ℕ𝕆𝕋𝔼(𝕊):
💌
- hey, hey!! 🫶🏾
- it's been a minute but we're backkkkk!🍿
- pt. 2 for this chapter is being edited now! hopefully i can have it published by tomorrow or Saturday!🤞🏾
- as always, thanks for the support & i hope you enjoy reading :)
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SOUTHERN CAL CAMPUS
SPENCER'S APARTMENT
SATURDAY
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The sting of the night's loss was still fresh, the final touchdown—his touchdown—just out of reach, replaying in his mind like a cruel joke. The ache in his chest was as real as any physical pain he'd ever felt on the field.
Around him, the locker room was a symphony of muted frustration: the sound of cleats being kicked off, the rustling of jerseys, and the occasional sigh of exasperation. The weight of disappointment was palpable, hanging heavy in the stale air.
Billy stood against the wall outside his office, his arms crossed as he surveyed his team. His eyes were sharp, yet filled with a certain empathy. He took a deep breath, stepping forward to address the room, his voice a steady anchor in the turbulent sea of emotions.
"Alright! Listen up." He began, walking toward the front of the room, his tone firm but not unkind.
"First loss of the season. A lot of mistakes were made, and a lot of frustration is still floating around."
Spencer glanced up, trying to focus on his mentor's words, but his mind was elsewhere.
Reporters had been in his ear all week, probing into his plans, and asking about the draft.
Then, there was Olivia.
They'd been spending more time together, trying to piece back some old wounds and rekindle sacred habits, especially when it came to their son.
Spencer wanted so badly to fix things, to make it right, but it felt like he was juggling too many balls and dropping all of them.
The pressure was relentless, and the thought of balancing it all with his schoolwork, deadlines looming like storm clouds on the horizon, felt overwhelming.
"Tonight's loss hurts." Billy continued, his gaze sweeping across the room, meeting each player's eyes.
"But you win some, you lose some. That's football and that's life. What defines us is how we bounce back. So, keep your heads up." His voice softened, but the intensity remained.
Some of the players nodded, their eyes filled with the fire of unspent energy. Others heard their head coach loud and clear but continued to stare at the floor, their frustration still evident.
All the while Spencer still felt like he was a million miles away, the consequence of expectations pressing down on him. The reality of the loss, the pressure from the reporters, and the uncertainty about his future struck him from all sides.
"Spencer, you with us?" Billy asked, his tone piercing through his distraction.
The wide receiver blinked, snapping back to the present.
YOU ARE READING
the thing about love.
General Fiction"Love... Love will come find you. Just to remind you of who you are. Oh love, it will forsake you. Threaten to break you, take what you got. Everybody laughs, everybody cries. Oh it can hurt you baby. But give it a little try. See that's the thing a...
