Nick and Jake sat in silence next to each other in Nick's pickup. They had left the team with Jim. Well, with what they now had to deal with, there was no way they were staying at the afterparty. Not with Jake about to throw up and honestly? Nick too.
What Nick had been looking at was a part of Jake's past he wished he could hide. He had no idea how it had gotten posted up literally everywhere at Brennan...
When he and Nick were sophomores, the group of guys they were friends with took them out to a senior party and things got crazy high.
Literally.
Jake and Nick got so drunk for the first time that night, both in dizzy stupors with no idea what was going on around them and they soon found themselves having weed and all kinds of stuff in their faces and the next day, they were suspended from the SJU baseball team and there was an article in the paper. The group of guys were all called in and denied doing anything Jake and Nick had pleaded to and soon, when the truth was found, Jake and Nick were reinstated and the guys got suspended but that article haunted Jake ever since then even though he knew he didn't do anything wrong.
"Who even knows about this other than us?" Nick asked, still in shock. Jake was too.
"Connor," Jake said, simply as he turned to look at Nick, his head on the back of the seat.
Connor Poylo was one of the guys that took Nick and Jake out that night; one of the ringleaders of the group.
"Connor still lives in Philly, Jake. How would he do this? How would he get here, firstly?"
"Oh, shoot. You're right," Jake said as he bit his lip. "I forgot..."
The two sat in silence as Jake just stared at the paper as he cocked his head. "Nick... there's writing here."
"Just you wait. Legacies never die. I'm next in line," Nick read slowly.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Jake asked as he watched Nick. "Nick?"
Nick licked his lips, looked out his front window and then turned to Jake. "Remember... when you told me when Luke yelled at you that he sounded like someone you knew but you couldn't put your finger on it?"
"Yeah?"
Nick just stared at Jake.
"No," Jake said as he picked up immediately what Nick was thinking. Jake shook his head. "No. It can't be."
"Who else would it be?" Nick asked. "Jake, I don't want this to be the truth any more than you do but... it might be so."
"I swear to god, Nick, if you're right... I don't know if I can handle that."
"So, he's been planning this all along," Nick said, finally as Jake just stared at him with his hands on his head.
"Yeah," Jake said, quietly.
"Jake?"
"I need to sit down," Jake said as he lowered himself into a chair as Nick came over and kneeled next to him. Jake put his hands over his face and sighed.
"Jake?" Nick asked again.
"I can't... go through that again, Nick. I can't."
"Well, you're gonna have to... we're gonna have to. Cause whether you like it or not, Rick Lane is and always will be Luke Windimere's uncle and he is planning to steal everything we have built and he is so close, Jake."
"Way to make me feel worse, Nick," Jake scoffed, taking his hands off his face as he stared at his friend. Nick got up off the ground and sat on the couch next to Jake. Jake shook his head.
"When everything is uncertain, everything important becomes clear," Nick said, quietly.
"That's for sure," Jake said, as quietly. "I'd rather try a million times over with you then start over with someone new, Nick. We can't let him do this."
"Who said we're going to? Jake, we can't just give up because one person made us mad."
Jake nodded his head. "You're right. Now, how do we do this?"
"Wait, let me say something first cause I never got to tell you at the senior day game," Nick said, suddenly.
'"Yeah?"
"You're special, you know that? You're so unique. I've never met anyone like you. No one has your personality. No one can make me smile the way you do. The way your eyes light up when you see something that makes you happy. No matter how similar someone may look or act like you, no one is truly... you. A world without you would be different, no matter how you may see it, Jake. Every existence holds an importance, both big and small. Whether you believe it or not, you are here for a reason. You're still breathing for a reason. You could have died in 2020 but you didn't. You're still here. You got to be in my wedding and me in yours, senior day a few days ago, just... being. You're having a hard time right now but life is hard. It's been hard overall for you, Jake. Just remember that you're not alone though... People mourn everyday for those who are hurting. Someone cares for you. And don't say no one does cause I do. Don't give up."
Jake gave Nick an awkward side hug as he thanked him. Nick went to give him a fist bump but Jake just stared at the wall.
"Jake?"
"That's it, Nick. That's it!" Jake said, jumping up and pacing along the windowsill.
"What? What?" Nick asked, as he jumped up as well.
"What if Windimere has had a hard time too?"
Nick paused as he tilted his head. "How would... oh my god."
"You in?"
Nick gave Jake a fist bump that he returned this time.
"SO in."
YOU ARE READING
RIVAL NIGHT: Third Installment of the "Brennan Baseball Series"
Genç KurguJake Wolff has two winning seasons under his belt and has quickly gained fame over at the local high school and has become even closer with every ally he's ever met. And he absolutely loves it; he calls it home. About to start his third season, Nic...
