TOUCHDOWN!

Ten yards to go…

nine…

eight…

seven…

six…

five…

four…

three…

two…

one, and—

TOUCHDOWN!

KHATCHADORIAN SCORES!

RIGHT BEFORE HE DIES OF SHOCK!

I couldn’t believe it. Like, actually couldn’t believe it. I kept wondering when Georgia was going to start shaking me and yelling at me to wake up, because this had to be a dream, right?

Rafe Khatchadorian. Had just scored. A TOUCHDOWN.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to keep saying it over and over again. It just took me a second to figure out that it was really happening. That was right about when Flip jumped on my back and started screaming, “Hills Village SCOOOOOOORES!!!” and “KhatchaDOOOORian!” and “YEEEEAH, BABY! TOUCHDOWN!”

The whole team piled on after Flip. I didn’t just get congratulated. I got mugged. Seriously. It hurt. I guess there’s no rule in flag football about tackling your own players.

But I didn’t mind. It was still one of the best things that had ever happened to me, just in a slap-on-the-back, punch-in-the-arm, break-a-few-ribs kind of way.

I know, it’s not like we won the Super Bowl or anything. But the thing is, Hills Village hadn’t scored against Southside since… ever. So it was kind of a big deal. Which made me kind of a big deal for a minute there.