Jacecalls us in for a huddle.Sofar, the thingsIlove about this game are: 1)Whenwe huddle,JaceandIget to put our arms over each other’s shoulders, and even though we are both very hot and we each also have another person’s arm over our shoulders, it’s pretty great.Ilove it anytimeIfeel like we are on the same team and 2)Actually,Ithink there was only one.No, wait— it’s seeing the competitiveness come out inJace.That’spretty sexy, not going to lie.
“Okay,”Jacesays. “Ourscore right now is a big ole goose egg, and we need to change that.Anyideas?”
Charlienods. “I’vegot one.AfterJacehikes the ball toLedger, the three of us will run as far downfield as we can, and then we all turn and look atLedgerlike we’re expecting him to pass to us.Mackenzie, you go center and stop just in front of the end zone.I’llgo right,Jace, you go left.Then,Ledger, you throw the football toMackenziebecause they’ll never expect that.”
Okay, that’s a good plan becauseI’vebeen playing poorly enough that they really will never expect it.Iturn to look at the end zone, which is the space between the fence and the cement curbing three feet out from it that separates the grass from the shrubs and flowers.Butas per the rules, it only counts as a touchdown if you enter the end zone in a place with no growing things.
Butit’s also a bad plan.WhenIlook back,Isay, “Idon’t know how to catch a football.”
“Whenit comes to you,”Ledgersays, just wrap your arms around it like you’re catching a baby.”
Inod.Likecatching a baby.
Ledgerraises his head to see the opposing team over our huddle. “Iknow that’ll leave me exposed to getting my flags pulled, but they’re getting cocky over there.Myguess is they will look to intercept the pass.”
Jacelooks at me and asks, “Areyou okay with that plan?”
Ireally don’t want them pinning their hopes on me.ButIdo love an adventure, soInod yes.
Jacehikes the ball andIsomehow manage to get around the defensive line. (Okay, it’s entirely because they haveHeidiguarding me.Normally, that would’ve meant my flags being pulled in about point-two seconds, but she bent down because she saw a ladybug in the grass just as the ball was hiked.I’mstill counting a win as a win here.)Irace down the field.
Justlike inCharlie’splan, all three of us get downfield, and just likeLedgerguessed,Blake,Emerson,Miles, andEvelynsplit up and double-coverJaceandCharlie, ready to intercept the ball, leaving me wide open.Ilock eyes withLedger, and he pulls his arm back and then throws it forward, sending the football in a tight spiral directly at me.
Forthe record,Ihave never had a football sailing straight at me before. (Atleast not whileIwas looking.)Itisterrifying.Firstoff, it looks like it’s traveling at about one hundred miles per hour.Andsecond, it’s coming right at my face.
Butwhat doIknow?I’venever played football.It’ssomething that neitherInor any of my sisters were interested in.Andneither of my parents.Butmy team is behind and they are turning to me for the crunch-time play, andI’mnot going to let them down.Soeven thoughIwant to turn and run or duck and cover,Istay strong, facing my fear, my arms out, waiting for the ball with the most steely, unflinching gazeI’veever mustered.
Exceptit doesn’t come into my waiting arms; it hits me square on the nose.
Thepain is immediate and explosive.Imight scream—Idon’t know.Ican’t see through the stars in my vision.AllIknow is thatIam on my knees, my hands are over my nose, and they’re slippery wet.Itip over onto the grass.
Jaceis at my side in a second, asking me ifI’mokay.Ihave no idea whatIam right now andIdon’t seem to remember how to form words.There’sonly sharp pain and everything else is hazy.
ThenIfeel soft fabric pressed against my nose followed quickly byJace’sarms sliding underneath me and picking me up.Ihear him say over and over, “I’mso sorryIdidn’t protect you.”Whichis weird, because he wasn’t supposed to.
Bythe time we are in the house andI’mlying in a bed that must be in a guest room,I’mgetting my senses back.EnoughthatIfeel the bed shift asJacesits down beside me, andIcan now make my mouth form words.AllIcan think about is how things went withLiviwhen she went toFelipe’sparents’ house, so the first (understandably slurred) words out of my rapidly swelling mouth are, “Well, at leastIdidn’t break the sink and pass out.”
Andthen everyone starts discussing the possibility thatIhave a concussion.
Iopen my eyes, butIcan’t see around the soft thing on my nose.Itfeels like everyone is in here, though. “I’mnot concussed.”WhatIamis embarrassed.AndwhatI’dmost like is for everyone to forget this happened, not fawn over me.
“Isthere a ringing in your ears?” someone asks.
“Headache?Nausea?” someone else asks.
“No,”Ianswer simply.
“Ihave some ice,”Ledgersays. “Hasit stopped bleeding yet?”
Jacepulls the soft thing off my nose to check, and that’s whenInotice that the soft thing is his shirt.Now, as much asIlove being cared for by a shirtlessJace,Isay (still slurred), “Jace!Iprobably just ruined your shirt!”
Heshakes his head. “It’stotally fine.”Helooks up atLedger. “Ithink the bleeding has stopped.”
Imust be a mess becauseCharlie’sface is pale as she says, “I’llgo get a cloth,” and races out of the room.
Amoment later, it’sEvelynwho comes in with a cloth, and she sits on the opposite side of me and starts wiping off one side of my face.ThenJacetakes it and wipes off the other.Thenhe puts the ice pack on my nose and the cold is shocking.
Aftera moment,Jacesays, “Let’sgive her some space,” andI’meternally grateful that a) they’re no longer all staring at the girl who can’t catch a football and b) thatJacegets that the spaceIneed doesn’t include space from him.
