“You’re here about the team,” he says.
I nod once.
“I’m not promising anything,” I say.“But I’ll play.”
Coach’s smile widens.“I’m glad to have you back.”
Something tight in my chest loosens, only a little, but enough that I notice it.
I nod again and turn before he can say anything else, before I can think about why I agreed to this.
By the time the last bell of the day rings, my head is a fucking mess.
The adrenaline that pushed me through the afternoon has worn off, leaving a dull, steady ache behind my eyes.
Regret gradually sets in.
What the fuck did I just agree to?And worse than that, how is this going to go when my father finds out I rejoined the team?
Later, Noah, Jace, and I end up at the basketball courts.Noah’s idea—something to burn off the leftover edge before heading home.
I play half-focused.My body knows what to do, but my mind is somewhere else entirely.
Noah sinks a shot and jogs back, bouncing the ball easily at his side.He looks relaxed.Focused.The way he always does when everything in his life makes sense.It irritates me more than I want to admit.
Jace, on the other hand, cannot shut the fuck up.He’s riding some high, words spilling out of him fast, energy crackling under his skin.He dribbles once, twice, then grins wide, flashing that smug look.
“So get this,” Jace says, dragging it out, enjoying the moment.“Reece is back on the football team.”
Noah turns his head and looks at me.His eyebrows lift, surprise sharpening his normally calm expression.
“Really,” he says.
“Yeah.”I shrug, keeping it small and casual.
Noah nods.“That’s good.”
“Told you,” Jace says, snatching the ball from Noah.
Noah doesn’t even glance at him.His focus remains on me.
“You were great at football, Reece,” he says.“It’s good that you’re back.Not because of the team.Because it’s yours again.It should’ve always been yours.”
The words hit me square in the chest.Coming from Noah, it matters more than anything.He isn’t one to hype shit.Doesn’t hand out compliments for fun.He says exactly what he means and nothing more.
If Noah believes it, maybe I wasn’t crazy for signing back up.
“We’ll see,” I say, shrugging it off fast, before it can dig in deeper.
The ball thuds against the concrete as Jace fumbles it, muttering a curse under his breath.The noise pulls us back into the moment.
It’s late by the time we get into Noah’s car.
Jace rides shotgun, still buzzing with that restless energy he never seems to lose.I take the back seat, lean my head against the seat, watching the streetlights streak past in blurred lines as the night settles in around us.
Noah drops Jace off first.
Jace twists around in his seat, grinning.“Don’t screw it up,” he says.“I expect front row seats on Fridays.”
