Noah

The locker room was buzzing, electric with pregame adrenaline. The steady hum of voices mixed with the sharp clatter of cleats against the concrete floor and the sharp, tangy smell of sweat and athletic tape. The whole place felt alive, thrumming with the kind of nervous energy you only got before a big game.

I sat on the bench, tugging my jersey over my pads and rolling my shoulders to get loose. Tonight wasn’t just any game—this was the game. The one with the college recruiter ...