ã€ŠGladiators of the Gridironã€‹


 Chapter 0: Supernova

    ¡®I¡¯m Jackson Woods and I¡¯m gonna be the best Wide Receiver (WR) of all time!¡¯ It was the first time I had said my promise out loud to anyone other than myself.

    The man sitting behind the plastic, fold-away table chuckled and smiled at me.

    ¡®Okay kid, no need to get so worked up. I just asked for your name,¡¯ he said. ¡®Can you fill this out for me? Just give your best estimate if you don¡¯t know the exact answer.¡¯

    He held out a form and a pen to me. I took them both and stepped aside so the next hopeful kid in line could speak with the man. Before filling the form out, I couldn¡¯t help but look around again and take in the exciting atmosphere.

    Just from looking at my surroundings, they didn¡¯t seem like anything special¡ªit was just any other high school football field, but it was the people there that made it so exciting. Today, this unassuming school was the location of the football camp I¡¯d been looking forward to for months.

    The drive to get here had taken over four hours, but it was worth it for the chance to show off my skills in front of some of the best college players in the nation, as well as a handful of scouts.

    I wasn¡¯t the only one though, there must¡¯ve been a hundred other kids, with ages ranging from those about to enter into their senior years of high school, to others like me who were about to be freshmen at the end of summer.

    It didn¡¯t matter how many others were here, I¡¯d prove I was going to be the best.

    I looked down at the form as I hunched over the table and began to fill it in. It was only simple stuff, things like my name, the school I was going to, height, weight, and date of birth.

    Name: Jackson Woods.

    D.O.B.: February 28th, 2008. (Fourteen years old.)

    School: Central High School, Freshman.

    Hometown: Phoenix, Arizona.

    Height: 5¡¯7¡± (170 cm)

    Weight: 135 lbs (61 kg)

    Preferred Position: WR

    The camp was specialised and focused only on prospective Wide Receivers or Cornerbacks (CB), so the form asked me to circle my preferred position out of the two.

    After I was done filling it in, I looked at the man behind the table again.

    ¡®Uh, I just give this back to you, right?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ll take it off your hands,¡¯ he said and held out his hand to take it back.

    I handed it over as well as the pen and in return, he gave me a large square sticker with a number on it.

    ¡®Stick this on your shoulder.¡¯

    I did so and looked my number over¡ª¡°77¡±

    ¡®There¡¯s still fifteen minutes before the camp gets underway, but feel free to go and get to know some of the other kids,¡¯ the man told me.

    I nodded and thanked him before rushing off. My heart was already pounding as I made my way back to my parents who were waiting off to the side.

    ¡®Are you excited son?¡¯ my dad asked me.

    ¡®Of course!¡¯ I said as I looked up at him.

    My dad was a tall man and had always said that one day I might shoot right past him. He¡¯d played Tight End (TE) in college at Arizona State and had a great career, even breaking the record for most receptions by a TE in the history of the school, a record that he still held to this day.

    He didn¡¯t go pro though but was happy with becoming a trainer for the college team after his playing days were over. He still worked there now, and one day I wanted to play on that team and win the National Championship with him.

    We had the same amber eyes, and mom said we shared the same smile too.

    It was at college that my dad and my mom met each other. They were the classic cheerleader and football player couple and got married right after they both graduated.

    Mom was tall and athletic as well, though she looked so small next to dad. After college, she became an accountant.

    I had her blond curls whenever I let my hair grow out, which I hated, so I usually kept my hair shaved extra short, just like today.

    Dad ruffled my almost non-existent hair quite roughly.

    ¡®I know you¡¯ll kill it, Jack. Just do your best and show ¡®em what you¡¯ve got.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯re so proud of you, dear, and we know you¡¯ll do great so don¡¯t be nervous,¡¯ my mom said.

    ¡®I know, I know.¡¯ I flashed both of them a wide grin.

    ¡®Oh but do be careful of the sun, it¡¯s so hot today. Here, let me put some more sunscreen on your face.¡¯

    ¡®Mom!¡¯ I whined and scrunched up my face as she lathered my cheeks with more sunscreen. I wriggled out of her grasp and stepped away, cheeks red with embarrassment rather than any damage from the sun.

    ¡®Stop, please,¡¯ I begged as my eyes darted around to see if anyone was watching the mortifying display.

    ¡®I just don¡¯t want you getting burnt.¡¯

    ¡®I know, I¡¯ll be fine. Come on, it¡¯s gonna start soon.¡¯

    I led them over to the actual football field, where we parted ways as they went off to find a seat in the simple bleachers that had been set up for the day.

    Plenty of other parents were already filling the seats to watch their kids, as well as a few scouts from interested colleges around the area, hoping to find the next big star coming out of high school.

    The rest of the kids themselves had gathered around on the field, sitting on the turf as they waited for it to get started. A buzz of chatter filled my ears as I took my place amongst the crowd of athletes.

    Off at the centre of the field, were the three collegiate players who would be leading the camp, as well as some other helpers and trainers. I couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about.

    It felt like an hour passed as I sat there, waiting for things to get underway. My heart was going a mile a minute the whole time, and I couldn¡¯t seem to calm it down no matter what.

    Each deep breath I took filled my nostrils with the nervousness and sweat of the other kids as we sat in the midday sun, and under that scent was the smell of the freshly cut grass of the field.

    Eventually, the three stars of the camp made their way over to the crowd of kids and a hush fell upon us all.

    ¡®Hey guys, are you all excited to get this show on the road?¡¯ Darius Johnson¡¯s question was met with raucous cheers from us all.

    Darius was the star Quarterback (QB) for Oregon, he had just won the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year and was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.

    He looked like he had been built in a factory designed to create the perfect athlete. He was tall, had a cannon for an arm, and rockets for legs. He carried himself like he knew just how great he was going to be.

    Darius was flanked on either side by his fellow teammates, Harry Kerrigan¡ªhis favourite target and a Wideout who was on pace to smash every receiving record for the school¡ªwas on his left.

    Harry was only just taller than me in truth, but in my eyes, he stood taller than a titan. He was the oldest of the three¡ªabout to be a senior whilst the others were going into their junior years¡ªand his blue eyes were full of experience and expertise. It was as if they could see through whatever he was looking at.

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    And to Darius¡¯s right was TJ Wallace¡ªthe team¡¯s star Cornerback who was the runner-up for the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.

    TJ oozed confidence. He wore his heart on his sleeve, literally as his arms were covered in tattoos, all of them representing something that was dear to him. He was always grinning, even when he was playing. He knew there was no one that could beat him.

    They weren¡¯t just men among boys that day, to me, they looked like gods among men.

    Together, along with the rest of their team, they¡¯d only just fallen short of winning the National Championship and were the favourites to win it this upcoming year.

    ¡®Alright, we¡¯re gonna start today off with something a little fun for you guys,¡¯ Darius said. ¡®We¡¯ll just do some one-on-one to begin with, let you put your skills to the test against each other and show off a bit, sound good?¡¯

    He was met with even more cheers.

    ¡®Alright, that¡¯s the kind of excitement I like to hear! Now, we¡¯ll show you guys how it¡¯s done. I¡¯ll be throwing the passes, you¡¯ll get three shots. Receivers, it¡¯s your job to catch as many as possible. DBs (Defensive Backs, you¡¯re trying to stop as many as possible. Simple, right?

    ¡®Don¡¯t be discouraged if you don¡¯t catch any, or if it¡¯s the opposite and you can¡¯t stop any. We¡¯re just here for fun, alright?¡¯

    After he finished his explanation, he and the other two moved away to the centre of the field. Us kids stood up and crowded the near sideline of the field, and TJ came over as Harry and Darius planned amongst themselves.

    ¡®Who wants to bet he doesn¡¯t get a single catch?¡¯ TJ asked us. Half the kids cheered for him and told him there was no way Harry would get a catch.

    The other half booed and jeered, saying the opposite, that there was no way he¡¯d be able to stop Harry even once.

    It wasn¡¯t long before Harry came over and lined up in front of TJ. They had some friendly taunting between each other, playful shoving and laughing before things started.

    Harry nodded at Darius and all the playfulness evaporated. All of them got serious and silence enveloped the whole field.

    ¡®Hut!¡¯ With just one word, they exploded into motion.

    It was a thing of beauty. Never had I seen three plays of such intensity and of a level that high so close up before.

    Each throw was right where it needed to be, and both TJ and Harry fought tooth and nail to win the ball.

    In the end, Harry came away with two catches out of the three passes and was the victor that day¡ªthough TJ argued that he only won because of Darius¡¯s perfect passes.

    ¡®Who¡¯s up next?¡¯

    There was a chorus of ¡°me¡±s and a flood of hands sticking up in the air as everyone was eager to show what they had.

    Harry and TJ got us organised and split us into an equal set of Cornerbacks and Wide Receivers.

    Some Receivers had to be moved over to the Cornerback side, but they were placated by saying that we¡¯d do two rounds, and everyone would get a turn at either role if they wanted.

    They also did their best to pick out pairs from the same age range to make things as fair as possible.

    Everyone gave it their all, and whilst their technique, skills, and athleticism could never match the level of Harry and TJ¡¯s duel, the intensity was exactly the same.

    Eventually, I was picked out of the WR group, Harry pointed me out with a grin and showed me over to Darius.

    ¡®Hey there, what¡¯s your name, kid?¡¯ Darius asked me.

    ¡®J-Jackson.¡¯ He laughed a bit at my stuttering.

    ¡®Alright, Jackson, what do you wanna run as your first route?¡¯

    Wow, I was getting to pick my own route for one of the best Quarterbacks in the nation to throw me the ball.

    ¡®Um¡­ how about a ten-yard out route?¡¯

    ¡®If that¡¯s what you want, sounds good to me.¡¯ He nodded and then told me to go line up.

    I walked back over to near the sideline, standing just outside the numbers. And there I saw who was going to be competing against me.

    He didn¡¯t look like anything special. He looked like he was indifferent about being there.

    There was no sparkle of joy or excitement in his black eyes. He wasn¡¯t breathing rapidly with nerves or energy. He wasn¡¯t sweating under the pressure of the moment. But he didn¡¯t look bored either.

    He was just shorter than me, maybe only an inch and his frame was thin but toned, he must¡¯ve played a lot of sports in middle school.

    His black hair was styled into short, thick dreads, and his dark brown face had freckles going over his cheeks.

    ¡®Hey, I¡¯m Jackson,¡¯ I said as I extended a hand to him.

    He looked at my hand, and then into my eyes. He took my hand in his grasp and we shook firmly but respectfully.

    ¡®Ty.¡¯ His voice was as unassuming as his appearance, but he did have irregularly sharp teeth.

    ¡®You guys ready?¡¯ Darius called out.

    I limbered up a bit and got into my stance before flashing him a thumbs-up. Ty shook his arms and legs a bit before sinking into his stance as well, eyes staring into mine.

    He was giving me a few steps of space; I could work with that.

    ¡®Hut!¡¯

    I shot off my line quickly. Ty jumped back and watched me closely. I sprinted forward and he kept backpedalling.

    I reached my mark and then feinted to the inside. He bought it.

    I got him. I thought as I switched directions quickly and made a burst towards the sideline.

    I looked back to Darius and the ball was already on its way. It was another perfect pass, just like he¡¯d been throwing all day.

    I outstretched my hands and waited for the ball to fall right into them¡ªbut it never did.

    What?! I couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. Ty¡¯s arm had shot out in front of my vision at the last moment and his hand batted the ball to the ground.

    It was 0¨C1 in his favour.

    ¡®Good stuff, good stuff. Head back and get ready for the next one,¡¯ Harry said as he gave me a pat on the back and sent me over to Darius again.

    ¡®Hey that was a good move, you shook him for sure, sorry I was just a bit late letting go. You¡¯ll get the next one,¡¯ he said.

    That¡¯s a lie. I knew it, and he did too¡ªthat ball was thrown perfectly, at just the right time. How did Ty stop it?

    ¡®Hey, let¡¯s just try a quick slant this time. Get some space and I¡¯ll fire it in.¡¯

    I nodded wordlessly and moved back over to my spot. Ty was there waiting for me.

    I looked him over again. He was still that same, unassuming kid. Same age as me, just as small. But he felt different.

    He was closer this time, and I noticed that his arms were long. He must¡¯ve had one hell of a wingspan, no wonder he was a CB.

    But it was still more than just that¡ªhe felt a lot closer than he was. I could feel his breath on me, feel his shadow over my body; my feet felt heavier, like I was in quicksand.

    I gave Darius a hesitant thumbs-up.

    ¡®Hut!¡¯

    I stepped forward. He didn¡¯t back off at all.

    I felt as if the air had been sucked out of my lungs.

    I didn¡¯t bother with a feint this time and launched myself as quickly as I could past his inside shoulder.

    He turned and ran with me, right on my hip. I swiped his arm out of the way and kept the inside leverage.

    The ball came zipping my way. I outstretched my arms and was just about to make the catch again.

    And then he smothered me.

    His arm reached over mine and swatted the ball away, again!

    We stumbled against one another, but he pulled on my shirt and we kept our feet.

    I panted heavily as I turned to face him. It felt as if I was staring up at him for some reason. His shadow still hung over me and I was trapped within inescapable darkness.

    He had a hint of a smile. He wasn¡¯t breathing any different and still hadn¡¯t broken a sweat.

    We parted ways and I went back to Darius.

    ¡®Throw me a go route. Wait for me to get open and throw it as far as you can. I¡¯ll catch it,¡¯ I said, eyes blazing with determination and conviction.

    Darius smirked at me and gave a knowing nod.

    I strode over to my spot and got set. Ty seemed a little surprised at how quick I was with Darius.

    Even if it was 0¨C2 and he had already bested me out of the three catches, I still had one trick up my sleeve¡ªmy ace.

    No one was as fast as me, not any of the kids here. I was sure of it. My speed was my biggest strength, even though you wouldn¡¯t know it just from looking at me.

    I had done track at middle school and had set and broken the record for our 100m sprint multiple different times.

    There¡¯s no way he could keep up with me in a sprint.

    He got in his stance, so close that he could reach out and touch me if he wanted. And that was when my confidence was thrown out the proverbial window.

    Now there was definitely something off with his aura and his presence was unmistakable.

    It no longer felt as if there was a shadow hanging over me, or a feeling of claustrophobia or something being too close. Nor did it feel like I was standing in quicksand.

    No. Now it felt like I was stuck in the middle of a vast ocean with nothing in sight.

    Like I was struggling to keep my head above water, and every time I slipped under the surface I saw a shark closing in more and more.

    I shook it off and steadied my breathing before shooting a thumbs-up to Darius for the last time.

    Time stood still, and it felt like an age passed before I heard him shout.

    ¡®Hut!¡¯

    Ty thrust his hands out into my chest. I fought with him to shove them away and get around him.

    You¡¯re too close, idiot! This is perfect if I just get around you, you¡¯re toast!¡¯

    I squeezed by him and took off like a rocket. I quickly hit my stride and reached top speed. I was in the open, with nothing but green grass ahead of me.

    I turned my head over my shoulder to find the ball, one arm out calling for it.

    Darius lobbed it through the air¡ªI¡¯d have to push myself as hard as possible to reach it, but I knew that only I could reach it.

    This was it, I finally had him. I was just psyching myself out of it by imagining all that crap with sharks and drowning. Ty was just like any other ordinary kid.

    The ball was there, it was mine for the taking.

    And then it wasn¡¯t.

    I still don¡¯t know how he did it. But Ty was right there. He was on my heels, not because he struggled to keep up with me, but because that was where he wanted to be until he found his perfect moment.

    He wasn¡¯t even looking at me. He had his head turned back, watching the ball spiral through the air as he kept a hand on my hip just so he knew I was still there.

    He jumped for the ball and his body twisted in midair. I realised too late and jumped back to try and contest him, turning with him but he elevated so far above me, like he was flying.

    He plucked the ball out of the air and finished his 360 turn to land on his feet.

    I crashed down on my back. My world shattered as I stared up at him.

    He was grinning. His eyes were even darker and filled with mirth as he stared down at me.

    He wasn¡¯t a shark. He wasn¡¯t even a monster.

    It was only in that moment, when I was lost and suffocating in the deepest pit of despair, as he stood there with my life cradled in his hands that I saw him for what he truly was.

    I was staring into a black hole.

 Chapter 1: Monsters

    Tyrese POV

    How pitiful. I don''t know why this pathetic excuse for a receiver had even tried. With skills as poor as his, he had no business being on my field.

    I felt ready to vomit when I saw the tears welling up in his amber eyes.

    ''Are you crying? You disgust me,'' I spat.

    I stepped over the husk of shattered hopes and dreams that I had just broken, and then I turned around and sauntered over to Darius.

    I handed the ball back to him with a grin.

    ''It was a pleasure getting the chance to defend against passes of your calibre, thank you.''

    ''No worries. What was your name, kid?'' he asked as he took the ball and tussled my hair.

    ''Tyrese Samuels, but you can just call me Ty.''

    ''Hah, I''m sure I''ll be hearing that name in the news a lot when you grow up.''

    I just continued to smile before I turned away. I walked back over to the crowd of hopeful kids and my smile dropped.

    Don''t condescend to me, asshole. You think you''re better just cause I''m young? I could pick you off in my sleep.

    As I took my place back in the crowd and watched the rest of the one-on-ones take place, a thought came to me.

    Maybe I''m the one in the wrong place.

    All these people surrounding me, none of them were special. The other cornerbacks were sloppy, slow, and reactionary. They didn''t, no, couldn''t see what the receiver would do next.

    And the receivers were horrible as well. Their footwork was all over the place, they were so obvious with their routes, and there was so much unnecessary movement.

    It was clear (to me at least), that I was the best player here. My only competition would''ve been those three collegiate players running this farce of a camp.

    The day dragged on and they ran us through many other drills and exercises to show off more of our skills and attributes.

    They tested our hand-eye coordination, our reflexes, our jumping abilities, our speed, agility, and catching skills.

    It felt like a mini draft combine, and I relished in it whenever it was my turn to blitz the drills and exercises. Watching others partake in them was another story.

    It was like torture. None could compare to my excellence. I was even better than the receivers at their drills. Everyone had to have seen it.

    By the end of the day, when things were all wrapped up and the sun was fading below the horizon, the college players sent us off with some kind words.

    ''Congratulations on a great day, guys. You were all incredible and we''re all seriously impressed with your skills. I can''t wait to see what you guys can do at the college level one day, and I''m sure we might even see some of you in the big league too,'' Darius lied.

    I knew it was a lie, how could it not be? At least to all but one of us who was listening. I was making it to the NFL no matter what. Anyone else around me? I wasn''t so sure.

    As the rest of the kids reconvened with their parents or waited for cars to pick them up, I made my way over to Harry as he and his teammates spoke with some of the people that had helped set things up for today.

    ''Excuse me, I just wanted to thank you all for the wonderful day.''

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    ''Oh, no worries li''l dude, I''m glad you had fun. It was¡­ Tyrone wasn''t it?'' TJ spoke up first.

    I ground my teeth together, trying to hide my annoyance as I looked at him and said, ''Actually, it''s Tyrese. Was nice meeting you too, CJ.''

    The others laughed a bit and Darius placed a hand on my shoulder gently.

    ''Of course, don''t mind him. He''s a bit of an airhead, especially when it comes to names. What did you need, Ty?''

    ''Well, actually, I wanted to ask if we could do a one-on-one. Me and Harry,'' I said as I turned my gaze to him.

    ''Training camps over, kid. Aren''t your parents waiting for you?'' Harry said.

    ''It''s fine. They''re not here yet. Besides, it''ll be quick, just three tries, right? I promise you won''t be able to complete a single pass.''

    They laughed more; I ground my teeth harder, still trying to keep a straight face.

    ''Okay, buddy. That''s a good joke, but come on, it''s been a long day, run home now,'' Harry dismissed me.

    ''Scared you''ll get shown up by a middle schooler?''

    They all shared a look with each other before Harry sighed and shook his head.

    ''Just one time. Then that''s it, you quit bugging us and go home after this,'' he offered.

    It wasn''t ideal, but it would have to do.

    ''Fine. It''s a deal. You still won''t catch it.''

    Harry rolled his eyes and walked back over to the field.

    ''Oh, I think I like this kid. Hah! Can definitely tell he''s a DB with this kinda trash talk,'' TJ laughed.

    ''You sure you wanna do this?'' Darius asked me as I marched over to line up opposite Harry.

    ''There''s nothing I''d rather do.''

    ''Ball,'' Darius demanded as he stood at the centre of the field.

    One of the helpers quickly fulfilled his request.

    I stared up at Harry as he limbered up in front of me. It put a smile on my face to see he was taking things seriously.

    He needs to. This would be too easy if he took me lightly.

    ''Don''t need to go over the route with each other?'' I asked.

    ''Nah. When you get to the level of chemistry Dee and I have, you don''t need to talk about that kind of stuff.''

    My eyes narrowed as I got in my stance, pressing up close to him.

    Electricity was in the air and I was filled with a sense of anticipation for the duel to come. It was greater than any feeling there was earlier in the day, even when TJ and Harry were lined up against one another.

    ''Hut!''

    I jumped back, giving Harry a bit of space as I watched his hips.

    He hopped forward and stutter-stepped before going to his left.

    I reached a hand out and placed it against his hip, keeping track of him with my body as I followed by his side.

    I was on him, right where I needed to be, I had him right where I wanted.

    He lowered his shoulder into me to get more separation.

    I stood firm and wouldn''t let him push me around.

    He cut inside! My feet hurried to keep up with him.

    No! It''s a curl! I stopped and jumped to cut off the route.

    My heart dropped. It was a Stop ''N'' Go. I desperately turned to sprint upfield so as to not fall behind, but that''s when I noticed¡­

    I had lost him. Or more correctly, he had lost me. I didn''t have even a finger on him, and he wasn''t ahead of me.

    I looked back, it had been a curl route all along.

    A triple move?

    I fell flat on my face and skidded along the grass as he caught the ball at his chest.

    I lay there, panting into the dirt as I tried to understand what had just happened.

    I swear, it was a go route¡­ how?!

    ''You alright?'' Harry said.

    I turned over onto my back and looked up at the hand he offered me. I ignored it and got up on my own, dusting myself up.

    ''Hey, it was a nice try. But I hope you understand the gap between you and the next level better now. Keep practising, buddy.'' He patted me on the head.

    I stormed off and left the school grounds completely, stomping down the pavement until I came to the bus stop.

    The gap between me and the next level? But¡­ I couldn''t even keep track of him when I tried. How is that possible?

    I was still breathing erratically as I looked down at myself.

    It looked so simple when TJ was guarding him. Just like anyone else. Why couldn''t I do that?

    On the bus ride home, I realised something. The stars of college who were destined for the NFL were monsters. But I would just have to become a monster myself.

    ***

    It was dark by the time I got home in Compton.

    But no one seemed to notice as I stepped into that shitty, yellow, leaky, overcrowded, three-bedroom house.

    My dad was passed out in front of the TV, reeking of alcohol. Mom was nowhere to be found, probably out with her other man.

    My older brother and sister weren''t home either, out partying with friends like usual. The two youngest boys were running amuck and playfighting, tiny kids with loads of energy and no supervision.

    Then there was the middle sister, she was in the girls'' room, studying diligently. She wanted to follow in the footsteps of our eldest sibling and get into a respectable college off the back of her brain.

    At least someone else was aware enough to actually have a plan to get out of this shithole.

    I checked the fridge.

    How old is that spaghetti? Fuck it.

    After a couple of minutes in the microwave, I had a bowl ready to eat. I took it straight to my room and shut the door.

    There were usually four of us in this cramped room, so it was rare to have it to myself as I did now.

    As I ate, my attention was focused on the flier I pulled from underneath my pillow, reading the same line over and over.

    "School football tryouts, July 10th, 1 PM"

    Tomorrow, my high school career would begin.

 Chapter 2: Extra Ordinary

    I was the first hopeful student to show up to the tryouts. The trainers and coaches who were already there seemed a bit surprised by my early arrival but welcomed me nonetheless.

    I introduced myself to them with a smile, eyes scanning them as I shook hands with all three.

    There was the Head Coach (HC), the Offensive Coordinator (OC), and the Offensive Line (OL) positional coach.

    I thought they were all meek, plain-looking pushovers. I could work with that.

    The OC and the OL coach wouldn¡¯t have bothered with me, as I¡¯d be on the defensive side of the ball anyway. But the head coach being so weak meant that he wouldn¡¯t refute me and I would be able to do as I please.

    ¡®Sorry I¡¯m late,¡¯ I heard a voice say. I turned and looked at who had spoken: the first thing I noticed was that he was in a wheelchair.

    ¡®Oh, you must be one of the new freshmen. Hey, I¡¯m Luke Hoang, I¡¯m the defensive coordinator (DC) for the team, I wish you the best with your tryouts,¡¯ he said as he leaned over and extended a hand to me.

    I shook it gently, looking him over as I did so. He was different.

    For one, he was much younger than the other coaches, as they were men ranging from their mid to late thirties all the way up to their fifties, whereas Luke looked like he could¡¯ve been in his senior year.

    Aside from that, his dark eyes were the only ones that had mirrored my gaze. He didn¡¯t just look at me like the others had, no, he was observing and analysing me, just like I was doing to him.

    I grinned, maybe this one would be fairly competent. I was sure they¡¯d see me for the blessing I was to the team.

    ¡®Tyrese Samuels, call me Ty. I look forward to working under your care. After all, if you¡¯re the Defensive Coordinator, we¡¯ll be spending a lot of time together as I¡¯ll be your star Cornerback throughout my time here,¡¯ I said.

    ¡®You¡¯re an arrogant little freshy aren¡¯t you? Seen plenty like you before. We¡¯ll see how long you last,¡¯ Luke said with a smile.

    ¡®Trust me, you haven¡¯t seen anybody like me before.¡¯

    ***

    I had already warmed up and done my stretches by the time the rest of my potential future teammates arrived.

    The kids who had shown up seemed to be even more lacklustre than those I had met at the camp yesterday, not just with their looks and skills, but by how bored they seemed with the whole thing.

    They appeared more interested in catching up with friends and making new ones rather than doing what we all supposedly came here for¡ªplaying football.

    Maybe there are a few who are wolves in sheep¡¯s clothing, I hoped, but didn''t hold my breath.

    The field itself was also even more unremarkable than the one that had hosted that stupid camp.

    I was restless. I could feel the energy and tension building in me. I hated waiting, I just wanted them to get on with it already. I kept constantly checking the time on my phone.

    At 1 o¡¯clock, right on the dot, the coaches rallied us all together in the middle of the field.

    ¡®Looks like we¡¯ve got quite the turnout this year, always wonderful to see so many fresh new faces, and returning ones as well,¡¯ the head coach said.

    ¡®For those of you who don¡¯t know, and those who already do, I¡¯m Coach Long, I¡¯ll be your head coach this year. Now, just because you were on the team last year, doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll get a free pass onto the team this year. Everyone will have the same opportunity as the man beside them, always. I¡¯m a fair coach, and I want everyone to have their chance to shine. Winning is great, but your guys¡¯ happiness is the most important thing.¡¯

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    I almost threw up in my mouth. Was it too late to enrol with a different school?

    ¡®So, with that said, I want you to gather ¡®round in your preferred position groups. Offence that side, defence that side. Your respective coordinators will point you to the specific cone for your position. And don¡¯t worry, you will be able to play both offence and defence if you want to.¡¯

    I made my way over to the side designated for defensive players, Luke was there, calling out which cone on the field represented which group of players.

    This one was DBs, that one was Linebackers (LB), and Defensive Line (DL) should go there.

    There was a good mix of experienced players¡ªsophomores, juniors, seniors, as well as fresh-faced, and quite nervous-looking, freshmen all around.

    I took up my position next to the cone for DBs and looked around, I couldn¡¯t help but notice that most of the freshmen on the offensive side had gathered around the cone for QBs.

    Luke wheeled himself along the turf and looked over the three defensive groups once they had sorted themselves out.

    He had a couple of words with a player from the group of Linemen as well as one of the LBs before wheeling himself back to the front and centre.

    ¡®Alright, we¡¯ve got some nice players here. If you want an offensive position as well, just head on over to Coach Norman¡ªthe Offensive Coordinator¡ªand let him know. He¡¯ll sort ya out. But for now, let¡¯s start some exercises to see if ya got what it takes.¡¯

    He blew his whistle and ordered us all to line up. And then he told us to run. Up and back along the full length of the field as fast as we could.

    He blew his whistle and I shot off like a bullet. I left the others in the dust and finished first, hardly even out of breath as I looked at Luke, grinning at him as he timed everyone on a stopwatch.

    Next was an agility test, more running, but with sudden stops and turns, backpedalling and running laterally.

    This was done one at a time, it was hard to tell how fast I had gone and how fast others were compared to my experience of doing it, but I felt confident I was the fastest through the course.

    This was followed with more and more exercises, all testing various parts of our physical attributes: our balance, our leg strength, arm strength, core strength, our jumping power, our reaction speed, and all of it tested our stamina as well.

    All of it was a solo test, something that pitted us only against ourselves, but our results were still obviously compared with everyone else around it.

    It was good to finally be working, to be competing, even in this isolated fashion where our only true opposition was ourselves.

    An hour had passed before we were finished with this preliminary stage of the tryouts. Some people were so worn out they couldn¡¯t even stand anymore.

    ¡®Great job everyone. Get some water, catch your breath, then come back here in five,¡¯ Luke said.

    Five minutes later and we were in front of him again, everyone standing on their feet.

    ¡®When I call out your name, go and stand by the white cone. Josh, Mac, Isaiah ¡­¡¯

    Everyone moved over when they heard their name, there would¡¯ve been over twenty people in total before he stopped.

    ¡®Now. Unfortunately. All you whose names I just called out,¡¯ he said as he turned to address them. ¡®Ya didn¡¯t make the cut. You¡¯re not ready to be on the team, either of them.¡¯

    Most of their hearts sank, but some of them looked disgustingly relieved to have not made the cut.

    ¡®As for the rest of you, congratulations. There¡¯s a definitive place for you in our program. Whether that is on the varsity or the JV (junior varsity) team is yet to be decided, however.¡¯

    I looked around at the remaining faces, some were relieved, others were unfazed, like they had been certain they¡¯d make it this far, and some were still worried about making it onto varsity or not.

    ¡®When I call out your name now, head over to the cone for Linemen. You¡¯ve been selected for a position group based on your performances in the previous tests.¡¯

    He started listing off names again. Some people who had originally lined up for DL weren¡¯t called, and others who hadn¡¯t originally wanted that position did get their names called.

    The same thing happened for both the LB group and the DB group as well. But the only thing that mattered was my name was called for the selection of DBs.

    ¡®The next step in our process is going to pit you against each other, and those who have made it through on the other side of the ball,¡¯ Luke said as he gestured with a nod to the other half of the remaining hopefuls on the offensive side.

    ¡®This time we¡¯ll be using drills based on your position groupings, and with more of the kind of thing you can expect to find in an actual game.¡¯

    I was thrilled. A spark of excitement coursed through me, and I had gotten a second wind, completely forgetting any of the fatigue and exhaustion brought about by the earlier exercises.

    The real battle, the real fun was about to begin.

 Chapter 3: King of the Hill

    ¡®Go over and get some pads on, don¡¯t want any of you getting hurt. But also, just because you¡¯ll be wearing a bit of protection for this, doesn¡¯t mean you should go all out and try to hurt each other! This is just some practice between future teammates, no one needs to get injured,¡¯ Coach Long shouted out.

    A few tables had been set up off to one side of the field. On these tables were plain, white helmets, as well as some shoulder pads. There were a few uninterested, snot-nosed brats manning these tables.

    They weren¡¯t very helpful and didn¡¯t do their job of handing out the protection to the players well, the kids just pointed out what we could already obviously see and told us to take one.

    It¡¯s exhilarating to put on football pads, even something as little as this. Like a warrior pulling on their armour before stepping foot onto the battlefield or arena.

    ¡®DBs, QBs, Tight Ends and Wideouts, over here when you¡¯ve got your gear on,¡¯ Luke called out. Soon after the rest of the coaches barked out orders for other position groupings to go here or there.

    I made my way over to where Luke had told us to go, where I was joined by plenty of others. I looked around at the fresh faces from the offensive side of the prospects.

    The QBs didn¡¯t need any protective gear, there wouldn¡¯t be anyone laying even a finger on such precious members of the team.

    Their level of calmness seemed correlated with their age. The older seniors and juniors were completely relaxed, chatting causally as they kept their arms loose and limber.

    The sophomores and freshmen, on the other hand, looked so nervous and scared that they might piss themselves at any moment, or they were so serious looking it was as if their lives rode on the decision of them making varsity or not.

    I scanned over the WRs more closely¡ªthey were to be my direct enemies after all. None of them were special. But I wouldn¡¯t underestimate or take any of them lightly. I had to crush them, even if they were going to be my teammates in the future.

    Eventually, the Offensive Coordinator¡ªI couldn¡¯t remember if he¡¯d introduced himself or not¡ªcame over to talk to us and explain what we¡¯d be doing.

    ¡®Alright boys, we¡¯ll just be doing simple one-on-ones,¡¯ he said, to quiet cheers and hisses of ¡°Yes¡± from the players gathered.

    ¡®You get one shot then the next pair is up. After everyone¡¯s had a go, we¡¯ll switch it around to have different matchups and we¡¯ll also have you working with a different QB too.¡¯

    ¡®You should let me stay on until someone gets a catch against me. I¡¯ll beat everyone here one after the other,¡¯ I said with a grin.

    ¡®You were right, Samuels¡ªI haven¡¯t seen anyone like you,¡¯ Luke said as he wheeled over. ¡®I¡¯ve got it from here, thanks, Coach Norman.¡¯ The other coach gave a nod before walking away to address another group of players.

    Luke looked me up and down and continued, ¡®I¡¯ve never met anyone as arrogant as you.¡¯

    ¡®Ooooo,¡¯ the players around me exclaimed.

    ¡®Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself, freshman. First years like you are practically guaranteed to only make JV. You¡¯re lucky to have made it this far,¡¯ one of the older WRs said.

    I looked him up and down. He held his helmet in one hand, his skin was darker than mine, but it only made his red eyes stand out more. Those eyes would¡¯ve been more fitting on a predator. He was also the tallest in this group of players; he was a man among boys.

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    I scoffed. ¡®Pipe down. It¡¯ll be embarrassing when someone as old as you is forced to play JV all year. You might as well just quit now.¡¯

    ¡®You wanna go, you fucking bitch? Who the hell do you think you are?¡¯ He stepped up to me and body-checked me.

    Luke¡¯s whistle cut through the commotion before it could build into anything further.

    ¡®Samuels, Day, that¡¯s enough! No fighting between teammates, keep shit like that for on the field only. Ya both will be going last now, thanks to that little outburst.¡¯

    I ground my teeth together and moved out to the side, glaring at Luke who ignored me and organised the rest of the players to pair up and get ready.

    Day followed me over to the sideline, purposefully bumping into me with his shoulder as he stopped by my side.

    ¡®You¡¯re gonna regret showing up today,¡¯ he said.

    ¡®You won¡¯t even want to play flag football after I¡¯m done with you,¡¯ I retorted. I spat on the grass in front of him, and then went silent as the drills started.

    I watched everyone closely to see if there was anyone else special that would be on the team. There were plenty of people trying their hand at the QB position, but hardly any of them were good.

