33. Dylan

Chapter 33

Dylan

I t's been a week since Matthew and Woosley confronted the team and they conditioned the whole practice. Things have gotten better, but the apprehension of me on the team is still there. Everyone is being nice to my face, but I hear the occasional whisper of me not being able to keep up or that I'll be the reason we lose this season.

I intend to prove them wrong. Which is why I've been training hard and leaving everything I have on the field with each practice. By the end of the first game, all those doubters will be eating their fucking words. But I also plan to kill them with kindness. So I've invited Avery and the team to the house tonight for a fire and drinks.

I head downstairs, ready for the night, and hope people actually show up. The music hums low through the outside speakers, filtering its way into the house; a mix of old-school R Lance, Patrick, and Kevin follow close behind. Henry flashes me that familiar boyish grin as he stops at the porch, barely out of breath.

"Hey, Murphy. Thanks for the invite."

"Hi." I wave them inside with a small smile. "Come on in."

They step past me and I guide them through the house toward the backyard, already hearing the fire crackling in the pit.

I gesture toward the back door. "The guys are already out back getting the fire going. There are drinks on the counter in the kitchen, and the bathroom is that way. Pizza will be here soon, and other than that, just have fun. Oh, and the upstairs is off-limits. Sorry."

"No problem, man—uh, I mean girl—uh, I mean… Dylan," Henry stammers, his face flushing slightly as he tries to backtrack.

I laugh, genuinely charmed by his effort. "Relax, Henry. It's not that serious. I know what you meant, and ‘man' is fine."

Henry chuckles, looking relieved. "Thanks, Murphy. It's just... new. I don't want to screw it up. Some of the guys are jerks about this stuff, and I just don't wanna be that guy."

Avery snorts beside me, looping her arm through his. "Wow, a real man of the people."

"Somebody's gotta do it." Henry winks, pulling his arm out of Avery's and heading to the kitchen, his friends on his heels.

Avery hooks her arm with mine and smirks. "Now, let's get some drinks. And let me meet these men you've apparently enchanted."

I roll my eyes and head with Avery to the kitchen. I grab a Sun Cruiser from the cooler and hand one to Avery, despite her teasing request for something more exotic. Henry pops open a beer and clinks bottles with his teammates.

I crack open my drink and glance toward the backyard. Through the sliding glass door, I spot Matthew at the fire pit with Ford and Jacob. Matthew's sitting on the edge of a folding chair, arms crossed over his chest, shoulders tight. He really didn't want to be here. He thinks it's inappropriate because he's technically the coach now, but I batted my eyes and maybe pouted a little until he relented. He keeps trying to play by the rules even when the rest of us know college doesn't work like that.

Henry takes a sip of his beer, watching me curiously. "So, Murphy. This is nice—good vibe so far."

"Yeah, well." I shrug and smile. "It's all about setting the right tone. It's not just a party; it's team bonding."

Henry laughs, nudging Lance with his elbow. "See, I told you she's serious about this."

"She's intense," Patrick chimes in, and I give him a small smile. I know exactly what he's been saying about me behind my back—that I'll never keep up, that I'll cost the team games. It stings, even though I'm working my ass off to prove them wrong. I've been running extra drills and staying late after every practice. I can already see my conditioning getting better, but I still have work to do.

Avery, however, doesn't give a damn about any of that. She slinks up beside me, tilting her head and giving Henry a playful grin. "Murphy here's gonna outwork all of you by mid-season, and when she does, I'll be right there with a smug ‘I told you so.'"

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," I murmur, half-embarrassed but grateful.

Patrick rolls his eyes. "Well, I guess we'll see."

Henry chuckles, glancing between us. "Wow, you really believe in her, huh?"

Avery meets his gaze and smiles with a teasing glint in her eye. "More than you know. Dylan is a force to be reckoned with."

Before I can dig into that, the sliding door opens, and Ford steps inside, his dark curls messy from the breeze outside. He catches my eye and grins. "Dylan, we need you out back. Matthew's being Matthew again."

I roll my eyes. "Of course he is."

Ford laughs, brushing past me to grab another drink. "C'mon, hurry. He's already on his third ‘responsibility speech.' If you don't stop him, we're all gonna fall asleep."

Henry chuckles from behind me.

I grab Avery by the hand and lead her toward the sliding door. "Time to meet the boys," I tell her.

She grins, her winged eyeliner making her eyes flash mischievously. "Finally. I've been dying to see the chaos for myself."

We step outside, and the warmth of the fire hits me immediately, making the cool night air feel perfect. Matthew is still sitting on the edge of his chair, exactly as Ford described—serious, arms folded, brows furrowed. He's mid-sentence when we approach.

"I just think it's important that we all keep in mind—"

"Matthew." I cut him off with a grin. "Relax. It's supposed to be fun, remember?"

He gives me a look, half-exasperated and half-affectionate. "I know, I know. It's just..."

"Coach stuff," I finish for him.

Ford clinks his beer against Matthew's soda can. "Take a night off, man. The season hasn't even started yet."

Matthew exhales a long breath and finally leans back in his chair. "Fine. But I'm only doing this for you, Dylan."

I wink. "That's all I ever ask."

Avery squeezes my hand and leans in, whispering, "Your boyfriend's a buzzkill, but he's cute. I approve."

I laugh and guide her closer to the fire pit, where Jacob is adjusting the logs with a metal poker. "Guys, this is Avery. Avery, these are the boys . That's Jacob."

Jacob glances up and gives her a lazy grin. "Hey."

