The women cheered. “We got this, coach!” shouted Kathy.
“Their star player is a lame duck tonight,” said the rude woman.
“Quit your clucking, Clarice,” said Kathy, giving her a dirty look.
The women laughed at Clarice who didn't say anything aloud, but from across the room it appeared that she mumbled something under her breath.
“Ladies,” said Coach Wiggins. “If you were contacted by a scout or recruited, let me know by the end of the night if you'll be returning next season.”
The announcer's voice could be heard echoing through the hallway and the sound of the cheers from the crowd and the applause carried into the building as well. The women began to line up and put on their helmets. It was the moment that they had all been waiting for all season long, but now Charlie wasn't sure if she wanted to take the field at all. She felt knots in her stomach. Charlie ran out onto the field with her teammates, but for the first time in all her years of playing the sport; she felt alone.
****
The Six Shooters called tails for the coin toss. She tried not to make eye contact with anyone from the opposing team. Charlie had hoped to kick off and was happy that she got what she wished for. It was a close game for the first and second quarter, but Charlie could tell Holly didn't have her mind in the game whatsoever.
Despite a few fumbled balls and crazy pile-up tackles, Holly was still playing. Charlie couldn't believe that Holly was still standing and walking around after the last play and wondered if she might have a concussion.
“I want to go see her,” cried Charlie, hoping her teammates wouldn't hear her.
Kathy drank down some Gatorade from her squeeze bottle. “It's not like you can just go over there. I'm sure she's fine. She got up and walked off the field on her own, didn't she?”
Charlie was clearly frustrated. “Every single time she fumbles the ball or gets tackled, I feel like it's my fault. She was their star player, remember? She practically single handedly won the rest of the games for the Shooters bringing their rank up, allowing them to play us and now she's being slaughtered out there.”
Charlie left the locker room and stormed across the field to the other team's locker room.
“Where the hell do you think you're going?” asked one of the Six Shooters as she tried to block the doorway.
“Are you lost?” scoffed another woman.
“Out of my way. I'm here to see Holly, and I don't have much time,” remarked Charlie.
“Hey, HL. This Gunslinger says she wants to talk to you,” laughed a tall, large woman with fiery red hair and wild emerald eyes.
Holly's eyes met with Charlie's and she got up from her bench and ran into the hallway to talk to Charlie. “What the heck are you doing in here? You can't be in here!”
“I had to see you, Holly. It couldn't wait.”
“You could've come over to see me during the week or messaged me. Hell, I sat by the phone at night just wishing you'd call me.”
Charlie talked fast like she couldn't get the words out fast enough. “I know you're not a spy,” cried Charlie. “I know you weren't out to steal our plays or find out info or whatever the case. I know you love me...” Tears streamed down her face.
Holly hugged Charlie tightly and kissed her on the forehead. “Good Lord, what are you talking about? Of course I'm not a spy. I love you. I am so in love with you that I can't even function knowing you weren't a part of my life anymore.”
“I know,” said Charlie. “That's the problem. This time you were the damsel in distress that needed rescuing. You need to go out there and play like your life depends on it. It's not about whether we win or lose, but how we play the game that counts. You give it your all, Holly Larson. Because the woman that I love, wouldn't ever let a dip in the road throw her off course.” Charlie kissed Holly on the lips.
“You love me?” asked Holly smiling. Her eyes welled with tears.
“Will you please be my girlfriend, Holly? You don't have to answer me right now. I want an answer after the game,” said Charlie.
Holly was left breathless. She didn't have time to say a word. Charlie turned around and ran out, running back into her locker room just as her team was getting ready to take the field.
“Where the heck did you go?” asked Kathy when she saw Charlie rush in.
“You don't want to know,” replied Charlie out of breath. She had a great big smile from one ear to another. “I went to see Holly,” she whispered.
The second half of the game the Gunslingers fell behind as the Six Shooters scored one play after another. “What the heck did you say to that girl?” asked Kathy curiously.
Charlie was beaming. “Nothing. I told her to play her best and that I love her. She certainly is a shining star, isn't she?”
“Now I know she loves you,” remarked Kathy. “She's playing like she's trying to win your heart.”
Charlie smiled. “No, she's playing to win the game. She won my heart long ago.”
When the game ended, the Gunslingers locker room cleared out and only Kathy and Charlie remained. Kathy had already showered and changed and she waited patiently for Charlie to get out of the shower. As she sat on a bench waiting, Holly knocked on the open door. “Hello? Anyone in here?”
“Can I help you?” asked Kathy.
“I was wondering if Charlie was still in here,” replied Holly.
“HL?” asked Kathy. Holly grinned and nodded. “In the flesh.”
“Great to finally meet you,” said Kathy extending her hand for a hand shake. “Great game. Congratulations on the win. Charlie's in the shower. She was feeling a little down on herself about the game and wanted to shower alone. You know how it is.”
