CHAPEL HILL, Texas — The term "brother" is often used when describing teammates, especially two teammates whom are incredibly close.
While it may be an overused cliche, there are some instances where there is no other word.
Khristion Little, a running back for Chapel Hill, signed to play at Southern Arkansas University on Wednesday. It was the pinnacle moment of a long and challenging journey.
Little's mother and grandmother raised him to be a well-mannered and motivated individual. As high school approached, hard times hit his family.
However, the family of wide receiver Robbie Williams stepped in to help Little throughout his high school years.
"We wanted to help," said Williams' father, Carlos Martinez. "I think that's what a lot more people need to do these days is just to extend a hand to help."
Little moved in with Williams' family right before his freshman year. Over the next four years, he became member of the family, which helped him flourish.
"It felt good to know that I had a solid foundation of people to support me, behind me, you know?" said Little. "And it just felt good to know that they accepted me as their own. They treat me like I'm their own."
Over time, the pair went from being friends to being brothers.
"It's been motivating," Little explained. "If I'm down, he pick me up. If he's down, I pick him up. And we just have each other's back through it all. And we just became leaders."
That relationship is not simply built on shared inspiration and motivation. Martinez says they acted just like any other brothers growing up.
"They find my stash of food that I have to hide," Martinez joked. "I had to stash some of my snacks away 'cause when they find them: 'Khristion! Robbie! Where's my stuff?'"
Both Little and Williams developed into standout players for the Bulldogs. As their senior season began to come to a close, they knew they had decisions to make.
Williams did not wait until February's National Signing Day to announce his intentions. He signed his Letter of Intent to play for the Northwestern State University Demons in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
"It was tough," Williams said. "But once I came to a final decision, I felt like it was the place to be."
Little waited to officially sign his letter to play for Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, Arkansas.
"It felt like home," Little told CBS19. "[The] atmosphere, great coaching, great players and I love the campus."
From Chapel Hill High School, where their journey together began, Northwestern State is two and half hours southeast, while Southern Arkansas is three hours northeast. The colleges, themselves, are separated by 115 miles.
However, moving so far away from his second family was not a decision Little took lightly.
"It kind of broke my heart to know that we're splitting apart," Little said. "But that's life, you know? I know he's going to do big things at Northwestern."
As for Martinez, he is proud of both of his boys and all they have accomplished together.
"We couldn't be blessed to have two greater kids," Martinez said. "Southern Arkansas, NSU found a diamond in the rough with both of them. We know they're going to do big things. We're excited. We can't wait."
Martinez and his wife say they are committed to supporting Little through his career.
"We're waiting on the schedules to come out so we can see which games we're going to be able to make," Martinez explained. "If Robbie has an away game, we're gonna go off to Southern Arkansas. And bye weeks, if they do get a bye week, we're gonna meet up probably somewhere in the middle."
However, Martinez says there is a bit of silver lining about the two brothers moving off the college and out of the house.
"The fridge is relieved when they come back to school believe that," Martinez joked.