Chapter 5 Emmett
FIVE
EMMETT
“Red, eighty-seven! Red, eighty-seven! Set, hut, hut!” Maddox yells over the screaming fans that fill Renegades Stadium.
It’s late in the second half, and we lead the Washington Vortex by two touchdowns.
Both the offense and defense have been on point all game, working like a well-oiled machine as we run all over the opposition.
Thanks to Theo’s second interception of the day, we’re less than half a field away from adding another six points to the scoreboard.
As soon as the ball leaves the center’s hands, I’m off the line like a rocket, pushing past the linebacker and blasting down the field.
It’s an in route, so I cut toward the middle, trying to stay open as long as I can.
I see the Vortex cornerback in my peripheral vision, doing my best to stay focused on my quarterback as he fires a bullet pass in my direction.
It’s a beauty, hitting me right in the chest just as a set of arms wraps around me in an attempt to bring me to the ground.
I manage to break the tackle, high-stepping out of his grasp and running at full speed toward the end zone that’s still about thirty-five yards in front of me.
Laser-focused, I hit my stride, knowing the only way past the safety is through him, since he’s one of the fastest and most agile in the league.
But before I get a chance to lower my shoulder to brace for impact, Jett comes out of nowhere, throwing a perfect block and giving me a wide-open lane to score.
I break the plane into the end zone, roaring out loud in celebration.
The home crowd goes wild, their deafening cheers filling me with pride as my teammates jump on me in excitement.
“That’s how you do it, Hayes! Fucking proud of you, bro!
” Maddox shouts, slapping the top of my helmet.
My chest swells at his words. This team is unlike my last in so many ways, starting with the way that we build each other up.
We had to check our egos at the door when we were drafted here, everyone knowing that the road to each victory would be a tough one.
We aren’t like the other teams in the league—ones that have existed for decades, perfecting their systems and building around key players.
We were a clean slate mere months ago, starting at the very bottom as strangers.
But that’s hardly how it feels now. Whether we like it or not, this is a brotherhood—a group of men who are ready to go to war together every Sunday to prove to the rest of the world that we’re more than just a bunch of unwanted outcasts.
“Thanks,” I reply, turning just in time to see Jett running up on us.
“Nice fucking block, man. Where the hell did you come from?” He laughs, lifting a noncommittal shoulder in response, because I’m pretty sure even he has no idea how he pulled that one off.
Not that it matters. We got the touchdown, and we’re meshing like a team that’s been together forever, instead of just a handful of games.
It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen in all the years I’ve played the sport.
The Renegades actually have a fighting chance at making the playoffs, which is completely unheard of for a brand-new franchise.
As much as I hated the thought of being drafted here at the beginning, now I’m pretty damn grateful to be making history with my teammates.
Our kicking unit takes the field, sending the extra point right down the pipe and putting us up by twenty-one. The game is all but over as the defense heads out to do their job, the clock hitting zero before the Vortex has a chance to dig themselves from the hole we’ve buried them in.
It feels good to dominate like this after such a rocky start, and the energy is high as we walk back to the locker room.
With the way we played, I can’t imagine that Coach Hendricks will keep us long.
I’m sure he’ll have us tweaking a few things during practice this week, but for now, we’ll get an opportunity to celebrate without delving into the small mistakes we made.
“How’s Baker doing?” Theo asks from his locker next to mine as we undress.
“I tried to make it over last week, but a pipe burst in my basement, and I was ankle-deep in water. I’m headed back there after this to meet with a contractor to assess the damage.
Not gonna lie, being a homeowner kind of blows so far. ”
I huff a quiet laugh. Theo has big dreams of being a family man, except the only thing he has going for him right now is the giant house he shares with his rescue dog, Boner.
He’s an interesting guy—or maybe odd is a better word—and I’m sure there’s someone out there who will match his energy, but so far, he hasn’t found her yet.
“Actually, I wanted to stop by last weekend, but he was moving his new home-care nurse into the guesthouse, so we decided to reschedule. I’m going to drop by this evening to see if he needs anything, since he’s still pretty fucked up from his surgery.”
He nods, undoing the belt on his chest protector. “Let me know how it goes. Maybe we can all hang once he’s feeling up to it. We’ll get Dane and Kingsley to join, too.”
“Sounds like a plan,” I reply, lifting my chin in agreement as I hit the showers.
I’m feeling good, a little lighter than normal now that I’m allowing myself to form bonds with the people around me.
It’s been a long time since I really let anyone in, and just like I knew it would, it’s been translating onto the field.
Plus, it’s kind of nice to not be alone anymore.
Keeping to myself was a choice I made in the past, but now that I’m settled in Cleveland for what I hope to be the rest of my career, I don’t want anyone, myself or any of my teammates, to feel the way I did.
Which is exactly why I’m taking the time to go see Austin.
The guy has no family, and as far as I know, he’s really only been hanging out with his nurse since she moved in.
I’m sure the last thing he wants is to feel smothered by someone who is there to take care of him, so hopefully, my stopping by for a visit will be a welcome distraction.
Especially since we have no idea what the future holds for him.
With any luck, his recovery will go smoothly, and he’ll be back on the field with us next season.
But if not, he’s going to need friends to motivate him to keep going.
I shower as quickly as I can, then pull on my sweatpants and Renegades hoodie to combat the cold Northeast Ohio air.
Tossing my backpack over my shoulder, I say a few quick goodbyes to my teammates before heading to my pickup truck.
Thankfully, most of the fans have cleared out of the stadium already, giving me easy access to the freeway that leads to Austin’s house.
He lives in a beautiful suburb right outside the city, with the types of homes that I always imagined I’d be raising my children in.
It seems like just yesterday that my entire future was laid out, but those days are long gone.
I’m much better off putting all my energy into football and helping bring a championship to Cleveland with my guys.
It’s the only thing in my life that’s always there… that’s never let me down.
I finally feel like I’m on a path to something good for the first time in what feels like forever. I just hope I can keep my eyes forward and focus on what’s important.