Crush

Photo

Asher

Hugs.

Cheers.

Back slaps.

Excitement filled the air.

Roars from the crowds.

The atmosphere was buzzing.

Taking off my helmet, I cast my gaze over the stands, seeing our family, friends, classmates and fans all going wild.

Clapping.

Shouting.

We'd won.

The last football game before Christmas break.

It was a big game.

We were climbing the league table.

The team we'd just beat was supposed to be unstoppable.

Well, we'd stopped them. They were going home. We were staying.

Hell, yes.

Feeling Dylan crush me into a quick hug, I let my eyes wander over the crowds again, seeking out a familiar head of blonde hair.

"You were fucking awesome, man!" Dylan shouted in my ear. "Where the hell did all that energy come from?"

I grinned at him. "Dunno, but it felt good."

I knew exactly where that energy had come from. I thought about all the times Caleb had called me lately, messaged me. Thought about the fact that he wouldn't take no for an answer. Thought about how angry it made me that he was in the way of me being with Oliver. Stopping me from being totally honest with him. And that anger, frustration and emotion had fuelled my performance on the field, pushed me further. I threw stronger, ran faster, tackled harder.

Why couldn't Caleb take a hint? I hadn't answered any of his calls. Never sent a message back. I was totally blanking him. Ignoring him. I thought I'd love to see him again, but actually meeting with him, learning that he didn't want to let me go, just made me realise how much I wanted to be with Oliver. How much I missed him when I wasn't with him.

Maybe I should just tell Caleb that I was with someone else. Be straight with him. I needed to do something. I was getting tired of having to hide my phone from Oliver whenever the message tone sounded. What would he do if he found out?

I couldn't risk it.

I'd dreamed of the day I'd be with Oliver and I wasn't about to let a blast from my past get in the way of my man and my future.

Dylan pulled me with him towards the benches where Coach was standing, clapping in our direction, a big wide smile on his face.

This feeling after a win ... I'd missed it when I'd left Silverlake. The adrenaline, the thrill of the action, the adoration of the crowd, the high when I walked off the field ... Nothing compared to it.

And Dad had taken it away from me the second he pulled me out of school earlier in the year.

So I was happy I got to do it all again. Even if my family didn't know. Only a couple more months left of this season, a couple more months of keeping this quiet from Dad. He was too busy to pay me too much attention anyway.

Like always.

His campaign seemed to have intensified. More calls, more people, more time away from home. I was starting to think he'd forgotten he even had a family.

My eyes scanned the crowd again, searching for Oliver.

There he was.

Standing about half way up in the stands, next to his dad, the biggest smile on his face. He was cheering, clapping ... and looking right at me.