We were losing by six points, and we were in the last quarter with only two minutes to spare. Anything could happen in that time. All we needed was a touchdown and a field goal to win. All of Ryan’s passes to Evan were getting blocked. The Arizona players knew that he was the main one to target since he was the best. That left Gavin and McCarthy. Gavin was Evan’s sidekick, a rookie with unsuspected talent. Not many considered him a threat, but I’d been watching him over the past year since he started working one-on-one with Evan.
“Who do you think Delaney will throw it to?” Derek asked.
I didn’t even want to watch, but I was a glutton for punishment. It was disheartening to know we were going to lose to Arizona. “Probably McCarthy,” I grumbled low. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen him throw it to Gavin.”
Time was running out and we were third and ten, so close to making that touchdown. Our team had no choice but to take the risk. If they’d called me in for a field goal, it would have given us only three points. It wouldn’t have been enough to win the game. The guys got in formation and my heart raced. The ball snapped to Delaney and he held it in his grasp, his head jerking left and right to find the perfect target. When no one was open, he did the unexpected…he took off for the end zone.
I jumped to my feet and the crowd went wild. “Holy shit, he’s going for it.”
Everything moved in slow motion as he jumped in the air, sailing over fallen bodies as they tried to tackle him. With his hand outstretched, the ball made it over the line before he was taken to the ground. Derek shouted and raced to the sidelines as the whole team came in with higher spirits. The game was tied, which left it all up to me. My kick would determine whether we won the game or not.
“Reed, you’re up!” Coach Joel shouted.
Taking a deep breath, I rushed onto the field and got into position. “You got this,” Aaron said, kneeling down to hold the ball. He looked up at me and nodded. All I could hear was my heart pounding in my ears and the breath escaping my lungs. The wind blew swiftly to the left, which always made predicting the direction of the kick that much harder.
Around my neck was my mother’s necklace, so I pulled it out and clutched the cross in my hand. “This one’s for you, Mama.”
Rearing my leg back, my foot connected with the ball and it went soaring in the air. It was a beautiful kick, but I could see the effects of the wind pushing it over toward the goalpost. “Dammit, stay in,” I growled.
It felt like an eternity, but the ball ended up going straight in through the posts. I’d never doubted myself before, but the pressure of having the game depend on you could be great. Derek raced toward me and lifted me in the air, hollering the entire time.
“Fuck yeah, you did it!”
The clock ran out and it was done; we won. I didn’t feel like celebrating, but I waved at the crowd and smiled before disappearing behind the scenes. Being in the spotlight had its ups and downs. In front of the camera, you had to constantly be on. You never knew when people would be lurking in the shadows to capture those down-and-dirty moments. Take, for instance, that night with Sadie. I was surprised nothing else had surfaced from her lies. Hopefully, that bitch was done with me.
The guys were pumped and shouting with excitement as we all walked back to the locker room. “You going straight to your mother’s house?” Derek asked, bumping me with his shoulder.
I tore off my uniform and stuffed it in my bag. “Yeah. I don’t feel like celebrating.”
He held out his hand and when I took it, he pulled me in for a hug. As much as I wanted to deny it, I really needed the comfort of a friend. “See ya back at home, okay? Call me if you need anything.”
“Will do, D. Thanks.” Instead of taking a shower, I put my clothes right on and rushed out of the locker room. I knew there were going to be reporters waiting to take pictures, but as soon as I bolted out the door, I took off for the car. I wasn’t in the mood to talk to the press.
My phone beeped and it was a text message from Bristol.
Bristol: Thinking about you.
I wanted to call her and tell her how we won the game, but then remembered that I couldn’t do that. Instead, I texted her back.
Me: Always thinking of you. Call you soon.
I pulled into my old neighborhood, and the second I saw the police car and ambulance in front of my mother’s house, my stomach dropped. Brent sat by the front door with his head in his hands. I jerked the car into the yard and rushed out onto the front porch.
“Brent!” His head snapped up, his eyes red and swollen. “What the fuck’s going on?”
Lips trembling, he wiped the tears off his face. “She’s gone, Jax. There’s nothing they can do.”
The two paramedics walked out of the house, one a short, dark-haired female and the other a tall male with a bald head. They both glanced sympathetically at us and retreated into the ambulance. I was about to rush inside when a police officer and another man walked out.
The cop was Grant Higgins, a guy Brent went to high school with. He squeezed Brent’s shoulder and held out his hand to me. “I’m sorry for your loss, Jaxon. Mrs. Reed was an amazing woman.” I couldn’t muster a reply, so I stood there dumbfounded. She couldn’t be gone; I had seen her just a few short hours ago.
The other man held out his hand. He was probably in his late forties, with graying brown hair. According to the logo on his shirt, he had to be the coroner. “Jaxon, I’m Ernest Rimmel and a good friend of your mother’s. We grew up together as kids.”
“Mom wanted me to call him when the time came,” Brent added.
Nodding, I shook his hand. However, deep down I could feel my resolve slipping away. I didn’t want to hear any more condolences. “Have you called the funeral home yet?” he asked my brother.