    Only one stuck out, but he wasn¡¯t great. He was just smooth, and calm, he didn¡¯t make any mistakes. He was so laid back that you would¡¯ve thought he was a hippie transported directly from the ¡®60s.

    Nobody caught my eye when it came to the Receivers either, at least not in a good way. Just one look at their sloppy routes, slow feet, and brick-like hands told me that they¡¯d never be able to beat me.

    The CBs weren¡¯t even doing that good yet it was hard for anyone to get a catch. Watching those defenders try and play my position was infuriating, I wanted so badly to say something, but I kept quiet.

    One little kid was really bad. He couldn¡¯t stop anything no matter how hard he tried, and did ever try. He was smaller than me, a lot smaller. Like a mouse, but he pumped those little legs like he was the damn road runner.

    Not that it mattered, everyone else was too big, too strong. And aside from his quickness, he didn¡¯t have anything going for him, he had no technique or anticipation.

    Finally, it was my turn.

    ¡®Samuels, Day, you¡¯re up,¡¯ Luke said. ¡®Keep it clean, you two. I will throw ya both off the team if ya keep starting shit.¡¯

    I took up my position on the field, getting loose as I kept my eyes on Day. He had a quick talk with the Hippie¡ªwho looked to be the QB for our dual¡ªand then came over to line up in front of me.

    ¡®If you apologise right now, I might take it easy on you,¡¯ Day said.

    ¡®I¡¯m going to crush you.¡¯

    We glared daggers at each other. I felt my heart pounding slow and strong, like a great drum announcing the beginning of a war. My whole body tensed up, muscles wound tight and ready to explode.

    All the noise around us faded into silence and the calm before the storm seemed to drag on forever.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯

    Day burst forward, trying to use his size and strength to bullrush straight through me. I slapped his hands down and backpedalled quickly.

    He stutter-stepped before darting past me. My hand went to his hip and my eyes turned to the QB as I kept pace with Day and stayed by his side.

    A grin consumed my face as I felt Day begin to turn back and at the same time saw the Hippie pull his arm back.

    I waited, just enough to make sure it wasn¡¯t a feint, then, when I confirmed it really was a curl route I pounced.

    It was one of the easiest interceptions of my life. I crashed through Day¡¯s outstretched arms and met the ball first, it was a tight spiral and came into my hands nicely. I knew that if this was a real game, I would¡¯ve taken it right back to the house for six, easily.

    But as it was just a drill, I stopped only a few paces after I made the catch and turned back to Day. My grin only grew as I saw the shock on his face. I flipped him the ball and he caught it with a juggle.

    His confusion quickly turned to rage and he hurled the ball back at me. I caught it on my chest. He then stormed past me and got in the Hippie¡¯s face, complaining that it was a shit throw.

    Luke¡¯s whistle rang out again. ¡®Day! Go take a walk and calm down!¡¯

    I waved Day off before turning my attention to Luke.

    ¡®So¡­ who¡¯s next?¡¯

 Chapter 4: The Don Way

    Over the rest of those one-on-one drills, I kept my promise to not give up a single completion no matter who was put against me, or who was throwing the ball.

    Day eventually returned after he had cooled off, though a close eye was kept on both him and me whenever we came close to one another.

    Afterwards, we went through a variety of drills to test out our positional skills. There was another drill that pitted DBs against Receivers, only this time without the ball being involved.

    The DBs were in press coverage, and it was our job to prevent the Receivers from moving forward five yards for as long as possible. Whereas the Receivers did everything in their power to get around the DBs as fast as possible.

    It was a fun challenge, even if it was more like what a lineman would be doing and almost like a miniature sumo bout.

    I couldn¡¯t help but notice that every Receiver tried their hardest against me. Though that still didn¡¯t stop me from holding them to their slowest releases.

    But no matter what else we did, nothing reached the adrenaline high of those proper one-on-ones.

    Before I knew it, Coach Long was calling an end to the drills altogether and the tryouts were over. He gathered us all up one last time as he had one final announcement to make.

    ¡®Excellent job today, boys. I¡¯m really proud of the effort on display by everyone today, and you should all be proud of yourselves for doing your best, so give yourselves a round of applause.¡¯

    I kept my hands by my sides as I listened, everyone else gave a gentle clap, the coaches being the most enthusiastic out of everyone.

    ¡®Now,¡¯ Coach Long continued. ¡®I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all very curious as to who made the cut for varsity, and who will be starting off the year in JV.¡¯

    He looked around at all the expectant faces, some murmurs spread throughout the crowd of teens, people whispering amongst themselves about whether they thought they made it or not.

    My teeth started to grind together as I stared ahead silently, holding my breath as I waited for the coach¡¯s next words.

    ¡®Unfortunately, we won¡¯t be able to tell you that today. We¡¯ll have to go back, go over all the details and all the results of the drills and exercises, talk it all over together, and come up with a decision together.¡¯

    There was a collective groan of disappointment, and even a few boos scattered around the group. My jaw relaxed and I let out a deep breath; I¡¯d have to wait to hear that I¡¯d made it onto varsity.

    ¡®But there¡¯s good news, and congratulations to you all are in order. You all have made it onto the team, whether it¡¯s varsity or JV, you¡¯ve all done great and left us with tough choices for who to put on the varsity squad,¡¯ Coach Long said.

    Another round of applause was started by the coaching staff.

    ¡®I welcome all of you to the Dominguez Dons Football Team. Expect a call within the next couple of weeks to let you know which squad you made it onto. As for now, it was a good day of practice everyone, get home safe and rest up.¡¯

    I felt like it was all over too soon. I brought my borrowed gear back over to the table I¡¯d gotten it all from. The brats looked to be in brighter moods now that they would be leaving soon.

    I turned away to head back to my own bag when I almost ran into another one of the players.

    ¡®Ah, sorry, sorry,¡¯ he said. He had his head lowered, staring at the ground as he handed back his gear.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it,¡¯ I said before going to make my way past.

    ¡®Um¡­ you¡¯re Samuels, right?¡¯

    I stopped again and looked at him once more. ¡®It¡¯s Ty, actually.¡¯

    I looked him over. It was that mouse-looking kid¡ªbig ears, buckteeth, quiet, those freckles could¡¯ve been whiskers. He really was tiny too, so much so you¡¯d think he¡¯d snap in half if someone laid a finger on him.

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    I remembered that he¡¯d always done the worst when put up against anyone else no matter how hard he tried; I wondered how he had made the first cut to actually make it on the team, maybe he was someone¡¯s kid.

    ¡®O-Oh. Um, I¡¯m Max Graham, but uh¡­ everyone calls me Rabbit.¡¯ He extended a hand to me.

    I shook it gently, though he must¡¯ve noticed my raised brow at his nickname.

    ¡®A-Apparently I look like one¡­ um, kinda. But uh, I-I¡¯m fast like one too.¡¯ I could see that; he had been quick at least.

    ¡®Did you want something?¡¯ I asked as I let his hand go.

    ¡®R-Right! Sorry I just, I wanted to say how awesome you were today. You were like¡­ totally unstoppable out there. It was incredible!¡¯

    I hadn¡¯t even played a proper minute of high school ball and I already had my first fan.

    ¡®Thanks. You were uh¡­¡¯

    ¡®I-I was crap.¡¯ His head lowered again as he shifted his feet. ¡®I already know that I won¡¯t make varsity this year but I just, I wanted to say that you really inspired me today. How do you do it?¡¯ He peered up at me again.

    ¡®How?...¡¯ I looked away from him, frowning a bit as I thought back to any time I went up against a Receiver one-on-one. I thought about when Harry had destroyed me yesterday and what the difference was between my victory and my defeat.

    ¡®It takes a lot of things to beat somebody when it¡¯s just you versus them. Of course, being bigger, faster, and stronger than them plays a big part. But you see me, I¡¯m not that big, sure I¡¯m fast so that¡¯s good, but just about every Receiver today was bigger than me.

    ¡®But physical dominance doesn¡¯t mean you win in this sport. You have to be smarter too, you have to be more precise, and more technical. You can¡¯t give them even a millisecond of a lead against you.

    ¡®That means you can¡¯t have any wasted movement, everything you do needs a reason. But it also means you can¡¯t waste time reacting. You see, the Receiver always has the advantage just from the way offence and defence work.

    ¡®They know which route they are running, they know which way they are going and when they need to catch the ball. As a corner, you¡¯re left reacting to what they do. It takes time to react, so whenever they make you react, they¡¯re in the lead.

    ¡®You have to anticipate what they¡¯re going to do. You have to know what they¡¯re going to do before they even do it, then you have to find the opening for when the ball will arrive, and you have to slam it shut in their face.¡¯

    I finished my speech with a sharp clap. Max looked up at me, his eyes full of both awe and confusion.

    ¡®B-But¡­ how?¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s subtle. You have to keep practising and you have to study your opponent. Everyone has a tell. Whether they take shorter strides when they run a specific route, or they turn their hips a certain different way when it comes to fakes and real turns, to just the look in their eyes or how they stand before the play. Anything could give it away.¡¯

    It was clear I had given Max a lot to think about, I could already tell his brain was working overtime trying to think back to his own experiences when trying to guard someone to see if he could retroactively find any anomalies and ¡°tells¡±.

    ¡®O-Okay. I think I get what you mean. Th-Thanks, Ty!¡¯ He beamed up at me with a wide grin.

    ¡®No worries.¡¯

    ¡®Ah, I-I should get going. My mom¡¯s probably waiting for me. See ya!¡¯

    We waved goodbye to each other as he hurried off to the gates leading out to the street where a bunch of cars were parked.

    ¡®Samuels, you got a minute?¡¯ Luke called out to me now.

    I checked my phone¡ªI still had time before my bus got here. I turned to him and nodded.

    ¡®What¡¯s up, Coach?¡¯

    ¡®Just wanted to say good job out there today. When you were on the field you carried yourself really well and did great. Now, you¡¯ve still got some clear attitude issues, but between you and me, it¡¯s safe to say that you¡¯ll be on the varsity team this year.¡¯

    A pressure I didn¡¯t even realise existed in my chest suddenly disappeared when I heard that. I found it a lot easier to breathe and I felt a lot lighter. It was weird. Why was I so relieved to hear something I already knew would happen?

    ¡®Thank you,¡¯ I said. It was all I could think to say at that moment.

    ¡®But don¡¯t think that means you can slack off, or that just because of your stellar performance we¡¯ll tolerate that kind of behaviour.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s not hard to perform so well when you¡¯re up against easy competition.¡¯

    ¡®See, that kind of arrogance is exactly what I¡¯m talking about. Just because you¡¯re better than others doesn¡¯t mean you should look down on them,¡¯ Luke said and sighed.

    ¡®Stephen Day. The one you almost got in a fight with. He was our best Receiver last year. He led us in touchdowns, receptions, yards, everything. And he¡¯ll probably do the same this year too.¡¯

    I frowned. So what if he did that? That didn¡¯t make him good, it just meant he was better than anyone around him. He was nothing compared to that monster, Harry.

    ¡®Is that all, coach?¡¯

    Luke let out another heavy said before he said, ¡®Jeez, freshy¡­ you¡¯re gonna be a real pain in my neck this year, ain¡¯t ya? Yeah, yeah that¡¯s all I had to say. Go on and get home.¡¯

    ¡®Before I go. When¡¯s practice start?¡¯

    ¡®Two weeks. Same place, same time. We¡¯ll have officially announced the two teams by then.¡¯

    ¡®Hm. See you in two weeks then, coach.¡¯

 Chapter 5: Purgatory

    Jackson POV

    I¡¯m alone. Stood in the middle of an empty football field. All I can see around me is endless green grass. There are no sidelines, no people, no sky, no buildings, nothing. Just grass and darkness.

    At one end of the darkened field is a goalpost. On all other sides is darkness. A darkness that starts to close in on me.

    I run, but the darkness follows me. No matter how fast I run it continues to draw closer. Faceless spectres watch me from the edge of the encroaching dark, laughing and staring at me. I can feel their eyes weighing on me.

    I stumble, my legs feel heavy and weak, like my pants and boots are chained down to the sinking, muddy field. No matter how hard I try to reach the endzone, it only moves further away from me.

    The darkness catches up to me. It clings to me and drags me back, sinking me into the abyss. My uniform, my gear, and my soul are stripped from me bit by bit.

    The light fades as darkness overcomes me. I''m helpless, stuck, and drowning. The harder I fight, struggle, and claw, the deeper I fall. I can''t escape.

    The darkness seeps into me, invading my mouth, and my nose, blocking my throat and suffocating me completely.

    Just before my face is enshrouded, I see him. He stands out as a deeper, darker shadow above me. His eyes pierce me, his grin the only bright spot in this black Hell.

    He swoops in and devours me whole.

    And then I wake, deathly cold and drenched in sweat. That was how I started every day, ever since I met him.

    ***

    It had been a week since the training camp, but every night I still had that same nightmare. Reality didn¡¯t feel much better when I woke from my black Hell.

    Every time I woke up from that nightmare I tore down the poster of Jerry Rice that oversaw my bed from the near wall. I couldn¡¯t stand facing my idol like that.

    But every day my parents would put the poster back up after checking the blue tack on the back of it. They thought it must¡¯ve slipped and fallen off. I couldn¡¯t bring myself to tell them the truth.

    I checked the date on my phone. July 16th ¡­ today was the day of my school¡¯s football team tryouts.

    I threw my blanket over my head, for once seeking solace in the darkness and wishing I could go back to that nightmare rather than face the day ahead of me.

    I wouldn¡¯t be so lucky; Mom knocked on my door soon enough.

    ¡®Jackie~ Are you awake? Breakfast is ready.¡¯

    I could smell the cooked bacon and eggs already. I let out a defeated sigh before I lowered my blanket and responded,

    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m awake¡­ I¡¯ll be down in a second.¡¯

    I didn¡¯t bother getting changed out of my PJs before making my way down into the kitchen to sit with my family.

    My mom, dad, and little sister were all as bright and cheery as ever. I must¡¯ve looked like a lone thunderstorm in the midst of a perfectly sunny day sitting at that table.

    ¡®Did you have a late night there, son? Hah, must¡¯ve been too excited to sleep right? It¡¯s a big day, today,¡¯ my dad said.

    ¡®Today?¡¯ my sister said as she looked up from her plate of scrambled eggs.

    ¡®Don¡¯t tell me you forgot, Chrissy. It¡¯s Jackie¡¯s big day today, tryouts!¡¯ My mom was beaming with excitement.

    I wanted the floor to open up and swallow me whole as I kept my head lowered and focused on the toast laden with bacon and eggs in front of me.

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    My dad thumped me on the back, a proud smile on his face as he said, ¡®We all know you¡¯ll do great, son. Try your hardest and I¡¯m sure you can make varsity.¡¯

    I dreaded throwing on my cleats and hitting that field today. They were all clueless to my misery and I didn¡¯t have the heart or the courage to open my mouth and let them all down by speaking the truth and saying I didn¡¯t want to go today.

    My dad kept his hand on my shoulder, squeezing and rubbing it firmly as he looked at me a bit longer.

    ¡®Hey, it¡¯s okay if you¡¯re nervous. Everyone gets a bit jittery before something so important. But you¡¯ve got this, Jackson. You¡¯ve been training for this for so long. You¡¯ll do great, no matter what happens, so keep your chin up.¡¯

    His comforting words did little to brighten my outlook and expectations of the day.

    ***

    Before I knew it we were piled into the car and on our way to Arcadia High School. The closer we got to our destination, the more tightly wound my chest became.

    I had the window open all the way to keep some fresh air flowing into the car as I sat in the back seat of the old family station wagon.

    As we neared the school and my dad began looking for a park, my phone dinged. I checked the notification and saw it was a text from my older brother.

    ¡®Hey lil bro. Sry I cant b there 2day. I no ull knock em dead. Sending u my love and energy <3¡¯

    I looked at it for a while until the car came rolling to a stop. I didn¡¯t respond to the message and instead got out of the car and we made our way over to the football field.

    Much like the day of the camp a week ago, excitement was in the air, and the place was alive with the buzz of animated chatter from the high-school-aged boys waiting for their chance to show what they had and why they should be on the team.

    This time, instead of revelling in the atmosphere and matching it with my own exuberance, I was the anthesis of it all.

    I tried to convince myself that everyone else would¡¯ve been just as nervous and anxious as me, but I didn¡¯t even buy my own lies. They didn¡¯t know. They hadn¡¯t met him before.

    I parted ways with my family as they went to find someone to sit and watch the proceedings as I made my way over to the field and started shakily going through some simple stretches.

    I tried to focus on myself and ignore everything going on around me, ignore what it all meant, and why we were here. But it was impossible to not focus on how if I messed this up, I wouldn¡¯t be playing football that year.

    Not that I deserve to play anyway. How could I be good enough to make the team?

    I stood there as I felt the butterflies in my stomach flap around in a frenzy as they ascended up into my chest and to my throat. Then I realised it wasn¡¯t just metaphorically butterflies that were threatening to fly out of my mouth.

    I hurriedly made my way over to one of the adults helping set things up and asked him where the nearest toilets were. He pointed me in the right direction and I tried to appear as calm as possible as I made my way over to it.

    I slammed the stall door closed behind me and locked it before I hugged the toilet bowl and emptied my breakfast into it. The noises of my violent barfing echoed around the empty building.

    I wanted to just hide in there for the rest of the day. Even after I was finished and there was nothing left in my stomach to heave up, I stayed sitting there, tears running down my cheeks.

    I was content to just stay there for the rest of the day¡ªmaybe even the rest of my life¡ªbut I wouldn¡¯t be left alone, not that easily.

    My dad¡¯s knocking on the stall door drew me out of my isolated wallowing.

    ¡®Son? Are you alright? I think they¡¯re about to start now.¡¯

    ¡®...I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m fine. Sorry, I¡¯ll be right out just¡­ just nerves.¡¯

    I pulled on the roll of toilet paper, making sure to grab a lot of it to wipe my face clean before I flushed and stepped out of the stall. I moved past my dad without even acknowledging him.

    I filled my hands with water at the sink and splashed my face. I looked into the mirror and locked eyes with my dad. He smiled at me and gave me a pat on the back.

    ¡®You should¡¯ve seen how nervous I was before my first game as a starter. But I still went out there and gave it my all, and it was one of the best days of my life,¡¯ he said to me.

    I looked down and gave a short nod before making my way out of the toilets, dad following behind me. He urged me back over to the field and I hurried into place just as the coach was getting through his introductions.

    ¡®... not everyone here today will make it onto a team. But that¡¯s okay. It doesn¡¯t mean you aren¡¯t good enough, just that now isn¡¯t the right time. There¡¯s always next year¡­ as for any seniors¡­ well, maybe try a different sport,¡¯ he said.

    ¡®That said. We¡¯re looking for only the best of the best to call Titans today. And even if you only make the JV team after today, don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. The season is long and who knows what can happen throughout. Every week it¡¯ll be a battle to see who¡¯s worthy of being on the varsity team.

    ¡®So even if you make varsity after today, that doesn¡¯t mean you can rest on your laurels and take shit easy just because you think the hard part is over. I¡¯m not afraid to cut any slackers throughout the season. I will only have the hardest workers on my teams.¡¯

    Somehow, even though he hadn¡¯t looked in my direction once, I felt as if his words were directed solely at me, and they did nothing but enhance the dread I already carried with me.

    Was it too late to go back home?

 Chapter 6: Hesitation

    An hour into the tryouts and I was wishing there were some clouds in the sky to shield me against the heat of the sun blasting down upon the field.

    I was drenched in sweat as we took a break for drinks. Everyone was in a similar situation to me¡ªpanting heavily between mouthfuls of water and covered in sweat.

    We¡¯d only been doing physical exercises and workouts, mainly a lot of running to start, from things as simple as up and back, to ladder drills, sprinting up the stairs of the bleachers, and even weighted sprints having to do a tug-of-war with the coaches.

    It was hellacious and they certainly drove us all hard, but at least it was only about physical prowess for now, I could handle that.

    Though I was still dreading actually getting to any of the football skills, and even after puking earlier that nauseous feeling didn¡¯t exactly disappear.

    It was only a matter of time before we split off into our position groups and began to have our skills tested, and after our break, the real trials started.

    ¡®Alright, we all warmed up now then? That¡¯s good! Don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to get any easier from here on out. Anybody can run and, anybody can lift some weights, but now we¡¯re getting to the shit only a real footballer can do. This is where we¡¯ll separate the athletes from the players,¡¯ Coach said.

    Throughout the first hour of tryouts, I learnt his name was Coach Otsen. I had also learnt that Coach Otsen was practically a drill sergeant when it came to training us.

    He was strict and wasn¡¯t afraid to get in your face to push you harder if he thought you weren¡¯t giving it your all. I¡¯d seen a handful of other students receive this sort of treatment from him.

    And he had a look to match this intense, aggressive nature too. His face was always marred by a deep scowl. His small, angry eyes were set deeply within his bald head, his forehead home to many prominent wrinkles.

    He was a mountain of a man as well, stood tall and strong, with a wide and solid base, unwavering both physically and ideologically.

    Coach Otsen¡¯s whistle cut through the air¡ªand my thoughts¡ªas furious and noisy as a steam train.

    ¡®Offence over with Coach Knight, Defence with Coach Temple! Quick to it, we don¡¯t have all day!¡¯

    I hurried over to the spot on the field where Coach Knight stood waiting. Coach Knight, who was the team¡¯s OC, was an equally as imposing man as Coach Otsen when it came to looks.

    Coach Knight was tall but round, he could¡¯ve been a strongman in his younger days. He didn¡¯t have a single hair on top of his head either, but his face was almost fully covered in thick, bushy, greying hair.

    But the differences in attitude and personality couldn¡¯t have been more obvious. Coach Knight was a quiet man of few words. And he took a much more gentle approach to encouragement.

    Flanking Coach Knight were the Receiving and OL positional coaches, Coach Vasquez and Diaz respectively. These younger coaches looked more approachable than their older counterparts.

    ¡®Split off into your position groups, and we¡¯ll get your drills underway,¡¯ Coach Knight said. You really had to strain your ears to hear him in the middle of that crowded field.

    Coach Vasquez split away from the others and beckoned over the WRs and TEs to him. Coach Diaz did the same on the opposite side for the OL, and Coach Knight found a place for the QBs and RBs (Running Backs).

    I, of course, hesitantly made my way over to Coach Vasquez and looked around at all the others who had joined me.

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    I couldn¡¯t sense any nervousness in the air surrounding the others. Most were still focusing on catching their breath, while others just looked happy to not be directly answering to Coach Otsen for a change.

    ¡®Alright! C¡¯mon guys, I like what you¡¯ve been doing so far, but we need more energy and I need you to give me MAXIMUM EFFORT!¡¯

    Coach Vasquez was the shortest of the coaches, he also looked the youngest. He was certainly energetic too. His big, wide eyes looked like they¡¯d pop out of his head at any moment. His black hair was gelled into spikes that stayed solid no matter how much he bounced around.

    ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ He scanned over the cast of Receivers before him. ¡®If you can¡¯t give me MAXIMUM energy. Then I¡¯ll just have to work you to the MAXIMUM!¡¯

    His cheeks puffed up before he blew his whistle, it was so shrill and loud it stopped every athlete in their tracks and forced them to cover their ears.

    ¡®On the line,¡¯ Coach Vasquez said with a glint in his eye.

    He had us all run until we couldn¡¯t run anymore, then even more. No one even thought about looking to Coach Otsen for help. Coach Knight wasn¡¯t much help either. He met every begging look with a stern face. The type of face that said, ¡®If you stop running, you can go home and never come back.¡¯

    Only after we¡¯d all been driven past the point of exhaustion did Coach Vasquez start running us through our actual drills and tests.

    Which meant even more running as he gave us all various routes to run. He tested our reactions and catching at the same time by having us stand with our back to the ball and only letting us turn around when it was already flying towards us.

    He recorded our ¡°MAXIMUM¡± verticle jump. Next, it was how well we could catch through contact as he whacked us on the back or stomach with a big foam arm.

    He tested our footwork and ability to keep inbounds on sideline catches. He had us run more, getting us up to ¡°MAXIMUM¡± speed before he¡¯d randomly tell us to ¡°MAXIMUM¡± break and see how fast we could stop on the spot.

    By the time he was done with the tests and drills, there had been multiple people who had run so hard they had to move away to the side to puke up their guts.

    I luckily wasn¡¯t one that ended up throwing up. I doubt there would¡¯ve been anything in my stomach to throw up anyway.

    My legs felt like they were made out of lead by the time we were done. Physically I had still given it my all and worked until I could barely move a muscle.

    Coach Knight had proved a valuable helper at getting people through the challenges. Every time someone finished up their attempt at a drill, they¡¯d look over at him as he watched silently.

    Whether his stoic face was an image of unabashed praise or the dreaded, heartbroken look of disappointment. His reaction and appraisal of us would always give us another burst of energy, no matter if we were fuelled by the desire to continue making him proud or to stop letting him down.

    Physically, I had been able to keep up. But mentally, I still wasn¡¯t all there. My hands were harder than they should¡¯ve been. I¡¯d dropped passes I should¡¯ve been able to catch. My footwork was sloppy and slow, like it was my first time trying to use my feet.

    Maybe I just wasn¡¯t cut out for this kind of thing. Maybe I should¡¯ve focused on Track.

    ¡®Okay! I can see you¡¯re all MAXIMUM exhausted. But that¡¯s perfect! Congratulations everyone, we¡¯re done for today. Give yourself a pat on the back and MAXIMUM applause,¡¯ Coach Vasquez said.

    The coaches were the only ones with enough energy to clap still.

    ¡®Good work today. Get a drink, then go see coach Otsen,¡¯ Coach Knight said.

    I dragged myself over to my water bottle, draining it all, my drinking only stopped momentarily so I could suck in air between gulps.

    As I drank I made my way back over in front of Coach Otsen. The glare of his bald head made it hard to look at him.

    ¡®Great work everyone. No matter what end result you¡¯re left with today, you should be proud of the effort you gave today,¡¯ Coach Otsen said.

    ¡®Now. You can almost go home, don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ve just got the announcement of the teams to get through. If I call your name right now. Go stand over by Coach Knight.¡¯

    After he pointed out the bushy-faced Coach Knight, Coach Otsen began listing off names.

    ¡®... Jordan, Brown, Allen, Woods ¡­¡¯ I got up and made my way over to Coach Knight, eyes still focused on Coach Otsen as I listened to him finish off his list.

    ¡®... Alright, if I called your name just then. Congratulations. You¡¯ve made the JV team. I look forward to coaching you all this year,¡¯ He said and then continued to another list of names.

    JV?... I felt hollow inside after that. I was crushed. It had been my dream to make it onto varsity. I looked to my family, and they shared my disappointment.

    But, shamefully¡­ another part of me was crushed because it had wanted me to be cut from both teams altogether.

 Chapter 7: Monotony

    Tyrese POV

    My alarm jarred me awake from a dreamless sleep. I shut it off after a few shrill beeps¡ªit¡¯s six o¡¯clock.

    I sat up, my older brother¡¯s pillow crashed into the side of my head and harmlessly bounced off me as he tried to bury his face in his remaining pillow, the soft cushion swallowing his curses.

    As I got up, the twins sat up in their bed, still half asleep as they asked, ¡®What time is it?¡¯ in whiny voices.

    ¡®Go back to sleep,¡¯ I quietly told them. I moved past their messy bed and exited the room. Megan met me in the hallway.

    My sister Megan is only a year younger than me, though she was definitely the most mature out of all my siblings who still lived at home.

    Her short, curly black hair was pulled back into a messy bun, her brown eyes¡ªsupposedly like our mother¡¯s, but dear old mom¡¯s eyes always looked so lifeless and came with dark bags underneath them¡ªhad thick-rimmed glasses in front of them.

    Megan had caught the worst of the freckle curse that plagued our family. The spots ran not only over her nose and cheeks but even down her neck and shoulders too. She flashed me a smile.

    ¡®Good morning,¡¯ she whispered as she shut her and our older sister¡¯s bedroom door behind herself.

    ¡®Morning,¡¯ I replied dryly. I turned and made my way down the short hall to the kitchen. On the way, I passed our parents'' room. The door to that pig sty was cracked open.

    With a glance, I saw that our father was already gone to work, or somewhere. It was just our mother splayed out on the bed, snoring as she was blissfully unaware of the world around her.

    ¡®Meggy, we¡¯re hungryyy,¡¯ I heard the twins whine behind me. In the kitchen, I opened the pantry and pulled out a box of cereal. Then I got out a bowl.

    When I opened the fridge and retrieved the bottle of milk, I found that it was empty. I closed the fridge door with a sigh and threw the empty bottle out.

    ¡®You don¡¯t want some pancakes?¡¯ Megan asked me after she had gotten Jason and Josh seated at the kitchen island.

    ¡®Nah. Thanks, but I¡¯ll just run and grab some milk.¡¯ I made my way back down the hall and stopped at the door to our parents¡¯ bedroom.

    Our mother was definitely out of it, and from years of experience with this sort of thing, I knew she¡¯d sleep through a damn war going on around her whenever she came home like this.

    I snuck inside and crept over to where her handbag had been discarded, picking it up off the trash and clothes-ridden floor, I took her purse out, and from that, I took a twenty-dollar note.

    Money secured, I returned to my room to throw on a shirt and slip on my shoes, stuffing the cash into one of the pockets of my sweatpants as I did so.

    When I made my way back out and was headed for the door, Megan called out to me and said:

    ¡®Would you mind grabbing some more pancake mix while you¡¯re getting milk? There isn¡¯t much of that left either.¡¯

    ¡®You got it, sis. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡¯ I left as the twins just restarted complaining about being hungry and tired.

    I went around the side of the little house. I unlatched and pushed open the door to the dingy, little garden shed we had, pulling out a beat-up, old BMX.

    I rolled it out onto the street and climbed on. Then off I went.

    It only took about five minutes at a quick speed to get to the nearest convenience store. A little corner shop that I¡¯d never once seen closed. Must¡¯ve been run by robots or something.

    I dumped the bike at the door and went in, heading straight for the milk. A gallon was easy to find; the pancake mix, on the other hand, took more time to pick out on the shelves.

    With the items in my hands, I made my way to the register. The lone cashier behind the counter looked way too¡­ normal.

    They weren¡¯t overly perky like one of those ¡°morning people¡± psychos who intake more caffeine than air, but they weren¡¯t overly tired-looking either for someone who either had to start so early or worked through the whole night.

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    Definitely a robot.

    I paid for the milk and mix, then stuffed the change into my pocket; less confident about the chances of the coins staying put than I was for the notes.

    I rushed back home with the coins rattling in my pocket.

    When I got through the door I saw that Megan had placated the twins with some cartoons. Both of the boys sat quietly in front of the TV.

    ¡®Thank you so much, Ty.¡¯ Megan greeted me with a tight hug and that big smile of hers. She took the carton of pancake mix from me and got to cooking.

    I left the change on the counter and poured myself some cereal, taking my bowl over to the table.

    I ate quietly, eyes occasionally glancing over to the TV in the other room. When Megan had cooked up the first batch of pancakes, she went and dragged the twins over to the table as well.

    I finished my breakfast quickly and went to wash my bowl. Megan was munching on a pancake of her own as she continued to cook up some more.

    ¡®I¡¯m gonna go for a run. I¡¯ll be back later,¡¯ I said.

    ¡®Don¡¯t forget something to drink, stay safe.¡¯

    I grabbed my headphones from my room and quickly brushed my teeth before stepping outside again. With my headphones on, I hit shuffle on a Denzel Curry playlist and got to running.

    I ran for a few miles until I got to a park. There was a water fountain to get a quick drink and a basketball court that I could use for its boundaries.

    After a while of stretching, to give me a little break I got started again.

    I sprinted around the court a few times. Up one sideline, laterally along the baseline, running backwards down the other sideline, across the baseline again, and then do it all again in reverse order.

    I¡¯d sprint up and down the court over and over, backwards and forwards. I¡¯d jump up and slap each backboard dozens of times, pushing myself to get higher each time; I¡¯d be hanging off the rim soon, then I could use them for pull-ups.

    With some suicides to end it, and after another drink, I was ready to run home.

    I went around to the backyard instead of going in the front door. My shirt hit the floor before I picked up an old jump rope.

    Ten minutes and hundreds of jumps later, I was dripping with sweat. I set the rope down and moved on to the next part of my routine: 100 sit-ups, push-ups, squats, and calf raises.

    It would¡¯ve been past ten o¡¯clock when I finally walked back into the house, though I might as well have not been gone at all as it was almost the same as I¡¯d left it.

    No one else had gotten up yet, the twins were back in front of the TV. Megan was still watching over them, now curled up on the sofa with a book in her lap.

    She looked up and smiled at me as I walked back in.

    ¡®I¡¯m using the shower,¡¯ I announced, heading down the hall to grab a change of clothes and a towel.

    I was almost done with my shower when I heard the door open and my older brother heavily trudge inside.

    ¡®Hey! I¡¯m in here, Devon, so get the fuck out!¡¯ I said, poking my head around the curtain.

    ¡®Ahh, shut da fuck up, T¡­ I just needa piss so stop fuckin¡¯ lookin¡¯ then I¡¯m outta here.¡¯ He shoved my head back behind the curtain.

    ¡®You couldn¡¯t hold it for two more fucking minutes?¡¯ I groaned.

    Thankfully, it was only a short interruption today. With the door closing again and me being left alone once more, I rinsed off and got out of the shower.

    I got dressed and got my chores done for the day. Then it was time for lunch.

    When I was done eating my toasted cheese sandwich, mom was finally awake. And clearly in a grumpy mood if her reaction to learning where the change came from was anything to go by.

    ¡®How many times do I have to tell you to stop taking my shit outta my room?!¡¯ She whacked me over the back of my head.

    ¡®We needed milk and pancakes. You told me not to wake you up in the morning.¡¯

    ¡®You growing up to be a fucking thief huh?! You like stealing from your mama?¡¯ She whacked me again.

    ¡®Sorry, mom¡­ won¡¯t happen again,¡¯ I lied.

    ¡®Go to your fucking room! And gimme your phone! How you like it when I take your shit huh?¡¯

    I went to my room, Devon gave me shit for getting in trouble again but I ignored him. I lay on my bed, facing the wall.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the front door slammed hard enough to shake the whole house. Our mother was gone and I was free from my prison.

    I knew where she hid my phone, so it wasn¡¯t hard to find. By the time she got home, she would¡¯ve either forgotten about it, or our father would be here and she would have to put on her act of being the sweetest, nicest mama ever.

    I passed the rest of the day watching sports, studying the greats of football, and trying not to get a headache from the twins screaming and laughing, or the yelling of Devon and my older sister Victoria as they fought over the TV remote once they had both decided to finally get up.

    Then dad got home and thankfully the house quieted down as he sat upon his throne in front of the TV and assumed control. Like usual he complained about our mother not being around, cursing her out under his breath and barking for someone to bring him a beer.

    When it came to dinner, he told us to order some pizza. He never was one to get in the kitchen and cook up something.

    When I had enough pizza I retreated to my room. Tonight was a good night at least¡ªthere wasn¡¯t a shouting match when our mother finally returned.

    Maybe because our father was already asleep, maybe we were just lucky that night.

    As I lay on my bed, preparing for another day of doing it all over again. I knew that the start of my football season couldn¡¯t come any sooner.

