“No shit.” My chest tightens with frustration.
The game continues, but it’s more of the same. Julio’s distracted, always a step behind, and every time I glance his way, he’s got his eyes on the stands—his attention trained on Adriana and Kenji. “Come on, man!” I shout. “Get your head in the game!”
Then it happens—Julio mistimes a challenge, his footwork sloppy. The other team’s striker doesn’t hesitate, sidestepping him with ease, leaving Julio behind like he’s not even there. It’s a straight path to Atticus and our goal net.
I sprint, trying to close the distance, but I’m too far back.
Atticus dives, but the ball skims past his gloves and sinks into the back of the net.
0-1. Just like that.
Julio stands there, staring at the ground, his hands on his hips. His face is twisted in disbelief. Like he doesn’t understand how Suncrest U managed a goal.Newsflash cabrón, you let it through.
“Goddammit, Julio!” I shout as we regroup. I don’t have time to babysit his feelings right now.
Felix jogs over, wiping the sweat off his brow. “Man, we can’t keep playing like this.”
“We won’t,” I growl, pacing, trying to shake off my own irritation. “If he doesn’t snap out of it, I’m going to lose my shit.”
Coach calls for a water break, and I use the opportunity to stalk over to Julio. He’s off to the side, rubbing the back of hisbrightly colored tattooed neck. I can see him trying to get back in the zone, but whatever it is he’s telling himself, it isn’t having the desired effect.
I step into his space, not caring if he’s in the mood to talk or not. “You need to get your head in the game, man. Right now. This isn’t just about you. We lose this one and we lose the NCAA committee pick.”
He finally looks at me, his face tight. “I know, alright? I fucking know.”
“Do you? Because it sure as hell doesn’t look like it. You’re letting her mess with your head, and it’s fucking us up out here.”
Julio’s jaw clenches, his nostrils flaring. For a second, I think he might take a swing at me, but he doesn’t. He just exhales sharply, his eyes narrowing. “It’s not that simple.”
“It is that simple. You’re our captain. On this field, that’s all that matters. Be that guy and help your team win the game. You can be your usual broody fucking self when you walk off this field, but until then, she doesn’t exist. Understand?”
He doesn’t say anything. Just stares at the ground like it’s got all the answers.
“Look, man,” I say, softening my tone a little. “You’ve got to deal with your shit, but not right now. Not when we’ve got a game to win.”
Julio’s gaze flicks back to the field, and something clicks in his eyes. I don’t know if it’s enough, but it’s something.
He gives a curt nod. “Yeah. Alright.”
We head back out, and I can see him trying, putting in more effort, but it’s not the Julio we’re used to. The fire’s not there, not the way it should be. And we’re down because of it. Our team was already struggling. The barbeque was supposed to bring us all together. Help us get into sync.
Not tear our captain apart.
The rest of the game is a grind. We manage to score four goals during the first half but Suncrest U makes nine, and in the second, we just can’t close the fucking gap. When the final whistle blows, we finish with a score of 5-12.
Disappointment hits like a punch to the gut.
I shake hands with the other team, but my mind’s already checked out.
Back in the locker room, I glance at Julio. He’s sitting on the bench, staring down at his phone.More of this shit?He hasn’t said a word to any one of us since the game ended.
I grab a towel, wiping the sweat off my face. I want to say something, but what’s the point?
Jameia steps into the locker room with her hand over her eyes. “Everybody dressed?” she calls out.
A chorus of “Yes,” greets her.
She lowers her hand, a somber smile tugging at her lips as her dark brown eyes sweep across the room. She wore her box braids up today, twisting them into a complicated knot atop her head. She makes her way over to Julio, who’s slouched and shirtless on the bench like he’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders.
