It was far too early to be awake before a game, yet Atlas was wide-eyed and alert as he lay in bed. He had been scrolling through the various newsfeeds since five am, unable to tear his eyes away from the videos and articles.
“On the subject of underdogs, have any of you guys been watching the Tennessee Lightning this season?” One of the three anchors inquired.
“Hard not to,” the female anchor remarked, a wide grin on her face. “This is the best season they’ve had in years, and I, for one, am thrilled.”
“They got a lot of great talent in the draft. Lamar Quinn was an exceptional running back out of LSU and left his junior year with a few broken records under his belt.”
“Absolutely, Noah; Quinn has been amazing on the field so far, and it makes sense why he’s in the first string after the Lightning lost Malik Thompson.”
“They also have a backup quarterback that could give Colin O’Conner a run for his money if he goes down,” the first anchor added, bringing a smile to Atlas’s face. It was nice that Landon was getting some attention despite not playing yet.
“I think you guys are forgetting one of their best acquisitions,” she stated. “Atlas Graham.” Noah huffed and gave the other male anchor an almost patronizing smile over his shoulder.
“I think everyone is giving that kid way too much credit, Jazz. He’s not the only one out there making plays, after all.”
“No, you are totally right. It is a team effort at the end of the day, but no one can deny that Atlas Graham has brought hope to the team and its’ fans.” The receiver was happy to hear those words since most of the media thought he was nothing special. “The Baltimore game was a blowout, with Graham scoring four out of seven touchdowns. You can’t tell me that isn’t impressive, especially with all the doubt surrounding him, George.”
“Yes, it’s a great score,” the first anchor, George, agreed. “That doesn’t say much three games into the season. Graham is still a rookie, and pro ball is much different than playing in college. There is way more pressure on him to deliver since he is one of the highest-paid rookies on the field right now.” Atlas knew that his contract had earned a reputation, considering there was no guarantee, but he had hoped people would look past the money and focus on the game.
“You think he’s going to crack?” Jazz asked, leaning forward to stare down her male counterparts.
“I think the pressure will get to him, and the Lightning will be right back where they started,” Noah stated with certainty. “Atlas Graham is not the golden goose, people. Don’t put all your faith in him.” The rookie closed the video and set his phone to the side, huffing softly as he rubbed at his eyes. He knew taking their words to heart would do no good, but he couldn’t help himself. His feed had been flooded with similar opinions from fans and reporters alike, and he really needed to stop reading them before it drove him crazy.
Atlas huffed again and finally slid out of bed to prepare for the day. He quickly showered and searched his closet for his gameday outfit when a low buzzing drew his attention. The rookie was confused about who would be calling so early, but it made sense when his dad’s face flashed across the screen.
“Hey, Dad,” he greeted softly, putting the phone on speaker. “Ma with you?”
“Yes!” The rookie heard from somewhere in the background, her voice a bit muffled.
“Yes,” Roger Graham repeated, his smile heard across the line. “We were hoping you were up. We’re still getting used to the time difference.”
“How’s Paris?” Atlas inquired as he started to dress, sliding on a crisp pair of black slacks and tucking his dress shirt in neatly.
“Oh, it’s amazing, son. Your mom and I are having a wonderful time.” The young man hummed in response, glad his parents were happy with their gift. Atlas had stopped by his childhood home after the first deposit hit his bank account and told his dad to book a ticket wherever they wanted and that he would make sure they got there. They had taken care of him, so it was his turn to do the same.
“I love that you guys are having a good time. You deserve it,” Atlas replied honestly. “I know you guys always wanted to go, and I’m happy that I could make it happen after all you gave up for me.”
“And we’d do it again!” Nina Graham swore, her accented voice coming across louder this time. “Everything you think we gave up was to ensure you had a future, so that seems worth it to me.”
“Still, I always told you guys I would take care of you, and I meant it. I wanna give you everything because that’s what you always gave me.” The two senior Grahams had worked two jobs apiece to support his career choice because it wasn’t cheap. Between the cost of football and regular life, Atlas knew that things had been tight growing up, so he wanted them to live how they wanted now that he could care for himself.
“You worry about yourself first, mister. I don’t want to hear you’re out at clubs every night,” his ma warned, and it gave him a needed laugh.
“Yeah, no worries there, Ma. I don’t have much time for clubbing right now.”
“We’ve been keeping up with the games,” his dad interjected before his ma could reply. “You’ve been doing amazing, son, and we couldn’t be more proud.” A pleasant feeling blossomed in his chest, and he bit his lip as tears welled at the corner of his eyes. His dad always knew what he needed to hear.
“Thanks, Dad, it means a lot. You guys are gonna come to a game when you get back, right?”
“Absolutely, kiddo. We get back a few days before the Indianapolis game, so we’re just gonna fly straight there rest off the jetlag.”
