Page 84 of Love on the Waiver Wire

The third quarter starts and this game is struggle. They’re down by six and the other team’s defense has been playing out of their minds. I check my fantasy app, realizing that I never swapped out one of this team’s players for another. I never want to root against the Cobras.

But the guy has twenty-two points already, so I guess that’s enough to settle down a bit.

On the first drive of the last quarter, Leo throws deep, and miraculously, Owen happens to be there.

Leaping up, Owen grabs the ball, hugging it to his chest as he gets tackled to the ground at his waist. He lands hard on his back, but it looks like his head didn’t take too much of a hit.

The minutes are ticking by and the pass to Cooper is incomplete. They have one more chance to get the ball in the endzone before they end up just settling for a field goal.

Leo passes up the side of the field and Owen is right there, barely catching it off the tip of his fingers. He manages to pull it into himself, seems almost surprised he caught it, and he runs it into the endzone, just barely managing to dodge a massive man running into him at full speed.

Screams erupt, the stadium coming alive as lights above flash. Owen stands there, his arms spread as he turns to the crowd, and after a moment, he turns toward where our box is, pointing right at me.

I sink in my seat, trying to hide my smile.

And a couple of things happen simultaneously.

From the corner of my eye I watch as my mother stops clapping, looking from Owen to me, while I watch the camera pan to Leo, who also looks from Owen to our box, following his finger.

Earth, please swallow me whole.

My mom shakes her head, a small smirk on her face as she settles in her seat again, pinching my dad’s arm. He jumps, looking at her.

All I can think about is how excited I am to leave.

31

OWEN

The second we get into the locker room I’m met with a towel to the head.

“What the fuck?” I rear back, holding my head. I can feel the headache start. This game was brutal and my entire body is killing me. I just need an ice bath.

“Knock your shit off,” Leo hisses as he walks by me to his locker.

“Why don’t you?” I ask, seething.

I’m done. So done.

“Because I’m her family, Owen. I know what’s best for her.”

I scoff. “You clearly don’t. Let her make her own decisions, man,” I wave him off, heading in the other direction. I don’t want to be around him anymore.

I round the corner, almost walking straight into our coach. “Good job out there, Crosby.”

“Thank you, sir,” I manage, hoping he’ll just keep walking.

“What’s going on between you and Leo?”

“Nothing is going on, sir,” I try to wave it off.

He places his hands on his hips was he looks over me. “Yeah I don’t buy that. Your performance is fine, but I can tell there’s something up. I want it fixed before playoffs, yeah?”

“We’d never let anything come between the game, coach,” I assure him.

He shakes his head. “I don’t care about that, Crosby. I care that my team is a family.”

“Families fight,” I state, getting frustrated.

---