The team had never asked him to prove anything.
They simply made room.
That was the difference.
The next day was game day.
The stadium was packed.
The student section was loud.
The marching band played.
Parents filled the bleachers.
The players warmed up.
Jordan sat near the sideline.
His new jersey fit perfectly.
WILLIAMS.
Number 00.
Coach Ellis walked past.
“You ready?”
Jordan nodded.
“Ready.”
Malik jogged by.
“Stay sharp.”
Jordan smiled.
“You too.”
The game began.
North Ridge scored first.
Westbrook answered.
The score stayed close.
Second quarter.
Third quarter.
Fourth quarter.
With two minutes remaining, Westbrook was down by four.
The stadium shook.
Coach Ellis called a timeout.
The team gathered.
Jordan watched from the sideline.
Coach Ellis drew a play.
Malik nodded.
The team broke.
Jordan shouted.
“Let's go!”
The final drive began.
Pass.
Run.
Tackle.
Another pass.
Twenty yards.
Ten yards.
Five yards.
Twenty seconds.
Malik lined up.
The quarterback snapped the ball.
North Ridge blitzed.
Malik broke through.
The quarterback threw.
The ball hit Malik's hands.
Touchdown.
The stadium exploded.
Westbrook won.
The players rushed the field.
Jordan rolled toward them.
Malik saw him.
He turned.
“GET JORDAN!”
Three players sprinted toward the sideline.
Jordan laughed.
“No!”
They surrounded him.
“Come on!”
“I can't!”
“You're coming.”
They grabbed the handles of his chair.
Jordan shouted.
“Don't tip me!”
“We got you!”
They rolled him toward the celebration.
The crowd cheered.
Jordan looked up at the stadium lights.
For a moment, he forgot about Victoria.
Forgot about the video.
Forgot about the confrontation.
He was simply a fifteen-year-old kid celebrating a football victory with his friends.
Then he heard his mother's voice from the stands.
“Jordan!”
He looked up.
Renee was crying.
Jordan laughed.
The players lifted their hands.
They weren't lifting him.
They were lifting his chair carefully, together.
Jordan raised his arms.
The crowd roared.
The next morning, the video of the celebration went viral too.
But this time, there was no anger.
Just joy.
People saw Jordan wearing the jersey.
They saw the team surrounding him.
They saw Malik.