 Chapter 8: Dreams

    ''Good luck! Have fun!'' Megan called out to me as I rode off on the BMX. It was finally the day of the first team practice.

    I felt as if I was weightless as I glided down the streets and towards my destiny. I could finally get back to living. Even if it was just preparation for the wars to come.

    I slowly came back down to earth as I eased onto the breaks, leaving my bike at the rack outside of the school before making my way over to the empty field.

    I checked my phone¡ªI was an hour early, but that''s alright. I wanted to be the first one there and the last one to leave, and I wanted to warm up on my own.

    I set my bag down near the sidelines, taking a long drink from my water bottle before switching my sneakers to my cleats.

    I started with some light stretching. My eyes closed as I focused on my breathing as my muscles loosened up. My tranquillity was only broken by the occasional car passing by.

    Afterwards, I moved on to running laps around the field, taking it easy and going at a sustainable pace.

    I was alone for half an hour before someone else finally arrived. I looked over to find Coach Long, Coach Hoang, and a girl I''d never seen before making their way onto the field.

    ''Practice doesn''t start for another twenty-eight minutes, you know?'' Coach Long said to me after checking his watch.

    I wiped my mouth after getting another quick drink, grinning at him. ''I''m just eager to get started, I guess.''

    ''Hah, that''s the spirit. Just make sure not to wear yourself out too quickly, son.'' He thumped me on the shoulder before moving away.

    ''Bella, mind helping your old man get things set up?'' Coach Long said as he walked towards the storage shed.

    ''Yes sir,'' Bella responded as she followed behind her dad. I looked her over as she went past.

    She looked to be around my age; we were also around the same height. Her short, brown curls fell around her face. Her skin was a lighter shade than both mine and her dad¡¯s, and she loosely wore a baggy Dodgers jersey.

    ''Trying to get some extra brownie points by showing up early for the year''s first practice? Very clever, Samuels,'' Luke said.

    ''Not at all. Don''t think this is some poorly thought-out ploy I''m using to try and get myself in the good graces of the coaches. You can expect me to be the earliest person here every session.''

    He looked up at me, staying quiet as his eyes stared into mine, his face was stern before he slowly cracked into a smile.

    ''Hah! Yeah, I''m sure ya will be, Samuels. Just don''t push yourself too hard.''

    ''I promise I''m not going to hurt myself.'' I started slowly jogging with high knees down the field, Luke wheeling along beside me.

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    ''You''re pretty serious about this¡­ for now at least. I really hope ya stick with it, Samuels.''

    My lips curled with disgust as I heard this. I stopped and looked down at him.

    ¡®Trust me. There¡¯s nothing I hate more than those who had it all but refused to dedicate themselves to their craft and threw their life away. I¡¯m not going to be one of those players that are looked back upon as everyone asks ¡°what if?¡±.¡¯

    Luke got silent again as I resumed my exercise. Eventually, he spoke up again and said:

    ¡®So, you¡¯re not going to end up like me?¡¯

    Once again his words forced me to a stop. ¡®What?¡¯ was all I could say as I looked at him.

    He had a faint smile on his lips, though his brown eyes conveyed a sad longing as he looked at me.

    ¡®Well. I don¡¯t know if anyone else really cared enough to remember my time as a player and think, ¡°what if?¡± but I know that I find myself regularly thinking back and wondering¡­ what if I never got hurt,¡¯ he said softly.

    I looked him over in silence, gaze lingering on his atrophied legs. I didn¡¯t know what to say.

    ¡®I thought¡­¡¯

    ¡®That I was always like this? Always stuck in this chair?¡¯ He tapped the side of one of his wheels. ¡®Nope. Believe it or not, I used to be a player. A Safety.¡¯

    I frowned, looking into his eyes. I almost didn¡¯t want to ask. ¡®What happened?¡¯

    He sighed and looked away. ¡®What happened? Football happened¡­ it wasn¡¯t anything that doesn¡¯t happen dozens of times a game. I guess I was just one of the unlucky ones.¡¯

    He paused before continuing. ¡®It wasn¡¯t even a special game or anything. Just another regular old game in my junior year. There was a pass over the middle, it lofted over the intended target and the Middle Linebacker¡¯s (MLB) heads.

    ¡®I went to make a play on it. I always could jump pretty high back then.¡¯ He chuckled softly. ¡®I got my hands on the ball. Man, it was probably the highest I ever jumped. Then I felt my legs shoved out from under me.¡¯

    He stopped smiling. ¡®I¡¯m sure it wasn¡¯t anything untoward. The player who laid the hit, his name is Gary. He¡¯s a good guy, we¡¯re friends now I guess. He sends me a big box of chocolates every year. He was just trying to stop me from making the interception.

    ¡®Next thing I know I¡¯m falling and I¡¯m upside down. I¡¯m still holding onto that ball as tight as I can the whole way down. I don¡¯t even remember the impact, it must¡¯ve thrown me through a loop and made me black out for a second.

    ¡®All I remember is seeing the ball lying on the turf and reaching out my hand for it. I tried to crawl to it but I couldn¡¯t move¡­ doctors told me I was lucky not to have broken my neck, and that I was only paralysed below the waist. Hah! Can ya imagine that? Being told you¡¯re lucky you only lost the use of your legs?¡¯

    I could only respond with a mumbled, ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯ as a tear fell from his cheek.

    ¡®Shit. No¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t be telling ya such depressing shit, especially on the first day of practice. That ain¡¯t what ya wanna hear,¡¯ he said as he wiped his face clean.

    I looked away, rubbing at the back of my neck. I only looked down at him again when I felt him firmly grab a hold of my wrist.

    ¡®Hey. But don¡¯t you feel bad about it, and don¡¯t you let it scare you from following your dream. I don¡¯t regret a thing about following the path of Football. The only thing I regret is that I never reached my full potential. But I¡¯ll be damned if I don¡¯t help as many kids as possible become the greatest version of themselves they can be.¡¯

    His eyes held a fire that lit a spark within my own chest. I grabbed onto his arm and nodded.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry¡­ I¡¯ll give you a front-row seat to watch me become the greatest of all time.¡¯

    He laughed again, loudly. ¡®Samuels¡­ ya talk a whole lotta shit, ya know that?¡¯

    His words made it sound like I was joking, or just another young, impassioned, and naive kid that was full of himself. But his face was that of serious contemplation. He knew I meant it, and would do everything in my power to achieve my goal, no matter how outlandish.

 Chapter 9: Reality Check

    Luke stuck with me as I continued warming up, when there was about 15 minutes until the actual starting time for the practice, Rabbit showed up as well as the rest of the coaches.

    Luke told Rabbit to get loose and warmed up before practice started. Coach Norman came over to say hello to us three, mentioning how good it was to see such eager and determined Freshmen.

    ''But, I did want to ask you boys, I know you both tried out at defensive positions, but if you wanted to try out for the offence as well, this first practice is your chance,'' Coach Norman informed us.

    ''Oh, w-well thank you sir but um¡­ I think I just want to focus on doing my best as a Cornerback for now,'' Rabbit said.

    ''Yeah, thanks but no thanks. I''m only going to play as a Cornerback. I won''t play a single snap in any other position,'' I said.

    ''Ah? But¡­ I was planning on starting you as our key Safety,'' Luke said.

    ''No way. I like you, Coach Hoang, but Safety is just for DBs who can''t play man coverage.''

    His expression soured as he narrowed his eyes at me.

    ''Haha. Sounds like young Tyrese wants to spend most of the first practice running. Well, if you boys change your minds, don''t be afraid to let me know,'' Coach Norman laughed before moving away.

    ''Look, I know you''re passionate about being a Cornerback, but I really think your skills and talents would be perfect as our Free Safety (FS). With your speed, instinct, and intuition, you''d be able to shut down and impact the whole field rather than just one player,'' Luke said.

    ''This isn''t a negotiation. I won''t be a Safety. I''m playing my whole career as a Cornerback, and I''m going to show that this sport can still be dominated by a Corner.''

    He frowned as he listened to me. Rabbit awkwardly stared at the grass as he continued his stretching.

    ''Very well¡­ of course, I can''t make you change positions. All I can do is use my expertise and wisdom to inform you of the best way to enhance and further your career going into the future,'' Luke said.

    I rolled my eyes. ''I''ll take that on board.''

    ''Hmm¡­ I need to make sure everything''s set up. Good talk today, Samuels,'' Luke said before wheeling away.

    It was quiet for some time before Rabbit stood up and said, ''Um¡­ uh, I think I''m gonna go do a lap.''

    And off he went.

    It wasn''t much longer before the rest of the team showed up, and by 11 AM, everyone was ready to get things underway.

    Before things started, the varsity and JV teams were officially announced, and then it was also explained that though they were separate squads, we¡¯d still all be training together.

    Of course, the whole team had to warm up together, but while we were going through our group stretches, Bella began to make her way around to each player, stopping by each of them and marking something down on a clipboard.

    When she got to me I looked up at her. Her green eyes scanned me, judging me before she said, ¡®Name?¡¯

    ''Tyrese Samuels,¡¯ I responded.

    She looked over the clipboard and then nodded, pen at the ready. ''What''s your number?''

    ''What?''

    ''Your jersey number. What do you want?'' she clarified.

    ''Ohh. Uh, twenty-one.''

    She looked down at the clipboard for a brief moment. ''Someone already has that number.''

    ''I''m playing as number twenty-one, that''s my number,'' I said, my eyes narrowing.

    She looked up from the clipboard, icy eyes analysing me again. ''Calm down, Samuels. I was just messing with you¡­ you''re pretty full of yourself to think you can demand whatever number you want.''

    She marked it down and moved over to the next player, some of the others around me snickered quietly as I glared at her.

    ''Don''t worry about Coach Short. She gives all the newbies a hard time at first,'' another player said.

    ''Coach Short?'' I looked at him. He was bigger and older than me, a well-built Senior with a crew cut and bleached tips. His loose singlet showcased a tattoo of an angel across the golden skin of his chest.

    ''Ah, yeah, it''s a nickname for her. She''s Coach Long''s daughter, so she''s like a smaller version. Long becomes Short, you feel me? Plus, she''s an assistant coach too,'' he explained.

    My eyes turned back to Bella again. ''I see.''

    ¡®Hey, I¡¯m JJ by the way.¡¯ He reached a hand out to me and dapped me up.

    ¡®Ty. CB, you?¡¯

    ¡®Middle-Linebacker. Always good to have fresh blood join the team, congrats on making varsity straight away. Not many rookies get to do that.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t need congratulations for it. It was inevitable.¡¯

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    He laughed and shook his head. ¡®You funny, rook. Let¡¯s see how well you can keep up through the year.¡¯

    Practice fully got underway soon after and time began to fly by, though as I looked around at the others, I noticed that it didn¡¯t take long for the big Lineman to be dripping with sweat, chests heaving as they struggled through the drills.

    I was relishing in the warmth of the midday sun, only feeling that the breaks were too long as I waited in line for the drill ahead.

    We had to run sideways through an agility ladder, both feet having to touch down in one box before moving onto the next and halfway through we¡¯d have to catch a pass without breaking stride.

    It was almost my turn to run through it again, but the two players in front of me were too busy talking amongst each other to start either of their runs.

    ¡®Hey, can¡¯t you keep it moving? I ain¡¯t got all day to listen to you bitches chatting,¡¯ I said.

    They both turned to look at me, but even Luke got on their case about taking too long, so the player furthest ahead had to run through the drill before he could say anything back to me.

    ¡®You better shut your mouth, boy, ¡®fore I shut it for you. Who you supposed to be anyway?¡¯

    He was only just taller than me, a little skinnier though. His jaw was covered in a faint stubble, and his hair was styled in short, thin twists.

    ¡®The best player on the team,¡¯ I told him.

    He laughed in my face; my eyes narrowed. ¡®Ight, you¡¯re just talking bullshit. I see how it is. You know what, you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying so imma ignore that disrespect earlier.¡¯

    He turned away and ran through the ladder drill, though he ended up dropping the ball thrown at him.

    I rushed through after him, catching the pass easily and tossing it back. I jogged over to his side as he was returning to the back of the line.

    ¡®Nice catch, bitch,¡¯ I said, grinning from ear to ear.

    He stopped and turned to get in my face. ¡®You really talking all that shit for someone who hasn¡¯t played a single snap in an actual game. Shit, I bet you won¡¯t even see a snap this year.¡¯

    ¡®Why? Cause an old man like you is gonna keep me off the field?¡¯ I raised my hand up between us, closely showing him my middle finger.

    ¡®There¡¯s more talent and skill in this finger of mine, than you¡¯ve ever had in your life, man. You should worry about trying to get an offer from some fucking shitty ass D3 college, and just let me do my thing and carry you to the first bit of success you¡¯ve ever had in your life.¡¯

    He shoved me away and I swear he was about to take a swing at me before Coach Hoang¡¯s voice thundered through the air.

    ¡®Samuels! Banks! That¡¯s enough! Sideline, now! Before I send you immature brats home.¡¯

    JJ got between us pretty quickly too, I didn¡¯t even think he had been that close to us when the fight broke out. He focused on Banks, trying to calm his fellow Senior down as he ushered him away.

    ¡®Fuck man,¡¯ I muttered and turned away, making my way to the opposite sideline and getting a drink as I sat down.

    I sat in silence, feeling like a little kid sent to timeout as I watched the practice continue.

    ¡®You¡¯re not that good, you know?¡¯ I almost jumped in surprise from hearing a voice right next to me, not even noticing that someone else was there.

    I looked over and saw a kid sitting next to me, sharp, astute eyes staring up at me behind thin glasses, unblinking and having an uncanny, fake look about them. He looked like he was only ten, and he wore a backpack with a miniature 49ers helmet dangling from it.

    In his hands was a thick notepad opened up, a pencil laying against it. A quick glance at the pad and I saw a list of descriptive features to identify different players and notes on them underneath.

    I snatched the notepad from him. ¡®What do we have here? A spy from other teams? What are you doing out here, brat?¡¯

    ¡®Hey! Give it back you, ass!¡¯ I easily held it out of his desperate reach. ¡®I¡¯m not spying! I¡¯m just a scout, dammit! I¡¯m creating a portfolio on all the players,¡¯ he said.

    ¡®Does the coach know you¡¯re doing this kinda thing?¡¯

    ¡®... No.¡¯ He stopped trying to snatch it back. ¡®I was gonna show them after I was done.¡¯

    I flicked through it till I found a description fitting myself. ¡®Let¡¯s see here¡­ shark face huh? Shitty fucking brat.¡¯ I sighed as my eyes scanned the page.

    ¡®Good fundamentals. Mhmm. Well-rounded. Animal instinct¡­ sluggish first step? Difficult to manage? Goes against the system?! What the fuck does a brat like you know?¡¯

    ¡®Hmph. I wasn¡¯t finished with yours. If you let me have it back I still need to put down anger issues.¡¯

    I threw the notepad back into his lap. ¡®Like I said, you don¡¯t know shit.¡¯

    ¡®See! Anger issues. Acting like such a diva, like you¡¯re some superstar ¡­ Your team chemistry is way too low, and it¡¯s so undeserved, because you act like you¡¯re a nighty-nine overall when honestly, you¡¯re closer to a seventy-five.¡¯

    ¡®This isn¡¯t fucking Madden,¡¯ I said.

    ¡®No. You¡¯d be a zero if it was Madden. I was comparing you to other high schoolers.¡¯

    I glared at him, holding my tongue.

    ¡®Even if you¡¯re the star player of this team, congrats on being king of the trash heap. You won¡¯t win shit if you don¡¯t fix your issues. Fast.¡¯

    ¡®Tch. Keep watching from the sidelines, brat. I bet you¡¯re not even on your middle school team. I doubt even your pee wee team wanted you.¡¯

    His hands tightened their grip on his notepad and pencil, but he didn¡¯t say anything as I stood up and walked away.

    Bella came over to meet me at the sideline as I walked away from the bleachers.

    ¡®Cooled down enough to join us again, Samuels?¡¯ she asked.

    I nodded.

    ¡®Good. Now, if you pull another stunt like that, your ass is going home early.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll be on my best behaviour, ma¡¯am.¡¯ I said with the most artificial sweetness I could muster.

    ¡®Who are you calling ma¡¯am?! We¡¯re the same age! G-Go do some sprints!¡¯

    ***

    When all the drills were done for the day, we moved to the weight room to finish off our practice. Apparently, my overall physical strength was ¡°lacking¡±, even for my size. At least according to Bella.

    After our weights session, Coach Long called us all together for one last announcement.

    ¡®Good work on your first practice today, boys. It was a good effort across the board, now we need to keep it up, we¡¯ve only got a month till the start of the season, and we need you all in fighting shape before then.¡¯

    Bella and Coach Norman started walking around and handing out large binders to each of the exhausted players.

    ¡®On that topic, here¡¯s the playbook for this season. Study it thoroughly. It¡¯s got all the important information for each and every one of you highlighted. I need you all to have it mesmerised before the first game.¡¯

    I took my copy and gave it a quick skim, frowning a little.

    ¡®Alright, I won¡¯t hold you up any further. Great work today, go home and rest up, you all deserve it.¡¯

    I looked around, the rest of the players were eager to head out and get home. I stayed right where I was, and I noticed Rabbit did too, his wide eyes staring at me as if he was watching to see what I did so he could follow suit.

    I needed to work harder. I could still push myself more.

    Seventy-five overall¡­ that¡¯s bullshit. I won¡¯t stand for it! I¡¯ll prove it to everyone. It¡¯ll be an undisputable fact, that I am the best in the world.

 Chapter 10: Hell on Turf

    Jackson POV

    ¡®Good luck with your first day of practice!¡¯ my mom called out to me. I didn¡¯t turn back or even say anything to acknowledge her as I walked away from the car. I only raised my arm and waved goodbye to her.

    I was around ten minutes early, but it looked like everyone else on the team¡ªboth coaches and players¡ªwas already there. Despite being one of the last to show up, I didn¡¯t draw any extra attention.

    I found a quiet part of the field and started going through some stretches to loosen and warm up. I kept to myself, head lowered and eyes cast on the grass beneath me for the most part.

    When it was time to start, Coach Otsen called everyone over, his voice boomed across the entire field. And as everyone gathered around him, they were all completely silent.

    ¡®Welcome to the first session of practice. For those of you who are new here, I¡¯m going to be upfront. This will be brutal. I don¡¯t hold back and I won¡¯t pull any punches with you guys. I¡¯m here to bring the best out of you all, and to do that I¡¯m gonna have to put you through hell. If you decide to back out or half-ass it, that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s your opportunity you¡¯ll be wasting.¡¯

    I was a little worried by what Coach Otsen was saying, though maybe he was just playing up how bad it¡¯d be to try and scare us. Though, from what little I¡¯d seen of Coach Otsen, he seemed like a bluntly honest man.

    ¡®JV team, you¡¯ll be working out separately from the varsity players, but I want you to watch your more experienced teammates and learn from the examples they set. They¡¯re the targets you¡¯re trying to surpass.¡¯

    Almost every player on the JV team turned their eyes towards their varsity counterparts. Some looked with admiration and hope, others looked with jealousy and anger. Most of the varsity players kept their eyes on Coach and ignored the looks.

    ¡®For now. JV players. Line up and get on the scales.¡¯ Coach Otsen pointed to multiple heavy-duty scales, the kind you¡¯d see boxers use before a big fight. They had been set up on the sideline and an assistant trainer stood by each one.

    Confused murmurs spread through most of the JV team before some people stepped forward to weigh themselves first. And after Coach shouted at the rest of us to hurry up, we all quickly fell in line.

    As I stood in line, waiting for my turn, I noticed that some of the varsity players had moved over to where Coach Knight was, standing beside a few large boxes, and one by one he¡¯d hand them a hefty, padded vest pulled from one of the boxes.

    From everyone¡¯s reaction and how they moved as they put the vests on, the vests seemed to be weighted.

    Wait¡­ Tommy? I blinked, staring harder at one of the varsity players grabbing a vest. I shook my head. No, what am I thinking? Of course it isn¡¯t him. It was stupid to think my brother would be here, he¡¯s already in college.

    The player in question looked at me as he pulled the vest on tight. He was huge. He must¡¯ve been a senior, but hell, he looked like he should be in college already. Even then his size and physique would¡¯ve been impressive.

    Even though he reminded me of my older brother at a glance, the hair was different, like Tommy¡¯s dark curls had been straightened out. I looked away as he kept matching my stare, and soon it was my turn on the scales.

    I was sitting at 137 pounds (roughly 62 kg). I looked to the assistant and asked him what this was all for, but he just pointed me in Coach Knight¡¯s direction and told me to relay the number to him.

    I went over and did so, and Coach Knight responded with a silent nod. He then pulled out a vest from the crate, as well as some beanbag-looking objects, stuffing more of them into pockets of the vest.

    When he was done fiddling around with the vest, he held it up to me and I slipped my head through it as he helped me get it on. It felt heavy but manageable¡ªthen Coach Knight let go and I had to bear the full weight over my frame.

    I nearly crumpled to the floor, and I probably would¡¯ve if not for Coach Knight holding me up with one hand against my chest.

    ¡®Stand strong,¡¯ he said. I looked up at him, still shaking under the pressure of the vest. I then looked around and found every other freshman who had come before me, was in a similar situation, though almost every one of them had been dropped to their hands and knees by their own weighted vest.

    One stood firm, though looked like he might pop a blood vessel at any moment with the amount of strain caused by just staying on his own two feet..

    ¡®What¡­ the¡­ fuck?!¡¯ one of the boys on the ground yelled. Coach Otsen moved over due to the outburst.

    ¡®I should have explained. Those of you in JV, you¡¯ll have to work much harder to catch up to those on the varsity team. To do that, you¡¯d need to work twice as hard as them, right? That¡¯s why, for every second of every practice, you need to carry twice your weight. Solution? Add your own weight on top of you with those vests.¡¯

    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Coach Knight moved away from me to fit the next player, who now was trying to back out of wearing the vest as the full situation had been explained to us.

    With nothing else to support me, it was all I could do to stay standing under the added weight of another me.

    And we¡¯re expected to train in this condition? That¡¯s insane! I can¡¯t even move! I looked over to the older players who had come over to get a vest of their own volition.

    Out of the dozens of players on the varsity team, only several of them wore a vest, but each and every one of them stood there, unfazed by the added burden.

    Again, I locked eyes with the one I had almost mistaken for Tommy, he looked the most relaxed out of everyone. I quickly looked away but clenched my entire body and resisted the urge to slump to the floor and give in to the weight.

    ¡®If you¡¯ve got a problem with it, I don¡¯t give a fuck. Take them off, but if you do, know that you¡¯ll never play for me. There are plenty more kids desperate to make my team and have a shot at being a champion.¡¯

    Coach Otsen glared at us like we were worms struggling and squirming on the floor. ¡®But if you want to be winners, then you¡¯ll shut the fuck up and carry that weight like a champion. And if you can act like a champion, then I promise each and every one of you, I¡¯ll make you champions.¡¯

    Most of the kids didn¡¯t buy into his speech and struggled out of their vests, quitting the team on the spot. But some stayed, barely enough to have a full team but no bench, even then we¡¯d still need a few people to play on both defence and offence.

    None of the coaches or trainers seemed bothered by around twenty kids just up and leaving. ¡®Good. Don¡¯t bother with little shits like them. We don¡¯t need ¡®em. Those of you who stayed, congratulations on passing the first trial. You just took your first step into Hell, now, the real challenge can begin.¡¯

    ***

    Coach Otsen was being serious when he said we¡¯d have to complete each session of practice with the vests on for the entirety of it. And to start us off, we all had to ¡°run¡± laps around the field.

    Of course, the only ones from the JV squad who could actually run while wearing the vests were those sophomores who had been on the team last year as well. But even they could barely move faster than walking speed.

    Meanwhile, the varsity team, even those who chose to wear their own vests, rushed through the laps without any issue, and could quickly move on to some proper drills and exercises.

    I watched those among them that wore vests and I almost couldn¡¯t believe how fluidly they moved while wearing them. Maybe they were lighter? They had to be, they didn¡¯t even look like they were affected at all.

    Us freshmen were reduced to crawling at a snail¡¯s pace. Coach Knight watched over us every inch of the way. A couple more players gave up during these laps and quit the team, but still, no one cared.

    If anyone lagged too far behind, Coach Otsen would make his way over from overseeing the varsity squad to personally ¡°inspire¡± them to keep going. His form of inspiration was to call the offender just about every name under the sun whilst telling them to give up ¡°if they were going to be so pathetic¡± as he put it.

    I kept myself shuffling forward, little by little, even as sweat poured off me, and every muscle in my body screamed at me to stop. I was near the front of the little worm colony, though one worm had been ahead of me the whole time.

    During our third lap around the field, he stopped, and I caught up to him, going to pass by when he shouted,

    ¡®Dammit¡­ fucking move!¡¯ I froze as I was next to him and I looked at him. He was in tears, but it didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d even noticed I was there yet. ¡®I can¡¯t stop here!¡¯

    His head was so low to the ground that his dark green hair was resting against the turf, and even his nose was almost pushed against it. Sweat dripped from his face, and his eyes were still full of life and anger behind the tears. His hands tore at the turf.

    He was around the same size as me, maybe a bit shorter. It was hard to tell like this. But I remembered that he was the one who could actually stand after putting his vest on.

    ¡®Hey¡­. It¡¯s alright man ¡­ take a breather ¡­ if you need it,¡¯ I said, still struggling to breathe.

    His head snapped around to me, eyes glaring in my direction as he was panting just as heavily as me. ¡®Don¡¯t ¡­ you look down on me!¡­ No one¡¯s ¡­ allowed ¡­ to look down on me¡­. Never again!¡¯

    ¡®Whoa ¡­ no, I-I¡¯m sorry¡­. I wasn¡¯t ¡­ looking down on you¡­. You¡¯re doing ¡­ better than I am¡­. But ¡­ we¡¯re both in the ¡­ same boat here.¡¯ I laid down against the grass, resting for a moment.

    His eyes softened and he turned his gaze away. He looked just as troubled as I was. ¡®Sorry¡­. I didn¡¯t mean to yell at you¡­. This shit sucks but I¡¯m just mad at myself for not being able to push through it.¡¯ He lowered to the ground as well.

    ¡®You¡¯re doing pretty damn good ¡­ don¡¯t beat yourself up about it ¡­ this is practically torture, I¡¯m surprised Coach can get away with it.¡¯ We lay there catching our breath. ¡®...I¡¯m Jackson, by the way.¡¯

    ¡®Ken Murata ¡­ just call me Kenny.¡¯ He offered me a fist bump.

    ¡®Kenny, cool¡­. Um, I¡¯m a Wideout, what about you?¡¯

    ¡®Same¡­. But, I¡¯m gonna play Defensive Back too. Looks like we¡¯ll need most people to play both sides anyway.¡¯

    I looked back at the other worms encroaching upon us. There really weren¡¯t a lot of JV players left anymore. Is this even worth it? I was so caught up in my own head that I didn¡¯t even notice Coach Otsen beside us.

    ¡®Are you ladies done talking about your pussies yet? Get a fucking move on. We aren¡¯t here so you can have a little tea party together. Or do you both wanna give up already? Why are you even here if you can¡¯t do five simple laps around the field?!¡¯

    ¡®Sorry, sir! No sir! I¡¯m gonna be the best Receiver and won¡¯t be beaten by anyone, sir!¡¯ Ken yelled out and started crawling forward with renewed vigour, leaving me behind. I looked up at Coach, having finally caught my breath.

    ¡®Well? What are you waiting for? Quit or get crawling!¡¯ He stared down at me. Why was I even putting myself through this? Maybe I should quit. It would be easier than moving forward, wouldn¡¯t it?

 Chapter 11: Conquer the Nation

    Ty POV

    Regular practices had at least made the summer pass by faster, and eventually, my waiting was almost over¡ªwe¡¯d finally made it to the last session before our opening game of the season.

    Though the closer we got to that fated date, each day seemed to drag on longer. I could feel the energy building inside of me more, like every muscle inside of me had been wound too tight.

    Game day couldn¡¯t come soon enough. I still didn¡¯t know who we¡¯d be facing, but it didn¡¯t matter, whoever was put in front of me, I¡¯d crush them.

    I dumped my bike at the field, rolling my shoulders as I walked onto the turf, as early as ever. Coach Long, his daughter, and Luke were there like usual too. I wondered if there would be anything special for this final practice before the game.

    It turned out I wasn¡¯t the first player to show up that day. Throughout the time between the first practice and now, Rabbit had been showing up to practice a few minutes earlier each time, until one day he had finally gotten there before me¡ªthat had happened about a week ago.

    Right now he was already running laps around the field, though as I started going through my stretches, and he finished the lap he was currently on, he made his way over to me.

    ¡®H-Hey! You excited, Ty? I hear Coach has an a-announcement to make,¡¯ Rabbit said. I looked up at him as I sat on the ground, reaching out to touch my toes.

    ¡®I wonder what that could be,¡¯ I said. I had a couple of ideas¡ªhe could be announcing our opponents, or maybe Rabbit was hoping that Coach would be announcing the starting lineup for the game and could move some of the JV players up to the varsity squad.

    ¡®W-Well, either way. I-I can¡¯t wait for the games this weekend,¡¯ he said, showing off his large teeth with a dumb grin.

    As I went through the rest of my warmup to pass the time before practice officially got underway, Rabbit stuck by my side the whole time. A habit that he¡¯d started since the beginning of our practices, and one he¡¯d been getting more comfortable with as he stuck closer and closer to me each time.

    I wouldn¡¯t call Rabbit my friend, throughout the summer I hadn¡¯t become friendly with any of my teammates; though I might¡¯ve made a few enemies.

    Rabbit at least was the most fascinating of my teammates. I mean, in a sea of unremarkable players, it was inevitable the worst of them would stick out. But even so, he tried the hardest, seemingly trying to outdo me when it came to effort.

    But for what? He seemed just as hopeless as when we had our tryouts all those weeks ago. I frowned as we stopped for a sip of water and a little breather.

    ¡®Why do you try so hard?¡¯ I suddenly asked him. He was caught off guard by the question but answered after wiping his mouth.

    ¡®T-To get better, why else? Why do y-you try so hard?¡¯

    I ignored his question. ¡®But why football? You¡¯re clearly no good at it.¡¯ He was taken aback, looking hurt by my statement. He looked down, keeping quiet for a while before finally speaking up.

    ¡®It-It¡¯s true that¡­ I-I¡¯m not as talented as you, b-but even so, I-I¡¯ll do my best and get st-stronger.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re too small and weak. And you won¡¯t change that, no matter how hard you work. I¡¯m sure a lot of people have told you that if you work hard you can do anything, and even surpass those who are more gifted. But they¡¯re lying to you. No matter how hard a piece of trash works, it¡¯ll never close the distance between itself and greatness.¡¯

    He clenched his fists but stayed quiet, so I continued. ¡®If you try to work twice as hard as me, I¡¯ll just work even harder. You¡¯ll never catch me, no matter how hard you chase after my back.¡¯

    ¡®Th-Then I¡¯ll just keep chasing forever! I-I¡¯ll never give up¡­ even if it¡¯s just you and me so high up that we tower above all others¡­ wh-what¡¯s wrong with being second behind you?¡¯

    It was my turn to be silent as I was surprised by the grit in not just his words but his eyes as well. By now, most of the team had shown up and practice was about to get underway.

    Coach Long called for the players to gather around so he could start things off. Rabbit looked at me and then quickly lowered his eyes again, shuffling over towards the others.

    That fucking trash. He doesn¡¯t get it! He doesn¡¯t deserve to stand on the same field as me.

    ***

    Before practice began, the only announcement Coach Long made was for everyone to stay focused as the beginning of the season approached. And the practice itself wasn¡¯t anything special.

    Aside from going through some specific plays that were going to be a focal point of our offensive and defensive gameplans for the weekend, it was just like any other practice we¡¯d had before.

    Throughout it all, I couldn¡¯t help my eyes from drifting back to Rabbit as he struggled through the drills and scrimmages. I watched him like a hawk, trying to see if there had been any improvement at all.

    Maybe he was a little faster, a little tighter with his technique, his steps were more deliberate and his arms didn¡¯t look like they were blindly flailing about whenever he tried to guard someone.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    But he was still clearly the worst player even on the JV team. It was just embarrassing to see him trying so hard and failing to outperform other lowlifes who were just coasting through practice.

    Eventually, we came to a point in practice where the DBs and Receivers were going up against each other in 1-on-1s again. When it was Rabbit¡¯s turn to guard, I couldn¡¯t resist my urge and forced my way over to the front of the Receiver line.

    ¡®Hey, the fuck are you¡ª¡¯ the irrelevant WR I had cut off started to speak.

    ¡®Shut up. I¡¯m facing this one.¡¯ I didn¡¯t even look back at him. I was too busy staring down Rabbit in front of me.

    Bella looked over, raising a brow. ¡®Is there a problem here, boys?¡¯

    ¡®N-No Coach Short!¡¯ Rabbit spoke up first. ¡®Uhh¡­ I mean um, Bella. Um, no¡­ uh no m-ma¡¯am.¡¯

    I looked at Bella, smiling a bit. ¡®I¡¯m just trying to show Rabbit something.¡¯ I didn¡¯t pay attention to the WR¡¯s reaction.

    She frowned, studying me with an intense glare, but Coach Hoang¡¯s voice took control of the situation.

    ¡®Let them go at it. It¡¯s good for the defence to get a bit of practice on the flip side of things. It¡¯ll help them understand what their opponents are trying to do to them.¡¯

    Bella sighed quietly but raised her whistle to her mouth and paused to let us get ready.

    When that shrill cry rang out, I burst forward, hitting Rabbit in the chest and forcing him off-balance as he struggled to backpedal fast enough to keep up with my charge.

    I ploughed forward a few more steps before suddenly stopping and pivoting, putting my back to Rabbit as I raised my hands, calling for the ball.

    I was more like a Centre in Basketball sealing out a defender in the low post rather than a Receiver running a route, but it was to prove a point.

    I used my body to keep the smaller Rabbit at bay as the ball was slung my way. He struggled and squirmed, trying to wriggle around me and reach out to block the ball¡¯s path, but I easily shielded him away from it.

    I caught the ball on my chest with one arm, and at the same time, I shoved Rabbit off me, throwing him down to the ground and standing over him.

    I glared down at him, and he stared up at him, eyes still full of fight.

    ¡®Tch!¡¯ I turned my head and spat onto the turf before dropping the ball onto him and walking off. Rabbit quickly picked himself back up and handed the ball back to one of the QBs before getting back in line.

    Bella and Luke watched us both closely, but even as we stood together in line¡ªRabbit standing at attention behind me as I paced back and forth impatiently¡ªwe didn¡¯t say another word to each other.

    The rest of practice passed without issue. As we were making our way off the field and into the gym to finish with some weight training like usual, I couldn¡¯t help but notice Luke off to the side, speaking with a familiar brat.

    That damn spy had showed up to each of our practices, and though he kept to himself on the sidelines, it was still infuriating to see his stupid face and those unblinking, hawk-like eyes every time.

    Seventy-five overall¡­ His words from our first meeting still burned away at me a bit, even if I tried not to think about them.

    The little shit wasn¡¯t even anyone¡¯s brother. He was just some creepy kid that showed up to watch every practice, and called himself a scout. What the hell would Coach Hoang even want with him? Maybe he was banning him from our practices finally. I could only hope.

