I bring my hand up to knock, but stop myself short. This could bite me in the ass if it doesn’t go right. I kneel and scratch Casper underneath his chin. I had to bring him with me since I couldn’t leave him alone all day in the apartment.

“You really think this is a good idea?” I whisper to him. Casper tilts his head to the side and snorts his nose. He swipes at my hand with his paw and I can’t help but chuckle. I take a deep breath and knock on his door.

“Come in,” Coach Vaughn shouts.

I push into his office. Coach Vaughn looks up from his work and doesn’t look the least bit surprised to see me. “Coach, can we talk?” I take a seat in front of his desk and wipe my palms on my jeans.

Coach Vaughn closes the folder in front of him and leans back in his chair, crossing those big arms of his. “You’re already here, so I don’t see why not.”

“I want to apologize for my behavior. I acted childish on that night and Dwayne and I have talked it through. I want to get back on the field.” I pull out the progress report from my pocket and slide it across the table. Coach unfolds it, skims it over, and looks up. “I only have one exam left. I’m way above passing in all my classes.” And that’s it. I don’t say anything else. Short and to the point is how I need to get through to Coach Vaughn.

The next minute feels like the longest of my life. I’m sweating bullets and my heart is beating faster than a locomotive by the time Coach Vaughn clears his throat. He gets up and pours himself a drink. He swirls the drink around, takes a sip, and looks at me.

“I’ve been considering letting you back on the team. Quite frankly, we need you out there if we want any chance of making it to the finals.” He sets the drink on the table and works his way around to the front. He sits down in front of me and holds a finger up in the air. “But that doesn’t mean you’re team captain. That spot is reserved for someone who can show me they’re mature enough to handle it.”

I nod.

I didn’t expect to be made team captain again. I let myself and my team down the moment that I picked a fight with Dwayne. I am in no condition to lead a team if I’m fighting with its members. All I want right now is the chance to be on the field. To prove that I can still be their quarterback.

“Is that it?”

“Not quite,” I answer and look out his office window to Casper, who’s laying down next to the lockers. I point over to him and Coach Vaughn walks to the window. “Is it all right if I bring Casper to practice? I don’t want to leave him cooped up in the house all day.”

Coach Vaughn walks away from the window in a hurry and throws open the door. Casper jumps up from his spot and starts wagging his tail as Coach Vaughn kneels next to him. Casper places his paws on Coach’s knee and licks at his face, making Coach break into laughter.

“It’s not a problem with me,” Coach says. He grabs a towel from a bench and twirls it in front of Casper, who starts jumping, trying to grab it. When Casper bites into it, Coach Vaughn pulls on the other end and they break into a tug-of-war. Casper starts to growl while Coach Vaughn starts rambling in a high-pitched voice.

I hold back a chuckle as they bond. I would have never guessed that Coach has a soft spot for dogs. Then again, Casper is a really awesome dog. He seems to make everyone around him happy. First Casey, and now Coach Vaughn.

“He reminds me of my dog,” Coach Vaughn says as he finally manages to get hold of the towel. He swipes the sweat from his forehead and walks over to me, patting me on the back.

“You had a dog, Coach?”

“Sure did. His name was Ghost. And he had the whitest fur coat I’d ever seen.” He crumples the towel into a ball and throws it across the locker room. Casper jumps into the air trying to catch it, but the towel unfurls and falls on his face. Casper shakes his body and the towel flies off while Coach and I laugh. “Get your pads on and get on the field.”

I nod and break into a smile as I rush to my locker.

* * *

Coach Vaughn blows his whistle. The play stops and everyone double times over to him. Everyone is laughing and cheering as we make our way to him.

Practice went well. Really well. It felt good being back on the field and running plays. The rush of adrenaline and the tightness in my chest. I forgot how much I missed it.

Everyone forms a circle around Coach Vaughn, who’s staring down at his clipboard. He turns his attention to us, letting the clipboard hang from his neck. “That was one of the best practices we’ve ever had. Better than we’ve ever had actually.” Everyone nods their heads. “We looked good enough to play in the pros.” Smiles break through the crowd and a couple of the guys cheer. “That’s what I want to see when we get on the field for our next game. Do you think that you guys can do that for me?”

“YES, SIR!”

“Good. That’s what I want to hear. Now huddle up.” He looks at me. “Why don’t you end this practice?”

I nod and raise my hand at the center of the huddle. “Team on three. One. Two. Three. Team!” The huddle breaks and everyone jogs to the locker rooms. Dwayne comes up from behind me and pats me on the shoulders.

“It was good seeing you out there. We missed you.” He laughs and stops in his tracks when he looks up at the locker room doors. I follow his gaze to see Hannah in her cheerleading uniform, waiting. Dwayne nods at me and walks inside, but not before shaking his head at me.

“I want to get back together. I miss you.” Hannah steps forward and places her hand on my chest. She runs it up the middle and wipes the hair out of my eyes. “I want you, David.” She bites down on her lip and tries to come in for a kiss.

I push her away. “No thanks.”

She gives me a dirty look and pouts her lips in that ugly way that she thinks is cute. “I’m tired of seeing you with Casey. And I’m tired of playing games. I need you, David.” She grabs my waist and pulls me toward the wall. “And I need him.” She eyes my crotch, but all I can feel is disgust.

“Had you said that to me before I met Casey, I would have jumped all over it, but times have changed. For the first time, I’m in love, and I’m not letting anything get in the way of that. Not even you, Hannah.” I push off the wall and shrug her off me like the nuisance she is.

Hannah grabs my shoulder and spins me around. “You’ll regret this, David Cooper.” And she storms down the hallway, pushing aside anyone in her way.

I shake my head and break into a laugh. A couple of months ago, her threats might have worked on me, but not anymore. What I feel for Casey is real and it can’t be broken by any petty shit that Hannah has planned. Of that, I’m sure.