Call Me Romantic (BxB)

Chapter 32

{ꔫ NASH ꔫ }

A week after Christmas break, all Nash's teammates gather in the locker room. The coach steps in before getting on one of the benches because he's too short to be seen by all. Nash's team, The Roaring Tigers, is playing against a Catholic school, The Hoher Rang. The coach, a man who helped Nash when he got punched by Sam two months ago, clasps his hands together with a loud clap. It makes everyone stop talking and look with respect. "Alright boys, listen, this game is serious. Lots of people are out there tonight, and we can't let down our beloved school."

Everyone stays silent, mainly because the coach knows how to be caring but also stern and serious. He's a good leader. Nash knows from the number of times he yells at everyone to run faster and push on harder. It's a bit admirable, and it makes Nash take a role in it, even if he vowed to never give a shit about sports. It also had him think about his home life and how if you work hard enough, it'll pay off. Coach continues, "The other team are big guys, but let's show them we are bigger. You all have been working hard for this moment. Do not let it slip through your fingers."

"YEAH!" The group of boys yell collectively except Nash since he didn't know it was ritual. The coach leaves the locker room after telling them the game will start in 10 minutes and to be ready on the field. Sam is in a group of friends, Julian being one of them. Mark is there too, but Sam doesn't seem to give him the satisfaction of acknowledging him. This leaves Nash feeling proud he is not going to start anything or punch anyone.

Nash sits alone on one of the metal cold benches, and he's content with just being by himself. After all, he's still just an art kid forced into sports with overly determined teammates who pressure him to do more than stand around. But this sport isn't like gym class. He doesn't have to be the last person to be picked, Nash knows his role, and he does it. That honor and satisfaction when he scores, it's intoxicating, and he can see how people love sports like these. At the end of the day, it's more of a childhood thing. Something he needs to leave in the past. That's why when the 3rd semester is done, he's dropping lacrosse, no matter how much he'll miss it. Sam begs he doesn't, but Nash misses when he'd sit on his bed and paint for hours and hours on end.

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When Nash and Sam jog together onto the field, their teammates in front run along the field edges for a quick warm-up. The cold bites at Nash's arm, but he tries to focus more on getting his legs to work. They are also allowed to stretch outside the sidelines, but no one enters the center field yet. The coach was right. It is pretty crowded for a lacrosse game. Both bleachers are filled out to the brim with colors of red for their team color. Nash tries to search for his mom and sister, but the overwhelming number of people makes him anxious, so he looks away.

Everyone gets into their position when the coach blows the whistle. This time, Sam is on the other side of the field, defending the goal instead of behind Nash. His stance has gotten better, and he has learned to keep his body balanced next to the other team.

The guy behind Nash is a shorter boy- about 5 '10- skinnier than the rest of his teammates too but Nash is still intimidated. He knows it's the best they could do. There's not many, if any, transgender boys playing lacrosse. Feeling the release of tension, Nash shakes off the nervousness of playing with someone completely new. The other guys are big, all muscular, and around 6 ft, like the coach said, but this is an 11th grade sport. No one besides Nash is going to take this lightly.

Julian and the intersection guy on the other team come out to the middle before raising the lacrosse sticks in the air in front of them. The couch throws the ball up, and everyone's eyes follow how it falls before becoming more alert when Julian captures it in his net. He books it to the other side, quick to pass it to another teammate who isn't occupied by an attack man. The teammate, who has black wavy hair, swings to the goal, but the ball ends up getting caught by one of Hoher's mates. Nash sterns his stance, shit. He's not ready for this damn ball, and so many people are watching. He seriously can not mess this up, or else it'll haunt him forever.