“Hmm, I didn’t realize you were there.” Hailee glanced back at me, her eyes wide as if she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
“Where did you think I was?”
“Already inside with Asher and Jason.”
“I’ll always be wherever you are.” I leaned down, kissing her. In truth, I’d called Dad to check in on Mom, but he assured me she was fine, and Xander was with Katie. After the hardest week of our lives, he wanted—no, demanded—I try to enjoy a night with my girlfriend and friends.
“Oh God, I need a drink. Something strong. It’s true the owner doesn’t card the team here, right?”
I chuckled, still kissing Hailee. She broke away, looking at her friend. “You want to drink? Here?”
Felicity shrugged. “Desperate times, Hails, desperate times.” She slipped inside leaving me and Hailee alone.
“She’s acting strange.” Hailee released a frustrated breath, and I hesitated, wondering whether or not to reveal my theory. “Cameron?”
Busted.
“So I, uh, I think something might be going on with Felicity and the guys.”
“The guys?” Hailee blanched. “What do you mean the guys?”
“Asher and Jase.”
“You think... no...” Strangled laughter spilled out of her. “Flick wouldn’t go anywhere near Jason, and this thing with her and Asher is a joke. It’s just a joke. I mean, it’s Asher, he’s...”
“Okay.” I dipped my head to hers. “Just breathe. I’m probably wrong. It’s probably nothing.” I was pretty sure it wasn’t nothing, but I could tell Hailee wasn’t ready to hear it.
“Of course, you’re wrong. She wouldn’t... nope, I just can’t.” Hailee shook her head, a look of alarm plastered over her face before entering Bell’s. I followed, regretting saying anything. But I knew Jase and I knew Ash and I’d sensed something going on for a while. And if I was right, it had disaster written all over it.
The second I stepped inside the bar, a wall of cheers and applause greeted me. Jase and Ash stood front and center, the rest of the team gathered behind them all chanting my name. I might not have been on the field tonight, helping them secure the win taking them one step closer to State, but this was their way of including me. Of showing me that no matter what happened from here on out I was still part of the team.
Still family.
“Good to see you, man.” Grady came up to me, pulling me into a guy hug. “We heard about your mom. If there’s anything I can do.”
“Thanks, man, I appreciate it,” I choked out the words over the lump in my throat. Kaiden was next, and then Mackey and some of the other sophomores. Each of them offered their words of support, each of them reminding me why I’d loved football so much, for as long as I could remember.
Because it was more than just a game.
It was more than the high of the win or the pain of the loss. It was brotherhood, and family, and knowing you had each other’s backs no matter what.
“Hey.” Hailee appeared at my side when the guys finally let me have some space. “Are you okay?”
“Actually yeah, I am.” I kissed her, not caring who could see us, earning us another round of applause. Her fingers twisted into my jersey and when she pulled away, the cutest blush was smattered along her cheeks. “Oh God, that was so embarrassing,” she murmured.
“You’re a Raider now,” I said fighting a smirk as I tucked her into my side, guiding us over to Jase, Ash, and Felicity.
“I guess I can thank the two of you for the warm welcome?” I asked the guys.
“We just want you to know the team are behind you one hundred and ten percent. Whatever you decide, we’ve got your back,” Ash said.
“Always,” Jase added and I don’t know who was more shocked. Asher, me, or Hailee.
“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled. “Don’t get too used to it. I’m still the cold-hearted bastard you all love to hate.” His hard gaze skirted over to Felicity who pretended not to notice.
But I noticed.
I only hoped Hailee didn’t because I didn’t want tonight to end in drama. I wanted to enjoy the moment—my friends, my team, and my girlfriend co-existing in one of my favorite places.
After weeks of uncertainty, of feeling pulled in different directions, I finally felt like I could breathe. And I knew it was largely down to Hailee. She made all the other shit disappear. She kept me sane in the quiet moments, the moments where my thoughts turned dark and went to places I didn’t want to be.
And although it was early days, I knew I didn’t want to be anywhere she wasn’t.
Without thinking, I jumped up on the nearest empty booth and waited for the place to go silent. Hailee stared up at me as if I’d lost my mind. And maybe I had, but if life had taught me anything over the last couple of weeks, it was that you never knew what was around the corner.
“I just want to say a few words.”
My teammates all made a ruckus, stamping on the floor and banging on tables.
“Show the guy some respect,” Jerry yelled from his position behind the bar, and I gave him an appreciative nod.
When everyone hushed, I continued, “At the beginning of this week, I’ll be honest, I didn’t know if I’d ever put on my jersey again. Football is important to me, but it’s not everything. Family is what matters.” My eyes found my best friends. “Friendship, having each other’s backs, being there when things hit rock bottom, that’s what makes being a Raider special. Is the thrill of the win, addictive? Hell yeah, it is. But it’s knowing that if you lose, if your dreams go up in flames in front of your eyes, that you’ll still have a team, a family, there to shoulder the burden with you.
“By now, you all probably know my family had some bad news recently. And it made me question everything I thought I knew. But regardless of what the next few weeks bring, one thing’s for certain, I’ll always be a Raider. And I couldn’t think of a better team to win State with.”
“Does that mean you’re sticking around?” Grady yelled and I fought a smile.
“Well, you’ll be needing your star wide receiver, won’t you?”
“Hells yeah.” He grinned and the place erupted.
Jase and Ash were on me the second I leaped down off the bench. Jase grabbed the back of my neck and pressed his head to mine, his eyes saying everything I knew he never would. And then Ash joined us, his arms looped around both our necks, pulling us close. “Thank fuck, I don’t have to lose any more sleep over whose side I’m on.”
A moment of understanding passed between the three of us. We were on the precipice of something, we could all feel it. All we had was this moment before everything changed.
“Do you think you’ll commit when the scouts come out next week?” Ash asked and my eyes found Hailee standing with Felicity by the bar.
“Yeah, I’m going to commit.”
Football was a part of me, a part of who I was. And I owed it to myself, to my family to see where it took me.
“Well don’t keep us hanging. Where’s it going to be?”
“Michigan,” I said without hesitation. “I’m going to commit to Michigan.”