Chapter 52
CHAPTER 52
YOU AND ME BY LIFEHOUSE
Parker Thompson:
I walk into the tunnel. It’s my first game of the season and the first game of my senior year. My heart is thundering in my ears and I let it. I don’t tell myself to focus and to laser in like I always do. I don’t allow myself to submerge those feelings. I allow them to motivate me and excite me. Because I fucking made it to this moment and I’ve worked for it forever.
Summer was a fucking breeze. How could it not be when you spend it with people you love? Brianne and all of her friends who have now morphed into mine. Leah Ashley is probably the coolest mean person I’ve ever met. Dakota likes me now, thank god. According to Bri, he’s always liked me but I never believed that. The cheerleaders are my personal hype squad, not just the team.
Bri renewed her lease at the same place when Bellamy and Lawson moved out but her two friends moved in. Dakota and surprisingly, Leah. She apparently has never had a friend group she felt comfortable living with. Until now. Funnily enough, it’s her ex's little sister. But life is funny like that, connecting you to people you never thought you would connect with. Brianne and I are the perfect example of that.
Coach Corbin is the one that pulls me out of my thoughts. I’m the team captain this year. Not the quarterback. Me. Of course, there are other people who count as captains, but there’s one head and I was trusted with that position. Coach said he couldn’t see it being anyone else this year and the honor didn’t pass me by as something small.
“Get 'em. Kick ass, Thompson…” Coach Corbin holds me by the face mask and I nod.
He slaps my helmet and I jump up and down, taking on Bellamy’s job of hyping up my team, making them more than ready for the rest of the damn season. Losing Bellamy and Lawson has been a hit, but we’ve managed and are ready to take this team to another championship.
We run out of the tunnel, our traditional song playing like it does every single home game, and I feel it—that I’m home here. But no matter who is staring, cheering, or screaming, I still scour every single person surrounding me until my eyes find hers. Bright and blue and so damn gorgeous. A ray of light. Human sunshine. She’s smiling like her life depends on it and it’s real… That’s the part that never escapes me, feeling how real her happiness is.
The girls are in new uniforms this year, all white with gold and yellow detailing. That damn pleated cheer skirt on her is going to be the death of me. This is the one thing I am going to have to try to not get distracted by tonight. Because as much as I have my head in the game, it’s hard not to let someone as ungodly perfect as Brianne distract me from my sport. Dakota lets her down from her stunt and she stands there, looking directly at me as I slowly pass.
“My lucky number 13! Good luck!” she shouts at me.
I take my helmet off and blow her a kiss, watching her catch it. Somehow, her smile brightens and my heart shakes. On the sidelines, I see a handful of familiar faces, and excitement courses through me.
Bellamy and Kamryn. Lawson is here too. I didn’t expect it, even though they told me they might show because Coach Corbin begged them to. I approach them first, ignoring my responsibilities. Bellamy pulls me into a bear hug and I hug him back.
“You ready?” he asks, shaking my shoulders.
“Of course, he’s ready. If he loses, we’ll kick his ass,” Lawson jokes and Kamryn elbows him.
“You’ve got this, P,” Kamryn nods and I hug her tight.
I missed them. All of them and it’s only been two months since they moved.
“BELLY!” I hear Brianne behind me and I move out of her way, having to go line up anyway.
I turn over my shoulder and see Brianne almost tackle her brother to the ground. He’s bigger and bulkier now that he’s training with the NFL but she still almost takes him out. I laugh, watching her excitement at seeing her brother. I’m thankful he’s here.
The coin toss goes our way. The first half of the game goes our way, but not without a fight. The new lead quarterback has been trying to figure out the team dynamic… But here and now, the ball is hurtling toward me. I charge the ball, jumping to get it in my hands, feeling greedy to have my gloved fingers touching the skin. I run faster than I ever have, diving through defensemen on our opposing team, securing us a first down on the 10. I stand and bounce my hands, getting a reaction from the crowd. We set up and I pull my teammates in, signaling for our next play, knowing good and well I need to be the one with that ball. Everyone is on the same page.
Once we line up, my head does that thing. I hear nothing but a thrum, my heartbeat in my ears. A very dull roar of the crowd. Then, the ball snaps and I’m running and it all screams out in my head, igniting my fire. The ball hits my chest and I tuck it and run again, fighting through the defensive line until I’m on the spray-painted grass and hearing ear-shattering screams. My first touchdown of the season.
The sounds blow around me, the school band blares across the stadium and I shove through my teammates and toward the sidelines. Already almost off of the sidelines and on the field is Brianne. I grab her face, both hands pressing to her cheeks and I bring her in and to my lips for a kiss. It’s just as precious and perfect to me as every single one before it. She pulls back and then we bring our hands together, performing our handshake, something she asked me to make with her for the season since she won't be able to do it with Bellamy this year. I said I would if she promised to do it with me after my first touchdown in a game. It was an easy agreement.
“Get your head back in the game, Thompson,” Coach Corbin snaps from the sidelines.
The older man is pretending to be a hard ass, and most of the time he is. But I do see the hint of a smile on his lips as I jog backward.
“Once I get rid of one Archer, I have another one on my back. What’s next?” Coach Corbin asks, throwing his hands in the air.
I watch Brianne roll her eyes at him and I smirk at her subtle attitude that she always has on when it’s game day. I notice Bellamy on the sidelines with Kamryn and Lawson. Kamryn is looking at me, giving me a huge thumbs up, but I look at Bellamy who is staring at his sister with the happiest smile I think I’ve ever seen on his face. A year ago I never would have believed he’d be happy for her because she’s with me. I never would have even dreamed I’d be with Brianne in this way at all. But I did dream it. It was hard not to when she’s involved because she’s a dream in and of itself.
But the funny thing about dreams is that you either fall in love with them or you fall out of them. My whole life I never really knew which one I would be. Most would have assumed I would have fallen out with my dreams and gone more practical. As of right now, where I am, I’m thankful I didn’t. I’m thankful I chased and fought and won. That little kid in my mind, the one that used to just sit and stare. He’s jumping for joy every time I’m around her. Every time I score a touchdown, or I hang out with my friends. Because finally, I’m giving that part of me what it deserves. I learned that it’s not silly or frivolous, but a necessity… Always.