✧
eight years later
Eight years seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye. Everyone intertwined in the vortex had graduated within the four-year mark, with the exception of Evelyn, who took her gap year in stride and decided to travel and go see places she had never seen before. When her year of gallivanting around the world ended, as her parents so kindly put it, she decided to continue her education and stayed in New York to attend NYU, majoring in Education and Social Policy.
Of course, she made good on her promise and made frequent visits to LA to see her friends and brother. There were many times she visited and would just see Enrique or Liv and Layla because getting over Asher was still a bit hard to digest.
But after a year or so, both of them were able to be in the same room without any awkward tension.
After a while, it was just natural for them to move on and begin finding their way into relationships with other people. Asher had a steady girlfriend for a year or so but then they broke up due to reasons he wouldn't disclose to anyone. Evelyn also had a serious boyfriend back in New York but after being together for a long period of time and the relationship not going anywhere it eventually led to them breaking up.
Truthfully, the cycle of Asher and Evelyn having a relationship and then breaking it off once it seemed to be getting a little too serious continued until the day Evelyn graduated from NYU.
The memory was clear as day, everyone flew out to New York to surprise her at her graduation, and then her parents decided to throw a party at their penthouse.
Evelyn's emotions were already running high after the surprise and once she saw Asher they heightened. After some polite mingling and whatnot, Evelyn finally found the courage to invite him back to her apartment and they began to reminisce about their days as a couple which then led to them ripping each other's clothes off and falling back into old habits.
This all leads back to the present.
Evelyn Hernandez was now an elementary school teacher which she absolutely loved, Enrique got drafted into the NFL and now played for the Cincinnati Bengals, and coincidentally, Layla expanded her Keating Records to Ohio...to be a bit closer to her boyfriend, and Alejandro was now a hormonal teenager but that was their parent's problem. Olivia was a journalist and engaged to Spencer who got drafted into the Los Angeles Rams right beside Jordan who was their second-string quarterback. JJ was living his best life as a fitness influencer who traveled the world.
Last but not least, Asher got recruited by the Los Angeles Rams to be an assistant coach. He had a few offers, especially after such a successful run at Coastal California but those offers were too far, and he didn't want to uproot his or his family's life. Plus, there was no better job than coaching his friends and being in the city he loved.
Two pairs of footsteps neared the assistant coach as he spoke intensely to one of the players. Asher Adams was in full-on coach mode up until he heard the two voices that brought him comfort and joy.
"Daddy!" Arabella Adams ran straight for her father, pulling away from her mother's hand and heading straight for his arms.
"Hi, Bella," Asher settled the three-year-old on his hip, kissing her temple. "How's my favorite girl?"
Evelyn nor Asher ever intended to be parents at such a young age. It started off as them wanting to reconcile after missing out on each other's lives after so many years but then Evelyn realized after hooking up a couple of times that her period was late and their plans of wanting to start over were hindered once she found out she was pregnant.
There was no doubt they would panic. Which they did. It took them some time to finally come to terms with the pregnancy but eventually, they realized it was something they both wanted because who knew when they would ever get the chance to become parents. At first, they agreed on co-parenting but after spending so much time together, they realized...they were better together rather than apart.
Snapping out of her reverie, Evelyn focused back on her boyfriend and daughter, watching as they interacted.
"Nino Ricky play today?" Arabella curiously eyed the two.
"Mhm. That's why today's a special day," Evelyn toyed with the pigtails atop her daughter's head. "Nino Ricky plays against your Tío Spencer and Jordan."
"And daddy tell them what to do." Arabella stared between the two with a big smile. "Right?"
"Exactly!" Asher exclaimed. "You're so smart."
Despite being a father for three years, every time he stared at his little girl he was still so blown away that he created a life. Especially, one that was as curious and adorable as Arabella. She was her mother's twin despite what everyone said about daughters and how much their looks tended to favor their father. She had wide brown eyes that resembled Evelyn's, the exact same smile, and even if Evelyn would deny it...they made the exact same face when they cried.
Sparing a glance at his watch, Asher gestured for a kiss from his girlfriend which she gave him, and then pulled away to give his daughter one last kiss to her temple since warmups were beginning and he was needed on the field.
Evelyn and Arabella began their journey to the suites in order to join everyone else who had arrived so they could watch the game. This was one of the first times everyone had been reunited due to Enrique and Layla living in Cincinnati for football and business purposes, while Jordan, Liv, Spencer, Evelyn, and Asher resided in Los Angeles. Even JJ had paused his journey of traveling across the country to see his best friends face off.
"Well, if isn't the world's cutest cheerleader?" Layla gasped as Arabella came running straight for her. "How are you, Bella?"
"'M good, Tía Lay-Lay!" Arabella exclaimed. She glanced at her Bengals jersey and gasped. "We match!"
Layla observed the Bengals jersey with Enrique's last name and number with a smile. Arabella had always been her uncle's biggest fan and even if her dad was coaching for the opposing team, nothing was stopping her from supporting him.
"I'm sure your dad wasn't too happy with that decision," Layla giggled.
"She's a daddy's girl," Evelyn playfully rolled her eyes. "She can do no wrong in his eyes."
"Sounds familiar," Olivia interjected as she scooped Arabella into her arms. "I'm stealing my goddaughter. Bye!"
After a while of conversing with everyone else, the game finally began, and everyone's eyes were laser-focused on the field. Evelyn and Asher were lucky they had a kid who could sit through a football game for its entirety without complaining about being bored or wanting to go home. She'd doze off every now and then but then she'd wake up and ask whether Enrique's team won or not which made everyone laugh.
The Rams ended up winning by one touchdown.
The NFL was a lot different than high school and college-level football, so there were no celebratory hugs and kisses on the field (unless it was the Super Bowl). Instead, Arabella and Evelyn drove home and waited up for Asher since he and the head coach were most likely giving the players a talk about how winning by one touchdown was nothing to celebrate or something along those lines.
"I upset too, Nino." Arabella frowned as her tiny hands gripped the oversized tablet.
"There's no need to be upset, mini-me," Enrique laughed. "I'll win next time."
"You better!"
Evelyn spared her boyfriend a smile as they stood outside of their daughter's room and overheard the conversation between her and Enrique while they facetimed on the iPad. This was a normal occurrence, Enrique always found time in his busy schedule to speak to his favorite and only goddaughter/niece.
"I will, promise. Now, blow me a kiss because it's time for you to go to bed."
Arabella blew her uncle a kiss through the camera which he playfully caught and then blew her one back. "I love you, Nino."
"I love you more, mini-me."
Asher and Evelyn finally entered the room once they heard the facetime call end. Arabella had been underneath her princess-themed comforter as she rubbed her eyes and yawned, signaling that it was time for her to sleep.
"Did you have a good call with your Nino?" Evelyn crouched beside her bed.
"The best!"
Asher hummed and joined his girlfriend on the floor. "You can tell me the truth now that Ricky isn't around...you wanted my team to win, didn't you?"
"You silly, daddy," Arabella giggled. "No!"
"She's a Bengals fan, babe. Sorry." Evelyn shamelessly shrugged. "Did she tell you about her crush on their quarterback?"
"You're not allowed to have a crush, you're only three!" Asher gasped.
Glancing at her family felt like an out-of-body experience. But, Evelyn couldn't think of any other possible scenario or outcome for the years to come. She adored the three-year-old that they managed to create and even if they made some mistakes when it came to parenting or life itself, Asher and Evelyn wouldn't have it any other way.
------------------------------------------
-there was no way those two didn't end up with each other :(( i had to write a little epilogue to get a bit of closure on Asher and Evelyn as a couple🥹