AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I’m determined to catch the other team’s quarterback and make the tackle, only to miss it by an inch.
Damn it.
I push hard, running, scanning the field for possible threats. I spot a wide receiver streaking down the left side and quickly change direction, watching as the ball sails through the air toward the receiver. I fly toward him, trying to make it in time. I jump with all my might and just barely get a hand on the ball, deflecting it out of bounds.
The small crowd of spectators’ cheer and applaud. It's just a practice, but it feels good. I smile, feeling relieved and proud of myself. I get back on my feet and look around the field, ready to do it again.
The second play is a pass. I take my stance, ready to rush the quarterback. The ball is snapped, and I charge forward, keeping an eagle eye on the quarterback, watching for any indication of where he's planning to run so I can be one step ahead.
I swivel in his direction, ready to fly into action, when a powerful force hits me full-on in the stomach.Somehow I manage to say on my feet, but I’m straining to catch my breath. I taste the sweat dripping down my forehead as I grit my teeth and force myself to keep moving.
The ball sails through the air completing a perfect spiral. After it's snagged, I turn and run, giving chase, pushing my legs to go faster and faster.
I nearly have the player in my grasp when suddenly, I feel a searing, white-hot pain in my knee like a sharp knife cutting through my skin. I try to ignore it, to drive through it, feeling the muscles in my leg tense. Stumbling back, struggling to stay upright, and blinking hard, I’m determined to ignore the agony in my knee. I refuse to show any outward sign that I'm hurting.
The whistle blows, and the coach flags me over.
It takes everything I've got to walk without any sign of a limp. I sneak a peek in Roni's direction and see her on the edge of her seat. I may not be able to see her facial features clearly, but her worry is etched in the stiffness of her posture. She's not even using her camera to try and zoom in on me.
When I get to the sideline, the coach, Noah, and Mitch are all waiting.
“You okay?” Mitch asks.
“I'm fine.”
Coach doesn’t believe me. Neither does Noah. All three men are studying me like I'm a fleck under a microscope.
“If you're hurting,” Noah starts before I raise a hand to stop him.
“I said I'm fine.”
“Don't lie to us, son.”
Coach is a fair man. He can be tough, but he genuinely cares for his players. I don't want to let him down. But if I say anything about how my knee and hip feel right now, if they knew about the shooting pain traveling down my leg, they will pull me, and I'll be benched for God knows how long. My stats can handle a couple of weeks off the field, but any longer than that, and I might as well call it a day.
“I'm fine.” I grind the words out.
“Okay then. Get back out there,” Coach says. But I know he's watching me like a hawk.
I take it easy through the remainder of the practice drills and then grab some water during the break.
“Drew?”
I turn to see Roni, and my whole body lights up. I can smell her shampoo—apples. I know the flavor of the lip gloss she's wearing—cherry. I can already hear the soft sexy sounds she'll make tonight when I'm going down on her, and how she'll dig her nails into my biceps when she comes. I'm racking up a healthy display of puncture marks. Some of the guys teased me about them earlier in the dressing room.
“Hey, honey. I'm doing good.”
“It looked like your leg gave out.”
“It did. Not unexpected, to be honest.”
“Are you experiencing any pain?”
I shake my head, but I can't look her in the eye. I can't seem to lie as easily to her as I did to the others.
The whistle blows, signaling the end of our break. To avoid looking at her directly, I reach for my helmet and tug it into place. “We'll do dinner in tonight and then maybe watch a movie? My place?”
“Sure.” She’s watching me as closely as Coach and Mitch are from the sideline.
