Closer - Noah Centineo/Peter Kavinsky

Closer (Part 53)- the last game

Authors note : It's been a minute, friends. If you are still here after all this time, thank you. If you are new, thank you. 💕

The word "fratello" will be mentioned in this chapter. It means brother in Italian.

jays pov

I push off the body pressed onto me in the ring and wipe of the blood off dripping off my lip. The taste is like I've been chewing on metal but it's nothing new to me. It's a routine.

"Good job, Jay," some member from the Circle claps from behind. I don't care to remember his name. I don't care for any of this anymore. Thankfully, it's the last fight here in Ohio.

I don't know what's waiting for me in New York with my father. He always has new ideas. At least this time I'll have Ella by my side in the city I've come to hate the most.

She. She can make anything downright beautiful for me. She lights up my surroundings that have been darkened by my past.

I've pushed her away as much as I could. I do it for her safety. She doesn't want me to. The selfish part of me doesn't either, so I've stopped.

I grunt, shoving past the people to go into the hallway as a hand touches my shoulder once I get there.

"Bro, you're like a magician disappearing outta there," Vinny chuckles, hitting my arm.

I wince slightly knowing, although I've won again, I've gotten enough hits today.

"I can't stand doing this anymore," I tell him with annoyance in my voice before I gurgle the blood out with water.

I sense a look of sympathy on Vinny's scarred and stone cold face. "I know. But I got some good news for you," he says with a trace of excitement in his voice as he rubs he's hands together.

This is a look that you will never see on Vinny Lucchesse.

I raise my eyebrow in pure curiousity, knowing well that Vinny was not one to disappoint when it came to good news.

"I talked to Francesco," he starts, while the blood in my veins turn into fire at the mention of my father. "I talked him into you going to Columbia and still being in the business with us."

I feel myself perk up without any thought. Columbia accepted me into their science program. It was a fictional dream for me in my head when I wanted to forget my reality. The mafia.

"What's the catch?" I grunt, realizing this comes at a cost.

Vinny sighs and crosses his arms while leaning against the wall. "There's always a price. He wants you to do inside work at the college. With the younger people your age. He will tell you what jobs he has on his mind when you get back to New York."

I shake my head in disbelief, laughing. "He's a son of bitch, Vinny. This whole world we live in is," I yell while throwing my water bottle towards the steel door.

"Listen," Vinny says quietly in a stern tone. "Would you rather have part of your dream in the mafia world or just the mafia part of it?," he asks.

He's right. I gotta do it one way or the other.

I can already imagine myself going to classes not even half the time and doing jobs for Francesco. I'll have a bit of the experience. And hopefully, I can come back to my girl at the end of the day.

It's the only fate I'll have. I didn't want this for me. I didn't want it for her. She chose this to be with me. I didn't. But, at least she makes it more bearable.

"Little Cousin," Vinny whispers seriously while placing his hands on my shoulder. "I don't know how. But someday very soon, I'm going to get you out of this world. You're going to be educated. You're gonna be with your girl and have kids. You're gonna have a good clean life. I swear to you, fratello ," he says. I can almost hear the shakiness in his voice. Almost.

I can feel my eyeballs staring to get moist as I look at the figure in front of me who is not biologically my brother, but more of a brother than my own bastard of a brother will ever be. My arms wrap around Vinny and embrace him like I've never done before.

I trust Vinny. When he says he will do something, he will. I just had to be patient.

The next day

It's the end of the year game. I didn't even think I could play the game after missing so many practices due to my "other after school activities". Though, I shouldn't be surprised, knowing that the coach had a soft spot for me and my skills for the sport.

The bleachers are filled up. However, as I look into the crowd, a special someone is missing. She told me she would be here. I can't help but feel disappointed.

I want her here. I want to pretend like we're in a movie. She's my girl in the crowd rooting for me while I give my all just to play for her. I want to pretend that after this we'll go out for pizza and I won't be called for any mafia related reason. But this isn't a movie. Highschool is almost over. I feel like I missed out so much. I need to live out the last few days before I get dragged to New York. I need her here.

I take a chance to turn to Yazmin and Violet on the stands. My facial expression of me shaking my head quickly in confusion let's them know that I'm wondering where she is.

I get hopeful shrugs from them as they mouth sorry. Suddenly, the ball is passed to me and I bolt in defense to the basket. Seconds later, I've made the basket as the crowd cheers.

These crowd cheers are more spirited and innocent as the ones I hear in the ring. I like these much better.

A cocky little smile creeps onto my face as I clap hands with my teammate, Paul. As I jog back into my position, my smile turns from cocky high school jock into lover boy once I see Ella entering the gym with a flush of deep red on her face.

She doesn't realize I'm staring right at her until a few seconds past. She flushes even more and tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, going up the bleachers to her friends.

Suddenly, I can't wait to finish this game and go up to kiss her.

"Come on Jones, get your head in the game," coach yells, snapping me back to reality. I almost forgot my fake last name.

My motivation after seeing Ella is at its peak and I play for the last time in this court, giving it my all. I play like I'm in the movie. A movie that's about to end any second.