Rules Of The Game: Book 1

16; Throw Straight. Act Straight.

𝙾𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟷𝚜𝚝, 𝚃𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚢
Parkers POV

There is only one night left until the big homecoming game. One.

I have been so distracted by the talk I had with Miles at the diner that nothing else seems to matter as the days pass. My head has been up in the clouds, playing what he said to me on repeat.

Take a deep breath and find the things that make you feel alive, then stick with it. Things can be different, but it's up to you to realize what you want to be different and then make the change.

All that I can think about is what I want to be different. I've spent so much time mulling over his words that I've made a mental checklist.

• Figure out how football plays into my life.
• Find a healthy way to deal with my emotions (note: stop burying them, you stupid bitch)
• Discover who my real friends are.
• Stop going out to parties since I don't even enjoy them.
• See how Miles fits into my life.

Emphasis on that first and last one.

It hasn't been easy to keep my priorities in line this week. Balancing the homecoming activities, pepfest yesterday, and Hannah texting me every day has me booked.

Speaking of Hannah, I've been chewing on guilt since Monday night. I knew that I should never have agreed to that date. Honestly, one would think I would learn not to act on my anger by now, but we all make mistakes.

I went as far as messaging her before practice to ask if we could postpone the date. With homecoming up fast and dealing with practice tonight, I didn't want another thing to worry about.

There's also Miles to consider—

"EARTH TO PARKER!"

I nearly jump out of my cleats, a shockwave reverberating through my ears as my uncle Greyson blows a quick, sharp whistle.

"There you are, boy! Good god, I was wondering if you had gone deaf! Are you even paying attention?!" He demands, walking closer to me.

If it weren't for the fact that we're family, I would be scared shitless. Even my teammates standing near me back off a step or two, leaving me alone on the front line.

They're super reliable for moral support.

Instead of being scared, I blush under my helmet from embarrassment. Here I am, rotating through a hundred things to deal with when the season's biggest game is tomorrow.

"Um, yeah, sorry. I just... Never mind, you were talking about plays? The double suicide offense?" I take a stab at it. I loosely recall him saying those words. Besides, we always practice our plays the night before the big games. Greyson is a man of tradition.

His shoulders crumple with relief that his star player isn't completely stupid. "Yes, thank you very much. We haven't had much need for the new plays this season, but I think we'll need to use them tomorrow. Oakland High is one of the practically undefeated schools in the region, other than us. This could be war, boys."

Kendric snorts softly next to me, making me smirk. Greyson has a knack for the dramatics, considering we haven't lost a homecoming game in over four years.