As soon as we see him, we yell like the place is on fire. He’s got a helmet on his head. Not a football helmet, but a special protective helmet. He comes in slowly, all by himself, a grin as wide as the Willamette River on his face.
Soon, we’re yelling his name. “Benny, Benny, Benny.”
Coach lets it go on for a minute, then motions with his hands for us to quiet down, so we do. And then he turns to Benny and says, “You have something to say to us, don’t you, Lewis?”
He looks at us, holds his fists up in the air, and yells, “I believe!”
It is loud and strong and true.
“I believe!” we yell back.
And in that moment, through all the mixed emotions I have about everything that’s happened in the past twenty-four hours, I do believe.
TEARS WELL up
when the blue-and-gold
Eagles fly onto the field
and through the big
paper banner.
The crowd explodes
as all the players turn
and look at their fans
in the stands.
I jump up and down,
waving, but I know
the chance of Colby seeing
me is nearly zero.
He’s too far away,
and there are just
too many of us here tonight.
First quarter,
everyone’s a bundle
of nerves. A couple of big
mistakes put us
down by seven.
Second quarter,
Colby catches two
impressive passes,
one of them getting us
close to the end zone.
When we score
on the next play,
it’s a hug-fest
with me and the little ones.
Tied at halftime.
IN THE locker room, Coach comes down hard on us for the stupid mistakes we made in the first half.
“Too many lost opportunities!” he says. “And if you don’t find your focus and play the way I know you can play, this entire game will be a lost opportunity.”
He talks about courage and teamwork. About dedication and drive. About putting it all on the line right now, because this is it. This is all we’ve got.
“This is the end of the story,” he tells us. “Right here. It’s up to you how you want to write it. How you want to be remembered. But even more importantly, how you want to remember this night for the rest of your lives.”
He finishes up, and we take a minute for ourselves before we break and hit the field.
I’m trying to focus on what I need to do when we go out there again, but I can’t stop thinking about the surprise I got a little while ago. As we were running into the locker room at the half, I looked up at the crowd, trying to spot my dad sitting with Gram and Grandpa.
I couldn’t find them.
But I saw four blue-and-gold hats, all in a row. I’d know those awesome hats anywhere.
My heart feels like a balloon about to pop, because she’s here. Whether she’s going to the airport afterward, who knows, but she’s here now. She couldn’t stay away.
This must have been how Superman felt when he found out Lois Lane had feelings for him.
I bet Superman would have been a helluva football player.
COLBY IS the star
of the second half.
It’s like he’s been
gifted with superpowers.
He catches
pass
after pass
after pass.
We are
on our feet
the entire
time because
the air is full
of excitement
and hope.
Just like
Colby said.
It feels good
to believe and hope.
As the clock
counts down
the final seconds,
we count with it.
Ten
I will
Nine
never forget
Eight
this
Seven
night
Six
and how
Five
good
Four
it felt
Three
to
Two
belong
One
It feels
so good to win.
I look at
my aunt and uncle,
arms high,
cheering loud,
and my little cousins
dancing around.
All I can think is,
what a team.
What a great team
I’m on.
WE DID it. We took state.
There is running, yelling, and group hugging, and then, when I get a chance, I stand there for a moment and take it all in.
The cheering blue-and-gold crowd.
The final score in bright lights.
The feeling that anything truly is possible, with the right people by your side.
I don’t know what tomorrow will bring. All I know is right now, despite everything that’s happened this season, we did what we set out to do.
It’s amazing to know I was a part of something the town will talk about forever. And it’s something good.
Finally. Something good.
If someone in the stands needed some hope that things will be all right, they got a good, healthy dose of it tonight.
All of us did.
THE EAGLES soar.
It’s the end
of the game.
The end of
the season.
The end of
awe-inspiring dedication.
And yet,
in so many ways,
it’s only the beginning.
They worked so hard
to get here, which makes it
all the sweeter.
I did too.
The journey had
its ups and downs,
but here we are,
looking out at the horizon,
dreaming about what
comes next.
The Eagles soar,
and the town soars with them.
I get it now.
It’s not just a game.
It’s life, played out on the field.
And whether you win or lose,
the important thing is
who you are when it’s over.
AFTER THE celebratory Gatorade is poured all over Coach and we’ve told every one of our opponents “Good game” as nice sportsmen do, we scatter to find our families, who stream onto the field.
Before I look for mine, though, I make my way to Benny and give him a big hug. We don’t say a word. We don’t need to. It’s a night to be happy, but there is a hint of sadness here too. Benny should have been out there with us, and we both feel that loss. I’m guessing we probably always will.
“It’s so good to see you,” I tell him. “Man, I’ve missed you.”
