Atlas swung his bag over his shoulder as the team departed the bus, standing off to the side to wait for Alex. There were already fans crowding around the barricades, an even mix of Baltimore and Tennessee fans cheering as they began the walk-out.
“Ever been to Baltimore?” Alex asked as they grinned for the cameras.
“Once when I was a kid. My dad took me to a Lightning game for my twelfth birthday,” he replied.
“They got fantastic food. We’ll check out a spot tonight if we got time.” Atlas was always down to eat, so he readily agreed as they walked down the sidelines toward their temporary locker room.
“Hey, Atlas, can I get a word?”
His brow furrowed.
“Danielle? What are you doing here?” The reporter beamed up at him as the cameraman moved behind her.
“I got a promotion. The analysts anticipate a rising interest in the Lightning, so I was asked to become the team’s personal reporter for the season due to our working relationship.”
“Well,” he smiled back, “I’m glad I could help.”
“You know what I’m about to ask you,” she warned, though her tone was teasing.
“I was waiting for it,” Atlas said. People had been reaching out since Sunday; hundreds of fans and reporters had messaged him with questions.
“How did it feel having one of the biggest stars in the country come to see you play?”
“I can’t lie; I was definitely on cloud nine for a few days. People say to never meet your idols, but they ain’t met her.”
“It seems like her appearance had a kind reception as well,” Danielle added.
“Miss Summers was real kind to show up, and I hope everyone made her feel welcome back home.”
“Can we expect her at the next home game?” She inquired, obviously fishing for information that he didn’t have.
“I wouldn’t know. I mean, she’s a busy woman.” While Atlas hoped that Savannah would come to another game, he couldn’t get his hopes up yet. The two had been texting almost non-stop since Wednesday, and the rookie couldn’t help but smile whenever the screen lit up. He felt like a teenager waiting for his crush to text him, and it was both thrilling and a little scary.
“Fans said you played better with her watching. Would you care to comment on that?” The young man’s entire body heated up, and he struggled to find a reply, but thankfully, Alex had his back. The blond jumped into the frame and clapped his hands onto Atlas’ shoulders.
“Of course, he played better. Savannah Summers is our new good luck charm!” With that said, Alex dragged him away from the rolling film and into the locker room. “You’re welcome.”
“I hate you,” Atlas muttered.
----------------------------------------
The game was over before it really began. The Lightning had scored in the first two minutes and then again a minute later on an interception from the defense. Atlas had endless energy as he ran around the field, happier than a dog at the park. Even Colin seemed to be trying as he threw with precision they hadn’t seen since the preseason.
The score was forty-eight to seven at the start of the fourth quarter, and the Lightning were feeling good. The stands went crazy with every play, and the feeling was infectious, hearing thousands of fans screaming their name. Atlas bounced eagerly on the sideline while waiting for the defense and bumped shoulders with Alex and Lamar.
“Looks like we’ve found our stride,” he commented.
“Thanks to you guys. We needed fresh players to bring in new skills, and that’s what you two did,” Alex replied, making the two preen under the senior player’s praise. “Look at all the fans that came to see us today. We ain’t been this popular in years.”
“I think some of it’s because of Houdini’s girl,” Lamar added, giving the receiver a sly smirk. “Check out all the signs.” Atlas followed the running back’s gaze and laughed.
“You gotta admit they’re clever.” Two teenagers held a large grey sign with one picture of him and another of Savannah. “Will Lightning strike this Summer?” Another was being passed around by a group of frat boys, and it just asked if Atlas could fight, which made his teammates cackle.
“Looks like your girl has more fans here than you do,” Lamar chuckled, eyeing the group of boys as he gave them a wave.
“Not my girl,” Atlas reminded them, mostly out of habit. It seemed like he had been correcting people non-stop. They hadn’t been seen together, yet everyone assumed they were dating because she had shown up to one game. He couldn’t understand why Savannah wasn’t more frustrated, honestly.
The rookie turned back to the field as the defense hustled back to the sideline and cheered for Lamar as he headed off to return the punt. He ran onto the field beside Alex, slapping Lamar’s back as he got them all the way to Baltimore’s fifteen.
“Well, it looks like the Lightning are finally getting into their groove. The fans had expected another hard season after their first game, but they returned to prove them wrong.”
“I won’t start placing my bets just yet,” Mark replied drily, ever the pessimist. “This is only the second game of the season, which means plenty of time for the tides to turn.”
