Page 51 of Game On
Despite the improvement, neither Claire nor Coach Morgan seems satisfied. Coach Morgan motions with her hand, rolling it forward. “Run it again. It needs to be secondnature,” she says, her gaze stern but fair. Claire’s lips press into a thin line, and she doesn’t meet anyone’s eyes as we reset.
As we prep to go again, and again, the determination to get it right settles over us. We launch repeatedly, each attempt trying to smooth out the last’s imperfections. The work is hard, the corrections constant, but with each throw, we’re honing our routine into something sharper, something we can be proud of.
Finally, after what feels like the hundredth toss, Coach Morgan gives a short nod, her expression softening just a bit. “Better,” she concedes. “Remember this feeling, this precision. That’s what we need every time.”
We move onto the next skill, and it’s more of the same. Drilling it in until it’s second nature. By the time practice winds down, I’m exhausted but exhilarated. The intensity of the session, the focus it demanded, are reminders of why I love this sport.
It’s not just the physical challenge, but the mental one, the need to be constantly aware, always adapting and improving.
Gabi catches up to me as we gather our things. “Tough session, huh?”
“Definitely,” I agree, offering her a tired smile. “But good. It always feels good to push through.”
“Yeah, it does.” Gabi grins, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “You still want to go to open gym tomorrow night? Or do you want to skip? We have conditioning before, so it’s gonna be rough.”
I shake my head. “Can’t skip.”
“Oh, right,” she murmurs. “Ella Davies, always a hard-ass.”
“It’s not that.” I twist my fingers beneath the strap of my bag. “It’s er—it’s because Hudson’s coming along. He used to cheer competitively. Did you know that?”
She sighs. “Yeah, I was wondering when you’d bring that up.”
“So, you did know?”
“Just since last night. Do you really think Luke and Ash could keep that on the down-low? They texted me pictures as soon as they got home. You had already gone to bed, all solemn and shit, so I thought I’d just wait for you to tell me yourself.”
“I wasn’t solemn because ofHudson, if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“No?”
“Definitely not,” I say. “But that’s a story for another time.”
She raises her brow. “Mysterious. I like it.”
A bubble of laughter spills out of me. “Yeah, thought you might.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Hudson
I’m bent over the stool in our entryway, tying my shoe, when I hear Levi heading my way.
“Whatcha up to, bud?” he asks, practically galloping into the living room.
“Getting ready to go to Skyline.”
He flops onto the couch, instantly manspreading, tossing his arms over the back. “Aren’t you beat? We just got done with a three-hour practice.”
I shrug. “Still got some juice left in the tank.”
He tips his head back and cocks his eyebrow. “The sacrifices you make to spend more time with your girl.”
I roll my eyes. “I just like being back on the mat. Nothing else to it.”
“You know what?” He perks up in his seat. “Maybe I should tag along.”
“No.”
