Page 54 of Kickoff

Paige and she exchanged a few words, and when Melinda scanned the field, her gaze landed on me. And like she possessed some power over me, I failed to look away. She worried her lower lip, staring at me. My heart fluttered in my chest. Heat flooded my bloodstream, and my throat closed. This time, it wasn’t because I was nervous to give a speech. She was the one making me nervous, putting me on high alert. We eyed each other from a distance, and I wished I could translate the words she wasn’t speaking out loud right now. I wondered if she could tell I was wishing I could be anywhere else but here at this moment. Her attention never faltered away from me.

My throat bobbed on a swallow, and I swept my dry lips with my tongue.

Even from my position on the field, I could feel the attraction simmering between us.

Melinda nodded once, and I returned the gesture.

As if I had correctly answered a question that had been nagging her mind, her lips shaped into a smile, and her eyes lit up.

If I walked across the field right now and kissed her, would she push me back, or would she deepen the kiss? I’d been asking myself this question a lot lately.

I shook my head, pushing the thoughts away. Why was I even thinking about kissing Melinda Shepard when I had to be fully immersed in tonight’s game and this pep rally?

Trying to get back into the zone, I loosened my shoulders and breathed in, stretching my neck on both sides to infuse my body with a bit of moxie. My head had to be one hundred percent in the game. Bit by bit, the tension in my upper back evaporated.

“You getting your groove back?” My brother watched me with bunched eyebrows, studying my face.

“Yes. We’ll annihilate Cowley High tonight. They stand no chance against us. It’s gonna be our plays, our field, our game, our victory.”

“Yes. That’s the Mason Pierce this team needs.”

With one last roll of my shoulders, I removed the leftover knots tightening my upper body.

Melinda nodded at me. My confidence returned—tenfold. Craig was right. I could do this.

Tipping my chin up, I firmed my back, looked straight ahead, and waited for my cue.

You okay? Melinda mouthed.

I offered a quick nod this time.

Chase elbowed me in the ribs, and I brought my attention to him. “What?”

He motioned forward with his chin. “Coach called your name. Twice. Go.”

“Oh.” Of their own volition, my eyes sought Melinda once again.

She pointed to the microphone with a finger where Coach waited for me.

With a blink of my eyes, I emerged from my Melinda-induced state and jogged forward. The commotion surrounding us intensified. People chanted my name. The energy in the bleachers and on the field turned electric. My teammates clapped my shoulder, telling me “You’ve got this” as I passed them. Before I could stop it, I slipped back into my cocky jock persona like it was a second skin, the one my classmates expected, loved, and respected—my very own shield. After all, football was my life, and if they wanted to admire me for my talent on the field, then let them. But for the first time, I also wanted this victory not only for me or my team, but also for Melinda. I wanted her to see me as a champion, as a successful someone. I caught her gaze for a millisecond, and in that instant, I felt more like myself than I ever did in front of a crowd. With fire in my eyes and confidence flowing through my bloodstream, I raised one arm above my head. “Elk River High, are you ready to win tonight?” The sound of clapping and cheers rose to a crescendo around me. “I said, are you ready to win tonight?”

Students jumped to their feet and hollered, whistling and chanting my name like I was some sort of God—their God. “Pierce. Pierce. Pierce.”

“That’s what I’m talking about. As the starting quarterback, I’ll do whatever it takes to make tonight’s game one to remember. You have my word. I didn’t become your beloved QB and captain for no reason. Am I right? Come on, guys, I’m Mason Pierce. The Mason Pierce. Losing isn’t part of my vocabulary. Once again, I’ll prove to you why I’m the best at my job—why the Bears are freaking war machines on that turf.” My lips broke into a satisfied grin, but inside I hated myself for sounding so condescending. From the corner of my eye, I risked a look at Melinda. She studied me, her lips pinched together, and I wondered if my sudden change of attitude from uncertain to too sure of myself was the reason. Or if she was trying to decide if my jock persona was genuine or not. Good luck with that, girl, because sometimes I had a hard time deciding. This role I played for the sake of the crowd had become natural to me. So much so that, on some occasions, I forgot to drop the act once away from school.

“Pierce. Pierce. Pierce.”

Bella and Tory, two cheerleaders, came to stand on each side of me, shaking their pompoms above their heads. I winked at Bella, and her cheeks turned pink. All for show, I reminded myself. A low curse passed my lips. I hated the idea I wasn’t strong enough to resist stepping into the asshole persona that wasn’t wholly mine, to begin with, in front of all these people.

I returned my attention to the cheering crowd, my grin turning into a blinding smirk. I bet nobody could guess I wasn’t at ease in front of the entire school, speaking like I was so full of myself and flirting with the cheerleaders, and yet, here I was, putting on a performance and letting the school spirit rule my actions. Feeling conflicted inside and remembering Melinda’s eyes were on me, I dialed down the self-entitled act a bit, trying to end my speech on a humbler note. “Guys, let’s play football tonight. Let’s show Cowley High who the real winners are and why they should be scared of us. Not because we cheat to win, but because we play to win. Because we’re the best. No, scratch that. We’re legends. We are courageous and determined, and nothing will stop us. Our team plays the game with all their heart, and we always give the best of us to it. I’m telling you the Bears will play at State again this year because losing isn’t an option. Not when I’m your captain. Not when our team is the one to beat. Go Bears.”

The student body went wild. My lips curled up as I enjoyed the energy that zipped through the bleachers. School spirit at its best. I bet Principal Ross was jubilating inside.

As if summoned by the school cheer, he stepped next to me and retrieved the microphone from my grip. “Thank you, Mr. Pierce.” He redirected his focus to the ruckus and moved his flat hand up and down in front of him. “Enough, people. Silence. Please. Behave.” The sound of his voice barely made it through the brawl.

“Pierce. Pierce. Pierce.” Students chanted my name louder, pumping their fists in the air.

“Students.” Principal Ross tried to regain some sort of control. “Be quiet now or there will be detention if you don’t calm down.” The threat worked because everyone sat down, the hectic ambience dying. “You all go back to class now. Don’t forget, tomorrow is Homecoming. I expect you to follow the rules and be on your best behavior. Have fun. You’re all dismissed.”