The Rules | ✅ Completed

Chapter 62

We were back in the game. They had given up on the brutal blitzing and went straight to strategy. The smug smirk curled higher with each play that unfolded from our offense. Each time they thought they had us pegged, Blaine and the guys would switch things up just enough to have our opponents stumbling to regain their ground.

Pride began to consume with each tackle my sister took. The way she bounced back to her feet with a sassy flair. She had even gotten into the face of one of her blockers. I waited to see how far she would push it. Joe grabbed her by the facemask and gave it a gentle tug when the referee started to circle the scene. Getting penalized for taunting wasn't going to go over very well with Coach Gilly.

I knew Zoey had to be enjoying the show. She'd confesse, again, that sports wasn't her thing when we were out last night. While she was busy opposing what made me tick, she was praising my sister. A young woman making her way in a predominantly male sport. She had become Blaine's number one fan overnight. It was also the only reason she was in the stands.

She'd driven down with her Aunt, Finn's mom. Part of me pictured all of our families and friends sitting together in stands behind us. I won't lie. It's a strange ass visual. My parents with their awkward pretending. Finn's mom out in public, without Mr.James accompanying her. Joe's mom and little brothers shaking the noise makers. Shane's parents being the only ones who resembled a Norman Rockwell painting. A mixture of misfits just like us.

The buzzer over the scoreboard whirled to life and I glanced over to see the timer zeroing out. We were ahead. Barely. They were putting up one hell of a fight, but the time Blaine was in as receiver helped. They did just as Corey and Finn had hoped. Seeing the backup QB in any position than what was expected made them hesitate. There was a time out and what looked like a failed attempt at restructuring their game plan.

My sister was pretty decent as she mirrored Finn at the opposite end of the line. While we had all been serious about this game with our stone expressions and intimidating masculinity, my sister would break composure. She'd give the guy defending her a hard time then spin around to hustle back to the huddle. It was during each of those quick turns that I saw it. At a distance you wouldn't be able to tell. The smile on her face wasn't of pride or smugness. She was genuinely having fun being one of the guys.

I smacked the top of her helmet as we trotted to the tunnel. Her eyes were brighter than I'd seen them in years. Her lips twitched as she fought to keep her own macho mask in place. I grinned down at her before gently bumping her with my pads. She shoved at my side before letting loose that smile she'd been holding back. The combination of my chuckle and her softer laughter echoing through the small space had several of our teammates looking at us. Even Coach Gilly quirked a brow at our current behavior.

Won't lie. It felt pretty damn good just letting out a laugh, over nothing. Joe smacked my shoulder pas as Finn flanked Blaine's other side. Shane, being our leader, was already inside the locker room. I had no doubt he would be hunched over begging for air and water. We all should have been. Then I looked at my sister again and busted up laughing one more time before we stepped into the locker room.

"D," Gilly shouted as the door slammed shut behind the last of our team. "I want you to stay put and run through things with Frank. O. With me."

I patted my sister's pads one last time before she, Finn, Joe and Shane made their way across the room. With my game face back in place, I listened to our defense coach as he laid into us. He was trying to avoid giving us credit for the little we were able to accomplish in the last quarter. I don't blame him either. We could hold them off then suddenly we were scrambling.

"I need y'all to get in there and get the damn ball. Knock them back." He was pointing to each of us, emphasizing the tasks that were required of us to survive till the end. "Run them ragged. Make them work for it. If they want those points, they had better be panting in that endzone. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Coach," we barked back. He asked us again, and our answer was three times louder. He nodded toward me and I looked over my fellow defensive team members.

Most of them were seniors. We'd grown up on the field together. Pick up games in the park until dusk. Junior league where we learned to hone our skills. Being pulled up from the freshman squad when half the JV team had gotten mono. We'd faced off with some of the nastiest teams in our conference. Suffered through one loss after another during some seasons.

Now we were here. Standing on the cusp of greatness and failure. They were itching to get back out there as much as I was. We needed to prove that we hadn't come this far just to be sent packing. There was no way I was willing to go home without putting up one last fight. I had my team if they were willing to back down. If they were willing to roll over and let go of what we had dreamed of. The thunderous roars in response had a grin curling on to my face in response.