Page 30 of Chasing Football Dreams

“But for you as captain, it must have bothered you at one point how other teams talked about your team for letting a girl on the team,”

“I believe we shut the door on those speculations when we beat them,” Duncan gave no space for objections and I think Ian realized he should just skip to the next question.

“He’s on fire,” I whispered to Xander.

“I am never messing with you,” Xander whispered back making me smile.

“I was voted as their captain because my team trusted me to make rational decisions and because they also know I don’t care about what other teams speculate. We wouldn’t be running for the third year for championships if we cast out our ears into their speculations,” He made it obvious that he wasn’t going to share any juicy pieces about our arguments before we shaped ourselves into a team.

“You’ve without a doubt showcased your position quite well by being voted the all-state captain when your team got joined by Coach Shane Martin. Retired Atlanta Falcon Quarterback and father to Zoey,”

There were murmurs under the team, but nobody understood his question.

Everyone seemed uncomfortable when the article from sixteen years ago popped up on the screen behind him. I watched the news article and how Angela was crying in her husband’s arms.

"Coach Shane is not my father," It was harder to conceal my emotions when I said those words on live television.

“Oh,” Ian looked sincere with surprise. “I just thought that you had ties to him since his daughter’s case has been reopened and that new evidence was found,”

“And there are rumors that you are an orphan, Zoey,” My mind was all over the place as I tried to keep my focus on the screen behind his head.

I felt the team’s tension rising.

I wasn’t aware that the case was reopened or that they found new evidence. What evidence could they possibly have found? Was this all a lie? Was this to trick me? Was I ever going to stand a chance for an NFL position?

“I am an orphan,” I answered calmly but inside I was trashing around and screaming “And it’s my job as someone who lost her parents and grew up in the system to keep on makinga difference for everyone out there to never give up,” I wasn’t going to become a beacon of hope but I wasn’t going to turn my back on anyone either.

A photo of a little girl appeared on the screen. It was the same photograph I had in the back of my father’s playbook. That little girl was me.

Nobody uttered a word and I felt rage seeping through me. Ian called for the broadcast to be ended and I could feel everyone’s tension circulating the room.

Xander pressed a comforting hand to my back trying to help me stay calm as flashbacks of my dreams appeared in the back of my mind. The screams of a little kid being taken away from her family. I had no words, my voice paralyzed, and my heart racing.

My world crumbled down all around me, and the walls that used to be there vanished. My mind overflowed with memories of me as a child before I was found at the orphanage. I could suddenly remember that day crystal clear. The faces of my mom and dad. And the face of my kidnapper.

All the memories returned in a flash. I heard the laughter of a little girl in my mind, her dad’s games, and smelled the sweet coconut scent of my mother and the pancakes she used to make. My whole body became paralyzed as everything started to become too much to handle at once. The world around me spinning as I reached for a glass of water.

My legs gave out and I dropped to the ground. I heard my teammates calling out my name, immediately forming a huddle around me shielding me from the people in the stands.

Duncan’s face appeared above me. “Deep breaths, Zoey,”

“Come on, QB. This is just another day on the field, dealing with cocky bastards,” I heard Wesley say somewhere off to my right.

I sat up slowly with Duncan holding my hand as he pulled me to my feet. His hand instantly went to cup the back of my head. “You, okay?” He asked.

I nodded. “I don’t know what happened. Everything was alright until everything started to spin,”

“Who’s got a protein bar on them? Come on fellows, I know you guys love hiding chocolate bars in your pockets,” I smiled at Duncan’s commanding voice.

It was that I only realized that they pulled me backstage when a woman ran up to me, pressing an ice pack against the side of my head.

“Here,” Duncan opened the wrapper and handed me the chocolate bar.

“The ambulance will be here in two minutes,” Coach Shane said coming up to me.

I shook my head. “I am not going to any hospital,” I grumbled.

“You just hit your head,” He pointed out.

---