by Layla Wilde
I simply nodded. He was right. I had barely slept for the last two days. “Promise you won’t go off to any parties while I’m asleep?” I teased him.
“You aren’t going to let that go, are you? I didn’t do anything with the blonde. You know I hate blondes, anyway,” Hunter told me, a look of mock offense on his face.
I laughed and kissed his cheek. “I know. I was just teasing you. I know you’d never do anything to hurt me.” I snuggled into his chest, making myself comfortable. He draped a fleece blanket over my body, and I smiled. “You should get some sleep too, you know. That game won’t win itself.”
“Oh, I know. The painkillers they gave me are already kicking in.”
“I’m glad you finally saw a medical professional about that injury. It would have festered and continued to get worse if you had let it go unattended for much longer,” I chastised him. “Why didn’t you tell me it was getting infected?”
“I didn’t want you to get mad at me like you did that first night. I knew you would try and push me to go to the hospital, but I couldn’t afford to lose my spot on the team. I didn’t mean to make you worry,” Hunter said, a sincere look on his face.
I sighed. “You always were hard-headed. Well, at least it’s properly taken care of now.” I rested my head on his chest and listened his soft, rhythmic heartbeat. “Now all you have to do is win that game, baby.”
“Oh, you can count on that.”
***
Before I knew it, I was sitting on the bleachers. It seemed like the whole student body had come out to support the team in their first game of the season. People were dressed in school colors and holding banners above their heads, while others enjoyed the discount beer sold at the concession stands.
I just sat at the edge of my seat, biting my lip in nervousness. The teams had yet to come out. I nibbled at the end of my nails in anxiety. What would happen if we lost? I knew Hunter would be devastated. I didn’t even want to think what kind of mental torture he would put himself through if he let his team down during this game.
To my left, I saw a few well-dressed men making their way to the front row in the reserved section. I could tell they were the NFL scouts everyone was so hyped up about. They had stern looks on their faces and a dark presence about them. They didn’t look overly pleased to be here.
“Hey, mind if I sit next to you?”
I was startled when someone addressed me. I looked up, wide-eyed, at Jesse, his chest painted in school colors. “Sure thing,” I said, sliding over. He sat down and offered me some popcorn. I took a handful, popping some in my mouth nervously. “You don’t strike me as a fan of football,” I told Hunter’s friend.
“Yeah, not really. But this is Hunter’s big game. I couldn’t miss it,” he said, smiling at me. He shrugged off his leather jacket, showing off his broad shoulders. It was so odd to see him without it. “Also, I don’t really know anything about football, so you’ll have to explain it to me.”
“Oh, I don’t understand a lot of it either. All I know is what Hunter has told me over the years, and half the time, I wasn’t even paying attention.”
He chuckled at my response. “I guess we’ll just have to watch and see what everyone else does.” He shrugged, placing the popcorn between us so we could share. I was glad I had something to nibble on so I wouldn’t continue to ruin my nails.
A heavy hush of silence fell over the crowd as the opposing team’s fans filled their bleachers. A loud boo started from our side. I remained quiet, watching them file into their seats, looks of malice and determination painted on their faces. They had come a long way to support their team. I bit my lip. “We have to win this…” I whispered.
“Don’t worry. We will,” Jesse said confidently.
The two teams ran out of the locker rooms, tearing through their respective banners. I instantly searched for Hunter. All the players looked the same in their helmets and uniforms, so I searched for lucky number thirteen. Finally, I spotted him somewhere in the middle. He kept digging the tip of his shoe into the grass in nervousness. Eventually, he looked my way, seeing me through his helmet. We locked eyes, and I quickly blew him a good luck kiss.
The game started. There was no way to describe the energy surrounding me. People cheered, booed, and cursed. On the field, players got tossed around and sacked. All I could do was keep my eyes glued to Hunter, hoping he did something that would impress the NFL scouts sitting in the front row, their eyes examining the action like hawks.
“He’s doing well, isn’t he?” Jesse asked me.
“I think so, but he hasn’t been able to run a pass down the field yet. It’s only the first quarter, though…” I gnawed my bottom lip, knowing if he didn’t get in some action soon, he would be overlooked.
With things looking bleak, the coach asked for a time out. The time huddled around him, obscuring the middle-aged man from view. Minutes ticked away before the players walked back onto the field. “Wait. What’s going on?”
“Why is Hunter changing his position?” Jesse asked me. “Is that normal?”
“Not at all. It looks like Hunter’s playing cornerback.”
“What does that mean?”
“That Hunter is now playing on the defensive line. I don’t get it. There’s nothing wrong with the current cornerback,” I answered.
“Not true.” Jesse pointed to the smaller freshman who was limping to the sidelines holding his side. “I think he might have pulled something.”
“But why would the coach make Hunter play defense. It doesn’t make any sense.” Before I could wrap my mind around it, the game started up again. I held on to the edge of my seat, leaning forward as the players squatted down ready for initial play from the opposing team.