“Will your girlfriend be there?” Atlas’ fingers paused halfway through knotting his tie.
“I don’t have a girlfriend.”
“What about that pretty singer you always talk about? Don’t think we haven’t seen the photos all over the internet. We might be old, but we ain’t dead,” his ma replied. “She called you pretty.”
“Ma!” The rookie flushed as he tugged at the silk tie and shook his head even though they couldn’t see him.
“What, I’m glad that someone appreciates my handsome boy,” she defended,
“We’re just friends, Ma. I’d tell you otherwise.”
“You better. We’d like to meet the young lady either way, though. Your father and I never met many of your friends growing up.” Atlas didn’t have the heart to tell her it was because he didn’t have any.
“I’ll introduce you to all of my new friends, I promise,” he assured, knowing there was no way to escape it. The young man may be an adult and substantially larger than his mom, but she would always get her way at the end of the day.
“Anyways, we just wanted to say again that we’re so, so proud of you, Atlas. Good luck today, kiddo; we know you’re gonna do great. We love you, son.”
“I love you too,” he responded quietly, softly sighing when the line disconnected. At least the rookie would always have his parents.
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“Hey, man, you alright?” Atlas glanced at his phone again before pocketing it and nodded at Alex.
“Yeah, just texting Savannah,” he explained. “She wished us a good game.” Lamar popped his head around the corner.
“Is she here? I need to thank her.”
“For what?” Alex asked, still eyeing Atlas as he retied his laces.
“She sent Bree a signed record of her latest album and some special merch. I think my ears are still ringing from how loud my girl screamed,” Lamar explained, a beaming grin on his face. “She was so happy, and I just gotta say thank you.”
“I don’t know if she’s here, but I can pass it along if not, man.”
“She doesn’t tell you if she’s gonna show?” Landon asked, finally joining the conversation.
“Nah, it’s always a surprise,” Atlas shrugged.
“Well, let’s play like she is, just in case,” Alex stated, slapping a hand onto the receiver’s shoulder with a grin.
The players finished up in the locker room after the pep talk, this one led by Lamar, who had the boys jumping with excitement as they hit the field. Atlas could still hear the interview playing on a loop in his mind as he jogged toward the benches and looked out across the thousands of fans sporting blue and silver. Don’t put all your faith in him. The rookie wondered how many of those fans took those words to heart.
Atlas could admit that his head was not entirely in the game as he followed Alex to the line of scrimmage. The familiar doubt that he shoved down every morning was trying to creep out of its box, and it was taking all of his power to keep it inside. He moved almost mechanically across the field, catching a few small receptions in the first quarter but no touchdowns, and he could tell that his friends had noticed.
Alex pulled him aside during the second quarter, looking over his shoulder to ensure their teammates couldn’t hear.
“What’s goin’ on with you, man? You’re all subdued and shit.”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“I’m just trying to play it safe, Alex.”
“We don’t need you to play safe,” the blond said, slapping the back of his helmet. “We need to win, and we can’t do that if you’re afraid of the ball or something.” Atlas knew that he wasn’t helping anyone being bogged down by his anxiety, but it’s not like he could flip a switch. It took years to learn the system that worked for him, but all it took was a few bad reviews to send him back to middle school like a child.
“I just don’t want anything to go wrong, okay? I don’t want to jeopardize the game trying to show off.” Alex scrutinized him behind the black facemask and then jammed a finger into his chest.
“You’ve been reading all the articles and shit, haven’t you?” He accused, and the rookie looked away sheepishly.
“Maybe?”
“Dude, everyone knows not to do that. You get fifty good comments and one bad, but all you’re gonna see is that one negative review,” Alex pointed out. “I get it; we all did it; it’s just something you have to go through, but you can’t let it drag you down. You got thousands of people here to see us play, and I bet a good majority are here for you, Atlas.”
“Which is why I don’t want to disappoint them,” the young man muttered, glancing at the faces eagerly waiting for the next win.
“There’s always gonna be someone unhappy with the game, man, that’s just how it goes. You can’t let it get to you like this,” Alex stressed, grabbing his shoulder tight enough to be felt through the pads. “Think of it this way. Would you rather disappoint thousands of fans or maybe a couple dozen?” The veteran receiver left with an encouraging smile, and Atlas plopped down onto the bench with a sigh that spoke of how heavy he felt. He could admit that Alex had put the situation into perspective, but logic never really worked on his feelings.
When he retook the field, Atlas avoided his friends’ questioning looks and shot a quick prayer toward the sky. At that moment, he wished his brother could be there too. Ryan had always kept him out of his head whenever he receded into those depths, but now it was all on him. Atlas inhaled slowly, and his eyes snapped open when the ball hit Colin’s hands.
