AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The crowd collectively lets out a groan.
We advance to the thirty-five-yard line and the offensive players step up.
“Finish it!” I shout.
My linebacker covers outside as they run the ball across, heading toward the end zone. The Bears make a beeline for that touchdown. If they get this one, we’re fucked without a few more minutes left to play. Marc gets the ball, but I’m not going to let him cross that line. It’s up to me—I’m looking for work when the other players have their hands full.
When Marc breaks through, I see my chance and I tackle. I throw everything I have into it. A knee hits my head, and I see stars, but I grip the shirt between my fingers as tightly as I can and ram down with my shoulder.
Marc grunts when his face hits the ground.
“You okay, man?” I ask, rolling off Marc.
“Jesus, you’re a fucking tank,” he gasps.
I laugh. “Sorry, man.”
I help him up, and he shakes himself off like a dog, and we head off the field so our respective defense and offense teams can do what they need to do.
I watch as our quarterback gets the ball. The Golden Bears’ faces are twisted into snarls behind their grills. They’re not about to let us score.
The quarterback thinks fast.
“He’s going to fuck this up,” I mutter.
When he gets the ball to our kicker, Stevens punts that ball and we watch as it flies through the air. It makes it through the uprights.
“That’s three points!” Colin shouts. “Five, and then some, and we’re through!”
The ball is in play again, and after a few switches and fumbles, I’m back on the field, protecting the fuck out of the ball so that the Golden Bears can’t redeem themselves. I take out my wide, and the linebacker takes out the quarterback.
Colin, a defensive end, gets a hold of the ball and he makes a break for it. He runs like a demon and the crowd loses their shit as he makes it all the way to the end zone. The Golden Bears try to catch him, but when Colin starts running, he has fire under his feet, and he reaches our end zone.
We’re up one point, but that’s a win.
When the ball is in play again, and our quarterback has it, I know we can take it. But there’s no time—the whistle blows, and the game is over.
Colin jumps on me. “We fucking won! We beat their fucking asses!”
The rest of the team join us in our celebration.
Fuck, what a game.
When the game is over, we head toward the locker rooms. I want to get dressed and get out of here so I can see my girl.
“Brett Evans,” a man in a suit says. He has dark hair, and he looks uncomfortable in this heat.
“Yeah?”
“I’m Terry Frank, Manager for the California Golden Bears. We’d like to discuss buying you for the team if you’re interested in a move like that.”
I stare at him. “You want me?”
He nods. “You’re a hell of a player, Brett. We could do with a cornerback like you. Is that something you’d be interested in?”
Until two weeks ago, I would have said no. I love Hawaii. I love my life here, and I’m happy with my team. But things have changed. I have other priorities now, too. And I want to be with Jenna.
“I’d like that,” I say.
