36. Rocky
thirty-six
Rocky
Today’s the day that we play Ohio State in the Las Vegas Bowl game. The Buckeyes are a great team, but we’re better. Montana and Autumn are coming with my parents. Montana’s been acting strange for the last couple of weeks, but I know with Christmas coming up, and not being able to celebrate with her parents, is hard for her. I need to focus on the game but it's really hard not to think about her all the time.
This game means a lot to us, and I don’t want to let my team down. I could have opted out, but that isn't what I wanted to do. We’ve played so well this season. We were almost undefeated. This team is like my family and even though I graduate this year, and this is the last game of our season, we’re going to play with everything we have.
“Alright, guys, listen up! We are up against an undefeated team today. We’re the underdogs and you know what hungry dogs do right? We run faster. They don’t believe in us! We got here because we wanted it. Let’s show them who we are!”
“Did you just quote Jason Kelce?” Xander asks.
“Fuck yeah, I did, he’s the GOAT, a great player and leader. Someone I have always looked up to.”
The guys laugh. “Let’s beat Ohio State and bring this win home!”
Everyone starts yelling and cheering and I yell out, “Let’s get it, boys!”
We run through the tunnel and the chants and cheers are deafening.
I see Montana with my parents and Autumn, right where I knew she would be. She looks damn good wearing my jersey with my last name on her back. Fuck, she’s gorgeous. I point at her and wink.
She points to her eye, then to her heart and then she points to me. I point to my eye, then to my heart and I hold up two fingers and she smiles.
I love you; I love you too.
Ohios defense has been playing very rough. Thank goodness for my team having my back. Theo, their quarterback who’s also friends with Talon and Montana, he gave Talon a heads up for the team to protect me.
Dylan has been trying to get me hurt. My boys have my back. It’s almost halftime and I’m pulled out of the game so Ryder can play. I look up at Montana and she’s smiling at me.
“Don’t let some girl hold you back, son.”
A voice I was hoping I didn’t ever have to hear again is behind me. I search for my family in the crowd and see dad's face morphs into straight up anger, while my mom is trying to come down the stairs. Have you seen a Puerto Rican mama pissed off? Well, this stadium is about to if they don’t calm her down. And Autumn is just really confused about it all. Fuck .
I turn around and see him . Johnny fucking Henry.
“Did I ask you for your opinion? No. Go back under the rock where you came from.”
I start to walk away from him when he pulls my elbow.
“Get your fucking hands off me before I punch you like my dad should have done years ago. Why are you even here? No one wants you here. I sure as fuck don’t. You don’t get to come here and try to act like my dad when you aren’t.” I pull away from him and head to the locker room.
I see my mom and dad coming down the steps, but Montana is staying with Autumn. Montana is biting her lip nervously and Autumn’s brows furrow because she’s still in the dark. I never wanted her to know about any of this.
It’s halftime now and I’m called into the coach’s office again. I open the door and see my mom and dad on one side, Coach at his desk and Johnny on the other side. I walk over to my parents and kiss my mom's cheek while my dad and I bump fists.
It’s my mom who’s the first to talk.
“Johnny, so help me god, you have no rights to Rocky. You didn’t want to be in his life and I accepted that. Christopher has been his father for his whole life. You have some fucking nerve thinking that you can show up here and try and take any fucking credit for any of his success. Fuck you. Fuck you for not wanting to be a part of our ”—she waves her thumb between her and my dad as she continues— “sons life. You didn’t want to be around, remember ? So go away. He didn’t need you then and he damn sure doesn’t need you now.”
“Wow, Karissa, glad to see you’re still feisty,” Johnny smirks.
“Watch it,” I warn.
“Johnny, you have some audacity. You left. You didn’t want to be in his life. You wanted to go out and chase your dreams and that’s fine. Rocky Christopher Savage is and always will be my son. He’s not yours. You don’t get to come back here and think you have some claim on him. He will always be mine. I don’t give a shit about what his DNA says. You lost out on having him in your life. You’re not the one who was up with him at night when he was sick. You were not the one who helped him throw a football around. You’re not the one who taught him how to ride a bike or use a power tool. I did. He may have gotten his love and talent for football from you, but it ends there. He is my kid. He is mine , and I'll be damned if you think you can waltz in here and mess with what's mine. I will make you regret it. You are going to leave here and never ever contact him again. Or we can get a restraining order. You messed up when you chose football over my amazing wife and son. So, I guess that’s the only thing I can thank you for. They didn’t hold me back. When she was in labor, I was there for her. When he took his first steps, I was there. When he said Dada, it was me he was talking to. Not you. Leave my family alone, or I will make you regret coming back here and trying to start something you have no business in even trying to do,” my dad finishes.
