Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 97882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97882 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 489(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 326(@300wpm)
No one was open.
Kyle was completely covered, two defensive players making it impossible for him to be a clear throw. Braden had tripped over his own feet and was trying to scramble up.
We were out of time.
The clock ticked down, and I saw Holden looking left and right, all the while watching where his offensive line was struggling to hold the beastly men desperate to sack him.
It was all over.
I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t do anything but close my eyes and wait for the final whistle to blow. I couldn’t watch him get sacked, couldn’t watch his dream shatter in that fashion.
The crowd was already loud, but a second after my eyes closed, they turned deafening.
I creaked one eye open.
Just in time to see Holden find a hole.
My other eye popped open then, and I screamed, throwing my arms in the air and jumping up and down as he sprinted through the break in the defense on the far-left side of the field. The defenders caught on to his movement just a hair of a second too late, but one of them managed to wrap Holden up and sling him down to the ground with enough force to break bones.
Not that it mattered.
Because he was taken down in the end zone.
Touchdown.
I cried. Tears stung my eyes as I screamed and jumped with the rest of the team. They all poured onto the field, swallowing up our offensive players who were out there while the Beavers hung their heads in disbelief. Confetti rained down a second later, and Riley jumped out of Zeke’s arms and wrapped me in a crushing hug. We jumped up and down together, hair bouncing, both of us screaming loud enough to burst the other’s ear drums.
They’d done it.
They’d won.
We were going to the championship game.
Holden
It was absolute madness after the final whistle blew.
Confetti stuck to my sweaty face as I tore off my helmet just in time to be hoisted into the air. I threw my fists up in victory, chanting NBU! NBU! with the rest of my team as they paraded me around the field.
The second they dropped my feet to the ground, we were surrounded by reporters, all the while families poured onto the field, too. I answered questions as best I could through my excitement, though I was frequently interrupted by a teammate jumping on my back or scooping me up in their arms. We were chaotic, too ecstatic to even pretend to be professional for the cameras.
We were East Conference Champions.
And we had earned our chance to fight for the national championship title.
The trophy ceremony happened so fast it was a blur, each of us taking turns holding the shiny gold thing and kissing it like it was the love of our life as Coach Lee gave a little speech. When we were released, the reporters swarmed again.
I was doing my best to lean in and hear the questions a young male reporter from College Sports Network was screaming at me over the noise when I was yanked from behind. One hand on my shoulder whipped me around, and then I was crushed in a bear hug by my Uncle Kevin.
“You fucking did it!” he screamed, clapping me hard on the back. He released me only so Uncle Nathan could pull me in, too, and I felt the cameras all around us, knew they’d be showing this on TV and talking about my family’s backstory.
“Hell of a game!” Nathan yelled. They were both wearing my jersey number on handmade hoodies, their faces painted, a crumpled-up sign in Nathan’s hands that I was sure they held up the entire time.
Kevin turned me back toward him, framing my arms in his hands. He dropped his forehead to mine. “I’m damn proud of you, Holden. Damn proud.”
I brought him in for another crushing hug, mostly so I wouldn’t cry on national fucking television. Then, they released me and told me they’d see me back at the hotel.
We didn’t say a time because all three of us knew tonight would be a long one for me.
As soon as they were gone, I scanned the crowd for Julep.
She was the only person I wanted to see, and yet she was the only one I couldn’t find. I saw Coach as Clay and Zeke poured a giant container of ice-cold Gatorade over his head. I saw Leo making out with the cheerleader he’d been chasing after all season. I saw JB and the rest of the training staff, Coach Hoover and his family, even Kyle where he was holding up his phone — no doubt on Instagram Live.
But no Julep.
My heart sank, and I started shoving through the crowd, hoping I could find her in the locker room. Before I took two steps, Giana hooked me by the arm.
“I need you in the press room!”