26. Miles
26
MILES
“H ow much does this game matter on a scale of one to ten?”
“Twelve.”
Coach’s response to the reporter at the pre-game has a finality that resonates through your bones.
Some of the guys keep their heads down before tipoff, but I caught the press conference on my way into the locker room.
We’re playing Boston, and Jay’s rival, Hawkins. Who finishes first determines who’ll get the advantage if we face them in the post-season.
Earlier, it was a question of whether we’d face them due to the luck of the draw. Now, though, it’s starting to look like there’s a question mark about us even making the playoffs.
It hasn’t escaped me that the shoe sponsor is in the stands. I get that they were looking at both me and Hawkins for the deal that’ll make sure Grams is taken care of forever, and I want to show them they made the right call.
The tension in the locker room feels as if it’s dialed up to a new level.
“Bring it in.” Jay motions to us, and we group around him. “It’s been a tough road, but we need everyone tonight. Let’s get a win. Kodiaks on three.”
We shout together, then straighten and file toward the doorway.
The past couple weeks, Jay’s been forgoing touching the photo of Waffles, our unofficial locker room mascot. Tonight, he hesitates but touches it on the way out the door.
Hope kicks in my chest.
Maybe this is a turning point.
When we get out there, the crowd is deafening already. I don’t see Brooke, Nova, or the others though. The team box has only a few familiar faces, and no Brooke.
From the opening seconds, it’s competitive. Boston goes at us hard.
I cut around the court, and Jay finds Atlas in the post early for a layup. Good start.
I feed on the sounds of the crowd, the appreciation, then I shut it out and get back to work.
Over the first quarter, Clay gets a dunk.
Rookie gets a pair of threes.
I get another four points in the paint, two of them assisted by Jay.
Clay nods at me as we run back on defense. Keep going , he’s saying.
There’s no better feeling than being what your team needs on any given night, especially a high-stakes one like this. But they need more.
At the end of the first quarter, we’ve managed to stay up by two.
“… keep working in the paint. Miles, keep grinding against their defense. Wear them down.”
We go back out to play the next quarter.
Jay gets called for a foul on Hawkins, and we line up for Boston to shoot two.
The first goes in . Swish.
As he puts up the second shot, I look past the net, my eyes landing on the box. Brooke’s there with Chloe and Nova and Mari. Brooke waves, and my breathing comes a little easier as my lips twitch. I feel better knowing she’s here.
Swish.
“That’s fucking bullshit .”
My attention cuts to Jay standing opposite, staring at me as the ref’s whistle shrills.
“Technical foul, Jayden Ellis.”
The crowd starts to buzz, confused over Jay’s outburst.
“We’re playing the most important fucking game of the year and that’s what you’re thinking about?” he goes on.
There are nine guys ready to play.
Thousands of fans.
Plus a team of refs with all the power.
“Come on, we’re going to get a delay of game,” I say flatly. I nod to the ref, who’s keeping a close eye.
Jay stabs a finger in my chest. “You want everyone to get along, but you don’t get to be a selfish prick and still have that happen. You were supposed to be protecting her.”
The whistle sounds, the ref teeing us up for delay of game. Groans fill the stadium.
My teeth grind together. “I’ve been protecting her since the second you asked me to.”
“You have no fucking family of your own so you’re taking mine.”
Jay comes at me, knocking me over. The team descends, pulling us apart.
I try to protect myself. My fist rises to stop Jay from hitting me, but he moves, and my fist lands in his jaw with a sickening crack.
The ref blows his whistle again, then keeps blowing, a shrill call competing with the crowd.
“You’re out of the game, both of you!”
Every man on the Kodiaks bench rises, throwing up their hands. Coach covers his face with his clipboard. The assistants look shocked, their expressions grim.
Fuck.
It’s going to be a long night.