1 | for the love of the game

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I could hear the roaring of the crowd, the last moments had them on their feet, anticipating the ending of this long-awaited game

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

I could hear the roaring of the crowd, the last moments had them on their feet, anticipating the ending of this long-awaited game. It was a close one, and at the moment I couldn't be in my head about all of the shit we could've done differently. I had to bring it home. The downpour of rain began to pick up, melting the field beneath me.

With only a few minutes left on the clock, I was trying my best to keep my head in the game. As usual, other shit was on my mind. I didn't want to talk about it, or think about it - but that was my life. Always had been. The difference being, the younger me would lash out on any nigga that looked my way. I thankfully grew out of that - football being the escape that I needed to channel my anger...about everything.

Hopping out of my thoughts, I drew my attention back to the field. My position as a quarterback meant I had to be on my p's and q's - I was always reminded of that.

"One two, one two!" I grasped the football the moment it flew into my palms.

Defense was on their bully, giving me a small time frame to locate an open Nolan on the field. I sent the ball on its way across the field, where it was smoothly caught, defense-heavy on the heels of his blue and white cleats. I ran down the field. I was so close, I could damn near taste it. The grass flying underneath my feet, cool wind brushing past me and crashing into my face. After Nolan passed it off to Morgan, he spotted me open on the field - ready to take it home.

At this point, I was flying past niggas with one thing in my vision...a touchdown. Once the ball was back in my hands, I picked up my pace - only to suddenly feel the wind being knocked out of me.

"Arghhh." I clutched my sides, trying my best to endure the sharp pain. Damn. Where was Ramone? He should've been watching my front and back.

"Maisonet, you cool?" Reese asked, hovering over me with a few of my other worried teammates.

I tried my best to raise to my feet but felt that same sharp pain riding its way up my back.

Come on man, get up. You took harder blows than that. That's what I was telling myself...but my body was saying otherwise.

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