45. Hannah
CHAPTER 45
HANNAH
“ L et’s go, Springside,” we chant just as the Williams County kicker lines up to attempt the extra point. We’re in overtime, and the Saints just managed to score prior to this drive. We thought that might be the end of it, but on the next drive, Williams County retaliated, and now if they score this, we’ll be starting the whole process over again.
“God, Will and the boys sure know how to keep us on our toes, huh?” Margaret asks from beside me, causing Caroline and I to laugh in agreement.
“You’re definitely right about that,” I mutter, shaking my pom-pom and joining the crowd in making as much noise as possible.
As soon as I see the angle the football leaves his foot at, I can tell it’s no good. I can’t tell if it was a problem with the snap or if the nerves got to him, but either way, I hold my breath to make sure I’m right.
The ball hits the outside of the field goalpost and bounces off, and the Springside crowd goes wild, cheering and screaming.”
“Oh my God!” Caroline yells! “We’re going to state!”
We cheer and yell along with the rest of the crowd, before grabbing our things and stepping down to the field to help the girls make sure all of our stuff is ready to go back to the bus. As soon as we walk over to the girls, several of the football players run over, grabbing their girlfriends and pulling them into a tight hug. I turn to say something smart to Caroline, but she’s already moving toward Theo, jumping in his arms with a squeal.
I stand there, trying to figure out why I feel so uncomfortable all of a sudden until I make eye contact with Will. He’s not standing that far away, and we both just pause, neither of us seeming to know what to do. Suddenly it hits me that all I want to do is throw myself into his arms and tell him how proud I am of him and the team, but I can’t. He’s not mine, and even if he was, this probably wouldn’t be the best place to spill our little secret. But even with the reminder, I feel a pang in my chest at the fact that this is just another thing that I can’t have.
Unable to help myself, I mouth “Congratulations” in his direction, and he smiles and nods back at me. I’m close to just saying screw it and running to him despite the consequences, but Caroline and Theo walk over before I can continue that thought.
“Hannah, what are you doing? I was yelling for you over there,” Caroline says, gesturing to where she was just standing with her fiancé.
“Oh, sorry. You know me, always in my own little world,” I apologize, hoping she’ll leave it at that. “What’d you need?”
“I asked if you’d mind snapping our picture? I promised Heather I’d send her one tonight,” she says, referring to Theo’s foster mom, before holding out her phone to me.
As I’m handing it back to her, Huey comes over and slaps Theo on the shoulder. “Hey, Coach. One heck of a game! State champs, here we come,” he says, and Theo smiles.
“Yeah, I hope you’re right,” Theo says just as Will walks over and shakes Huey’s hand.
“Will! Incredible job this season! You ready for your first championship game?” he asks, and Will nods.
“Yeah, I’m excited. We’ve got a lot of work to do this next week, but I’m just proud of everything we’ve already accomplished.”
I lock eyes with Will again, and I’m pretty sure this is the worst form of torture. I know that the old me would have made some smart-ass comment right about now, but I don’t want to fight like that with him anymore. As he and the guys continue to talk, it sinks in that all I want is him. Not just the sex. Not just the stolen moments we manage to sneak in together at the farm. No, I want every single piece of him, and it’s the one thing I know I’ll never have.