19. Hannah

NINETEEN

HANNAH

My throat is raw from cheering. My feet are sore from standing on the metal bleachers. And my hands are still sweating.

We're currently ahead. The time is almost out. And I've listened to enough people around me to know that the other team is trying to win the game.

And they're trying to win it right now.

The player across from Maddox snaps the ball back, and Maddox takes off.

He's fast.

Faster than a guy his size should be.

Just as he's about to collide with the other team's player, he shifts. Instead of hitting him head-on, their shoulders clip, and Maddox spins around him.

Everyone around me screams.

Shouts of " Get him " and " Sack him " and " Mad Dog " ring through my ears.

But I don't make a sound because my voice is stuck in my throat.

There's no one between Maddox and the quarterback.

No one to stop him.

The opposing quarterback takes quick steps backward away from Maddox.

And I get it now.

I understand why they call my big, friendly guy Mad Dog. Because right now, he looks feral.

With a deafening roar from the crowd, Maddox plows into the quarterback.

Everyone around me is jumping.

Cheering.

Except Maddox doesn't go down with the quarterback.

"Oh fuck!" the guy next to me shouts.

It's like the stadium takes a breath, a beat of silence, as the quarterback falls and Maddox scoops the ball off the ground.

My hands fly to my mouth.

This feels big.

Maddox starts running.

This feels really big.

Ball in hand, Maddox starts running down an empty field.

The players in green are chasing him, but the ones in blue are shoving them over. Pushing them away. Keeping the path clear for Mad Dog Maddox.

I press my hands harder over my mouth.

Go, go, go!

The floor beneath me trembles with excitement.

My heart is beating out of control.

And then he's crossing the line.

Maddox is in the end zone.

The time's up.

He just scored a touchdown.

And we won.

Tears fill my eyes as the HOP U players surround Maddox.

My chest is so tight. I'm so… Fuck, I don't even know what this feeling is. It's like so much happiness is trapped inside my rib cage that it's squishing my lungs.

I'm so thrilled for him.

So proud of him.

So… in awe.

The girl behind me screeches and grabs my shoulders, giving them a shake. "Did you see that?"

I nod.

It's all I can do.

As the team jogs back toward the bench, Maddox looks this way, into the student section, at the hundreds of people. And it feels like he's looking right at me.

Behind my hands, I smile.