Page 59 of Tell Me I'm Enough

The play starts, and the quarterback moves backwards, looking around before throwing the ball downfield. Mason catches it and sprints towards the end zone.

He’s so confident and moves like nothing can stop him. The other team has several men on him, but he maneuvers through them like they’re invisible. A guy rushes him right atthe end zone, launching himself in the air to tackle him, but Mason thinks quickly and jumps over him. His foot gets caught right under the guy, but he lands just past the line, scoring a touchdown—his first one of the season.

The crowd erupts in cheers, and the girls and I jump up and down, screaming.

Lydia takes hold of my arm and leans into me, screaming over the noise. “Did we get a point?”

I laugh, shaking my head at her. “Yes! We got a touchdown!”

“What does that mean?”

I take her by the arms and playfully shake her. “That we’re winning now!”

By the end of the fourth quarter, my voice is hoarse, and I’m sweating, but so happy that we won. The girls and I grab our stuff and head down the stands.

When we get near the exit, I turn to them, stopping all of us. “I’m going to run down and say hi to a couple of Gamma girls who slipped down to the rail who weren’t sitting with us,” I tell them. “I’ll meet you at the gate.”

They nod and walk off together. I turn around and push my way through the crowd of people going in the opposite direction. Another one of my sorority sisters is heading onto the field to see her boyfriend, and she grabs me, taking me with her.

Field level is pure chaos—players high-fiving kids, Aggie Yell Leaders posing, parents craning for photos, and security trying to keep lanes open. I spot a few Gamma girls taking pictures near the bleachers and squeeze in for quick hugs and talk about quick plans to meet at the house tomorrow.

I’m turning to leave when someone taps the side of my head with two fingers. Not hard, just enough to make me snap around.

I turn to see Mason, helmet off, sweat-dampened hair, eye black still on, smirking like a little kid as he jogs backwards.

I shake my head at him, smiling and shout back, “Better watch your back, Sinclair!”

He gives me a little salute. “See ya around, Edwards.”

One of the other Gamma girls next to me watches him turn to walk away, then fans herself with a program. “He’s so hot. I would love to ridethatride.”

I look over at her and laugh. “You have fun with that.”

“I would be having fun if I could ever get his attention over all these other girls who throw themselves at him,” she pouts.

“I’ll try to put in a good word for you next time I see him,” I tell her, walking off.

“I’d love you forever,” she shouts, and I just smile.

I run back over to the gates, where Lydia and Lani are waiting for me, talking. Both of them are a lot more tipsy than I am, hanging on to each other, and laughing at whatever they’re talking about.

“Let’s get you two back to the dorm before you get us in trouble for being underage and drunk in the middle of the day,” I laugh out.

As we’re walking to our building, I pull my phone out to see two missed calls from Tyler. I quickly pull up our messages and text him that I just got out of the game and will call him when I’m in the dorm.

I called three times that afternoon but didn’t get an answer or a single call back.

20

Mason

“I’m bored,” Tank groans from the couch on the other side of the room.

“What,” I say, laughing, “caveman no know what do with himself when no party?”

He nods a couple of times. “Yeah…basically.”

Ryan turns his phone around so we can all see the screen. “Ava just sent me a picture of the girls getting ready for a movie night. At least we aren’t bored enough to be cuddled up with each other watching Lord of the Rings, 50 Dresses, or 27 First Dates.”