The Football Player's Unknown Children

06

|Scarlett's POV|

It was now my turn to give my speech. I am going right before Braden's old friend from high school. Since I'm carrying twins and I'm almost 8 months pregnant, Nile had to help me get up onto the stage. Once I was up there I slowly walked over to the microphone. Here goes nothing I told myself and began my speech.

"Hello everyone! How's everyone's night so far?" I said enthusiastically into the microphone. I got a mix of good and greats before I continued. "So, as some of you know, I'm Scarlett Malm, the former Scarlett Burk." I looked out into the crowd and my eyes landed on the one person I didn't want to see tonight. Braden Parker. My first love and the person who shattered me into a million pieces only short years ago. Also, the person who has given me the 3 best gifts I could ever ask for.

I talked about my life from my new teaching job at this very high school to all my hobbies and traveling adventures. Finally, I reached the subject on my family and on the slideshow that has been going on behind me, the most recent family pictures we had taken showed up. The first was my entire family and then it went in the order of who I was talking about.

"So, the first picture here is of my wonderful husband, Nile Malm. We have been married for five years and have almost six children. The first slide here is my oldest son, he is six years old and very, very energetic. His name is Tatum James Burk. He also isn't the only one that is 6 and energetic, I also have another six-year-old, his name is Dalton Ennis Burk and then my spunky and sassy six-year-old is Athena Mae Burk. They're all amazing kids and before anyone asks, yes, they're triplets, and no, they're not Nile's." I heard some gasps and I was scared to, but I had to. I looked at Braden.

His eyes said it all. He knew, he put it together. The dates, everything. Betrayal, anger, hurt, and regret all passed across his face. He looked me directly in the eyes and the shining in his eyes disappeared. He shook his head at me angrily and stormed out of the gym. Attracting everyone's attention.

I didn't care that my speech wasn't over. We needed to talk before he left. I walked as quickly as I could to the stairs and Nile helped me down. He walked quickly behind me as we made our way to the doors Braden exited out of.

We looked everywhere and I was about ready to give up when a memory flashed into my head.

|Flashback||Senior year|

I was in my favorite dress. It was a red dress with a white floral design on it. It was also Braden's favorite outfit on me. I was waiting for him in our spot. There was a secret garden hidden behind a giant wall of overgrown bushes. I don't know how, but he found it out Sophomore year and it has been our place ever since.

I was spelling some roses when a pair of warm muscular arms wrapped around my waist. He snuggled his face into the crook of my neck and I could tell his tense body immediately relaxed. "How are you," he whispered into my ear as he lifted his head.

"I'm amazing," I said turning in his arms to face him. I pecked him on the lips and then said, "so what is the point of this rendezvous?" He smirked knowingly and kissed me passionately. I kissed him back for a good three minutes and then we pulled apart catching our breaths. He then got a nervous look and kneeled to the ground and pulled out a velvet box, he then opened it. Inside was a ring in the shape of the infinity symbol.

My eyes got wide and my mind started to freak out. I'm too young. I can't get married. I'm still a senior in high school for crying out loud. He saw the panic in my eyes and rushed out saying, "it isn't an engagement ring." My mind stopped panicking and I then gave him my full attention. "Scarlett Burk, I love you so much, always have, always will. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Making you happy, making memories with you and loving you. No matter what. Now, this is not a marriage proposal. I think a prom proposal should come first, but this is a promise ring." I was literally bawling my eyes out now. "It's a promise that one day in the near future, I will make you my wife."

I nodded at him too afraid and untrusting of my own voice. His face lit up and he slipped the beautiful ring onto my finger. I looked closely at it and then all of the sudden I was being spun in the air. I laughed as Braden set me down and then he kissed me and that shut me right up.

|Present day|

I then knew exactly where he was. I turned and told Nile to follow me and he did. I then stood in front of the wall of bushes. I haven't been in our spot since the day of our high school graduation. I can't go back in there I told myself, but I have to.

I needed to go in alone though. I turned around to Nile and whispered, "I need to do this alone." He went to say something, but he must have decided against it because he just nodded.

I turned back to the wall of bushes and gathered all my courage and walked through. I immediately saw Braden sitting on the ground, leaning against the old shed with his head back and tears streaming down his face. That sight right there broke me. I'm a terrible person.

I looked around. Wow, this place has changed a lot. It was a lot more run down then when we went her. The cold Minnesota air was freezing me and I coughed, catching the attention of Braden. He looked at me with sadness and anger in his eyes, but mostly sadness.

"Why," is all he said. I thought about it, but I honestly don't have a valid answer. I always justified it by saying he is the one who walked away, but knowing who Braden was before we broke up, he would have done the right thing. I know it deep down. "I don't know."

He looked surprised at my answer. Then his face turned to anger. "What do you mean you don't know?! So, you don't have a reason for taking my children away from me for six years. Really?"

I started tearing up. Darn pregnancy hormones. I looked him in the eyes and explained how I justified it all these years. The anger in his eyes turned to hurt and he said, "I wouldn't have left. I'm not a coward." I nodded so he knew I understand. We stood in awkward silence for what felt like forever.

"What do we do now?" I looked at him and said, "they don't know that Nile isn't their dad. They're only six. We need to wait. I don't want to traumatize them at the age of six." He nodded in understanding, but I could tell he was angry. I was about to walk out of the garden when a report appeared from the opening and started asking me questions at a million miles a minute. All I gathered was, 'are they Braden Parker's children' and that's when about ten more reporters showed up and I had to fight my way through them. I made it out and started walking quickly towards the car after receiving a text that Nile was already there.