My Brother's Best Friend

Chapter 20

Cameron

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about Holden! Keep that up!" Coach Carter shouts across the field as my receiver celebrates in the end zone from the touchdown I just threw. The crowd is going wild on the bleachers, and I quickly scan to see if I can find any college scouts. It would be really nice if they just saw that.

I head off the field to get a drink of water, collapsing down onto the bench to catch my breath. I'm sweating from head to toe, but my entire body feels wired. I have way too much energy to know what to do with it.

"Hell yeah, Ethan!" I yell once he tackles someone to the ground from the opposite team, not letting him gain hardly any yards at all. Coach comes to pat me on the back, and he squats beside me so that he's eye level and leans into my ear to say, "Matt Conway from Arizona is here. Keep playing like this and I guarantee you'll have an offer in your hands."

I want to tell him that I've always dreamed about playing for West Bridge in Pennsylvania, my mom's favorite college team. They're consistently ranked one of the best, and I know my mom would be so proud if I went there and actually played for them.

Nobody knows that though. Well, aside from Maddie.

My heart pangs when I remember that night with her on the beach in Myrtle when we talked about life for hours. I had actually told her my life dreams that not even Ethan knew. How was I so naive to my feelings?

"I hope so," I find myself saying.

The odds of getting into West Bridge are slim to none, and the Arizona scout is here. If I can get into a college that's literally only thirty minutes away from here then maybe this thing between us can actually work. I can tell Ethan, and maybe he'd be pissed at first, but I'll find a way so that we can still be friends. I'm sure of it.

The end of the quarter ends, the start of halftime. I see Ethan jog off the field, pointing to the stands. "I can't believe Maddie actually came to a game!" He shouts in disbelief. "Look. She's sitting with my parents."

I follow his pointing finger and spot her next to their parents in the crowd. She's wearing our school colors looking as festive as ever. I know this is the last place she wants to be, but just the fact that she came just to watch me play makes me so happy.

She waves excitedly at us, and Ethan and I wave back as we head off the field to the locker rooms.

It feels good having her watch me play. It makes me want to play that much harder. I want to show her just how good I really am at this, and now that she's here I find myself in an even better mood.

"Two running touchdowns and two passing. What the hell are you on today, kid?" The coach laughs in front of the rest of the team, and I smirk that cocky grin of mine.

I'm on...Maddie. She's a fucking drug. The best damn kind there is.

"That Arizona scout is here," I say proudly. "I'm going to try and get myself a scholarship, as should everyone else."

***

I played the best game I ever have. I had a total of six touchdowns against the Tigers, who are an extremely good team to begin with, and all I'm hoping was that it was enough to get the attention of the scout.

I come out of the locker room with Ethan, both of us carrying our duffel bags on our shoulders when we see his parents and Maddie waiting for us in their car. My heart hurts a little every time we head out from a game. Especially when I played my best tonight. My dad isn't here. He used to be at every single one.

"That was a hell of a game!" Richard calls out the window. "Ethan, that tackle at the end of the third quarter! Are you kidding? And Cameron, you were on fire tonight! I mean, wow! I think we might actually have a shot at state this year!"

Richard seemed to be happier than the both of us combined, and I hear Ethan laugh as he climbs into the backseat. Maddie is in the middle since she's the smallest, so Ethan gets one side of her and I get the other.

"An Arizona scout was there," I tell Richard. "We played our hearts out."

"You certainly did." He nods and leans over to turn on the radio, glancing back at Maddie. "How was your first football game, kiddo?"

I have a tiny small on my face when I look at her out of the corner of my eye, watching her face turn red even though it's dark out. "It was okay," she admits. "You guys played really good out there." Then she secretively grabs onto my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. Nobody can see, and my heart leaps up into my throat just from the contact.

When she goes to pull away, I keep my hold on her and interlace our fingers together, keeping our hands shoved between the two of us.

"Is spring break still the second week of February?" Mary asks. "You boys don't have practice, do you?"

"No. We don't." Ethan opens up a bag of chips he had hidden in his bag and holds it out to me. I'm starving, so I take one with my free hand.

"We're getting pizza. It's on the way to the house now," Richard says, clearly sensing how hungry we are.

"I'm going to book the flights to Myrtle Beach," Mary adds. "Cameron, are you still wanting to come with us this year, honey?"

I glance out the window and clear my throat. "Um, I'll have to talk to my Dad about the flight and stuff, but I'm sure he'll send you money for it. He's never had a problem before."

"If he can't afford it then we will pay for your ticket," she huffs, and I can sense the disapproval she has for my father. I don't blame her. "You deserve to go on a vacation, and if he can't understand that then we can pay."

"Thank you," I tell her. "Honestly. It means a lot to me."

"Oh, nonsense. No need to apologize. You're like our second son."

Just like that, Maddie and I both strip our hands away from each other, the distance agonizing for me. Doesn't she see how frustrating this is for me? Her parents are like my own, and if they find out we're doing whatever the hell it is we're doing then they're going to ban me from these vacations, from their own home, and from their lives. I won't only lose two of my best friends, but I'll lose them too.

I don't know if that's something I'm willing to risk.