Page 116 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

I shrug. “What?”

He shakes his head, laughing as we break.

The next drive is a fight, every play, every yard. The Tigers hit hard, but so do we.

By halftime, we're still tied.

As we head toward the locker room, their quarterback calls after us.

“We're neck and neck, Links. Enough shit talk.”

I turn around. “Doesn't make you any less of a pussy.”

He glares at me. I smile.

Links turns too. “Last I checked, you're still number two.”

“Stoneville’s gone; you aren’t even number one no more.”

I laugh. “Blue Valley will be.”

Ryan adds something about Links being last year's MVP, and I can't resist.

“Meow.”

A few of the guys laugh.

I point toward the Tigers quarterback. “Pussy.”

He starts mouthing off again, and I'm still laughing when Alex finally cuts in. “Maybe you should talk less shit, save your energy; maybe then you’ll have a fighting chance.”

Links turns toward him, eyebrows raised, and then a grin spreads across his face. “Well, look who decided to join us.”

Alex just shrugs. “Seemed appropriate.”

Then we're through the locker room door.

I jump onto the bench.

“In case you weren't informed, Stoneville didn't take state just because we're the best on the field.”

“But we were,” Van says.

I nod. “Exactly. We were also the best at shit talk. Second half, we dial that up to wow.”

Coach Harris walks in. “Your asses better make sure the officials don't hear it. They don't need any more excuses to call shit penalties on us.”

“Yes, Coach.”

We hydrate and grab our helmets.

It’s go time!

By the third quarter, the Tigers have figured out that I'm a problem. Which means they're doing everything they can to make me somebody else's problem. I've got two guys watching me on almost every play, and when I do get the ball, there are bodies coming at me from every direction. I take the hits, get back up, and line up again. That’s how we play. That's football.

We're tied late in the third when I break free. Wide open. I don't even have to think about it. Links sees me and lets it fly. The ball comes down exactly where it should, and I pull it in without breaking stride. End zone. Touchdown.

I barely have time to get my feet under me before I look up to Jade, she’s on her feet, and give her the second J of the game.