to live for the hope of it all.

Chapter 7

September 8th, 2023

"I wanna be your endgame,
I wanna be your first string,
I wanna be your A-Team,
I wanna be your endgame, endgame..."

Beckett

I was screwed before.

But I am royally screwed now.

Our schedules aligned this year, putting us in most places at the same time. I drove Bailey to school every morning since that first day and we'd talk the whole drive, and it was the highlight of my day to start every morning like that. We'd usually say goodbye at her locker, and then I'd see her at lunch where she sat with Wren on the opposite side of the cafeteria. My table just happened to line up at a perfect angle diagonal from hers, and everytime she laughed at something Wren would say, my heart would skip two beats.

Then came the end of the day when we had 7th period English together. When I'd walked into class that first day still reeling from our drive to school, I'd had to do a double take to make sure it was her. She'd been reading her book propped against her desk when I'd walked in and hadn't seen me, but the seat next to her had been wide open. This year was finally, finally in my favor when it came to Bailey.

"Is Wren in this class too?" I asked, standing in front of the open seat. Startled, she looked up from her book and her cheeks tinged the tiniest bit of pink before she smiled softly.

"Uh, no, no she's not," she paused, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Is Caleb?"

"He isn't," I smiled. "Would it be okay if I sat with you?"

"Yeah, of course," she said, closing her book fully and putting it in her bag while I took a seat next to her before meeting her eye again.

God if only she knew what that soft smile does to me.

I really wanted my chance, but I was terrified of scaring her off. I have had years to grapple with my fascination for her, and she has only been single for a few weeks now.

Bailey was skittish in front of me, and that made me worried if I came on too strong, she'd bolt. I was in this for the long game.

Since finding out that we could be going to the same college, it has only made me feel more like this is our year. And if she never feels for me as I do for her, I could be happy just keeping her presence in my life as a friend. Because that's what we have been for the last few weeks, and it has made all the difference. Bailey Connors and I were friends.

Friends that rode to school together and gave music suggestions, ones I wanted to text her about at all hours of the night, but again, I didn't want to scare her off.

Though, last week we both happened to be doing homework at our desks when we caught each other's eye, she smiled and waved at me. That was a first for us, but I was really happy she did that, even if I was distracted from my homework the rest of the night.

I'm warming up for the first game of the season, my first game as captain. And I'm listening to Taylor Swift's "End Game" because according to Bailey, she has a song for everything: including a pre-game warm up, per our ride to school this morning.

Before leaving her at her locker, she'd wished me good luck with that soft blush painting her cheeks again.

God, I could get used to that every game day.

Tonight, after the game, my mother invited them to join us for dinner with Caleb's family to celebrate the start of our last high school season. Knowing I will be seeing Bailey again after this game just made me want to win it that much more. I wanted this undefeated season so bad for my team, and I wasn't going to let them down.

The stands for our first home game of the season are packed, but there was only a specific group of people that would be cheering for me that I thrived off of. Though, even they can't stop the nerves that run through me before every game when the ref is about to blow the start whistle.

Breathe, Beckett.

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