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“AND DAVID SAID TO SAUL, LET NO MAN’S HEART FAIL BECAUSE OF HIM; THY SERVANT WILL GO AND FIGHT WITH THIS PHILISTINE.” —1 SAMUEL 17:32

W ithout a doubt, Reggie’s injury had been a debilitating blow to Stoney Creek. Still, Kendall and his team managed to win the first round of the division playoffs by a hair. The question was: Could they win the second round without Reggie?

Any other time, the tantalizing smells of hotdogs, popcorn, and hot chocolate would have tempted Sydney as she walked past the concession stand, but not tonight. Her stomach was tied in knots. She knew how much this game meant to Kendall and the Stoney Creek players, especially Reggie. His football injury was rotten luck. He deserved better. She pulled her fleece-lined jacket closer around her and watched the frosty vapors of her breath dissipate in the cold November wind.

The bleachers were filled with devoted fans. In the eyes of Stoney Creek, few things compared to this. Sydney searched the bleachers for Jarilyn. She and Jarilyn had ridden to the game together. She’d gone to the restroom while Jarilyn saved their seats.

“Hey Sydney! We’re up here.” Sydney looked up to see Jarilyn sitting with Emma, Chuck, and Jessica. Oh great, Jessica again. It always came down to Jessica. Sydney nodded at them and mounted the bleachers.

Just when Jessica opened her mouth to speak, the band entered the stadium and drowned out her voice. Their shining metal instruments gleamed under the lights. Sydney couldn’t help but notice how young they looked. Then the crowd jumped to its feet and yelled as the Stoney Creek football players and coaches ran onto the field. She watched Kendall’s short, jerky movements.

Jarilyn’s voice caught Sydney’s attention. “Coach Fletcher’s letting Reggie dress out tonight.”

“I’m glad,” Sydney said, knowing that Jarilyn was hoping against all odds that he would be allowed to play, even though they both knew better. Kendall would never risk injuring Reggie permanently.

Without thinking, Sydney scanned the crowd, looking for Sean. She wondered if he would come tonight.

Sydney’s emotions soared and dropped like a roller coaster as Stoney Creek and Bloomingdale went back and forth, scoring touchdowns and extra points. The score was tied 14 to 14, and then Bloomingdale kicked a field goal. After the kickoff, Sydney looked at the scoreboard. Bloomingdale 17 and Stoney Creek 14. Stoney Creek returned the kickoff to Bloomingdale’s 35-yard line. It was fourth down and three to go with only 15 seconds left on the clock. She watched the Stoney Creek players line up. Then Stoney Creek called for a timeout, and the players ran back to the huddle.

Sydney watched Reggie walk over to Kendall. Reggie pointed to the scoreboard and then to the field. Kendall shook his head and Reggie threw up his hands. Kendall put his hand on Reggie’s shoulder and they spoke a few more words to each other. It was doubtful the team could win without Reggie. “For goodness sake, please don’t let him go in if he’s not ready,” she said under her breath.

“What did you say?” Jarilyn asked.

Sydney motioned to the field. “I think Reggie’s begging Kendall to put him in.”

Jarilyn put her gloved hand to her mouth and waited. Sydney touched her on the arm. “You can’t let Kendall put him in. What if he gets hurt worse?”

Jarilyn’s eyes met Sydney’s, and then she looked away. “I have complete confidence in Coach Fletcher.”

The announcer yelled over the speaker. “Folks, Reggie Kelly, Stoney Creek’s star quarterback, is coming into the game.” Sydney watched Reggie line up behind Number 56, Jonathan Mark, Stoney Creek’s bulky center. Looking at him now, it was hard to believe that he was injured. He looked focused and confident, as if he could command the universe. The center snapped the ball to him. He faked it off to Robert Edwards, number 41. Then he passed it off to his wide receiver. The crowd was on its feet. The wide receiver made a lateral to the tailback, Chad Hopkins, who ran into the end zone for a touchdown. Stoney Creek had won the second round of the divisional playoffs. The crowd went wild and the players hoisted Reggie on their shoulders and carried him around the field.

The buzzer rang. The roar of the crowd was deafening.

Jarilyn was screaming and hugging Sydney. “We won! We won! I can’t believe we won.”

“I know,” Sydney exclaimed. They walked down the bleachers with the crowd.

By the time they reached the field, Kendall was surrounded by people.

“I’m going to find Reggie,” Jarilyn said. “I’ll meet you at the car.”

“That sounds good.” Sydney began pushing her way through the crowd to get to Kendall.

Kendall looked through the crowd at Sydney. His face was radiant. The broad grin that split his face when he saw her hit her with enough force to send a tingle shooting through her body. They might’ve been the only two people on the field. “We won,” he called out to her. “Can you believe it? We won!”

She tried to make her way to his side. “I know.”

The next event seemed to happen in slow motion. Sydney watched Jessica emerge from the mass of people. Before Kendall could reach Sydney, Jessica stepped in front of him and threw her arms around his neck and gave him a full kiss on the mouth. This brought a few wolf calls from the crowd.

“Congratulations champ,” Jessica said.

Kendall tried to untangle himself from Jessica’s grasp. His face was red. “Thanks Jess,” he said a little breathlessly.

Jessica turned and looked at Sydney before sauntering off in the crowd.

“Looks like you’ve got some competition.”

“What?” Sydney slung around to see Sean standing beside her.

“It looks like you’re not the only one standing in line to give Lover Boy a congratulatory kiss.”

“Oh why don’t you just drop dead!”

Sean chuckled. “It was just a simple observation. And by the way, he’d have to be a fool to go after Jessica when he can have you. Then again, he’s not exactly the smartest guy on the block.”

Sydney ignored Sean and moved toward Kendall. When she reached him, he leaned down and gave her a peck on the cheek. Any other time Sydney wouldn’t have thought twice about it, but after witnessing Jessica’s mauling, she felt like Kendall was kissing his sister rather than his girlfriend. “Hey hon, I’m sorry you had to see that. I don’t know what got into Jessica.”

A tight smile formed on her lips. “Congratulations.”

Before she could say anything else, someone tapped Kendall on the shoulder. “Coach, can you gather your team on the sideline? I want to get a picture for the paper.”

“Sure.”

Kendall turned back toward her. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Sydney didn’t answer.

The shrill ringing of the phone jarred Sydney awake. She raised and looked at her clock— 6:15 AM . W ho would be calling this early in the morning?

“Hello?” Her voice was still coated with sleep.

“Hey, it’s me.”

There was a long pause.

“Kendall?”

“Something terrible has happened.”

Sydney was now wide-awake. She sat up in her bed. “Kendall, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Reggie. He was involved in an accident last night.”

“Is he okay?”

There was silence for a few moments.

“He’s dead.”

“No! It can’t be true! What happened?”

“He was out celebrating last night with some of the guys, and he fell off a bridge and broke his neck.”

She tried to collect her thoughts. “What can I do to help?”

“I’m going over to Jarilyn’s to pay my respects, and I want—need—you to come with me.”

“I’ll get dressed right now and meet you at your house.” She stumbled out of bed and began rummaging through her pile of clothes to find something to wear.

“Sydney?”

“Yes?”

“Hurry.”