Chasing Football Dreams (Diner Girl #2)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

T here was a whiplash of players running scrambled, and people yelling to block the run. But my feet moved backward, my arm pulling back with the ball safely tucked in my hand and my eyes searching for my receiver.

I pushed my arm through the air, watching the ball spiral across the field. Seconds ticked by as Terence ran into his position and caught the pass. It felt like time stopped when I watched Terence go for a touchdown.

"Zoey!" I heard a scream off to the side before a shoulder crunched into my chest throwing me off my feet and my body hit the ground.

My head was in a faze, everything felt hazy as if I was stuck in a room full of fog. The crowd cheered and for a minute I believed it was for the tackle on me, but the moment Duncan's face met mine after he pulled the player off me. The clarity rushed in, and my gaze shifted to the scoreboard.

"We won," I dumbly grasped.

Duncan chuckled, removing my helmet and cupping my face in his hands. "You did it. You passed an 80yard pass,"

"What?" I blinked.

"You took 5 yards too far back and ran another 5 back," He explained smiling.

I blinked at his words. "I did,"

The adrenaline spiked in my veins, making me jump, not realizing I had taken too many steps back.

"You do realize what that means," He asked.

My gaze lifted when my team joined us. All of them smiling.

"You threw the longest pass this season," Xander informed me.

"Not bad for a girl, huh?" I repeated the words of everyone I've met along the way.

The team laughed and congratulated me with fist bumps. Duncan helped me to my feet, his hand lingering on my hip when he noticed my limp.

"I know you want to be brave, but you need to see the medic. You took quite a few tackles today," He softly explained, waving at the crowd.

"Can I at least just enjoy this moment before I have to face reality?" I asked, noting the applause.

"This is reality, love," He smiled at me. "We won the championship,"

My shoulders quivered as the moment sunk in. I heard a song blasting over the speakers and my gaze caught the cheerleaders dancing to the side. Monique was nowhere to be found. Denise was leading the squad.

I finally took in the crowd cheering my name. "What's going on? Where is Monique?" I asked, looking at Duncan.

He raised his shoulders emphasizing that he didn't know. "I don't know. The girls must have grown tired of her bullying intentions after they found a strong woman to look up to,"

"Denise is pretty tough,"

Duncan chuckled. "No, babe," He took my hand in his. "It's you,"

"Me? What did I do?"

"You did what you do best. You fought for what you believe in and didn't let Monique take it away from you,"

"There is nothing special about,"

"That's where you are wrong. You are pretty special to me," His stare made my insides beg for his lips against mine.

"I want to kiss you,"

He smiled. "I know,"

"Then kiss me,"

He frowned. "What about the coaches and all these people?"

"Does it look like I care?" I grabbed him at the back of his neck, fusing our lips.

I smiled against his lips when I heard our team cheer.

"You are quite the rebel," He muttered when we broke the kiss.

I shrugged. "I am just tired of hiding and being cautious. Being cautious almost got me to miss out on this amazing moment,"

"I love you," He pecked my lips before letting me go.

I winked at him. "Right at ya,"

We celebrated our win on the field before taking it back to the locker room with the trophy. It was sad that the season was over but the thought that another was waiting on the horizon was reassuring.

I returned to my locker room to change so that we could head out to celebrate further but I was cornered by Shane waiting for me outside my locker room.

"If you are here to give me dating advice. Thank you but I think I'll pass,"

"I am not here to lecture you about your dating choices,"

"But?" I felt like he was here for a reason.

He smiled, shaking his head. "You just proved to me that you are all grown up and that I missed out on the best part,"

"What? Grinding Duncan's ass?"

He chuckled. "Something like that,"

"So, you are not going to lecture me about how I am putting my career at stake for dating my captain and center?"

He shook his head. "You two have a strong bond and it started making more sense why you two work so well together,"

I shrugged. "We didn't really get along very well at the beginning, but we had the drive to work together. Duncan is talented and his skill of captaining a team is unquestionable,"

He nodded. "I do agree but how is he as a boyfriend? Is he treating you well?"

I smiled. "He treats me with respect and equality,"

"He makes you happy," He noted seeing through my smile.

"Very," Duncan is a fairytale boyfriend, zapped straight from a romance book.

