vulnerable

11.

The sky was growing dark as people made their way to the stadium seats. The arena smelled like a mixture of fresh dirt and fried food, and the vendors made sure to yell through the hallways because of it.

Stella walked with her group of people, lingering in the back as she took in her surroundings. She thought about writing down the experience- what it's like being in a World Cup stadium, but she hadn't written anything in so long. But she was excited that she wanted too.

There were some young adults who recognized the bunch of them. They received a few double takes walking down the crowded tunnels with a bulky security guard leading the way.

"You wanna sit with us?" Kelley asked her daughter with a warm smile. "We're gonna be front row!"

Stella chuckled at her moms enthusiasm. "I told Hannah I'd sit with her. My peace offer on behalf of Christian and myself."

"I still can't believe they broke up." Kelley shook her head in disbelief. "And right before the game too?"

"Yeah." Stella raised her brows. "But I'm sure they'll get back together, knowing them."

"I don't know." Kelley sounded hesitant. "I think the other playboy is ready to get in the game."

"That's such a mom thing to say." Stella chuckled, giving her a quick hug.

"That's nothing." Kelley kissed the top of Stella's head. "I have a whole paragraph of mom things to say about the last name on your back..."

"Mom!" Stella's eyes widened, looking around to see if anyone else had heard. Not that it mattered- everyone had probably seen her jersey and if they didn't see the back, they saw the seven on the front.

"Did you think we weren't going to notice?" Her dad piped in, peeking around from the other side of Kelley.

"It doesn't matter." Stella rolled her eyes. "I'm being supportive."

"Of Gio." Kelley grinned.

"Are you guys dating yet?" Mark furrowed his brows. "Have the kids gone back to wearing letterman's as a way to tell everyone you're dating?"

"We're not dating." Stella stated flatly. She wished otherwise. She wanted to tell Gio about how she felt. She knew she needed to say something... but he had to know right? That's why he asked her to wear his jersey, hadn't it?

But he didn't ask her out.

"Mhm." Kelley chuckled.

"Whatever she's saying is a lie." Devyn yelled from her place pushing Avery's stroller. "She's in love."

"DeeDee!" Stella shrieked at her sister, earning a chuckle from the older sibling. "This is why I'm sitting with Hannah."

Danielle slowed her stride to walk with the five of them, including Austin, who was spitting out facts about the structure of the stadium. "I thought perhaps Stella would be sitting with us, considering we're all wearing the same last name tonight."

Stella turned bright red. She could take the teasing from her family because she'd grown up with worse, but even Gio's mom was aware of whatever Stella and him were at the moment. Item or not. "Well, we are matching."

She wanted to slap herself.

Danielle giggled like a school girl. "I wouldn't want to match with anyone else."

"She's sitting with me! I called dibs." Hannah finally declared, backing her friend up.

"Why aren't you wearing a jersey, Han?" Claudio asked his niece.