“Which game?” asks Temi.
“The championship,” she replies, and we all titter with excitement.
There are only two games standing between us and the championship game. This is a real possibility. A real team, playing real volleyball, on real live cable TV.
Lauren looks at me. “I’ve never been to Omaha.”
I shrug. “I have for the Big Ten championship.” It’s widely considered the volleyball capital of the U.S.
“At least it won’t be winter.” I’m not eager to return to Midwest winters.
Speaking of Wisconsin, I’m reminded that in just a few weeks, it will be June and we’ll be on a plane to Poblocki, and I’ll be fulfilling the last of my deal with Wyatt. The time has really started to fly since the beginning of the season. I blinked and I was home, starting on a new team and a new league. I blinked and we’re in a position to now go to thechampionships. If I blink again, it’ll be back to just being Wyatt’s roommate.
I need to stop blinking.
There’s a churning in my stomach at that thought. I assume it’s from how little I’ve eaten today compared to how many down-n-backs I’ve run. Of course, it has nothing to do with how much more attached to Wyatt I am now than I was in February.
It couldn’t be that.
Definitely couldn’t be that.
When I get back from practice that night, Wyatt is on the couch watching baseball.
“Food is on the stove,” he says when he hears me come in.
“Thanks.” I move to the kitchen and grab a bowl to help myself to the spaghetti. Wyatt isn’t an amazing cook, his mom did all of it growing up, but he can hold his own with a jar of sauce.
“How was practice?”
My eyes light up. I can’t believe I momentarily forgot the big news. “The league championship is going to be on cable TV!”
“That’s so exciting, Nash. I’m so happy for you guys.”
I look at him over my shoulder while I put hot sauce on top. “I guess you were right about there being no bad press.” Sure, there were hate comments, but there were also tons of comments from young women excited to continue their career after college, and girls even younger who were eager to come see a game.
“I’m normally right. Surprised you didn’t know that by now.”
I plop on the couch next to him with my spicy spaghetti and dig in. The game is not interesting. I find baseball to be extremely slow, especially on TV. I decide to bother Wyatt, instead.
“If we go to the championships, will you come?”
He answers without hesitation. “Of course.”
“Even though it’s the weekend before your brother’s wedding?”
“Of course. All I gotta do is show up to the wedding on time and not make a fool of myself during my best man speech. That’s my only obligation. I’ll be able to do both.”
I roll my eyes.Men. “Of course, you’re in the wedding, but you’ll show up at one o’clock and be ready by two.”
He laughs. “I don’t know what time the ladies have to be there, and I don’t want to know.”
“It’s nice to be just a guest and show up when it actually starts.” I twist more spaghetti around my fork. “But I’m going to have to sit all by myself.”
“I’m sure you won’t be alone. It’s a small town. They don’t know any strangers.”
“I’ll just sit and wait for you to come back.” I go quiet for a second. I’ve been feeling the tug of nerves in my gut ever since I heard the news about the championship being televised. At first, I thought it was because I was possibly going to be on TV, but most of the games I played in college were televised. It hit me when Temi was driving us home. “I feel like this is all too good to be true. Like at the end, even if the championship is a success and maybe we even fucking win, that the powers that be could still decide this isn’t worth it and cancel the whole thing. Then after all of this, I’ll be forced to quit and become acoach.” At the end of the day, it’s my passion and my sport, but it’s still ruled by capitalism. It might not matter that the Moons filled the seats. If the Las Vegas Fire, or any of the other teams can’t and the league loses money as a whole, they’ll still can us.”
“You can’t will something to happen the way you want it to, but you’ve put your all into this and I think it shows. If there’s no league after this year, then you have to go win that championship and own the only trophy they give out before it’s gone.”