Sofia

"Hey Miss Carter," Mia says wrapping her arm around me.

I look towards my sister-in-law in confusion and she laughs.

"Your shirt. That's cute," she points out.

Oh, right. For a minute I had forgotten I was wearing Adrian's jersey to the game today. Well, more like he insisted on it, but I certainly wasn't going to complain.

"Ooh, let me see," Emma, my other sister-in-law, says. She spins me around and sweeps my hair to the side to get a better look at the lettering on my back. "That is so adorable," she says.

"Did you know he also gave her a promise ring? I swear it's just so sweet," Mia tells her.

"Get out," Emma says, immediately grabbing my hand to inspect it. "Aww, so adorable," she repeats.

I laugh at both of them fussing over me like this as we take a seat on the bleachers. Today is the last game of the season and Adrian's final college match, and for some reason my older brothers and their families decided to show up for it from London. But honestly, I couldn't be more excited to have them all here.

"So when do you think he'll actually propose? I know you just turned nineteen, but that's still pretty young to get married," Mia asks.

"No one is getting married anytime soon," a voice suddenly says. I look up to see my brothers Leo and Max standing next to us, both of them with frowns on their faces even though it was Leo who said that. Behind them are all three of my nephews and my one niece.

Camila is holding onto Leo like her life depended on it, just like she always has. She's the youngest of all of them, and like me, sometimes feels left out being the only girl. I guess the male gene is dominant in our family. Leo picks her up as he sits down in between Mia and me, and Camila settles contently in his lap. She's also an exact replica of Mia and the biggest daddy's girl.

"Here you go, sweetness," Leo says, handing Mia a bottle of water. "Sorry, they didn't have lemonade."

"That's fine. Thank you, hubby," Mia answers. She rests her head on his shoulder and runs her hand through her daughter's hair affectionately.

The three boys, Joaquin, Elias, and Julian, scatter down the bleachers and start playing tag. Joaquin is Camila's older brother and Leo and Mia's first child, and the other two boys are Max and Emma's. But they all act like they're brothers than actual cousins.

"Don't go too far, boys!" Emma calls after them.

"We won't!" Joaquin yells back just as he tags Eli, and they all run up the bleachers again screaming.

Max sits down on my other side and pulls Emma near him, kissing her forehead. He's so in love with her sometimes it's ridiculous. Not that Leo is any better with Mia. Yes, both of my older brothers are profoundly whipped and proudly so.

I look out towards the field and quickly spot Adrian warming up on the sidelines. He's not hard to miss, but the yellow armband he's wearing as captain makes it even easier to track him.

I see him go up to the referee once he finishes his warm ups and he chats with him until the captain of the opposing team shows up for the coin toss.

I don't really make out who wins it, but as Adrian walks back towards his team, he slightly lifts up his shirt to wipe his face and it gives me a really nice preview of his six-pack.

"Show us some more skin, number eight!" I yell at him.

He looks towards me and smiles, but then his expression quickly changes and he shakes his head. He goes to talk to Nico quickly before they both go take their positions, Adrian in midfield and Nico as a forward.

I turn around to see both Leo and Max glaring at me. Oops. I forget they still haven't gotten over their protectiveness, unlike Nico.

The game starts and thankfully they get distracted by it and don't say anything to me about my comment.

"So are you guys all set for DC?" Max eventually asks me.

"Pretty much. We leave in exactly one week," I say smiling.

I'm so excited I can't wait any longer. The club is setting us up in a temporary apartment across the river in Virginia, but once we get there we're going to look for something near Georgetown so I can be closer to the American University campus, where I am officially enrolled in to begin in the fall. Things couldn't have worked out more perfectly.

"I guess you really are a grown up now, huh?" Max comments.

"I've been a grown up for a while now. You guys just chose not to believe it," I laugh.

"We're happy for you, Sofia. I'm sure you'll do great over there," Leo says.

Mia gives him a pointed look and he sighs. "We're also sorry we weren't nicer to Adrian and didn't let him see you when he came to London. I thought he was the reason you left and when he showed up looking for you, I didn't want to see you get hurt more than you already were."

"It's okay, Leo. Things worked out in the end," I tell him.

"I know now that Adrian is a stand up guy, but if anything ever happens for whatever reason, we're here for you, okay?"

I nod and he wraps his arm around me.

"Daddy, what's a stand up guy?" Camila suddenly asks.

"It's someone you can trust," Leo explains to her. "Like Joaquin, or your cousins."

She tugs on his shirt, signaling that she wants to tell him something, and he lowers his ear towards her. "I trust Joaquin more than my cousins," she whispers, cupping her mouth.

Leo laughs. "Well, you should. He's your brother and will always look out for you. The same way I look out for Sofia because she's my little sister."

She smiles and buries herself into Leo's chest again, effectively ending her questioning. Damn, that girl is cute.

I look back towards the field and I see that Nico has just broken away by himself after a perfect pass from Adrian in midfield. I immediately stand up in anticipation as he outruns the defender. He feints left, but then kicks the ball high into the right corner of the goalie and scores the first goal.

My family erupts into a cheer, followed by half of the other people in attendance. After a while it becomes embarrassing and I sit down before someone comes to start a fight with us.

The first half ends and within minutes of them taking the field again for the second half, Adrian finds the same opening as before in midfield only on the other side, and passes it again to Nico, who easily runs down the goalie with the second goal.

Max and Leo go especially crazy and I begin to question why they were even invited in the first place.

Fortunately for me, but unfortunately for the rest of the spectators, that turned out to be the last goal. The defense of the opposing team finally caught up and closed up their positions, and our team held for the rest of the game. Final score: two to zero.

The game ends and all the players of our team huddle around Nico, congratulating him for the goals. I know it's no easy task being a striker and although I'm incredibly proud of my brother, I can't help but think that the guys in midfield are the ones that do all the heavy lifting and drive the plays. But of course, no one ever really remembers the assist and the glory always goes to the person who makes the actual goal.

Adrian has never seemed to have a problem with it though, and sometimes I think he actually prefers not being in the spotlight. He congratulates Nico even more than the others, and after slapping him on the back, takes off his armband and proudly hands it to him. I think my heart actually melts at seeing that and even more so once Nico puts it on. It's like the changing of the guard, and I couldn't be happier for my twin.

I make my way towards the field and I see Adrian turn around and scan the bleachers, looking for me.

I know the exact moment he finds me because his face turns into a huge smile. I can't resist any longer and run towards him once I'm on the pitch, and he easily lifts me into his arms once I reach him.

I don't even care that he's sweaty or that my family is most likely watching, and I wrap my legs around his waist as he pulls me in for a deep kiss.

My head still spins at the fact that we can do this now, in the middle of the field and openly in front of others. There was a moment I thought our relationship was always going to have to be kept a secret, and it's honestly the most amazing feeling to be able to show the world how much I care about him.

He's everything to me. My boyfriend, my savior, my hero, and the person I want to spend the rest of my life with and call my husband one day.

Adrian sets me down on the ground again and he looks as ecstatic as I'm feeling inside.

"Hey, captain," I say, finally speaking to him.

"Not anymore, darling," he says with a bittersweet smile.

"You'll always be captain to me."

His smile turns into a full one and he brings my left hand to his chest, holding it in place right over his heart. "Ready for the good ol' USA?" he asks me.

"You mean land of the free and home of the brave?" I respond.

"Yeah. Exactly," he grins at me. "Seems like those words were written just for you."

"And for you," I add.

"For us," he amends.

My heart soars at my entire future standing before me, and I'm certain without a shadow of a doubt that it's going to be a good one.