“It's up to him if he wants me around, not you. He has my DNA, not yours. I fucked up but I want to make things right between us,” he seethes.
“I don’t understand what gives you the idea that I want you anywhere around me or my family? My little sister’s here and confused as to why everyone is upset. You’re not wanted here. I. Don’t. Want. You. I have a dad. A great one. One who never gave up on me or made me feel like I wasn’t his. My dad put me first. Maybe I should be thanking you for leaving my mom and I to be loved properly by him, but that’s it. That’s all you’ll ever get from me. My relationship with Montana is none of your business. She’s everything I could have ever wanted and more. She’s the moon in the sky. She’s the calm to my storm. She puts me first even when she’s hurting. She doesn’t need me, she wants me. Her love for me isn’t conditional on what I can do for her. She loves me for me. Not who I am. She’s also Tatiana’s daughter. You remember her, right? Mom’s best friend from college. She’s the one I called the night I found out about you.” I hear a gasp from my mom. “She’s the one who pulled me out of my anger and hatred for you. I don’t hate you. Not at all, but I want nothing to do with you. Thanks for the DNA, but that’s all you’ll ever be to me. My sperm donor. I don’t know why you came but you aren’t welcome around me. Now that I have wasted this time with you again , I need to go back out there with my team and win this game. You opted out of the bowl because you went to the draft, but I will not let my team down. You can go now.”
He looks at all of us, nods and then walks out of the room without a backwards glance.
“I knew he was an ass, but to tell you to leave Montana. Dick move. Thank you for having her back. You both were made for each other.” Coach claps me on the back and walks out the room.
“Mom, dad, thank you for being here and for always having my back. I love you both.”
“We love you too, baby. If Montana is the girl for you, then we support you. Johnny can get fucked. We’re glad you found your person. We love her, and even if you two do break up, we will still love her.”
“Well, Ma, I’m glad that you support us. She is my end game. I’m going to marry the hell out of that girl.”
“Son, we love you both, but we’d appreciate it if you would just wait a few years to give me grand babies. I'm still too young to be called Papa.” He winks.
We laugh then head back out to the game.
It’s the fourth quarter. We’re tied up with two minutes left in the game and we are on the thirty-yard line at first and ten. I'm back in the game so we can bring home this win. The defense keeps getting penalties because they can't get their act together while listening to Dylan who is going to cause them to lose this game.
I can't wait to see his face after he loses and then sees that Montana doesn’t want him anymore. Petty, maybe, but I don’t care.
I throw the ball to Xander, and he catches it but is tackled at the twenty-yard line. We line up, then Ohio calls a time out.
We grab water and the coach tells me to call a play while on the field. Basically, get the ball to the end zone, no matter what. If I see an opening, take it. The timeout is over, and we line back up on the field.
I call the play green thirteen ; Meaning everyone gets open and ready to catch the ball.
The ball is snapped, and everyone is covered. They are trying to make this game go into overtime. The game is tied up and we need to get this touchdown, then stop them from making a field goal if they have enough time.
I don’t see anyone open, so I run. I run like my pants are on fire and then I see it. Two defensemen coming towards me as I’m at the ten-yard line. I see Xander is open in the end zone and someone on either side of me, and then I throw left-handed to Xander to hopefully get this touchdown.
Then, I’m tackled and it fucking hurts.
I'm lying down when suddenly Kellen runs out and grabs me by my shoulder pads to help me up. He's yelling that we scored a touchdown, and I look around to see that everyone is going wild.
I'm limping off the field, but I know I’ll be okay because it doesn’t hurt too bad. Nothing an ice bath and Montana won't fix.
I look up and see her face. She’s scared that I’m hurt. I give her and my family the best smile I can. I know I’ll have a bruise on my ribs, but I don’t think anything is broken.
The extra point is good. There is less than a minute left in the game and they’re trying to bring the ball down for at least a field goal, but the timer runs out and we win.
Everyone is cheering and people run out onto the field. Including my family.
My girl runs and jumps into my waiting arms, wraps her legs around me and kisses my face.
I look over to Dylan, smirk and mouth get fucked. He’s just standing there with his hands fisted and nostrils flaring.
I won't let Montana see him. I kiss her and walk away from him. I’ll protect her with all of me.