    I tried to focus on my sets, but my conversation with that ¡°Seventy-five¡± brat kept echoing in my head.

    I¡¯d tried to reevaluate my game after the talk we had. My greatness should stand out clearly, but the tone of his words didn¡¯t sound disingenuous or like he was simply lying to try and get a rise out of me.

    Trying to find a mistake in myself would bring me back to my duel with Harry. But even there, where I was so easily defeated and dominated, I couldn¡¯t see what I had done wrong. I was blind.

    If there isn¡¯t a specific problem, one key area where I fucked up ¡­ then I just have to get better everywhere. I thought. It was the best answer I had.

    By the time we were done in the gym my whole body ached and I felt like I was burning up from the inside. But it wasn¡¯t time to go home, Coach Long hadn¡¯t made his announcement yet.

    Coming out of the gym, Luke and the brat were still talking. I had to go over and see what was so interesting that they were still chatting away after all this time.

    ¡®Oi. Don¡¯t tell me this is your snot-nosed brother, Coach.¡¯

    The brat looked up at me as if I¡¯d just said the stupidest thing ever. ¡®How would that even work? He¡¯s Asian and I¡¯m Mexican. Do you need glasses or something?¡¯

    Luke laughed a bit, whirling himself around to face me. ¡®Nothing like that, Samuels. Ricky and I were just talking about our upcoming opponents for this weekend.¡¯

    My anger at Ricky¡¯s comments was quickly pushed aside by my intrigue at who we would be facing. ¡®Who are they?¡¯

    ¡®Well, this year we¡¯re starting things off against the Mayfair Monsoons, but that¡¯s nothing special. What¡¯s interesting is that they seem to have a fresh wave of talent joining them this year, according to our little scout here,¡¯ Luke said, smiling at Ricky.

    Ricky grinned and wiped his nose, looking pleased with himself, though I was more than a little sceptical. ¡®So, what¡¯s special about them?¡¯ I asked.

    ¡®They¡¯re crazy athletic. They musta pushed really hard to recruit the stars of their Track and Field club to join the team this year. So uh, they¡¯re pretty raw from what I¡¯ve seen, but they¡¯re really physical,¡¯ he explained.

    ¡®Who¡¯s their best Receiver?¡¯ That was all that mattered to me¡ªwho I had to shut down.

    ¡®Uhh¡­ I can¡¯t really tell who they¡¯d target most in a game. I guess it¡¯ll depend if they wanna go for speed or power more.¡¯ He scratched his nose. ¡®They haven¡¯t played any preseason games.¡¯

    I sighed, but before the conversation could go any further, Coach Norman let out a loud whistle and called for everyone to huddle up.

    Luke and I made our way over, Luke heading to the front with the rest of the Coaches as I blended into the crowd of players. All eyes were focused on Coach Long.

    ¡®First of all, great practice today, give yourselves a pat on the back, you¡¯ve all done really well this summer. Which is a really great thing because I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all going to be excited to hear this news.¡¯

    There was some murmuring amongst the listeners as Coach Long paused for a moment, everyone taking guesses at what it could be.

    ¡®The NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) has just recently announced, that at the end of this season, the champions of every state will compete against each other in a tournament to find the strongest team in the nation.¡¯

    I zoned out from everything else after that¡ªnothing else was important after such a revelation. There was going to be a national championship.

    I was going to be a national champion. There was no way I could let any other team come between me and the title of being strongest in the nation.

 Chapter 12: Regression

    Jackson POV

    ¡®Jackson ¡­ Jackson. Yo, Jackson!¡¯ My mind plummeted from the clouds and crash-landed back on the ground. My eyes focused on the familiar face in front of me¡ªEddie, my best friend.

    ¡®Bro, what was my lap time?¡¯ he asked me. I blinked and then looked down at my phone, the stopwatch on it still running.

    ¡®Ah, I-I zoned out, sorry.¡¯ I rubbed the back of my head.

    ¡®Maaaan¡­ that felt like a really good one too. Oh well, no prob bro, gimme a minute and I¡¯ll smash out an even better one.¡¯ He laughed and grinned. I smiled at him, though it quickly faded as I nodded and looked down again.

    ¡®Hey, you sure you¡¯re doing good?¡¯ He sat down next to me with a thud. I looked at him again, his trusting eyes were staring through me with genuine concern.

    I¡¯d known Eddie since elementary school, we were as close as brothers, and he¡¯d been my Quarterback when we played Football together in middle school. We¡¯d also been on the track team during that time and were unstoppable in any relay.

    He¡¯d been with me for most of my life, always there for me and willing to help me out, his bright smile could always cheer me up. I turned my head away and shook it.

    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me, bro. This training has just been crazy tough,¡¯ I said.

    ¡®Ohh, right right, I¡¯d heard about that, the Coach is some kinda psycho. Didn¡¯t a bunch of people drop out after the first practice? Hah, I think I made the right decision passing that up this year.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah¡­.¡¯ I thought back to the latest trip to Hell Coach had taken us on. Each practice seemed tougher than the last, I thought they¡¯d get easier, but that didn¡¯t seem to be the case for me at all.

    The backs of the varsity team continued to stay just as distant as they were on that first practice, their infallible poise under the pressure and strain of it all seemed even more unattainable for me.

    Not only that, but those who had been behind me at the start were creeping closer and starting to overtake me already, and Kenny was crawling further ahead each week. He¡¯d completely leave me behind sooner or later.

    I was stagnant, even Coach Otsen had noticed. His booming voice would echo around my skull long after practice was over. Why did I always draw his attention the most?

    ¡®But, you¡¯ve got your first game this weekend right?¡¯ Eddie¡¯s voice pulled me back to Earth again.

    ¡®Oh, yeah. We do,¡¯ I muttered.

    ¡®Maaan, at least you guys get stuck right into it. I¡¯m pretty sure our first meet is still ages away. You¡¯re lucky.¡¯ Eddie pushed himself back up.

    Lucky ¡­ what¡¯s so lucky about being me? I¡¯m just a dumbass who thought he could play Football. Maybe it¡¯s not too late to sign up for the Track team.

    ¡®Yo, imma do another lap. Don¡¯t forget to stop the clock this time, okay, bro?¡¯ Eddie said.

    ¡®I won¡¯t. Sorry again.¡¯ I watched him as he moved away to his starting point on the oval track. Eddie was going for a personal best on a single lap of the 400-metre track. He looked over to me and gave a thumbs-up once he was ready in the blocks.

    ¡®On your marks. Get set. Go!¡¯ I started the timer as he shot off and quickly got into a steady rhythm. He was smooth along the track, almost as if he was gliding.

    How nostalgic is this? This smell. I inhaled deeply, it reminded me of the one time my mom tried using the oven at home as a kiln for her pottery. The hint of sweat in the air and the harsh sun brought me back to the countless track meets I had with Eddie and how we¡¯d always come back with sunburn no matter how many times our parents reminded us to wear sunscreen.

    I really should¡¯ve stayed with Track. Wouldn¡¯t it be so much more fun? Why didn¡¯t they follow me into football as well? They abandoned me. I shook my head, frowning at those thoughts.

    Eddie was almost done with his lap, and I kept my eyes on him the rest of the way, clocking the time as soon as he passed the finish line and was right back where he started.

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡®How¡¯d he do?¡¯ I jumped as I heard the voice behind me. I looked back and squinted, glaring up at the boy standing over me.

    ¡®Sachin? Don¡¯t creep up on me like that,¡¯ I said as my large friend slowly lowered himself down next to me. His black singlet was drenched in sweat and he was practically dripping on me as he leaned over to look at my phone screen.

    ¡®Dude¡­ did you have to wear your turban? It¡¯s way too hot for that, no?¡¯ I said that, but even throughout all of middle school, I¡¯d rarely seen him without it on.

    ¡®Bruh, how many times do I have to tell you it keeps the sun off my head¡­ shit, he still can¡¯t get sub 49?¡¯

    Eddie made his way back over, trying to catch his breath. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Sachin and I just both shook our heads.

    ¡®Ahhhhh! Fuck. It¡¯s so damn hard! Bro, everyone else is so damn fast¡­¡¯ I stared down at the phone screen. None of us had ever run under 50 seconds for one lap before high school, yet we¡¯d always won our 4x400 relays.

    ¡®I doubt I¡¯ll even make the relay team at this rate.¡¯

    ¡®Really?¡¯ I looked up at Eddie; the 400 had always been his speciality. ¡®But what about the others?¡¯ I looked at Sachin and he laughed.

    ¡®No way. I¡¯m nowhere near good enough for any of the races. I¡¯m just sticking to throwing shit now.¡¯ He had always been the biggest of our team, the slowest, but he was the strongest kid I knew growing up.

    ¡®What about Marcus?¡¯

    Eddie shook his head. ¡®Nah, focusing on the 100 metre and long jump.¡¯

    ¡®Speak of the devil,¡¯ Sachin said. ¡®I see you didn¡¯t get a better haircut over summer.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, bitch. At least I ain¡¯t hiding my bald head.¡¯ Marcus walked over, a towel draped over his slender shoulders. He ran a hand over his head, his coarse black hair shaved down almost all the way. His thick legs were trembling.

    ¡®Damn¡­ so both teams are really fucked huh? No more Football and no more relays?¡¯ I said. I was met with silence for a little while before Eddie laughed.

    ¡®Not like we could¡¯ve kept doing the relay forever anyway. We always knew the others couldn¡¯t cut it, Sachin was too slow and Marcus blows his load in the first 100 metres then he might as well be as slow as Sachin, bro.¡¯

    ¡®Man, shut yo slow ass up, just cause you can¡¯t handle the sprint you gotta focus on those long ass boring races,¡¯ Marcus said.

    ¡®I know you ain¡¯t talking, bruh, didn¡¯t you almost die benching 50 pounds? Weaker than a girl I swear,¡¯ Sachin said, Eddie being hit with insults from both sides.

    Eddie just laughed it off as I smiled a bit. ¡®And uh, besides. None of us were good enough to follow Jack into Football.¡¯

    ¡®Shit, ain¡¯t I hear that you only got in JV? The fucks up with that? The Coach got something against you? ¡®Cause, ain¡¯t no way you not good enough for varsity,¡¯ Marcus said. My smile slowly faded.

    ¡®Bruh, if you are only JV level, then even if we showed up for tryouts, no way we woulda made even JV.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah. I guess the jump to high school level is just really insane¡­ none of us were expecting it huh?¡¯ I looked around at them all. Eddie grinned and slapped everyone on the back.

    ¡®But hey! We¡¯ve got four years to conquer this level. That¡¯s plenty of time. We¡¯ll smash every record there is for the paths we¡¯ve chosen, even if we¡¯re not working together anymore, we¡¯re still a team. And we¡¯re still the best!¡¯

    ¡®Maaaaaan. Shut yo corny ass up, bruh!¡¯ Marcus and Sachin laughed, both punching Eddie¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡®Aww c¡¯mon maaan. When did you guys get so mean? Y¡¯all fucking stink anyway. Hit the showers so we can go home, bro, I need to beat your asses in Mortal Kombat.¡¯

    ¡®Bruh! I needa get you a turban too, the heat stroke must be messing you up if you think you¡¯re touching anyone in MK.¡¯

    I watched their backs drift further away as they went off to the lockers. Why couldn¡¯t every day just be like this? I had a smile on my face. I just wanna chill with these guys forever, does anything else matter?

    ***

    I got back home from Eddie¡¯s place just as the sun was disappearing beyond the horizon. I called out to let my parents know I was back, and that I¡¯d already eaten dinner. I went straight to my room and flopped down face-first on my bed.

    I could¡¯ve drifted off just like that, forget homework, forget getting changed. But my phone dinged, and I had to look. I rolled over onto my back and brought up the message¡ªit was from Kenny.

    ¡®Hey! Did you see the news?¡¯ was his message.

    ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯

    ¡®Well, okay I know it doesn¡¯t really matter to us in JV. BUT! There¡¯s gonna be a national championship this year for the varsity teams.¡¯

    I stared at his message for a while, my chest tightening. I must¡¯ve taken too long to respond cause Kenny sent another message.

    ¡®But, I mean, if we could get on the varsity team, wouldn¡¯t that be cool? I think national champs has a good ring to it.¡¯

    National champions? I thought. The goal seemed so far out of reach that it was impossible. How could I be a national champion? I couldn¡¯t even make it out of JV. How could I be one of the best players in the nation if I couldn¡¯t make it on my school¡¯s varsity team let alone every other school in the nation?

    How could I be so arrogant to have such a dream, when I wasn¡¯t even better than him? But it didn¡¯t stop me from wanting it. It didn¡¯t stop my heart from hurting at the prospect of never accomplishing the dream that had just been realised¡ªit made my inadequacy all the more insufferable.

    ¡®I wanna be the best.¡¯

 Chapter 13: Game Day

    Ty POV

    All throughout the day, I couldn¡¯t stop my hand from shaking, nor could I keep my mind from thinking about tonight. I might as well have just stayed at home with how little attention I paid at school that day, too focused on the game that would be played that night.

    Even when I got back home my hand didn¡¯t stop shaking. I lay there in my bed, eyes closed as I listened to my rapidly-pounding heart and held my hand to my chest. Nothing would calm me down, not until I stepped onto the field and the game got underway, only then would I relax, back in my element.

    Aside from Megan, no one else knew what was happening that night. No one else would¡¯ve cared, they were never bothered about my middle school games, so why would these be any different to them.

    I didn¡¯t care either, even if Megan didn¡¯t show up, it made no difference. I wasn¡¯t playing for anyone else. If there were 100,000 people watching me or no one at all, nothing changed.

    My phone rang loudly, shaking against my pillow as an alarm went off. It was time to get ready and go. I sat up and shut off the alarm. I got out of bed and started to pack my things into my bag.

    Megan was waiting for me when I stepped out into the hall. I hesitated for a moment before moving past her carefully.

    ¡®I¡¯m going out, I¡¯ll be back later tonight,¡¯ I quietly said.

    ¡®Good luck¡­ uhm.¡¯ She paused. I stopped and turned my head back to look at her. She was looking at the ground before she moved closer and wrapped her arms around me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

    ¡®Do you want me to come cheer you on?¡¯

    ¡®...I don¡¯t care. Do what you want, the game¡¯s at seven. You know where the school is?¡¯

    She nodded.

    ¡®Well, yeah. Come if you want.¡¯ I only half hugged her back before moving away and heading for the door. She followed me all the way as we slipped away from the chaos.

    The twins were causing a ruckus, Victoria, our elder sister, was arguing with our parents to be given permission to go out tonight, not like she¡¯d listen if she didn¡¯t get it.

    Both our mother and father were home for once, so no one even noticed as I stepped out of the front door. Megan waved me off as I hopped onto the bike and sped off towards the school, thankfully it was a home game today.

    ***

    I had gotten there early, excessively so, but it was better than just laying there and waiting at home. Even on the field alone I felt much more at ease; my hand stopped shaking.

    Why was I so worried to begin with? I¡¯m going to win, it¡¯s inevitable.

    Once again the trio of Coach Long, Bella, and Luke were the first to show up after me. They were surprised to find me there, but with their arrival it was like the floodgates had opened as officials and others started pouring onto the field as well to make sure things were in order before the game.

    I went over to my coaches and followed them towards the locker room.

    ¡®Early and eager, huh, Samuels?¡¯ Coach Long laughed.

    ¡®Did you even go home?¡¯ Bella asked. I ignored her as Coach Long got the door unlocked.

    ¡®You know, I¡¯m sure if you asked the coach, he wouldn¡¯t mind picking you up as well,¡¯ Luke said.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine,¡¯ I said sharply. I didn¡¯t need their help like that. I looked at Luke. It made sense that he always came with them, it¡¯s not like I expected him to be able to drive himself around.

    When Coach Long got the door unlocked, he held it open for us all. I let the others go in first before I stepped through, quietly thanking him. I looked around, and my hand started shaking again.

    The room still felt cramped, even without any of my teammates here. The facilities were old, but they had what we needed, I didn¡¯t mind that they weren¡¯t over-the-top flashy for no reason.

    I went over to my locker and threw my bag into it, sitting on the bench in front of it and squeezing at my hand. It was strange to be in a mostly empty and quiet locker room.

    ¡®Hey. We¡¯ve got your proper uniform over here, come get your jersey and grab a helmet,¡¯ Bella said. I looked over and nodded. I stood up and went over to the table where she¡¯d laid out the uniforms and a row of helmets.

    I picked up my number ¡°21¡± jersey and held it up in the light. It was a simple design, but that¡¯s all it needed to be. It was solid black all around, with the collar and the end of the sleeves being yellow. The numbers were large and bold, filled with yellow as well and had a red outline. I checked the back of the jersey but maybe it was wishful thinking to expect my name to be there.

    When I¡¯m in college, I thought. Aside from that, it was perfect. I draped it over my shoulder as I looked over the helmets. They were black as well, with red double stripes down the middle from front to back, and the team''s logo on the sides.

    I picked one up that had a dark visor lodged in the facemask. I thought about it, before putting it down. That¡¯s not for me. I picked up a regular helmet and moved back to my locker.

    ¡®Do you have gloves?¡¯ Bella asked me.

    I looked back and shook my head. ¡®Not my style, I don¡¯t need them.¡¯ She raised a brow but shrugged and left it alone.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    Eventually, more of the team started to show up. They all looked so relaxed, pumping music and joking around with each other as we got ready. Am I the only one stressing? Am I the only one taking this seriously? I thought.

    I laced up my boots, having gotten changed into my pads, my helmet in my hands as I stared down at it, still sitting in front of my locker and staying quiet.

    I felt a hand slap me on the shoulder and then I heard JJ¡¯s gruff voice say, ¡®Keep your head up, rook. We got this. Your brothers have got your back.¡¯

    I looked back at him, but he had already moved on to the next person, giving them an affectionate smack on the pads and their own words of encouragement.

    When he had gone around the entire locker room, he sat down and Coach Long stepped into the middle of the floor. I turned to face Coach and kept my eyes on him as he grabbed everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡®Alright, alright. Settle down now boys. I¡¯m loving the energy in the room, so let¡¯s keep that going when we get out there on the field. That¡¯s the type of energy I want you all playing with, so don¡¯t forget it.¡¯ He looked around with a wide smile.

    ¡®You¡¯ve all been doing great in the practices leading up to this. The first game is always important in any season, so let¡¯s go out there and really make a statement. I want us shooting out of the gates with 110% effort. Hit ¡®em hard and hit ¡®em fast.¡¯ He motioned for us to close in.

    Everyone got up and shuffled over into a tight huddle, Coach raised a fist up above his head and each player raised one of their own against his.

    ¡®Just keep doing what we¡¯ve been practising. Don¡¯t forget what we¡¯ve been working on, and trust in the game plan. We¡¯ll set you on the right path, but it¡¯s up to you players to see it through and bring the win home for us. I know you can all do it, I¡¯ve got faith in you all. Do your best and make us all proud.¡¯

    ¡®Dons on three,¡¯ JJ said. ¡®One, two, three, DONS!¡¯ The team¡¯s collective voice boomed out and echoed around the locker room.

    ¡®Defence, stay with me a sec,¡¯ JJ said, still not moving away from the huddle as the offence and coaches started to peel away. He stood tall in the middle of the pack, fist still raised.

    ¡®Stay strong, brothers. We¡¯re all a team. We¡¯re all there for each other. Don¡¯t take a single step back, don¡¯t give an inch. We¡¯re gonna crush them, together. We¡¯re a wall, and that¡¯s why we gotta work together. If one gap opens up we crumble, so support each other and we¡¯ll suffocate those pussies!¡¯

    There were some quiet cheers and ¡°yeah¡±s as JJ¡¯s words riled up the others.

    ¡®Crush on three. One, two, three, CRUSH!¡¯ Another roar echoed out of the room and the second huddle broke away. I brought my fist down, taking a deep breath as I stared at it. The shaking had stopped.

    When we exited the locker room and ran out onto the field, we were met with a wave of cheers as the lights shone down on us. The stands were packed for the opening game of the season, and the crowd of onlookers sure made their presence known.

    We ran a lap around the field, soaking in the adulation, though my attention was elsewhere. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the opposing team standing in the middle of the field. So those are the Monsoons.

    They were gathered around their coach, the heavy-set man giving a speech to his players and trying his best to keep them from focusing on us or the crowd, but still a few pairs of eyes strayed onto us as we made our lap.

    They were all big. All of them looked taller than me; there probably weren''t any freshmen on their team. Come to think of it, I was pretty sure I was the only freshman on our team.

    When we finished our lap, we made our way to the sidelines, the crowd at our back. Coach told us to stay warm and loose. The Monsoons moved onto the opposite sideline, only empty buildings behind them.

    JJ led two other players out to the middle of the field to meet with officials and the captains of the opposing team. Our two other captains happened to be two players I¡¯d gotten into ¡°fights¡± with.

    Seems the lumbering, slow¡ªboth physically and mentally¡ªfuck Stephen Day who I¡¯d embarrassed during tryouts was a captain, along with that twisty-headed, skinny bitch, Deshaun Banks was too.

    I couldn¡¯t hear what was going on at the coin toss, but Deshaun looked like he was talking shit like usual, whereas JJ had an amiable smile on his face, and Stephen¡ªstill the tallest player on either team¡ªsilently glared down at the opposing captains.

    But as both sides came away from the interaction, the opposing captains seemed in a brighter mood as they jogged back to their team. When our captains got back, they confirmed that the other team had won the toss, and elected to go on the attack first.

    Perfect, I thought, I don¡¯t have to wait, and we can stomp out their hopes of victory straight away. I grinned.

    Coach Long had another quick message for us before the special teams squad ran out onto the field for the kickoff. ¡®Alright boys. Don¡¯t worry about the crowd, don¡¯t get sucked up into the moment. Just focus on yourself, and your teammates beside you. Go out there and do your best!¡¯

    Every member of the coaching staff made sure to pat the players on the head or back as they ran out onto the field, but as I went out to join them, Luke stopped me, holding a hand out in front of me.

    ¡®Ah, you¡¯re not on special teams, Samuels. Just sit down and wait a moment,¡¯ he said. I frowned down at him and watched as the others filed onto the field and got set up. I wasn¡¯t offended by the notion of sitting out for the kickoff, but I wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled by it either.

    Nevertheless, I took my place on the bench without complaint and watched as the game got underway. It was a decent kick, but certainly returnable. The shorty who had been back waiting for it took off with some speed.

    He made a good return, out to around the thirty-yard-line before he was crunched in a tackle by JJ. A part of me was glad the shorty held onto the ball, it would¡¯ve been such a buzzkill to have our offence take over straight away when I was supposed to be out there first.

    ¡®Get out there defence! We¡¯ll test them with ¡°Cover One Robber¡± first,¡¯ Luke ordered, his voice taking on a sterner tone that he reserved for when he was in coaching mode.

    I pulled on my helmet and jogged out onto the field, Deshaun by my side. ¡®Don¡¯t fuck up, boy,¡¯ he said as he shot me a glare.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine, worry about yourself, sorry ass bitch.¡¯ He laughed and shook his head before moving over to the huddle and informing everyone of the plan.

    JJ planted himself in the middle of the formation. Deshaun was on the sideline nearest the stands, and I was on the opposite side of the field. Each Receiver was closely covered by a man, and our four Linemen were matched up against the five of the offence.

    The shorty who had received the kickoff was their RB. Their QB was tall and slender, his spindly arms looked weak. Their line looked stout and strong. But all these I¡¯d only given a quick glance. My focus was on their Receivers.

    They were all taller than me¡ªthey were over six feet tall at least. They had solid builds, slim but not skinny. The one in front of me, number 88, didn¡¯t look tense or nervous. I hunched down in front of him, as close as I could be without being offside.

    He smirked. ¡®You sure you wanna get that close, pipsqueak?¡¯

    I narrowed my eyes but then flashed him my sharp grin. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be attached to you as soon as that ball is snapped.¡¯ I stuffed my mouthguard in and hunkered down, ready for the game to get underway.

    He laughed and kept smirking. ¡®If you can keep up.¡¯ He put his mouthguard in as well and turned his head towards his QB.

    The world went silent as I awaited the QB¡¯s signal and the snap of the ball. It was just me and my opponent in front of me. Everything else was dark, and my breathing and heartbeat were all I could hear.

    Then a loud cry burst my little world back open and the stillness exploded into movement.

    ¡®Hut!¡¯

 Chapter 14: Speed Kills

    I backed off. Not because of any fear or any doubt, but because I wanted to see what was so special about 88, if anything. I thought that there surely had to be something that made this douche feel arrogant enough to warn me of all people.

    He was fast off his mark. I should¡¯ve expected as much from a supposed track athlete. I watched his hips as I backpedalled; he had no intention of slowing down or stopping¡ªthis wasn¡¯t going to be a curl or a comeback.

    Shit! This guy wasn¡¯t doing anything. He had no thought in his mind of even trying to fake a curl or make any kind of double move. He wasn¡¯t looking to cut inside or outside, he was just sprinting ahead like he was in a fucking race.

    I turned my hips but I was already slow and late to react to him. I could only watch as he started to edge past me as we were neck and neck. He¡¯d gotten a step on me and I couldn¡¯t catch up.

    He was fast.

    I took my eyes off him and looked back to find the ball. It wasn¡¯t in the air coming our way, but the QB wasn¡¯t even looking at us. His focus was on the opposite side of the field.

    When he flung the ball that way, my eyes scanned the field to see who his target was and what the coverage was like over there.

    He was targeting what was probably the smallest Receiver on their team¡ªnumber 17, who was still six feet tall from what I could guess¡ªbut the guy was wide open. Deshaun was still trying to turn himself back around as he¡¯d already committed to covering the streak down the sideline.

    17 had stopped on a dime and was patiently waiting for the ball nine yards past the line of scrimmage.

    It was an easy catch. But by the time the ball was in 17¡¯s hands, Deshaun had recovered and was in a great position to make the tackle, even as 17 whirled around and did his best to get around Deshaun.

    When 17 was dragged to the ground it ended up being an eleven-yard play, and just like that, the chains had been moved on the Monsoon¡¯s first snap of offence.

    Both teams huddled up to go over their next play. Deshaun was cursing himself, but JJ gave him a pat on the shoulder and told him to keep his head up.

    The mood of the rest of the players was a bit tense, but they all offered some supportive words. I kept quiet, and Deshaun didn¡¯t look my way¡ªhe probably thought I¡¯d be sneering at him and eager to kick him while he was down.

    JJ had his focus on our sideline, watching the signal from Coach Huong. When he got the message, he relayed it to the rest of us to make sure we understood our assignments.

    We ended the huddle with another cry of ¡®Crush!¡¯ before we made our separate ways over to our spots on the field. Once again I was lined up in front of 88.

    This time, I knew the rest of the team wouldn¡¯t be covering a man themselves. I was the only one who was still assigned to shutting down a single target, whereas everyone else would be dropping back to cover a part of the field in a Zone.

    In the build-up before the snap of the ball, I looked over to our sideline. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at Coach Huong. He seemed to know what he was doing at least and already knew how to utilise me best.

    ¡®I had you last time. You still wanna be this close, pipsqueak?¡¯ 88 asked me. I looked up at the smug douche standing in front of me and flashed him a grin. I stayed right where I was¡ªclose enough to touch him.

    Douche shook his head, grinning down at me. Our staring match was short-lived, the calm before the storm was eviscerated by the sharp call of ¡®Hut!¡¯ from their QB and then everyone burst into motion.

    I was more prepared for Douche¡¯s speed this time and backed off further, watching him like a hawk. But he didn¡¯t rush forward this time, instead, he took off at an angle, slanting towards the middle of the field straight away.

    My eyes lit up. I knew that my teammates would be there to cover me, namely JJ, and I couldn¡¯t wait to see what would happen if Douche ran straight into a brick wall like that.

    I covered him, but stayed on his outside hip and just a step or two behind him, even bumping him forward more as I led him right where I wanted him.

    My eyes flashed to the QB, he was staring down Douche and his arm pulled back to make the throw. I changed my trajectory and undercut Douche. The ball was let loose.

    My eyes narrowed; right away I could tell I wouldn¡¯t be able to make the catch. I had stayed just too far behind in my attempt to bait the throw so I wasn¡¯t in the right spot to intercept the pass when I sprang my trap.

    Douche had his eyes locked on the ball¡ªhe was completely blind to the hulking brute barrelling down on him.

    At practically the same time that I swatted the ball from the air and spiked it into the turf, JJ crunched Douche with a hard hit, smashing his shoulder square into Douche¡¯s chest.

    Douche crumpled and slammed into the ground with a thud. He curled up and writhed around, trying to regain his breath.

    I slapped JJ on the helmet. ¡®Great hit, man!¡¯ I grinned down at Douche, leaning down a bit. ¡®You good down there, 88?¡¯ I laughed but JJ ushered me away to our huddle as some of Douche¡¯s teammates ran over and helped him back onto his feet.

    JJ received more admiration and praise for his hit from the others. Deshaun even muttered something about my pass break-up just loud enough for me to hear. We went with the same formation and the same Zone.

    When I got in front of Douche again he was still rubbing at his chest a bit and sucking in air. I looked over to the QB, keeping quiet before this snap.

    But when everyone else jumpstarted into motion, 88 stayed right where he was. It was a run. The Shorty RB, number 32, took the ball and jammed straight up the gut of our defence, following his Line as they pushed forward with all their strength.

    They were breaking through, but our LBs were quick to respond, JJ once again leading the charge as he rushed forward and plugged up the gap in our broken Line, and the next wave of defenders was able to take down Shorty after a seven-yard run.

    We met in the huddle again, the message this time was that we needed just one more stop before our job was done and we could let our offence take over.

    But they didn¡¯t have much further to go now, and that first run added another threat to look out for. All they needed was three more yards and then they¡¯d get a fresh set of downs to try again and do whatever they want.

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    As such, we came out of our soft, backed off Zone, and put more bodies closer to the line of scrimmage so as to cover the run; Coach Huong obviously saw that as the greatest threat at this distance.

    I was still matched up with Douche, but he was still huffing and puffing like crazy.

    ¡®Maybe you should stay in your lane. Go back to running laps if you can¡¯t handle one little hit,¡¯ I said.

    He glared at me and grit his teeth but didn¡¯t say anything in retaliation. How boring.

    Again the ball was snapped and again Douche didn¡¯t make any move. It looked like it¡¯d just be another run as the coaches expected.

    But this time, when the QB and Shorty broke away from one another, the QB still had the ball. Play Action? That¡¯s a lot more interesting.

    I shot backwards, Douche already in motion now and going to sprint right past me. Man, are Slants and Streaks all this douche can do?

    I knew I had help in the middle, but even he seemed to have learned that lesson too. Maybe he isn¡¯t as dumb as he looks. He was fading to the outside, pushing closer and closer towards the sideline as he ran by me.

    I ground my teeth against my mouthguard. He was a step ahead of me, again, and breaking away further thanks to catching me off guard. How was I tricked by something so simple?! While I mentally berated myself I tried my hardest to catch up, fully turning around to chase after him.

    I looked over my shoulder, and this time the ball was already on its way towards us. It soared through the air as 88 looked back at it as well and readied his hands to catch it over his shoulder.

    It was out of reach for me, but I thought something was odd about the pass, it felt like it was too far past us. If I couldn¡¯t reach it, it had to have been overthrown and there was no way Douche could reach it either.

    I could barely believe my eyes when the ball dropped into his hands and he pulled it tight against his chest, securing the catch. I shoved him down, and he hit the ground hard, but he held onto the ball.

    But relief washed over me¡ªhe was out of bounds, and from the signalling of the officials nearby, he had been out when he made the catch. It was ruled incomplete, and the hopes of the Monsoon¡¯s first offensive drive had been snuffed out just like that.

    It had been overthrown. Maybe he and his QB had learned another lesson after that play¡ªthe sideline is the 12th defender in American Football.

    I made our way over to our bench, sitting down and drinking a mouthful of water. The coaches all encouraged and praised the defence for our efforts. I looked to Coach Long and then I watched who went out to return the other team¡¯s punt.

    Again it was another shorty, one of our RBs this time. Some scrawny white kid who was only a bit bigger than me and wore number 23. I hadn¡¯t paid much attention to him during practice and I couldn¡¯t even remember his name.

    The punt was decent, and not much happened with the return, he only went forward several yards before he was swarmed and taken down.

    Then it was time for our offence to take the field for the first time that night. With it being a home game, there were plenty of cheers from the excited crowd to see their boys open the scoring with a touchdown.

    I sat back, I still felt fresh, even with all the sprinting trying to keep up with that speedy douche. But my eyes stayed focused on our offence, I wanted to see how well they¡¯d do in an actual game.

    It wasn¡¯t anything impressive, but I still never took my eyes off them. That hippie-looking QB of ours, Jay, was pretty relaxed in the pocket. From what I saw of the first drive, we usually went with a formation that made use of two RBs coming out of the backfield as they flanked Jay who was back waiting for the snap in Shotgun.

    We certainly didn¡¯t move the ball that fast or that far in one go, but it was like we ground the opposition down bit by bit, taking what we could where we could get it and steadily progressing whether it was through the air or on the ground.

    All those short-yard gains from dumping it off to the RBs in the flat or handing it off, or finding a big-bodied Receiver across the middle would pile up, and eventually, the offence made it down to just in front of the Monsoon¡¯s goal line. That¡¯s when things switched up and there was a different focal point of the attack.

    Stephen was left isolated on one side of the field as the only Receiver out there, while another Lineman ran out to further reinforce the tank that was our Line that would slowly chug forward without stopping.

    JJ even ran out there as Jay transitioned from Shotgun to being Under Center, ready to have the ball handed straight to him from the snap. With JJ behind him as the Fullback (FB) to lead the way for that scrawny little Christian McCaffrey wannabe.

    The stage was set for a simple contest of power, with our strongest players against theirs to see whose Line would win in an all out war. But American Football was rarely as simple as that.

    When the ball was snapped and Jay backtracked away from the Center, he never even thought of handing the ball off for someone else to run it in. His eyes were locked on Stephen and the undersized CB left on an island with him.

    The ball was lofted high in the air. It wasn¡¯t a perfect pass, but it was good enough¡ªit was thrown up to where Stephen, and Stephen alone, could catch it.

    They made the touchdown look so simple, and the kick for the extra point attempt afterwards went off even more smoothly. Just like that, we were up 7¨C0.

    It was our kickoff again, and their Shorty was back to return it again. This time he avoided JJ¡¯s side of the field and was able to squeeze out a few more yards from his shifty run, letting his team start at the thirty-four-yard line.

    As I got up and went to make my way out onto the field, Coach Huong stopped me again.

    ¡®Samuels. Be careful out there. I don¡¯t want to have to give you help over the top, but don¡¯t get beat deep. You were lucky it was thrown just out of bounds last time. But remember, giving up ten yards is a lot better than a touchdown.¡¯

    I clenched my fists but didn¡¯t say anything¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be good to shout at one of my coaches for being a fucking idiot in the middle of the game. I stormed out onto the field and took up my spot, we were back in our run-stopping formation.

    Douche was lined up in front of me again, a determined look on his smug, punchable face.

    ¡®I had you, again. I¡¯ll get you this time, bitch,¡¯ he said with a snarl. I glared up at him, staying silent. I was going to let my game speak for me now.

    The ball was snapped, and this guy really was a one-trick pony. He ran straight ahead, still no feints, still no other thoughts behind those vacant, dumb eyes of his.