He ran on autopilot, paused at the end of his route, a mere ten yards away for another first down, and caught the football neatly. Atlas turned to sprint for a touchdown, but a heavy figure collided with him from the side and knocked the young man to the grass. The rookie’s ears rang as he caught his breath, staring up at the starry sky as his brain rebooted, and then Alex was leaning into view.
“Hey, you alright?” The older man’s voice sounded a bit muffled, but then the stadium’s roar came crashing back into him. Alex held out a hand and let himself be pulled to his feet, wobbling but remaining upright. Atlas rolled his shoulders, turned his head, and nodded at his friend.
“Yeah, I’ll be bruised to hell in the morning, but I think I’m okay.”
“First big hit of the season,” Alex crowed, smirking once assured the rookie would not keel over. “You with us now?” Surprisingly, Atlas felt more clear-headed despite getting the air knocked out of him.
“Yeah, I think so.” The two moved toward the line of scrimmage, but Alex paused and pointed to the jumbotron in front of them.
“Hey, check it out, man. Your girl didn’t show up empty-handed.” Atlas whipped his head around, brows furrowed, and gaped at the screen. In the suites, it looked like Kayla and Savannah were holding a poster board sign as they shouted and banged the glass. Something akin to butterflies settled in Atlas’ stomach as he reread the sign, unable to stop himself from grinning like a fool.
“Boy, do numbers eight and twelve look good under these Sunday night lights,” Alex sing-songed, bumping his shoulder against the rookie. “See, how can you care about anyone else when our biggest fans are here?”
Reinvigorated, Atlas returned to his position on the left and locked eyes with the cornerback who had tackled him moments before. The young man may be unable to please everyone, but showing off didn’t seem like such a bad idea anymore. Plus, Atlas refused to cower in front of thousands of fans, least of all Savannah. The ball went live, and Atlas rushed forward, ignoring the play route, and slammed into his defender with a grunt. He used all his strength to take the larger man to the ground and stood over the surprised Giant with his teeth bared in a smirk.
“Ooh, a big hit for Graham. Doesn’t look like Jones was ready for him.”
“Well, Graham’s been pretty unenthused since the start, but it looks like he’s finally with the team,” Mark pointed out. “No flag on the play, but it looks like the rookie receiver is getting a warning from the refs.”
Atlas took his verbal with dignity, nodding politely until the ref jogged away and then beamed at Alex as he dashed back to the new line. The cornerback, Jones, shifted almost nervously in front of him on their second down, and Atlas knew he could use that. Jones took a step back when the rookie began moving and wasn’t quick enough to catch his jersey when Atlas took a sharp right across the field.
The ball sailed through the air toward Alex, but he was drug to the ground a few yards from his destination, so Atlas pushed himself harder. He shoved the ache from his bones and forced his legs to move faster, the crowd drowned out by the pounding of his heart. Atlas dove for the ball and rotated to land on his back once his fingers wrapped around the laces, rolling back to his feet with a triumphant yell. The stands exploded alongside him as the teams moved up to the fifteen-yard line, a few of his teammates patting his back as he joined them.
“It looks like that tackle lit a fire under Houdini because catching a ball like that could only be magic,” Tim crowed, his tone gleeful. “He saw Daniels go down short, and he made up the difference; what a play.”
The Giants were definitely on him the next drive. Two defenders had moved to cover him, but Coach Taylor knew they would and had called for a new play. Seconds before the center snapped the ball, Atlas moved behind his teammates for the hand-off. He sprinted through their linebackers as his team provided coverage and gained the game’s first points.
“That’s what I’m talking about!” Lamar yelled in his face, the others slapping any part of Atlas they could reach. All his earlier doubt faded as the Lightning gained the lead, and the rookie returned to the sideline to prepare for the next play.
Once Atlas found his groove, it was over for the Giants. The rookie was on fire after the first touchdown, the crowd’s energy and Savannah’s presence motivating him. He moved confidently across the field, his body filled with renewed strength, with Atlas running faster and hitting harder than usual. Jones was replaced during the third quarter after a particularly harsh hit, and the replacement was suitably nervous with each showdown, which they took advantage of.
The game practically ended at the start of the fourth quarter as the Giants seemed to give up. The final score was 42-7, with Atlas scoring most of the points for the Lightning to gain another win. The teams began to exit the field, but Danielle and her team stopped Atlas near the tunnel entry. The woman was exuberant as she approached, and the young man quickly returned the happy expression.
“Another impressive game, Atlas.”
“Thanks, but you know it’s only because of my teammates. I couldn’t do any of this alone.”
“I don’t know; five of the six touchdowns belonged to you today,” Danielle remarked, gesturing toward the final score. “You made some risky catches tonight, and it paid off to gain the Lightning their fourth win of the season. You seemed slightly off during the first quarter, so what caused the turnaround?” Atlas twisted his gloved fingers behind his back, flexing the digits as he considered his answer.
