Chapter 24 Zayden
ZAYDEN
MY LUNGS ARE BURNING, and my legs feel as heavy as concrete.
Sweat stings my eyes, mixing with the blood that’s dried along my brow.
I don’t even remember where I copped that hit.
It doesn’t matter now. We’re ahead, both Mason and I have performed several tries and set-ups, and thanks to us, we are going to the final.
I mean, the entire team is playing amazingly tonight. Everyone has shown up and delivered.
I can hear the crowd roaring, but it’s all muffled, like I’m underwater. My heart’s pounding too loudly in my ears, drowning everything out except the thud of boots on the grass and the heavy breathing from my teammates.
‘Go wide!’ I hear someone yell – Christian, maybe – and I’m already moving, pushing through the gap in defence.
Parker has the ball and he runs like lightning. Mason is usually one of the only guys on the team to keep up with him, but the last few games, I have been consistent with his pace.
‘On your left!’ I shout at Parker as the defence is fast-approaching him.
The ball flies into my hands and I slice through the two players who lunge for me.
I leap, sliding across my stomach over the tryline, mud flicking up into my face.
Clambering to my feet, I glance at the ref who signals it’s a try.
The crowd erupts into chaos, and since it’s a home game, the majority of the crowd is our own campus students.
The boys pile in – cheering, shouting, slapping backs hard enough to bruise. I laugh, or maybe I groan. Kinda both. Everything hurts, but we’ve done it. We’ve beat the other best team in the league, and I know we have made Coach proud.
I look up.
Nora’s there, with my sister beside her. They’re both standing, hands over their mouths, eyes shining under the lights.
I press my hand to my lips and blow her a kiss, noticing the way people turn to see who I’m looking at.
Her smile is the only thing I see after that.
I thought there might be comments or questions regarding the ‘fake relationship’ comment that Riley made in her article, but everyone assumes it was a lie like everything else.
Since both Nora and I had feelings for each other right from the start, I don’t correct their assumptions.
There was never anything fake about this for me.
In the locker room it’s chaos – sweaty, loud, and the room is electric with energy after the win. I hear boots hitting floors, tape being ripped off, the boys shouting over each other.
Coach comes in, his signature cap on, his whistle around his neck. His eyes scan us. No speech, just a nod, and that small smile he does, as if he is trying to hide the fact that he’s happy we just won the championship. ‘Bloody brilliant. Well done.’
The boys start singing the team song, off-key and too loud, their voices cracking mid-line from shouting all game. I join in, singing so loudly my voice becomes hoarse. The team song is simply a stupid, made-up rhyme that has been sung over the years, but it’s tradition to sing it after a win.
I drop onto the bench once everyone settles down, my body finally giving me permission to crash now that it’s over. My jersey’s half-peeled off, clinging to my back like a second skin and I remove it, feeling like I can breathe again now that it’s off me.
‘Mate,’ Mason grins, flopping down beside me, looking just as sweaty and muddy as me. ‘Amazing try.’
‘Couldn’t have done it without you and Parker,’ I say. Parker glances over at me and offers a crooked grin. ‘Seriously man, the amount of tries you set up have secured us more wins than not. You’re deadly out there.’
‘Cheers, Zay,’ he says.
Both Mason and I stare at him for a moment, and I know we both feel the same about Parker: curious to know more, but we also just want to be there for him off the field like he is for us during the games, but it seems he isn’t interested in making friends.
I’m determined to try, especially since Cami let it slip that she has the hots for him.
Cami never likes anyone, apparently, so the girls seem to think it’s a big deal.
‘Yo, Parker,’ I say, pushing to my feet and leaning against the locker, the cool metal feeling refreshing on my skin.
‘Yo, Zayden,’ he replies in the same tone.
‘You took a big hit out there tonight,’ I say, running my hand through my sweat-drenched hair. ‘Thought you were gonna snap that winger in half.’
He grins, that slow, lopsided thing he does. ‘Didn’t hear you complaining when I cleared the space for you.’
‘Yeah, yeah.’ I shake my head, laughing, but the truth is, I am grateful. He made that space like it was nothing – taking a hit that would have sent someone else off the field.
Parker is tall. Taller than even Mason and I. He’s got to be at least six foot four. Lean, packed with muscle. Quick and lethal during a game.
‘There’s a band playing in a few weeks that we want to see. We are going to get tickets tomorrow, if you wanna come. A friend is getting us cheap tickets because her family works at the venue.’
Pulling out a towel, he slings it over his shoulder. ‘Who’s “us”?’
‘Mase,’ I say, throwing my thumb back towards Mason, although he’s not sitting on the bench anymore, since most of the team have hit the showers. ‘And the crew.’
