Chapter Fourteen EVERLEIGH

Chapter Fourteen

EVERLEIGH

We’re in the fourth quarter of the game with only five minutes left and .?.?.

The Dolphins are freaking losing.

If they lose, it will be the first one of the season, and then they can’t afford to lose another. Two losses and they’re pretty much out of championship contention. Everything hinges on these final five minutes.

“I’m literally biting my nails,” Sienna complains as she smooths the ragged edge of her nail with her thumb. “This is freaking stressful.”

“I feel guilty.” I refuse to look at her, keeping my gaze on the field. The other team currently has the ball, and they’re doing everything they can to drive it down the field.

And the Dolphins are doing everything they can to stop it from happening.

“Why in the world do you feel guilty?”

“First game I come to watch and they’re losing?” I shake my head. “I’m bad luck.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

“You can’t stop biting your nails, and you look like you want to hurl. We’re both being ridiculous.” I’m literally sweating along my hairline, and I wonder if all the paint on my face is smeared. Great.

Sienna rolls her eyes, a horrified cry leaving her when the opposing team gains some major yardage. “If they score again, we’re doomed.”

My stomach is in knots, and I bet I look just like Sienna because I want to hurl too. This is awful.

We’re both silent, never looking away from the field. One of the defensive linemen knocks the ball right out of the hands of the opposing team’s receiver, and Sienna jumps to her feet, screaming her approval. And eventually, when the other team decides to try for a field goal, the kicker sends it spiraling into the air .?.?.

Only to hit the goalpost and fall to the right of it.

The referee makes it official—the field goal is no good.

Now we’re both on our feet, jumping up and down. I can feel the blonde and her friend glaring at our show of enthusiasm—she’s been doing that a lot this game, but I’ve learned to ignore her—and I laugh when Sienna yanks me into her arms, hugging me.

“We have a shot,” she murmurs close to my ear. “A little over three minutes to go. If we score, we’ll be up by a point.”

“But what if the other team gets the ball and has time to score again?” Now I’m chewing on my fingernail, ruining the team-colors manicure I gave myself last night.

“We’ll deal with that if the moment comes.” I love how she talks like she’s part of the team and out on that field playing the game with them.

We sit in agonizing anticipation as our offense runs onto the field and gets into position. Gavin calls out a bunch of words and things that don’t make much sense to me, and then someone hikes him the ball. He stands there, arm cocked back, ball clutched in his hand as he surveys the field in front of him. He throws the ball, and it sails through the air in a perfect spiral.

I’m breathless watching that ball, Sienna clutching my arm so tightly it feels like she’s cutting off circulation, and when it lands in Nico’s hands, I exhale roughly in a loud scream.

Nico runs it down the field, defensive players trying their hardest to stop him, but they can’t. He slithers out of their grasping hands, fast as lightning as he barrels down the field and straight into the end zone.

We’re hopping up and down and clutching each other along with everyone else in the stadium. The crowd screams with joy, and Nico is doing a little dance in the end zone, Coop eventually joining him and slapping the back of his helmet.

I’m grinning and hollering at the same time, and when I glance over at Sienna, I find that she’s smiling just as wide as me. This is a moment. One I probably will never forget.

“There’s still ninety seconds left,” Sienna says once we’ve all calmed down and our kicker got the extra point. “As long as they can’t score, we’ll be good.”

I’ve paid enough attention to know that ninety seconds can stretch into five minutes, and that’s dangerous. “Is that enough time for them to score?”

“Maybe.” She’s hedging. “Probably.”

“Ugh.” I slump in my seat. “This is so nerve racking. I don’t know how you can stand watching these games.”

“You’re going to find out because I’m dragging you to every single game I go to,” Sienna says.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to survive. Watching them play is stressful.

The first few seconds are good. Our defense blocks the other team, not allowing them much yardage. One of our guys even sacks the quarterback just as he’s about to throw the ball, but there’s still too much time on the clock.

And all that time, even if it’s only seconds, makes me nervous.

The entire stadium is on edge. I can feel it in the air. Taste it even. I’m leaning forward in my seat, my gaze finding Nico standing on the sideline, Gavin and Coop beside him, their backs to me. I wish I could see their faces, but then again maybe I don’t want to see them. They might look worried.

I’m worried enough.

The quarterback throws the ball, and Sienna grabs my arm, squeezing tight as the ball flies through the air, only to land in .?.?.

One of our defense players’ hands.

He catches it, looking stunned for a brief second before he launches into action. He tucks the ball close to him and takes off in a run.

The crowd is going wild. So are our guys on the sideline, yelling their encouragement at their teammate as he makes it into the end zone with the other team far behind him. He made that touchdown look easy.

