Page 92 of Come Back to Me

Dani notices, and she grabs my hand. “It’s going to be okay.”

I shake my head and stop any tears from forming in my eyes before it’s too late. “I hope so.”

now

GRAYSON

“Alright, you all know what you need to do out there today. You play a homecoming game like they’ve never seen before. You’ve been training for months for this moment. Don’t blow it,” Coach Taylor says.

“Pinecrest is a sports university. They’re in the top five, and we’re lucky enough to be in the top ten. We’re going to get our asses kicked out there,” one of my teammates points out.

I stand beside Coach Taylor and look around the room. “There’s no denying that Pinecrest are beasts when it comes to this sport, but so are we. You have to stop thinking that way. We’re not going to getourasses kicked by them. They’re going to gettheirasses kicked by us. So, let’s go win this homecoming game!”

“Yes, Captain!” they all shout in unison.

My teammates leave the locker room one by one, and Coach pulls me aside. “This is why I made you Captain of this team, Becker. You weren’t born to be shoved to the side. You were born to lead.”

“Thanks, Coach,” I say.

We all rush out of the locker room with me leading the team into the arena.

This is it. This is what we’ve been practicing like crazy for these past few months.

I’m standing behind the paper with the school’s logo on it. It’s the one we’re all going to break through when the announcer calls for us. My heart is beating fast and loud. I take a few deep breaths to calm myself down.

The buzzer echoes throughout the gym, ringing in my ears.

Here we go.

“Welcome to the homecoming game of the season! I’d like to bring out the first team. They’re in the top five, and they’re here to defend that ranking tonight. Please welcome the Pinecrest University Timberwolves!” the announcer shouts over the speakers.

Five minutes go by, and I turn around to see how the guys are doing. They look at me with pride on their faces. They’re ready to kick Pinecrest’s ass, and so am I.

“Finally, we have our home team who is in the top ten, inching closer to a top five spot. Please put your hands together for the Sunset Cove University Stingrays!” the announcer says.

Pushing my way through the paper, it splits in half, and the crowd erupts in excitement. I scan the bleachers and my eyes almost immediately land on Violet. Her face lights up as she smiles at me. Suddenly, I’m seventeen years old again, and I feel like I can take on the world.

I walk up to Connor Preston, the captain of the Pinecrest Timberwolves, and smirk at him.

Connor is wearing the school’s signature brown and purple jersey with matching shorts and Nike sneakers.

“Good luck tonight, buddy.” He raises his eyebrows.

“You, too.”

We shake hands and turn our attention overto the referee. “Alright, let’s get this going.” He throws the ball in the air, and the buzzer goes off, signaling that the game has begun.

And it’s our ball.

I dribble the ball over to our side of the court and pay attention to see who’s open if I need to hand it over to someone.

Shit, nobody’s open.

Pinecrest is known for their defense, so I’m left with no choice but to shoot.

I’m at the three-pointer line. I decide to fake out the guy who’s trying his hardest to block me from making a shot. I move my left foot out like I’m going to run closer to the hoop, but I put my legs back together and shoot. All I can hear is the crowd shouting. The ball makes it inside the net without touching the rim.

That was lucky.