What A Rush

Pancakes and Secret Boxes

"Player of the year!" Kelley yelled, as everyone else cheered. My defender wrapped herself around me, as I engulfed her in a hug.

"Player of the year!" Molly yelled, as I let out a small laugh.

"Player of the year." I whispered out. "I think I'm actually going to be sick. Player of the freakin' year."

---

So around noon we all gathered back in the living room. Time to open presents. I was wearing a pair of grey skinnies with my black world champs shirt on, black high tops, and a grey beanie. Kelley was wearing blue skinnies, with her Nike lights on and a Stanford tee.

Sitting down on the couch, Kelley sat on my lap. I smiled at her, placing a small kiss on her lips. Erin wanted to be the one to pass out presents, so we all let her. Kat and Gwen sat beside me, as Karen stood to took pictures. Dan sat in his chair, as Molly and Jerry filled the other love seat. Erin took a present, and gave it to Molly. She opened it, revealing a O'Hara soccer jersey.

"We figured you'd be needing one." Karen said, and Molly smiled.

"Definitely." She said, flashing the five at all of us. We smiled, as Erin gave a present to Gwen. She quirked an eyebrow, and then slowly opened it. It was two plane tickets to New Jersey, and a small cottage that had a years rent paid on it. Gwen looked over at me, and I smiled.

"Now you can't come visit us whenever you want. No matter what." I said, and she pulled me and Kelley into a hug.

"I love you girls." She said, sniffling.

"Gwen." I said, as she shook her head.

"No, no kept going. I'm good." She said, smiling.

Erin continued to pass out presents for awhile, until only a few were left. Kelley already opened her indoors and boots, and Kai was napping under the tree. I pulled a box out of my pocket, and slipped it into her hands. She looked down on me, as I smiled.

"Open it." I whispered in her ear. She smiled, and slipped the small bow off the box. As she opened it, her face light up.

Kelley pulled out the necklace, revealing the intertwined sapphire and emerald. She then looked closer at it, and saw the engraving. When she turned to look at me, I saw tears brimming her eyes.

"Hey, it's okay." I said, as she peppered my face with kisses.

"I love you. Emily Jane Rush, you are the sweetest most caring person I know." She said, and I smiled.

"You mean it?" I asked, and she nodded.

"I mean it." She said, as I clasped the necklace around her neck. It hung perfectly down to the mid point of her chest, as I smiled.

"Beautiful, like you." I said, and she smiled.

"I think that's all the presents." Karen said.

"I have one more." Kelley said, as she jumped up from my lap. The defender disappeared upstairs, as Karen came and showed me some photos. Kelley quickly returned, a box in her hands.

She walked over to me, and placed it on my lap. I quirked an eyebrow at her, and slowly started to open the box. Kelley disappeared behind me, as I lifted the top of the box off. I saw the mixed blue color of our away jerseys. Pulling out the jersey, I smiled. Turning it over, I saw O'Hara at the top of the jersey. Looking down, I saw the number 28. I then grew very confused.

O'Hara, 28?

Oh my god.

I covered my mouth with one of my hands, clasping the jersey in my other hand. Slowly standing up, I spun around to see Kelley on one knee. The tears started spilling from my eyes, as I looked down on my beautiful girlfriend.

"Emily Jane Rush, I have never loved somebody as much as I love you. No offense mom."

Kelley said, as I let out a small laugh.

"The day I met you, was the day my life changed forever. You kicked my ass in one on one and put me to shame."

I smiled at her.

"But then I got to know you better, and as I did, I couldn't help but fall for you. You were so sweet and kind, and you cared about me. When you told me about your parents, it only made me think of you as a stronger person. I know I would have loved to meet them, but sometimes things don't work out perfectly. But that's okay, because I got to meet you. You and your beautiful green eyes and piercing white smile, that million dollar smile."

I brushed away my tears.

"Emily, I want to ask you to become apart of my family. Apart of this family."

She said, motioning to the people around us.

"Because I know for sure that the people in this room love you almost as much as I do. I love you, God do I love you. It's kind of crazy. I use to just think about stupid random things, but now the only thing I can think of is you. You and how much I love you. You make my life better, you make me happy. I couldn't last a single day without you, and I don't know how I survived before we met. So, Emily Jane Rush, would you make me the happiest person in this whole universe, and marry me?" She asked, as she opened a small box.

A ring with a diamond was in the box. One in the center, and three smaller ones running off from it. I nodded my head, smiling like a fool.

"Yes, of course it's a yes." I said, pulling her to her feet.

"Really?" She asked, looking deep into my eyes.

"I don't know how I could say no to you O'Hara." I said, and she smiled.

Wrapping my arms around her neck, I brought her lips to mine. Moving out lips in sync, I kissed her softly. She smiled into our kiss, and slowly pulled back. Resting my forehead against hers, I smiled. Everyone was cheering and clapping, being crazy like the O'Hara's are. I smiled, as Kelley pulled the ring from the box.

"I know you don't like to wear rings, so I changed it up a bit." She told me, revealing a silver chain. "Now you'll always have it close to your heart." She said, and I smiled.

"I love it, I love you." I whispered.

"I love you too." She said, and I let her put the necklace around my neck. Smiling, I kissed her again. Slowly pulling away, I flashed the jersey in front of her.

"Wanna break the news to the team?" I asked, and she nodded. So I held up the jersey, the back facing the camera. Kelley was beside me, kissing my cheek. Karen took the picture on my phone, and then on her camera. Attaching it to our group chat, I simple put a heart. Sending it, I smiled at Kelley.

"Clever Rush, clever." Kelley said, smiling at me.

"Call me O'Hara."