Ezekiel's POV
The late afternoon sun hammered down on the practice field, turning the air thick and oppressive. Sweat burned my eyes as I dropped into position and waited for the snap.
I had to nail this play.
This was supposed to be my sanctuary - the one place where everything else disappeared and only football mattered. The game was already over, victory secured, but with that recruiter still evaluating us, every single practice carried the weight of Friday night under the lights.
The whistle shrieked.
I exploded from the line, running a route I could execute in my sleep, but my footwork felt clumsy and my timing was completely shot.
When the ball came spiraling my way, I misjudged the trajectory and barely managed to haul it in before it hit the ground.
It was an ugly catch, but at least I held onto it.
Coach was not having it.