In a flash, the quarterback had the football in his hands. He jerked his arm back and threw it in a long arc, aimed directly at the long receiver. In a blur of a moment, Hunter sprinted toward the large man. I held my breath as I saw Hunter jump into the air, grabbing the football with the tips of his fingers, intercepting a rival player’s pass. Instantly, he clutched it against his chest, dashing down the field. Other players tried to get in his way, but his team worked flawlessly to keep them at bay. I held my breath, seeing a roadblock. There were at least three people coming his way. I had no idea how he would avoid them.
Suddenly, someone from our team tackled the closest offender, bringing him to the ground, but there were still two more in Hunter’s way. If he went left or right, he would meet trouble. My heart hammered, wondering what he would do.
To my surprise, he jumped right over them and was in the clear. The end zone was only twenty yards away. He sprinted forward. Touchdown! He slammed the ball into the ground as his team surrounded him, cheering him on for an impeccable play.
After that, no one could stop Hunter. He seemed to shine not as a running back but as a cornerback. With the freedom to intercept he managed to be everywhere all at once. Whenever the opposing team thought it was safe, he would fly in and steal the ball, running it all the way down to the end zone, weaving through tough spots. By the end of the second quarter, Stateside was up by forty-nine points.
“Wow…” Jesse said as everyone settled down for halftime. “I think I need a beer for this.”
I didn’t know at the time that Jesse was as straight-laced as they came and that this was wildly uncharacteristic of him. All I could see was that he was anxious for his friend. I nodded with a chuckle as I watched him file out with the rest of the student body to refill on snacks and drinks.
I was wrapped in Hunter’s jacket, which he had given to me to wear for good luck. I snuggled into it, smelling his distinct scent and smiling to myself. I had no doubt we would win this game. Still, when I glanced at the NFL scouts, they had the same hard looks on their faces, like they weren’t impressed. What if they didn’t talk to him? I didn’t want to imagine what Hunter would do if they ignored him. Or, God forbid, if they approached someone else with a contract. I uttered a small
prayer under my breath. He had to be picked.
Finally, the second half began. Jesse settled down beside me, sipping his beer and grimacing at the pungent taste. I had made quick work of the popcorn, so I nibbled on the kernels at the bottom of the bag, my nervousness getting the best of me. In the third quarter, the Scarlet Knights, Rutgers’ team, had managed to reorganize and catch up. They were only a field goal away from tying the score.
I moved to the edge of my seat, my heart hammering as I watched every move with bated breath. I waited for Hunter to steal the show, but they had learned from their mistakes in the first half. He was constantly guarded on all sides so he couldn’t slip in and change the course of the game. This wasn’t good. They had to think of something, or the other team would quickly get ahead.
Behind me, the crowd started yet another cheer. I hadn’t joined in on any of them, but this time, I couldn’t help myself. I got up and cheered at the top of my lungs. Our cheering captured Hunter’s attention. He looked up, caught my eye, and for a moment, the world stopped.
Hunter
“Okay, team, we can’t let them get inside our heads.” We had just called for a timeout. There were less than two minutes left on the clock. “We’re ahead, but not by much. If they manage to score a touchdown, we’re done for.” Ben’s voice was as serious as I had ever heard it. I could feel the arms of my teammates around me as we huddled together, listening to our captain. “What we really need is an interception.” He looked up at me, his eyes fierce. “If you get the ball, Hunter, I don’t care what you do, but get it through to the end zone.”
“You got it,” I answered.
“Don’t let me down.” He bumped his helmet with mine, and we dispersed. The clock counted down quickly as Scarlet’s quarterback took his time to make the pass. They wanted to score at the last possible second so we couldn’t make a comeback. I ground my teeth against my mouth guard as the adrenaline rushed through my veins. It was strange playing defensive but I have to admit I rather liked it.
Finally, the rival quarterback flung back his arm, making the pass. I grinned. He had made the mistake of throwing it long, thinking it would make up for lost time. I sprinted as hard as I could toward the ball. The wide receiver looked wide-eyed as I barreled toward him. I knocked him over and caught the ball at the last possible moment. I shot down the field. Everyone was disoriented, fumbling after me. I ran like hell, as if death itself was chasing after me.
I ducked under a large Scarlet player, somersaulting out of the way. The crowd cheered. I could hear the coach yelling at me to stop my fancy tricks, but his voice was quickly drowned out. My heart was deafening in my ears as I rapidly approached the end zone.
To my horror, however, there was a thick line of players waiting to stop me. I quickened my steps, determined to make this play even if it killed me. Without stopping, I closed my eyes and dove over them. One player grabbed my hips and pulled me to the ground.
A whistle sounded, and my heart froze. Had they stopped me from making the play? Tentatively, I opened my eyes. My arms were outstretched before me. My whole face lit up as I saw the football safely past the goal line. I had done it!
The clock buzzed, and my teammates rushed around me, lifting me up and balancing me on their shoulders in celebration. We had won. I could hardly believe it. A sense of wild euphoria rushed through every vein in my body. My mind spun with excitement. We had actually won!
