International

Your Goals

Mapi's POV:

"Utah goal scored in the 56th minute by #16 Mariana assisted by #5 Kelley O'Hara."

I stood up and clapped.

"Come on Orlando!"

"Let's go Utah!" Gabriel clapped. "Let's go Utah!"

The Orlando fan turned to him and glared.

"Relax. We all having fun no?" I looked at him.

Mariana's POV:

"Kelley!" I yelled. "Pass!"

She crossed it and I headed it into the goal.

"HEY!" Kelley ran and jumped into my arms. "Scored again!"

"2 nothing!" I heard Becky.

The game ended and we won 2-0. After I was approached for an interview.

"Mariana your first game back with Utah after the Euros. You picked up where you left off, scoring goals. How are you feeling after your first game?"

I saw Vero stop close to me. "I feel good. Happy to be with the team and score goals. We win the game I'm happy."

"Fans were nervous during the semifinal after you went down with a neck injury. What did it mean to see the support you had all the way from Utah?"

"The world. I saw the uhh," I looked at Vero. "Tweets?" She nodded. "I not here long so seeing them support me was good."

Vero walked over. "You're English still needs some work no?"

"I'm trying."

"I know." She patted my shoulder.

"One more question?" I nodded. "Utah is on track to make the playoffs for the first time ever. Everyone is calling you the savior. Thoughts on that?"

"I can't take the credit alone. You saw today it was the team. Everyone play good and I've been gone for uhhh 2 months? They win games while I'm gone so it's not just me. Everyone here wants to win for the fans. That's what we do. Together."

"Great. Thank you, Mariana."

I nodded and walked away with Vero. "How was that?"

"Not bad, Portugal. Not bad at all." I laughed.

The next day, we had a few days off before our next game.

Since my family was here, we were going to Disney World.

We got to the park and looked around. "I haven't been here since I was young." I smiled.

"I've never been here." Mapi said.

"We're gonna have fun."

We walked around and had a fun day together. "What's that?" Mapi asked.

"It's a small world!" Gabriel skipped.

"Hey." Mapi grabbed my hand. "Can we just have a moment for a second?"

"Sure." I looked at my family. "Go ahead we'll catch up." They got in line. "What's going on?"

"I just feel like things have been weird with the whole Alexia's sister thing." She said. "And I know you told me to drop it but I don't want things to be weird between us. I should've told you, but I just forgot about the whole thing. Yes, I dated her sister. But I didn't feel this way about her. The way I feel about you, Mariana. I've never felt this way before. It's only been a few months, but they've been the best couple of months ever. My life has always been football, and that's great, I love it but with you, it's more. I can be more than Mapi Leon, football player. And knowing you like me for me, aside from my looks or who I am? All of Twitter called me neck tattoo during the World Cup."

I laughed.

"I'm gonna wrap this up and say that besides my family, you are the most important person to me right now. Leila would kick my ass if she knew that though so if she asks she's my #1."

I laughed. "Understood. I wasn't upset about you dating her." I said. "We had lives before we met. Dated other people."

"Then why were you upset?"

"Because Alexia told me a before the Euros, and that whole time you never brought it up once. We saw her during the tournament and you never even brought up." I shook my head. "I'm also upset because when I was 15 I had a girlfriend. She cheated on me with Gabriel."

"Well, as great as he is. He is NOT my type at all. He's a he." I laughed. "My heart was stolen by a Mendes child, but her name is Mariana." She kissed the top of my head. "Now come on. Show me more of this whole Disney thing you love so much."

"Ok." I laughed.

The spent the day at Magic Kingdom, going on rides and having fun being together. We hadn't had a family trip like this since before me and Gabriel were teenagers. And having Mapi with us made it better.

Mapi's POV

The next day we went to Hollywood Studios. "Yes!" Gabriel yelled. "I love this park!"

"Star Wars?" Mariana asked him.

"I will race you there."

"I have the high ground." She smirked.

"Underestimate my power, you do." He laughed.

"You are both adopted." Her dad sighed.

"YOUR! FAULT!" They yelled at him.

"I'm confused." I turned to her mom.

"Mariana is in her happy place. Don't question it."

I nodded. "Understood." I watched Mariana's face light up as we walked around.

This park was definitely a lot of fun but the two siblings made it a lot more entertaining.

"Galaxy's Edge." The both gasped.

"Mom. I want a lightsaber." Gabriel said.

"You're 26." She sighed.

"And?"

"And if you want a lightsaber go get one why are you telling me?"

"Ok!" He ran off.

"Babe?" Mariana turned to me. "Do you want one too?" She slowly nodded. "Go get one."

"LEO WAIT FOR ME!" She ran off.

I laughed and was left with her parents.

"Those two." Her mom laughed. "My adult children."

"Why didn't you go with them?" Her dad asked.

"She can spend some time with her brother."

"You have no idea what's happening?"

"Not a clue." They laughed. "But she's having fun."

"So what are your goals, Mapi?" Her dad asked. "In football, in life, with my daughter."

"Well, in football I want to play in another World Cup. The next one is 2 years away, I want to be there. I hope Portugal is too, they've played so well the past few years it'd be great to see them at that stage."

"Good answer." Her mom leaned over.

"In life? Well, I still want to open my own tattoo shop. Continue to help football grow, especially for younger girls in Spain. With Mariana?" I smiled. "I want to be with her. For however long she wants me. I don't like to think too far ahead, but looking toward the World Cup in 2 years, I hope Mariana and I are still together. I hope she's still doing amazing, I'm sure she will be though. She amazes me every day."

They looked at each other and smiled.

"You really know how to express yourself in words."

I laughed. "In words kind of. Drawing though? That's another story. But when I know how I feel, the words just come out. And I know how I feel about her."

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