Legendary Football Superstar

Candice stared at Luke, her eyes practically drilling holes into him, checking out every little twitch on his face.

That gutsy stare made Luke squirm. He threw his hands up, "Two eyes, one nose, one mouth. It's been seven months, I haven't morphed into an alien."

Candice laughed, "Knew it, you're still kicking. Bambi ain't that easy to knock down."

Luke smirked, "So, you wrapped up all your crazy work and dashed to LA just to tell me that?"

For the last six months, Candice had been swamped. First, it was the spring and summer shows at the big four fashion weeks, then her big debut at the Victoria's Secret show. After that, it was non-stop magazine shoots, and finally, the fall and winter shows.

She was so busy she barely had time to breathe. They only kept up with each other through emails, venting about random stuff. Even though they hadn't seen each other in ages, it didn't feel weird or distant.

Candice nodded like a bobblehead and said, "Yep!" Her bluntness left Luke speechless for a sec, and he chuckled. Candice went on, "Remember? My first audition, the interviewer tore me apart."

"Of course, I remember. It was for Gucci at New York Fashion Week, right?" Luke's memory was sharp, "You cried so hard, snot was everywhere..."

"Bambi!" Before Luke could finish, Candice playfully pinched his neck, cutting him off, "It's enough that you remember, no need to bring it up every time, okay?"

Candice gritted her teeth, then let go and continued, "The interviewer said I was worthless and too fat to ever make it in modeling. Then you told me that giving up is the easiest thing in the world, anyone can do it, but sticking it out isn't. Because sticking it out takes ten times, a hundred times the effort to get to the end."

Candice's face lit up with a big smile as she looked into Luke's eyes, "So, I believe the teams that didn't pick you, the ones that passed on you, it's their loss. They don't know what a gem they missed out on. One day, they'll regret it big time."

"Just like Gucci?" Luke's lips curled up, and he chuckled. This year, Gucci had invited Candice to walk in their Paris Fashion Week show.

Candice shook her head, "Nah, I took Gucci's invite. I'm still a small fry; can't afford to turn down Gucci."

That got both of them laughing.

Seeing Candice's smile, Luke felt like he was soaking up some sunshine. He said, "Thanks."

Luke knew Candice was still crazy busy, barely getting any sleep, but she still rushed back to LA to support him.

Candice winked and teased, "If a friend can't show up when it counts, what's the point?"

Luke smirked, "Maybe we should end our friendship then."

"Hey!" Candice nudged him, pretending to be mad, but she couldn't keep a straight face for long, "Still training every day?"

"Yep, not just to stay in shape, but to get better. I'm hoping to snag a tryout and nail it." Luke said, "You know this drill better than anyone."

Models and athletes are pretty much the same; they gotta stay on top of their game every single day. For models, it's all about diet, exercise, and keeping in shape, just like athletes.

Back when Luke was a freshman and sophomore, Candice lived in LA for about eighteen months, just four blocks from Luke's place. They'd swap training schedules and diet plans, train together, and vent together.

That was until Candice moved to New York for her career.

Today's hustle felt like old times, just a slice of their usual routine.noveldrama

"Then I'll cross my fingers for you." Candice raised her hands, crossing her fingers in a playful prayer.

Lost in the world of this story? Make sure you're on Ñe5s.com to catch every twist and turn. The next chapter awaits, exclusively on our site. Dive in now!

Luke did the same, grinning, "What about you? How long you in LA this time?"

"Just one night." Candice stretched, shaking off some of her fatigue, "Gotta head to New York tomorrow; got two magazine shoots lined up." But then she grinned, "But for now, I can chill. So, ready to start training? I can be your ball girl!"

"Then we better get moving. A free ball boy? Can't pass that up," Luke said with a wink, teasing her. They both headed down from the stands, joking around as they got into some serious training.

Chasing dreams is tough, but having someone by your side, cheering you on, makes it a whole lot less lonely. That's real happiness.

The next day, Luke drove Candice to the airport, watching her board her flight to New York. After that, it was back to the grind for him.

Since May 1st, Luke had been glued to any news about tryout camps. The next three months were a whirlwind of exhaustion, chaos, and hard work.

His first shot came from the Washington Redskins. That rookie camp interview must've left an impression because they were the first to call him up. So, he drove all the way from San Francisco to Washington, only to get cut after just three days.

That empty feeling was brutal. But it was just the start. The waiting game was the worst part.

With no other tryouts lined up, Luke went back to LA. He juggled working on his graduation thesis and training at school with Anthony's help. Day after day, the waiting was torture. Even though he tried not to overthink, his mind would race with chaotic thoughts whenever he had a moment to relax or was trying to fall asleep.

Even with the system, so what? Without enough time, he couldn't turn into a superman. This wasn't "Spider-Man," where a bite could change everything. If he'd gotten the system a year earlier, would things be different now? Could he have made a team and started dominating?

Luke knew these thoughts were pointless because there's no "if" in life. But the waiting was so long, and controlling his thoughts was tough.

After three long weeks, the second tryout finally came, a month after the draft. This time it was the St. Louis Rams, thanks to a tip from Adam Klein. Again, Luke had to cross half of North America, but he eagerly jumped in his car and drove there.

Lost in the world of this story? Make sure you're on Ñe5s.com to catch every twist and turn. The next chapter awaits, exclusively on our site. Dive in now! This tryout lasted longer, a full two weeks. Every day, Luke trained with the team's backup players, doing all sorts of quarterback drills. It felt like college again, being a practice squad player, with a routine that made it seem like he was part of the Rams. But the dream didn't last. The Rams decided he wasn't their guy. Dejected, Luke went back to LA.

He threw himself into his graduation thesis defense, trying to forget the frustration of being an undrafted rookie. He went back to being a student, enjoying the last carefree moments of his youth.

After the defense, more tryout opportunities came. First, the Kansas City Chiefs, then the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and finally, even the Dallas Cowboys.

Before the preseason officially started, teams were making their final moves. This was the busiest time for Luke, running back and forth between cities. But it all ended in disappointment. All three teams rejected him, with the Cowboys being the closest shot. "America's Team" needed a third quarterback, but after much back and forth, Luke still missed out.

And then, nothing.

The preseason is a time for teams to tweak tactics, switch lineups, and evaluate players. Wins and losses don't matter; it's all about the coaches' ideas and the players' chemistry. In a single game, the lineup might change every quarter.

As the preseason whistle was about to blow, the undrafted rookie remained undrafted.

It meant the season's ship was leaving the harbor, and Luke had missed his chance to board. It seemed like this was the end.

Even with the system, so what? In this land, Avalis American players don't get the same opportunities or recognition. The obstacles were just too big.

Another day, another routine training session. Luke didn't even know why he kept training, but out of habit, he started his daily grind again. It had become a part of him.

After training and showering, Luke opened his locker and casually picked up his phone, only to find fourteen messages. This startled him. He opened the first message, and a familiar yet distant voice came from the other end:

"Hey, Luke, this is Geep Chryst."