I’m panicking. Gage is just looking down at his phone.
The next play. Again. Tackled.
“What the heck! What is happening? Why isn’t he throwing the ball?”
“Because he never misses his target.”
I’m standing now, waving my arms at the field like an imbecile. I don’t even care who sees me right now. “Yeah, that’s the point! Whywould he want to miss? Why is he letting himself get tackled? They are going to lo—”
I stop midsentence.
There is no winning without you.
Gage is just smirking as I connect the dots. The last play happens, Everett is tackled again, and his coach is pissed. The ball goes to the other team, and I see number seven on the bench, grasping his ribs. Another coach is yelling in his face. Someone else is kneeled down, checking out his ribs.
“What am I supposed to do? I can't let him get pulverized by a bunch of oversize loafs!”
He pulls out a note. Jesus. This boy will be the death of me.
Pretty bird,
I’m probably really hurting right now and in a shit ton of trouble.
But it’s worth it. You’re worth it.
I don’t want to be in the spotlight if it isn’t your light.
So decide.
Take me as I am, the star quarterback.
Or take me as the bruised, love-sick ex-quarterback who threw the homecoming game.
Either way, take me.
Please.
– Ev
How can I keep denying this stupid, stupid boy? God, he is going to throw the homecoming game, just to be with me? Doesn’t he have scouts looking at him? He is going to lose any chance he has at a scholarship. These thoughts race through my mind, and the only solution I can think of to save his future…is to give him mine.
I shake my head. Him and his drastic measures. And as much as I want to continue to fight him, fight this burning in my chest for him, I can’t. I’ve fought enough in my life. To him, I want to surrender.
“What do I do, Gage?” I look to him for help because he clearly knows Ev better than anyone.
He runs his hand down his face, the first sign of distress I have seen from him. “Fuck, Leo. Don’t put that shit on me. I love Everett like a brother. You scare the shit out of me because of how much you have of him. I can’t tell you what to do. All I can tell you is what not to do, and that is to break his heart.”
I find comfort in Gage’s words. Even though they have an undertone of threatening vibes, I trust that it stems from how much he cares about Ev.
“Well, how do I tell him that I don’t want him to get hurt out there?”
“Oh, you can’t. Not till halftime.” Gage looks out casually like his friend isn’t about to die of a collapsed lung.
“What?”
“I’m kidding. He said you were cute when you're mad and thought I would see for myself. He was wrong. Here.”
“Yeah, well, you’re creepy.”Good comeback, Leo.
