Chasing Home (NFL)

The Slip

"There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Somebody's gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waitin' on the other side
It's the climb."

– "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus

Chapter 54: The Slip

I could not keep the smile from my face the next few days. Every time I closed my eyes I could see Tom's face close to mine. We had stayed close to each other since them, and being close to him caused my body to heat up. Still, I forced myself to break away from him so that I could attend the Giants' first playoff game in Atlanta.

The warm sun heated my skin as I stood on the sidelines of the stadium. The smile returned to me naturally as I felt a warmth flood me. I knew I had to focus on the game. The Packers had won the day before, so whoever won this game would be facing them the following week.

"You sure seem happy."

I turned to see Eli approaching. He pulled off his helmet and ran a hand through his sweaty hair. I bit my lip to hide my smile but failed. "I guess I am," I said.

"Does this have anything to do with Tom?"

I blushed and glanced down. "Maybe..." It was too embarrassing to tell him the truth despite our close relationship.

Eli laughed and messed up my air with his free hand. "It's alright. It's good to see you two getting along so well. I'm glad you've finally found someone who suits you."

I looked at him with a smile, grateful for his support. "Thanks, Eli." I paused. "And good luck today. I expect you to win."

He flashed me a grin. "I don't play to lose."

I nodded. I knew I could count on him making this a good game. Soon enough, it was time to begin. I wished my brother good luck once more before he returned to his teammates. The Giants won the coin toss and had the ball first.

Nothing happened until the second quarter when the Atlanta Falcons scored by earning a safety. I winced as I watched Eli go down in the end zone. That was not good. It was too early to give up, though. They would come back around. This game was far from over.

Sure enough, the next time they had the ball, the Giants scored a touchdown. I grinned as I jumped up and down in excitement. For once, Tom was pushed to the back of the mind. It was time to focus on the present and enjoy the moment just like he had taught me. Life was too short to miss out on anything.

Te rest of the game was all New York. They earned 10 points in the third quarter and seven in the fourth. The end score was 24 to 2. Now that was a great playoff game!

I smiled as I watched the players cheer and congratulate each other. Only when I saw them heading to the locker room did I jog over to my brother. "That was awesome!" I said, flinging my arms around him from behind.

Eli laughed as he turned around and hugged me. "Thanks, Lauren. You know, we're facing the Packers next. This looks familiar."

It took me a moment to figure out what he was talking about. Then I remembered. Four years ago the Giants had gone to the Super Bowl by beating the Packers in the NFC championship game. And they had faced the Patriots in the final game...

I shook the thoughts away. I had three teams to root for out of four, and that was a good thing. It had more chances for me to be happy. Of course, I had preferences, but it would be fine if my first choice did not win. "Fine with me," I said. "Good luck next week." I would have to think about who I would root for.