Just Sh*t: A New York City Story

Chapter 50: The Play

As the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl ticked down, tension filled the air in the apartment. Alex, perched on the edge of the couch, his eyes glued to the screen, turned to the group with a fierce look. "Alright, everyone. I need absolute, complete silence. No one can talk. If you want to chat, use the fire escape. No exceptions!" He punctuated his demand with an intense stare that made everyone nod in agreement, recognizing the stakes of the moment.

Turning to his left, he couldn't help but notice the girl wearing the white and blue Cam Newton jersey sitting next to him, looking over like a generational curse.

"Panthers girl, I swear if you lay your bad bad luck..."he trailed off, scooting as far away as possible.

"Relax, bandwagoner. I wouldn't even touch you if you want me to. Let me guess: your jersey still has the tags attached to it?"

"Yes, of course," Alex admitted sheepishly, holding up the tags that indeed still dangled from his brand-new jersey. "I'm taking it back if these Chiefs lose the game right now."

The room buzzed with anticipation as the clock ticked down. With each passing second, the atmosphere thickened. Then, in a pivotal moment, despite all of Alex's muffled praying, the 49ers executed a brilliant play, gaining at over 30 yards on a stunning pass. The announcer's voice boomed over the TV: "They're now within field goal range, and considering this kicker has been solid all season, it looks as though they have a shot."

Alex's eyes widened, panic washing over his face. "No! Not now!" he muttered under his breath, and the tension in the room reached a breaking point.

The announcer continued, "They could close it out, ending it all right here. Ending everything the chiefs have worked for."

Alex imagined himself taking the heaviest thing he could find and throwing it a few feet through the TV.

As the 49ers lined up for the kick, the entire apartment held its breath, the only sound being the rhythmic ticking of the clock. Then, in a surprising twist of fate, the Chiefs' defense exploded into action, blocking the kick! The crowd erupted in shock, and before anyone could process what had happened, the linebacker scooped up the ball and dashed down the field for a touchdown.

The moment the play unfolded, chaos erupted in the room. Cheers filled the air, drowning out the TV as everyone jumped from their seats. Judah leaped into the air, pumping his fists, while Jackson shouted with glee, "That's what I'm talking about!"

Alex, momentarily forgetting his earlier demands for silence, let out a primal roar of triumph. "Yes! Yes! I can't believe it!" he exclaimed, the fear of losing replaced by uncontainable joy. He ripped the tags off his jersey and held them in front of the girl sporting Cam, who gave him a nod of approval. The group was a whirlwind of celebration, shouting and laughing, some even doing a little victory dance in the living room.

As confetti fell on the screen and the announcer shouted about the unbelievable turn of events, the boys and their friends celebrated like they had just won the championship themselves. Panthers girl, caught up in the moment, joined in the festivities, giving Alex a playful shove. "See? This is what real fans do!"

In the midst of the joyous uproar, Jamie finally walked in, catching the tail end of the celebration. He stood there, slightly bewildered, as the room erupted in cheers and shouts of "Chiefs win!" He couldn't help but crack a nervous smile at the contagious excitement around him, even though he had missed all the action.

The jubilant atmosphere enveloped everyone, their collective happiness spilling out into laughter and shouts as they embraced the moment together, celebrating the unexpected victory that had just unfolded before their eyes.