‘Let’s embarrass them,’ I grin.
‘Don’t need to ask me twice.’
Zayden backs up and then runs towards me, sliding on his knees.He leaps to his feet, spinning me, and then dipping me so low, I fear he’s going to drop me.I release a loud, giddy laugh,feeling like everything else just doesn’t matter like it used to.I just don’t care about their opinions anymore nor what they think, because I’ll never be enough, no matter what.But Iamenough, and they will never get to tell me otherwise.
We push into the middle of the people standing around, ignoring the way they look at us.I loop my arms around Zayden’s neck and he pulls my body flush to his.My eyes lock onto his, and we move to the rhythm of the soundtrack playing, everything around us fading away.
Nothing else matters right now.
24
ZAYDEN
MY LUNGS ARE BURNING,and my legs feel as heavy as concrete.
Sweat stings my eyes, mixing with the blood that’s dried along my brow.I don’t even remember where I copped that hit.It doesn’t matter now.We’re ahead, both Mason and I have performed several tries and set-ups, and thanks to us, we are going to the final.I mean, the entire team is playing amazingly tonight.Everyone has shown up and delivered.
I can hear the crowd roaring, but it’s all muffled, like I’m underwater.My heart’s pounding too loudly in my ears, drowning everything out except the thud of boots on the grass and the heavy breathing from my teammates.
‘Go wide!’I hear someone yell – Christian, maybe – and I’m already moving, pushing through the gap in defence.
Parker has the ball and he runs like lightning.Mason is usually one of the only guys on the team to keep up with him, but the last few games, I have been consistent with his pace.
‘On your left!’I shout at Parker as the defence is fast-approaching him.
The ball flies into my hands and I slice through the two players who lunge for me.I leap, sliding across my stomach over the tryline, mud flicking up into my face.Clambering to my feet, I glance at the ref who signals it’s a try.The crowd eruptsinto chaos, and since it’s a home game, the majority of the crowd is our own campus students.
The boys pile in – cheering, shouting, slapping backs hard enough to bruise.I laugh, or maybe I groan.Kinda both.Everything hurts, but we’ve done it.We’ve beat the other best team in the league, and I know we have made Coach proud.
I look up.
Nora’s there, with my sister beside her.They’re both standing, hands over their mouths, eyes shining under the lights.
I press my hand to my lips and blow her a kiss, noticing the way people turn to see who I’m looking at.Her smile is the only thing I see after that.I thought there might be comments or questions regarding the ‘fake relationship’ comment that Riley made in her article, but everyone assumes it was a lie like everything else.Since both Nora and I had feelings for each other right from the start, I don’t correct their assumptions.There was never anything fake about this for me.
In the locker room it’s chaos – sweaty, loud, and the room is electric with energy after the win.I hear boots hitting floors, tape being ripped off, the boys shouting over each other.
Coach comes in, his signature cap on, his whistle around his neck.His eyes scan us.No speech, just a nod, and that small smile he does, as if he is trying to hide the fact that he’s happy we just won the championship.‘Bloody brilliant.Well done.’
The boys start singing the team song, off-key and too loud, their voices cracking mid-line from shouting all game.I join in, singing so loudly my voice becomes hoarse.The team song is simply a stupid, made-up rhyme that has been sung over the years, but it’s tradition to sing it after a win.
I drop onto the bench once everyone settles down, my body finally giving me permission to crash now that it’s over.My jersey’s half-peeled off, clinging to my back like a second skinand I remove it, feeling like I can breathe again now that it’s off me.
‘Mate,’ Mason grins, flopping down beside me, looking just as sweaty and muddy as me.‘Amazing try.’
‘Couldn’t have done it without you and Parker,’ I say.Parker glances over at me and offers a crooked grin.‘Seriously man, the amount of tries you set up have secured us more wins than not.You’re deadly out there.’
‘Cheers, Zay,’ he says.
Both Mason and I stare at him for a moment, and I know we both feel the same about Parker: curious to know more, but we also just want to be there for him off the field like he is for us during the games, but it seems he isn’t interested in making friends.I’m determined to try, especially since Cami let it slip that she has the hots for him.Cami never likes anyone, apparently, so the girls seem to think it’s a big deal.
‘Yo, Parker,’ I say, pushing to my feet and leaning against the locker, the cool metal feeling refreshing on my skin.
‘Yo, Zayden,’ he replies in the same tone.
‘You took a big hit out there tonight,’ I say, running my hand through my sweat-drenched hair.‘Thought you were gonna snap that winger in half.’
He grins, that slow, lopsided thing he does.‘Didn’t hear you complaining when I cleared the space for you.’