    I ran with him, turning my hips and putting my back to the ball to keep up with him as he continued straight ahead. It was just me and him running down the sideline shoulder to shoulder, with nothing in front of us except green grass.

    He was beginning to pull away again. It was unacceptable. There was no way I was gonna lose to this trash. The ball was held a second longer this time¡ªthey were going for it all.

    When the ball left the QB¡¯s hand, his arm was surprisingly strong. It flew out like a rocket and seemed like it¡¯d soar past us both again. But that was when Douche accelerated even further.

    I pumped my legs and arms even faster. Our bodies bumped against one another but we didn¡¯t get tangled and we both kept running without missing a stride.

    He was ahead of me, the ball was going to reach him perfectly and I couldn¡¯t catch up. It would be a touchdown on their first offensive possession right after our own touchdown, I could see it clearly.

    There was no way I could let that happen. I had to make the possible impossible right then and there. NOTHING was out of reach of my arms.

    I kept my eyes on the ball, watching it all the way, and right before it could land right in Douche¡¯s waiting lap, I threw myself in its path, my arm outstretched as far as it could go.

    The moment I felt the leather of the ball grace my long fingers I reeled it in, my hand and arm clamping around the ball and hugging it tight under my armpit as I crashed on top of Douche who had also dived for the ball.

    I bounced and rolled over the top of him, coming to a stop on my knees in front of him. I slowly raised up to my feet, still clutching my prize close to my heart as I stared down at him, euphoria washing over me.

    He had such a pleasing look on his face. The kind of look you get when you stare down the barrel of a gun and realise how hopeless your situation is.

    A look filled with despair that is only attainable after your greatest pride and strength has been so overwhelmingly crushed that you lose all faith in yourself.

    Seeing that look on the faces of my enemies, that is what I lived for.

 Chapter 15: New Challenges

    The pleasure that came from all the praise and cheers I was showered with after I made it back to the bench, was nothing compared to the pleasure that rushed through me when I first saw that douche¡¯s dismayed face.

    ¡®Good stuff out there, Samuels. I hope you knew that was your limit, pretty risky play but it worked out, so you¡¯re off the hook for now,¡¯ Coach Hoang said to me.

    ¡®I won¡¯t let them score a touchdown on me, so stop worrying about it.¡¯ I sat back, downing another couple of mouthfuls of water.

    ¡®Just keep tight on him and deny the long ball, don¡¯t get too cocky.¡¯

    I turned my attention to our offence as they took the field again. Their drive was much shorter this time¡ªwhich I was glad for¡ªbecause it meant I could get back out there faster, but it was also annoying because they took the gift I worked hard to give them¡ªmy interception¡ªand only managed to turn it into three measly points from a field goal.

    We kicked off again and our players seemed more energetic while the other team was looking downtrodden already. Their blocks weren¡¯t as protective this time around, and their shorty only got out to the twenty-five yard line before being taken down this time.

    I stood up and Coach Hoang beckoned us defenders over.

    ¡®Great work out there, guys. Just keep it up. But DBs, I want you to switch into press coverage now¡ªget up on your man real tight, don¡¯t let them get a free release. They¡¯re fast, but if we can crush that speed before it can even start it won¡¯t be a problem.¡¯

    ¡®Crush on three!¡¯ JJ raised a fist and soon it was surrounded by almost a dozen others. ¡®One, two, three, crush!¡¯ Their voices cried out as one. I had stayed quiet.

    I made my way out onto the field again. There was less than a minute left in the first quarter, but already the score was 10¨C0 our way.

    When I lined up in my position, I followed Coach Hoang¡¯s orders and made sure to keep as close to the line as scrimmage as possible, as did the two other CBs out there with me.

    We were still in a formation focusing on stopping the opposing team¡¯s runs with most of our bodies near the wall of pads and flesh that was formed by the two Lines of each team.

    Meanwhile, us CBs had been left on an island with our matchups. We were in man defence and we weren¡¯t being subtle about it. It was perfect.

    Though when my opponent came and lined up opposite me, it wasn¡¯t the douche. No, he had been scared off and the overwhelming difference in our skill must¡¯ve sent a message to his coaches.

    Douche had been banished to the opposite side of the field, where I¡¯m sure even someone like Deshaun would have an easy time holding down that broken shell of a Receiver.

    Instead, the sacrificial lamb that had been offered up to me, was none other than number 17.

    There wasn¡¯t anything that stood out about number 17. He was the shortest of the starting Receivers at least, but even so, he was still six feet tall. He was just so ¡­ unassuming. Such a milquetoast guy.

    Milquetoast was a lot more boring personality-wise as well. He made no attempt to taunt me, and he had little reaction to any verbal jabs I sent his way.

    ¡®Now, am I going to embarrass you even more than I did your douchey friend? Or will you actually provide some semblance of resistance?¡¯ I laughed in his face and flashed my carnivorous teeth, but still he only gave me a bland look with those bland eyes of his that were deeply sunken into that bland face.

    He was sickening.

    The ball was snapped, and I rushed forward, hands flashing out to slam into Milquetoast¡¯s chest to impede his release and stop his momentum before it could start, but he had no intention of getting past me.

    It was another run, so Milquetoast was content with holding me up where I was and making sure I couldn¡¯t go tackle the ball-carrier.

    Their run only resulted in a short gain of a couple of yards. I dug my teeth into my mouthguard harder and gave Milquetoast another shove before breaking away and going back to our huddle.

    But the Monsoon¡¯s had no intention of huddling up. They were heading straight off the field. I looked at the scoreboard, and it was clear they intended to just let the clock run out for the first quarter without taking another snap of the ball.

    ¡°How boring,¡± I thought. JJ kept us out there in the middle of the field until the umpires blew their whistles and officially called an end to the first quarter. He said it was a way of showing our strength and that we were pumped to continue while our enemies were scared and cowering on the sidelines.

    When we came off the field, we didn¡¯t go into the locker room for our short break, we just stayed on the sideline, each player filling out the bench and resting their legs.

    I tapped my foot impatiently as I waited for the break to be over.

    Coach Hoang implored the DBs to be careful with their assignments, and reminded us to use the sideline as our help. He wanted us to force the Receivers to the outside and squeeze them with the pressure of the boundaries.

    I took it on board, but zoned out his messages for the other positions. Coach Long came around and slapped us all on our shoulders, telling us that we did a good job. It was insulting that others were getting praised as much as I did despite me being the only one to force a turnover.

    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    The second quarter couldn¡¯t start soon enough. When we stepped out onto the field again, we were facing the opposite direction, but other than that, nothing had felt like it changed; the momentum was still with us.

    The plan was more or less the same for the next play. There was probably some variation up front with the Linemen and Linebackers, but I didn¡¯t care. I knew what my job was, and I knew I only had minimal help, if any at all, but that was the way I wanted things, I didn¡¯t need help.

    I lined up in front of Milquetoast again. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me I scared your whole team and you¡¯re just going to run it for the rest of the game?¡¯ Again my brilliant jab was met with stone faced silence.

    ¡®Hut!¡¯ Milquetoast and I collided once more, though this time he grit his teeth as he struggled to push past me and break away from my press. It was another play-action pass, but it didn¡¯t go in my direction; Milquetoast couldn¡¯t get open.

    Instead it was passed over the middle for a five yard gain, to a massive Tight End. The hulking beast would¡¯ve been only a little shorter than our own giant¡ªStephen Day¡ªbut was much larger when it came to his muscles.

    The area he caught the ball in was congested, and he was quickly swarmed and taken down. It was third down, and they only had three yards left to go. I didn¡¯t like the odds of their next play being a pass.

    A part of me wished their upcoming run would get enough yards for them to get a new set of downs, if only so they could throw another pass my way. But I wouldn¡¯t be so lucky on this drive.

    Their run on the next play was stuffed for no gain at all¡ªJJ had seen it coming and had blitzed up the middle like he was shot out of a gun. He crushed their RB and I thought it was a miracle the little runt had held onto the ball.

    As JJ came off the field, he praised the RB for managing to keep a grip on the ball, laughing and commending his strength for being able to hold on despite being hit with JJ¡¯s best shot.

    After that, the game stagnated and became a gritty, slow-paced struggle. When our offence got the ball back, they didn¡¯t last much longer and it was quickly our turn on defence again only for the same thing to happen as both teams seemed content on just giving the ball back and forth without doing much of anything.

    But still, it was boring! The ball only ever came my way once for the rest of the quarter, and it was a pass that was easily swatted down¡ªI would¡¯ve caught this one as well, but ironically mine and Milquetoast¡¯s roles reversed for a split second and it was he who had to defend from me catching the ball.

    But other than that, there was no more scoring from either side. Neither offence even got into a position to threaten a potential score. And like that, the first half came to a rather anticlimactic end.

    For the major break, we did make our way into our locker room, and spirits were high. More pats on the back and head were handed out from each of the coaches as we made our way in.

    ¡®That¡¯s what I like to see, boys!¡¯ Coach Long gave a cheer, beaming with a big grin as he stood in front of us all. ¡®I love that stuff! Great Touchdown Jay and Stephen, I always love to see the chemistry you¡¯ve built over all these years on display. Great kick Manuel, you¡¯ve really extended your range. And Tyrese! Wooo boy, that interception was beautiful.¡¯

    There were cheers and stomping of feet from the other players as I smiled. Of course, I had only done my job, but it was nice to receive the respect I was due.

    ¡®But don¡¯t get caught up in your successes. There¡¯s still another half to go, and you need to keep playing with that same intensity and desire for the rest of the game. Don¡¯t go out there thinking that you¡¯re in the lead, don¡¯t even go out thinking it''s a tie game, go out there with the mentality that we¡¯re behind and we need to fight and claw our way back out in front.¡¯

    The other coaches echoed Coach Long¡¯s sentiments.

    ¡®Alright gather up, boys.¡¯ We all converged on Coach, raising our fists with his. ¡®Dons on three. One, two, three, Dons!¡¯

    The locker room shook with our cheers and the force of my teammates jumping around. When we burst back out onto the field for the second half, we did so with even more energy than when we came out to start the game.

    Of course, I and the other defenders had to wait for our turn to shine again. Our offence was going to start off the second half. Our little CMC wannabe received the kickoff and nimbly brought the ball out to the thirty-one yard line.

    Our offence chipped away at them again, taking their time and draining the clock as they moved down the field methodically, but were stopped just outside of the Monsoon¡¯s endzone.

    They had to settle for another field goal. It was only short range, and it soared through the uprights without any issue.

    Then I was only one kickoff and quick return away from getting on the field again. Their shorty took it out to the thirty yard line and that¡¯s where their offence took over.

    Our defensive game plan hadn¡¯t changed from the first half, it had been going well, and there weren¡¯t any adjustments that needed to be made for now, we just had to wait and see if the other team would have any more tricks up their sleeves.

    The score was 13¨C0 when I took up my usual position. However, I was shocked to find my third different opponent for the game waiting for me.

    I had to crane my neck to look up at him properly. It was their massive, beastly TE in front of me. His dumb, ugly face glanced down at me for only a moment, as if I was a bug beneath his notice.

    He was huge up close, and the only thing I could think of when I looked at him was an ogre.

    ¡®Try not to get ¡®urt, midget,¡¯ he said with a thick accent, as if he had trouble moving his thick tongue around in his stupid mouth to form proper words.

    ¡®You¡¯re gonna look so fucking retarded when you¡¯re crying on your knees in front of me you stupid, fat, piece of shit,¡¯ I snapped back. His dull eyes narrowed as he glared down at me.

    ¡®Hut!¡¯

    He charged ahead and bulldozed right into me. I tried to sink my feet into the turf but I was driven back with ease. I skidded along the grass and he shoved me off as if he was shrugging off a child.

    He turned his back to me as I stumbled and regained my balance. When I looked at him and went to rush forward, the ball was already in his hands.

    ¡°What?!¡± I slammed into him and wrapped my arms around his waist but he continued to drag me back. It was only when another teammate hurried over and wrapped him up as well that we were able to drag the beast down, the fat ogre landed right on top of me.

    It ended up being a ten-yard gain for the offence. Ogre stood up, pushing off of me to do so as he further crushed me into the ground with a smug grin.

    ¡®Puny worm,¡¯ he muttered before laughing.

    I stared up at the sky, fists and jaw clenched as I couldn¡¯t believe someone like him had just caught a pass against me.

 Chapter 16: The End of the Beginning

    JJ¡¯s gloved hand came into my vision, I stared at it for a moment before finally grabbing onto it, and then I was promptly yanked up to my feet. He patted me on the back of my helmet and said,

    ¡®Keep your head up, you¡¯ll get him next time.¡¯ I brushed myself off and made my way back over to the huddle. Though my focus was on the opposite team¡¯s huddle, namely, that hulking brute that had knocked me on my ass.

    JJ gave a quick pep talk about how we shouldn¡¯t feel bad about giving up one first down and it didn¡¯t mean anything, I zoned most of it out. But then my head snapped towards him as I heard what adjustments would be made to our defence after that play.

    ¡®I¡¯ll mark 88 (Ogre), I¡¯ll follow him wherever he goes. Ty, you¡¯ve got 17, Lachie, you¡¯ll cover the middle. Okay? Great. Let¡¯s get out there and smash ¡®em,¡¯ JJ said.

    As the huddle broke away, I grabbed JJ¡¯s arm. ¡®Wait up,¡¯ I said. He stopped and looked back at me. I narrowed my eyes, glaring at him as I tightened my grasp on his arm.

    ¡®I¡¯m guarding number 88.¡¯ He frowned and looked past me towards our bench; I kept my eyes on him. ¡®I don¡¯t care that the decision came from Coach Hoang. He won¡¯t beat me, I can stop him. I won¡¯t lose.¡¯

    He nodded and then patted my shoulder. ¡®I know you won¡¯t. You got him, man.¡¯ He flashed a grin, I stayed deadly serious before we broke away and I went to my spot in front of that massive Ogre and JJ went over to cover Milquetoast.

    ¡®Back for more?¡¯ Ogre sneered. I glared up at him but didn¡¯t respond.

    The ball was snapped; Ogre slammed into me and shoved me back even as I dug my heels into the turf, which did nothing but tear up a ton of grass as he moved me back like I was as light as a leaf.

    But this time, it was another run, and without JJ being in the middle like he usually was, they got a decent chunk of yards out of it. When their Shorty was finally caught and dragged down, they only had three yards left to go before they got another first down.

    We huddled up again, I glared at the ground, JJ made some on-the-fly adjustments, he was still super cool and composed, showing his leadership and experience. We didn¡¯t change the game plan much, but now he was back where he needed to be in the middle of everything to hold us all up.

    Another snap, another run, they just barely got the three yards they needed, and once again I was easily shoved back, ending up on my ass again, with Ogre stepping over me and laughing once the play was whistled dead.

    My teeth almost tore my mouthguard to shreds they were grinding so much. Their offence continued.

    The next snap, another pass, finally. But still, I couldn¡¯t stop Ogre or even impede his progress at all. He shoved me aside with ease and stepped across the middle of the field.

    The ball flew his way, and I stretched out as far as I could, but there was nothing I could do, I couldn¡¯t even lay a finger on the ball before he caught it.

    He was slow though, and quickly got swarmed by my teammates. However, it was still an eight-yard gain in the end.

    JJ patted me on the helmet again, I didn¡¯t raise my eyes to meet his, but I could feel his gaze judging me, telling me I wasn¡¯t good enough and that I was in over my head, that I should quit.

    But he didn¡¯t say anything, and he didn¡¯t step in to try and change the plan, he still went against the coaches for my sake, just so I could make a bigger fool of myself. He¡¯d let me go until I decided to give up on myself. JJ was a good guy, and I was beginning to like him more and more.

    I clenched my fists and stomped over to my spot in front of Ogre. I blocked out whatever retarded bullshit he slurred out of his fat, stupid mouth.

    ¡®Hut!¡¯ He backed me down with ease again and pushed me off to get enough space as he turned around for the ball.

    Again, I stumbled and was slow to recover. He reached his hands out, and the ball bounced right off those thick, brick mitts of his. I dived and outstretched my hand, my fingers grazed leather, but I couldn¡¯t reel the ball in and it fell harmlessly to the ground.

    ¡®Nice catch, fuckface,¡¯ I muttered as I got back up.

    ¡®Wut you say, you tiny piece o¡¯ shit!?¡¯ Ogre angrily shoved me away. One of the umpires got in between us, but neither of us tried to escalate the matter, and we both backed away.

    His drop only heightened my anger. ¡°How am I losing to such trash?!¡± It was embarrassing.

    We couldn¡¯t stop them now, whether it was on the ground, or through the air with short passes to Ogre, they¡¯d found their groove and now it was the Monsoons who were slowly chipping away at the defence in front of them and working their way down the field.

    I felt like I was slowly climbing higher on the immovable wall that was Ogre, but I had to fight tooth and nail for only an inch of progress, and I still had way too far to fully get over that wall in front of me. Sure, I could recover faster, and my arm got closer, but I was still unable to disrupt any pass.

    They passed the halfway mark of the field and made it into our territory, and still, they advanced without any sign of slowing as they crept closer and closer to our endzone.

    That was until JJ slammed into their Shorty behind the line of scrimmage right after the RB had gotten the ball. With his solo charge, we¡¯d pushed them back a few yards.

    With the increased distance they had to win back now, and the fact that they¡¯d already lost one of their downs, the rest of the defence shifted back to a less aggressive Zone, focusing more on defending passes rather than the run.

    That didn¡¯t stop them from trying to force their way through with another pass though, and it didn¡¯t help me at stopping Ogre, but luckily, the stupid oaf dropped another easy catch and their second play ended with no gain.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Now they were in a tricky spot, but they still had faith, they still felt they had one weakness to exploit in our defence ¡­ me.

    We only needed one more stop. No¡­ at this range, we needed more than just a stop if we wanted to avoid giving up any points. It¡¯d be easy for them to score a field goal with how close the kick would be. We needed another turnover.

    I lined up in front of Ogre, my heart was racing, he was snarling, but otherwise stayed silent¡ªboth of us were too focused to waste any time talking trash.

    ¡®Hut!¡¯ He charged forth like he always did and backed me down further than he ever had before¡ªthey needed to cover a lot of ground if they wanted this drive to continue.

    He got out to around fifteen yards past the line of scrimmage before he broke off some space between us and turned back to catch the ball.

    The throw was a little slow coming out of the QB¡¯s hands this time, and with the increased distance the ball had to travel, it gave me enough time to recover.

    ¡°I can get there!¡± I lunged forward, my arm outstretched as far as it could as I slipped around Ogre and went for the ball.

    I disrupted the pass, but that was all I could do. The ball bounced up into the air off my deflection, and I stumbled to the ground, flailing at the ball as it slowly rainbowed towards the ground away from me.

    It was just out of reach and I couldn¡¯t snag it. No one else was in the vicinity, and the ball hit the ground. We¡¯d stopped them, but we¡¯d failed to keep them from getting any points.

    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± I picked myself up, and while the others congratulated me on stopping the pass, it didn¡¯t feel like I¡¯d accomplished anything.

    We made our way back to the sidelines as the Monsoon¡¯s kicking team came out to attempt their field goal. I wasn¡¯t interested in the result¡ªin my mind, letting them get the opportunity of a kick from so close to our endzone was already a failure, it didn¡¯t matter if a miracle happened and they missed.

    Coach Hoang wasn¡¯t pleased to see me when I sat down on the bench again.

    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you listen to me and let Jones handle number 88?¡¯ he said.

    ¡®Because I can beat him!... and JJ¡¯s better in the middle.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, now you know better than your Defensive Coordinator? It didn¡¯t look like you could stop him. He dropped more passes than you actually deflected.¡¯

    I clenched my fists tight and scowled at Coach Hoang. ¡®I can stop him.¡¯

    He stayed quiet for some time, staring into my eyes the whole time. ¡®One more drive. If you can¡¯t stop him after that, we¡¯re switching assignments and you¡¯re sitting on the bench for the rest of the game,¡¯ he calmly said.

    My eyes widened. Benching me for the rest of the game was severe, and¡­ something I definitely couldn¡¯t let happen. ¡®Fine. I¡¯ll show you.¡¯

    I wouldn¡¯t have to wait long to get my chance. Our offence was still in a rut and couldn¡¯t get much of anything going, so after only a couple of minutes of rest, our defence was forced back out onto the field.

    I checked the scoreboard. It was 13¨C3 now thanks to their earlier field goal attempt ending in a success. We were still in the third quarter, but my eyes were fixated on the three on the away team¡¯s side of the scoreboard.

    That three was a mark against me and I felt full responsibility for letting them score anything at all. We should¡¯ve been able to beat trash like this without giving up any points.

    I lined up in front of Ogre again. Deshaun passed by me on his way to his spot on the opposite side of the field.

    ¡®Don¡¯t fuck this shit up, boy. Or you can say goodbye to the varsity team,¡¯ he said as he purposefully bumped me. Ogre laughed and grinned.

    ¡°Smug assholes¡­ I¡¯ll show you all,¡± I thought.

    ¡®Hut!¡¯ I threw myself against Ogre as hard as I could. But it was useless, I bounced off him like a pinball and he rushed right by. I was on the floor again and he was free to catch the ball and rumble down the field for a first down straight away.

    I tore up more of the turf in my fists and picked myself up. All I could think about was smashing that giant fucker down on his ass.

    But I couldn¡¯t stop him, no matter how hard I tried, and my anger only backfired on me. It seemed like the harder I tried to stop him, the worse I did and the easier it was for him to get bigger and bigger gains.

    They were knocking on the doorstep of our endzone, only a few more yards away from getting a touchdown, that damn Ogre had done most of the heavy lifting this drive, and he¡¯d seemingly gotten over his problem with dropping passes.

    They only needed one more successful pass, and they¡¯d get a touchdown.

    Thankfully, the whistle blew to call an end to the third quarter, it wouldn¡¯t save us from our shitty position, but it¡¯d give me some time to think and collect myself. I sat down on the bench, not saying a word to anyone as I struggled to catch my breath.

    Coach Hoang didn¡¯t say anything to me other. Coach Long gave me a pat on the back and told me to keep trying and not to lose hope. JJ also gave me some generic words of encouragement, mostly echoing what Coach had said.

    The rest of my teammates ¡­ weren¡¯t as supportive. Led by Deshaun¡¯s obnoxious voice, they muttered insults and, rightfully, blamed me for everything, saying how useless I was, that I was the clear weak link, and that the opposition was about to get a touchdown all because of me.

    And they were right.

    I hung my head, staring at my hands and feet. They¡¯d never failed me before. Why couldn¡¯t I stop this one guy now? So what if he was bigger than me, everyone always was¡­

    ¡°Why am I playing his game? Of course, I¡¯ll never get anywhere if I try to beat him with strength¡­ I¡¯m so angry, all I could think about was knocking him on his ass, but that¡¯s fucking impossible! I need to beat that fat piece of shit with my feet!¡±

    I picked myself up when the short break was over, and made my way back out onto the field, stopping by Coach Hoang first.

    ¡®Sorry I made you worry, Coach. I was being an idiot, but I¡¯ll stop them right now. They won¡¯t score again,¡¯ I promised him.

    I looked down at him, my hand on his shoulder as my eyes were laser-focused. He stared up at me silently, then nodded with a confident smirk. I was liking Luke more and more too.

    I strode out in front of Ogre once again as both teams lined up opposite one another to get the final quarter underway. Even though we were right at the endzone, and everyone on the defence was stepping up as close as possible to our opposition, I backed away and gave Ogre a lot of space.

    ¡®Wot are you being a scared lil pussy for? Come closer, boy,¡¯ he said.

    I stayed quiet, staring him down.

    ¡®Hut!¡¯ He burst forward and I backed up further, keeping my distance from him but letting him get closer and closer. My eyes were focused on the QB.

    The QB reared his arm back to throw, and I jumped forward as the ball was flung out of his hand. Before Ogre had even turned to make his catch, I¡¯d already leapt past him.

    The ball was mine. Without that fat Ogre shoving me around, I hadn¡¯t stumbled, and with my solid footing, I was able to shoot off my back foot like a rocket as soon as I knew the ball was coming our way.

    I intercepted the pass, and there was nothing in front of me except for a wide plain of green grass. I took off and tucked the ball under my arm.

    Nothing else mattered. It was just me, the ball, and the field in front of me. No one could catch me. I ran the entire length of the field, from endzone to endzone, over 100 yards, and took that interception all the way back for a touchdown.

    The game was mine. No one could beat me.

 Chapter 17: Same Old Shit

    After that, the game was over.

    There was still plenty of time to be played out in the final quarter, but we knew it was over. The Monsoons knew it was over too, but you can¡¯t just stop playing, even if the losing team has already given up.

    The extra point went through after my touchdown, and after I¡¯d made my way to the bench, Coach Hoang said nothing but gave me a small smile and a nod.

    The Monsoons failed to get another first down for the rest of the game.

    Our offence even managed to add on one last touchdown to make the final score 27¨C3.

    My team erupted with cheers and everyone was quick to begin celebrating once time ran out and we were officially declared victorious. The crowd echoed our jubilation.

    We made our way to the locker room, my teammates'' moods still at an all-time high. Our coaches had nothing but praise and congratulations for us.

    Coach Long did say there were a few things to iron out, but that could be left for the next practice, and for now, we should just focus on having done a great job and enjoying our win.

    ¡°Three points¡­¡± I was disgusted with myself, even though we won.

    ¡®Now, there¡¯s only one player who could go home with the game ball today, and I think we all know who that should be,¡¯ Coach Long said, holding a football up high.

    I didn''t hear him walk over. With my head lowered, I only saw his feet stop in front of me, and that¡¯s when I looked up. He was holding the ball out to me.

    ¡®Great job out there, Tyrese. You were definitely our most valuable player on the field today.¡¯

    I took the ball from him¡ªit was a bittersweet victory. On the one hand, I¡¯d gotten two picks, and those interceptions were a sure way to prove my worth and showcase how much better I was than the competition I was facing.

    But the only reason the other team was able to put up even three points, was because of me.

    ¡®Thanks, Coach. I¡¯ll do even better next game,¡¯ I said as I took the ball and pulled it close.

    ¡®Hahaha! That¡¯s what I like to hear. Let that be an example for everyone today. Don¡¯t think the season¡¯s over just because of one good game. Let¡¯s use today as a launching pad and keep on improving each week.¡¯

    I set the ball down beside me and started to get changed out of my pads and uniform and back into my regular clothes¡ªour first battle was over.

    Before anyone could leave, Coach Long called everyone together one last time.

    ¡®Great work, boys. I¡¯ll say it as many times as I need to, to make sure that you all truly understand it, you did great, and I¡¯m real proud of the effort you all showed.¡¯ He smiled around at everyone and raised a fist into the air at the centre of the circle.

    ¡®Rest up tomorrow, and go home to a nice cool bath tonight. I¡¯ll see you all at practice on Sunday. For now, remember what we¡¯re aiming for. Champs on three. One, two, three.¡¯

    ¡®Champs!¡¯ everyone hollered. I slowly brought my fist down, staring at it.

    ¡°Champion¡­ not just of the state, but the nation too. I won¡¯t let anyone stop me from being the best.¡±

    I made my way out of the locker room with my bag. Most of the spectators had already left, and the other team had packed up pretty quickly, I didn¡¯t see them anywhere.

    ¡®Samuels!¡¯ Luke called out to me. ¡®Hey, those interceptions tonight were amazing¡­ you did really good, and I¡¯m glad you trust yourself ¡­¡¯ He wheeled alongside me as we walked towards the parking lot.

    ¡®But¡­?¡¯ I prodded.

    ¡®¡­But, you should trust in your coaches. I¡¯m not here to hinder you, I¡¯m just trying to help you, and do what¡¯s best for the team and best for our victory.¡¯

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    I frowned and looked away from him, turning my eyes straight ahead. ¡°Should I have just let JJ handle that damn Ogre? Would I have gotten my interceptions? Maybe we wouldn¡¯t have let up any points if I did that ¡­ but¡­ I¡¯m stronger now aren¡¯t I?¡±

    ¡®I understand, Coach. But¡­ we won, and I¡¯m glad I pushed myself to be better, aren¡¯t you also here to help me reach my fullest potential?¡¯ I stopped walking, looking down at him. He stopped as well and met my gaze.

    His eyes sparked and he smiled briefly before masking his emotions behind a straight face. ¡®Hmph, arrogant little freshy, aren¡¯t you? At practice, you¡¯re gonna pay for all those receptions you allowed.¡¯

    ¡®Of course.¡¯ I chuckled and started walking again.

    ¡®Ty!¡¯ I was tackled and almost knocked off my feet. My little sister Megan hugged me tight and I wrapped my arms around her. ¡®You were awesome!¡¯

    ¡®This your girl?¡¯ Luke asked.

    ¡®What?! Fuck no! This is my sister, Megan.¡¯ I stepped away from her, letting her go. She was blushing.

    ¡®Ohh, my bad. Sorry. Nice to meet you, Megan. I¡¯m Luke Hoang, the defensive coordinator for the team. Are your parents here to take you guys home?¡¯ Luke looked around, we were near the area where most of the other players were meeting up with their parents and being congratulated.

    ¡®Heh, n-nice meeting you too, sir. But um, no, our folks aren¡¯t here,¡¯ Megan said.

    Luke raised a brow. ¡®Do you guys need a ride?¡¯

    ¡®Can you even offer a ride?¡¯ I said.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure Coach Long wouldn¡¯t mind two more passengers tagging along.¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s this I¡¯m hearing about?¡¯ Coach Long said, walking up to us with Bella by his side.

    ¡®Oh, Coach. I was just thinking that you could give Samuels and his sister a ride home seeing as they don¡¯t have one.¡¯

    I frowned and looked away, that didn¡¯t sound good. Megan clutched my arm, pressing closer into my side as she looked Bella over.

    ¡®Oh that¡¯s fine, where do you two live? We¡¯ll drop you home, no problem.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks,¡¯ I mumbled before following Coach Long over to his car. It was a nice enough silver SUV, so there was plenty of space for us all.

    Luke pulled himself up into the passenger seat and Coach Long folded up Luke¡¯s wheelchair and put it into the boot.

    ¡®I¡¯ll sit in the middle!¡¯ Megan said before climbing into the backseat. I got in after her, and Bella get in from the other side. Megan hugged herself against me after we buckled up. I was being squished against the car door, but I didn¡¯t mind.

    Megan had always been like this around other people, always clinging to me like she was scared someone else would snatch her up.

    I told Coach Long our address once he pulled out of the parking lot.

    It was an awkward and silent drive. Megan only gave short, sharp answers to any questions Coach Long had for her, like how old she was and what school she went to, so he soon stopped questioning her altogether.

    Our stop turned out to be the closest and the first, so we quickly hopped out and thanked Coach for driving us home.

    ¡®See you at practice,¡¯ we said to each other and then he drove off.

    Megan and I went inside, she was still clinging to my arm as we got through the door.

    No one even noticed we were home. Had they even noticed we were gone? Of course, our mother wasn¡¯t home.

    The twins were watching some violent movie in the living room, our father was passed out in his chair.

    Victoria came through the hall, all dressed up and ready for a long night out. Megan went to say something but I squeezed her wrist and shot her a look. She closed her mouth and frowned.

    ¡®I¡¯m going out. If anyone asks, I went to Sarah¡¯s to study,¡¯ Victoria said as she brushed past us and opened the door.

    ¡®Have fun and stay safe, Vicky,¡¯ Megan meekly said.

    ¡®Yes, Mom.¡¯ Victoria rolled her eyes and left, the door swinging shut behind her. Father woke with a jolt.

    ¡®Keep it fucking down!... and turn that shit off, get to bed,¡¯ he grumbled at everyone, glaring at Megan and me, like it was us who slammed the door. The twins squealed but scrambled out of the room, laughing and running down to our room.

    I headed straight for the shower without a word.

    ¡®Goodnight, Ty¡­ love you,¡¯ Megan said as I pushed open the door.

    ¡®Night, love you too, sis.¡¯

    When I crawled into bed, Devon was up, playing COD on the crappy little TV we had in our room, trying to fend off the twins and growling at them to leave him alone as they wanted their turns to play.

    I faced the wall and curled up, burrowing under my covers and clutching my game ball tight.

    In the morning, I was the first one up, along with Megan. I went and had some cereal for breakfast, sitting at the table and slowly eating.

    As the day went on and the rest of the family slowly dragged themselves into motion, I sat and watched them go by.

    Father left for work. The twins ran around like crazy as Megan tried to get them to calm down and eat something. Devon stayed in bed. Mother and Victoria eventually shambled back home separately after their nights out. And no one said a thing to me.

    Not one question about how the game went or if I won or played well. ¡°Do they even know I¡¯m still playing?¡± One thing was clear, though ¡­ they didn¡¯t give a shit.

 Chapter 18: Fear

    Jackson couldn¡¯t stop his leg from shaking. His foot pounded against the carpeted floor of his bedroom like a jackhammer. The first game of the season was tomorrow, and it was all he could think about.

    ¡®Yo, Jackson! It¡¯s your turn, bro,¡¯ Eddie thumped Jackson¡¯s leg and dumped a PlayStation controller onto his lap.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Jackson looked around the room, in a daze. His friends were all looking at him, the widescreen of his TV showed the character select screen of Mortal Kombat 11.

    Sachin had the other controller in his hands, while Marcus was fiddling with his phone.

    ¡®Hey, if he ain¡¯t ready to play, shit, I¡¯ll take my go next. Not like Jackie is gonna win anyway. You¡¯re way off your game today,¡¯ Marcus said.

    ¡®For real, bruh. Like, I know you ain¡¯t the best, Jackson, but today you really suck. I could probably beat you with any character,¡¯ Sachin laughed.

    Jackson snatched up the controller off his lap and clicked his tongue. ¡®Shut up¡­ I¡¯m not that bad, and I can still beat you.¡¯

    Eddie had a slight frown as he moved away and sat down on Jackson¡¯s double bed, keeping his eyes on his best friend. Jackson had been spacing out a lot lately. It¡¯d been happening ever since they started high school, but whenever brought it up, Jackson would just brush it off.

    He was worried, but he wasn¡¯t sure what could be causing it, though the only thing he could think of was that Jackson might¡¯ve been having a hard time adjusting to high school life, just like the rest of them were as well. It wasn¡¯t fun being back at the bottom of the pecking order.

    Jackson took his turn, and even though Sachin didn¡¯t pick his best character (He went with Mileena instead of his usual Shao Kahn), their match didn¡¯t last long at all.

    ¡®I¡¯ll take that.¡¯ Marcus had gotten up and stepped over to pluck the controller from Jackson¡¯s defeated grasp.

    ¡®A new challenger steps forth, will he be beaten faster, or slower than the last?¡¯ Sachin gloated. He was definitely the type to rub his victory in the face of his friends as much as possible.

    ¡®C¡¯mon, bro. You¡¯ve figured him out, right? If you don¡¯t beat him, I will,¡¯ Eddie said. ¡®Somebody¡¯s gotta humble this dude, right Jackson?¡¯ He tapped Jackson on the leg.

    ¡®Yeah¡­ yeah sure, whatever.¡¯ Jackson slumped back in his chair as he looked at the TV, though his focus was clearly elsewhere¡ªhis first JV game, his first game after meeting him.

    ¡°Should I really play?¡± His body was heavy. It was as if his stomach had been filled with cement. ¡°Even if I was coming off the bench¡­ I¡¯d just¡­ could I beat anyone?¡±

    His leg, which had been stilled while he tried to concentrate on his match against Sachin, now shook again.

