to impress?" Scotty asked.
"I can go get Liam, if you'd like." Gabby grinned at me.
"Would you two just stop? I'm literally asking if this is something I can wear to a college party." I didn't care what Liam thought about my outfit. I honestly wasn't worried about anyone's opinion. Even if they said they didn't like my outfit, I'm pretty certain I wouldn't have changed. I liked it and that was all that mattered. I flipped my head over, quickly drying it with the blow dryer. Once it was pretty much dry, I started to put my makeup on. I tried to be as minimalistic as I could. I knew Brady would be up here any minute to say he was tired of waiting. My makeup routine took me less than three minutes, and Scotty always found that so amusing. She wore a decent amount of makeup and always looked so put together. She was beautiful with or without it, if you asked me, but she loved doing her makeup.
I decided to run the curling iron through my hair, because Brady had yet to come up to my room and nag me about the time.
After I was done getting ready, I grabbed my bag that I had packed yesterday in hopes of our winning. It just had comfy clothes for me to sleep in, an outfit for tomorrow, and all the necessary toiletries I needed. We rushed downstairs to see where the guys were.
"Hey, Mom, where is Brady?" I asked my mom who was cooking dinner.
"Brady, Liam, and Jay are outside shooting the basketball around."
"Okay, we are going to head out. I love you," I said, heading to the door with Gabby and Scotty following behind me.
"Wait, wait, wait. Come back," my mom said, moving closer to us.
"What?" I slouched my shoulders, slowly turning around to her. I knew this was going to be some type of lecture.
"Now, I'm not going to give you a lecture." I couldn't help but think that's literally how my mom began every lecture. "I just want you guys to be safe. So, just look after each other. If you do wind up drinking, don't set your drinks down. Even though you are at Brady and Liam's house, things can still happen. I just want you girls to be safe, that's all," she said, giving us all a big, tight squeeze.
"We'll be safe, Mrs. S," Scotty said, reassuring her.
"Yeah, we won't leave each others' sides," Gabby added.
"I love you, girls. Have fun and text me when you get there, okay?" my mom said, looking at me directly.
"I will. I love you, too," I responded, giving her a warm smile.
We began to make our way out. My mom wasn't by any means the overbearing type, but when it came to safety, she just wanted us to be okay. Which, I completely understood. She was a pretty awesome mom.
"Finally, you guys take forever," Brady said, exaggerating his impatient attitude, while dribbling the basketball.
"It's not easy being this beautiful," Scotty said, smirking at him.
"It is for me." Brady laughed at her.
"Well, you do look beautiful." Jay put his arm around Scotty.
"I know." She stuck her tongue out at Brady.
"Alright, let's go," Brady said, throwing the basketball back in the garage and began to walk to his car.
"Hey, pretty girl," Liam said with a soft, genuine smile, walking over to me. "Are you excited?" he asked, bumping my shoulder.
"I don't know what to expect," I hesitantly responded.
"It'll be fun, trust me. Have I ever lied to you?" He smirked at me.
"Not that I know of."
"Scout's honor," He responded with a serious face.
"You're a dork," I said, unable to contain my smile.
"Yeah, but you love me," he said, as I turned my head towards him.
"Hurry up! I don't feel like being late to our own house party!" Brady yelled to Liam.
Liam looked back down at me and smiled then jogged down the driveway to Brady's car. I quickly made my way into the backseat of Scotty's car, sitting right next to Gabby, who immediately was grinning at me when I got in.
"What?" I said.
"Nothing. " She smiled, turning her head away. I knew it wasn't nothing. Was it just me or was I the only person that knew Liam would never like me.