Chapter Twenty Three – Bryn
My blood is pumping violently through my body, my heart thumps in my ears, my legs move as fast as they can. I can hear cheering all around us, but it’s blurry. My brain is zoned in on the ball in front of me. I’m very much like the guy I used to be, the one before I let romance distract me. But now it’s even better because I know Rebekah is here, watching me, and I’m doing this for her. I want everything that we’ve been through to be worth it. So, at every single moment, the ball and Rebekah are one in the same. It’s all one goal.
The ball comes to me, Andrew chucks it my way, and I snap into action. I become a machine. I’m on autopilot, driven by a desire to win. I bounce the ball hard against the floor, darting in and out of the opposition, and I head towards the net. Time seems to slow down as I get nearer to the net, it’s almost as if everyone else is in total slow motion, which is good because it means my brain is exactly where it needs to be. I bend my knees, I push myself off the ground, leaping high and I slam the ball downwards, shoving it through the net. I’m barely even aware of everyone else, it’s as if I’m the only person on the court until a cheer bursts free. It rockets through the whole place, almost echoing through my veins. All these cheers are for me and it feels incredible. Especially as I know that Rebekah and my father are out there yelling the loudest for me. I raise my hands and cheer along with everyone else. I want to celebrate this moment and enjoy everything about it, so I leap about like a loon.
“You’re fucking amazing!” Andrew yells as he jumps on me. “You’re killing it today, mate.”
I suppose I am doing pretty good, not that I’ve thought much about it. I’ve just been moving forward the entire time. But the minutes are ticking down now, any moment now it’ll all be over, and it isn’t even close. I think I alone might have scored more than the other team, never mind what all the others have done. But I couldn’t have done it alone. I don’t want to take all the credit. I can only do this because of the other guys and their help.
This is our season, we’ve fought from the middle to the top and now we’ve got it all. The trophy belongs to us, as do all the benefits that come with it. I don’t know what they’ll be, it could lead to anything. The world is about to open up to all of us and I seriously cannot wait. Even if I can’t take all the opportunities now because of my family life, I don’t care. I’ve proven to myself that I can do it, and if we’re sensible with any money that I make we’ll be set up for life… and all I really want now is to secure a great future for my baby.
The whistle blows and the court goes wild. People in the front row burst free from their seats and race onto the court. This happens sometimes, and to be honest it can be a health and safety nightmare. We’ve had warnings to be careful just in case any of them have a weapon on their person, but I don’t see that being an issue today. Everyone is jubilant, I can’t see anyone with nasty intensions in their eyes, so I’m sure we’ll be fine.
I don’t get involved in the crowd though, I drag my eyes upwards to meet the gaze of the only person I really care about. Rebekah is peering down at me, blowing me kisses, returning the ones I sent her earlier. Knowing that she’s here, watching me, and she saw me win and she’s proud of me. Even from here I can see her pride. She knows better than anyone else what a journey this has been. Thank God she has stuck by me through it all.
“Coach is calling us,” James cries out. “We need to go to the dressing room while we wait.”
The presentation will come. We’ll get our NBA trophy now, but I suppose they have to clear the place first. Calm everyone down, making it a much safer place for all of us. I practically skip as I go, I feel like I’m floating on air, soaring higher than air. Nothing can get to me now, this is the happiest that I’ve ever been.
I walk past Coach and I see him smiling happily at me. Thank God, that’s an expression I haven’t seen in a very long time. It’s been tentative for a while, even when I’ve played well he’s not been able to trust me fully. I hope that will change now, I want us to get back to how we were. I don’t need to soak up his praise anymore, I’m not sure I feel the need to be singled out, I have other things in my life to make me feel special, but I would like it to be pleasant again. It’s just nicer when Coach is happy, I think all of us can agree on that.
“That was crazy,” James calls out to the jubilant atmosphere in the locker room. Everyone is ecstatic, which only makes my smile even wider. “We did incredible, well done everyone! We won! We fucking won the title!” Everyone cheers and there’s a real sense of unity. “We are the champions of the world.”
