The Perfect Touchdown

2 Years Later…

“Go, San Marco, Go!” I cheered as loud as I could, but I could feel my voice becoming hoarse. This was the last game of the semester, and then I was off to live the dream.

What dream was that? I had no idea.

It had been 2 years since Aiden, and I resolved our differences and had been the greatest ever since. He finished his secondary schooling and was drafted into the junior league football team right away. This year was his first year as the draft pick and I wanted to get on the same cheer team as his team.

But the chances of that were one in a million. It was my last year and not a single scout had noticed me, even as the cheer captain. Aiden kept reassuring me that it would happen, I just had to keep being the best that I was. But the past year had been draining to me and it felt like it was all for nothing.

If I wasn’t scouted, the next best option would be to interview for different teams, but that was another long road of rejection. I didn’t think my little heart could take it, it was hard to see Aiden happy and successful while I was still struggling to figure out where I was going to go after University ended.

And that day was today.

After this game was done, the school year was over for me, and I had nothing left to look forward to. Of course, there was Aiden and our future together, but it made me nervous to think about that, now that it looked like I would be the one relying on him until I figured my shit out.

I never wanted to put him in that position. What if he eventually left me because he wanted someone who could support him just like he could? Nobody wanted to take care of their girlfriend for the rest of their life.

I tried to seek him out in the crowd, but he wasn’t in his seat where I last saw him, there was just Avery who looked distracted by his phone. It felt like no one cared that this was my last game and therefore possibly my last performance.

San Marco won; they had become a much better team with Avery as their new coach. He was offered the job after graduation when it was announced that their coach would be retiring. He was over the moon with the offer and had taken it right away, which also meant he was around even after he graduated to keep bothering me.

“Before we end today, the cheer team has a special announcement for their captain!” I heard Avery on the announcement.

I stopped tying my shoe and turned around to see the entire cheer team with posters that said, ‘Will You Marry Me?’. Then, they quickly flipped the boards to read ‘Turn Around’.

I spun around and there he was, my beautiful Aiden, knelt on one knee with a hand propped up – and a ring sitting inside his palm. I covered my face and started bawling right away. There I was minutes before doubting if he would ever want to spend the rest of his life with someone like me.

How could I have ever doubted this amazing human being? My one true soulmate.

“Yes, Aiden! Of course, yes!” I cheered and pounced on him for a wet and joyful kiss. The crowd erupted around us, and everything felt just perfect.