    ¡®I need some water.¡¯ Jackson pushed himself up and exited the room hastily. Sachin, Eddie, and Marcus looked over and then the three friends exchanged looks with one another.

    Sachin and Marcus didn¡¯t stop their game, but Eddie got up to follow Jackson out. Jackson went down the hall and into the kitchen, where he got a glass of tap water and downed it rapidly.

    ¡®Everything all good, bro?¡¯ Eddie asked.

    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡¯ Jackson brushed by him and headed for the front door, his glass refilled.

    It was a bright, sweltering day outside, but feeling the heat of the sun did little to warm Jackson up from his dreary mood. He stood on the porch in silence, and Eddie stood with him, awkwardly keeping quiet as he leaned against the wall.

    It wasn¡¯t much longer till Sachin and Marcus exited the suburban house as well and joined their friends in silently standing around.

    ¡®Don¡¯t you got your first game tonight?¡¯ Marcus eventually said.

    ¡®Nah, that¡¯s tomorrow, bro,¡¯ Eddie answered for Jackson.

    Jackson nodded. ¡®Tomorrow afternoon¡­ we play before the varsity team¡¯s game at night.¡¯

    ¡®Oh¡­ you¡¯re the opening act? That¡¯s rough, bruh,¡¯ Sachin said. Eddie leaned over and thumped the back of Sachin¡¯s head.

    ¡®Like you can talk at all, bro. Come on, ain¡¯t no freshmen playing varsity football right away. Besides, Jackson¡¯ll kill it out there tomorrow and he¡¯ll earn his spot in the prime-time games real fast, just you watch.¡¯

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    ¡®Hah¡­ yeaaah, totally.¡¯ Jackson didn¡¯t share Eddie¡¯s confidence. ¡®Anyway, enough about that crap, I¡¯ll focus on it tomorrow. How ¡®bout we go for a ride?¡¯ Jackson looked around, and then everyone¡¯s attention turned to the three discarded bikes that were strewn across the front lawn.

    Jackson hoped that feeling the wind rushing against his face and blowing in his hair, would do what a simple glass of water and some fresh air had failed to¡ªempty his mind and calm his nerves.

    ¡®Eh, sure. I¡¯m down for that,¡¯ Eddie said.

    Sachin and Marcus agreed as well.

    ¡®Oh? I¡¯m surprised you lot don¡¯t wanna keep playing. Who won anyway?¡¯ Eddie asked.

    Marcus groaned and shook his head. ¡®Man, I was just about to beat him but he paused it to come check out what was going on.¡¯

    ¡®Bruh¡­ As if.¡¯ Sachin rolled his eyes. ¡®There was no way you were beating me, it wasn¡¯t even close.¡¯

    Jackson got the spare key from under a flower pot near the front door and locked the house now that they were gonna leave¡ªhis mom was with Chrissy at her violin practice, and his dad was away at work.

    While Sachin and Marcus continued to argue about who was going to win their match, all four boys picked up their bikes¡ªwith Jackson getting his from the shed in the backyard and bringing it around the side of the house¡ªand headed out onto the road.

    Getting out of the house did help to clear Jackson¡¯s head at the beginning. Being back out on the streets again with his friends, nothing but their bikes and the road ahead, it was like they were flying, and it brought back great memories of all the times they¡¯d gone out like this since they were kids.

    The world was theirs for the taking, the future was whatever they wanted it to be, and they were just dumb kids on an adventure, only ever worrying about making the most of that particular day.

    They passed by the same houses from when they were kids, they passed by the same people, barely any older in comparison to the boys who were growing into men.

    ¡°If only we were still the same,¡± Jackson thought.

    They cruised around the streets, Sachin and Marcus cracked jokes. For Jackson, it was like they were back to being kids without any worries again.

    He forgot all about his fears about the game and about football, he forgot all about tomorrow and was only focused on the here and now.

    They wound their way up a massive hill overlooking their slice of the country, their home. At the top, there was a small picnic area underneath the shade of a great maple tree. They caught their breath in the shade of the tree and looked down upon the desert and mountains around them.

    ¡®Heh, it¡¯s great to see you smiling again,¡¯ Eddie said as he leaned over and smacked Jackson on the shoulder.

    Jackson looked at him and then around. ¡®Remember when we first came up here? We were the conquerors of the world.¡¯

    ¡®Hah! Yeah, this hill might as well have been Mount Everest back then. We could¡¯ve done anything after standing up here for the first time, man.¡¯ Marcus sighed as he replayed that memory in his head.

    ¡®Bruh, I thought I was gonna fucking die,¡¯ Sachin said.

    ¡®We all did.¡¯ The others laughed. As the sun started to fade, so did Jackson¡¯s smile.

    ¡®Shit man, it¡¯s already sunset? Fuck, I gotta get back home, my mom and dad are going out tonight and I gotta look after the damn brat,¡¯ Marcus said, heading back towards the path down the hill.

    ¡®What a buzzkill¡­ hey, I¡¯ll come hang out with you so your little bro doesn¡¯t drive you too crazy,¡¯ Sachin offered.

    ¡®Thanks man, sounds good, plus, I still gotta beat you in MK.¡¯ (Mortal Kombat)

    ¡®Hey, why don¡¯t we make it a race back to Marcus¡¯s house then?¡¯ Eddie suggested.

    Jackson was quiet again. He was in no mood to be racing back home, back to reality. He clutched the handles of his bike tightly, his body tenser than a statue. But he couldn¡¯t stay up here, stuck in his memories forever.

    ¡®Yeah, let¡¯s do it,¡¯ he softly said.

    ¡®Alright, we¡¯ll start at the bottom of the hill?¡¯ Sachin asked.

    ¡®What¡¯s the matter? Scared of a little speed, Sachin?¡¯ Jackson tilted his head.

    ¡®Hah, you know big boy was never one for speed.¡¯ Marcus jabbed Sachin in the ribs playfully.

    ¡®Bruh¡­ fine! I don¡¯t care, let¡¯s go then.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm¡­ I meant the bottom of the hill too¡­¡¯ Eddie frowned but kept quiet as the others moved towards the path and stopped just at the top of the hill before the descent started. ¡®Maybe we shouldn¡¯t.¡¯

    But Jackson was already going through the starting signals for the race, and Marcus and Sachin too focused on the start, their competitive nature already kicking in. ¡®On your marks. Get set. Go!¡¯

    The three shot off, Marcus and Sachin with a lot more trepidation than Jackson who raced down the hill, peddaling at full speed.

    ¡®Shit.¡¯ Eddie grit his teeth and soon joined them, pushing past the cautious Marcus and Sachin fairly quickly as he chased after Jackson. ¡®Yo! Jackson. Slow down, bro!¡¯

    The path wasn¡¯t overly steep, but still, one wouldn¡¯t have to pedal at all normally, and one could still pick up some speed that way if you weren¡¯t being careful coming down the winding road.

    But Jackson was going pedal to the metal and ignored Eddie¡ªif he heard him at all. Eddie continued on, though even he was worried and scared as his front wheel started to wobble, so he slowed down a touch and didn¡¯t give his full effort to race after the reckless Jackson.

    ¡®S-Seriously, bro! You win, you win! Slow down!¡¯ Jackson couldn¡¯t hear him, he wouldn¡¯t hear anything. He kept his head down and powered on. The wind stinging his eyes and face made a good excuse for the tears coming down.

    ¡°I can¡¯t go back! I can¡¯t¡­ they¡¯ll see, they¡¯ll know. I¡¯m a failure! I can¡¯t play that game¡­ I¡¯m not good enough.¡± Jackson closed his eyes, his head hung low, almost bumping his handlebars.

    ¡®Jackson!¡¯ Eddie slowly and shakily skidded to a stop, helpless as Jackson¡¯s front wheel locked up and he took a turn too sharply, flying off his bike and crashing onto the side of the hill, where he tumbled down the rocky dirt for what felt like minutes before finally coming to a stop on the street below.

    Marcus and Sachin pulled up beside Eddie. ¡®Oh¡­ fuck.¡¯

    ¡®JACKSON!¡¯ Eddie sped off towards his best friend¡¯s motionless body.

 Chapter 19: Preparation

    ¡®Alright, I¡¯m heading off to practice,¡¯ Ty said with one foot already out the front door.

    Megan rushed out of her room, her eyes bloodshot and dry behind her glasses. ¡®Have fun, do your best!¡¯ she called from the hallway, more than happy to interrupt her studying to wish her brother well.

    Ty paused for a moment, but no other response came from the almost full house, so he slammed the door and stomped down the short driveway.

    Before he could get much further, his phone began to ring. He stopped on the footpath just in front of his house and saw that it was Luke Hoang calling him.

    Ty answered the phone. ¡®Hey, Coach Hoang. What¡¯s up?¡¯

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t head off to practice just yet, we¡¯re coming to pick you up.¡¯

    ¡®What? Uhh¡­¡¯ Ty looked around with a frown. ¡®Look, I appreciate the gesture but you really don¡¯t have to do that.¡¯

    ¡®Of course we do!¡¯ Coach Long¡¯s jovial voice came through the phone as well. ¡®You¡¯re on our way, and it¡¯s better than having you walk to every session and game. Just sit tight, we¡¯re right around the corner.¡¯

    ¡®Aren¡¯t you coming a bit early just to pick me up?¡¯ Ty mumbled.

    ¡®Well, it¡¯s not good if we¡¯re ALWAYS getting shown up by our players,¡¯ Luke said.

    Ty sighed. ¡®Fine, I¡¯ll see you soon¡­ thank you.¡¯ He hung up.

    He sat down on the curb out the front of his house and waited.

    It was only five minutes later when the coach¡¯s silver SUV rolled up in front of him and stopped. Ty jumped up and got into the back seat.

    ¡®Thank you, again, but you really didn¡¯t need to do this,¡¯ he said.

    ¡®Jesus, give it a rest, Tyrese.¡¯ Bella¡¯s voice startled Ty slightly, though he wasn¡¯t sure why it was surprising, he should¡¯ve known she¡¯d be there in the backseat as well.

    Bella looked him over and then through the window to his house as the car started to pull away. Ty shifted in his seat and glanced back to his family home, his lips curling into another frown.

    ¡®Your weird sister not coming?¡¯

    ¡®She¡¯s not weird.¡¯ Ty glared at Bella. ¡®And no, why would she come to practice?¡¯

    Bella shrugged. ¡®Cheer you on or something, I don¡¯t know, you two just seemed really close the other day.¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Of course we¡¯re close, we¡¯re siblings¡­¡¯ Ty looked away, keeping quiet. ¡°Real siblings.¡±

    Ty could feel Bella¡¯s eyes boring a hole into the back of his head as he kept his gaze out the window while the quiet drive continued.

    It was Coach Long who eventually broke the silence. ¡®That was a great game you played the other night, Ty. That¡¯s what all that hard practice has earned you.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks, Coach.¡¯

    ¡®He would¡¯ve done even better if he stuck to the game plan,¡¯ Bella stated.

    Ty stared daggers at her, but Luke spoke up before he could say anything.

    ¡®What¡¯s done is done, and Samuels played well. He was a crucial part in our victory, and though maybe he could¡¯ve played a cleaner game, in the end, I¡¯m the one who allowed him to continue marking number 88, and with that, I¡¯m sure he learnt some valuable lessons and grew as a player because of his troubles in handling such a large opponent.¡¯

    ¡®We could test if this stubborn boy learnt anything. Let¡¯s have him go up against Stephen Day for most of today¡¯s practice,¡¯ Bella suggested.

    ¡®I¡¯ve already beaten that oaf plenty of times. What¡¯s embarrassing him more gonna prove?¡¯

    Coach Long cleared his throat. ¡®You should talk more kindly about your teammates, Tyrese.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, Tyrese,¡¯ Bella echoed. ¡®And besides, now he¡¯s seen how to beat you first-hand.¡¯

    Ty clenched his fists and grit his teeth, glaring at the smirking girl.

    ¡®Hm, I¡¯ll allow that, it¡¯ll still let you practice what I want the DBs to focus on today. And we¡¯ll see if the Monsoons did show us a flaw in your defence, it¡¯ll be important for us to figure that out so we can fix it if there is one,¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    ¡®I don¡¯t have any flaws or weaknesses. I¡¯ll prove it any way that you want.¡¯

    Bella kept smirking, though Luke¡¯s expression held more concern in it as he looked Ty over.

    When they got to the school and onto the field to start setting up for practice, Rabbit had, of course already, been dropped off. So he and Ty began to warm up together while they waited for everyone else to arrive.

    Rabbit hurried over to Ty with a bounce in his step, oblivious to the annoyance on Ty¡¯s face. ¡®Hey! Dude, you were incredible the other night! I¡¯ve never seen anything like those interceptions before.¡¯ Rabbit¡¯s loud, excited voice bounced around Ty¡¯s skull. ¡®It¡¯s like you had the QB and Receiver on strings, moving them however you wanted.¡¯

    Ty tilted his head. ¡®Hm¡­ I guess. I don¡¯t see it that way¡­¡¯ He sighed. He never could shake this worthless little parasite during practice.

    ¡®Well, how do you see it?¡¯

    ¡®I see it like¡­ a crocodile, sitting beneath the surface of a river, watching his prey come and drink from the water¡¯s edge. He¡¯ll sit and wait, watch the prey drink hundreds, thousands of times, wait for them to lower their guard. Then, when they completely forget that there¡¯s any danger, that¡¯s when the crocodile pounces. That¡¯s me.¡¯

    ¡®Whoa¡­¡¯ Ty could see the gears working overtime in Rabbit¡¯s head.

    ¡®You, you¡¯re the prey.¡¯ Ty jabbed a finger towards Rabbit.

    ¡®Ah¡­ haha, y-yeah maybe I am right now¡­ did you watch the JV game?¡¯

    Ty had forgotten all about it. ¡®Did you win?¡¯

    ¡®I-It was a draw¡­ I uh, I only played a few snaps near the end when the other team was getting really desperate. B-But they couldn¡¯t get any long balls past me! I was too fast to get beat deep.¡¯

    ¡®Did you get any interceptions?¡¯ Ty spoke as if they were the most routine part of the game, like every CB or DB should be getting multiple picks every game.

    ¡®Ah¡­ w-well no I didn¡¯t¡­¡¯

    ¡®Of course you didn¡¯t.¡¯ Rabbit lowered his head. Ty got up from their stretching and started on his laps around the field. Rabbit stayed where he was, chewing on his bottom lip.

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡®N-Next game! I¡¯ll get one next game!¡¯ Rabbit called, but Ty didn¡¯t react.

    Half an hour after Ty had arrived, the rest of the team had all shown up and practice could properly get underway. Though when he looked around, Ty was thankful to see that the bratty scout hadn¡¯t shown up for once.

    After their regular opening drills that involved a lot of running to focus on stamina and cardio, some more specialised practice began, and that¡¯s when Ty and Stephen paired up to begin their one-on-one session.

    Bella brought them together and looked at Ty. ¡®Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re really as good as you think you are. Though either way, you better stick to the game plan in the future, or else.¡¯

    Ty scoffed. ¡®Aye aye, Coach Short.¡¯

    ¡®DON¡¯T call me that.¡¯ She got right in his face, standing eye-to-eye with him.

    Ty didn¡¯t flinch or back down. ¡®Whatever.¡¯ Bella narrowed her eyes and blew her whistle before she moved back.

    ¡®Line up, Tyrese.¡¯ She turned away from him and stood in front of Stephen, who was snickering and grinning from ear to ear.

    ¡®Oi, Samuels.¡¯ Ty quietly groaned as Coach Hoang made his way over. ¡®So, what I need you and all the other DBs to focus on in this drill is your press technique and stopping your man from getting to where he wants to go.¡¯

    Both Luke and Ty looked over to Stephen and Bella, Coach Short was giving the giant some final pointers. ¡®Even against a bigger opponent, you have to use that height, get in low, right here,¡¯ Luke said as he put a hand on Ty¡¯s chest.

    ¡®Hit him hard and use your explosive first step to put all your power into that first strike. Hit him first and you¡¯ll control him, you can¡¯t just let him do what he wants.¡¯

    Ty nodded. ¡®Got it, yeah don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll sit him down and show him that he¡¯s still no match, no matter what ¡°weakness¡± you all think you¡¯ve found in me.¡¯

    Luke looked at him sternly. ¡®Just focus and remember what I said.¡¯

    Stephen stepped over and talked with the QB Jay for a brief moment, before he came over to Ty and the two lined up face-to-face, staring each other down.

    There were a few other pairs of CBs and Receivers lined up with one another, though Stephen and Ty were the only two who had a QB with them, the others really were honing in on their press technique, and how to beat it.

    Every CB was pressed up close on their man, their hands antsy and at the ready to shoot out to try and hold the Receivers back. They were acting more like Linemen.

    Ty took a deep breath, and then it began at the sound of Bella¡¯s whistle. Stephen burst forward, and though Ty¡¯s hands met his chest firmly, it did almost nothing to slow the much larger man down.

    Stephen¡¯s pushed back, but Ty was already backing off, abandoning his plan of trying to press and stop him.

    Ty hung back and continued retreating, his hawk-like eyes watching both Stephen and Jay, waiting for either of them to make a move and let on when the pass was gonna be coming.

    He expected a curl route to take advantage of Stephen¡¯s much larger frame, and Ty¡¯s retreating defence.

    ¡°There!¡± Ty thought as he saw Jay pull his arm back, beginning his motion to throw, and Stephen started to turn back towards the ball. Ty lunged but then stopped himself midway through¡ªit was a feint.

    Stephen turned forward again and rushed ahead, sprinting by Ty, who was scrambling to recover. A grin covered most of Stephen¡¯s face.

    He had been told to do a curl route by Bella, to use his strength and size to seal out Ty and get the easy reception. It¡¯s what he usually did and had gotten him a lot of Red Zone (Refers to the area of the field between the 20-yard line and the goal line) touchdowns throughout his career.

    It was also the same route that had given number 88 so much success against Ty during the game.

    But Ty would be expecting something like that, after all, it was on a play just like that, where Ty had gotten a pick six. (Interception returned for a touchdown.)

    So, if that¡¯s what everyone was expecting, he¡¯d fake it and pull a double move to go past Ty for the long touchdown in one go.

    It¡¯s the plan he¡¯d told Jay about, and it had worked to perfection. He was in the clear and there was nothing stopping him from steamrolling to the endzone, all he had to do was make the catch; he could trust Jay to put the ball where it needed to be.

    What he didn¡¯t count on was Ty having such a quick recovery. When Stephen turned his head back to call for the ball, he found Ty nipping at his heels, not even a full step behind him.

    Stephen¡¯s eyes widened, but he shook his head and ploughed on regardless, his confidence unwavering. He was still in the better position, and he still had the size advantage.

    Jay let the ball go¡ªit was a beautiful rainbow of a pass, and it was going to fall right on the goal line. Stephen pushed himself to chase after it and make it on time.

    He adjusted for the flight of the ball and put his hands out, it was going to be a catch, the ball was falling right into his lap.

    It was in his grasp, he was holding his victory tight. But the moment the ball landed in his hands, a third came from out of nowhere and wrenched the ball away from him.

    Ty had dove forward, throwing his body at the pass, and with a single, outstretched hand, he had been able to dislodge it from Stephen¡¯s grip before the pass could be completed.

    Both Stephen and Ty fell down, with Ty basically tackling Stephen to the ground as they skidded through the endzone and the ball bounced away from them.

    Stephen angrily got up, shoving Ty away and dusting himself off. ¡®Fuck, man! Goddamn long-armed freak. That¡¯s pass interference, I had your ass and you know it.¡¯

    Ty gritted his teeth and picked himself up. ¡®That shit was clean,¡¯ he said, but as he was about to continue, he saw an angry-looking Coach Hoang wheeling over to them.

    ¡®Samuels, what the hell was that? I told you to press up on him, not just back off and give him a free run to the end zone. Forget it, you¡¯re not competing in the air.¡¯ Coach Hoang turned around.

    ¡®Breechwood! Go do some target practice!¡¯ The easygoing Jay shrugged and gave Stephen an apologetic smile before moving away.

    ¡®Day! No more of that, this is just press technique and how to overcome it. Samuels is here to stop you from getting five yards past him, and it¡¯s your job to get by him as fast as possible.¡¯

    ¡®Fine by me. He¡¯s too small to stop me.¡¯ Stephen¡¯s red eyes were full of arrogance.

    Ty practically snarled, his sharp teeth showing as his own arrogant and prideful eyes met Stephen¡¯s.

    ¡®You hear that, Samuels? He thinks you¡¯re pathetic, a puny punk who¡¯s so far beneath him you can¡¯t even slow him down. Now man up and do your job, instead of acting like a scared little freshy who¡¯s running from a challenge.¡¯ Coach Hoang sped away from Ty and went back to check in on how the others were faring.

    Ty was clenching his fists so tight his nails were almost breaking the skin. He stomped over to Stephen and the two got underway with their drill, going at each other aggressively, letting out their animosity and frustration with each other.

    Even though Ty followed Coach Hoang¡¯s advice of aiming for Stephen¡¯s chest and using his explosive legs to put his whole power and weight behind his attempt to hold Stephen back, it was hopeless.

    Stephen would just ram his hands into Ty¡¯s chest as well and shove him back with ease, like a sumo wrestler going up against a child. And Stephen wouldn¡¯t stop until he¡¯d carried Ty ten yards past the mark they were supposed to end at.

    His grin only got wider, as he laughed in Ty¡¯s face and continued to taunt him after every round. ¡®What¡¯s the matter, pipsqueak? You ain¡¯t barking much now, you little chihuahua. You¡¯re nothing but a little boy, ain¡¯t fit to be playing with the real men.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s frustration was only building. He gnashed his sharp teeth together so hard they almost broke, but he didn¡¯t retaliate or respond to the jeers.

    ¡°Why the fuck can he touch me if I¡¯ve got the longer arms?!¡± Ty picked himself up off the grass once again and stomped his way back over to their starting line, looking at his hands. His whole training uniform had been stained green with how many times he¡¯d been shoved into the turf.

    He looked around; practice would be over soon, and all he¡¯d done was spend it getting knocked around by that giant asshole. No one else was working on press coverage like this anymore.

    But his focus was grabbed by the Offensive Lineman as they practised against the edge rushers of the defence, trying to protect a dummy that represented the QB standing in the pocket. (Passing pocket</a>)

    He watched as the massive, beefy men would meet and their struggle would commence. It was like an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, and he saw how that immovable object was so different to how he tried to go about it.

    They didn¡¯t throw themselves forward, they stood their ground and disabled the power of their opponent rather than go against it toe-to-toe.

    Their arms were the key. They were spring-loaded precision missiles with all their power behind them. They disrupted the flow of the aggressor and pushed them back, even if they only knocked them off rhythm for a second, that was all that was needed to win the battle.

    Ty eyed his own hands again before looking up at Stephen.

    ¡®You bitching out? I haven¡¯t got all fucking day,¡¯ Stephen growled.

    Ty got in front of him and took his stance, signalling that he was ready. Bella¡ªwho had watched over them the whole time¡ªblew her whistle and Stephen charged forward.

    Ty stayed right where he was, his eyes never leaving his target¡ªStephen¡¯s chest. He thrust his arm out with blinding speed, twisting his body through the strike. He hit home and cracked Stephen right in the sternum with his palm.

    The larger man staggered back, his feet slipping as he dropped to one knee, clutching at his chest and coughing heavily.

    Ty stood over him, eying his own hand, his new weapon¡ªa spear to the heart.

 Chapter 20: A Shattered Son

    The clacking of the keyboard was just one of the many jarring sounds filling the hospital lobby. ¡®You¡¯ll need to go to room 759. The elevator is just down the hall and to your left right there,¡¯ the receptionist said, looking up at the young man before her, though he was already rushing down the hall.

    ¡®Thank you!¡¯ the man called out without looking back. His head of short, blond curls bounced wildly as he hurried over to the elevator. His finger mashed the button to call the elevator to his floor, as if each subsequent press would make the mechanism move faster somehow.

    When the doors finally opened with a ding, he burst through them, almost knocking another man over. ¡®Oh, gosh I¡¯m so sorry!¡¯ He put his hands on the shorter man¡¯s shoulders, keeping him from stumbling over.

    ¡®N-No you¡¯re alright,¡¯ the older, stouter man said with a cough, looking up at the young man and a bit taken aback by him.

    This old gentleman wasn¡¯t exactly short, but even so, he still had to crane his neck to look up at the young man who was in one hell of a rush. The boy was big, not just tall, but broad and strong enough for two men.

    The older man quickly made his exit, shaking his head and muttering about ¡°Kids these days¡±.

    ¡®Hold the door, please!¡¯ The curly-haired man¡¯s finger hovered over the ¡°close doors¡± button, but he refrained from pushing it, stepping aside as a young woman entered and pressed the button for the third floor.

    He tapped his foot against the floor rapidly, waiting as more people got on and more people got off at each floor before his stop, wondering if he should¡¯ve just taken the stairs before he finally reached the seventh floor.

    Once again as he came bursting out of the doors, he almost bowled someone over, offering a quick apology as he rushed past, ignoring the angry cry of ¡°Watch it shithead!¡± that followed him.

    The only thing that pounded louder than his heart, was his footsteps as he raced down the empty, sterile hall.

    His first memory of this hospital came to him, the first time these plain white walls had been rushing past him. It was a much happier occasion back then, though he was still heading to see the same person.

    ¡®Tommy!¡¯ He almost would¡¯ve kept running if his mom¡¯s voice didn¡¯t call out to him. He slowed down to a complete stop, panting as he stood in front of his family, each of their faces tear-stained.

    They all hugged him at once. His mother buried her face into his chest, her eyes puffy with fresh tears flowing from them.

    His father pulled Tommy¡¯s head to his firm, comforting shoulder, even now the man still felt like a larger-than-life protector, despite Tommy having already outgrown him.

    And Tommy¡¯s little sister, Chrissy, was like a cannonball to the gut as she tackled him, sobbing loudly while she clung to him the tightest out of them all..

    ¡®H-Hey Tommy¡­¡¯ Eddie gave a half wave as he rose up from his chair nearby. Tommy rose his hand in acknowledgement but was too stunned to say anything for a while.

    When the group hug was finally over¡ªwhich felt like it had gone on for minutes¡ªTommy finally said, ¡®How is he?¡¯

    His mom sniffled and looked across the narrow hall, gazing through the window opposite them. ¡®H-He hasn¡¯t woken up yet¡­ but the doctors say he¡¯s stable.¡¯

    Eddie hung his head. Tommy walked closer to the window, his dad keeping a hand on his shoulder and sticking by his side.

    Father and son looked through the window, and a tear rolled down Tommy¡¯s cheek as he saw his brother alone in the room, laid out in a hospital bed with one leg in a thick cast, bandages around his head, and one arm in a sling.

    Jackson was in the clouds, surrounded by the familiar mountains of his home and with the desert beneath him. He was alone, and floating in the air. The sun was shining, bright and full in the sky he inhabited, but it wasn¡¯t hot, nor was it cold¡­ he was perfectly at ease and totally comfortable.

    He looked around, confused as he drifted through the air. His eyes landed on the only other object in sight aside from the clouds and mountains¡ªa lone football, hovering just before him.

    He backed away from it, his mouth going dry and his heart beginning to race. A shadowy hand crept forward over the sun, blocking it from view as a giant loomed behind it.

    Jackson plummeted from the sky. He tried to scream but nothing could come out, he couldn¡¯t even open his mouth, he couldn¡¯t move. His eyes were locked on the giant silhouette above him and the football, which was held within a spotlight.

    ¡®You could never grasp it. You don¡¯t deserve it. You¡¯re not good enough.¡¯ His own voice echoed around him.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    He saw his mother¡¯s face, contorted in pain and sadness. ¡®Why are you hurting me like this? Why are you such a disappointment!?¡¯

    He closed his eyes, but it did nothing to stop his visions. Next, he saw the faces of his friends, laughing at him. ¡®Thank fuck that loser gave up track. Now we don¡¯t have to carry his dead weight with us.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, now we can run free without having to worry about him holding us back.¡¯

    ¡®He¡¯s so worthless¡­ he left us for something he can¡¯t even do. He¡¯ll never get anywhere playing football, what a retard.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯d never let you on the team,¡¯ his dad¡¯s voice boomed, his face angry and his eyes full of judgement. ¡®Someone like you could never get a scholarship.¡¯

    ¡®To think I wanted to play with you one day¡­¡¯ Jackson went cold as he heard his brother¡¯s voice.

    ¡®No¡­¡¯ he managed to squeak out. The silhouette above grinned maniacally.

    ¡®You¡¯re a disgrace to the game, I¡¯d never let someone like you play on the same field as me. You¡¯re the lowest of low, and don¡¯t even deserve to touch a football again.¡¯

    ¡®No!¡¯ Jackson screamed as his friends and family turned their backs on him. He fell further and further away from them, the wicked grin of the silhouette only growing.

    ¡®It¡¯s all HIS fault!¡¯ Jackson cried as his limbs flailed helplessly, unable to slow his fall. ¡®He did this!¡¯ He aimed his despair at the silhouette.

    The massive, shrouded figure loomed closer, leaning forward as its face lit up, his own reflection staring back at himself.

    ¡®Yes! It¡¯s all your fault! You have no one to blame but yourself!¡¯ Jackson slammed to the ground.

    In his bed, Jackson jolted awake. The light filtering through the curtains of the hospital room was dwindling, and he was staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling.

    His body ached all over, and he winced as he slowly raised his head up, looking around. There was extra weight on his bed, a mess of curls and thick, burly arms at his hip, as Tommy laid his upper half against the bed.

    ¡®Oh, shit¡­ Jackson?¡¯ He looked over upon hearing Eddie¡¯s voice, his best friend sitting in a chair right beside him on the opposite side of Tommy.

    ¡®Eddie?¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s dad was startled by the voices and stood up from where he had been slumped over and asleep in his own chair. ¡®Jack? You¡¯re awake. Oh, you¡¯re awake!¡¯ He scrambled to the door and fumbled with the handle before rushing out and down the hall to get a doctor.

    Tommy lifted his head, flashing a sad smile to his little brother. ¡®Hey, bro¡­ how ya feeling?¡¯

    Jackson just sunk down lower in his bed and didn¡¯t say anything, tears flowing from his eyes. Tommy moved closer and carefully hugged him so as not to hurt his still tender and sore body.

    ¡®Your mom and Chrissy were just making a run to the vending machine,¡¯ Eddie said as he got up and moved closer. ¡®... I¡¯m glad you¡¯re awake, bro.¡¯

    It wasn¡¯t much longer before Chrissy and Jackson¡¯s mom came rushing through the door, Mom almost dropped the drinks she was carrying in her excitement to hurry over and hug her baby boy.

    ¡®Ah! M-Mom that hurts¡­ please¡­¡¯ Jackson complained.

    ¡®S-Sorry!¡¯ his mom sobbed, easing up and pulling away, sniffling and wiping her face. ¡®I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re awake.¡¯

    Chrissy flopped onto Jackson¡¯s bed as well, giving him that same, cannonball hug she¡¯d had to Tommy, though much more gently, but it still hurt Jackson nonetheless.

    Tommy would pluck her off the groaning Jackson, and both he and their mom chastised Chrissy to be more careful with her injured brother.

    After that, Dad soon returned, a doctor in tow. ¡®Good afternoon Mr Woods, it¡¯s nice you¡¯re finally awake. I¡¯m Dr Saha, and I¡¯ll be looking after you, is it okay if I ask you some questions right now?¡¯

    The woman spoke with an overly calm and soothing voice, though her dark eyes hardly looked up from the clipboard she carried with her. She felt as cold and stale as the hospital she worked in.

    ¡®I-I don¡¯t mind but¡­ how long was I asleep for?¡¯

    Dr Saad checked her watch. ¡®Just over thirty hours. What do you last remember before your accident?¡¯ everyone else backed away from his bed as Dr Saad moved closer.

    ¡®Uhh¡­ I was at¡­ Thornrock hill¡­ and I was riding my bike down it.¡¯

    ¡®I-I was there too,¡¯ Eddie chimed in.

    ¡®And what else?¡¯ Dr Saad asked. Jackson could faintly recall hearing Eddie¡¯s panicked voice begging him to slow down.

    With a frown, he said, ¡®And I crashed my bike¡­ because we were racing.¡¯ He glanced at Eddie, but neither boy could look at one another for long.

    ¡®Do you remember your birthday?¡¯ Dr Saad now shone a little flashlight into each of Jackson¡¯s eyes, checking his pupils.

    ¡®F-Febuary 28th¡­ 2008.¡¯

    ¡®Very good. We¡¯re still waiting for the test results to come back, but it doesn¡¯t seem like there¡¯s any major head trauma to worry about¡­ no signs are showing so far at least, which is usually a good thing.¡¯ She lowered the light and scribbled on her clipboard.

    ¡®Wait¡­ you said¡­ I was asleep for thirty hours?¡¯

    ¡®Technically, you were in a coma, but yes. It¡¯s now Monday, do you know what date it is?¡¯

    ¡®Th-then it¡¯s¡­ the second of September, 2022? Wh-What about my game?¡¯ He tried to sit up more but winced again.

    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t try to get up yet, just get your rest¡­ what game is this?¡¯

    ¡®Ah, J-Jackson just started playing high school football, JV¡­ his first game was supposed to be yesterday.¡¯ his dad butted in.

    ¡®I see¡­¡¯ Dr Saad¡¯s stoic expression shifted as she frowned and looked at Jackson. ¡®Well, I¡¯m sorry to tell you this Jackson, but along with your minor head injury, you broke your collarbone, which shouldn¡¯t take too long to heal, they¡¯re meant to break easily to protect your body from further harm¡­¡¯

    She paused and the air hung heavy around her, Jackson couldn¡¯t breathe, it was like his chest was being slowly crushed. ¡®But you also broke your leg, it was quite a bad fracture, and it could take up half a year to properly heal.¡¯

    Eddie sat back down, hanging his head in his hands. Tommy looked away, his fists clenched tight. Mom and Dad held each other for comfort. Jackson was taking longer to process the information.

    Dr Saad broke the silence. ¡®You won¡¯t be playing any football this year. I¡¯m sorry. But, if you rehab correctly, there¡¯s always your sophomore season.¡¯

 Chapter 21: Brotherhood

    A weight had been lifted from Jackson¡¯s person, and he surprised himself with how he reacted upon hearing the doctor¡¯s news.

    He wasn¡¯t sad or outraged, he didn¡¯t try to deny the facts presented to him, nor did he try to leap out of bed in a prideful but foolish attempt to show that there was nothing wrong with him.

    Instead, he felt uplifted, and the anxiety that had been strangling his heart vanished.

    But he wasn¡¯t entirely overjoyed by this news, there was still a small part of him¡ªin the back of his mind¡ªthat was anguished by this knowledge and the consequences of it.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sure this must be quite a blow for you. I suggest you get some more rest, we still want to monitor you and make sure everything is alright before we let you head home, and in due time we¡¯ll check up on you again to see how your injuries are healing and when you¡¯ll be ready to start rehab.¡¯

    Dr Saad got up and left the room, Jackson¡¯s father stepped outside with her to ask some more questions, but Jackson didn¡¯t care, he laid his head back and closed his eyes, feeling at ease for the most part.

