𝚃𝚘𝚛𝚗- ᑕ0ᗰᑭᒪᗴ丅ᗴ

ch 11: nate

I had just released the ball, letting the familiar feeling tingle through my fingers as the pigskin sailed across the field, reaching the receiver who caught it effortlessly.

I had been working with the team all week, and picked up on their plays and the way they ran their routes pretty quickly.

It was the team's bye-week so that Friday after school it was just a shorter practice and as Coach blew his whistle and called my name, I ran over to him.

"Damn, O'Connell, with these routes and that arm, Crestwood's not gonna know what hit them next week!"

Practice didn't last for much longer and soon, I was in the locker room, putting things away in my new team locker, ready to head home, when Adam Sherwood, the team captain, approached me.

"Yo, O'Connell-- great arm, kid."

He held out his hand and I shook it, happy to be finally feeling welcomed by the whole team.

"Thanks, Adam."

"No problem. Maybe, you'll be the star quarterback one day-- you know-- once I'm gone."

"Yeah, sure..."

We eyed each other for a moment, and I saw a weird look flash across his face for a moment, before he shook it off, instantly replacing his grimace with a grin as he went to open his team locker.

"So you and your brother-- how long have y'all known Sunny Prescott?"

I slumped back against my locker, feeling the wind get knocked out of me just at the sound of her name. She hadn't really talked to me all week and I didn't blame her.

I was a dick the last time I had seen her, and not talking to me was something I couldn't be mad at her for.

"We, uh-- we basically grew up together, we're really good friends... like family."

I had never admitted how much saying Sunny was 'like a friend' pissed me off; saying it would bug me and always leave a bitter taste in my mouth.

A second later, my back was up against the locker, and I looked up to see Adam with a smirk on his face as pinned me with his forearm, literally knocking the wind out of me this time.

"Just friends, huh? Well, good. Let's keep it that way."

🖤