I take a moment to appreciate what was literally one of the most perfect passes I had ever thrown.
And while the team is celebrating and the crowd goes wild, somehow, I’m able to find Dani in the stands, our gazes connecting.
My real-life perfect pass.
Tuesday, December 17th
Adds to the drama.
Chase
“I still don’t know what to do,” I tell Damon the day before we’re set to sign.
He’s over at the house, chilling with Haley, who has been back home for a few days.
“That’s okay,” he says with a grin. “It just adds to the drama. I like it.”
“You decide,” I tell him.
“Sorry, buddy. We already chose together a long time ago. I get things have changed, and I’m gonna roll with that and with you, so I have a plan.”
“What kind of plan?”
“Okay, so spread across our table will be all five contracts. On top of each contract will be a baseball cap for that school. You don’t even have to really say anything, although you can. If you do, mention what a tough decision it was, throw some goodwill to the other schools, but ultimately, you’re going to need to look at me and touch a hat. And when I say look at me, that’s exactly what I mean. I want you to look me in the eye and let me know that it’s your final decision. It’s where our next adventure lies. And then we’ll both put those hats on, indicating our choice. And sign those bad boys.”
“And you’ll really be okay with whichever school I choose?”
“Yeah. Why do you think I made us go on those visits? So we’d know for sure.”
“And if I can’t decide, do you have any advice?”
“Go where the boobs are.”
To this, I can’t help but laugh.
Wednesday, December 18th
Separate ways.
Chase
I’m shocked at how calm and cool Damon is about today. In just a few minutes, we’ll be live on television, announcing which college we’ll go to.
We’re all set up in the school gym, and there are numerous local news stations as well as reporters from each conference we’re considering—not to mention, a few sports channels.
I’ve been so torn. I wish more than anything that I could just go where I dreamed of going as a kid, but it’s not that simple.
Because Devaney is there.
I know watching the video was supposed to be eye-opening, and it was—but probably not in the way she’d thought it might be.
All she really proved is that I don’t deserve a girl like her.
I’m pretty sure I’m choosing the taco school.
It doesn’t feel right, but it doesn’t feel wrong either. And it had the overall best score in Damon’s ranking of all the schools we’d visited.
“We’re about five minutes out,” our high school’s athletic director says. “You’ll be interviewed by a local reporter, and then you will make your decision. Damon tells me you’re both going to simultaneously put on your chosen school’s hats and then sign the agreement.”
“That’s correct,” I tell him.
The gym is pretty crowded, but I easily spot my parents and younger siblings in the front row, minus Haley. Her leg is fully wrapped, as opposed to being in a cast, because they have to be able to monitor her wounds. She’s not allowed to put any weight on it, so she’s either on crutches or in a wheelchair.
“Two minutes until we’re live,” is announced.
Haley is wheeled up to the front of our table by one of the girls on her cheer squad, and she’s followed by a four others. Each girl has two small white boxes in her hands, the name of each of our five schools written on top of it.
The boxes are laid on the table next to the appropriate hat.
Haley smiles at me and says, “Choose well you must.” She’s rolled over to where the rest of my family is.
I notice that Danny, Jennifer, and the girls have joined my parents along with Damon’s mom and her husband. And Damon’s family is all wearing Nebraska jerseys.
Nothing like a little pressure.
I take a deep breath, trying to remain calm.
If this decision was just about football, it would be easy, but there’s so much more involved.
And I hate that I’m going to disappoint everyone.
“And we’re live.”
“We’re here live,” a familiar voice says as the crowd parts, and Dani walks toward our table, “with two five-star recruits, quarterback Chase Mackenzie and wide receiver Damon Diamond—son of retired professional quarterback Danny Diamond.”
Dani looks like a natural with a microphone in one hand as she rattles off our stats without even a glance at the paper in her other hand.
“We know the recruitment process has been a challenge for the two of you. Most of us here know that you have been best friends and teammates your whole life. And a lot of people have criticized your decision to play college ball together. They seemed to think the chances of you both getting scholarships or playing at the same time were slim, but I think you’ve proven them wrong. You’ve also gotten a lot of advice, suggesting that you should individually choose the college best for you. And we know that time is coming. You went on official recruitment visits this fall, and your top five colleges are represented here, on the table in front of you. And the world is watching, Chase and Damon, wondering if you will put on the same hats, or if the so-called Shock-and-Awe package and two best friends will go their separate ways.”
Dani stops and looks at me, her eyes filled with emotion. “How will they choose between what others tell them is best for them and what’s in their hearts? That has been the real question in this whole process, but what people don’t know is that it’s not about just you two. It’s about me.”
“And me!” Haley calls out.
“So, in order to help you make the best decision, we’ve made something for you. Because it doesn’t matter how old we get. A promise is a promise.”
“I think we’re supposed to open the boxes,” Damon whispers to me.
I lift the lid on the first one and discover a cupcake that looks much like the one Dani made for me in the Ozarks, the picture of which hung in my locker all year and happens to be in my pocket at this very moment. But this cupcake does vary from that one. The first difference is that it is decorated in one of the team’s school colors. And the second difference is that there’s a volleyball on there for Haley, and the third difference is that instead of just my number on the jersey, there’s a triple one—for One Eleven, my and Damon’s numbers combined and the name of our company.
Damon has already opened all of his boxes, and I see that there is a matching cupcake for each school, varying only in color. I notice that when he touches the volleyball, his eyes get misty.
“All of us?” he asks Haley.
She nods.
Are they saying that no matter which school we choose, we’ll all go there together?
“Anywhere?” I ask in disbelief.
I look up at Dani, and even though she’s holding a microphone in her hand, she mimes a boxer’s one-two punch combination.