"Ford." I point the shaggy blond's way.

Ford nods, tipping his beer in greeting. "‘Sup."

"And Matthew." I lean closer to whisper in her ear. "The almost stepbrother."

Matthew gives her a small, polite smile, clearly still a little on edge. "Hi."

Avery surveys them like she's assessing merchandise, then turns to me with a satisfied smirk. "Not bad, Dylan. Not bad at all."

Henry raises an eyebrow. "So, Avery, are you also gonna try to be a player on this team, or just here to charm the pants off of us?"

"Only the pants of the most charming ones," Avery replies, throwing him a flirtatious grin.

Henry laughs, shaking his head.

She takes a sip from her drink. "So, Henry, tell me—what's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you on the field?"

Henry's cheeks flush slightly, and he glances between the guys and Avery, a shy smile breaking through. "Well, there was that time I completely missed the ball during practice and ended up face-planting in front of everyone."

Avery bursts into laughter, and I feel a rush of warmth at how easily she pulls everyone in. The tension that had surrounded Matthew earlier seems to lift, and the conversation flows easily. I settle into a chair between Matthew and Ford, feeling a little lighter myself. This is what I wanted—a night that feels normal, where we can all just be .

"Okay, okay, your turn," Avery says, nudging Ford playfully. "What's the most embarrassing thing you've seen someone on the team do?"

Ford chuckles, glancing over at me. "I don't know if I can top the face-plant, but last year, I once saw Dylan trip over her own feet during a drill and take out two of our best players."

I gasp in mock offense, pointing at him. "That was one time ! And I still managed to score on the next play."

"Yeah, but the fall was epic," Ford laughs.

"Is this how you all bond? By roasting each other?" Patrick murmurs.

"Only the new girl," I shoot back.

Avery leans in closer to Henry, their shoulders brushing. "I don't know about you all, but I love a good roast."

As I take a sip of my drink, I notice the way Henry steals glances at Avery, his smile genuine and easy. It's clear he's enjoying her company, and I feel a twinge of excitement for what's brewing between them.

But as the fire crackles and the night stretches on, I push my curiosity aside for now. I want to enjoy this moment, to bathe in the feeling of acceptance.

Matthew catches my eye, and I smile. "Thanks for being here, Matthew," I say, my voice sincere. "I know you didn't want to come, but I'm glad you did."

He gives me a soft smile, one that melts away any remaining tension in his shoulders. "I'm glad too. It's good to see you having fun."

We both look toward Avery and Henry, who are in the middle of a light-hearted debate about their favorite plays. Henry's animated, his hands moving as he talks, and Avery laughs easily, her red hair catching the firelight.

"I can't help but think there's something going on there," Ford says, dipping down to kiss my forehead.

"Who, Avery and Henry?" I glance their way, excited someone else has noticed this too. "You think?"

"Oh, absolutely. Did you see the way they were looking at each other?"

"If that's true, I'd be surprised. Henry's usually pretty shy," Jacob adds as he takes the chair on my other side.

"Shy? Not with her." I chuckle, taking another sip of my drink. "I can practically feel the chemistry."

Matthew chuckles softly, looking thoughtful. "Maybe you're onto something."

As I'm about to respond, I notice more players starting to trickle in through the backyard. Ford springs into action, a grin spreading across his face as he takes it upon himself to be the unofficial welcome committee.

"Hey, everyone! Come grab a drink!" he calls out, gesturing for them to join us around the fire.

While it's not the whole team, it's a good twenty of the forty-five players, and it's a start. The atmosphere shifts, filled with excitement as laughter and chatter fill the air.

"Dylan! Come on, join us!" Ford beckons, his enthusiasm infectious. I step forward, the warmth of the fire wrapping around me like a comforting blanket.

"Yeah, what's the point of this party if you're just going to stand there?" Matthew nudges me playfully, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

I roll my eyes, but I can't suppress a grin. "Alright, alright! I'm coming."

"Okay, okay! Let's play a game!" Ford announces, clapping his hands together to gather attention. "How about a round of ‘Never Have I Ever'?"

The players cheer, and I chuckle, feeling a flutter of anticipation. This could be fun—everyone sharing secrets, laughter ringing out under the stars.

"Alright, I'll start," Ford declares, standing up and raising his drink high. "Never have I ever… gone skinny dipping!"

A chorus of laughter erupts as several players take sips from their drinks, some feigning shock while others high-five each other.

As the game continues, I feel a surge of warmth at the connection being forged between us. Avery leans over to me, a glint in her eye. "You really did it, Dylan. They're warming up to you."

"I hope so," I reply, glancing around at the laughter and shared stories. "But it's just the beginning. I want to show them I can keep up on the field, too."

"You will," she says confidently. "You're stronger than they think."

"Hey, Dylan!" someone calls, drawing my attention. It's Henry, still holding court with his impromptu trivia about football history. "What's your prediction for the season?"

I shoot him a grin, feeling my confidence swell. "I think we're going to have a good season with mostly wins."

"Now that's the spirit!" he says, raising his drink in a toast.

I raise my drink in response, my heart swelling with determination. I glance at Matthew, who nods at me with a smile, and then back at the group, who are all raising their drinks in unison.

"To teamwork!" they shout.

"To proving them wrong!" I echo, my voice ringing out over the night.

As the fire crackles and the laughter echoes, I realize this moment is just the beginning. I'm ready to show them who I really am, both on and off the field.

And as the stars twinkle above, I feel a sense of belonging I've craved for so long. In this moment, surrounded by laughter and friendship, I know I've found my place.