Page 22 of Campus Muscle

Laughter followed his words, and the moment I shared with Coach snapped, so I exhaled and jogged forward. Inside the bus was even more insane. There were leather seats, wide aisles, and even screens built into the backs of the headrests. There was actual space, which was something we weren’t used to at all.

Connor dropped into a seat but kept looking around as if he might miss something if he stayed still for too long. “This is insane. Are you sure we get to keep it?”

“You want me to say no?” Malik asked as he slipped into the seat across from him.

Connor grinned. “I’m just saying I could get used to this.”

“You can get used to it when you actually start playing.” Lucas sprawled across two seats.

“I will,” Connor sneered, pointing at him. “Just you wait.”

“Keep telling yourself that.”

I slid into the seat across the aisle and ran my hand along the armrest in an attempt to ground myself. The cheerleaders got on next. Elizabeth laughed as the bus slightly shifted beneath their weight, but Ethan caught her elbow and steadied her before pulling her into the seat next to him.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

“I’m fantastic,” she said, glancing around. “This isn’t what I expected when I got up this morning.”

“You and I both!” Lucas said. “We’re official now.”

The engine rumbled to life, and I leaned back to prepare for the long trip we had ahead of us. As the bus rolled out of the parking lot and the campus vanished into the distance, a ripple of cheers broke out. The guys were excited, but I was cautiously looking out of the window and occasionally scanning over the seats. Frank Delaney wasn’t there, but this bus had his name written all over it.

I rested my head back and exhaled slowly. We had a few good games, and suddenly everything shifted. We’d gotten better equipment, a bigger presence, and even more attention. My mind shifted to the game against Curry, to the second half and how quickly things had changed.

Connor leaned over the seat in front of me, and the kid was practically vibrating with excitement. “You better do well tonight. We didn’t get this ride for free.”

“I thought Lucas said we’re already official.” I smirked.

Connor gave me a wicked smile. “We’re getting there.”

I nodded slowly, wondering if he might actually have a point.

*

The stadium in Biddeford hit hard the second we stepped onto the field. The bright lights cut sharp against the darkening sky, and the air carried a frosty bite that insisted on getting worse with every breath. The stands were packed and their home colors could be seen everywhere, but ours didn’t fade into the abyss. They stood out just as strongly. Navy and gold was scattered throughout the crowd, and our fans made sure they were loud enough to be heard.

I adjusted my gloves as we walked out. The Nor’easters were already in motion, and they were impressive. The team was fast and precise. Their drills snapped into place without hesitation, and they wasted no movement. There were no loose edges either.

“Eyes up,” Malik said as I passed him.

I nodded and brought my focus back where it belonged. Head in the game. Not on our opponents.

Dylan bounced on his toes a few yards away and rolled his shoulders with a tight-set jaw. He looked ready, but when the whistle blew and the first play started, it showed that he wasn’t.

Ethan took the snap and handed it off cleanly, but Dylan hit the line hard and then stalled. A defender met him square in the chest, stopping his momentum before dragging him down.

“Reset,” Coach called.

The next play had the same formation. Dylan took the ball and tried to bounce outside. His foot planted too heavily, and the turn came half a beat late. The edge collapsed, and a linebacker wrapped around him before he could break through. Third down.

“Lock in, man,” Ethan called.

The snap came, and Dylan pushed forward again. He forced himself through the contact, but the ball slipped loose as a helmet clipped his arm. It hit the turf for a split second before he dropped onto it.

The sideline tensed as I stood there with my helmet in hand, watching everything unfold. Something wasn’t right with him.

“Prescott!” Ethan called.