‘The crew?’
‘Yeah, you know, Anya, Nora,’ I say and pause briefly, eyeing him. ‘Cami.’
He glances at me after I say her name. ‘And where do I fit in with “the crew”?’
‘I don’t see you out much, just thought it might be a bit of fun for you.’ As soon as the words leave my mouth, I regret them, hoping he doesn’t think I’m insulting him. His jaw tenses, but he doesn’t seem annoyed.
‘How cheap are we talking?’ he eventually asks, slamming the locker door shut and facing me.
‘As in, I think they’re free. Drinks at mine before. We have plenty there.’
‘Hmm,’ he says, shrugging. ‘All right. Text me the deets.’
He strolls past me and I blink after him, a little shocked he agreed, since whenever I’ve asked him to come out with the team after games or practice, he’s always declined and been in a rush to leave. I weirdly feel like I’ve achieved something.
The night air is cool on my still-flushed skin.
My body’s aching, and my head’s still buzzing from the win.
I love this feeling, this post-game high.
It’s a drug like no other. I scan the crowds, only looking for one person.
Nora is past the barrier, talking with Anya and Cami, who is still dressed in her cheerleader uniform.
Nora is dressed in one of my oversized jackets, the sleeves far too long for her. Her cheeks are flushed, and her hair is windswept from the breeze that has picked up.
I push through the last bit of crowd. As I get close, the other girls notice me first.
‘Hey hotshot,’ Cami greets me, and Anya smiles in hello. ‘Save any moves for the after-party or did you leave it all on the field?’
I shoot her a grin. ‘Depends. Should I be worried you might move in for a tackle?’
‘Keep one eye open, I’m stronger than I look,’ she teases, flexing.
She has long, slender arms but she’s fit as hell from dancing and cheer.
I don’t doubt for a second that she’s strong.
‘Hard to focus on the game when everyone is screaming “Zayden” like you’re the man of the hour.
’ She rolls her eyes, but I know she is only playing.
‘Yeah, but none scream my name like she does.’ I smirk, wriggling my eyebrows at Nora.
Anya and Cami groan in unison, dramatic and disgusted. Anya claps over her ears as if she can erase what I just said, and Cami wrinkles her nose. ‘Foul. Ten-minute sin-bin for that one.’
Nora’s laughing, half-mortified and half-loving it, I think. I tilt her chin up and kiss her, slow and sure, right there in front of all of them. Nothing over-the-top. Just enough to say: She’s mine.
When I pull back, she tilts her head back, her smile wide and warm, and I swear having her is the real win. I wrap my arms around her and pull her in close. She laughs into my neck, muffled.
‘Hey,’ I say against her hair. ‘I missed you the whole bloody game. Couldn’t wait to come see you.’
She pulls back, lips curled into a half-smile. ‘You were incredible.’
‘I play better knowing you’re watching. I want to make you proud.’
‘I’m always proud, Biker Boy.’
I kiss Nora again, not caring that people are still watching. Her hands grip my t-shirt, keeping me close.
‘You two are so sugary sweet, you make me sick,’ Cami interjects, but she has a warm smile on her face as she watches. ‘We get it. You’re in love. Rub it in, why don’t you.’
‘Sorry,’ I say, completely unapologetically.
‘I’m so fucking single,’ Cami groans miserably.
‘I did you a favour, actually,’ I say to her. ‘I invited Parker out with us for the band in a few weeks.’
She artfully cools her expression. ‘Why do I care about him?’
I smirk. ‘Because you think he’s hot.’
‘So?’
‘So,’ I repeat, mimicking her voice. ‘I invited him for you. You’re welcome.’
Looking like she is fighting off a smile, she rolls her eyes, pretending to be disinterested. ‘Let’s go. I need a drink.’
Nora threads her fingers through mine. ‘Cami’s going home to get changed and we will meet you after?’
‘Sure,’ I say, mulling her words over, feeling a little uneasy. ‘You’re going to the apartment?’
‘Riley moved out,’ Cami says. ‘Her and I had a little conversation, and it turns out, her parents weren’t too fond of what she has been up to and when they found out the police had paid her a visit, they could not believe what I was saying. She’s moved back home.’
‘Oh,’ I say in surprise. ‘That’s awesome.’
Cami beams, looking quite proud of herself. ‘Yeah. You don’t mess with my people and get away with it.’ She narrows her eyes at me. ‘You remember that, buddy.’
‘Noted.’
Mason and some of the other boys join us and he flings an arm over Anya’s shoulders. He turns to me, that trademark smile-butsort-of-a-smirk twisted onto his lips.
‘Let’s go have some fun.’