Chapter 51
Chapter Fifty-One
Rome
“ G ather up!” Coach Bradson yells over the team’s nervous and excited chatter.
We huddle around Coach, who stands on a wooden bench so everyone can see him. He takes a moment to scan the locker room, making eye contact with as many players as he can. When his gaze lands on me, he gives me a firm nod, and I return the gesture.
“This is what we’ve been preparing for. I’m not expecting perfection tonight, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want each and every one of you to give it your all. Remember our practices and plays. Remember to rely on your team and ask questions if you have them. It’s the first game of the season, which means there are scouts from the NFL. Don’t let it get to your heads. Do you hear me, seniors?”
“Yes, sir!” we all respond in unison.
“We’ll gather here at halftime. Malik! Get up here and talk to your team.” The disdain in his tone is evident.
I wonder if the other guys notice it like I do.
Malik takes Coach’s spot. With a cocky smirk, he looks out into the crowd and starts to try and amp us up for the game. “Alright, guys, we’re playing against the Arcadian Owls. For those who were on the team last season, you know we lost against them in the final cup. I don’t know about you, but I’m craving that sweet taste of revenge!”
A few yeses and yeahs fill the room in response.
“I want us to kick ass! We’ll prove to those assholes who rules the Northeast! Let’s make this game the start of a winning season!”
Everyone chants and agrees, grinning all around me, and if Malik and I were on good terms, his speech would have amped me up as well. Instead, a different feeling settles inside me, and I let it fuel me.
Give him hell.
The tunnel is dimly lit. The buzz from the crowd puts my head where it needs to be. I’m near the front with the other seniors. Malik is at the charge, per usual. The music lowers, and the announcer begins to rile the crowd.
Malik turns his head, meeting my gaze as I bring my helmet up to my head. We stare at one another, the tension that has been building between us apparent. With a look full of nothing but fury, I secure my helmet over my head and refuse to give him the reaction he’s looking for.
Go ahead, Malik. See what happens if you don’t throw me the ball. You want to win this game so bad? Prove it.
The announcer’s voice breaks through our stare off, and Malik secures his helmet over his head. “Let’s usher in the 2016-2017 season and give our team the welcome they deserve!”
Cheers follow suit, and when the music returns, we start onto the field for the first official time.
My last first time.
I was always a wide receiver. It started when I was a kid. I was quick and rarely dropped a pass. I made the junior varsity team in ninth grade and moved to varsity the following year. I poured myself into this sport. When Mom left, Dad was gone as well. Yes, he was there physically, but emotionally, he was a husk. All I had was football, and it never let me down.
When I run onto the field, I absorb the energy from the crowd. A proud smile splits my face. Dad is watching from home, and my girl is here, along with the rest of the crew. Newfound determination sets in, and I’m more than ready to leave my mark on my final season as a Castle Brook Dragon.
When I near the players’ bench, I take my helmet off and scan the crowd. The familiar feel of the grass under my cleats grounds me. I can’t help but smile at the fans who cheer and clap for me, but they’re not who I’m looking for.
A tug pulls on my heart, pleading for me to look to my right. With a slight turn, I meet my girl’s dazzling blue eyes and beaming smile. She left her curls down, and they’re as wild and gorgeous as ever. And she’s wearing the jersey I left for her. Seeing her in my number makes my heart swell with love and pride. I can’t wait to hold her in my arms and kiss her.
But first, we need to win this game.
Everything I’ve done has led up to this moment. Scouts are in the stands, the cameras are rolling, and my teammates are anxious in more ways than one. I spot Blake sitting next to Levi, and with a final wink toward Chrissy, I turn around and make my way over to them.
They’re whispering when I approach them. Levi looks like he’s about to projectile vomit across the field. First-game jitters are real, even if you aren’t playing. Anything can happen, and Coach can call on you at any time.
“You okay, Levi?” I ask.
All he can do is nod.
“You know how it is,” Blake offers with a warm smile, and I smile back at him, knowing exactly what he’s talking about.
“Faulkner.” I squat in front of him, earning his attention. “Breathe with me.” I take in a long breath and watch him do the same. Holding it for a moment, I start to release it slowly, making sure to expel every ounce of air I just took in. “Again,” I instruct, and he follows suit.