I circle the room behind James, congratulating everyone the same as they do to me, and it really feels like we’ve come together as a team. It was okay when I was on the outside looking in, I didn’t think that I was missing out on anything. I naively assumed that it didn’t matter whether or not we were friends outside of this as long as we played together… but having this tight bond has made us that much stronger. I’m proud of us all.
Someone cracks open a bottle of champagne and we all take a glass. Everyone around me is happily sharing stories of something incredible that they did in the game and I listen intently. Right now, I feel like even if I were to be offered a place for another team, I wouldn’t take it. I don’t want to be anywhere but here, not even if I was offered a lot more money. Some things are priceless, and a moment like this, is just one of them.
“It’s time!” someone calls into us. “Come on out to get your trophy.”
We file out one at a time, and we head back out towards the cheering crowd. Some people have filtered out, it isn’t quite as busy as before, but that’s common. Fans of the losing side don’t always want to stick around. I smile up at Rebekah as I walk along with the rest of the team, and I send her a smile. Just like I said in my first TV segment about her, this success is all for her. This moment, plus any future wins will be for her. Her and the baby that she has growing for me inside her stomach. My little boy or girl who will be my future. I did it for them, both.
We walk along in the line, all taking turns to life the trophy for everyone to cheer for us. Then it’s time for us to pose for the photograph that will dominate the sport media tomorrow. I sat in the middle of everyone else, holding onto the trophy, because I’m the one who did the most noticeable work. I suppose that’s who the fans want to see, isn’t it? Never mind everyone else who contributed to the success. I’ll try and convey this in my after game interview because I definitely don’t want it to be all about me, but they will spin it as they want.
Then, just before the press conference, it’s time for some speeches. I barely listen as various people talk about what an incredible season it’s been because I’m off the basketball clock now. My brain has switched off the game and gone right back to Rebekah. I’m looking forward to getting out of here and being with her. Now that I don’t have any stress on my shoulders I will be able to really be with her as well. My focus won’t be quite as split.
My brain drifts, I begin to imagine all kinds of things happening between me and Rebekah. I inhale deeply, imagining that I can smell the delicious scent of her incredible body which I’m going to get very naked tonight. I lick my lips, thinking about peeling each item of clothing slowly from her body to see what’s underneath…
“…and the player of the match is…” My attention is snapped back to what’s going on right now when Andrew digs his elbow painfully into my side. I almost yell out in pain before I realize that he’s doing me a favor. I have to pay attention to this moment to applaud for whoever wins it… “Bryn Whitting!”
My heart stops dead in my chest, shock renders me speechless. I’m too much of a new player to win this prize, it’s so prestigious, I can hardly believe it. My legs feel too jellified for me to even stand up, and that has nothing to do with the fact that I’ve been running around on them for ages. Andrew has to nudge me again, to encourage me into a standing position to go and collect my award. I’m so stunned that my vision becomes blurry, I can hardly see anything. I feel like I’m staggering, it’s as if I’m too drunk to walk straight or see anyone.
Coach grins at me, I can see that much, and he hands me a medal and a microphone. I stare at it for a couple of seconds, trying to work out what I’m supposed to do with it before it hits me that I’m expected to speak.
“Er, wow…” I stammer awkwardly. “I guess I should have prepared something to say, huh?” There’s a bit of laughter coming out through the crowd, it seems like I’m coming across as endearing. “I didn’t think I was going to win anything so I didn’t know I would have to speak.” I glance my eyes around, seeing the blur, until I find the one set of eyes that bore right into my soul. She calms me down and allows all the panic to subside. It doesn’t matter what I say, does it? “Thank you so much to… to Coach, to my team, to my father who has always been a massive support, to all the fans, naturally. We could never get this far without your support.” They all cheer loudly. “And most of all, thank you to Rebekah.” A hush fills the court, I can almost feel everyone suck in a deep breath of air while they wait to see what I have to say. “Without you, none of this would have happened. You have been my rock through it all. I love you more than anything in the world and I cannot wait until I can meet our unborn child.” I can feel her smile radiating down on me. “You are my whole world.”
I move away from the microphone and give her a grin, lapping up the cheers again, and while I do I make a snap decision, one that feels so desperately right I cannot believe it has taken me this long to think of it. Rebekah and me should be more than just boyfriend and girlfriend, I want the world to know about our commitment. I want her to be my wife.