Chapter Thirty-One

Jake

Friday, I’m too excited to focus. Coach stands on one side of me, Ms. Nichols on the other. Some of the kids at the rehab center are lining up on the football field, each one dressed in a football jersey or some kind of outfit. Gracie Ann is in a jersey and a tiara, self-proclaimed Queen of the Football Field. Coach rests a hand on my shoulder. “I’m real proud of you, son. This was a great idea.”

“Yes, the kids are so excited, Jake. You’ve been a blessing to this place. I know if Seth was with us, he’d be at the front of the line,” Ms. Nichols says. I give her a side hug. I wish Seth was here, too, and though he’s not, he’s here in spirit.

Coach turns to the starting lineup, who stand behind us. “Each of you are responsible for the kid assigned to you. Anything happens to him or her, I will skin your hide and tan you alive. You hear me?”

“Yes, sir,” everyone on the team calls back. Coach points to the kids, and the team moves to join them.

“Y’all ready?” I ask the kids, and they all cheer and yell in excitement. I pretend like I can’t hear them. “I said, are you ready?!” And they all yell and cheer even louder. Even Coach laughs. “Then let’s go!”

Everyone moves outside toward the float, and I stand at the door watching them. The kids are so excited. I really wish Seth was here, but his spirit is all around us. Plus, we added this picture of him to the float, and his brothers are part of this—they even get to sit on the sidelines with their mom at the game tonight. I think he’d be happy.

Howell appears beside me. Things have been weird between us since everything. “This was a cool idea to feature the rehab center.”

“Thanks. There’s more to Culler than football.”

Howell shakes his head. “I never thought I’d hear you say that.”

“I know,” I say with a chuckle.

“You said you were in love with my sister. Did you mean that?”

“Yeah,” I say.

“I know I didn’t think so at first, but you’re good for each other,” Howell starts. “Since she’s been with you, I’ve seen her take charge of her life.” He puts a hand on my shoulder. “There’s no one I’d trust her with more than my best friend.”

“I’m still your best friend?”

“Yup, I’d say so,” he says. “Unless you break her heart, then I will kill you.”

“I don’t think you need to worry about that,” I say.

Howell hugs me real quick, and we both laugh. “Let’s do this.”

“There’s one more thing,” I say, and I look past him toward Jamie. He’s rolling up toward Coach with Raymond behind him. Howell and I move toward my brother as Coach shakes Jamie’s hand.

“He finally left the house?” Howell asked.

I nod. It’s a relief to see him leave the house, and to know I was part of that. “Yeah, he did.”

“Hey bro,” Jamie says. “Where do you want me?”

I point up to the float. “I’ll get you there,” I say. We already have a ramp for a couple of the other kids, so I take over and move my brother up to sit near the large picture of Seth. The kids are paired up with football players, everyone is talking and laughing and the energy in the parade line is high.

“This is cool,” my brother says. “Maybe something good came from all this after all.”

I nod. I think so, too. Maybe more than one good thing.

The parade was more fun than it has ever been before. The town loved the kids, the kids loved the parade, and the football team united everything.

When we’re done, the parade ends at the center of town and everyone piles into the restaurants and the carnival that’s set up in the town square to eat. I’m standing with Jamie when I see Haley. Even after all these weeks, seeing her still makes my heart race. She looks my way, and our eyes lock across the street. The next thing I know, she’s walking toward me. Jamie notices because he says, “You breathing?”

“What?”

“Smile or something,” he says, and he pushes me forward. I look over my shoulder at him, and he waves me off. Subtle.

Haley stands in front of me and does that nervous thing she does when she pushes some hair behind her ear. I grin a little because I missed looking at her and all her little things she does.

“I had no idea you were planning that,” she says to me.

“Yeah, you haven’t been around much at the center.”

“I know, I miss it. It’s been busy with all this.”

“I get it,” I say.

“You’re amazing. That was a great idea. Seth would’ve loved it,” she says.

“Thanks,” I say. It’s quiet for a second, and all I want to do is touch her, but I hold back. “You doing okay?”

“Yeah,” she says. “Chris told me that you came by and what you told him about being worthy of me,” she starts. “You never had anything to prove.”

“Not to you, maybe, but to myself.”

“How’s that going?”

“I’m just getting started,” I say to her.

We’re both quiet for a minute; neither of us know what to say or do next. “I miss you,” I say to her, and it’s probably lame or whatever, but it’s true. It’s how I feel. “I miss everything about you. I think about you every day.”

“I miss you, too,” she says.

I take a step toward her because I’m so close that I want to be closer, but before I get to do anything, Mrs. Monroe calls her name and yells, “Emergency in the cotton candy tent!”

“I better go,” she says, and she runs off before I can even catch my breath.

“Tough break,” Jamie says, and I’d forgotten he was even there.

I exhale and move toward my brother. “We can do it later. I’ve got a game to win.”

The locker room is tense with excitement and focus before the game starts. Coach gave us this rousing speech about taking down our obstacles, and he looked at me a few times with pride. At least it felt like pride.

The crowd is roaring with life outside. This is the biggest game of the season, every Culler native back in town to celebrate. You can feel the energy in the air.

I look for her when we run through the banner. She’s not in the stands with her dad, but my dad is—and so is Jamie and a blond girl. They’re sitting in the front row with his chair, and he hasn’t been to a game all season, and it looks like he’s smiling. The Belles are off to the side of the field, Haley right there with them. They’ll announce Homecoming Court at halftime. She smiles at me, and that I do see. It’s bright as day in the cool autumn air. It’s all I need to keep focused.

We win the coin toss, so we’re starting with the ball. As soon as the clock starts, I tune everything else out and focus on the game.

Howell has the ball, and when I see that look on his face, I run.