Twenty-One: Epilogue

It had been a tough game, but we'd totally dominated, of course. We had this new freshman who was a defender with a crazy powerful kick- she was responsible for all corner kicks, goal kicks, and penalty kicks- and already this season she'd scored two goals. From defense.

After gaining so much pregnancy weight, it had been tough for me to condition for the season again, but being goalie meant that so long as I pretended to make an effort in practice and didn't lose my hand-eye coordination, I'd be fine. Ah, being a slacker. What a life.

"Oh God, you smell," Aaron said as I approached him on the sidelines. We'd already had our short little go-us talk from Coach, so it was time to go back to the dorms and shower off.

"Excuse me, I just put more deodorant on," I said.

"Well something smells. Seriously, I don't think I can walk with you."

"Oh, shut up."

"It's her shoes," Amelia piped up. "They're rotten. They'll be the death of us all."

"Shut up all of you." I rolled my eyes and pulled my phone out of my bag where said offensive shoes were currently being stored.

My mom had sent me a text confirming that she'd be there for senior night, which was in two weeks. I was happy, because my mom almost never got to see any of my games. She'd moved all of her stuff into her apartment near school. My dad was currently trying to sell that house, and as soon as he did, he was moving into an apartment closer to the local college, as he was hoping that would be the school I'd chose and that way I'd get to stay with him.

Most of the summer I'd stayed with my dad, but my mom had come and stayed in the house a bit, mostly to get more of her stuff. They'd finalized the divorce soon before the school year had let out. Dad didn't actually get the house- it was agreed that he would sell it and Mom got a certain percentage of the money- but until it sold, Gavin and I lived there.

Shortly after we'd gotten back from the wedding, my water had broke and we'd frantically rushed to the hospital. After hours of painful and truly unfortunate labor- the details of which I had no desire to revisit- I had a healthy baby boy. Stephanie and Trevor had been there to take the baby into their arms- I actually had to breast feed the little devil a few times, but it turned out okay- and they'd named him Michael Alexander Callaghan. I had almost pointed out that I knew a really unfortunate guy named Alex, but that was Trevor's dad's name and they were honoring him and I was slowly learning to keep my mouth shut and keep my nose out of other people's business.

Unfortunately, delivering before school was up meant that I missed a whole bunch of end-of-the-year school work. Luckily, my teachers took pity on me, and most of them either didn't make me make up the assignments or made much shorter ones. Most of my finals became essays, and I finished the year with my GPA only slightly impacted.

Just that week, actually, Stephanie had emailed me some pictures of Michael. He was turning out to be a fat little baby, with dark hair and dark eyes, like Aaron. However, a few freckles were starting to pop up here and there on his face, meaning that he looked-

Well, he looked ridiculously cute. I had to admit, while I still had no desire for Michael to be mine, it was nice that I got to see him grow up.

"So, after you shower that horrid smell off of you, shall we go to dinner?" Aaron asked once we got outside the dorms.

"Sounds like a plan."

"I'll wait in the common room for you, then. Try not to take six hours."

"Would I do that?"

"Yes," Aaron said, as did Amelia, Camie, and three other girls from the team who had walked over with us. Bryan- who had been at the game to show support to Aaron, who was supporting me (Bryan never went to any of my games- also agreed with them.

"I hate you all."

"Well I love you," Aaron said. He leaned in and kissed me. He'd first told me he loved me halfway through the summer, when I'd been visiting his house. I'd just been cleaning up after myself like a good little guest when I'd dropped a plate I was washing and it shattered. I freaked out and kept telling Aaron that I could totally glue it back together when he came up, pushed the broken plate pieces out of my hands, and told me he loved me. I'd taken me a month or two more to return the feeling, but I loved him too.

"Even when I smell?" I asked.

"Even when you smell," he said. "Now get going!"

"Right!"

While taking my good old time in the shower, I thought about how much had happened in a year. Exactly a year ago, I was telling Coach that the doctor had cleared me to play, even though I was pregnant. This year I was worrying about writing college essays and when my SAT scores would get back to me- I hadn't taken them until the summer since, you know, I'd been pregnant and all- and not one speck of the drama of the year before was still there. I did miss Victoria and Will, who were currently having fun off in college, but I could tell that this year was going to be better. Like my dad had said at the wedding, no more shenanigans.

Ha. As if I was capable of keeping myself out of trouble.

AND THAT'S THE END, FOLKS. I apologize that the last chapter was so short, but there was nothing more I had to write, and I didn't want the last chapter and this chapter lumped together. If you liked this story, please tell me in a review!

I beg of you all (beg! Like, on my hands and knees!) for you to check out my story "What Happens in Tomato Fields". Seriously. You will not regret it.