The Rules | ✅ Completed

Chapter 61

If you had told me months ago that my best friend's reserved little sister would be helping our team win the State Championship, I would have called you crazy. If you had told me that she would practically carry all of our sorry asses through the first quarter, I probably would have stared at you dumbfounded. It sounds stupid, and sexist, but given I knew the girl for years before this it was hard to believe. Seeing her first hand, on the field as she stepped into place at the other end of the line of scrimmage, was the only way I think anyone would have been able to accept the truth.

Blaine is fucking amazing.

With every snap of the ball. Every second ticking down on the game clock. Every tackle. She reminded everyone watching what kind of force she was. The quote from Shakespear about being little and fierce kept rolling around in my head as she glanced back over her shoulder after hurdling a behemoth to get us the first down. There wasn't a hint of terror in those beautiful hazel eyes as her mouth guard appeared between her lips. The smile was contagious from across the field as she stepped out of bounds to avoid being tackled.

As she made her way from the sidelines back to the huddle, she was encouraged to keep going by the cheers of our teammates as she passed. Some smacked her helmet or pads. A few had turned to the crowd, throwing their hands in the air. The renewed energy pouring onto the field brought a new life to the rest of us.

"We ready for the shoe," Shane asked, his attention landing on each of us quickly.

Blaine was beaming like an idiot. Or maybe it was a kid. There was some kind of anxious excitement driving her to bounce on her toes slightly. When Joe placed his taped up fingers on her shoulder pad, Blaine's eyes flicked up to him in disappointment. He leaned down and mumbled something to her that made her bob her head in understanding. Shane calling her last name made her snap to attention again.

"I'm counting on you and Corey," he said for what had to be the hundredth time since the pair hammered out the details.

"Call an audible and we can switch gears to everest."

"You're doubting this," he asked her, making us all hold our breath.

"Fuck no. But if you are then we shouldn't risk it." The smirk Shane was known for curled into place.

"She's got teeth," he mused. Joe poked the side of her helmet as he muttered about her being evil just like he had months ago. She clicked her teeth before popping in her mouth guard. Joe let out a chuckle as he stepped back with his hands raised. Shane called out the play one more time before the huddle broke and everyone was in position.

I glanced at Blaine who was beside me on the line for a change. She still had the amused glint in her eye as she sized up the defender across from her. They had fallen for the bait, and my girl was trying her hardest not to give it away. Blaine and I were the ones who had received every pass and hand off. We were the ones responsible for the yards gained and making the plays happen. They were expecting that trend to continue. Which is why they only put one defender at the far end to cover another crazy hand off.

The poor guy looked exhausted as the linemen crouched into their stances. The rest of us prepared to run, and block, like our lives depended on the perfect timing. Blaine dropped back at the sound of the snap. I took a step toward the line before ducking out of reach of the defender who had been determined to slow me down. The second lingered a few short steps behind Blaine as she darted around the back side of the pocket.

Shane raised his arm, ready for the hand off over his shoulder. The line was busy holding off the hungry defense while the defender trailing after Blaine kicked into high gear at the sight of her obvious outstretched hands. I didn't have to watch to know that it was working. The muffled sounds of the crowd as they watched it all unfold was all I needed to know that I could turn around right now and the ball would be soaring through the air.

The defender at the far end of the field was halfway to me as I held my arms out for the catch. His body was coming in hot behind me as I twisted at my waist to watch the empty sky over my head. The two were too busy watching me to notice that one of our linemen, Conner, had broken free from the pile of bodies and was hauling ass down the field.

After our own version of the Play, he was all too happy to volunteer for this play. It wasn't very often, if ever, that a lineman got more than a tackle on his resume. Especially an offensive lineman. The uncertain babble of the ball in his hands had my breath catching my heart stopping. Time had to stand still as he tried to gain control. The second he did, he dropped his shoulder and took off as fast as he could down the field.

The crowd behind our benches erupted into a new round of cheers as he passed the down marker and kept going. Not a single soul was on his side of the field yet. They were still scrambling to their feet or sliding across the grass to change directions. He was at the twenty and I saw some of our defense linemen running alongside him then stopping at the edge of the box. They were hollering at him to keep going. Gilly was shouting, too. The single word being repeated and getting easier to hear from across the field. Go.