For The Love Of The Game

Chapter 19

Tonight was it, the game I had waited for all week. We win this one, and we are on our way to state. I have been in extremely good mood this week, not just because of the game, but me and Emily are back on the right track again. I'm just waiting for that hiccup to come again, it seems to always sneak it's way back in.

I didn't have to think about that though, the game was about to start. The lights were bright, the crowds we're loud, and we were ready to play.

The game seesawed back and fourth all night. It never seem to fail as soon as we would get a defensive stop, to try to pull away they would come up with one as well.

We finally got the ball back and we are driving up the field, we call a timeout and huddle around the coach.  I take a look at the clock we are down by four, and there is only three seconds left in the game.

Coach calls a play we never use, knowing these guys scouted us well. This time I'm not the quarterback, I'm the receiver, all I have to do is get open, and catch the ball.

We line up, and the other team is already confused, thankfully they have no time outs left, so they can't stop the play.

The ball is snapped, I make a double move, completely throwing the defender off, as I flash by him. I look up and the ball is already in the air, it's a perfectly thrown pass.

At first all I could hear were people screaming, but as the ball flew through the air, everything went silent.

The ball begins it's decent, as I open my arms for the catch, it lands perfectly in my hands, then it happened.

I took my eye off the ball for a split second to see where I was at on the field, by the time I tried to find the ball again it had already hit my hands,  and slid right through them bouncing off the turf.

I hear the gasp of our crowd, as the other trams, as there stands began to roar. I watched as the ball rolled away from me, the other team was celebrating, I just looked down at my hands.

My teammates came by patting me on the pads and the helmet, I was still replaying the scene in my head. I dropped the ball, at the time my teammates counted on me the most, I failed.

I changed slowly that night alone, sulking in my own silence. Emily had texted she was waiting in the car, but didn't dare to say anything else.

I grabbed my bag along with my pads, I never expected tonight to be the last night that I would put them on. I had really expected one more game.

I made my way out to the field, everybody was gone, but the lights were still on. I made my way to midfield, placing my bags down, and pulling out the football I had stopped.

I tossed it straight up into the air, and caught it with ease, as it landed into my hands. "What are you doing RJ?"

I turned around to see Emily behind me, "seeing how many times it takes me to drop this ball again."

She held up her hands and I threw the ball to her, she caught it and tossed it back. "Don't beat yourself up RJ, it happens to the best all the time. Remember last year's Cowboys playoff game. Bryant could have won the game, but he dropped the pass at the goaline."

I smiled as we continued to play catch, "yeah I know, it's just damn everything was so perfect. The perfect play called, the perfect, route, and a perfect throw."

She smiled and walked over to me, "yes everything was perfect, but ended exactly the way it should have. You don't see it now, but things happen for a reason RJ, it's high school football. I promise you there's alot more to life then that."

I watched her as she tossed the ball down the field, "you know you're right Emily, because now it's basketball time."

She just rolled her eyes and shook her head, I grabbed my stuff and started walking off the field. Football might be over, and yes at one time it was my life, but for some reason I had a sneaky suspicion that it wasn't anymore, and it hadn't been since a brown haired beauty walked into my life.

I found out on the way home that Emily had recorded the play, after ten minutes off begging she finally let me watch it.

I just shook my head as I watched the play, ninty nine out or a hundred times, I would have caught that ball. Finally she took the phone away from me, after I watched it for the tenth time.

We finally made it home around one in the morning, we were both exhausted, and had acted like complete idiots to keep each other awake. For some reason though as we approached the house, I felt wide awake.

Emily unlocked the door, and held it open as I carried in my stuff, she followed in behind me.

I sat my stuff done, a she turned and closed the door, when she turned around, I scooted closer so her body was pinned against the door. I placed my hands on both sides of her head as her eyes locked with mine, "what are you doing RJ?"

I grinned seductively at her as I leaned in my lips moving along her ear, "do I make you nervous Emily."

I felt her body shiver under mine, and out of instincts her hands found my hips, I was waiting for her to push me back but it didn't happen.

So my bravery intensified, I lowered my lips to the curve in her neck and nibbled gently. Her breath caught, as she let out a gasp, her hands digging into my hips as she pulled me closer.

I came back to her, "you didn't answer my question."

Her hands left my hips, and tangled in my hair, she pulled gently as I locked eyes with her once more. Something in her eyes was different, "you make me alot of things RJ, but nervous is not one of them anymore."

I didn't have time to respond as her lips found mine, this time was different. The kiss was full of passion, and desire, I gasped as her tongue traced my bottom lip.

It gave her what she desired, as her tongue began to battle mine, and surprising she won the battle. Her hand gripped tightened in my hair, and mine were now roaming her body.

Things were getting intense fast, and before I could make my next move there was a knock on the door, jolting us apart.

We both stared at each other, before I scooted around Emily to open the door. There stood a young girl, possibly no older than me. Her blonde hair was long, and her crystal blue eyes took me in.

"Who are you and why are you knoicng on my door at two in the morning.?"

Her eyes looked away from me, "I'm really sorry I've been here all night just waiting for someone to get here. I asked around town, and the people told me I could find what I was looking for here."

I gave the girl an annoying look, "which is what?"

She took a deep breath, "well I'm looking for a girl named Ruby Johnson is that you?"

I gritted my teeth at that name, "I might be, it depends on whose asking."

Emily had stepped closer by now, as the girl spoke again, "my name is Saphire Johnson, and I'm your twin sister."