Two months later
Shit, I was nervous as hell. The doctor had said I could play in limited capacity, but he didn't think I'd be able to last a whole game. I mean, who plays after having their chest cracked open?
Yet I felt healthy as a horse. I'd started working out two weeks after my surgery, slowly and surely, I felt healthy again. No more nausea, no more anything. I was alive, and God, was I thankful.
I waved at Ally. She was sitting in the stands with her aunt and uncle. My dad and Jobob had gotten crazy close over the last few months. Crazy, but it seemed that grief on both Ally's and my sides brought the men close to one another. It only took about a week for Jobob to get over his star-struck attitude. Within two weeks he was pulling pranks on my dad that had all of us in stitches.
It was good to laugh. It was even better to see my dad laugh.
Dad waved from the sidelines too and pointed at Dez, who was sitting next to Cassidy with a giant sign that read, Go Austin! In Red letters. They drew a giant heart around it. In his other hand he was holding a camera, Dez had briefly mentioned that he wanted to be a director, and I told that he could practice with tonight's game.
News of my surgery and cancer struggle got out as we all assumed it would. After numerous Skype interviews with Good Morning America and Anderson Cooper, not to mention ESPN, I'd barely had any time to even think about the bowl game and about what I was going to do during halftime.
We were playing Oregon. Again. Of all the luck in the world. They were good, but we were better.
I threw the football again and stretched my arms above my head. It was the BCS championship. I should have been thinking about the plays, about not getting hit, about winning — but all I could think about was her.
"Ready for this?" Tony asked, throwing the ball one last time.
"Of course." I laughed. "Are you?"
"Hell yeah, they're going down." He pointed two fingers at me and then threw his head back and howled. People in the stands were shouting green and yellow. I knew Dez would be pissed. Poor guy, nobody hated the Oregon more than him, though he wouldn't tell any of us the exact reason.
The announcer came on the loud speaker. Funny, how last time I was on the field, I'd thought my life might be over.
And honestly — it had just begun.
The first two quarters went by in a blur. The score was tied and I was officially exhausted. Coach tried to take me out a few times, but I wouldn't let him. I was doing a damn good job and I wanted to carry my team. I couldn't fail them, not now.
"You sure you're up for this?" Dad asked once the buzzer for halftime went off.
"Yup." I licked my lips. "I've been waiting all my life for this."
He dug into his pocket and handed me the box. "Go get 'em."
"If everyone could have a seat, we have a special announcement." The man called over the loud speaker. I walked to the middle of the field amidst shouts and cheers from all over the stands, even the Oregon fans were on their feet.
The minute I turned, I realized why. Every single person on my side of the crowd were flashing shirts that said I heart Austin Moon. I was too shocked to say anything. The yells grew louder. I gave a bow and took off my helmet. Nervous, I cleared my throat before speaking into the microphone.
"Thank you," I said in a hoarse voice. "You have no idea how much your support means to me, my family, my team. I never expected a reaction like this for my recovery," I cleared my throat again. "I love you guys. All of you, but there's someone... someone special that I really need to talk to right now. Ally?" The crowd cheered louder. "Ally, can you come down here?"
Amidsts screams and hollers, my girl made her way from the stands and across the fields.
"Wow," I said into the microphone. "You're just as beautiful as the first day I saw you."
The red writing on her top matched her face as she made the final few steps to the middle of the field.
"Lamb," I began. She rolled her eyes, but I could tell she was happy. I fought against the nerves and excitement I felt at finally being able to claim her as my own. "My heart was literally breaking when I met you." The crowd fell silent. "It was getting slowly poisoned by something beyond my control — some think it is a miracle that I'm standing here, others say it was the drugs." I gripped her hands. "But I think..."
Ally's brow furrowed.
"When I met you — somehow you healed me. From the inside out, the outside in. We conquered fears together, we learned, we laughed, and we loved. I swear, you caused my heart to soar more in the past few months than it has in my entire existence. My heart is whole because you chose to share yours with me, and it's for that reason that I get down on not one, but both knees..."
I knelt in front of her and gripped her hand.
"And say thank you. Thank you for saving my life, thank you for loving me enough to treasure your own, and thank you for being my strength when I had none. I'd like to think our hearts are joined — forever entwined — but considering that's not technically a legal joining, I have a question for you."
Gasps were heard throughout the stadium.
"Marry me? Make me the happiest man alive." I opened the box revealing my mom's ring.
The same one I saw when I'd closed my eyes before my surgery. It was a three carat antique-cut diamond solitaire, with the words My heart for yours engraved on the inside.
Dad said when he engraved it, he had only thought of his love for Mom. Never once did he suspect that it would have a deeper meaning for all of us.
Maybe, just maybe, everything did happen for a reason. Maybe there was no such thing as a coincidence. I gulped, waiting for Ally's answer.
With a shout, she threw her arms around my neck knocking me to my back. Her mouth found mine.
I tasted her lips and growled against them. "That a yes?"
"That's a what the heck took you so long?" She smacked me on the chest and then looked away as tears streamed down her face. "I love you Austin Moon."
"Oh, yeah."
She grinned and pointed to her shirt. "You like?"
"I love."
"I heart Austin Moon," she whispered and kissed my mouth again. "I would have given you mine, you know..."
"What?" I asked confused, still holding her, as I slowly stand up.
"My heart..." Her lower lip trembled. "I would have given it to you — to save you. I would have done anything."
"I'll still take it."
"What?"
"Your heart," I whispered. "I'll still take it, if the offer stands. I want all of it, even the broken pieces, the shredded ones that no longer fit. I want all of them — all of you. I need it all." I look down at her, brushing my hand across her cheek.
"You have it." She tightened her grip around my neck as she jumped into my arms and wrapped her legs around my waist.
Camera crews were going crazy, trying to get every angle of our bodies, and then, exactly as I'd planned it, the fireworks went off in perfect tune with the song Beneath Your Beautiful.
"Wow." She breathed, letting her head fall back as she looked at the sky. "You do things big, don't you?"
"I am a Moon." I winked. "Now, let's go win that game."
We could have lost and I would have still been happy. Luckily, we didn't. The green and yellow were no more. Dez looked ready to cry tears of joy, and then he started trash talking, so we escorted him away from other fans.
I grabbed Ally's hand and kissed it.
I just wanted to get her home.
Playing football now to me meant nothing. Winning any games, nothing.
But Ally? Hell, yeah. She was everything.
I left early. I said goodbye to the cameras, the lights, the fame — I just wanted her.
And in that dark tunnel as we walked out of the stadium, feeling my mom's ring against her finger, I knew I was starting the rest of my life, with the reason for my life.
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