“We want to play in the Super Bowl, plain and simple,” I tell the coach and the five other board members dressed in nice Armani suits. It’s hard for me to give these guys the time of day. The coach? Well, he’s worked his whole life to be here. He deserves it. The other people, however, haven’t done shit. They don’t know what it’s like out on the field. They don’t understand the pressures we face as professional football players.

“You fought each other,” one of the men says. “Not only that, all of the press that covers you two has been negative from the start. Look, we know you want to play in the game. I’m just not sure if it’s in the cards for you two. We can’t keep making exceptions every game.”

“So we fought a few times? That happens every year with other players,” I begin to make my case. “It just so happens that it happened to the two best players in the league. Are you really willing to mess with the ratings?”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” another says. “People will watch the Super Bowl, whether you sit on the sidelines or not. I think we can afford to leave you two out this time.”

“Then, I’m done,” I manage to say after some time.

“Excuse me?” Scott says to me. “What do you mean, done?”

“I mean, I’m done. I quit the game. I don’t need it anymore if you don’t need me,” I say.

“I quit too,” Landon says. “Fuck it. Might as well go down with the ship, right?”

“You can’t quit,” the leading board member says, slamming his glass of water down so hard that it shakes the wooden table in front of us.

“And why the fuck not?” I ask him, feeling the adrenaline start to flow throughout my body. All I want is to leave this room, to drive to Fiona’s place, and bend on one knee. I want to take her by the waist and hold her close. I want to kiss her passionately, until we fall onto her bed. I don’t know if any of this will happen, but I have hope.

“I’ll remind everyone in this room that you two are bound by a strict contract that says you must stay in the league for three years. Then, and only then, will you be able to renegotiate,” he says, table still shaking. “You both agreed upon this, under law.”

“Then, sue me,” Landon says. “Take me to fucking court and take all my money. I don’t care anymore. I came to play, not deal with board members before the biggest game of my life.”

“I’m selling the mansion. You can take the money. Hell, take it all,” I say, backing Landon up. “It’s not worth anything to me anymore.”

Everyone looks to coach Stern, who is staring at the carpet and shaking his head. “When did the game get so complicated?” he asks us. “Back in the day, everything was so much easier. There wasn’t all this crap you have to deal with nowadays. All the sponsorships, team rivalries, all this adrenaline that gets thrown onto the field… it’s not fair to the players. Members of the board, I ask you to reconsider and let these boys play. God knows we need them.”

Both of us walk up beside the coach and stand with him. The board members turn aside to whisper with each other. The one seemingly in charge looks at me. “Alright.” He clears his throat and takes another sip of water. “I think I’ve heard enough for today. You can play the damn game, but if you manage to get yourselves into trouble one more time, we’re done here. Your contract will be over with and you’ll never set foot onto that field ever again. Got it? Good. Now get out of this office.”

I feel my heart rise into the back of my throat. “Wait, what? Can you repeat that? We can play?” I can’t tell if this is all in my mind or not. We got what we came for. I can’t believe it.

“We can play,” Landon says, smiling wide. We walk out with the coach and stand against the sunlight.

“Boys, you’re very lucky. I hope you know that,” he says. He gives a slight chuckle and rubs his fingers against his mustache. “I mean, the gall you two had. Jesus, I can’t believe it.”

I laugh right alongside of him. “I can’t believe it either. To be honest, I thought they were going to throw us out and take us to court.”

It’s a miracle any of this worked out. Landon turns to me after some time. “Go get her, man. Get the girl you love.” All I can do is nod. I turn and hail a cab, rushing to her house, only to find her outside. And she’s crying…