“Well, I got some much-needed perspective,” he finally replied, thinking back to Alex’s words. What could matter more than his biggest fan?
“It made a huge difference. There has been a lot of doubt and negativity surrounding your name despite the strong start to the season, many calling you overhyped,” the reporter stated, “so how do you respond to that?”
“I understand where they’re coming from. This is my first year in the NFL, and people think I’m not ready, but I’ve heard that since high school,” Atlas chuckled. “There is always going to be doubt. There will always be people who don’t like you, no matter how many games you win, but I try to focus more on what my team thinks of me. As long as they’re happy, I’m happy.” It was a reasonably diplomatic answer, but the rookie tried to put some emotion into the rehearsed words.
“That is certainly a good way to look at it,” Danielle agreed, encouragingly smiling. “I know quite a few people are wondering, so did a certain pop star’s appearance play any part in today’s performance?” Atlas prayed that the flush in his cheeks would be blamed on adrenaline.
“All my fans play a part in motivating me, and I felt like I was letting them down, and getting hit like I did proved that. I had to let everyone know that I was here.”
“Well said, Atlas. Do you have anything you’d like to say to all the naysayers after your spectacular game?” The young man turned to fully beam at the camera.
“I hope y’all like seeing this stadium because we’re gonna be back here in January,” the rookie vowed, aiming a cheeky wink at the laughing reporter. “It was lovely to talk with you, Danielle, as always, but I gotta get going before they send out a search party. I’ll see you next week.” Atlas jogged off as Danielle took his spot before the cameramen and headed for the locker room, wanting nothing more than to go home and relax.
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Atlas idly scrolled through his current watchlist, humming to himself as he slid into the ice with a relieved sigh. He settled on something that took minimal comprehension and began unwrapping his first cheeseburger as the water numbed his skin from his chest down. The rookie was startled when his phone began to buzz on the landing. He snatched it up, afraid of it sliding into the bathtub again, and hit answer without thought.
“Hey, are you busy right now?’ It took Atlas’ brain a minute to register Savannah on the other end, and he looked at himself with a slight frown.
“Uh, no? Just taking an ice bath.”
“You went down pretty hard,” she remarked, her casual tone seeming forced. “Are you okay?”
“Getting hit by 200 pounds of muscle is no picnic, but I’ve had worse.” His mind flashed back to his childhood, a cast wrapped around his arm that forced his switch from quarterback to wide receiver. “I saw your sign.”
“Really?”
“Mhm, they put it on the jumbotron. I’ll admit I was surprised.”
“Kayla and I had swapped numbers while you boys were talking about your video games, and she asked if I wanted to share the sign with her and put your number on it. Obviously, I agreed,” Savannah replied. “For the drama, of course.” Atlas smiled and tried not to overthink it.
“I’m sure it’ll be all over the internet by the morning.”
“I give it two hours,” she counted, giggling quietly across the line.
“Does it bug you that you can’t go anywhere without the world knowing?” He asked, unable to stop his mouth as Savannah fell silent.
“Sometimes, but I see it as a small price to pay for all the opportunities I’ve been given. I’ve managed to keep some privacy despite the paparazzi.”
“Like your dating life,” he blurted out, making her laugh.
“To be honest, yeah. My relationships have been kept private for a reason, not that people know said reason,” she began, and Atlas forced himself silent as the singer expanded her lore. “I want to be in a relationship with someone who could handle all of the shit that comes with dating me, but I’ve learned that might be too much to ask for. The paparazzi alone make it miserable at times.”
“I don’t know much about relationships, but I believe there is someone for everyone. I got really into love stories when I hit my teenage years, and I always thought about finding the love of my life,” Atlas recalled, pausing to take a bite of his burger.
“You said thought,” Savannah pointed out. “Not anymore?”
“Honestly?”
“Always.” The rookie shifted in the ice, his skin prickling almost painfully for a moment.
“I kind of gave up on the idea in college. A string of failed first dates, always going stag to parties. I told myself I could focus on dating after I made it to the NFL,” Atlas admitted. “Alex tried setting me up with one of Kayla’s friends, but I banned him from trying again after that trainwreck.”
“That bad?” Savannah chortled, her obvious enjoyment lessening his discomfort a bit.
“Yeah, it was a very awkward dinner. We had nothing in common, so we just made small talk for an hour before she made her escape.” It was a bit mortifying to tell the singer about his failed dating history, but he figured it was only fair since hers was only a Google search away.
“Let me tell you about the worst date I’ve been on; you would be amazed,” she breathed, and Atlas leaned back against the porcelain with a relaxed sigh as her voice echoed through the bathroom. Not a bad way to end the day.