“It's good to meet you, too,” said Holly, shaking her hand. “Are you her ride home?”
“No, she's usually my ride home. I don't have a car right now. It's in the shop,” answered Kathy.
“Do you mind if I wait?” asked Holly with a warm smile. Holly was sweet, polite, and gorgeous. She was lean, yet muscular and her blonde hair and creamy skin made her blue eyes glimmer and shine. They seemed to sparkle more when she smiled. Kathy could see right away what it was that Charlie found so mesmerizing about her.
“I don't mind at all. I'm sure Charlie would love to see you,” replied Kathy.
Holly jingled her truck keys nervously. “Thanks. I was hoping to take her home. I need to talk to her.”
“I'll tell you what,” said Kathy. “I'll take her car home and you can give her a ride in your car. That way you have time to make out---er, I mean, make up.” Kathy grabbed her gym bag and Charlie's car keys and headed for the door. Holly stepped aside to let her out. “We're the last ones in here, so be sure you lock up.”
Holly giggled at Kathy's faux pas. “I will. I appreciate that. Thank you.”
“No problem,” said Kathy. She left the room and headed toward the parking lot.
A few minutes after Kathy left, Charlie stepped out in a bath towel. “Thank you for waiting for...” Charlie's sentence was cut short when she saw Holly sitting near her locker. She grinned. “What are you doing in here?”
“What do you mean? I can't be in here?” asked Holly playfully. “You can come into my locker room, and I can't come into yours?”
Charlie laughed. “I'm not going to say that.”
“You said you wanted an answer after the game, so here I am,” said Holly. She walked towards Charlie and stood right in front of her. She pulled Charlie close to her, then wrapped her arms around her. She squeezed Charlie tightly and unraveled the towel she had around her body allowing it to fall to the floor.
“Someone's going to catch us,” whispered Charlie.
“Nu uh,” said Holly grinning. “I saw your coaches leave, and Kathy went home. We're all alone. She even asked me to lock the door on the way out.”
Charlie giggled. “She went home? In my car?”
“Mm hmm,” moaned Holly as she began running her hands over Charlie'
s naked body. She kissed her neck and finally stopped at her lips, kissing her passionately. Charlie grabbed her hand and led her into the showers. “Where are we going?” asked Holly.
“You're a dirty girl, and I want you to take a shower,” whispered Charlie playfully. She had a wicked grin and sexy twinkle in her eyes. Charlie began to strip off Holly's clothes as she kissed her. Holly turned on the shower, and the room began to fill with steam. Charlie wrapped her leg around Holly as she pushed her body against the shower tile. The hot water sprayed over them as Holly slid her fingers inside Charlie, making her moan and squeal with pleasure. Charlie was so aroused that Holly was easily able to bring her to orgasm over and over again.
“We have to get out of here before maintenance wonders why we haven't left yet,” said Charlie worried.
“Do we have to?' asked Holly, still kissing on her neck and shoulders.
“Yes, we have to. Let's go back to your place,” said Charlie, grabbing her towel and heading back to her locker to get dressed.
“You know, I always fantasized about having sex in the locker room shower,” said Holly grinning.
“I'm glad I could be your fantasy wish come true. If you will enlighten me on some of your other fantasies, maybe I'll fulfill those later,” said Charlie with a sexy smirk.
Holly laughed. “I don't think there's enough time in my lifetime to fulfill all of my sexual fantasies.”
“We'll see about that,” replied Charlie smiling.
The two women dressed and locked the doors. A short drive later, they were romping around Holly's place, fooling around in every room in the house.
“Your answer is yes,” said Holly matter-of-factly.
“Did I ask something and forget?” asked Charlie playfully.
Holly laughed. “Yes. You asked me to be your girlfriend, and I never gave you an answer. Your answer is yes. I would love to be your girlfriend.”
Chapter Fifteen
When Charlie awoke in the middle of the night, she once again found Holly sitting out on the roof top looking up at the stars. She put her clothes on, then took her blanket and climbed out onto the roof and sat beside her.
“Fully dressed this time, I see,” said Holly grinning.
“I figured I'd get dressed instead of giving your neighbors a show by dancing on the roof in a t-shirt and blanket like last time.”
Holly laughed. “I'm sure no one saw you. It's dark out here, and we're in the middle of nowhere. I'm glad you're up though. I wanted to talk to you. Scoot closer and share your blanket with me.”
“Oh no. A serious talk. Did I do something wrong? You already said yes to being my girlfriend so no taking backsies,” said Charlie playfully.
Holly grabbed part of Charlie's blanket and they snuggled closely gazing up at the stars. Holly took a moment to look at Charlie. “No, it's not about that. I wanted to thank you for coming to see me during the game tonight. That was really bold of you, first of all. A rival team's player would never dream of going into the opponent's locker room. Second of all, I just know you did it for me; to get my head back in the game. You helped us win.”
