Page 29 of Forged Forever

Alex is already up, sipping coffee. “Morning, Alex.”

“Good morning, Summer. Mrs. Grant has a continental breakfast in the dining room downstairs. We can go down when everyone is awake.”

“Sounds good,” I smile, grabbing some tea to drink. E joins us shortly after, saying hello and pouring himself a coffee. “Hey E, want to come with me to the conservatory next weekend? The azaleas are in bloom.” I’ve thought about asking dad to come, but I don’t think it'll feel right unless E joins me.

“I would love to Summer.” His eyes light up, joy splitting his lips into a huge grin.

“Good. Sunday morning, then.” Breaking eye contact because I suddenly feel awkward, I go back to sipping my tea. Alex and E soon wake up Seb and Bay, so we have time to eat before driving back to the tournament.

Seb and Bay are still half asleep as we shuffle downstairs. I grab a plate and fill it with eggs, bacon, and fruit. Mrs. Grant has a large spread for us, including coffee and my preferred tea. Bay and Seb perk up as they eat and caffeinate, with Seb getting excited for the games today. The first game is at 10am this morning, but Seb and E need to meet their team an hour earlier.

We arrive at the gym by 8:30am, and Seb and E leave just before 9am to join their team. I look around but don’t notice any scouts today. Surely, they’ll be here for the championship game later.

We watch the game in front of us, but I’m not overly interested since the guys don’t expect our team to meet them in the championship. I scroll on my phone, texting with Holly and Sue until the game ends.

Troy joins us a few minutes before Gabby and the cheer squad take the court. It’s a new routine, and Gabby does a great job, as usual. One freshman takes a tumble, but she's fine.

After the light show and introductions, our team comes out hard. Their opponents are surprised and scramble to adjust. It’s an excellent strategy, as our team controls the game from the tip off, which allows the first line to sub on and off, keeping them fresh for the championship later today, and we win by 15 points.

The championship game is at noon, which means our team only has an hour and a half to rest. As seats become available in the first row, we move down to claim them. I want to make sure I can sit next to Jake when he gets here. Once Seb and E join us, Troy and Gabby offer to get lunch for all of us.

The stands are filling up as Troy and Gabby return with bags of food. Seb and E requested protein salads, so Troy has enough for all of us. We eat quickly, so the guys have time to greet Jake before they go to the locker room.

I see Zander enter the gym first at 11:30am. Standing, I wave as Jake rolls through the door, Will pushing him, followed by Ray. This is Jake’s first outing besides physiotherapy, and I’m so proud of him for coming. We had a long discussion about him being self-conscious using the wheelchair, but between me and the guys, we assured him it was no big deal. That, combined with cabin fever, and he got over it.

Jake gives me a crooked smile as Will stops beside us. That smile! I haven’t seen that smile in years. I think the last time was when he was playing hockey and won, and I was in the stands behind the bench. He scored the winning goal, and when he took a seat; he turned and met my eyes, giving me the exact same crooked smirk.

Ray bends down to lock the wheelchair, and Will unfolds a camp-style chair beside Jake, taking a seat. Seb bumps Jake’s fist and E says hello, then they leave to meet their team. I retake my seat in the stands beside Jake, as Dad and Ray sit behind me. “Hey handsome. How are you?” I reach over to grab his hand, intertwining our fingers.

“A little nervous,” he murmurs, looking around at the crowd.

“Nothing to worry about.” I wink at him. “Just focus on the game.”

He nods as the lights flash and the announcer comes over the speakers. I squeeze Jake’s hand tighter as the cheerleaders line up, creating a tunnel for the players to run through. We politely clap for the opposing team from West Charleston as they enter.

The crowd erupts when Seb runs past the cheerleaders as our school’s players are announced. Our group remains seated, but we’re cheering loudly for the guys. I never even asked, but my friends and family are so considerate of Jake being unable to stand.

Seb is dancing to the music as E runs out behind him, a small smile on his face. When our entire team is at the bench, the lights return and the coaches give last-minute instructions to their teams. I check on Jake, but he’s smiling, caught up in the energy swirling through the air. Steven slips through the doors, coming to stand behind Jake. I give him a smile, and Alex offers his seat. Steven waves him off, and Alex introduces Jake, Will, and Ray. I’m so happy he came to support E today.

Looking through the crowd, I glimpse the scouts across the gym. Yay! Fingers crossed Seb will have multiple offers by the end of the game.

E wins the tip, Seb catching the ball as he and Jonathan take off like firecrackers towards the net. Seb fakes a layup, passing the ball at the last second, allowing Jonathan to score. They begin a full-court press immediately. It’s a low-scoring first quarter with the defense holding strong for both teams.

The second quarter begins as our team fights for every shot. Seb and E are both double-teamed whenever they get the ball. Jonathan carries the ball instead of Seb, as the two forwards step up their game, scoring to put us in the lead by four at halftime.

Both cheer teams take the floor and have a cheer-off to entertain the crowd. It’s quite good, and I find myself clapping along with the crowd. Jake's still smiling when I look over at him, and I lean closer to be heard above the noise. “Having fun, handsome?”

“Yeah. I missed the crowds,” he beams at me. His entire face is lit up, absorbing the rush of the crowd like a sponge.

When the second half begins, Seb intercepts a pass, sprinting down the court for a layup, giving us the first points of the third quarter. The full-court press continues as the opposing team struggles to make a shot.

On offense again, Seb passes to Jonathan when double-teamed, spinning around the defenders as Jonathan bounces the ball back to him. Seb hits a 3 point shot to give our team a nice 9 point lead.

Seb hits two more 3 pointers in a row, breaking up his double team, as the opposing team switches to zone defense. I can see a small smile on Seb’s face as they do. That must be what he wanted.

Our guys slowly but surely gain control of the game, keeping the lead Seb built. It’s still a tough one, but our team's in control.

One of the opposing guards's getting really frustrated guarding Seb. He looks younger, maybe a sophomore. He's scored many of his team’s points and is a skilled player, but his temper's a problem. I bump Alex’s shoulder, asking about him. “BJ Sullivan, junior. Expected to get a full ride scholarship to college. However, his family is among the rich elite in Charleston. There are…expectations, as with many of the older families here.”