Page 108 of Pick Six
When they get backon the field after halftime, it’s like they’re a different team. Whatever the coaches said to them during the break must have worked, and the defensive coordinators seemed like they made enough adjustments that their offense is starting to struggle against us. Jones doesn’t have nearly the same amount of time to throw, and their running back is struggling to find gaps in the line to run. The whole stadium is back into the game now, screaming at the top of their lungs at every snap.
On the next play the quarterback forces a throw on a third down, aiming for the end zone, and one of the guys gets a hand on it, batting it into the air, and it lands in Alex’s hands. He tucks it and runs like his life depends on it, glancing behind him and up at the screen to see the guys who are chasing him. The whole stadium is on their feet screaming, and he’s headed for the end zone I’m sitting in. I’m in the aisle and scurrying down the stairs before I know what I’m doing, screaming his name at the top of my lungs.
There’s another player on his heels and he’s getting closer by the second, but Alex manages to dodge him, and he trips and falls. The crowd’s all on their feet, a dozen more people joining me on the wall now that Alex has a wide open twenty yards to the end zone. People rush down from their seats, screaming out his name as he runs it in easily.
The refs signal the touchdown, and the boards light up with “Pick Six”. The fans are screaming “Xavier” and “XXL” at the top of their lungs and I yell along with them, jumping up and down. He tucks the ball under his arm and looks up at the seats. He pulls the chain out, kissing the medallion, and I realize he’s looking for me.
“Alex!” I scream as loud as I can, and his eyes find me a second later.
He runs at the wall and jumps it, landing in front of me with the help of a couple of fans. He hands the ball to me and rips off his helmet.
“I love you, Saint.” The words are hard to hear, coming out like whispers between gasping breaths as he tries to get oxygen back in his lungs.
“I love you too,” I confess.
Then he presses his lips to mine, and the crowd gets impossibly louder. The rest of his defense has gathered beneath him hollering and shouting their approval before he tears his lips away from mine. Winking at me before he launches off the side and they catch him like it’s a stage dive, taking off running across the field toward their bench.
“Jesus Christ he’s getting fined for that.” A guy next to me laughs as they run off.
“Yeah, but it was worth it.” I turn around and hold up the ball and another cheer echoes through the crowd around me. Several women in front of me scream and raise their beers.
“Girl, let me know if he has a brother or a friend!” one of them yells at me as I run back to my seat, and I grin at Joss.
“My god that man is obsessed with you.”
“I’m obsessed with him, so it’s a fair trade.”
We watch as Gabe kicks the extra point and cheer as the Phantom retake the lead. Joss even starts to get into the game a little, yelling a few times and even jumping once when Colton throws a touchdown, at least until she catches me watching. When they win, the stadium goes so wild you’d think it was a playoff game and the two of us lean over the railing cheering for the guys as they shake hands with the other team and then watch as they do their on-field postgame interviews.
FIFTY-FOUR
Alex
After the game,she’s waiting for me outside with Joss. Since she didn’t stay in the box for the game, she wasn’t able to get in with the families, and so she’s standing beyond a barrier set up to keep the fans back. I walk over to her where a security guard is keeping watch over the crowd. I sign a few balls and jerseys that are being held out for me and then approach her.
“Nothing you want me to sign?”
“Very funny.”
“All right, well then…” I start to walk away.
“Alexander!” she scolds and I turn around.
I smirk at her. “Okay. These two are with me.”
The security guard nods at me and moves the barrier back so they can get through.
“See! I told you. But you wouldn’t believe me.” Joss sasses at the security guard.
“He’s just doing his job, Joss.”
“Yeah, for all he knows you’re two feral psychos who just want to storm the locker room.” I tease her.
“Is that an option? I could get my camera now.” Joss gives me a wry smile.
“You’ll have to ask our fearless leader,” I nod toward Colt who’s standing on the edge of the sidewalk watching us.
“Well, I’m off to my fate.” Joss nods to Harper. “If I survive, we’ll meet tomorrow to start working on plans?”
