Immediately, I call a time-out with fifty seconds left on the clock. I run to the sideline to get the next call. I can taste this win in the air.
“Okay, we have one time-out left. That means we can take another shot in the middle of the field to get deeper in the red zone,” Coach barks out.
“All right, I noticed their linebackers are gassed. Let’s try a swing pass toward the sideline to Jenkins. Dude, you catch it and get as many yards as you can then get out of bounds, bro.”
“I got you,” Jenkins says.
The time-out ends, and we head back onto the field. This is it. All I can think about is stopping the clock and getting this touchdown.
I drop back and look to my left. Quickly, I turn right and throw the ball to Jenkins. Jenkins catches the ball in space, planting his feet. Then he runs, avoiding one defender with a juke move. He runs and gets tackled by a linebacker in bounds after a twenty-yard gain.
We’re now at the ten-yard line. I immediately call a time-out with ten seconds left. The stadium goes nuts. They’re so loud I can feel it in my chest.
I don’t have time to stop and take it all in. I get back to the sideline with my team. We have one more play. It’s all or nothing.
“This is it. I don’t have to tell y’all what this means. We have one play to get this done. Coswell, they’re expecting you to throw to Miller and they’re going to lock Jenkins down,” Coach says.
“Let’s use a pump fake to Stern. I’ll take it in myself. Lattimore and Corby, you guys cover my ass. Darity, if I need it, you give a little push. We’ve got this.”
“Nice, Coswell. A fake scene bootleg. I like it.” Coach nods.
Me and the guys make our way out to the line of scrimmage. Getting into formation, I then get under center and give the signal call. I put Lattimore in motion toward Stern. Once Lattimore reaches Stern, he sets his feet and looks toward the end zone.
I look over the linebackers in the middle of the field then call a fake audible. This causes them and the safety to shift over to Stern and Lattimore.
I call a hike, drop back, then pump fake toward the scene. I roll out to the left side with no defenders in sight. I run as fast as I can. All I see is the end zone.
As I get closer, I notice a defensive back charging toward me from the middle of the field. Darity comes from my blind side and blocks him at the one-yard line as I hurdle into the end zone.
I lie on my back, staring up at the sky. This one feels different. It’s like I can feel my father looking down on me. I’m finally the man I know he would want me to be.
Overwhelmed with emotions, I allow my teammates to pick me up and lift me into the air. We won. I’ve got a ring with my home team.
“Yeah, Coswell. That’s what the fuck I’m talking about,” Darity croons as I’m placed back on my feet.
None of this feels real. I know I promised Zah I would do it, but standing here with the mission accomplished is surreal. I always get a high from a touchdown, but this one will forever have a special place in my heart.
Zahirah
“How doesit feel to be the MVP?” I ask with a smile on my face as we step off the hotel elevator and head to our room.
I’m so proud of Bentley; he earned that MVP trophy. He played his ass off all season, but tonight. Tonight was something special.
That game-winning touchdown was perfection. I held my breath the entire time. I couldn’t breathe until I saw Bentley walking to shake hands with the other team.
“My heart was in my throat while you just lay there after that touchdown. I thought something was wrong,” I say as we enter our suite.
We’re finally here after all the press and celebrating with his team. Mom has Aaron back home in Arizona. I had a feeling my man was going to bring home the chip, and I would have to make good on our bet.
I have a little surprise for him tonight. We’ve come a long way in the last seven months. Our therapist has praised us on our progress repeatedly.
I’m proud of us too. We’re able to communicate so much more effectively. If there’s a challenge, we talk it out.
Bentley shows up for me day in and day out. I couldn’t ask for a better partner. I know if we had to go through everything we went through in college now, we’d come out of it a lot different today.
“I had a moment. This one wasn’t like all the others. I know Dad is always with me, but this time it felt like he was smiling down on me. I can’t explain it, but I felt it,” he says.
“I know he’s proud of you. You played your heart out.”