“No mushy stuff, Pynes.”
“See you tomorrow?”
He smiles. And sounding just like my old pal Benny, he says, “You can count on that.”
My dad and grandparents find me, going on and on about how well I played and what a fantastic game it was. I give them each a quick hug and tell them there’s something I have to do before it gets too late.
“I understand,” Dad says. “This is your night. Go revel in it.”
I don’t know what he’s thinking I’m going to do, but whatever it is, he’s way off.
I scan the bleachers for her, hoping they didn’t jet off yet. I look and look, but I don’t see them.
“Crap,” I whisper under my breath.
“Pynes?” Temple says. “You okay? Come on, man, it’s just about trophy time.”
“Yeah, all right,” I say. “Be there
in a minute.”
I scan one more time for the blue-and-gold hats, but they’re gone.
She’s gone. I’ve missed her.
I turn back around, toward the center of the field, my chest aching like I took a hit there. But of course, that’s not why it hurts.
And then I hear “Colby!” from far away.
I look left and right, but I don’t see her. Where is she?
“Behind you,” she calls out.
I turn around and there she is, on the field, walking toward me.
I start running to her, and as soon as I do, she’s running too.
When we meet, I throw my helmet on the ground, pick her up, and lift her high. She laughs and laughs. As I lower her down, I stop when we’re eye level and hold her there. Then I kiss her like I’ve wanted to kiss her since the first day we met.
With everything I have. With everything I am.
There is no question about this girl. I am all in, one hundred percent.
She tastes salty, like popcorn. Or Bugles.
And suddenly, I’m laughing, remembering how we met and how far we’ve come.
“What?” she asks, smiling. “What is it?”
“I’m just so glad you’re here,” I whisper as her feet touch the ground.
“It’s a two-for-one, you know.”
I give her a funny look. “What is?”
“My being here.”
“How so?”
“Well, I came to watch you play and I came to tell you I’m not leaving. My aunt and uncle asked me to stay and so, I am. They’re going to help me get into college and everything.”
My jaw drops to the turf, and then I’m picking her up again and spinning her around and around, until I finally stop, both of us dizzy.
I kiss her one more time.
“Come on,” I say. “There’s someone I want you to meet. I was thinking maybe the three of us could go out tomorrow night, to Angie’s Restaurant. That way I can spend time with both of you.”
She smiles. “You are the king of two-for-ones, aren’t you?”
I laugh. “I probably am. You okay with that?”
She squeezes my hand. “Totally okay.” She stops walking, and points across the field. “Wait, Colby, the trophy. Shouldn’t you be over there?”
I shake my head. Benny’s just up ahead. I walk faster.
I don’t need a trophy to tell me I’ve won.
LISA SCHROEDER is the author of the teen novels I Heart You, You Haunt Me and its companion, Chasing Brooklyn; Far from You; Falling for You; and the Oregon Book Award finalist The Day Before. She’s also the author of the Charmed Life series and the novels It’s Raining Cupcakes, Sprinkles and Secrets, and Frosting and Friendship, all for younger readers. Lisa is a native Oregonian and lives in Beaverton with her husband and two sons. When she’s not writing, you will probably find Lisa reading, walking the dog, or baking — and online at www.lisaschroederbooks.com.
ALSO BY LISA SCHROEDER
I Heart You, You Haunt Me
Chasing Brooklyn
The Day Before
Far from You
Falling for You
FOR YOUNGER READERS
Charmed Life:
Caitlin’s Lucky Charm
Mia’s Golden Bird
Libby’s Sweet Surprise
Hannah’s Bright Star
It’s Raining Cupcakes
Sprinkles and Secrets
Frosting and Friendship
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Schroeder, Lisa.
The bridge from me to you / by Lisa Schroeder.
pages cm
Summary: “Lauren is the new girl in town with a dark secret. Colby is the football hero with a dream of something more. In alternating chapters they come together, fall apart, and build something stronger than either of them thought possible — something to truly believe in” — Provided by publisher.
ISBN 978-0-545-64601-7
[1. Love — Fiction. 2. Secrets — Fiction. 3. Football — Fiction. 4. Mothers and daughters — Fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.S3818Br 2014
[Fic] — dc23
2013033112
Text copyright © 2014 by Lisa Schroeder
All rights reserved. Published by Point, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. SCHOLASTIC, POINT, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
First printing, August 2014
Cover design by Jeannine Riske
Cover photos © Fotosearch / Getty Images and © Image Source / Getty Images
Author photo by Left Turn Studio
e-ISBN 978-0-545-64665-9
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
Lisa Schroeder, The Bridge From Me to You
Thank you for reading books on BookFrom.Net Share this book with friends