As the sun began to set and the younger children were called inside for dinner, the five of them sat together on the bleachers, watching the golden light paint the sky. Mateo felt a profound sense of contentment wash over him. He was surrounded by people who loved him, who believed in him, who wanted the best for him.

Elena rested her head on his shoulder. "We're really proud of you, you know. Not just for the football. For everything. For who you've become."

Pablo nodded. "You're going to do great things, Mateo. We all know it."

Miguel said, "Just don't forget about us when you're famous."

Mateo looked at each of them in turn, his heart full. He signed slowly, deliberately, "I could never forget you. You're my family. You always will be."

Elena squeezed his hand. "Good. Because we're not going anywhere. And neither are you. No matter where life takes you, you'll always have a home here. With us."

Isabella, watching this exchange with tears in her eyes, felt a deep gratitude for these three young people who had helped shape the man she loved. They were fierce, loyal, and protective, and she was honored to have passed their test.

As they finally stood to leave, Elena pulled Isabella aside one more time. "Hey," she said, her voice quieter now, more serious. "I meant what I said earlier. About coming for your head if you hurt him."

Isabella met her gaze steadily. "And I meant what I said. I won't hurt him. I promise."

Elena studied her for a moment, then nodded. "I believe you. But just so we're clear we really will find you."

Isabella laughed. "Noted."

Elena grinned and pulled her into a hug. "Welcome to the family, Isabella. Take care of our boy."

"I will," Isabella promised. "Always."

As they walked back toward the main building, Mateo's hand in hers, Isabella felt a warmth in her chest that had nothing to do with the summer heat. She had been accepted by the people who mattered most to Mateo. She was part of his family now. And that meant everything.

Mateo, glancing back at Elena, Pablo, and Miguel, who were waving from the pitch, felt the same warmth. He had come to Casa de los Niños as a broken, grieving child. But he had found a family here. And now, that family had grown to include Isabella.

The future was uncertain. There would be challenges, setbacks, moments of doubt. But as long as he had these people by his side, he knew he could face anything.

The summer of possibilities was in full bloom. And Mateo Alvarez, surrounded by love and laughter, was ready for whatever came next.

---

Later that evening, after dinner at Casa de los Niños, the five of them found themselves in the common room, a cozy space filled with worn couches, bookshelves, and a large television that was currently turned off. The younger children had gone to bed, and Don Carlos and Sister Maria Elena had retired to their quarters, leaving the older kids to their own devices.

Elena sprawled on one of the couches, her university entrance exam prep books spread out around her. "So, Mateo," she said, not looking up from her notes. "What's it like? Playing professional football? Is it everything you dreamed it would be?"

Mateo thought about the question for a moment, then signed his response. "It's harder than I imagined. The pressure, the expectations, the constant scrutiny. But it's also more rewarding. Every time I step on the pitch, I feel like I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."

Pablo, who was doing push-ups in the corner (because of course he was), paused mid-rep. "Do you ever get nervous? Like, before big matches?"

Mateo nodded and signed again. "I'm always nervous. But I've learned to use that nervousness as fuel. It keeps me sharp, keeps me focused."

Miguel, who was sketching in a notebook, looked up and asked, "What about the Champions League? Playing against Real Madrid? That must have been incredible."

Mateo's expression grew more somber. He signed slowly. "It was the best and worst night of my life. I scored both goals, played the match of my life. But we lost on away goals. And I got injured in the final minutes. It was... devastating."

Elena sat up, her expression sympathetic. "I remember watching that match. We were all so proud of you, but we could see how much it hurt. How did you get through it?"

Mateo signed. "I had help. My coach, Klopp, was incredible. My teammates rallied around me. And Isabella flew to Dortmund to be with me. I learned that it's okay to be sad, to grieve what could have been. But you can't stay in that place. You have to get back up and keep fighting."

Pablo finished his push-ups and sat down on the floor, leaning against the couch. "That's some serious wisdom, man. You sound like an old philosopher."

Mateo grinned and signed, "I've had good teachers." He gestured around the room, at the three of them.

Elena laughed. "Oh, so now we're teachers? I thought we were just annoying older siblings who wouldn't leave you alone."

"You can be both," Isabella said with a smile.

Miguel asked, "What about next season? What are your goals?"

Mateo's expression became more serious, more determined. He signed. "I want to win the Bundesliga again. And I want to go further in the Champions League. But more than that, I want to keep improving, keep learning, keep growing as a player and as a person."

"That's the Mateo we know," Elena said fondly. "Always striving to be better."

Pablo leaned forward, his expression curious. "Okay, real talk. What's the craziest thing that's happened to you since you became famous?"

Mateo thought for a moment, then signed with a grin. "A fan once waited outside the training ground for four hours just to give me a hand-knitted scarf with my face on it. And the face was... not accurate."

Isabella laughed along with the others.

They all burst out laughing. "Please tell me you kept it," Elena said, wiping tears from her eyes.

Mateo nodded, still grinning, and signed. "It's hanging in my dorm room. It's hideous, but it was made with love, so I treasure it."

"See?" Pablo said to Isabella. "This is what I mean. Too nice for his own good."

Isabella squeezed Mateo's hand. "It's one of the things I love most about him."

Elena made a gagging sound. "Okay, okay, enough with the mushy stuff. You're going to make me sick."

But her eyes were warm, and Mateo could see that she was happy for him. They all were.

They talked late into the night, about everything and nothing. About their fears for the future, their hopes, their dreams. Elena confessed that she was terrified of the university entrance exams, worried that she wouldn't get into her first-choice school.

Pablo admitted that he was scared of leaving Casa de los Niños, the only home he'd ever known. Miguel shared that he sometimes felt like his art wasn't good enough, that he was fooling himself by thinking he could make a career out of it.

And Mateo, in turn, shared his own fears. The fear of not living up to expectations. The fear of getting injured again. The fear of losing the people he loved. The fear that one day, he'd wake up and realize that all of this the success, the fame, the love was just a dream.

But as they sat there together, in the common room of the orphanage that had raised them, they reminded each other of a fundamental truth: they were not alone. They had each other. And as long as they had that, they could face anything.

As the clock struck midnight, Elena yawned and stretched. "Alright, I need to sleep. These law books aren't going to read themselves."

Pablo stood and offered his hand to help her up. "Same. Early training tomorrow."

Miguel, "Goodnight, everyone. Thank you for tonight."

They all exchanged hugs, and Elena pulled Mateo aside one last time. "Hey," she said quietly. "I know I gave Isabella a hard time earlier. But I really do like her. And I can see how happy she makes you. Hold onto that, okay?"

Mateo nodded, his eyes shining with emotion. He signed, "I will. I promise."

"Good," Elena said, ruffling his hair like she used to when they were kids. "Now go get some sleep. Champions need their rest."

As Mateo and Isabella walked back to where they were staying, hand in hand under the Barcelona stars, Mateo felt a profound sense of gratitude. He had been blessed with not one, but two families. The one he had found at Casa de los Niños, and the one he was building with Isabella.

The summer of possibilities was proving to be everything he had hoped for and more. And he couldn't wait to see what came next.

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