33LEWIS
Can you just sit still?” Amy is fiddling with her splint. “You look like Joey when he needs the bathroom…”
The room is packed. This is it—the moment I’ve been waiting for. Now that the big day has finally rolled around, my knee is bouncing like crazy, and even the cute little stress reliever sitting next to me isn’t helping my nerves. This is all too much.
“It’s draft day, Firebird,” I remind her.
Just two hours to go until the rest of my life.
“Never heard of it,” she drawls. “Unless that’s the thing you’ve been obsessing over for the past few weeks.”
“Years,” Adam corrects.
“Back the hell off, guys. I’m working my way through Prudence’s box-breathing exercises—or was that Hope?”
“Our names were on CBS,” Donovan reminds me. “It’s looking good.”
“You’re gonna get gross armpit stains on your shirt,” warns Carrie.
I can’t stop tapping my foot.
Amy pats me on the shoulder. “Want me to try knocking you out?”
“How would that help?”
She shrugs. “It could help you relax.”
“It could helpyourelax, you mean.”
She holds up her hands. “You got me.”
“You could come to the bathroom with me andreallyhelp me unwind…” I wink at her, and she pulls a face.
Suddenly, the lights dim, and a hush falls over the room.
I puff my cheeks out, my fists clenched between my knees.
As the opening speech drones on, my mind wanders. Each of the thirty teams will get two players, and I exchange nervous glances with Don beside me. We’re both in the exact same situation—tonight is the night our lives change forever. Coach is standing behind us, giving our shoulders a quick squeeze.
“Relax, guys. We worked our asses off to get here—it’s payoff time.”
I shake his hand. I owe the man so much, and I’m going to miss him once I’ve graduated. My phone buzzes, and I glance down. A good luck message from Mom and Dad. I shut my eyes. It doesn’t matter that they’re far away right now—I can feel them here, right beside me, and we’re planning a get-together back home in July. I can’t wait to introduce them to Amy.
My throat tightens. New York is up—their turn to name their two recruits. I know Don has his hopes set on these guys, so I’m crossing my fingers for him.
“For the New York Knicks… Donovan Wolinski!”
The crowd erupts, and our tight little group goes nuts. Lane and Adam have jumped to their feet, and even Lois’s eyes are shining.
“The fuckingKnicks, man!” I whoop as I launch myself at him. “This is insane!”
He hugs me hard against him, and I’m so happy for him, I could cry. Carrie loops her arms around his neck, taking his face in her hands and whispering in his ear, before kissing him.
We watch as Don strolls up to the stage, tugging off his suit jacket, letting the thundering applause wash over him. Even if I don’tget what I came for tonight, seeing my longtime friend get taken on by New York makes this evening one of the proudest of my life.
“I’ll show you the best spots.” Amy winks at him when he picks his way back to his seat.
“Say no, dude, I’m begging you!” I plead. “Amy’s best spots are terrifying.”
