It said, ‘Don't blow it, Sunshine’. His idea of encouragement.
I exploded off the line with the snap. The safety hesitated — half a step, maybe less — but it was enough. He followed Reece across the field like he’d been doing all bloody game, leaving the middle wide,wideopen.
Green stretched out before me. My strides lengthened, my lungs burning and my heart in my mouth. When I glanced up, I watched the ball spinning slowly and lazily high in the air. Like it was waiting for me.
Mine.
I sprang up to catch it, my arms stretching out long and my fingers brushing the leather before closing around it. The moment the ball hit my palms, I tucked it tightly against my ribs, just as two defenders slammed into me.
The world jolted and my knees buckled. Every instinct screamed at me to just go down, but I didn’t. I planted my right foot, leaned forward, and kept moving.
One step.
Two.
Three.
I managed to make it five whole yards, with two grown men clinging onto me as though I were giving them a piggyback. Finally, we all toppled in a heap onto the grass.
The stadium erupted into a roar so loud, it rattled through my chest.
I pushed myself up, my breath coming in fast pants and my vision blurred by sweat. Just then, Reece smacked the side of my helmet so hard, I saw stars.
“Sunshine!” he hollered. “You fucking monster!”
For a moment I let the grin on my face grow, because I could feel it in my bones, could feel I belonged out here.
Uncle was grinning and even Marcus looked begrudgingly impressed. But all I could think was…
God, I wish she were here.
We ended up winning the game, which resulted in everyone cheering, slapping each other's backsides, blasting music, and slamming helmets together. The locker room stank of sweat, triumph and cheap cologne.
Still, I couldn’t stop checking my phone. Tori was working, but I was hoping she’d watch my game if she got the chance, given it was being televised.
I wanted her to text me.
Wanted to see her name.
Wanted some stupid message like ‘Good job, idiot’or ‘Stopletting people hit you’.
Nothing.
The team celebrated their win, but I felt empty inside. Despite standing at the peak of something I’d worked months for, the first person I wanted to see wasn’t there.
The person I most wanted to hold, the only person I was terrified of losing, wasn't here.
The ride home was initially loud, with the boys bragging, replaying highlights and singing badly to whatever awful song was playing through someone’s speaker.
Eventually everyone quieted down, stretched out and fell half-asleep. I stared at my phone for what felt like hours, my thumb hovering over the screen.
What if she was pulling away again?
What if she’d spent the night convincing herself to push me away?
What if she’d already started building walls I couldn’t climb?
Fuck it.
