Brandon

It's game day, and we're all hyped up for this one. We've got to win for our send-off and our last game for the school. Our opposition are strong. They've won nearly all their games this season, with the exception of three.

"We've got this," Denver says as we start getting changed. I am so pumped up I can't wait to get out on the field. I know Lizzie will be with Tammy and Lilly at the front watching.

"The last game for the school, man. I can't believe it." I say, raking my hands through my hair, and to be brutally honest, I also feel emotional. These guys have been my bros for a long time; we've been playing together for the last five years.

Denver is playing wide receiver today, left, and Joshua is playing wide receiver right. I shake my hands out and let the adrenaline course through my veins.

Coach blows his whistle to break up all the talking and joking that's going on around us. "Listen up. You guys are the best. You guys are the strongest team out on that field today. You are going to win. You are winners. What are you?"

"Winners." We all chorus.

"Got it. Right now, get ready and haul your asses out there and show em how it's done. Give it your best. And remember, no matter what happens on the field today, inside you are all winners. Do you hear me?" He has his right hand to his heart, and boy, do I want to bawl; I'm racked with emotion right now.

"YES, COACH," we all yell.

"That's my boys. Now get out there and kick some ass." Coach Jenson turns to go back to his office, which is just off our locker room. He's meeting with the other coach as we get ready. Let's hope this is going to be a friendly; I sure as hell don't want our last game to be anything but.

Plus, we know a couple of guys from the other school team; we hang out at parties sometimes. They're all good guys.

"Right, you heard what coach said." I begin since I am the captain. "We've got this, guys. We play to win, and if we don't, at least we know we've given it our best shot." They all clap and nod their heads.

"Denver, Joshua, you need my back at all times. There's gonna be some speed and action going on today."

"No problem." Denver drawls as he pulls his jersey on over his head.

"We want a clean game, guys- no fighting, no getting in their faces other than to keep control of the goddamn ball. Now let's go and smash it."

Cheers go up in the locker room. Denver comes and claps me on the back. This is it. Our last game for our school. Where has the time gone?

I think about my first day here, how nervous I was as a kid; the only thing that got me through was having Lizzie by my side as we walked through the iron gates together and were met by our teacher back then, Mrs Willow. She was real nice with her bubbly personality and green dancing eyes.

Mrs Willow guided us through the large corridor to our classroom, and we all sat round on those tiny kids' chairs whilst she introduced herself to us, then asked each one of us to say our names and shake hands with the kid sitting next to us. Of course, the kid next to me was Lizzie, and we never left each other's sides. Stuck like glue. Forever and always.

Our boots clip on the changing room floor, the studs making contact with the flooring, and one by one we file out of the changing room, down the corridor and then through the tunnel to the field.

The crowd is going nuts already, loving the display from the cheerleaders. Our squad is impressive with their acrobatics and dressed in their red short skirts with gold trim at the bottom and cropped red tops with gold. The pompoms are one red, one gold. As their arms flay in the air to their different movements, it's just a whirl of red and gold colors. We all know how hard they practice and though I'd not like to personally hook up with a cheerleader, there has to be something said about their fierce loyalty to us guys and the team. Not to mention their focus and dedication to a sport they love and the moves they have to make. Each one is a gymnast and a dancer in their own right. Many of them have sprained ankles, broken arms you name it; those girls have had it. What impresses me the most is that they still always show up. Focus, patience, and perseverance are what drive these girls. Their faces are lit up, and their smiles are wide; with their brilliant white teeth, they could easily floodlight the damn stadium.

Joshua claps me on the back; Denver stands next to me. "This is it, man. How you feeling in all honesty?" His eyes are fixed on me.

"Kinda emotional, it's weird, right? Our last game on our ground with these guys. But pumped, real pumped. I think we could win the championship."

"I damn hope so." He says. "That'll make it four." I nod. We've won every year except the first one, but then we got our team right, had a new guy join us in the second year who played center, and man, does Lucas have a throwing arm on him or what? I mean shit, he's going to go far in the NFL; that's for sure.

We line up side by side with the other school team, dressed in green pants, white tops with green and gold logo, their helmets match their pants – standing opposite us.

The referee comes out and stands in front of both center players. "This is going to be a clean game, guys. No pushing, bullying or fights. We want to give these kids and families a great day out today, not a blood bath. Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Sir." They say. Lucas turns to me and winks.

"Now, it's the last game of the school year, so make it fun, make it good, and whatever you do, play your hearts out. Let's give these people a day to remember." He moves away, and we all take our places.

Lucas stands center; we have a guard on either side of him and our tackle players next to them. Denver goes to the left for his position as wide receiver, and Joshua goes to the right. I stand directly behind Lucas as the quarterback, and behind me is Jones, our fullback. We are ready.

The whistle blows, the ball is dropped and we're off. It's fast and it's a challenge to keep hold of the ball when I've got the opposing defender running at me. He's got some weight on me and is broader, but I hold my ground and find a pass to Joshua; he grabs the ball and begins to run. I am quick, one of the fastest on the team, and I manage to get myself out of the position I am in and start to run forward, dodging the players coming right at me. Boy, do they want to get me down. I see the ball come flying, but it's too high. Josh has thrown it way too high. As I jump up for it, I can feel a set of strong, hulking arms grabbing me around the waist and pulling me down. They've got the ball, damnit. We turn and start to chase back down the other way. And so it goes on; I get tackled several more times. It comes with the territory, and then finally, Denver passes me the ball. I jump high and catch it; it's an open field in front of me. Just about, but I manage to weave my way through to the end line and throw myself, literally, across the line and touch down.

The crowd goes nuts, horns honk, and the cheerleaders throw some serious acrobatics, with one girl being thrown in the air doing a somersault and back to the hands on the second tier.

I punch my arm in the air. We are even going into halftime.

Turning, I catch Lizzie sitting behind the guard in the seats. She waves and smiles and gives me the thumbs up.

My heart melts; tingles run up and down my spine. Damn it, I love her. It hits me like a bolt of lightning out of nowhere; my throat goes dry. Waving back at her, I am shell-shocked. Did I just say I love her? I fucking did. Holy shit. Me, Brandon, the guy that doesn't do love or dating, the guy that only has hookups, is admitting that he loves his best friend.