Chapter Forty Seven

Lincoln

I attempt to search the sidelines on the opposing team's side as I call out the play, not having been able to reach Raleigh all day. My head isn’t in the game, the pit that formed in my stomach when she didn’t answer my calls or texts this morning, that’s grown bigger and bigger as the day’s progressed, is now making me absolutely sick with worry.
At my call, Riggs makes the snap to me, and rearing back, I find my target, as Bos runs for the endzone, getting ready for me to make the pass. I send the ball soaring, Bos catching it and taking off like a rocket, just narrowly missing being tackled by one of their guys.
He darts left and then spins right, as player after player comes at him. When Valdez, number nineteen, tackles him from behind, Bos manages to dive toward the end zone, the ball stretched out in front of him as he goes down.
The crowd goes wild when Valdez gets up off of him and we’re all able to see that he made it, the play was good and the point is ours.
“Fuck yeah!” I growl as we begin making our way off of the field.
At the sound of Bos’s name, I watch as he makes his way over to the assistant coach, his head hung low, regardless of the fact that he just managed to get us yet another touchdown.
Aspen’s absence is hitting him hard, it’s affected all of us, but it’s affected Bos worst of all.
I hear the crowd begin whooping and hollering and glance up just in time to watch Jericho intercept the pass to the other team at their forty. "You got this Jericho!" I shout, watching as he dodges Rhydell’s players left and right, "Go! Go! Go!" I continue shouting, life beginning to come back to me as I watch my team hold back or take down Rhydell’s players as best as they can so that Jericho can earn us a win.
"Fuck yeah!" I say, thrusting my fist into the air when he crosses over the line into the endzone, earning us the final touchdown! For a brief moment, a smile breaks out of my face as reality sinks in that we did it, We beat Rhydell and won the fucking championship! The screaming and cheering of the crowd fuels our excitement as we all rush the field, tackling Jericho to the ground and dogpiling on top of him.
"Alright! Alright!" Coach says, coming to stand next to us, "Let him up. Let him up."
We all climb off and begin making our way back to the locker room to shower.
Stepping up next to Bos as we begin to make our way up the hill, I knock him with my shoulder and ask, "You okay, man?"
With a snort, he side-eyes me as he asks, "Is that a trick question?"
"You're right. I'm sorry man, I know it's hard. I wish there was something I could do," I mutter, shaking my head and letting out a frustrated sigh, frustrated at the whole damn situation.
"Have you spoken to her?" Bos asks, an edge of hope in his voice.
"No, trying to give her time and space. I think Raleigh has though, although she's been pretty quiet about everything." I tell him as we step through the door and make our way to our locker, Without turning to him, I ask, "Want me to ask her?"
"Would that be asking too much?"
“Nah, man. You're my brother, of course, I'll do anything to help you," I say, slapping him on the back as we head towards the showers, "besides, I know that you'd do the same for me."
"Without hesitation," he replies and I don’t doubt him for a second. We’ve always had each other’s backs, the four of us, and we always will.
After showering, before even getting dressed, I try calling Raleigh once more. When she doesn’t answer, frustration courses through my entire body, and without thinking, I punch the locker in front of me, putting a dent in it and busting the fuck out of my knuckles.
“Goddamnit!” I growl, shaking my hand out as I pull up Serenity’s contact and hit dial.
“Hey, what’s up?” She says after the second ring.
“Have you seen or heard from Raleigh today?” I say, foregoing any and all niceties, this is too important for formalities.
“Umm…no?” She says, sounding confused. “Last I heard from her was last night, that she was coming to pick you up. She wasn’t at school today, but I just assumed that you had worn her out. It is unusual that she doesn’t respond to my texts at all though…” she mutters.
“Fuck” I growl, the fear that’s been consuming me not relenting in the least with this news. “I can’t get a hold of her. She’s not answering her phone.”
“Shit!” Serenity curses. Then says, “You keep trying her and I will too. I’ll reach out to her brothers and see if they know what’s going on. If you get a hold of her before I do, let me know and I’ll do the same” she says, the sound of loud voices echoing in the background. “But hey, we’re getting on the bus. So, I need to go.”
“Fuck! Okay, please, let me know if you get a hold of her!” I demand, desperation leaking into my tone.
“I will, I promise. And Lincoln, thank you for being so good to our girl,” her tone is serious, and I’m beyond thankful that she has someone like Serenity on her side.
“She deserves nothing less,” I tell her before hanging up.
Putting my phone in my pocket, I glance over at my brother and notice that his attention is stuck on his phone as his fingers fly across the keys.
Stepping up beside him, I pull my clothes from my locker, nod at his phone and ask, "Bos, everything okay?"
"She messaged me," he says, his tone filled with barely contained excitement as he turns his screen toward me.
Pulling my shirt over my head, I look at him, curious about what she could have said, and ask, "What did she say?”
With a shrug, he says, "She asked if we could talk." I can tell that he’s trying to act nonchalant, as though this isn’t a big deal to him, but I know for a fact that it is.
Staring over his shoulder, I watch as the three little dots pop up on his screen and then a second later, her message comes through.

**Aspen: I'm just trying to put something together that you said.**
**Aspen: Did we really love one another?**
**Boston: We did.**
**Boston: I still love you. I know you don't remember but the way I feel about you hasn't changed.**
I can’t help but wonder if maybe he should have waited to tell her that, but then, I also get it and would probably be doing the same if I were in his shoes.
**Aspen: I think I remember something...**
I can’t help the grin that takes over my face as my excitement grows for my brother, maybe things are finally going to turn around for him and Aspen. At least, one can only hope.
When he places the phone up to his ear, I listen irritated that I’m being shut out of what’s being said, at least on her side.
"Aspen?" Boston says, excitement in his tone.
"God, it's good to hear your voice,” he mutters, then a moment later, cutting to the chase, he says, “You think you remembered something?"
"Can you tell me?" He asks.
Wanting to know what the hell is being said, I whisper, “Put her on speaker, I want to hear too.”
"No, I'm not going to put her on speaker, this is between me and her."
I give him a look that says, *Do you really believe that?* Considering that we’ve been right there with him, supporting him, helping him through his turmoil every step of the way since the very beginning.
"Linc is here with me." Bos says in answer to whatever she just asked. "We just finished our game."
“We won the freaking championship game!"
"I haven't much felt like celebrating," Boston murmurs. I can hear the hurt in his voice, and I wonder if Aspen can too. If she feels guilty over what she’s been putting him through.
Placing a hand on Bos’s shoulder, I lean in and say, "I'm going to go and try to find Raleigh and see if we can meet up," and then head for the door.
Even though we were just together last night, I’m already missing my girl and desperate to get to her, to check on her, and to make sure that everything is okay, that *we* are okay and hope to God that this feeling in my gut is wrong.