And just like that, we win.

“Is this normal?” I ask Sienna as we linger outside the team’s locker room. There aren’t very many people out here, which is odd, but Sienna knew the guards blocking the path that led to the building, so I’m guessing we’re just some of the select few who can wait for the team out here.

“Is what normal?”

“You waiting here for the team.” We’re leaning against a brick wall, Sienna scrolling through all the photos she took as she tries to make a social media post.

“Definitely. I’m here pretty much every home game.”

“Who did you used to go to the games with?” I’m assuming she has other friends she went to games with. No way did she go to them alone.

Did she?

“Well, last season I always went with this one guy’s wife.”

“Wife?”

Sienna glances up at me with a nod. “Yeah, they got married when they were twenty. Wild, right? I think she wanted to lock that guy down because now he’s a second-string lineman for the Broncos. Got picked up in the draft.”

“Wow. That’s amazing.”

“Like I told you when I first met you, Gav and Coop and Nico—they all have the potential to get drafted and play professionally.”

“I can’t imagine it.” I’m shaking my head, not because I don’t think they can do it. More like I’m in awe of the fact that they most likely will do it.

And I know these guys. I live with two of them. It’s crazy.

“Well, start imagining because I’m fairly certain it will happen for one of them. Or all of them. They’re that good.”

I glance around the courtyard, where people are standing around. There are a couple of reporter-looking types waiting not too far from where we’re standing, as well as a group of older men and women who are giving off strong parental vibes. There are a couple of little kids rocking Dolphins T-shirts with autograph books clutched in their hands, and I find that completely adorable.

Guys start exiting the locker room, a few trickling out at a time. All of them with big ol’ smiles on their faces and decked out from head to toe in brand-new Dolphins gear. I’m sure they wear this stuff and get photographed in it, only for it to sell out everywhere.

Smart move on the school’s part.

We spot Frank exiting the locker room, and Sienna calls him over. He approaches us with a smile on his face and hugs Sienna first, and then me.

“Sorry you didn’t get to play today,” I tell him once he releases me.

He shrugs, then winces. “It’s fine. I didn’t want to mess up my shoulder any more than it already is. I might end up benched for the season again.”

“Oh, that sucks, Frank.” Sienna reaches out and pats him on the arm. “I’m so sorry.”

“We can work on it during our next yoga session,” I suggest. Frank’s gaze swings to mine, his expression hopeful. “I can’t promise miracles, but I know some stretching exercises that might help.”

“That would be great. I hate missing out on this season. It’s my last one.” Oh, he sounds so sad.

“We’ll definitely work on it Monday night,” I tell him.

“You’re the best, Everleigh. Seriously.” He lunges for me, picking me up in his arms and swinging me around so fast, my legs swing out behind me.

I’m smacking his chest lightly. “Put me down! What if you hurt yourself?”

“Nah, that won’t happen. You barely weigh anything.” He eventually sets me on my feet, and I’m laughing, a little breathless, when suddenly I can feel someone staring at me.

At us.

I glance to my right to see Nico approaching us with his usual buddies and teammates flanking either side of him. His expression is somber, his lips pulled into a grim line, and I wonder why he looks angry when everyone else is grinning. Rightfully happy after their amazing win.

“Valente, why you so pissed off? We just won!” This comes from Frank.

Nico barely looks at him, his attention all for me. I stand as still as a statue as he heads straight for me, all the air lodged in my throat as I wait for him to say something.

Anything.

“I thought she asked you to back off,” Nico says to Frank through tight lips, stopping directly in front of us.

Frank’s frowning. “Are you talking about .?.?. Everleigh?” He sends me a look, but all I can do is just stand there, gaping like a fish. I’m sure I look like an idiot with my smeared face paint and my braids coming undone, little flyaway hairs everywhere.

“Yeah, I’m talking about Ever.” Nico looks in my direction, his dark eyes flashing with an unrecognizable emotion. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I reassure him, my voice faint. “Frank’s just glad I offered to help him stretch his shoulder.”

“Yeah, bro. Relax.” Coop slaps Nico in the chest, and Nico’s gaze flickers with irritation. “It was nothing. She’s just trying to help the poor guy out.”

“Oh.” Nico visibly relaxes, all the strain that filled his every feature slowly disappearing. “Right.”

“Why such a strong reaction, hmm, Nico?” Sienna’s smile is naughty. There’s no other word to describe it. “You jealous of their friendship?”

“I’m not jealous of anything,” Nico practically spits out.

“Then what is it?” Sienna is goading him into having a reaction, and I send her a look. One that says .?.?.

Knock it off.

Totally curious about his answer, though.