away; b.e.[rewritting]

Chapter 27

game day

"I want you to go out there and show South Crenshaw what we're made of here at Beverly. Emilie," he says. My gaze quickly goes toward Coach and not the floor.

"Yes Coach?"

"You're playing as wide receiver and on starting line up. Asher had a family emergency and Spencer is grieving his father's recent death. As you all know, Corey and I go way back. He should be out there coaching his team. So instead of challenging Corey, we are going to play in his honor. If you have a problem with that, the doors over there," Coach finishes his speech.

We all start cheering and chanting "Corey". Olivia told me that Spencer is coming to the game in honor of his father's passing but won't actually play.

Olivia, Layla, and Coop are all sitting with Spencer. I invited Lauren, Bryana, Corey (their friend Corey), Zoe, Lily, Hannah, Riley, and Scott with his wife to come.

"Emilie, since you're captain, you're leading the team out," Coach says. Last year, after Beverly beat South Crenshaw the first time, the team let themselves go. They didn't take anything seriously. Jordan ended up getting arrested, along with JJ.

Jordan was always captain. But after that, Coach has been looking for a new captain. When I came, he saw my potential and named me captain.

'Narcotics' started to play through the speakers, meaning it was time for us to run out onto the field.

"Let's go get this win. For Corey!" I yell. "For Corey!" They yell back.

We run out onto the field and I see everyone who came out to see the rematch.

The principal handed Lauren a microphone.

We ran over to the sides to get ready.

"Hello everybody. For those, who don't know me, I am Lauren Sanderson. I'm a singer/songwriter. I work very closely with the team captain of the Beverly Eagles, number 18, Emilie Stone!" She announces. Everyone started to cheer.

"This is not just any normal game. This is the championship game. But, it's also a memorial game for Corey James. An amazing man who recently passed away due to cancer. I remember growing up and watching high school football with my dad and Corey was my favorite player out of all of them," Lauren says. "Teams, you have a few minutes to talk to each other to figure out your game plans then I'll hop back onto the mic,"she finishes.

We huddle up. "Ok, we're doing the 4th play in the playbook. A red dog 32, ok?" Coach says. We nod.

He removes himself from the huddle.

"Beverly on me, Beverly on 3. 1,2,3...Beverly!" We all yell the last part.

"For Corey!" I yell.

"For Corey!" They yell back.

We get onto the field.

"Everyone, please take a knee for Corey James," Lauren says. We all get on one knee and kneel as do the crowd.

After a minute, Spencer speaks.

"Corey wasn't a perfect father. In fact, he was gone more my life. But, I still love him and I always will. Corey may have left this world, but his legacy lives on. It lives on in me, in my little brother Dylan. It lives on in South Crenshaw. I love you dad, and I miss you," he says.

Everyone gets into position. The ball snaps and the game begins.

~

We're in the fourth quarter. There is 10 seconds left on the clock. South Crenshaw is snapping the ball, we're on defense. The score is 43-49 and we're down by 6.