Page 42 of Chess Not Checkers
“My man!” I yell when he jogs over, then shake his shoulders. “Your leg is made of gold.”
He smirks behind his face mask, ever the reserved one between us two. “So is your arm,” he replies, barely heard over the screaming fans.
We’re at an away game up north this weekend, and the fans are passionate. The autumn air nips at my skin every time a breeze rolls through. It’s our first game not in the heat, and we’re having the time of our lives because of it. Coach might have been onto something training us in hot weather so much. Makes games like these feel like a cake walk. Pennsylvania is a great team, but all of my guys are in sync tonight. It’s palpable. We’re going to win.
“Great job, Junior,” Coach says, gripping my shoulder pad. “Keep the energy. Don’t slow down just because we’re up.”
I bob my head. “Yes, Coach.”
The sting of the nickname hurts a little less with how well the game is going. And I’ll do just as he said. We won’t quit even if we’re up by three touchdowns. I play till the end. Always.
I turn my attention to our defense, who are working hard to keep Pennsylvania back. Pennsylvania’s quarterback throws the ball, and one of their receivers catches it. The guy makes a run for it, coming close to where our cheer team is. He ends up getting shoved out of bounds. Hard. My stomach drops. I shove past a few of the guys, heart thundering in my chest. Because he didn’t just get pushed out of bounds; he got pushedintothe cheerleaders.
Too far.I’m too far away from her to do anything. As if I could if I were closer. The guy stands and immediately helps Jasmine and the other girl he plowed into. Jasmine took the brunt of the hit from what I could tell, and one of her coaches runs over to help her toward the tunnel. She limps a little but seems all right.Within seconds, the defense is back on the field, and I need to be focused. I can’t go after her. I have to be here and zoned in.
“She okay?” Owen asks in a low voice when I come back to the bench.
I give a quick jerk of my head in response. Though it kills me, I keep my mind on the game. First, I’ll win. Then I’ll check on Jasmine.She’s okay, I coach myself through the ache in my stomach.She was walking. She’ll be fine.
We won the game. I celebrate with my guys and smile through Coach’s speech about pushing for the Championship, but inside all I can think about is checking on Jasmine. As soon as we’re dismissed to shower before interviews, I grab my phone and text her.
Shepherd: Hey, are you alright? That hit looked pretty rough.
I jump in the shower while I wait for her to message back. I won’t have long before I have to be in the press room, but it’ll be nice to hear from her if she messages back before then. Once I’m dressed in a Thrashers sweatshirt and joggers, I check my phone again, relieved when I see she responded.
Jasmine: I’ll probably have a few bruises, but I’m okay. Hazard of the job…wait, I don’t get paid. Remind me why I do this again?
I chuckle at her reply.
Shepherd: Because you love watching me play?
Jasmine: I spend most of my time facing the crowd. Hence the getting tackled from behind by a mammoth.
I swipe a hand over my grin.
Shepherd: Then I’ve got nothing.
Jasmine: Looks like I have to quit.
Shepherd: What a shame. At least you’ll have more time to cook for me, though.
Jasmine: I have not, nor will I ever, cook for you.
“Kingsley, we need you in the press room!” Baron, one of the assistant coaches, shouts from the entrance of the locker room.
“Coming!” I yell back.
Shepherd: I gotta go talk to the press. Glad you’re okay, Chef.
Her reply is fast. I read it while walking to the door.
Jasmine: NOT a chef.
Shepherd: Yet.
I tuck my phone back in my pocket before I get sucked in by her reply. I’d much rather talk to Jasmine than the media. But at least I got to make sure she was fine before facing the pack of hungry vultures that awaits me.
I follow Baron down the hall and into the room. Cameras flash. My smile comes easy in spite of the tension in my chest. We won by a landslide, and Jasmine is okay. Nothing can take those two things away.