    When the door to his room opened and closed again to announce his father¡¯s return, Jackson opened his eyes and looked around.

    ¡®You know, I¡¯m alright, you guys¡­ you don¡¯t have to babysit me forever, I¡¯ll be okay. I think I just need a bit more rest,¡¯ he said.

    His mom looked at her husband, frowning a bit, then she looked at Eddie, he was still staring at his best friend with concern all over his face.

    Chrissy¡¯s stomach grumbled loudly and she hid her face against her mom.

    ¡®I¡¯ll take Eddie and Chrissy home,¡¯ Mom said, getting up. ¡®Your parents must be wanting you back by now.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, yeah I guess,¡¯ Eddie mumbled.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want to go home, I wanna stay with Jackie!¡¯ Chrissy whined, but her stomach growled louder.

    ¡®We¡¯ll get takeout on the way home now, stop being difficult, honey, your brother needs his rest.¡¯

    Eddie got up as well, though stepped closer to Jackson¡¯s side, offering him a fist bump. ¡®Hang in there, bro. I¡¯ll come see you again tomorrow, alright?¡¯

    Again the little voice piped up in the back of Jackson¡¯s mind, asking him if he was really okay with this. He leaned over carefully and used his good arm to return Eddie¡¯s fist bump.

    ¡®Okay¡­ but you don¡¯t have to, I¡¯ll be alright, man¡­ promise.¡¯

    Eddie just nodded before he turned away and went to the door, heading out with Jackson¡¯s mom and a semi-pouting Chrissy.

    Tommy and Dad stayed in the room, sitting in chairs on either side of Jackson¡¯s bed. Though they didn¡¯t say anything for a while.

    Jackson didn¡¯t say anything either, though as the silence dragged on, it began to become unbearable for him and he had to say something to break it. Of course, his mind went straight for football.

    ¡®Hey. How¡¯s your first year of college ball going anyway?¡¯ he asked Tommy.

    Tommy grinned, glancing over at their dad. ¡®Oh man, Dad not keeping you up to date? It¡¯s really tough, I¡¯m definitely not getting an easy ride just cause my dad is one of the coaches either.¡¯

    He laughed. Tommy was a TE for the Arizona State Sun Devils, and their dad was a positional coach, specifically for WRs and TEs on the team.

    ¡®Actually, I reckon I¡¯m getting an even HARDER time than most of the other guys on the team.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, at least no one can accuse me of favouritism that way, but you know I only push you so hard because I know you can handle it,¡¯ Dad said.

    Tommy smiled and nodded. ¡®Remember that, lil bro. If you think your coaches are ever riding your ass way too hard, it¡¯s because they have faith in you, and want to get the best out of you.¡¯

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    Jackson frowned a little, thinking back to the insane practice sessions that Coach Otsen put the whole team through and how tough he was on everyone.

    ¡®But yeah I uh, I¡¯ve not had many snaps in any actual games, I¡¯m still just the 3rd stringer, though it¡¯s better than being the 4th.¡¯ Tommy shrugged.

    ¡®Still, I give it my all every practice and every second I¡¯m out there on the field, as long as I can contribute to the team¡¯s success, even in the smallest way, I¡¯m happy.¡¯

    Their dad nodded. ¡®It takes every part of the team trying their hardest to get a win, every play is important, and everyone needs to give their all if you want any hope of success as a unit.¡¯

    Jackson sat there, listening quietly as the two older, wiser men conveyed their experiences to him.

    It was encouraging and discouraging at the same time. Hearing how his brother¡ªsomeone he¡¯d always looked up to, and someone whose back he¡¯d always chased after¡ªstruggled at the next level of football up from what Jackson was dealing with. It reaffirmed his desire to give up as there shouldn¡¯t be any way for him to succeed at the next level if even his brother was struggling.

    But at the same time, the talk about hard work and never giving in, especially coming from the two men he looked up to most, couldn¡¯t help but ignite some sparks within the broken boy.

    ¡®I¡¯m still loving it though, and I¡¯m not worried about being a starter yet,¡¯ Tommy said with a soft smile. ¡®It actually reminds me of high school a lot.¡¯

    Jackson was intrigued, tilting his head. ¡®What do you mean?¡¯

    ¡®Just, when I started then I was so helpless too and had to work my way up from the bottom. My freshman year, I didn¡¯t even start on JV¡­ even though I was bigger than the other kids, I was so clumsy and lost out there. I totally wasn¡¯t ready for the jump from middle school to high school competition.¡¯

    Jackson was shocked to hear that, he thought it should¡¯ve been a breeze for Tommy, and from what he could remember of watching his brother¡¯s games, he always seemed unstoppable out there on the high school field.

    ¡®But that didn¡¯t stop me from giving it my all. What I lacked in skill and experience, I made up for with determination and energy! I made it my goal to work harder than anyone and everyone, every single game, and every practice as well.

    ¡®So even if I gave my coaches headaches whenever I forgot what play we were supposed to be running, or if I messed up my routes or blocking assignment, I more than made up for it with my ability to hustle and never give up on any play. That¡¯s why they loved me.¡¯

    He paused for a moment, looking down at Jackson and leaning closer. ¡®They don¡¯t care about who¡¯s more talented or who can make the flashier plays. What they¡¯re really on the lookout for, are the guys who will never quit, and are always going to put in twice as much hard work as anyone else out there.¡¯

    Jackson couldn¡¯t take his eyes away from Tommy, his heart beating hard and heavy.

    ¡®Guys like that are the ones who make it far in this sport¡­ they¡¯re the ones who have no limit, because the only real limit in this world is the one you lay down for yourself. If you¡¯re willing to work for it, you can do anything¡­¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s fists were clenched tight as his door opened again. It was a nurse this time, and the soft-spoken man told Dad and Tommy that visiting hours were over, it was late after all, and the patients needed their rest.

    Jackson¡¯s dad kissed him on the head before he and Tommy left for the night.

    The room was way too quiet, leaving Jackson alone with his thoughts as he lay in the darkness. He was even more confused than he had been before the accident, even more unsure of what he wanted.

    But just like every night before, tears trickled down his face as he sunk into a restless, troubled sleep.

    The next morning, Tommy showed up bright and early, as soon as visitors were allowed in to see the patients.

    The two brothers continued to talk about football, but this time they weren¡¯t focused on either of their own careers, but that of the NFL and how this year could be the Cardinals¡¯ year.

    Time passed a lot quicker with Tommy around, and later in the day, the two brothers were joined by Jackson¡¯s friends. Eddie was the first one through the door, though both Sachin and Marcus were close behind him.

    The latter two were a bit horrified when they saw the state Jackson was in.

    ¡®Geez¡­ I don¡¯t look that bad do I?¡¯ Jackson¡¯s attempted joke did little to lighten the mood.

    ¡®I¡¯m just¡­ really sorry man¡­ like, it¡¯s horrible what happened,¡¯ Marcus said.

    ¡®It¡¯s fine¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡¯ Jackson tried to reassure them, but his friends were still looking at him like he¡¯d had his leg blown off rather than just broken.

    Eddie was the worst, he was absolutely distraught, and he couldn¡¯t stop blaming himself for what had happened, but¡­ he was blaming himself even more for not seeing any signs of how upset his best friend had been.

    Looking back on things after the accident, it was like his eyes had been opened for the first time, it should¡¯ve been so obvious, and he was kicking himself for not doing something about it before it was too late.

    Sachin and Marcus tried to make small talk and tell Jackson about what had happened at school that day, but whenever they brought up a new topic they were always hesitant and it soon fizzled out anyway.

    It didn¡¯t help that whenever they tried to say something they had to do so over the loud, rapid tapping of Eddie¡¯s shoe against the tiled floor.

    Eventually, Eddie stood up, having finally steeled himself. He looked Jackson right in the eyes, his body shaking a bit.

    ¡®Did you¡­¡¯ he started but caught himself; he already knew the answer to that question. ¡®No. Why did you do this to yourself?¡¯

    Tommy¡¯s eyes widened, and everyone¡¯s gaze was fixed on Jackson, awaiting his response.

 Chapter 22: An Explosion of Emotions

    Instead of confronting Eddie¡¯s accusation, Jackson turned away and made some excuse about needing rest.

    He gave them nothing, but in a way, that told Eddie everything he needed to know. For him, it only confirmed his suspicions that Jackson had crashed on purpose.

    Sachin and Marcus weren¡¯t convinced though¡ªthey laughed it off, thinking it was ridiculous to even consider that. After all, why would Jackson do such a thing? Especially when the season was just about to start ¡­ he loved football ¡­ right?

    As Jackson lay there, he was reminded that he had so many loved ones, so many people there for him, so many people he could talk to, no matter what it was about, and they¡¯d never judge him for anything.

    He silently let the words of appreciation and support wash over him, he didn¡¯t meet the sad, confused gazes coming from Eddie or his brother Tommy, he barely said anything else to anyone for the rest of his short stay at the hospital after that.

    Tommy stuck by his bedside the most, while his friends left shortly after he went quiet and didn¡¯t visit him again, though Jackson was only kept in the hospital for one more day.

    When it was time to go, he was wheeled out to the family sedan, where Tommy helped him into the passenger seat. His new crutches¡ªthough even with them Dr Saha advised him to stay off his feet as much as possible over the coming weeks¡ªwere loaded into the boot, and his family piled into the car before they drove off back home.

    Even stopping for pizza did nothing to brighten Jackson¡¯s mood. He kept his head resting against the window, glaring at the world beyond it, which was much too bright for his dreary mood.

    ¡°If this was a movie, it¡¯d be raining now, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± he thought.

    When they got back home, Jackson¡¯s mother suggested that they have a family movie night, but Jackson gently rejected that idea, saying that he just wanted to go to his room.

    When he lay down on his bed, he wondered if he made the right decision, even if he didn¡¯t really want to be around others right now, being stuck with himself might¡¯ve actually been worse.

    Though after a while, he was saved from his own thoughts when Tommy knocked on and opened the door. He was cradling a pizza box and a bottle of soft drink, along with a dusty old Xbox 360 in his arms.

    ¡®Yo! Thought we could boot up this old thing and play some zombies, like old times,¡¯ Tommy said, setting everything down and getting started on hooking up the console to Jackson¡¯s TV.

    Jackson gingerly sat up, watching his brother. ¡®We don¡¯t¡­ thanks, that¡¯d be really fun.¡¯ Tommy flashed him a grin. Jackson looked around. ¡®Though, bit hard to do that without any controllers¡­ and uh, we need some glasses too unless you wanna drink straight from the bottle.¡¯

    ¡®Ah, right right. Hey, I only have two arms ya know, I couldn¡¯t carry it all at once,¡¯ Tommy laughed and once he had everything set up, he stood and stepped out of the room. ¡®Be right back,¡¯ he said as he went off to get the last things they needed.

    When Tommy returned, he handed over a controller to Jackson, and poured out their drinks, but before he took his seat next to the bed, he looked his brother over.

    ¡®You sure you don¡¯t need some pillows under your leg or anything?¡¯ He was already on his way out to get more cushions when Jackson¡¯s voice stopped him.

    ¡®No, it¡¯s fine¡­ relax, I¡¯ll be alright, just¡­ don¡¯t worry about it okay? I¡¯m fine.¡¯ Tommy stopped at the door and looked back, staring at Jackson for a while before he smiled and nodded, making his way back over and dropping down onto the beanbag next to Jackson¡¯s bed.

    ¡®Alright, you still remember the strat?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    ¡®What, where we get up on the table in the starting room of Five? Yeah, I remember.¡¯

    ¡®Heh, awesome. Reckon we can beat our record tonight?¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t know¡­ but, I¡¯ll try my best to carry you through it,¡¯ Jackson teased.

    ¡®Ohh, you¡¯re gonna carry me now, is that right? We¡¯ll see about that.¡¯

    Jackson smiled. The two brothers booted up Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and went to the zombies mode, selecting their mutual favourite map from the game: Five.

    They glitched out of bounds and on top of areas they weren¡¯t supposed to reach, racked up points and then raced to get the power on and everything unlocked.

    They¡¯d madly dash back to their glitched spot while keeping away from the final zombie alive, and blast the invisible gun thief when he inevitably showed up.

    Eventually, they¡¯d run out of bullets, and get downed when they made a sprint to pick up a new weapon or get some more ammo, and then they¡¯d start all over again, aiming ever higher, always chasing after that illustrious goal of round 100 that they¡¯d never quite been able to reach together.

    They laughed and joked around with each other the whole time, competing against one another to see who could get the highest amount of points, who could kill the most zombies and get the most headshots, and giving each other shit whenever one of them would go down, though they always did everything they could to revive one another.

    They¡¯d played long enough into the night that the leftover pizza had gone cold, their bottle of soft drink was empty, and at one point, their mom had stuck her head into the room to tell them to try and keep things quiet as their little sister was going to sleep.

    They promised to keep the noise down, though of course sometimes they got so into it that in the heat of the moment they just couldn¡¯t help but cry out, cheer, or groan loudly.

    It was just what Jackson needed, though he couldn¡¯t remember the last time they¡¯d had such fun like this, even before Tommy went away to college.

    Jackson had lost count of the amount of games they¡¯d played, the amount of times they started over from round one.

    Though the next time they both died, Tommy flopped back with a groan. ¡®Duuuude, ugh that was so messed up! I totally should¡¯ve been able to squeeze through there.¡¯

    ¡®Hahah, I know right? Sometimes it feels like they just grab onto you even though you should¡¯ve been able to get through.¡¯

    Tommy laughed, still holding onto his controller, though he didn¡¯t start up another game right away. ¡®Hey¡­ I¡¯ve already said this, but, you can tell me anything, you know. Is everything okay with you? Like, outside of all this,¡¯ as he said the last part, he gestured to Jackson¡¯s leg.

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    Jackson¡¯s expression soured, and he set down his controller. ¡®...It¡¯s getting late, don¡¯t you have classes tomorrow? We should probably get some sleep.¡¯ He went to turn away, but Tommy reached over and grabbed his shoulder, stopping him.

    ¡®Nuh-uh, you don¡¯t get to push me away again, not ¡®till you tell me what¡¯s up with you¡­ come on, get up, we¡¯re going for a drive.¡¯

    Jackson groaned and frowned, but he saw that look in Tommy¡¯s eyes, always such a determined, stubborn bull, he knew when his big brother had that look there was no dissuading him from what he wanted.

    With a heavy sigh¡ªand with Tommy¡¯s help¡ªhe started to pick himself up. Jackson shuffled down the hall on his crutches, drawing the attention of his parents from the living room.

    ¡®Where are you boys headed?¡¯ their dad asked, his voice inquisitive rather than stern.

    ¡®Just heading out for a short drive,¡¯ Tommy answered. ¡®I promise we won¡¯t be long¡­ Jack and I just need some fresh air, and some bro time.¡¯ His smile was soft as he looked at his parents, one hand rubbing Jackson¡¯s shoulder.

    It was a comforting look, and the parents trusted Tommy enough to know that he wouldn¡¯t do anything stupid and was just trying to look out for Jackson, so they let them go, but told them to be back before midnight.

    Tommy helped Jackson into his little, beat-up car, and threw the crutches into the back before they took off, cruising through the mostly quiet streets, the air still hot and heavy despite it being nighttime.

    Jackson was surprised that Tommy was silent throughout the drive, only the music of the radio and the grumble of the engine disrupted their silence. He wondered where they were going¡ªif they had a destination at all¡ªbut he didn¡¯t say anything, maybe if he stayed quiet, Tommy would too.

    Though after ten minutes or so, they came to a stop, pulling up by a public football field.

    Jackson¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡®I¡¯m not getting out.¡¯

    Tommy gave him a look, raising an eyebrow as he turned off the engine. Jackson sighed and rolled his eyes, opening his door, knowing Tommy would just carry him out if he wanted, and even with no one else around, that was still a humiliation he wanted to avoid.

    Tommy picked up the crutches from the back and got out, making his way around the car to help Jackson out as well, then led him into the middle of the grassy field underneath the stars.

    ¡®What are we doing out here, Tommy?¡¯ Jackson asked.

    ¡®Did you really do it on purpose?¡¯ Tommy looked at him, and Jackson stayed silent, turning his eyes towards the ground.

    ¡®I¡¯m going home. I¡¯ll walk if I have to.¡¯ Jackson turned and started to hobble away. He was clumsy with his crutches, still not used to them, and the shoddy turf was uneven. He stumbled and fell down.

    In a flash, Tommy was right there by his side.

    ¡®Why won¡¯t you talk to me?! I¡¯m right here to help you, just¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do so tell me what¡¯s wrong¡­ please. I¡¯m always here to pick you up.¡¯ Tommy helped Jackson back up onto his feet, not letting him go. Jackson couldn¡¯t meet his gaze.

    ¡®S-So what if I didn¡¯t care about getting hurt, if I was reckless and got into that crash on purpose, then what?¡¯ Jackson sniffled, his trembling lips curled up into a scowl as he glared at the grass.

    ¡®Why? What about your game?¡¯

    ¡®What about it?!¡¯ Jackson stared at Tommy, his eyes not only clouded by tears, but more anger than he¡¯d ever felt before. ¡®Why¡¯s it matter if I miss out on football?!¡¯

    ¡®I thought you loved playing, isn¡¯t it your dream to make it to the NFL? What about that? If¡­ If you don¡¯t like it anymore, if you don¡¯t want to do it, you could¡¯ve just said something¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Say what?! Sorry mom, sorry dad! I¡¯m sorry you drove me to all those camps, to all those games, all those practices, bought all those boots, I¡¯m sorry you believed in a piece of worthless shit like me when I was garbage all along that could never go anywhere?¡¯

    Tommy was taken aback, never seeing or hearing Jackson so upset in his life. He wiped a speck of saliva from his cheek from when Jackson had inadvertently spat on him during his rant.

    ¡®I just¡­ I can¡¯t do it!¡¯ Jackson slumped down to the ground again, tossing aside his crutches as he sat on his ass, putting his face into his hands.

    ¡®You¡¯re not worthless, why¡­ why do you think all those things about yourself, you¡¯re amazing Jackie! You¡¯re one of the best I¡¯ve seen, you¡¯ve got so much potential, I know you¡¯re gonna be great. You¡¯re even better than I was at your age.¡¯

    Tommy sat down beside his brother, putting an arm around his shoulders and pulling him close.

    Jackson shook his head, trying to push his brother away, but unable to break away from his strong grip. ¡®I¡¯m not¡­ not anymore. Everyone¡­ they¡¯re so much better than me, I¡­I could never catch up¡­ I¡¯m scared.¡¯

    ¡®Scared? You¡¯ve got nothing to be scared about, you just¡­ you have to work hard. You¡¯re in high school now, you¡¯re a freshman, of course you¡¯re not going to be on the level of the seniors. Even I struggled at the beginning, hell, I¡¯m struggling now trying to adjust to college.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s different¡­ I¡­ I can¡¯t do it.¡¯

    ¡®Why not?!¡¯ Jackson flinched as Tommy raised his voice. ¡®You can do anything! So why can¡¯t you keep up with and surpass anyone in your way, if you want it, you just have to give it your all.¡¯

    Jackson shook his head more, curling up as best he could with one leg in a cast. ¡®B-But¡­ what if I let everyone down? What if I get left behind? What if I embarrass myself, embarrass my coaches, my teammates, mom, dad, even you and everyone who¡¯s ever helped me or believed in me?! What if I¡¯m never good enough and I never live up to what everyone expects of me? What if I can never reach that childish dream of making it to the NFL, what if I can never live up to you?!¡¯

    Tommy hugged Jackson as tight as he could, tears rolling down his cheeks. ¡®Shut up, Jackson¡­ you¡¯re talking bullshit. You could never let us down¡­ you¡¯re the best little brother I could ever ask for, and I¡¯ll always be proud of you!¡¯

    He took a deep breath, holding Jackson close, keeping Jackson¡¯s head against his chest. ¡®You don¡¯t have to do anything to make us all proud, you don¡¯t have to reach any goal, all you have to do, is give it your all¡­

    ¡®I¡¯m scared too. Every game. You think I¡¯m not? You think Tom Brady, or Patrick Mahomes, or Devante Adams aren¡¯t scared every time they lace up their boots and get out there in front of millions?... I¡¯m scared about letting people down too. What if I drop this pass, what if I miss this block, what if I fumble, what if I get hurt, what if I let my teammates down when they need me, or my coaches, what if I look like an idiot out there, what if we lose?

    ¡®Even in practice I¡¯m scared! What if I mess up this drill, or forget this new play, what if the coach doesn¡¯t put me in next game, or cuts me¡­ but, you have to push past those fears, you can¡¯t let them hold you back, because they don¡¯t matter. Even if you drop a pass, or get beat by your corner, if you can¡¯t get open or you miss a block, it doesn¡¯t matter. The only way I could ever let anyone down, was if I didn¡¯t try my hardest out there.¡¯

    He leaned away from Jackson, holding him at arm¡¯s length as he looked down into his eyes. ¡®That¡¯s all you have to do. Nothing else matters. Your teammates might get mad in the moment, but they¡¯ll know, that everyone did their best, and next time you¡¯ll just have to try harder, train longer, practice more, and next time, you¡¯ll do better. Your coaches too, they might get upset that you messed up, that you forgot something even though they¡¯ve been drilling it into your head all season, but the only thing that will ever truly affect the way they see you, is how hard you work and if your heart is in it or not.¡¯

    Tommy moved one hand to Jackson¡¯s chest. ¡®If you don¡¯t want to play football anymore, if you truly wanna give it up because it¡¯s not fun to you anymore, then just say that. We¡¯ll all understand, and we¡¯ll all love you exactly the same way, no matter what you want to do¡­ but if there¡¯s even still a sliver of love and passion, even the smallest of embers in your heart, burning away with that desire to make it¡­ then you HAVE to give it your all. You can¡¯t give up, and you can¡¯t make excuses. You can¡¯t run away from your dreams, you have to see them through to the end, and even if they remain out of your reach forever, you¡¯ll look back on your memories and be able to smile, because you know you gave it your all, so you won¡¯t have any regrets.¡¯

    Tommy gave Jackson another short, much more gentle hug this time and let out a deep, shaky breath. Jackson clung to his older brother tightly and closed his eyes.

    ¡®What¡¯s it gonna be, Jack? What do you want from your one and only life? Are you gonna stop here, and move past football? Or do you want more?¡¯

    Jackson trembled. ¡®I-I won¡¯t stop¡­ I-I promise, bro¡­ I¡¯ll do my best, and I won¡¯t give up until I¡¯ve made it! Until I¡¯m the best that¡¯s ever played¡­ I promise you¡­¡¯

    Tommy smiled, still cradling his crying little brother. ¡®I know you will. You can do it, little bro. You¡¯re gonna be the best.¡¯

 Chapter 23: A Rabbit & a Machine

    Metal clanged and rattled against metal. The stiff, old barbell bowed and bent under the tremendous weight stuck on either end.

    The barbell was held up in the middle by JJ¡¯s broad, bronze shoulders. He took a deep breath, a drop of sweat dripped off his nose just before he took his last plunge down, squatting beneath his mighty load.

    He stopped when his legs were bent 90 degrees, his back remaining perfectly straight. He gritted his teeth. His whole body was burning and screaming out as he drove himself upwards, grunting as he exerted the last of his strength to stand tall once again.

    He slammed the bar back into its rack and ducked out from under it, leaning against the sturdy rack as he caught his breath, and waited for his legs to stop trembling.

    ¡°Not yet,¡± he thought. ¡°I can¡¯t stop yet, I have to keep going, I need to get stronger!¡± He chugged down some water and wiped his brow, carefully removing the weight from the bar and putting it all back where it belonged.

    He looked around as he moved on to his next workout of choice. The high school gym was empty; it was lonely, but there was nothing that could be done about it, he couldn¡¯t use having no partners or buddies as an excuse not to push himself to his limits.

    Next up was the box jump. He¡¯d been working hard at it recently, he wanted to be more explosive, he needed that extra lift and power in his legs. ¡°So they can have faith in me.¡±

    By now he¡¯d gotten to the point where from a standing start, he¡¯d be able to jump up onto the shoulders of someone five feet tall, but still, he wanted to reach higher.

    He¡¯d keep jumping, pushing himself higher and higher until his legs would give out ¡­ and then he¡¯d simply move on to the next thing, barely ever giving himself time to rest.

    When Rabbit made it to the field, he looked to be the first one there, something he prided himself on now, he always wanted to be the first to show up, and the last to leave ¡­ how else would he ever be able to catch up to the others and make it onto the varsity team?

    So when he made his way out onto the turf and heard the noises going from the gym nearby, he was surprised and slightly terrified.

    There was still an hour to go until practice was scheduled to begin! What kind of crazy workhorse had shown up before him? Was it impossible to work harder than the insane monsters that played this sport?

    Those questions bounced around his panicking mind as he crept towards the gym door. His heart was racing as he peered inside.

    JJ was throwing around a massive medicine ball. It was bigger than any Rabbit had seen before, yet JJ was able to jump into the air with the heavy ball stretched overhead, then when he¡¯d land, he¡¯d slam it down on the ground so hard it sounded like thunder, only to drop to the floor, scoop it up, and do the same thing over and over again.

    Rabbit watched in silent awe until JJ finally felt the unblinking eyes staring at him and stopped, looking over to the door and meeting Rabbit¡¯s gaze.

    ¡®Ah! S-Sorry I¡­I didn¡¯t mean to-to interrupt¡­ I didn¡¯t think anyone would be here,¡¯ Rabbit said.

    JJ dropped the heavy ball down with a solid thud, and sat down on a bench nearby, taking another drink. ¡®Don¡¯t be! It¡¯s all good man, come on in, don¡¯t let me bother you or get in your way.¡¯ He beckoned Rabbit in.

    Rabbit hadn¡¯t intended to enter the gym before he got there, but now that he¡¯d been caught watching and JJ was calling him in, he felt like it¡¯d be weird to back away.

    He shuffled inside, looking around. He¡¯d been in here plenty of times with the rest of the team to end their practice sessions, but Rabbit had yet to grow accustomed to it.

    It felt like his lack of size was enhanced within this foreign realm of muscle and masculinity, even more so than out on the field, which had such a free, open feel, in comparison to the metallic, claustrophobic confines of the gym.

    Rabbit stopped by JJ¡¯s side, unsure of what to do.

    JJ looked up at him. ¡®Hey, you¡¯re Max, right? We haven¡¯t really talked much before, sorry about that.¡¯

    ¡®H-Huh? Oh m-me? Um, y-yeah, I¡¯m Max¡­ but everyone usually just calls me Rabbit.¡¯ His buck teeth gnawed on his lip. ¡®B-But, It¡¯s not your fault we don¡¯t talk¡­ I-I mean, I¡¯m just some freshman on the JV team, hah, I-I barely even got off the bench in my first game.¡¯

    JJ stood up, a frown on his face. For a moment, Rabbit thought the much larger teen was angry with him, and he cowered away from JJ.

    JJ put a firm hand on Rabbit¡¯s shoulder and leaned down to look at him eye to eye. ¡®Don¡¯t be so hard on yourself, it¡¯s your first year. We all start somewhere, and you DID play in your first game, I saw it. I¡¯m sure that without you, the outcome would¡¯ve been different, you did good and you helped your team, anyone who actually watched and paid attention would¡¯ve seen that, and I¡¯m sure the coaches did too. Just keep doing your best, Max, you¡¯ll get there in no time.¡¯

    Rabbit blinked as JJ patted him on the shoulder. ¡®Th-Thank you¡­ that¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s the nicest thing anyone¡¯s ever said to me.¡¯ He looked down.

    JJ was surprised. ¡®Oh¡­ no, don¡¯t worry about it, it¡¯s just the truth. I mean, you¡¯re getting a lot better, and you work really hard, I mean, look how early you showed up, that¡¯s proof enough of your dedication to get better.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah but, y-you were already here.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, it¡¯s not a competition,¡¯ JJ said. ¡®You¡¯ll never get anywhere focusing on others and how you stack up against them. It¡¯s all about self-improvement, pushing yourself to the limit. You¡¯re not fighting against anyone, it isn¡¯t a race with other runners, it¡¯s just you. You¡¯re the only one who controls how far you go.¡¯

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Rabbit was astonished, but, was what JJ was saying really true? How could it not be a contest between other people? Just like the comparison between the two of them right there.

    Rabbit was small and puny, so frail it looked like JJ would be able to snap him with one hand. And JJ on the other hand looked like the quintessential footballer. If you asked every coach, player, and fan around the world to build the ideal American football athlete, you¡¯d end up with JJ.

    And he still showed up before Rabbit and was working even harder. Would it even be possible to get on the same level, let only surpass someone like that? Or would Rabbit forever be stuck staring at his back?

    ¡®Hey, what were you here so early for anyway? Come on, I¡¯ll help you through whatever sets you¡¯re doing,¡¯ JJ said.

    ¡®O-Oh no I¡­I didn¡¯t mean to, I was just coming to check out the n-noise I¡­I don¡¯t really work out in here.¡¯

    ¡®Everyone¡¯s gotta start somewhere. You should! It¡¯ll really help out your game, I promise, and I can show you the ropes.¡¯

    Even with JJ¡¯s encouragement, Rabbit was still hesitant and unsure. JJ didn¡¯t want to push it any further, even if he felt it¡¯d be great for the younger boy.

    ¡®Alright, alright. You know, it¡¯s not for everyone and I get it can be a little intimidating when you first start, believe me, I had no clue what I was doing in here at the beginning, hah! I almost killed myself trying to bench press.¡¯ JJ laughed, though soon stopped when he saw Rabbit¡¯s worried expression.

    ¡®Ah, but that was how I met my hermano. He helped me out and showed me the ropes, told me what not to do so I wouldn¡¯t hurt myself.¡¯ JJ patted Rabbit on the back.

    ¡®I¡¯d look after you, too, Maxie. So, whenever you wanna lift some weights, just let me know, okay? I¡¯ll look out for you, always. That¡¯s what teammates do.¡¯

    Rabbit smiled at him. ¡®Th-Thanks but still, I really didn¡¯t come here for this I¡­I was just gonna run through some drills and get warmed up, get some extra practice in before the others came.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, right on. Actually, that reminds me, I¡¯ve been wanting to work on my coverage, you think you could let me run through those drills with you? We still got some time before the others show up after all.¡¯

    ¡®H-Huh? Y-You want M-ME to help YOU? Um¡­ I-I guess but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll really be a good experience I¡­I¡¯m still learning and I¡¯m sure you¡¯d do better if you followed someone else.¡¯

    ¡®Is anyone else here?¡¯ JJ asked.

    ¡®¡­F-Fair enough¡­¡¯

    ¡®Do we need anything? I¡¯ve got a spare key for the equipment locker.¡¯ JJ said, picking up his bag from by the door and heading out of the gym.

    ¡®O-Oh well um¡­ s-some cones would be helpful.¡¯

    ¡®Got it.¡¯ Together, they entered the small shack full of equipment and got out what Rabbit said they¡¯d need¡ªonly half a dozen cones¡ªbefore making their way back out onto the field where they warmed up with some laps.

    Rabbit was amazed, that even with all the hard work JJ had been doing for who knows how long before he got there, he was still able to breeze through the laps like they were nothing.

    Afterwards, they were stretching and preparing for their upcoming drills.

    ¡®Y-Your hermano¡­ um, brother, right? H-He helps you work out? What¡¯s he like?¡¯ Rabbit asked while the two were laid out on the floor, grabbing at their toes.

    He pictured an older, even bigger version of JJ. Just how strong would he have to be? Maybe his brother was already in the NFL?

    ¡®Huh? Mi hermano? Ohh, no no, he¡¯s not my blood brother, I¡¯m an only child ¡­ he¡¯s just¡­ my hermano, you know? Like you, and everyone else on the team,¡¯ JJ explained.

    ¡®O-Oh! ¡­ S-Sorry, I didn¡¯t know I uh¡­ that was silly of me.¡¯ Rabbit lowered his head, silently moving on to the next stretch, though he smiled a bit, happy to know that JJ thought of him as a brother, and honestly, JJ really FELT like a big brother.

    He just gave off that comforting and chill vibe, while really being such a stand-up guy, someone you could look up to, someone whose back you wanted to chase.

    ¡®Hahah, nah, you¡¯re cool. I should¡¯ve explained it better. But uh, you got any siblings?¡¯ JJ asked.

    ¡®Oh, Jesus¡­ yeah, I got way too many siblings haha. I¡¯d give you some if I could.¡¯

    JJ laughed. ¡®Oh come on, it can¡¯t be that bad.¡¯

    Rabbit shuddered. ¡®It is, there¡¯s TWELVE of us.¡¯

    ¡®?Los cojones! I don¡¯t believe you. Were your parents actual rabbits?¡¯

    Rabbit snorted and shook his head. ¡®Sounds like it, doesn¡¯t it? There¡¯s another sibling on the way.¡¯

    ¡®Jesus Christ¡­ I don¡¯t whether to congratulate you or feel sorry for you.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, I¡­I just¡­ I don¡¯t know. Things are already so chaotic, and there are only two parents after all with so many children¡­ I can¡¯t wait to get out of there.¡¯ They¡¯d finished their stretching, now Rabbit hugged his knees.

    JJ reached over and rubbed his back. ¡®Sorry¡­ you the oldest? Looking after your younger brothers and sisters?¡¯

    ¡®No¡­ well, yes and no. I¡¯m in the middle, kinda¡­ I guess I keep getting pushed up to the higher end each time a new one comes around. So, we do look after the younger ones.¡¯ He sighed and stood up.

    ¡®S-Sorry. We shouldn¡¯t be focusing on my own home version of ¡°cheaper by the dozen¡±, let¡¯s just focus on football, like we came here for,¡¯ Rabbit said.

    ¡®You got it, hermano, heh, I¡¯m happy to be part of the ¡­ 14?¡¯

    They laughed together as JJ got up as well. As Rabbit explained what they¡¯d be doing, he and JJ laid out the cones to mark off the points they¡¯d have to run to.

    It was just some simple drills, focusing on backpedalling for 5-10 yards before suddenly stopping and changing directions with an explosive first step and sprinting to a cone set out about 20 yards away.

    It was designed to simulate what it¡¯d be like to mark a Receiver as they make sudden cuts on routes such as Ins or Outs, Curls and Comebacks, or even Slants and Corners.

    But the key principles it was trying to instil and cultivate, were the ability to backtrack quickly enough to stay in front of someone, reaction times, and the explosivity required to keep on top of someone when they make a sudden and unpredicted change in direction.

    They took it in turns. One would run the drill, backpedalling until the other called out ¡°Curl¡±, or ¡°Slant¡±, or ¡°In¡±, etc, then whoever was in the drill, had to sprint towards the cone that corresponded to the call out.

    They constantly motivated one another to be even faster, to dig deep and find that extra bit of speed and power to really push through and reach the cones as fast as possible.

    Sweat was pouring off the both of them before long, and Rabbit was amazed.

    JJ seemed like he hadn¡¯t been confident in his capability to cover a Receiver, and had been eager to do some of the drills assigned to the Cornerbacks, but he was doing even better than Rabbit.

    Thinking about it, it should¡¯ve been the clear outcome. ¡°Of course he¡¯s more explosive and faster than me, just look at him,¡± Rabbit thought.

    Neither of them heard the car pull up, nor did they notice coaches Long and Hoang approach alongside ¡°Coach Short¡±. They only realised others had arrived when Tyrese spoke up.

