Page 134 of Redeeming Heart

“We are the champions because of never giving up. Are you just going to let Sasha go like that—when all this time you were aware of her insecurities? She needs a friend—she needs you. She lost her mother years ago and believe it or not, but you helped her get over that big mountain of doubt.”

“She has friends and a team who has her back,” I reminded him.

He rolled his eyes at me. “Did she reject you when she let you be her first kiss? Did she tell you that she doesn’t have feelings for you?”

“She could have easily turned Ashley down because she’s badass like that, but she didn’t., Jared informed me with a knowing stare.

“Are you saying that I shouldn’t give up?” I questioned.

Jared shrugged. “You are the one who told me that great things in life take time and it shouldn’t be rushed. You keep telling everyone that Sasha is the one, but you stopped fighting because of a misunderstanding.”

“I stopped fighting because I have feelings as well and this is going nowhere.”

“That’s gotta be the dumbest excuse I’ve ever heard you make.” I glanced at Jake who stood up from the bench.

“You love her. A person doesn’t stop fighting for love, especially for someone like her.”

“For months we watched you transform into a good different person with her around and we witnessed something amazing growing between the two of you,” Jake added.

“As you said yourself, she’s insecure. Imagine the pressure she feels from feeling something she isn’t familiar with. She’s got to be confused and things with Ashley only gave her an easy escape.”

“She’s using it to cover up her real feelings?” I observed.

Jared and Jake shrugged. “Maybe she’s afraid of failure or worst.”

“Losing you,”

“You’ve become her pillar and helped her overcome her mother’s passing.”

“She didn’t need me. She needs no one to fight her battles for her or save her from a haunted forest. She made it obvious she can do it herself.” Sasha was her own knight in armor and when you hand her to the wolves, she comes back leading the pack.

“A little help doesn’t mean you saved her. It just means when she got tired to be strong you were there to catch and comfort her until she is healed to carry on further.”

Jake came forward and rested his hand on my shoulder looking me in the eyes. “Don’t stop now. You’ve gotten this far and she might not believe it now, but she needs you as much as you need her.”

“You just told me a few moments ago that she’s just one girl.” I enlightened him.

“She’s that one girl who makes you truly happy and I saw it the minute you two got close. I always believed you were hurting yourself for holding onto her, but the moment she stepped into your life I saw a different side of you.”

“We are friends and I can’t make you do something that doesn’t make you happy.”

“I don’t know where to begin,” I admitted.

“Well,” Jared began glancing at his watch. “The rebels have their first regional game this weekend. If we leave now, we can probably still catch a flight to New Jersey.” Jared said looking at his watch.

Their regional tournament was starting in New Jersey and they will be traveling around for the next month playing out wanting to qualify for a spot in the National Club Championship.

“What if she doesn’t want me there?” I didn’t want to overstep a boundary and push her further into a corner.

“I believe that she wants you there, but she just doesn’t know it yet,” Jared said patting me on the back.

“You don’t have to embrace her or kiss her. Just be there in the crowd and support her. This is important to her and she would love for you to be a part of it.”

Jared nodded. “Field hockey is already an unpopular sport in the US. We can make a difference by just being there for them.”

I remember the look on their faces when we showed up at the airport with a banner and even at their national indoor hockey championship.

“Then you better grab the banner on our way over,” I said grabbing my bag and shoving my things into it.

---