Charlie grinned. “I know I did. I hate to admit it, but the better team won. You deserved that win. It was my fault you were playing lousy, and I knew for a fact that it was my fault after half time. After we talked, you were back to your normal happy self. It wasn't my love for you that did that. It was your love of the game.”
Holly embraced Charlie and held her tightly. “Your love for me is everything. It means more to me than any game. I already talked to our coach. I'm not coming back to the team next season. I'm going to focus on nursing and taking care of my parents. I want to focus on us, too, Charlie.”
“I'll probably still play next season. I'm only sorry that I'm not the touchdown hero that everyone wanted me to be,” said Charlie sadly.
“Don't be down. You are a hero. You got the team all the way to the championship game, didn't you? Not only that, but if you hadn't come to see me, my team would have lost. You came to talk to me even though you knew there was a chance that your team would lose. I don't know anyone else that would ever do something like that for me, Charlie. You're my touchdown hero.”
Charlie's eyes filled with tears as she held Holly closely. “It really means a lot that you said that.”
“I love you to the moon and back,” said Holly, looking up at the bright, full moon. She kissed Charlie on the forehead.
“I love you, too,” said Charlie. “To the moon and back. Forever.”
Epilogue
“Just what do you have us singing, Dolly?” asked Holly jokingly. “I already told you Jolene isn't a duet.”
“I know it isn't. I know the song. Just wait for the karaoke girl to load the disc. You'll see,” said Charlie giggling. “This second song is my pick, so just be patient. I'm pretty sure you'll like the song. It fits us.”
“When you said it was a Dolly Parton song, I swear to God, Jolene was the only song to pop into my head,” said Holly laughing.
“You ladies ready?” asked the karaoke woman.
“Yes, ma'am,” said Charlie. “I'm ready as I'll ever be.”
The music began to play and Charlie sang the first part of the song:
“I could hold out my arms, say 'I love you this much'
I could tell you how long I will long for your touch
How much and how far would I go to prove
The depth and the breadth of my love for you?”
Holly smiled recognizing the song as From Here to the Moon and Back and sang the next verse with Charlie:
“From here to the moon and back
Who else in this world will love you like that?
Love everlasting, I promise you that
From here to the moon and back
From here to the moon and back.”
Charlie looked deep into Holly's eyes as she sang. She completely blocked out the talking and cheering of the Twin Steins crowd.
“I want you to know you can always depend
On promises made and love without end
No need to wonder how faithful I'll be
Now and on into eternity.”
Both sang a harmonious duet:
“From here to the moon and back
Who else in this world will love you like that?
Forever and always, I'll be where you're at
From here to the moon and back
From here to the moon and back.”
Charlie looked out into the audience and could see the woman that asked them to return. She ran up to the bar and rang the bell just as the bartender had the first time they sang, I Got You Babe.
Charlie smiled, but continued to sing,
“I would blow you a kiss from the star where I sat
I would call out your name to echo through the vast.”
Holly sang her final verse, tipping the baseball cap that Charlie had bought her at the Natural Land Wildlife Ranch.
“Thank heaven for you and to God, tip my hat. From here to the moon and back.”
Charlie sang her last verse with tears in her eyes.
“And I'll spend forever just proving that fact. From here to the moon and back.”
The two young women couldn't be more in love. They spent many nights singing karaoke songs to one another, snuggling on the roof watching the starry night sky, and making love until the break of dawn.
Holly became a nurse, a darn good one at that. Charlie continued to play for the Austin Gunslingers until she finished college, then began teaching elementary school. Kathy wound up becoming the head coach at Alamo City High and the new coach of the San Antonio Six Shooters after receiving a degree in kinesiology. She eventually became a babysitter to Holly and Charlie's firstborn, who they named Austin T. Larson. Because even though Charlie didn't win the championship game, playing for the Austin Gunslingers taught her something even more valuable than how to play competitive sports and how to win games. It taught her the value of being
a good sport, and that sometimes even when you think you've lost; you're still a winner.
THE END
Author's Note
Although this novel is fictional, I would like to point out that there are several football leagues that are specifically for women. Hollie M. Rhodes played as an Austin Outlaw for three years before retiring to pursue a career in nursing.
If you are a football fan and would like to either play on a team or show your support by attending some of the games, I encourage you to please look up the Women's Football Alliance. Here is the link to the list of the team names and their corresponding cities and home fields.
http://www.wfafootball.net/teams.html
Here is another website for another league of women's football.
http://www.iwflsports.com/
I'd like to remind everyone that this is not scantily clad women parading around a football field with a football. This is full-contact, tackle football for the serious football lovers. Since there is no official league like the NFL for women, there are many smaller independently owned leagues with teams throughout the USA.
Thank you for purchasing, “Touchdown Hero.” I hope you will find a local women's team, purchase merchandise, and attend a few of the games if possible.
Rachel Maldonado
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