2. Goal (Manuel Neuer)

the eighteenth goal

William dropped the keys onto the counter and hummed a tune that had been stuck in his head all day at work.

"I'm home!" William bellowed, stretching his arms and then unbuttoning his shirt and kicking off his shoes.

"Will! I'M GETTING MARRIED!" Amelia ran from her room, hearing him enter, and came towards him to wrap him in a bear hug, but William reached his arms out and held her away.

"What?" He said seriously, making Amelia frown in confusion.

"Well, Manuel and I thought it would be decent to get married before the baby," Amelia said excitedly, but less excited than before seeing that William was shaking his head.

There was a tense silence that filled the room as William continued to shake his head.

"No, no, you're just pregnant okay, and I figured you might have done the rational thing and scheduled an abortion!" 

"W-what?" Amelia's eyes widened in shock.

"I mean you're a child yourself, in the best way...I don't think you're capable of raising a baby, especially with Manuel traveling all the time. Ames...did you think this through?" William tried to put his hand on her arm, but Amelia jerked away with a gasp.

Amelia stomped to her room, her face turning a deep shade of red to keep from crying. 

She felt loved until this moment. She felt like she had been betrayed by William. Her own brother was capable of saying something like that. 

William didn't even try to hold back for the sake of her, it was like he could care less about Amelia's feelings.

Amelia didn't know what she was doing, but she quickly threw her phone, some money, her shirts and pants into a bag and threw it over her shoulder. 

Amelia, without looking back  jumped out of the window and walked into the darkness.

______________________________________

Sure, it was an overreaction, but what else did William expect? William stood in the empty room, feeling an eerie darkness creeping in on him.

Sure, Amelia had run away before, but he was not her father to worry so much. And she always came back. 

But something felt wrong about this time.

William knew the instant the stupid words came out of his mouth, that Amelia would be angry. He had said things that were not meant for Amelia. He knew Amelia was going to have this baby. It brought her joy to think that she had found someone who cared enough to raise a child with her.

But marriage was the last straw. Especially with a guy like Manuel. Not that he was a bad guy, only that he would never be home to take care of an Adler child. And William knew that Adler's were crazy children, since he had raised Amelia.

Amelia didn't thank William ever for raising her, but that was okay. William sometimes took Amelia as a gift. He was always thankful for someone as happy and crazy as Amelia.

William always managed to find a way to ruin her happiness, though. He felt like he didn't deserve a thanks because he was so bad at being an older brother.

The only thing he could do was wait now...Amelia would be fine...right? 

_______________________________________

Amelia's stomach had a small bump. Manuel was in awe every time he looked at her. And she always managed to look happy and full of life.

Amelia hadn't returned home since that day William had spoken his mind, and she was now living with Manuel. Thomas was barely ever home, but checked in on Amelia and her belly once in a while, looking very excited.