Page 31 of For the Fans
“Lock up the formation,” he yells over the noise. “They move, you move. Harbor and Guty, I want you two together as much as possible. Everyone else, pave the way.”
We shout and break, and as my head lifts, I see through the wall of my teammates that Baldwin the Eagle has removed his head.
He’s standing off the sidelines, getting a drink of water. And the sight of shaggy, jaw-length black hair and unmistakable dimples has my eyes widening and my stomach clenching up like a fist.
Avi… Is that… fuckingAvi??
“Harbor!” Coach roars at me, and I snap back into focus, rushing after the guys.
Get it together. There’s no time for any of that.
But even as I’m preparing for the snap, I can’t help how my eyes are sliding off the field again… To my goddamnstepbrotherwearing an eagle costume.
What in the holy fuck is he doing here?!
I’m distracted. I don’t want to be, but I just am, and I end up hesitating and getting my ass sacked.
“Harbor!” Coach hollers at me again from the sidelines.
“I know…” I huff, shaking off the ache of being tackled, nodding at him.
I’ve got this. Who gives a fuck that Avi is the mascot right now? It’s weird, yes, but I can’t think about it. I have a game to win.
I pull my head out of my ass, and on the next drive, I send the ball sailing all the way to Guty for a thirty-yard first down. The crowd goes wild.
I’m struggling not to, but I glance over to the sidelines once more, where Baldwin… akaAvi… is doing the Moonwalk.
Jesus fucking Christ, take the wheel. Please.
I think the stupefied irritation of seeing Avi at a football game—the place that’s supposed to bemine, not his—is actually helping me right now. I’m raging so intensely, my entire body is keyed up, which, in turn, seems to be sharpening my focus. By the time there are only sixty seconds left on the clock, the score is thirty-four to twenty-seven, with the Cardinals trailing us by only one touchdown.
On our final drive, I get us up to their thirty-yard line. That’s when I spot my in; the perfect opening to solidify our win.
Launching my arm up, I shoot the ball into the air, in the direction of where Guty has managed to break away, and is sprinting his legs off into the end zone.
Time is standing still. The crowd is silent. Everyone’s eyes are on the ball as it spirals…
Right into Guty’s arms.
Boom. Win.
The Eagles take our first game of the season.
Everyone freaks out after that. The stands are thumping, my teammates are attacking me with roars and cheers and slaps all over my body. And I’m celebrating… But also itching to get off the field and confront our mascot.
When I finally slip free, my feet bring me stomping in his direction. People are shouting congratulatory comments at me from all sides, but my narrowed gaze is stuck on the dancing eagle.
I reach him fast and give him a hard shove from behind. “What the fuck are you doing??” I shout over the ruckus.
He spins to face me, still wearing the eagle head, so I can’t see his face.
“Umm… celebrating!” He startsraising the roof. “Good game, bro. You really—”
I rip his head off to reveal my stepbrother, hair sort of slicked at his temples with sweat, and giving me a very wide-eyed stare. But also, still grinning awkwardly, because this is Avi we’re talking about.
“Thanks…” he sighs, blowing a strand of hair away from his eyes. “It’s hot as balls in here.”
“Avi… What the fuck are youdoingdressed as Baldwin the goddamn Eagle??” I growl at him again, losing my patience for his constant fucking around.
