Leave a Trace: Book Two

Chapter Five: Hormones

Chapter Five: Hormones

The entire stadium is on the edge of their seats. I'm gripping my phone so hard, I'm concerned it might break. The score is thirty to thirty, the time paused at twelve seconds. The big screen is on my husband, who has removed his helmet and is in a very heated argument. The stadium is covered in whites and blues and silvers and dark greens and yellows.

I see Zane gesturing wildly with his hands, and one of his teammates, the linebacker, says something, causing Zane to shake his head and continue arguing. He clasps his hands together and read his lips as he says, 'you guys need to trust me'

The coach for the Dallas Cowboys goes marching over to the coach for the Green Bay Packers, asking something, sounding extremely annoyed. The coach for the Packers nods and gestures for the Cowboy coach to go away. Zane seems calmer now. His coach clasps him on the shoulder and talks calmly to him. Zane nods at his words. He shakes hands with his coach and they start to get into formation to kind of wish each other luck. Zane shakes his head and puts up a finger, and then turns around, looking into the crowd. He knows the general vicinity we're sitting in. His eyes lock with mine and he gestures for me to come to the gate. Shit.

I've won the Olympics on national TV, I'll be fine. I stand up and walk down the stair to the stadium. He meets me at the gate, just a bar separating us. The big screen is on us.

"Wish me luck." He smiles nervously.

"I would," I start. "But you don't need it."

His eyes flood with adoration and he leans forward, kissing me. He smells like sweat and grass. The crowd is whistling loudly, and when Zane pulls away, he grinning.

"I love you." He says seriously.

"I love you too." I smile. "You're going to do find. You're Alexander Caulton for fucks sake!"

He laughs and kisses me again, and then he turns around and jogs back to his team. I go back up the stairs and sit down next to Vanessa an Alice again. They get in a circle and put their hands together, and then they all put their helmets on and jog to their positions on the field. I hear the announcers talking about me now, about how I'm an Olympian and blah blah. I see the big screen on me for a moment before it pans back to the field. We wait, and then the whistle is blown and they start going. Zane moves so fast, swiping the ball and running. The time is ticking down quickly, and he only have eight seconds to get all the way across the field. The Cowboys run after him, trying to stop him, and his teammates stay near him in case they have to get the ball again. One of the players is running towards the end zone for the cowboys. They have to make a touchdown.

One of the giant players on the Cowboys runs for Zane and I cringe, gripping Vanessa's hand. He darts right around him and keeps running hard.

When the time hits one second, the crowd is screaming.

And at the last moment, Zane crosses into the Dallas Cowboys end zone, which means he just scored a touchdown. Everyone is on their feet, screaming on top of their lungs.

Since a touchdown is six points, the score is 30 to 36, meaning the Green Bay Packers just won the Super Bowl. My dad and brothers are howling in excitement and the screams in the crowd are deafening. People on the Cowboys team are pissed, but everyone here for the Packers are going crazy. The Packers are screaming and slapping Zane on the back, and I'm so proud of him.

His team starts moving back to their side, and the next thing I know, I'm on my feet, shoving people out of my way. I climb easily over the railing and run straight to my husband, who's walking towards me with a giant smile.