Once we’ve taken a few deep breaths, I meet his dark brown eyes and place my hand on his shoulder. “You’re on the team for a reason. You’re a damn good quarterback. Coach knows it, the assistant coaches know it. Not a lot of freshmen are alternate quarterbacks, remember that. You might not even play today. Just focus on observing.” I give him a firm shake.
“Okay,” he mumbles with a nod. “You’re right, thank you.”
Coach starts to bark orders. Blake and I look at one another and smile.
“Ready for our last first game?” I ask.
“Let’s make it count.”
The team gets into position, and I ready myself to burst down the field and drive the ball as far as I can. I don’t bother looking toward Malik. He begins to shout numbers, signaling which play he wants us to execute.
Silence fills the air, and my muscles are taut. With a quick snap, Malik has the ball, and I book it. My legs devour the yards, navigating through the defense like they don’t exist. The crowd’s cheering becomes a distant hum as my heartbeat echoes in my ears. I’m open, and I turn to see what the holdup is.
With the ball still in Malik’s hand, I catch the moment he sees me, but he turns his attention to the other wide receiver, Michaels, who is completely covered. He chucks the ball, not caring about the opening. Time slows as the ball flies through the air, losing momentum within seconds. Michaels propels himself in the air, and while he manages to catch it, he’s tackled the moment his feet meet the ground. Michaels never stood a chance.
Malik, you fucking moron.
Coach is pissed. He’s already shouting at Malik, questioning his rationale. Time doesn’t allow Bradson to pull Malik to the side. With the clock running, we get back into position and repeat the motions.
And each time, Malik never tosses the ball my way.
“Chen?! What the fuck is wrong with you?!” Coach shouts, his face red.
Malik doesn’t respond. Instead, he tosses his helmet into a locker. The bang rings in my ears, and some guys flinch at the sudden noise.
“You won’t get your revenge if you don’t get your shit together,” Coach continues, not caring that Malik is ignoring him. “Go ahead, pretend like you can’t hear me. I don’t want to hear it when I bench your ass and put a freshman in your position.”
“You wouldn’t dare!” Malik hisses, spit flying from his mouth.
“Oh, he speaks? Talk to me like that again, boy.”
They continue shouting at one another, and I peel my attention away from them, noticing that most of the guys are looking at me. They’re discouraged. We’re losing, twenty-one to seven, and with Malik being, well, a stupid prick, hope is diminishing for a first-game win. A certain someone is going to hate me for this, but fuck it.
“Listen up!” I shout over the argument in the back, earning everyone’s attention. “We’ve been working toward this moment. All the drills in the summer heat, every ounce of sweat and cursing we’ve poured into this—it’s led us to this moment. These last sixty minutes will define our season. Take a moment and look around you. We are more than a team, we’re a family. We’re messy and complicated. But we’re always a tight-knit foundation of support. I’ve considered you guys my second home. We’re stronger than those Owls. We’re Dragons, for god’s sake!”
“Yes, we fucking are!” Blake shouts, and the rest of the team echoes him.
“Who are we?!” I ask, my voice straining.
“Dragons!”
“Motherfucking Dragons! No regrets! No holding back! Let’s get out there and kick some ass!”
A chorus of determination and renewed hope brings a wide grin to my face. The room transformed from building hostility to fierce readiness with one goal in mind: Win.
“Let’s fucking go!” I finish my speech, and we start to file back out.
When I take a step forward, a hand grips my shoulder and pulls me back. I turn around to meet Coach Bradson.
“And that is why you need to be captain.”
Coach benched Malik, replacing him with Levi without so much as a second thought. Levi was nervous, but he put his trust in his team, and we won by the skin of our teeth. The crowd roared for me every time I landed in the end zone, scoring us touchdowns. And I smiled each time for more than one reason. I imagined what Dad must be doing, watching his son dominate the field. I swore I could hear Chrissy over the crowd, screaming my name with pride. And then I imagined Malik’s face. He was right, revenge does taste sweet.
When we reach the locker room, the energy is an addicting mixture of delight and hunger for more.
Malik is silently fuming, and Coach is watching me, waiting for my approval to move forward. Malik’s proven to me and this team that he’s selfish and only cares about himself and his own future. It’s time I take a stand. It’s time I claim what is rightfully mine.
If things go well, I’ll be captain by the next game. But that doesn’t erase my concern over Malik. As much as I don’t want to, it’s time I tell Coach what has been going on. I decide to do this for my team, not for me, because their futures are on the line as well. And I’ll do anything for my family.