Abby
Good luck tonight, Anderson. I’m so proud of you and I love you.
I take a moment to stand at the locker, being thankful for where I am right now and who I have in my corner. I know that at the end of the day, win or lose, we did something great with the organization this year and I’m fucking proud of that.
I know to a lot of people sports are just a game. Maybe if I wasn’t so heavily invested and intertwined in all of it, I might think similarly, but the fact is that I’m right in the middle of it. I see the blood, the sweat and the tears that go into these games. The players who become more like brothers, the coaches and training staff, the crews who work the games, the fans, it’s a family. Football isn’tjusta sport to me, it’s notjusta game. Athletes work their asses off to achieve their goals on the field and I’ll be damned if I’m not going to give every last ounce that I have tonight to try and help my team win this thing.
“Let’s go, boys!” Liam shouts.
The tunnel before we walk out is so electric. We’re all hyped up and ready to leave it all on the field tonight. I look around at these men next to me, some of them my closest friends, and as if we can all collectively read what the others are thinking, it’s a silent nod and steadfast stare that we exchange before we run out of the tunnel and onto the biggest stage we’ve ever played on.
We started off slow, allowing New York to score first. It doesn’t help that at the end of the first quarter, I dropped a pass that would’ve given us a first down and a new set of downs. I couldn’t even tell you who played the halftime show because I was still beating myself up over missing another throw that would’ve been a touchdown. So far, I feel like we’re losing our spark. This game is too close for my liking and even though we’re ahead, a seven point lead doesn't feel like enough to me in a game like this.
“It’s going to you, Nate.” Liam changes the call as we enter the third quarter and I know that’s my cue to use my body as a blocker. Once it’s snapped, Nate has the ball immediately and I charge out in front of him, taking one of New York's defensive lineman with me, opening a path for Nate to sprint down the field. He’s got miles of green in front of him and before you know it, we’re running to the endzone to celebrate his touchdown.
“Fuck yeah!” I bump helmets with him before we jog off the field to the sidelines. Our defense holds strong and doesn’t allow New York to score anything in the third quarter, keeping our lead.
Five minutes. We are five minutes away from being named World Champions. Looking in the stands, I find Abby. I swear I’d be able to find that woman in any crowded room. Her hair is down in curls and she’s sandwiched between Mia and Summer as they all yell and shout with the rest of the fans. I watch her as she laughs with them and Summer pulls out her phone and it looks like she takes a picture of the three of them. Abby doesn’t catch me staring and it’s probably for the better, my heart’s already pounding to get out of my chest just watching her. Having her gaze lock with mine would surely pull it right out. All I can think about at this moment is winning this game for her. For us.
I didn’t think I wanted anyone in my life right now, I was content with how things were going, but she blew right into me like a category five hurricane and I haven’t been the same since. I’m a better man on and off the field because of her.
“Hunt! Watch twenty-four!” I yell to Chase as he jogs onto the field to line up. Their running back has been trying to slip by Chase all game and he’s gotten through a couple times, but if we can hold them here, they’ll be forced to punt or go for it on 4th down and 4th and long is no easy feat.
The ball snaps and sure enough they try to run it into Chase again, except this time he’s a fucking wall. A brick wall that stops even a single yard from being gained. Our sidelines erupt as the defense comes off the field. We’re so close. I give Chase a fist bump when he comes off the field, knowing in my bones that he just won us the Super Bowl.
The clock winds down and I can’t hold back my emotions when it hits zero and the score sits at 27-17 Tampa. The stadium is so loud, I can’t even hear myself think. I pull off my helmet and take a look at my surroundings. People are running up and congratulating me, there’s a reporter trying to get my attention and Liam’s saying something on my left, but I can’t focus on any of it. The only thing that allows me to focus is Abby. Her eyes find mine as she’s running towards me on the field and the moment she jumps in my arms, the fog fades and the buzz of everything around me sets in.
“You did it! I’m so proud of you!” Abby’s eyes fill with tears as she kisses my cheek and wraps her legs around my waist.
“None of this would have happened without you.” I grab her face and plant the biggest fucking kiss on my girl’s lips. I’m standing in the middle of the field, holding the girl of my dreams with my family in the stands and my closest friends celebrating next to us and I’m so fucking thankful.
For the longest time, I thought that being with someone, actually dating them, would be a distraction to my life on the field. In some ways, maybe Abby still is a distraction, but not in the way I thought she would be. She distracts me with her cute little habits she probably doesn’t think I notice. The way she scrunches up her nose when she’s confused, with her undeniable beauty that I know she doesn’t see. When I feel like things in my life seem too heavy, she distracts me from it and brings me so much peace.
If anything, with her my focus is clearer. She centers me. She makes me believe that one shitty thing happening doesn’t mean you’re destined for a shitty life. My house feels like a home when she’s in it and I couldn’t draw up a better outcome than I’ve been given.
The best part of it all though? I wasn’t even looking when our paths crossed, but since that night, everything’s changed.
On the football field, there’s this thing called the line of scrimmage. It’s imaginary, but both sides know it’s there. It’s what separates the offense from the defense on the field and neither side is supposed to cross it until the play is in motion.The line you aren’t supposed to cross.The way this thing started with Abby kind of reminds me of that. I knew the moment I met Abby that I’d be crossing a line with her and thankfully, she crossed it with me.
THE END
THREE MONTHS LATER
I can’t believe we’re about to be in Hawaii for my twenty-fifth birthday. I’ve barely traveled anywhere, let alone Hawaii. After the Super Bowl win, Ford asked me to move in with him. Officially moving in did feel kind of fast, but I spent all of my time there anyway, plus I needed to give Chase his space back considering he was about to have a newborn.
“Are you almost ready? We need to pick up your brother and Nate on the way.” Ford’s arms wrap around me from behind as I stand in the bathroom putting on some chapstick and throwing the rest of my toiletries in my bag.
Making this a group trip was my idea and I’m over the moon excited. I’ve always wanted to go big for my “golden birthday,” but I couldn’t have pictured something like this. I had to explain to Ford what a “golden birthday” was and he still thought it was kind of silly, but when your age matches up with the same number as your birth date, that calls for celebration.
“I’m just about done. We need to make sure we have all the phone chargers! Can you check my nightstand?” He pinches my hip just above my hip bone before turning back to the bedroom to check.
“Not here, so you must’ve packed it.”
Once I have everything I need, Ford brings our bags to the truck and we hop in. My bare feet rest on the dashboard as Ford’s hand grips my thigh as we drive.
Mia
I’m ready to party!
