Touch

Chapter 5

The lights on the field lit up the turf, making it glare a neon green. The sky looked pitch black from where I stood on the field as the crowd roared in the stands. My hands were shaking from the adrenaline, sweat rolling down my body.

I walked back to the line with steam coming off my shoulders. My breath clouded in front of me, but I couldnt feel the cold.

The red numbers on the board flashed in my peripheral.

Twenty-eight to thirty-two. Thirty-five seconds.

Just one more touchdown, and wed win. The game was rough the first half. Then Couch set us straight during half-time. It wasnt so much a pep-talk as getting us angry. So angry we were ready to tear the other team apart.

We had gotten the ball in a turnover, and I quietly thanked our defense for stepping up––even after Dustin got benched. Breathing heavily, I looked around at my teammates. We could all feel the weight of the game settling on our shoulders. The score was a dominating thought.

One touchdown.

My body was tensed, and ready to make a break for it. I looked towards the end zone with determination. It was only twenty yards.

I could make it.

I could run that in my sleep and so could anyone else on the team.

Then the ball was snapped and I was off, pumping my arms as I ran. Turning, I looked for any defenders following me. There were only two. Looking down the field, I lifted my hands and Jason, the quarterback, threw the ball towards me.

I could already tell he over shot it even without the crowd gasping.

It was no surprise when the ball soared overhead. The crowd was out of their seats, watching me as I sped up. My legs burned with the effort I was putting into them. I was almost holding my breath with the effort.

Keeping my eyes glued on the ball, the world faded out. It was just me, the ball, and the ground

Im not going to make it!

I saw the ball falling, in slow motion, towards the ground. My heart stopped in my chest. Still thinking Id fail, I jumped for it. Contrary to my thoughts, I felt the weight of the ball hitting my hand. Quickly cradling the ball, I waited for the impact as the ground came up on me.

The wind was knocked out of me, colliding with the ground, but I wasnt concerned.

As I rolled, the sound around me became muted. In this moment it was just me and the ball, and my own thoughts telling me not to mess this up. I clutched it as if my life depended on it, because it did.

When I finally came to a stop, I took a breath, and let the ball fall to my side. I layed on the field, looking at it and not believing that Id actually done that.

A grin spread its way across my face as the sound of cheering flooded into my ears. The buzzer could barely be heard over their roaring. It was euphoria, a sound that I lived for.

I sat up only to see my team rushing towards me. Thrusting the ball in the air, I waited for the impact. They came crashing into me, sending us all sprawling to the ground. Their collective weight brought a groan from my lips, but it couldnt take the smile away.

The second they were up so was I.

Trevor lifted me up in the air, putting me down just as fast. Wheres instant replay when you need it?

Everyone was smiling and the roar of the crowd was still around us. I couldnt be bothered with that though. My mind was numb and I knew I had just done something amazing. But it all felt surreal.