Page 92 of Catching Kyle

The players get into position, and I steadfastly watch Kyle. When the game comes down to a wire, he has a tendency go into beast mode.

The ball snaps, and the quarterback steps back to throw the ball out.

Amani and I hold our breath.

And then it’s like Kyle can tell the future.

The Hustlers quarterback looks like he’s throwing it to his tight end to his right, but he really throws it to the left. The same direction that Kyle is already running.

The quarterback sees him too late. The ball already in the air, Kyle leaps for it.

And he catches it.

The crowd goes berserk as Kyle runs toward the opposite end of the field, almost unopposed. Amani and I scream his name, and my chest is hot with pride. That’s my man.

The timer just about to reach zero, Kyle runs out of bounds just as it hits zero, ending the game and securing the Tigers a win. Now they’re in the playoffs.

Amani and I scream and hug each other. I kiss her cheek, and then we see ourselves depicted on the giant stadium jumbotron. I pull away from her quickly. I don’t know what’s worse: showing everyone I’m gay or doting on the Sexiest Man Alive’s girlfriend.

Blurry words appear at the bottom of the screen. When they come into focus, they read ‘Weaver’s lucky girl’. She cheers and waves, and my stomach curdles.

I know this whole situation is fake, but it hurts my heart every time. Why can’t it be me? That jumbotron should be focused on me. It should say ‘Weaver’s lucky man’.

This season can’t end soon enough. I need some sort of reprieve, a vacation. Thanksgiving is coming up. Some teams do play then, but I don’t know about Kyle. Maybe I can ask him if we can have alone time. I think I’ll need it to make it to February.

The jumbotron focuses on something else, and Amani sighs. “Gosh, that’s exhausting,” she says, but she’s still smiling.

Exhausting is right. I wish I could fault her, but she’s the one making a sacrifice for me. And I’ll always love her for it.

“Come on,” I say, putting my hand on her shoulder. “Let’s go greet your boyfriend.”

We shuffle up the steps and make our way down the stadium. I console myself with the thought that, at the very least, I get Kyle all to myself tonight.

Chapter 32

Kyle Weaver

Inthelockerroom,I’m so swarmed by the reporters that I can’t reach my stuff. Ezekiel gets some of them to back off me, but once security gets between us, I’m finally able to shed my sweaty and stained football clothes and grab some fresh ones.

They’re all calling my name, trying to talk to me about the game, how it went, how I feel about going to the playoffs. I don’t say much until I get one question in particular.

“Kyle, what would your dad think of you now?”

I sit down in my undershirt and take my cleats off. I wiggle my free toes, almost rolling my eyes in relief.

“He’d be proud,” I say.

“Do you think you’ll win the Championship Game?”

A grin forms on my face. “Let’s just say I think I’ll keep my promise I made to my dad.”

The reporters all blurt out other questions, but security manages to get them out of my face and out of the locker room, leaving me in peace with my team.

Ezekiel sits down next to me. “That was some crazy shit,” he says. “I’ve never seen you go that hard.”

I exhale sharply through my nose, taking off my pants. “Me neither.”

“I’m glad you got re-signed,” he says. “Dunno how we’d make it to the Championship Game without you.”