Page 86 of Spiral

I shout in Coach’s direction, barely earning his attention as Watson whispers furiously into his ear on the sideline.

“What in the Sam Hill are you talking about, Anderson?”

Blood rushes to my ears as I stride towards him, helmet in hand.

“I said we’re not playing, Coach.”

“Are you out your goddamn mind? This is the Championships! I don’t care if you woke up this morning with half your limbs torn off, you are winning this game!”

Coach’s face burns crimson as his icy eyes bore into me. I swallow hard, slightly fearful of his next reaction.

“We’ll play… if you allow the TU Tribune to be reinstated.”

He looks out onto the field at the team, who stand like statues in their positions – unwavering and unmoving, despite the deafening roar of thousands of fans surrounding them.

“Don’t look to them,” I demand, regaining his attention on me. “They’re all with me. Without the Tribune, Watson here is gonna be the only guy on that field playing for you.”

Coach looks over at Watson, who stands beside him, and a disgusted look creeps across his expression.

“Tell you what, Anderson,” he grunts, shoving Watson towards the sideline. “You get me a championship win, and I’ll get you that newspaper back.”

He glances towards the edge of the field, where Natalia stands with the rest of the cheerleaders. She glares at her father, dark eyebrows furrowed, and shakes her head in disapproval – but Coach doesn’t waiver.

He knows he has no choice.

The stadium vibrates with the roar of 50,000 fans, all gathered to see us play against the undefeated University of Louisiana Vipers. The stands are a sea of maroon and white, with fans waving small cotton towels fervently in the air above them.

“Get in your positions, boys,” I instruct the team, projecting my voice over the screams of the crowd.

The booming words of the announcer fill the stadium as the Vipers join us at the 50-yard line, their lime green uniforms glowing in the bright light of the setting sun.

“It's a showdown for the ages as the Texas University Titans clash with the University of Louisiana Vipers. Both teams have fought tooth and nail to reach this pinnacle moment, and the excitement in the air is palpable.”

The turf is moist against my feet as I lean my weight forward, the scent of worn leather instantly surrounding me as I steady myself on the field.

“Quarterback Henry Anderson prepares for the first play. The crowd can hardly contain their excitement for this Championship game!”

I draw in a shaky breath, painstakingly aware of how much this win means to the team and, more importantly, to the thousands of fans watching.

“Green 43! Green 43!” I call out, my gruff shout sucked into the void of the open air as it leaves me. “Hike!”

“The Titans are coming out swinging, showing their dominance early on. Quarterback and team captain Henry Anderson is leading the charge with an iron fist.”

The crisp December air whips through the grate of my helmet as I run, plowing through walls of neon-clad players towards the end zone. The bright yellow goal post is only a few yards away now, and I can feel the Vipers clipping my heels as I run.

“It's a pivotal moment as Anderson surveys the field… and crosses over the 10-yard line!”

Touchdown.

The crowd erupts into deafening cheers as we orient ourselves back into starting positions, this time with the Vipers in control of the ball. I look up at the stands, hoping to catch a glimpse of Georgia, but she’s invisible amongst the chaos of the fans.

The game is hectic and close, with the winning score constantly shifting between my team and our rivals. A different school is in the lead every time that I glance at the scoreboard, causing my heart to race and muscles to tense.

“Hey, Anderson!” Watson calls, his tone terse and irritated. “Maybe don’t fuck up this play.”

“Don’t listen to him dude,” Jonah grunts, positioning himself firmly against the ragged turf. “You’ve got this.”

There’s less than a minute left in the Championship game, the most important game of the year and the moment that could secure signing deals for my teammates.

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