Page 54 of Off Sides

The second is when it all falls apart. And it’s not because of Ty Easton or Kensley. It’s because right as we get set, Adler has to open his fucking mouth. “Don’t fuck this up, Duke. You’ve been playing shit ever since you popped your cherry with your boyfriend there.”

Oh fuck. I turn my head to look at Calvin, hoping like hell now is not the time he takes the bait. I don’t know how Adler knows that, or even if he does—I bet it was just a lucky guess—but I know without a doubt when the whistle blows to start the play and the snap reaches me, Adler’s goal hit a direct target.

A huge Kensley defenseman hits me and hits me hard. I go down, still clutching the ball. Fuck my life. That hurt.

I can barely move, and the whistle blows again to stop the play, the two Kensley players who hit me climb up and bounce off happily while I lie there. “Shit.” Calvin drops down next to me. “Fuck. I’m so sorry. Goddammit.”

“I’m fine,” I croak. “It was Adler’s fault anyway. What the fuck is wrong with you?” I ask, looking up at the ugly fucker.

He just shrugs passively like he didn’t just set us back in the game. “What? I was just making sure his head was in it.”

“No, you weren’t.” Calvin stands up, and uh-oh. No. I stand up too, my body sore, but thankfully, my head is just fine. It didn’t take the hit.

“ Calvin, don’t,” I warn because yay for standing up for yourself, but not now.

“You just can’t shut your mouth ever, Adler.”

“Was what he said untrue?” Shields, of fucking course, has to chime in.

“Nope,” Calvin says, and holy. Shit. Did he just . . . ? “I’m gay, and you all fucking know it,” he says, his eyes sweeping over the offensive line. “And it’s none of your business.”

“I knew it,” Adler sneers. “You’re fucking our quarterback, and you think that’s okay? That you can get by with this?”

I can hear Micah shouting from the sidelines to get our asses ready for the next play, but we’re all at a standstill. “Get by with what? How exactly does this affect you?” Calvin asks, standing toe-to-toe with him. And honestly . . . hot. But again, not now.

“It’s disgusting. You’re fucking trash,” Adler says, stepping even closer, and now, I’m in this because he better back the hell up. “You’re a fucking . . .”

He doesn’t get whatever vile word he was about to say out because Calvin tackles him, knocking both of their helmets off in the tussle. Oh. Shit.

They roll around, Calvin landing some harsh punches to Adler’s face before Shields moves to pull them apart but winds up getting punched too. Then all hell breaks loose. Billy jumps in, and so do I. Then some other guys.

Fists flying. Helmets off. Blood all over the place. It’s chaos.

I’m furious. At so many things right now, and I just want to finally give these fuckers what they deserve. I get a hard punch to the nose, not breaking it, I don’t think, but I’m bleeding for sure. I nail Shields right in the eye with my whole fist and body weight behind it.

The whistles are blowing. Coaches and refs everywhere, trying to pry us all apart.

The game is called. We forfeit to the Kensley Panthers, and our chances of going to State are blown.

I wish I could say I care, but sitting in the locker room, half undressed I look over at Shields and Adler’s broken, swollen faces, and I feel nothing but satisfaction as I wipe the blood from my nose with the back of my hand.

“What the hell was that about?” Micah’s loud voice booms through the silent locker room. Okay, maybe now I care a little.

I just fucked up his state chances.

No one says a word.

“You disqualify yourselves from state, and none of you have anything to say?”

He has the right to be mad. He does. And so do the other coaches, but I’m mad right now too. I’m really fucking mad when I look to my left and see Calvin, his eyes sad and full of shame.

Probably horrified that his family is going to find out. Horrified that he told his truth. That his coach is mad at him right now, and that’s so not okay.

“We wouldn’t have gotten to this point if you didn’t allow shitheads to bully a teammate for a year,” I bite out, and Micah zones in on me, walking over with furious eyes.

“What did you just say to me?”

“You heard me,” I say it fairly quietly, but I know everyone else can hear it too.