The Goal Is Your Heart » Max Meyer

23. what we deserve

"You sure about this?"

I closed the flap of my suitcase and turned to face my brother. With a sad smile across my face, I nodded. "Tell me the truth?" He said as he walked over to sit on the floor beside me. "What's the real reason you're choosing UoL?"

From the look on his face, it was obvious he already knew the answer. I sighed, "I know I must be stupid for just running away like this. But I've thought long and hard about this." I stared at my suitcase, looking anywhere but at my brother. "He deserves better."

"You're not even going to tell him?"

I shook my head. Leaving without a word was probably what was best. Julian leaned his head against the foot of my bed, "Is that really what's right?"

A small sigh escaped my lips. To tell him yes would have been an absolute lie. What's right was for me to be able to love Max, without being bound to worldly expectations and restrictions. But reality is never an easy pill to swallow, is it?

"Yeah," I replied. "You were right you know?" I turned to face him, "when you said being with a footballer can be different."

Julian opened his mouth to speak, but promptly closed it and simply looked at me apologetically. My eyes directed themselves to the ground and a small sigh escaped my lips. "I should have listened."

~

Leon dragged the suitcase forward, letting the door close behind him. "What in Germany do you have in here?" He frowned, leaning against the suitcase as Julian locked up the door.

"Not enough apparently," I shrugged, "do you think you could fit inside?" Leon laughed in reply, casually wrapping an arm around me. "I'm going to miss you," he exhaled. Julian came to my side as we walked down the corridor, "she'll be back. You'll be back right?"

Before I could answer, a familiar voice made me stop in my tracks. My eyes darted to the source and sure enough there he was; standing by the door to the stairway, looking right at me.

Julian and Leon exchanged glances, but Max's eyes never leave mine. "We'll wait by the car," Julian eventually said. They walked past him, Leon giving him a pat on the shoulder and Julian whispering something to him quickly before walking off.

And so the inevitable moment I had long been dreading for had finally come.

"When were you going to tell me?" He spoke after what felt like an eternity. As I watched him, while I tried to find my voice, it hit me like a truck how much I've missed him. Frankly I just wanted to run into his arms and go back to how we used to be. But I couldn't.

"I never planned to," was all I could manage without my voice cracking. He walked toward me, closing the gap between us, "Kyra, I'm sorry. I made a huge mistake, I should never have lied to you. If I could take it all back –"

He was standing so close to me by then, his eyes filled with nothing but remorse. "Max, stop," I said, my voice a forced croak as I felt the lump in my throat rising. "I forgive you."

"Then why leave?" He asked as he placed his hands on my hips, holding onto me gently. "Because," I began, "you deserve so much more. You deserve someone who can always keep you happy, support you, be with you all the time. I can't be that for you."

He furrowed his eyebrows in response. When he didn't speak, I continued, "I'm just doing what's best for you."

"What's best for me?" He asked. "You don't know what's best for me. If you knew, you'd stay." He looked at me so intently I couldn't stop the tears that were beginning to well in my eyes. "Max, I can't even give you the world. And you deserve the universe," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

His hands moved from my hips to cup my face. It was at that moment the tears started streaming down my face, as I realised I would be leaving behind the love of my life.

Max leaned down and pressed his lips onto mine, catching me entirely off guard. The tears continued to fall as he kissed me, reminding me how much I truly wanted to be with him. Would I really let what I thought was right, be the reason for the end of us?

When he pulled away, he proceeded to envelope me into a hug. His embrace was so warm and comforting, and for the first time since our argument, I felt safe. As I hugged him back, I felt like I was exactly where I belonged.

"I love you, Kyra, and I don't care what the world thinks is best for me. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me; you always will be," he whispered. I could feel him clenching his fists on my back, as if doing so would stop me from leaving. "Please stay," he pleaded.

My grip on his shirt tightened, as the tears continued pouring down my face. I had thought that I didn't have any tears left in me. But for the person you love, there will never be enough.

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OH NOOOOOO one last chapter! Will try to post it by the weekend☺Lots of love for everyone! ♡