Max made a big production of checking the laces and the fit before finding an opening for us on the sidelines. Special teams stopped them on the twenty-one-yard line. The Fort Range Pioneers were a tough team. We lost to them last year. I was ready for them this year though. They were heavy on offense, but light on defense. And they played dirty. They put late hits on players, especially quarterbacks.

We cheered when they missed the field goal. I grabbed my helmet and jogged out. I saw Parker and gave her a quick head nod. We got into position and I started the game by handing off the ball to our running back.

“Blue thirty-two, blue thirty-two.” My offense set up. “Independence.” Two seconds. “Independence,” I yelled. The team pushed off the line and I stepped back in the pocket and delivered a beautiful spiral that Max caught twenty-eight yards down the field. We got another fifteen yards when their middle linebacker nailed me well after the pass was thrown. I was rattled but I bounced up and called the huddle like it didn’t matter.

“Fuck, that looked rough. Are you okay?” Max asked.

“I need somebody to stay back in case that shit keeps happening.” I was angry and slightly dizzy. I was probably concussed but didn’t want to stop. By halftime, most of us were bloody. We were ahead because we kept our cool, whereas they kept getting penalties.

I wanted to collapse on the locker room floor but managed to stay upright by leaning against a locker while we listened to Coach Larson’s changes. When he was done, I ran across the hall to the women’s locker room to put on better pads that protected more of my body. I pushed open the door and startled Parker. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Her eyes were wild and her chest heaved. “I’m not used to running into other girls down here.”

She held up a broken hair tie and laughed. “I needed to redo my hair,” she said. Looking into her blue eyes and at her perfect mouth, I suddenly felt no pain. “You’re very tall,” she said.

I took a step back because I didn’t want to intimidate her. In full football gear, I was supposed to intimidate. I placed my helmet and the better pads on the counter. “I’m getting beat up out there. I’ve got to change my pads.” I started to tug at the neck of my jersey.

She playfully rolled her eyes at me and rested her hands on her hips. “Can I help?” she asked.

“That would be amazing. Can you grab my jersey around the neck and pull it off? If you don’t mind.”

“Of course, bend over,” she said.