“I’m excited for you.” Ryan pats Todd on the shoulder.
“Yeah, it’s good. For all of us.” Todd gives him their signature handshake as he leans on the crutches.
Everyone starts to leave, but Todd gives me a look that says stay.
“I’ll be right there, Mom,” he yells to Mrs. H. as she heads toward the door with his bag. Then he walks over with his crutches and leans his forehead against mine. I hold on to his crutches to help him balance.
“You okay?” he asks quietly now that it’s just us.
“I should be asking you that,” I say, pressing my head gently into his.
“Yeah, but I’m asking you. You okay? You were awfully quiet.” He rests his elbows on his crutches so his fingers can slide over my shoulders.
“I’m good. I’m really good. I’m happy for you.”
“I know this is bittersweet.” He lifts my chin so our eyes lock.
My heart and stomach are in competition to see who can flutter the most, but I’m not sure who is winning. The effect he still has on me is incredible.
He leans down and kisses me, and every fiber of my being is ignited with passion, joy, and excitement. Though I will miss him like crazy, I need to enjoy all of him while he’s still here with me.
“Now we just have to make the most of every second we have left,” I whisper through our kiss.
***
Signing day is already stressful, and I’m not even the one signing anything. My parents have been running around all morning. My mom has changed her outfit at least five times. And my dad has tied and untied his tie at least fifty times. With my stomach in knots, I can’t stop pacing except when I check myself in the mirror for the hundredth time. Ryan, however, is calm and oblivious to the chaos around him.
He’s currently on the couch, watching Sports Center and eating cereal, as if it’s a typical morning. The only difference is he’s wearing a suit and tie. How can he eat right now? I feel like I’m going to vomit. My nerves are on overdrive.
I texted Todd, Happy signing day! Excited? and still haven’t heard back from him. I’m sure his house is just as crazy as ours.
I start to make a million mental excuses, and then my phone buzzes.
Hey, Ash. Just woke up, getting dressed. Yes, excited. I have to study.
Just woke up? What is it with these boys? I smile at the ‘I have to study.’ I love that he still uses our code words even though our relationship is back out in the open.
“What are you smiling about?”
I look over at Ryan who has a sarcastic grin spread across his face.
“Nothing.” I roll my eyes.
“Tell Todd I said hi.”
“Shut up.” I toss a throw pillow at him.
“Hey, watch the suit,” he says with a smile, but his movement causes him to spill a little milk onto his pants. “Shit.” He starts to laugh as he goes to the kitchen to wash it off.
“Language,” Mom scolds firmly as she hustles by him with two different pairs of shoes.
“Which ones, Ash?” She holds them out to me.
“Come on. We’ve got to go,” Dad shouts as he lumbers down the stairs, wearing yet another tie.
“We have twenty minutes,” Ryan shouts over the running water in the kitchen.
“Precisely,” Dad yells back.
I smile at that word. Once again, it makes me think of Todd. I can’t stop thinking about him.
I pick a pair for my mom, and she gives me a look like she knows exactly what I’m thinking from my smile. I doubt she does, but I’m glad she’s okay with it if she thinks it has something to do with Todd.
Signing day is a big deal at our school. Since we have a good football program, and we usually make it to state, we get a lot of attention. This year is no different; we have twelve players who have offers from division one schools.
Almost everyone knows who they are singing with, but a few guys have offers from several different schools. Mark—aka Francis—has a few schools he’s deciding between, so today is the day he has to make a decision. Once you sign, it’s a done deal.
Ryan had a few offers, but since Penn State was interested and it looked like they wanted all three boys, he’s put most of his focus on them. Thankfully, it’s within driving distance, so my parents are thrilled.
Dad already bought out the entire Penn State book store. He has every mug, T-shirt, and pad of paper they have ever made. All of the parents are already planning tailgating trips for the home games. It looks like even college won’t break up the Three Musketeers.
I smile to myself. It could be worse. They could be going farther away. I’m not sure who I would be more upset about, though—Todd or Ryan. Oh, who am I kidding? Definitely Todd.
When we walk into the auditorium, I see a long table on the stage with our school colors draped over it, along with place cards with each of the signing seniors’ names.
Ryan turns and gives us a head nod and a smile then makes his way to the stage where some of his teammates have already gathered. We take a seat in the auditorium with the rest of the family and friends.
Todd isn’t here yet, but then I hear Sid’s laugh as the doors open, and there he is. He doesn’t see me, which gives me the perfect opportunity to just enjoy watching him. He’s wearing the same suit he wore to homecoming. I guess the pants legs were big enough to fit the cast. You would never know he had a broken leg, except for the crutches and the fact that one leg is much wider than the other, thanks to the cast.
He takes my breath away, always.
While I watch him talk to his teammates, it’s obvious they all care about and respect him just by the way they interact. When their coach comes out, all of the boys greet him and then take their seats where their names are placed.
The smile on Todd’s face is priceless. All of the guys are happy, but I can tell Todd is complete. He’s had reservations for so long, but this is exactly where he wants to be, and for that, I can’t feel sad. I want him to get what he wants.
The way it works is they go down the line one at a time and announce each player and what school he is signing with before they actually sign. Everyone is seated in alphabetical order, so Mark is first.
Mark is a great player and has a ton of offers. The guys are practically leaning over the table to see what his decision will be. A few guys at the table shout his name as it’s called, and there are even a few shouts from people in the audience. I see his mom and feel my cheeks start to burn, thinking about the last time I saw her—well, almost saw her.
“Mark Conner will be singing with ...” Coach W.’s voice cuts through the crowd, and then he looks over at Mark who gives him a head nod. Mark hasn’t told anyone his decision, so you can feel the crowd holding their breath. “… the Florida State Seminoles.”
The crowd erupts as Mark signs the intent to play form and then pulls out an FSU hat, placing it on his head with a giant smile. The boys at the table know they aren’t allowed to get up, but they are all shouting and cheering as Mark hugs the guy next to him.
There are a few more guys who get the same type of accolades, and then it’s Todd’s turn.
“Todd Hamilton. As most of you know, Todd broke his leg on the senior ski trip, which is difficult for any player, but especially when you’re the kicker.”
The crowd chuckles, and there are a few hoots.
“But what speaks volumes of Todd’s character and drive is the fact that his college believes enough in both his ability and talent to stick with him, even with a broken leg. This is definitely a first for Easthaven, and you can just add it to the list of many school records Todd has broken throughout his career. I know he has a lot of work and healing ahead of him, but I also know nothing is going stand in the way of his bright future.”
I swore I was going to hold it together, but I can’t help the tears in my eyes. I’m so proud of him, because I know he’s not only an incredible player, but he’s also an incredible person, and that’s what really matters.
I glance over at Sid to see her wiping tears away, too, and then my eyes land on Todd. I want to always remember the smile on his face in this moment.