Chapter 50
Fiona
The final seconds tick by on the board.
Fans scream.
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I scream.
“Run, Ethan! You can do it!” I shout, watching on the edge of the platform. I lean over the rail, my heart pounding, as he runs down the field. He spins and dodges an oncoming player, skillfully keeping the ball away from the other man.
“Go! Go! Go!” I yell over the roaring crowd. The excitement builds the closer Ethan gets to the goal.
There’s less than a minute left on the clock and the score is two vs three. If Ethan can make this goal, it’ll put the teams at a tie, and there will be a chance to go into overtime.
“Go, Ethan!”
Just as the words leave my lips, he kicks. The black and white ball flies through the air, soaring past the goalie and sailing into the white net. Everyone screams at the victory, the scoreboard now showing the three–to–three–point tie.
Ethan looks up into the stands, and after a second, his eyes find mine. He smiles, a warm, real smile that I don’t see often, so I wave. I can’t help but grin at him too. He’d just scored the goal that could help them win.
A whistle blows, signaling the teams to round up.
“This is so exciting,” I call back to Ryan. He smiles and takes my arm, tugging me back a bit.
“Be careful, Fiona. Don’t get too close to the edge,” he warns. I nod and move back in time for someone push past me. I look down and realize I had been practically leaning over the edge of the railing in my excitement.
The ref calls for a fifteen–minute round to break the tie. The crowd cheers again as the teams get into place. I watch Ethan walk back out onto the field, looking sweaty and tired, but also looking gorgeous. I didn’t think seeing him like this would revive the desire for him, but it does.
He may look good in a suit, but he also looks amazing in sportswear. Honestly, he could wear anything and look good.
The clock begins counting down as the ref starts the game. The other team gets the ball, but Ethan’s team doesn’t give up without a fight. For the next ten minutes, both teams go back and forth fighting for the ball.
In the last five minutes, Ethan’s teammate scores a goal, sending the crowd into a frenzy of excitement.
“YES!” I scream for Ethan and his team, jumping out of my seat. “You can win, Ethan!” My eyes bounce between the teams, and then I gasp and throw my arms in the air when Ethan steals the ball, running it down the field.
“Yes, Ethan! Ru—”
An opposing team member slams into Ethan, sending them both tumbling to the ground. I gasp and jump forward, my hands gripping the railing in front of me as my heart slams into my ribcage.
“Ethan!”
My stomach rolls and a wave of nausea builds in my chest.
“He’s fine,” Ryan tells me, but I can’t take my eyes off Ethan. He and the other man lay on the ground for a moment as the ref checks that they’re okay. My breath catches in my chest and only releases when Ethan pushes himself up and glances in
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Chapter 50
my direction.
Like he could sense my fear, Ethan smiles again and nods to let me know he’s okay,
“Told you,” Ryan mutters.
“Shut up.” I send him my best glare before refocusing on the game.
Two minutes tick away at the clock until Ethan is again running toward the goal with seconds left. I hold my breath until the ball flies into the goal just before the last second clears the board.
Everyone goes crazy, screaming and chanting as Ethan’s team is announced the winner.
Pushed by my excitement and the need to see him, I dart through the crowd, heading for the main floor. All I can think about is seeing Ethan and congratulating him on the win, so I push my way through the people around me.
When I see Ethan, I’ll throw my arms around him. I’ve been longing to do that since he left me in the reception area earlier.
“Excuse me,” I call out as I reach the door to the top level where we were sitting. I’m not actually sure how to get to the field from here.
A man in a blue shirt turns from the edge of the crowd.
“Can I help you?” He asks, leaving his post. The crowds surge, making me stumble, but I focus on the worker.
“I need to get to the field. Can you tell me how?”
He nods, and points to a door to our left.
“If you go through this door, and go down five floors, you’ll find the bottom floor to the stadium. From there,” he says, jerking a thumb to the field, “there will be a set of stairs leading down to the field, but you might not be able to get through. There will be security.” He glances at my shirt and then shakes his head a bit. “Maybe you could get through.”
I look down at Ethan’s jersey and remember his promise that no one will stop me again.
“Thank you.”
Turning, I walk through the crowd and over to the door the worker had pointed out. I make it through the door and down three flights of stairs before a large crowd blocks my way. I can’t push my way through the people, and before I know it, the overly excited crowd is all around me and channeling me through a door.
“Wait! I need to-”
An elbow lands in my stomach, cutting off my words. I tumble back a few steps, nearly falling into someone who shoves me aside.
“There’s no way your team didn’t cheat!” A man yells.
“Just because your team can’t play for shit doesn’t mean you can blame ours! If you want a win, tell your team to practice more!” Another male voice yells.
Then everything explodes. I’m pushed back as men from both sides lunge at each other, fists flying. I try to get away by moving backward, but the crowd traps me near the fight.
“Stop!” I yell, ducking as two men tumble into the crowd next to me. “Let me through!” I yell again, but my words fall on
deaf ears.
“Take that back!” Someone yells just as two more fighters fall to the floor in front of me. It creates a little gap in the frenzy, and I jump for it, tumbling through the small opening. I scramble forward toward where I hope to escape and where I hope
Ethan is waiting for me.
If I can just get to him.
