Page 118 of Forever

I blinked. Where did he learn to do that?

“My nimble little man!” Rob yelled and high fived him.

I shook my head. “Huddle,” I said to my team. “What’s the plan here, we can’t let them win.”

“Should I do what Abuelo told me again?” Jacob asked.

“Probably don’t do that again,” I said. “But it was great.”

Jacob nodded.

Tanner patted his shoulder. “Maybe do that again.”

“Let’s dotheplay from high school,” Mason said and nodded at me.

Theplay. He didn’t have to say anything else. This one always scored. “And break!” I yelled and ran into position.

As soon as Mason stepped back with the ball, I sprinted forward straight at James. But then I broke hard left and ran toward the endzone.

Mason faked the ball toward Tanner. And even though Mason didn’t throw it, Rob tackled him.

I turned to look over my shoulder again just as the ball sailed through the sky and landed perfectly in my arms.

And then James slammed into my side. Luckily I had more weight on me. There was no way I was going down. Not this close to scoring.

I heard yelling to my right but ignored it. I elbowed James off of me and sprinted into the endzone. “Suck it!” I yelled and slammed the ball down. I turned around and all I saw was carnage.Oh shit.

“Fuck,” James said. He was holding his hand over his face and blood was seeping out between his fingers.

And Rob and Tanner were in a fist fight nowhere near the endzone.

And Jacob and Nigel were circling each other like they were about to lunge.

“Everybody stop!” I yelled.

Rob paused with his fist in the air, like he’d been caught red-handed. Which he had. Tanner shoved him off as I ran over to Jacob. I scooped him up before he could tackle Nigel. And then I turned to James.

“I’m so sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to hit your face.”

James laughed, but then winced. He lowered his hand. “It’s fine.”

But it wasn’t fine, his nose was gushing blood.

“Tilt your head back.” I put my hand on his forehead so he’d look up.

“This is why we should have stuck to tag football,” Rob said. He tore off his shirt and tossed it at James. “You Caldwells and your crazy ideas.”

“It was your idea,” I said as I helped place the shirt under James’ nose.

Rob lifted his hands. “This is your bachelor party, man. I didn’t plan this. Sounds like the best man’s fault.”

“I agreed to tag football, not this,” Mason said. “This was all you, Rob.”

“Psh. I don’t remember suggesting this,” Rob said.

“I remember it,” Jacob said. “You said ‘It’s tackle football now. Unless you guys are scared of us.’ And we weren’t scared of you.”

Damn right, Jacob.

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