"Then he won't mind joining us for celebrations at Benjamin's house?"

"I was planning on going out with the team and Eliza, and Duncan's sister,"

"Good, because everyone is invited,"

I nodded wanting to slip past him, but I could see something was on his mind. "What is it?" I asked.

"Your birthday is a few days," He muttered, fidgeting with his hands.

I blinked. "What?"

He nodded with a sad look in his eyes. "I know we celebrated the birthday you believed to be your birthday, but the truth is, it's in three days from today,"

"It's going to be the first year, we will be able to celebrate with you," He held a jersey out to me. "I know the season is over, but I am positive the coaches will recruit you again next season and I just thought you would want to be a Martin,"

I accepted his gift. "Why didn't you give it to me before the game?" I would have loved to play in it.

"I am giving you space, Zoey. I don't want to overwhelm you,"

"But you are my dad. Isn't it, your job to be overbearing?" I asked, blinking back unshed tears.

He nodded. "Yeah, probably,"

I chuckled and hugged him. "The best gift you've given me was finding me,"

"I believe it is the other way around, kiddo,"

He hugged me and let me go. "Go with your friends. We'll meet up with you later,"

I watched him wipe the wetness from his eyes. "I wish I got to grow up with you as my coach and father. You would have given me a confidence boost from young,"

He looked at me not agreeing with my remark. "Zoey. You are not weak. You are the complete opposite of it. What I saw today was a reflection of a tough woman,"

"That's because my father is Shane Martin," I smiled at him before making my way down the hall to where my friends were waiting for me.

"What took you so long?" Andrew asked.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Is he always so impatient?" I asked Eliza who was barely controlling an eye roll.

Duncan met me halfway, noticing the wetness in the corner of my eyes and wiping them away. "You, okay?"

"I think I will be,"

He smirked. "Let's get you fed,"

"Actually, we were invited to celebrate at Benjamin's place,"

Everyone looked at me with frowns. "That misogynic asshole who made you uncomfortable?"

I nodded.

"But I thought he gives you the creeps?" Eliza asked.

"Yeah, but we can't ignore that he is Shane's best friend,"

"And it's not like I am going to be alone with him. All of you are going to be there,"

Everyone seemed skeptical at first but agreed to join me when I mentioned free booze and food.

Duncan's parents were waiting for us when we left the stadium. They were still comprehending my whole kidnapping story and that I was the daughter of a famous football god.

I smiled when Ivy came to hug me. She was using less ASL and concentrated more on talking.

"That was quite a game," Ivy said, smiling at Duncan.

"A memorable one," I noted, counting all of my bruises.

"Ivy?" I noticed the way Duncan's shoulders jumped when Monique crossed the parking lot.

Xander instinctively moved in front of Ivy to keep Monique away from her. I was standing between Duncan's parents watching the scene unfold.

Monique smirked at Xander. "You can't keep her away from me,"

"She doesn't want to talk to you,"

Monique rolled her eyes. "Let her tell me that,"

"Fine," Ivy huffed, stepping out from behind Xander.

"You can hear me?" Monique asked shocked.

"You would have known if you were a true friend," Ivy spat, her words still a bit stammering.

"Your brother, held me away," Monique accused, casting her narrowed glare on Ducan thinking it would scare him.

"No, he was the only one who tried to protect me because he didn't fall for your schemes," Ivy said, using her hands.

"It's his fault this happened to you,"

"No, it's yours. You fed me drinks like it was water. He only wanted to help me even when I was naive," Ivy stepped into Xander's arms.

"We are done, Monique. I never want to see you again,"

"Oh, so now you are too good for me since you got your hearing back?"

"Where were you when I was in the hospital?" Ivy almost shouted.

"That's enough," Duncan stepped in. "I am not going to let you upset her. Leave. You heard her. You are done,"

Monique's eyes landed on me, and I saw the snarl on her lips. "Have fun living in my shadow,"

I frowned at her remark. "What shadow?"

"You will never be me, Diner Girl,"

I quirked my shoulders. "Like why would I care being anything like you?"

"At least my family isn't broken,"

"I would take my broken family any day over your desperate life, bullying other people because of your insecurities,"