“I’ll go ahead and put money on the Super Bowl right now,” Tim swore, gaining an agreeing cry from the fans in blue. “I hope you like these boys because we’ll be seeing them all season long.”
Atlas grinned and took off at the whistle, clashing with the cornerback before him to make room for Lamar. He watched the running back roll into the endzone before letting the defender go, patting his shoulder as he went. The receiver jogged alongside his friends and stood beside Lamar while Alex spoke quietly with Coach Taylor. His eyes were practically sparkling as he looked over the crowd, an awed expression that Atlas understood all too well.
“You know, I dreamed about this,” Lamar said, almost unheard under the crowd. “We sat together at the draft and prayed to be called, and now we’re both here.”
“I get that. It was my only goal for so long, and now that I’m actually here, it just doesn’t feel real,” Atlas replied, gesturing across the stadium with a sweeping motion. “I still wake up sometimes and wonder if it was a dream.” The young man had given up almost everything in pursuit of his goal to play professional football. He had few friends, missed countless birthdays and events, and never felt like he belonged anywhere off the field. Standing in a packed stadium, Atlas knew he would do it all again.
“Can you imagine being the first Lightning team to win a Super Bowl?” Lamar asked wistfully. Atlas didn’t need to say he had been thinking about it non-stop because they all had. It was the final season for many of their teammates, so a Lombardi trophy would be the most incredible way to go out.
The remainder of the game passed in a breeze, with the final score tallying up to 55-14, a blowout that had the team shouting into the locker room. Coach made the postgame huddle brief with the gift of spending the night rather than heading straight to the plane. That put an extra pep in their step, and they all dispersed, motivated by the idea of food. Atlas showered quickly and dressed in loose joggers and a maroon Henley to avoid the nighttime chill. The clothes weren’t nearly as fancy as his suit from before, but the rookie was more interested in comfort than fashion.
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Atlas pulled his phone from his bag while he waited in the hall for the others and smiled when he saw a message waiting for him.
Savannah: Good luck charm, huh?
He flushed hotly and glanced around to see if anyone was around.
Atlas: Sorry Alex thinks he’s funny
He didn’t expect an immediate reply, so he was surprised to see the three bubbles pop up.
Savannah: It’s a little funny
I think he might be giving me too much credit tho
Atlas: Don’t let your other fans hear that
“Hey, Atlas, is it cool if Landon joins us?” The receiver looked up from his phone and immediately smiled at the other rookie. Landon Smith was a spectacular quarterback from UCLA, easily better than Colin, but he couldn’t fake the confidence yet. He was a nice, quiet guy and didn’t like to make waves even though he was almost 200 pounds of muscle.
“We’re just waiting on Alex, as usual.” The blond took another five minutes to join them, his shaggy hair still damp as he threw it into a haphazard bun. He looked at their new addition, the junior QB fidgeting slightly despite being taller than Alex, and then cocked his head to the side.
“The Gentle Giant, right? Landon?”
“Uh, yep. That’s me,” he said, the Californian’s voice deeper than expected. “Is it cool if I grab a bite with you guys?”
“Course, kid. Ever been to Baltimore?” Alex asked, slinging an arm over the other man’s shoulders as they ambled down the hall.
“A couple of times. My aunt and uncle live up here, so we’d visit every other year for Christmas until I started college. They always came to LA after that.”
“Good, then you gotta know Crabtowne USA, right?” Landon’s eyes lit up, the most excited that Atlas had ever seen the other man, and he nodded vigorously.
“We’d go there every year. It’s the only place we’d eat on the way home,” he replied happily, the pep noticeable in his stride.
“They’ve never been,” Alex said, jerking his head back at Atlas and Lamar. Landon looked over his shoulder as they reached the exit, cameras already flashing, and gave them a grin.
“You’re gonna love it, I swear.” He and Alex stepped out together, bumping fists for the picture. The other two followed after a second, the running back delighting in the attention as he waved all the way to the car.
The four talked animatedly on the drive, the streets packed with departing fans in cars and on foot. They inched through traffic for what seemed forever and were practically ravenous when they finally sat at a table. Atlas ordered his drinks and then took the chance to check his phone while the others did the same.
Savannah: It was a good game btw
Lila kept me in the loop
Atlas: How’d the interview go?
