I looked around confused. Did he really want to dive into this conversation right now of all places? It must have been the overconsumption of the liquor he’d been drinking for five days straight.

“When I know what’s going on with shawty, I’ll let you know,” I said, dismissing the conversation. Braelon was my boy, and I’d probably chop it up with him later about Phileigh, but not right now. It would be just my luck that someone out there was a lip reader, and all my business would be plastered on Hollywood Tea Room in the morning.

“Alright, nigga. Minding my own business.” He held his hands up in surrender.

“Good!” I focused on the podium where my coach spoke and hyped the crowd.

I was next. I ran my speech back in my head, trying to remember all the endorsement deals I needed to mention. The coach called my name, and I grabbed the Lombardi trophy as I walked to the podium. The crowd chanted MVP as I held the trophy over my head. Their energy was the fuel I needed to push through this speech.

“Brooklyn… It’s good to see y’all!” I began, the microphone amplifying my voice over the loud chants. “This victory isn’t just ours. It belongs to all of you! Every last one of you that supported us along the way.”

The crowd erupted in applause. Some fans waved banners in the air. I glanced over at my teammates. Their faces beamed with joy.

“To my team, we worked hard for this, and we did it! All those early mornings paid off. We all knew we got something special together, and now the world does too.”

I took a moment, letting the cheers wash over me before I continued.

“And to my mom, who’s been by my side since day one, I’m a spoiled, hardheaded ass kid sometimes, but I never get it twisted. I’m grateful for the sacrifices you’ve made for me and Rone. Rest in peace, brother. I wouldn’t be standing here without you, Mom. This victory is yours. Lastly, I thank my brother, Jeronee Barnes. My love of football started with you. I wish you would have gotten the chance to hold one of these. Thank you, bro!”

With that, I stepped back, allowing the crowd’s cheers to send a rush of adrenaline through my body as I joined my teammates in line. The energy was infectious as the rest of the team gave their heartfelt thanks to the crowd.

“So, what’s the plan after this? We hitting the afterparty or what?” Braelon nudged me. I laughed, shaking my head. How this nigga still had the energy to party was beyond me.

“I’m good on the celebrations for a minute.”

“Old ass,” he joked as we both turned our heads toward the team owner.