𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲'𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗴
━━━━━

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐏 𝐒𝐀𝐓 this suffocating silence as Lillian waited for any of the three people that were staring at her to finally say something.

"What do you mean you've been invited to the draft?" Ethan was the first to speak up as he turned to his girlfriend,

"Coach Klein told a few of the girls that the draft committee for the league said they were wondering what our interests were in playing in their league." Lillian explained as she interlaced her hand with his,

"We all said that we were very interested that's how we got here," she added as she waited for a response from either of her parents,

"That's great darling," Matt smiled as he placed his hand on his wife's back hoping that it would bring her back down to reality as she sat there frozen.

"No it's not!" Francesca let out a scoff attracting the attention of a few surrounding tables,

"You can't go play in some league," she added as she had never seen soccer as a serious part of Lillian's life,

"What about your degree," the older woman cocked her head,

"Well if I don't get picked I'll come back to Michigan and I will always have the option of finishing my degree later." The blonde explained as she shrunk back in her chair feeling small,

"You are not going to that draft," Francesca spoke plainly noticing that Ethan unlocked his phone and began looking at something,

"Mo-" Lillian began to argue but was cut off,

"I'm really sorry but we've got to go," Ethan apologised as he got up,

"What do you mean?" Matt asked as he watched his daughter follow his actions blissfully unaware of what was going on,

"One of our friends isn't doing well and he needs our help." The Canadian sighed as the girls eyes went wide,

"Which friend," Lillian grew worried as all of the boys came into her head,

"Mark," Ethan mumbled as he watched his girlfriend push her chair in,

"It was good to see you both," Matt nodded understanding the stress of it all,

"Bye dad," the soccer player waved to her father as she grabbed her bag,

The couple couldn't get out of there fast enough as Lillian practically ran to the car.

"You need to hurry up," she added as she got to the door of the car,

"Is Mark hurt?" She grew panicked as she went into a protective mode,

"He's good," Ethan shook his head as he smiled,

"But you just sai-" Lillian furrowed her eyebrows cocked her head,

"I'm sorry baby I lied," the brunette confessed as he stood in front of her placing his hands on either side of her,

"I just couldn't sit there listening to your mom talking to you like that any longer," he added as he let out a sigh,

"Thanks," the blonde matched his sigh as she wrapped her arms around him relieved,

"You're not mad?" The hockey player asked as he was quick to let his arms go around her waist,

"No," the soccer players voice came out muffled as her head was buried in his chest,

"I was very close to throwing my drink at her and that would have started a serious fight," she added as she tilted her head upwards allowing herself to look at him,

"God I probably sound like such a bitch," the girl let out a soft laugh as she shook her head,

"Maybe," Ethan shrugged as he smiled,

"But you're my bitch," he added as he placed a peck on her lips,

"We should get out of here before they come out." Lillian reminded herself that they were at the club as she hear a cars engine rev behind them,

"Yeah you're right." The brunette nodded as he opened her door letting the girl back into the car.

⋇⋆✦⋆⋇

The couple had driven in silence as they went to one of their favourite spots to sit and watch the city by.

"You want to talk about you going to the draft or?" Ethan asked as the girl traced figures on his thigh where his shorts ended,

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner," Lillian looked up at him as she stopped moving her hands,

"It's just I got told the day we came back and," she rambled on as her cheeks turned a shade of pink as she grew embarrassed,

"What's the male version of a wag?" The brunette cut her off as he thought aloud,

"I don't know," the blonde shrugged as he derailed her train of thought forcing her to think about it,

"A hab?" She added as it was the only one that made sense,

Husbands and Boyfriends.

"I'm gonna be the best hab that team has ever seen," the hockey player smiled as he pressed a soft kiss to her temple,

"You aren't mad?" The soccer player asked as she sat upright,

"Why would I be mad?" Ethan almost wanted to laugh at her question,

"I'm so proud of you," he added as he pulled his arms around the girl grateful for the fact that they had gone and sat on a bench rather than staying in the car,

"Thanks E," Lillian felt a smile form on her lips as she finally felt at ease,

"So this is why you asked me about distance this morning?" The pieces finally clicked for brunette,

"Yeah," the blonde nodded,

"I wanted to tell you then but the morning was going so well that I didn't want to spoil it," she added as she let out a sigh,

Her mother had gotten into her head.

"Your achievements will never ruin anything," the hockey player was quick to counter as he gave her a kiss,

"So next time you gotta tell me so that I can be proud of my girlfriend!" He added as he smiled growing excited,

"I'll remember that," the soccer player nodded as she looked at the boy with a grin,

"You better," Ethan warned as he mumbled the words into the shell of her ear,

"So when is the draft?" He added as he grew curious,

"August," Lillian was glad that it was the final month of the summer as she wanted to spend as much time with her friends before she pretty much started the rest of her life,

"Then we've got two weeks off then straight to the team for preseason." She added as they had been emailed the schedule already,

"I'll come watch your opening game," the brunette announced as he already knew that he'd convince the boys to come as well,

"You don't even know where I'm going," the blonde laughed as she enjoyed his excitement,

"It doesn't really matter," the hockey player shrugged,

"I'll go watch you in Mexico if you wanted to play there," he added even though he hoped she wouldn't,

That would have been a far flight to make every other weekend outside of the hockey season.

"I'm not going to Mexico," as much as the soccer player loved the weather there Mexico didn't have a team in the league.

"You know what I meant," Ethan softly scoffed as he rolled his eyes,

"So who else knows?" He asked as he let go of her finally allowing her to face him properly,

"Not counting the girls in the room and coach, you and my parents." Lillian hadn't told people yet,

She wanted Ethan to be the first one to know.

"Why are you smiling?" She added as she saw the shit eating grin that formed on his face,

"I know before Luke does," the brunette explained as he thought that her best friend would have known,

After all he was the man that she would bring shopping with her so Ethan knew that Luke probably knew more about Lillian than he did.

"I wanna tell him in person," the blonde was grateful that Luke didn't follow woman's soccer because it meant that she wasn't needing to go to any efforts to hide it from him,

"I think he'd like that more," the hockey player nodded in agreement as it made sense to him,

"Gets to squeeze the shit out of you when he hugs you," he added as he pulled the girl into a bone crushing hug and laughed as he watched her face scrunch up,

"Not funny!" The soccer player groaned as her torso was now sore,

"A little funny," Ethan smiled as he just looked into her eyes in awe,

How he was going to miss this next year.

⋇⋆✦⋆⋇

AN: bit of a fillerish chapter, honestly just wanted sweet Ethan and this is what I came up with at 3 in the morning.

The last chapters of this book are coming along nicely but I do have to ask if there's anything you want to see in them? Cause whilst they're still in the editing phase I can deffo try to add some things in!