Receiving

Chapter 23

 Riley’s POV

 Friday came quickly and I was so nervous. We were playing somewhere else and it is a two hour drive so we would be leaving after lunch. Sophie and Peyton were so sick of me jumping around they dragged me into the hall and told me to dance it off. I stood on the stage and completely forgot about the football final.

 I had forgotten all about Sophie and Peyton. It was an upbeat song and I was throwing random moves together. It was my favourite song to play when I wanted to get something off my mind but I didn’t want to dance to a sad song. It is called Showstoppa and I really like the beat to the song.

 Once I got off the stage I wasn’t nervous anymore. The bell had just gone so I headed off in a different direction to the other two. Most of the team was already there so I sat in some random seat on the bus. Thomas slid into the seat next to me.

 “What do you want?” I asked.

 “I came to apologize,” he said.

 “Why?” I asked.

 “I acted like a jerk.”

 “What has made you change your mind?”

 “I found a book, it was our Father’s and he explained everything.”

 “Where did you find it?”

 “Some box, somewhere.”

 “You mean in my room,” I asked.

 “Fine, Brent told me about what you said and I thought that there must be some truth to what you said so I looked,” he said.

 “I can’t accept your apology anymore’” I said shoving him off the seat and into the aisle. He glared at me and walked down the bus.

 We got there slightly early as the traffic wasn’t that bad. I disappeared into a spare toilet to change quickly. Most of the guys aren’t organised when I walk in. Everyone is talking and the coaches aren’t even in the room. I sat down next to Luke and we started up a light conversation but were silenced when Coach Edwards came in.

 He gave us the same speech and told us to head out to practise. Thomas gestured to me and we started to throw. Neither of us said anything but listened to the sounds around us instead.

 “I’m sorry,” he said.

 “I know,” I whispered.

 “Can you forgive me?” he asked.

 “Yeah, you just have to remember that we have different experiences and you have to respect that.”

 Coach called us over and we had our last talk before the game started.

 They were up 31-28 with 30 seconds left. We had the ball but on our twenty. Thomas prepared for a long throw and I ran twenty yards away from him. He aired the pass and it was going to sail over my head. I jumped up and caught it with one hand and quickly grabbed it with the other. I landed and immediately got tackled by some guy. I tried to keep moving but I couldn’t so I purposely fell out so that the clock stopped.

 Thomas yelled a play at me and it was another long play as we only have 24 seconds now. The pass is much better this time and it lands almost perfectly in my arms. The spin around the first the defender and sprint right along the side lines. It is dangerous and one push I am going out but I am going to get further if I run in a straight line.

 Some guy pushes me out but I was on the five yard line but we only have 4 seconds left which means one play. Thomas would have liked the security of running it but there wasn’t time for more than one play. He looks at me and I know that the pass is going to be coming to me.

 The pass is too high again. I run backward hoping that it isn’t going out but I know it will. I jump up and right at the back of the end zone. The land on both feet before getting shoved onto my feet but it was enough.  

 Thomas is the first one to reach me.

 “Well done,” he whispered.

 “Thanks,” I whispered back.

 Luke grabbed me around the waist and spun me around. My legs went flying behind me. He gave me a quick kiss before dumping me on the ground.

 “Thanks,” I said pretending to be mad.

 “You’re welcome,” he said bowing.

 The end of the year came quickly. Luke and Thomas both had got football scholarships. Luke is going to Alabama and Thomas is going with Brent to Florida State. With me going to Juilliard we are very spread out. Graduation was a big deal for most people. For me I didn’t care because I didn’t have any parents to take photos and make a big deal about it.

 Out of the four of us I was the first one to actually go up. Followed by Brent, Luke and then Thomas. Sophie and Peyton dragged me to the studio to dance there one more time before we left. It was empty so I plugged my phone in and started to dance.

 Sophie and Peyton both joined in and we had so much fun mucking around and being ridiculous.

 “I’m going to miss this place,” Peyton said when we stopped.

 “I know, at least we are going to be able to keep dancing,” Sophie said.

 “I can’t wait and to see Brandon, Skye and Conner again,” I added

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 Sorry for the short chapter but there was no point in continuing because of what happens next. I don’t know when the next chapter will be up, hopeful in the next few days.

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 The Wise One