“That was excellent!” Ben congratulated me, giving me a rough slap on the back.
I smirked, taking off my helmet and smiling up at the crowd. I saw Victoria sitting on the bleachers, her face one of pure surprise and happiness. She hugged Jesse, jumping up and down. I chuckled, pulling out my mouth guard. I held my helmet under my arm so I could approach the bleachers and talk to her when two men in dark suits walked up to me.
“Hunter Baxley?” one of them asked. I tilted my head to the side, wondering who they were. I nodded. “We watched you play. That was quite the performance you gave out there. We’re impressed. We haven’t seen someone with your guts in a very long time.”
I noticed the NFL logo embroidered into their pocket squares. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. “Thank you…” I stammered, barely able to find my voice.
“We liked your performance. We’re here on behalf of the New England Nationals. We heard good things about your team. We weren’t even aware that you were on the roster and were originally here to observe Owen Leary, but you really blew us away.” The dark-skinned one gave me a pearly white smirk. “You don’t quite have the qualifications to be drafted. Typically, we require two or three years of playtime, and if I’m correct, this was your first official game. Your first time playing defense. But you’re a natural, kid.” My heart dropped at his words. “You got spunk. We think you have what it takes in the big leagues. This year’s lineup really needs defensive players so you will have a very good chance of making it through in my opinion. What do you say about coming to our Pro Day? There, you would be expected to show off some of your other skills in a nationwide competition against some of the other top draft picks. I’m sure you’ll turn some heads.” He pulled out a card and handed it to me. I held it with shaking fingers. “You have twenty-four hours to make your decision. If you do decide to come, don’t forget to bring your A-game.”
“We hope you’ll give us a call. The NFL could use someone like you,” the other man said, offering me a warm smile. I nodded as they walked away.
I stood on the field, frozen in place. I gawked at the card in my hand, and my whole body shook with excitement. The NFL actually wanted me. I couldn’t believe it.
But would I be willing to give up my dream of being a running back to become a part of the defensive lineup? I clutched the card tighter. At this point, I couldn’t afford to be picky. Plus, playing cornerback wasn’t that bad. I still got to run down the field. I still got to turn heads and change the fate of the game. If they wanted a cornerback, they would get one.
“Congratulations.” Coach walked up to me and smiled. “I knew you had it in you, kid.” He chuckled, seeing my dazed expression. “Are you going to accept?”
“I… I don’t know.” Suddenly hesitant as the full extent of the opportunity dawned on me.
He looked surprised, raising an eyebrow in my direction. “You’re having second thoughts?”
“No… it’s just that there are some things I can’t leave behind…” I whispered, looking at the bleachers where Victoria waved at me. “If you’ll excuse me.” I walked over to her, my heart hammering. What was I supposed to tell her? This was my dream come true. But what would she say if I had to leave her during her pregnancy? It didn’t seem at all fair. I bit my lip as the turmoil quickly built inside of me.
Once I was close enough, Victoria ran up to me, wrapped her arms around my neck, and hugged me tight. I held her close, feeling her petite body against my own. “You did great, baby!” she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “I saw the scouts speaking to you. What did they say?” she asked me eagerly, stepping back and looking into my eyes.
I took her hand. “Let’s go home. We can talk about it in private.”
“Aww, come on. You can’t just leave me hanging like that! What did they say?” she pressed, giving me a puppy dog face. I just shook my head.
“So did they like you?” Jesse appeared out of nowhere. He gave me a bro hug, roughing up my already helmet-matted hair. “You were fantastic out there. Really kept everyone on their toes. When did you learn to play like that?” Jesse grinned, a barely touched beer in his hand.
“When did you learn to drink beer?” I asked, raising an eyebrow in his direction.
“It was on sale, first of all. Secondly, when I am really nervous. I had no idea if we would win or not.”
I just chuckled, punching his shoulder affectionately. “I’ll tell you tomorrow. For now, Victoria and I are going out to dinner to celebrate.” I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close.
&nbs
p; “What? You can’t do that. You have to tell me! Everyone will want to know,” Jesse protested. “It’s not fair.”
“I’ll tell you tomorrow, don’t worry,” I repeated calmly.
“You’re an asshole,” he mocked, looking grumpy.
I laughed. “That’s old news, Jesse.”
He chuckled and smiled at me. “But you’re going to tell me tomorrow or I might have to force it out of you,” he threatened playfully and walked away, disappearing through the mass of people.
Before we could leave the stadium, I was stopped a few more times by excited students who wanted to know my side of the story. I turned them down, pulling Victoria toward my car. All I wanted to do was go home and try to wrap my head around what had just happened.
***
Once we got to my house, I was too tired to go out again. We ordered delivery instead, eating silently for a few minutes before Victoria spoke. “Are you going to make me guess what happened or are you going to tell me?” She hadn’t touched her vegetable lo mein. She twirled the noodles around on her chopsticks, looking irritated. “Just tell me what they said!” She got up and pushed me back on the couch.