“Hey, Atlas, do you eat calamari?”
“Huh?” He asked, glancing up at Landon.
“Calamari,” he repeated. “It’s fried squid.”
“Uh, I’ll try anything once,” Atlas shrugged.
“Forgive his manners; he’s texting his popstar,” Alex teased, getting a small chuckle from Lamar and Landon as the waitress returned with their drinks.
Savannah: Same as always
When am I releasing new music, when is the next tour, who am I dating
The usual
Atlas: Does that get boring?
Savannah: Sometimes
I mean they can’t really ask about much else
Atlas: They could
Your charity, what you’re working on, brands you rep and why, etc
They could get creative
Savannah: I think the best interview I ever had was with a YouTuber
Atlas: Yeah?
Savannah: The questions were totally random
There were no questions about my music just about me
Atlas: I did an interview like that in college for the school podcast
She asked about my favorite songs so we were there for a while
I never turn down a chance to talk about my favorite artist
“Atlas, pay attention to us,” Lamar whined across from him, drawing the young man away from the screen with a roll of his eyes.
“Quit being dramatic. You texted Shae for the entire plane ride up here,” Atlas retorted, though he still pocketed his phone.
“What do you guys talk about? Football?” Landon asked, absently sipping his Dr. Pepper as he stared at the receiver.
“Sometimes. She’ll ask questions, so I’ll try to explain the best I can. We talk music a lot, not just hers either,” he added. “We were talking about traveling this morning. She showed me some of the photos she’s taken on her tours, and I told her about all the places I want to go now that I have the money.”
“God, you really are just friends,” Lamar muttered as the server returned, Atlas kicking his shin. The poor woman was obviously a bit overwhelmed by the amount they ordered, so Atlas subtly ensured he had enough cash to leave a good tip. His mama would hunt him down otherwise.
“There’s nothing wrong with being friends with Savannah,” Atlas defended once the server was out of hearing range.
“Yeah, but you guys would be super cute together. It’s like a love story in the making, dude.”
“I get that, but it feels wrong to expect her to like me romantically just because people want her to. That’s not how it works. I like Savannah, but I don’t want her to be with me because of the fans.” Atlas had seen hundreds of photos across his timeline and assumed she saw them too, but he didn’t want that to influence her opinion of him.
“I mean, do you really think she’d go out with you just because her fans like you?” Landon asked, his brows furrowed like he couldn’t imagine it.
“I don’t know if Savannah specifically would do it,” the receiver amended, “but I know it’s been done in the past. I don’t want to fall in love with someone if all they see is a PR stunt.”
“Ya know, maybe you’re right, then.” Alex hummed. “You’re gonna give yourself anxiety if you keep dwelling on it, so you should just see where it goes.”
“Like I said a hundred times before?” Atlas inquired, arching a brow at the older man, who smiled sheepishly.
“Look, Kayla is super invested in this, so that means I am too,” the blond admitted. “You two are like the American equivalent of a royal couple. Everyone wants to know what happens next.”
“I get that, but I’d like to get to know her without the pressure.”
“It seems like you’re puttin’ in a lot of work for this girl. You’re always texting because neither one of you can ever just go hang out. You’re getting mobbed by the paps more than ever, and obviously, it’s all stressing you out,” Lamar stated, pausing to sip his beer. “Does all of that seem worth it just to be her friend?” The server returned with their food before Atlas could answer, but it gave him a second to text Savannah.
Savannah: I’m sure your teammates are sick of you aren’t they
Atlas: Yeah, but I’m buyin dinner so they’ll be fine
Savannah: Do you eat out a lot?
I mostly do room service on tours because of the mobs
Atlas: The team sometimes rents out a restaurant after games
But I actually prefer to cook when I have the time
Savannah: Oh and he cooks too? Impressive, Mr. Graham
Atlas: I was a culinary major lol
Savannah: Okay that’s actually cool
I cannot cook to save my life
Atlas: Maybe I can teach you a thing or two
My ma always said if you can fry an egg you can do anything
Savannah: I might take you up on that :)
Atlas liked the idea of showing off his skills in the kitchen as he rarely got to cook for anyone outside his family, so he hoped that they got to the actual hang-out stage of friendship. The young man stared at his screen for a second longer, delighting in how butterflies swarmed in his stomach. This situation was new to him, and he could honestly say he was terrified of what would come next, good or bad.