Page 65 of Redeeming Heart

The room was filled with silence and I could feel the seconds ticking by.

Clarissa stood up from the bench and everyone looked at her. “We have faith in you like you have faith in us. We are the only ones who have to know and screw the rest of the world who don’t see your potential or what you’ve truly gone through. We’ve got your back.”

The girls stood up and agreed with her through cheers.

I looked at Hailey who stood beside me and nodded. “I just need a minute to get this under control,” I said to her and grabbed my bag. I headed over to the lady’s room to slip into my outfit and take a few minutes to get my breathing under control.

I felt my heart pounding against my ribcage, begging me to break free and I was almost ready to give in when there was a knock on the door.

“Sasha?”

I frowned when I heard Brandon’s voice.

“Just a minute,” I called out, suppressing my quivering thoughts and voice.

A few seconds later I heard the door open. I don’t lock a door after my first panic attack and I guess it was a bad habit, but if I needed to run and can’t get it open because of my head's bad space, then I am screwed.

I heard his cautious footsteps and I felt a smile playing on my lips. I raised my wavering gaze and found him standing in front of me.

“You look like hell.” He noted.

“Count on you to make me feel better,” I said with a sigh, standing up from the floor and getting my mouthguard.

“I heard what you said to the girls and it wasn’t my intention to eavesdrop.”

Was it weird that I wasn’t mad at all?

“People look at us as if we are robots with no feelings. We don’t get sick or break a bone or in your case have anxiety, but the fact is we are all human and we do get cursed with things like that.”

I frowned when he held out an elastic band to me.

“Whenever you let doubt enter your mind, snap it to distract your thoughts. It helps and nobody will notice.”

I gave him a grateful smile as I accepted his gift.

“You must think I am pathetic, huh?” I asked, slipping it over my wrist.

He shook his head. “Jake’s little brother also has panic attacks. He just usually hugs him to comfort him, but you don’t look like the hugging type.”

I chuckled at his remark and observations.

“I am not, but it would help.”

He gave me a sincere smile and cautiously took me in his arms. I was indulged by strength and comfort, something I haven’t felt in years.

“You’ve got this, Adams.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

My team and I made our way out onto the field before our opposing team made their way onto the field as it was requested by them. I didn’t take it as a way of them expressing their good manners because I have trust issues and they were the so-called favorites of our town, but that’s what I thought before we walked out on the field.

For a fleeting moment, the ground moved underneath our feet when we were struck by every applauding in the crowd. It was our name they were chanting while holding up massive banners with our logo.

“Am I imagining all of this or is the crowd cheering our names?” Megan asked with awe.

“I think it is real or else all of us are having the same dream,” I muttered, looking at the crowd with astonishment as we crossed the field.

“I forgot how it feels like to be cheered for,” Clarissa noted with a small grin as she stared at the stand.

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