Page 108 of Game On
My chest feels like it might cleave apart with happiness, seeing her so ecstatic like this, knowing that together we achieved something incredible. This moment is bigger than us—it’s the culmination of months of hard work, late nights, and relentless determination.
Ella pulls back just enough to look me in the eyes, her face glowing. “I can’t believe we actually pulled it off.”
“You best believe it, darlin’. We’re competing,” I say, my grin stretching from ear to ear. This is the kind of victory that feels like magic, a dream turned reality, and I’m grateful to share it with her.
“Paige and Tailor didn’t make it,” Gabi says softly, her eyes scanning the list. The mood sobers slightly at the mention of our teammates who didn’t qualify, but we all know how tough the competition is. “And look,” she points out, scrolling further down the list. “Five teams from Wyler State. Five to our three.”
“Wyler’s got a strong program,” Coach Morgan says, standing at the front of the mats, hands on her hips. She’s smiling, but in that frightening way that promises more grueling practice ahead. “But we’ve got heart and grit. What do we say, Whitland?”
A few of the squad members cup their hands around their mouths and shout, “Rise up, stand tall, we conquer all!”
I glance around, my brow raised as I recognize their chant for what it is—their own version of a Whitland rally cry.
“What’s that?” Coach Morgan yells. “I can’t hear you!”
“Rise up, stand tall, we conquer all!” they shout back, louder this time, and I make sure to join in. I’m part of this squad now, and that means giving it everything I’ve got.
I’ve had my time with the Whitland Grizzlies football team over the past four seasons, our final awards banquet has since passed, and I’m satisfied with that part of my career.
I earned an award for being the Most Valuable Player two years in a row and snagged the Offensive Player of the Year trophy this past season. Those moments are inscribed on my memory, but it’s time to close that chapter. I’ve always known that football wasn’t my forever, and though it’s a bittersweet pill to swallow, I’m ready for what comes next.
After a few more pats on the back, we leave to celebrate our success with burgers at the Pharmacy. The same place I ran into Ella after our night together. Back when I thought it would be wise to ignore her existence, hoping that we could just brush everything under the rug. More so, that we could pretend we’d never met.
She immediately clocked my behavior and called me on it right then and there. That was the night I suspected I might have met my match. You’d think it was when we first slept together, but there was something even sexier in the way she pushed back at me that day, unafraid of the challenge—demanding my attention, refusing to be ignored.
Now, she and Gabi are squeezed into the backseat, with Levi stretched out on the passenger side. We’re not heading to a movie tonight—this time, we’re going out dancing at Midnights, one of the most popular clubs in Nashville.
“Where’s Sammy?” I ask. “Is she meeting us there?”
Levi waves me off. “Nah, she’s out tonight. We’ve been taking a bit of a break.”
I whip my head toward him. “Interesting timing. Was she worried you’d fall for her eventually?”
He laughs, leaning back in his seat. “Who says it’s not the other way around? You know how irresistible I am.”
“I think you’d be shocked at how little I believe that.”
Levi sighs dramatically. “You’re such a good friend, you know that? Ella”—he tosses her a look over his shoulder—“you should whip this guy into shape.”
“He’s a wild card,” she says with a grin. “No taming him.”
Levi drops his head, pushing his palms together in faux prayer. “Dear God, please let my Hudsy be with me forever. And if he’s not with me, let him be with you.”
I shove him hard on the shoulder. He pretends to whack his head on the car window, groaning in exaggerated pain. Ella chuckles, her eyes catching mine in the rearview mirror.
Gabi, silent until now, pipes up from the backseat. “Y’all are ridiculous. Can we just get to Midnights before you two kill each other?” She leans forward, her chin resting on the back of Levi’s seat. “Also, you owe me a drink, Levi.”
He twists around to face her, grinning. “Only if you admit Bad Bunny is overrated.”
“That’s still the worst thing you’ve ever said to me,”Gabi says, sitting back and crossing her arms over her chest. “You’re buying me two drinks, loser.”
“Fine, fine,” Levi mutters good-naturedly, rubbing at an imaginary pain in his forehead.
The club is packed tonight, the air thick with a heady mix of sweat, cologne, and the bass-heavy beats that pulse through the crowd. We manage to snag a booth off to the side, the perfect spot to watch the action unfold on the dance floor.
We leave the girls there while we grab some drinks at the bar. The line moves quickly, and soon we’re back with club sodas for Ella and me, and mixed drinks for Levi and Gabi. Ella eyes me from her spot in the booth, a soft smile playing on her lips as I hand her the soda.
“Thank you, Hudsy,” she teases, bringing the straw to her lips. Her eyes never leave mine as she takes a sip, and there’s a small tug in my chest. It’s a feeling I’ve grown used to the longer I’m around her.