    ¡®Why are you wasting your time with the little bunny?¡¯ Ty sneered, an amused look on his face as he looked JJ over.

    Rabbit hung his head, his chest tightening. JJ frowned, standing up tall, towering over Ty as he looked down at him.

 Chapter 24: Butting Heads

    ¡®Just how exactly am I wasting my time?¡¯ JJ said, still glaring at Ty. ¡®I¡¯m training and working out with a teammate, we¡¯re growing together, how¡¯s that a waste in any way?¡¯

    Ty laughed. ¡®With him?¡¯ He pointed a thumb in Rabbit¡¯s direction. ¡®You might as well expect a dead stick to grow taller.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s not true. He¡¯s getting better, you can¡¯t deny that. He¡¯ll be great in no time with how hard he works, there¡¯s a lot of room to grow, and it¡¯s just his first year, not everyone is as lucky as you.¡¯

    One of Tyrese¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡®Lucky?¡­¡¯ His expression darkened and he clenched his fists, but he let it go and took a breath.

    ¡®Luck ain¡¯t got shit to do with it,¡¯ Ty said. ¡®But you¡¯re right he has a lot of room to grow, but so does an ant when you compare it to the size of a lion. He¡¯s just clinging to your coattails¡­ don¡¯t let him drag you down.¡¯

    ¡®Or am I dragging him up? Like how teammates do? Did you even watch him play on the weekend?¡¯

    ¡®Hah! As if I¡¯d watch those losers in JV play. You should be careful, seeing how shit their imitation of our game is, you might pick up some bad habits.¡¯

    ¡®So you don¡¯t even know that he helped his team and played a key part in the end?¡¯ JJ said.

    ¡®Yet they didn¡¯t even win,¡¯ Ty retorted.

    ¡®I thought you didn¡¯t watch?¡¯

    ¡®I saw the results. And besides, whether he did good or not in JV doesn¡¯t matter, that isn¡¯t real football¡­ I can¡¯t respect anyone who plays in that shit excuse of a league.¡¯

    JJ¡¯s scowl deepened. ¡®I played my first year in JV.¡¯

    Ty scoffed. ¡®It shows¡­ you¡¯re good, Julian, I¡¯ll give you that. But that¡¯s all¡­¡¯ He turned his harsh gaze upon Rabbit. ¡®Try as he might, this little bunny will never be able to reach even that level.¡¯

    ¡®And what if he does,¡¯ JJ said, glossing over the insult directed at himself. ¡®What if he makes it onto varsity?¡¯

    Again Ty laughed. ¡®If¡ªand this is a very big if, mind you¡ªhe manages to move up from JV, by the end of this season¡­ then I might respect the little bunny.¡¯

    Ty walked off, bumping past Rabbit on his way by. ¡®But that still won¡¯t make you special,¡¯ he muttered.

    JJ watched him go, frowning as he shook his head. ¡®I¡¯m sorry about that,¡¯ he said to Rabbit.

    ¡®N-No¡­ I¡¯m sorry, it was my fault he yelled at you I¡­I mean he¡¯s not wrong¡­ there¡¯s a reason I¡¯m only on JV¡­¡¯

    ¡®Hey,¡¯ JJ said, grabbing both of Rabbit¡¯s shoulders. ¡®We all start somewhere, I wasn¡¯t bullshitting you when I said I started out on JV my first year too, most of us do, we can¡¯t all be as talented as guys like him.¡¯

    They both looked over at Ty, who was warming up on his own. The coaches were getting things set up and ready, but soon enough the rest of the team slowly arrived one by one, and practice officially got underway.

    As the whole team warmed up together, JJ found himself gravitating towards Ty. He¡¯d seen some talented guys come and go over his years playing in high school and even middle school, as well as guys with that same kind of attitude, always looking down on everyone around them, but Ty was different.

    Normally, those guys looked down on hard work too, got bored with practice, and only showed up just so the coach wouldn¡¯t sit them on the bench all game, and until they realised they couldn¡¯t afford to coast off the back of their talent anymore and saw that all the hard workers were catching up with them.

    But Ty was always at every session early, always late to leave, and he was always focused, giving it his all. Why couldn¡¯t he see Rabbit was doing the same then?

    As the team ran laps, JJ moved to Ty¡¯s side and said, ¡®Hey, you need to apologise to Max.¡¯

    ¡®Who? Shit, you mean the bunny? Why the fuck would I?¡¯

    JJ pulled Ty out of the pack and dragged him aside.

    ¡®What the fuck man? Get off me.¡¯ Ty tried to yank his arm free, but JJ¡¯s hand was like a vice. In terms of strength, he was powerless against the much larger, older boy.

    ¡®I¡¯m serious, he¡¯s doing his best, and you need to stop putting him down, do you want him to quit?¡¯ JJ sternly said.

    ¡®Yes,¡¯ Ty responded flatly. ¡®Some people just aren¡¯t cut out for this. No matter how hard they try. He needs to stop before he hurts himself.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re wrong, just watch and he¡¯ll prove it to you.¡¯ JJ stared down at him, unwavering.

    ¡®Tch, fine, whatever, I¡¯ll lay off him¡­ fuck man, why the hell do you care? Why were you even practising with him?¡¯

    ¡®I care because he¡¯s my teammate, and as a captain, it¡¯s my responsibility to look out for him, JV or not. And we were training together because we were both here, and I needed to polish up my coverage skills.¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Ty frowned.

    ¡®Hey! Why the hold-up, captain? Let¡¯s get a move on you two!¡¯ Coach Long called out to them both before his whistle cut through the air shrilly.

    Every coach had their eyes on JJ and Ty. JJ apologised to them all, and said he just had something he needed to discuss with his Ty. The two of them resumed jogging together.

    ¡®I need to get better at sticking to a man, covering passes,¡¯ JJ said. ¡®So my team can rely on me without worrying about any of my assignments.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡®Hey, this ain¡¯t about what happened during the game with that Tight End, is it? Look man, I don¡¯t care about you being shit against passes or anything, honestly, I¡¯ve got more faith in you than that Deshaun prick.¡¯

    JJ frowned and grumbled that Ty was putting down yet another teammate.

    ¡®It¡¯s just,¡¯ Ty continued, ¡®nobody gets in the way of me and someone I¡¯ve set my sights on. I can cover anyone, and when I find my target, I¡¯m not gonna stop until everyone can see how much better I am than them, until I¡¯ve ground them down and taken them out of the game completely.¡¯

    JJ was taken aback by the serious tone in Ty¡¯s fire, and the glint in his dark eyes. Ty sped off to catch up to the others, and JJ continued to jog behind them.

    When they were done warming up, Coach Long gathered the players together, going over his typical speech of how he wanted a focused, hard session of practice, and how they all needed to lock in ahead of their upcoming games this weekend.

    But during his rambling, Ty¡¯s attention fell on Coach Hoang off to the side ¡­ and the annoying brat talking with him. He let out a groan.

    ¡°Ugh. That snotty little scout is back?¡± Ty thought.

    When Coach Long was finished with his speech, and the players were separated into their teams of offence and defence, Ty headed straight for Coach Hoang, and Ricky.

    ¡®What¡¯s this little shit doing here?¡¯ Ty said.

    Luke scoffed as he turned towards him. ¡®You know, you¡¯re not real good at making friends, are you, Samuels?¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t need friends.¡¯

    Luke rolled his eyes. ¡®Anyways. Ricky here was just giving me info on our next opponents.¡¯

    Ricky looked as smug as ever.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡®Who¡¯s their strongest Receiver?¡¯ Ty asked the boy.

    ¡®I thought I was just a little shit, why do you need my help huh? Why should I tell you?¡¯

    ¡®Tch.¡¯ Ty gritted his teeth. ¡®Right, as if I need your help. You don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re talking about. Did ya see my two picks last game? How¡¯s that for a 75 overall? And, you said their QB had a weak arm.¡¯

    Ricky shrugged. ¡®He did. If his arm wasn¡¯t crap they would¡¯ve had a touchdown on that back shoulder throw against you in the first quarter¡­ but, I¡¯m glad you feel good about yourself after beating some track stars in their first game.¡¯

    Ricky still had a smug smirk as Ty glared at him. ¡®Plus, I remember that YOU were the corner who gave up the most catches and yards that game.¡¯

    Ty clenched his fists again, and Luke got between the two. ¡®Alright, alright, that¡¯s enough fighting with children. Thanks for your info Ricky, I¡¯m sure the coach will wanna hear all about it.¡¯

    Ricky stuck his tongue out at Ty as he started to move away. Ty smacked the brim of his baseball cap and knocked it off his head. After Ricky picked it up and dusted it off, the two flipped each other the bird as Ricky backed away.

    Luke sighed and rubbed at his temples with one hand. ¡®Just¡­ fall back in with the others, Samuels.¡¯

    Ty turned away and made his way to the group of other players waiting nearby.

    ¡®Alright, this weekend we¡¯ve got the Paramount Pirates coming to face us. They were one of the weaker teams last season, but that doesn¡¯t mean much, you can never underestimate ANY opponent,¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    ¡®And a new season means a new team anyway. It seems they¡¯ve switched up their style a little bit as well and have gotten a new coach. Today we¡¯ll be focusing on how to combat screen plays and outside runs.¡¯

    The shrill cry of a whistle rang out, and Coach Hoang ordered the players to split off into their position groups.

    The Defensive Linemen went up against the JV Offensive Linemen, with a focus on ¡°sealing the edge¡± and maintaining dominance over the outside positioning so no runs to the outside could get by them.

    At the same time, Coach Hoang was constantly reminding them and preaching discipline to them: the discipline to not over-chase or overcommit to one side of the run and give up cutback lanes for the RB to flip the play and take it down the opposite side of the field for easy gains.

    The Linebackers got similar orders. They would need to constantly pay attention in the upcoming game and be quick to react to whatever play the opposing team calls, whether it¡¯s a run or a pass, they needed to fill up the gaps in the line and overwhelm the blockers with their numbers to disrupt everything before they could get deep downfield.

    The DBs first had to work on their tackling.

    ¡®If a run does break it to the outside, it¡¯ll be up to you to make the tackle and stop the runner before he can turn it upfield and start racking up the yards. But, before you can do that, you better be able to shed a block, ¡®cause the Wideout your covering sure as hell won¡¯t just stay there with his hands in his pockets and let you do whatever you want,¡¯ Coach Hoang told them.

    Ty frowned. While this was certainly a part of the sport that he loved, it wasn¡¯t what he played Cornerback for. It gave him no thrill, and he saw no achievement in it.

    He played to completely shut down a Receiver and disrupt passes, in that situation, if he ever had to make a tackle, he already failed at his challenge.

    But, shedding the attempted blocks from the JV Receivers wasn¡¯t too big of a problem for him. He knew he had to use his long reach to his advantage, and it wasn¡¯t like he had to get past an O-Lineman, whose entire job it was to block: these Receivers couldn¡¯t block Coach Hoang if their life depended on it.

    And when it came to making the tackle against the RB, Ty still wasn¡¯t in much trouble. While it might not be a part of the game that he overly enjoys, he still knew it was the most important part of it for any defender, and he had no doubts about his ability to tackle someone.

    Especially when that someone was actually his size for once. With the Freshmen, or Sophomore RBs that were on the JV team, most were around his size, and some were even smaller, which meant they were much easier to wrap up and drag down than the bigger Receivers he was used to.

    They drilled it over and over. A 1 on 1 blocking situation with the Receiver, having to get past them as quickly as possible before the RB got around them so Ty could make the tackle.

    Each DB had their go as they took turns one after another for what felt like half an hour.

    Then, after a short break, the next set of drills began. For the DBs, that meant trying to combat the various types of screen passes they might see in the next game.

    ¡®DBs! Line up!¡¯ Coach Hoang ordered, and when they were all lined up before him, he rolled down the line, pointing out two of the players at a time and telling them to pair up.

    When he got to Ty, he pointed at him and looked around. ¡®Samuels annnd¡­ Banks, pair up. You¡¯ll be working together for this one.¡¯

    Deshaun groaned loudly and rolled his eyes. Ty sighed as he made his way over to the senior CB¡¯s side.

    ¡®Don¡¯t get in my way,¡¯ they both said at the same time.

    A vein bulged over Deshaun¡¯s temple. ¡®Shut the fuck up, freshy. Just stay out of my way and follow my lead.¡¯ He shoved past Ty as they made their way to their spot to line up for the next drill.

    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ll be sure to follow you if I want to end up with no D1 offers,¡¯ Ty said.

    Deshaun coldly glared back at him, but didn¡¯t say anything further.

    For this drill working on their defence against screen passes, the paired-up DBs had to work together against two Receivers to disrupt the pass altogether, or hold them to either no gain or just a couple of yards.

    The main key to accomplishing this, was teamwork and communication, as they¡¯d never know which Receiver was going to be setting the ¡°screen¡± and blocking for the other, and which was going to be catching the incoming pass.

    When it came to Deshaun and Ty¡¯s turn, their first attempt was a trainwreck.

    Ty and Deshaun were lined up side by side, and when the whistle blew for the play to commence, both defenders were locked in on their own Receivers and only worrying about what was in front of them.

    So when Deshaun¡¯s assigned Receiver burst forward and then darted to the left, Ty was completely blindsided and ran straight into the block AND Deshaun as he was trying to follow Receiver #2 going in the opposite direction.

    The Receiver Ty was supposed to be guarding simply stepped behind his teammate¡¯s block, caught the pass, and was free to get away down the field.

    ¡®Watch where the fuck you¡¯re going!¡¯ Deshaun yelled, shoving Ty away as the drill was whistled dead.

    ¡®Keep your fucking man off me!¡¯ Ty growled back, getting in Deshaun¡¯s face.

    Coach Hoang¡¯s whistle diffused the situation. ¡®Samuels! Banks! Back of the line, now!¡¯ he ordered.

    Deshaun shoved Ty away and the two trudged back to the line to await their next turn.

    Though the next attempt didn¡¯t fare any better. This time the opposite happened and it was Ty¡¯s man who ran straight into Deshaun.

    Though this time Ty recognised what was happening and at the last second tried to turn away to go and cover Deshaun¡¯s man instead, but as he turned around Deshaun smashed through the block and both he and the blocker fell on top of Ty.

    Again the Receiver caught the ball with ease and strolled away untouched.

    ¡®Man get off me!¡¯ Ty tried to shove Deshaun off him.

    ¡®Can¡¯t you fucking control your man! What the fuck? You let mine get away! Ugh, I told you to stay out of my fucking way, you¡¯re really pissing me off freshy!¡¯ Deshaun stood up, but as he did so, he shoved Ty back into the ground even harder to push himself up.

    Ty grabbed onto him and almost dragged him back to the ground as he pulled himself up onto his feet.

    There was plenty more pushing and shoving before once again Coach Hoang¡¯s whistle told them to separate.

    ¡®Samuels and Banks, do you two wanna sit on the sidelines for the rest of practice?¡¯

    The boys quieted down, glaring at each other as they stomped back to their place in line.

    Ty watched the next pair step up and take their turn at the drill. He listened as the two DBs called out what was happening with the Receivers.

    ¡®Yo Switch!¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s coming your way! Watch the block!¡¯

    And thanks to their communication, the two easily covered each Receiver, they knew exactly what was happening, and they were able to blow up the passing play with ease.

    Ty clenched his fists, watching each other pair take their shot at the drill and come out with varying degrees of success, but success nonetheless.

    He took a deep breath as it came down to his and Deshaun¡¯s turn again.

    He was ready, and hyperfocused before the start of the drill. He COULDN¡¯T fail this time.

    The whistle blew, and he saw his man head straight for Deshaun.

    ¡®Watch out block coming!¡¯ Ty jumped forward, getting in the path of Deshaun¡¯s man as he cut underneath the block.

    Thanks to Ty¡¯s warning, Deshaun slipped past the block attempt and both defenders closed in on the Receiver behind it. They were both right there in the perfect position to intercept the pass, but it never came ¡­ at least not to the Receiver that stayed behind.

    Ty¡¯s man, who had initially gone to block Deshaun, when met with no resistance, continued forward and with no one marking him, was free to make the catch downfield.

    Ty was ready to tear his hair out.

    Deshaun gave him another shove. ¡®Nice one, watch your own man, asshole.¡¯

    The pair failed over and over. Either failing to communicate correctly, or both of them would try to make the play and get in each other¡¯s way, or completely forget about one of the two Receivers.

    And whilst every other pairing figured it out and would be able to stop each pass, Ty and Deshaun continued to fail until practice was over.

    Ty sat on his ass, panting hard. Deshaun lay nearby, panting just as hard as he stared up at the darkening sky.

    Coach Hoang came over to them both. ¡®I¡¯m disappointed in you two,¡¯ he said. ¡®One of the leaders of the defence, and our brightest freshman player. You should be leading examples for the team¡­ you both better sort your shit out before the game.¡¯

    He rolled away without either of the boys responding.

    ¡®Man, fuck this,¡¯ Deshaun said, standing up. ¡®You better not fuck me up during the game.¡¯ He smacked Ty on the back of the head as he walked by.

    Ty didn¡¯t react. He pulled up fistfuls of grass, a deep scowl on his face as he looked around. Everyone else¡¯s practice had gone smoothly, and they were all smiles, looking forward to the game.

    Even Ricky was still there, the brat laughed and grinned at Ty as the two locked eyes.

    Ty punched the ground and abruptly stood up.

    Ty walked out of that last practice before the game with an iron resolve. ¡°I¡¯m going to crush these fucking pussies. Screens are for weak shits who know they can¡¯t win 1 on 1. Even if I have to do it myself.¡±

 Chapter 25: Game Day II

    ¡°Can¡¯t they shut the fuck up?¡± Ty thought. He kept his eyes on the TV in front of him, though he could barely hear the children¡¯s cartoon over the yelling coming from the back of the house.

    ¡®Well if ya ain¡¯t gonna go to school, the least ya could do is get a damn job already!¡¯ his mother screamed.

    ¡®Why? Just so you can go out gamblin¡¯ with it? I¡¯m almost eighteen! You can¡¯t tell me what to do,¡¯ his older brother snapped back.

    Elsewhere in the house, his older sister would let out a wail.

    ¡®It¡¯s not like that! I would never cheat on you! Baby just, just listen! Let me explain! You¡¯re not letting me explain!¡¯

    ¡°Shut the fuck up! No one fucking cares your boyfriend finally caught you.¡± Ty ground his teeth together and scratched at the arm of the couch. He couldn¡¯t wait ¡®til he could get out of there, counting down the minutes ¡®til it was time for the game.

    ¡®Ty,¡¯ Megan said, ¡®do you¡­ need to step outside? Come on, how about we all just step outside for a little bit.¡¯ She set her book aside, standing up and looking at the twins, who sat close to the TV, but Megan could see they weren¡¯t really focusing on what was on screen.

    They looked back at her, Ty was oblivious to the distress on their faces. They nodded meekly and each took one of her hands as they followed her out.

    Ty got to the front door but stopped there, looking out at Megan and the twins. ¡®I¡¯m just gonna go to the field. I can¡¯t stand it here,¡¯ he said.

    ¡®Oh. Y-Yeah okay.¡¯ Megan looked back at him, but before she could say anything further he was already walking back inside.

    He got to his room and didn¡¯t hesitate about barging in during the middle of the ongoing argument, they didn¡¯t even notice him at first as he started grabbing his stuff, though as he picked up his bag, his mother turned her attention to him.

    ¡®And where the hell do ya think YOU¡¯RE going?¡¯ their mom said.

    Devon breathed a sigh of relief as the focus was drawn away from him, at least for a moment.

    ¡®Out ¡­ to my game,¡¯ Ty said, stuffing his cleats into his bag.

    ¡®A game?¡¯

    Ty paused, gritting his teeth. He took a deep breath and slung his bag over his shoulder, heading back out of the room. ¡®I¡¯ll be back later.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t walk away from me when I¡¯m talking to you! Get back here, boy.¡¯

    But Ty continued to ignore her, slamming the front door on his way out. Even outside he could still hear his mother¡¯s ranting and raving, as Devon quickly drew her ire once again.

    ¡®You alright?¡¯ Megan said.

    Ty nodded. ¡®Just perfect, sis.¡¯

    Megan frowned. ¡®Uhm, wh-what time is your game? I¡¯ll be there again, cheering you on, just like last time.¡¯

    ¡°Do they notice when she¡¯s gone?¡± Ty thought. ¡°I bet the whole house falls apart when Megan is gone for a couple of hours. Probably gets cussed out for daring to not look after the twins and live her own life for once.¡±

    ¡®It starts in an hour and a half,¡¯ he said, walking past Megan.

    She hugged him tight from behind and wished him luck.

    He thanked her, gently patted one of her arms and waited to be let go. When he was, he resumed walking out of the ratty front yard, passing the twins on the pavement just before their overgrown nature strip, the boys were playing hopscotch on wonkily drawn chalk squares.

    He watched them as he walked by, and they stopped to stare at him as he left. Behind him, he heard one of them ask Megan where he was going, and she told them that their big brother was off to play football.

    ¡®Oh ¡­ okay.¡¯ That was all they said to that information before he heard the sounds of them going back to their game.

    ¡°That¡¯s it? You don¡¯t care? You don¡¯t care that your big brother is going off to be the best football player in the country?¡± Again, he clenched his fists tightly and ground his teeth, the gnashing sound audible over his footsteps.

    Ty remembered when he was their age, he idolised football players, he wanted nothing else but to grow up and be like them. If Devon had been playing football, Ty would¡¯ve been pestering him about it constantly and would¡¯ve been his biggest fan.

    ¡°But not those empty, stupid brats. What the fuck do they even care about?¡± He impulsively kicked over someone¡¯s trash can.

    When Ty got to the school field, the JV team¡¯s game was winding down, the fourth quarter only having just got underway¡ªthe Dons were losing, 14¨C17.

    The bleachers were mostly empty, but the few sparse spectators were more than vocal enough to make up for the empty seats, the quietness only enhancing their specific cheers and cries.

    Ty saw JJ, among a few other varsity players already there and watching the game as well, but sat apart from them, watching the game silently.

    From what he saw, he yearned to be blind.

    He thought it a disgrace to try and call what they were doing out there on that field football. It was sloppy in every single aspect, and he could pick out multiple mistakes from everyone on the field on every single play.

    His scowl only grew the longer he forced himself to watch, envisioning how easy it would be to defend the sluggish and clumsy routes the Receivers ran, or how easy it would be to intercept the slow, lollipop passes from the inexperienced QB, yet the Dons DBs constantly let their Receivers get open, or failed to even deflect the crappy passes that came their way.

    And Ty of course made note of the fact that despite all this horrendous play from both sides, and the Dons DBs specifically, Rabbit was still sitting on the bench, and he did so for the remainder of the game.

    When it was all over, the score read 14¨C20, for a Paramount Pirates victory. Ty vowed that the results would be different for the varsity game.

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    As Ty stood, he saw his enemies for that day start to file into the field, walking past him down at the bottom of the bleachers.

    They were jovial, and joking with one another, they looked relaxed and were all smiles. But Ty was not impressed. Nothing stood out about any of them.

    ¡®Fucking shitty scout¡­ didn¡¯t even tell me which ones were the Receivers,¡¯ Ty grumbled to himself as he scanned the players, though had no idea which ones he¡¯d be directly competing against that day.

    ¡®Brrr¡­ damn! You feel that?¡¯ a dark-skinned ¡°pirate¡± said. The boy would¡¯ve been in his sophomore year, standing at 5¡¯9¡±, and wore an oversized team hoodie to hide his slim build. He had thick glasses, and a simple, short, black afro.

    He felt at the back of his neck, his hands standing up on it, scanning the bleachers.

    ¡®Feel what?¡¯ the tanned youth walking by his side said. This one was slightly taller and had a bit more meat on his bones. He had a wide, carefree smile, and wore headphones around his neck. His brown hair was shaved down to a buzz cut.

    ¡®Just¡­ I got the chills, like somebody was watching me,¡¯ the black youth kept rubbing at his neck, looking at his friend.

    ¡®Whoa¡­ creepy¡­ but nah, you¡¯re just freaking out, B. You always get jumpy before a game.¡¯ The friend laughed, smacking ¡°B¡± on the back.

    ¡®Ugh, I¡¯m being serious, Patty! You didn¡¯t feel that?¡¯ ¡°B¡± asked.

    ¡®Bastion, relax.¡¯ Patty stopped, getting in front of Bastion and put his hands on Bastion¡¯s shoulders. ¡®They were probably just watching us, ¡®cause they know we¡¯re hot shit, the real deal! And that we¡¯re here to kick some ass!¡¯

    Bastion¡¯s golden eyes rolled as he shoved Patty¡¯s hands aside and moved past him. ¡®Forget I said anything.¡¯

    Patty laughed more and quickly caught back up to his friend¡¯s side. ¡®Aww c¡¯mon, don¡¯t be like that! Get pumped! I¡¯m telling ya, we¡¯re gonna smack these losers down.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯re the losers, Patty¡­ we lost our first game, these guys won theirs.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, that loss had nothing to do with us¡­ their Running Back was on some Captain America super soldier serum shit or something.¡¯

    ¡®72¨C21! I¡¯ve never been so humiliated before¡­¡¯ Bastion groaned, rubbing at his eyes and dragging his hands down his face, his glasses falling back into place.

    ¡®Which is exactly why we¡¯re gonna win this game!¡¯ Patty thumped his fist into his other palm. ¡®We need to make up for that bullshit that happened last week, use that humiliation and shame to fuel you! And, these guys are gonna underestimate us, they won¡¯t take us seriously, and they¡¯ll be all cocky after a taste of victory.¡¯

    Bastion looked at Patty and couldn¡¯t help but grin. Patty grinned back; one of his front teeth along the bottom row was missing.

    ¡®Yeah, we¡¯re gonna beat these guys, you and me, we can do it,¡¯ Bastion said.

    The two clasped hands and pulled each other close, bumping chests as they dapped each other up.

    Ty walked right by them as he headed out across the field and off to the Dons¡¯ locker room opposite the bleachers. The two pirates took no notice of him.

    The rest of the coaching staff and varsity players would slowly flow into the locker room as well.

    Ty put his earphones in, getting geared up as Scarlxrd¡¯s ¡°Dxxm¡± got his adrenaline pumping. Though his vibe was thrown completely out of whack when Deshaun came over by his side.

    There shouldn¡¯t have been any reason for this, Deshaun¡¯s locker wasn¡¯t next to Ty¡¯s, but as Ty looked up and slipped his earphone¡¯s out, Coach Hoang came over and it made a little more sense.

    ¡®Alright, you two. I hope you learnt SOMETHING from practice,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®You two are a unit for this game, that means, if you can¡¯t work together, neither of you will play, you¡¯ll either both sit out, or you¡¯ll put aside your differences and get it done out on the field.¡¯

    Neither player said anything as they looked one another over, Deshaun looking down on his younger teammate.

    Ty was indifferent towards the older CB. ¡®Don¡¯t worry,¡¯ Ty said, ¡®we¡¯ll get it done. They won¡¯t score on us.¡¯

    ¡®Good. I know you¡¯re both more than capable of doing this, Don¡¯t disappoint me,¡¯ Coach Hoang said before he left them both.

    Deshaun leaned over, speaking just quietly enough so only Ty would hear him. ¡®Don¡¯t get in my fucking way, Freshy, or you¡¯ll be kicked down to JV where you belong.¡¯

    Ty glared at Deshaun, his black eyes as cold as ice. ¡®How many picks you got since you¡¯ve been playing in high school?¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯

    ¡®I just wanna know how many I need this season to make your career irrelevant.¡¯

    Deshaun shoved Ty into his locker. ¡®Don¡¯t fuck with me, bitch.¡¯

    ¡®Huddle up!¡¯ Coach Long called, sending a stern look Deshaun and Ty¡¯s way. The rest of the locker room slowly faded into silence.

    He went on with his usual uplifting spiel about working together, giving it their all, and going out there to win but more importantly, have a fun time. Then he handed it over to a captain for the closing words, this time picking Deshaun.

    ¡®Ah shit¡­ alright, alright, listen up!¡¯ Deshaun stood in the middle of the huddle, a fist raised high as he looked around the room, eyes lingering on Ty for a moment longer than the others.

    ¡®These fuckers can¡¯t hang with us. We won last week, and we ain¡¯t about to stop winning now! Ain¡¯t no way we gonna lose to these pussies. Keep on pounding them ¡®til they break! We¡¯re stronger, faster, tougher than any of these motherfuckers! Let¡¯s stomp their faces!¡¯

    ¡®Stomp on three!¡¯ JJ yelled. ¡®One, two, three, STOMP!¡¯

    The team stomped their feet and rumbled out of the locker room, running out onto the field, the bleachers now more packed than earlier, but a far cry from how full they were for the opening game.

    The team took their lap around the field, basking in the cheers, and Ty used the moment to lock in and focus on the task ahead.

    They¡¯d begin to warm up, when their opponents for that game ran out, taking their lap to much less cheers, though there still was a small section of fans for the away team.

    When it came to the coin toss for this game, the Pirates called tails, and tails it was. They elected to receive the ball first, and when Ty heard the news, he was elated.

    He watched the kickoff, and there was a strange tension in him as he watched number 21 for the Pirates catch the ball and take off for his attempt at a return.

    Ty didn¡¯t think he was overly fussed about not being a part of Special Teams, it wasn¡¯t going to bring him any accolades, and it certainly didn¡¯t align with his goal and his main reason for playing the sport¡ªto be the greatest lockdown Corner that ever lived¡ªbut¡­ there was a bit of anxiety within him whenever he watched the returner slip past a tackle or scurry ahead behind a solid block.

    ¡°What if they scored a touchdown?¡± he thought. ¡°If I was out there, they wouldn¡¯t have a chance¡­ but I¡¯m not out there.¡±

    This time, at least, his worries were unwarranted. Number 21 got out to the 26-yard line before being dragged down by multiple defenders.

    And then it was Ty¡¯s turn to take the stage. His sharp grin gleamed in the fading light of the setting sun before he shoved his mouthguard in and took to the field.

    On defence, to start the game, were taking a balanced formation, man to man, with both Safeties watching deep down the sidelines, and the LBs spread out wide, with JJ parked right in the middle of the somewhat crowded box.

    It might¡¯ve looked more favoured against the run, but the edge rushers on their defensive line were prepared to split away and help with any passes out to the flats if that¡¯s what they needed.

    The Pirates came out with a fairly standard formation, just the singular back behind the QB¡ªwho was under Center¡ªa TE and one WR out to the weak side, and two WRs in a close bunch on the strong side, where it was Deshaun and Ty¡¯s duty to match up with this pairing.

    Ty ignored Deshaun as the two lined up next to each other, and kept his eyes on the two opponents that approached, they were both a bit taller than him, but not overly so, and his long wingspan could more than make up for that little difference in height; there would be no ¡°Ogre¡± to physically overwhelm him this day.

    Patty and Bastion strolled right up to the line of scrimmage and stopped in front of Deshaun and Ty, where they dapped each other up again.

    ¡®Good luck, brodie,¡¯ Patty said to Bastion.

    ¡®I¡¯m right behind you, Patty.¡¯

    When the WRs separated and took up their stances, Bastion, who was lined up in front of Deshaun, extended a hand out to him.

    Deshaun slapped it away.

    Bastion looked offended, but didn¡¯t say anything as he rubbed his gloved hand.

    Patty laughed and grinned at Ty, shaking his head. ¡®Ohhh, man!¡¯ Patty said. ¡®I¡¯m gonna have sooo much fun making you two look like idiots!¡¯

    Ty smiled and licked his lips, his entire body coiling up like a spring, waiting for that first snap.

 Chapter 26: First Blood

    ¡®Hut-hut!¡¯ At the QB¡¯s call, everyone burst into action. Ty thrust his long arm out at the chest of Patty, who slipped by it and pressed close into Ty¡¯s chest, pushing him back.

    Ty¡¯s widened eyes flitted over to Deshaun and Bastion, who were locked in a similar struggle, with Deshuan skidding back, his face showing his surprise at the strength of the meek-looking WR.

    But the ball was never coming their way, neither Bastion nor Patty were even looking to run a route or have the potential to catch; it was a run play towards the opposite side of the field.

    The rest of the defence was all over it, however, and the RB¡ªnumber 34¡ªof the Pirates was quickly swallowed up by a number of black jerseys and taken to the ground for the gain of only a single yard.

    With the play whistled dead, the CBs and WRs shoved each other away, but Deshaun had a big grin, pressing his helmet against Bastion¡¯s.

    ¡®What¡¯s the matter, pussies? Y¡¯all ain¡¯t too scared to challenge us in the air, right? Come on now, tell ya boy to throw the ball this way, let¡¯s see what happens.¡¯

    Patty tugged Bastion away from Deshaun, who laughed as he headed back to the Dons¡¯ huddle.

    Ty slowly made his way back, watching Bastion and Patty a little longer as he rolled his shoulders, a frown on his face. Patty, at least, was much more competent and stronger when it came to blocks than those he had to deal with at practice.

    Back at the Dons¡¯ huddle, the signal from the coaches on the sideline was to keep things pretty similar.

    ¡®Just ease up a bit, boys,¡¯ JJ said. ¡®That energy was perfect, but be careful now, we should expect a pass now that their run didn¡¯t get much, but don¡¯t be surprised if they go back to the ground again.¡¯

    JJ clapped his hands together and the team collectively shouted ¡°Break!¡± before they split away and took up their positions again. The LBs were more relaxed, but those at the edges of the DL were leaning forward more, salivating at the possibility of getting a sack on a passing play.

    ¡®Yo!¡¯ Deshaun said as he lined up in front of Bastion again, ¡®tell me y¡¯all ain¡¯t still scared. I don¡¯t wanna be falling asleep out of boredom over here.¡¯

    ¡®Oh I am so gonna love the look on your face when we embarrass you, can¡¯t wait to shut your stupid ass up,¡¯ Patty said, grinning.

    Deshaun glared at him. ¡®You gonna do all the talkin¡¯ for your mute boyfriend?¡¯

    ¡®Could say the same thing for you.¡¯ Patty kept grinning as he gestured to Ty.

    ¡®Shut up. Let your fucking game do the talking,¡¯ Ty snapped.

    ¡®Hut-hut!¡¯ Again Patty pushed into Ty¡¯s chest and Ty desperately tried to leverage his long arms and keep Patty away, even as he was forced back a couple of yards.

    Ty and Patty both were almost flattened when Deshaun ran into them both.

    ¡®Fuck! Watch¡ª shit!¡¯ Deshaun scrambled around them, but he was already well behind Bastion who had slipped by and was wide open.

    Ty went to turn and give chase as well, but Patty wouldn¡¯t let him go, and with his attention drawn away from the struggle of strength, Ty was easily pushed to the ground.

    Again, their side of the field was ignored, and instead¡ªeven though this was a passing play¡ªthe QB only had eyes for the opposite side of the field, and his attempted pass soared over the head of the TE, just out of reach of his outstretched hands, flying out of bounds for an incompletion.

    Surprisingly, the Pirates didn¡¯t huddle up after their mistake, instead, they hurried back into formation, and the celebrating defence was caught off-guard.

    ¡°Where the fuck was this in the scouting report, you stupid fucking brat?¡± Ty inwardly cursed Ricky as JJ tried to maintain order.

    ¡®Back in position! Keep the same formation, same play! Look alive, play the chains! Don¡¯t let them get a first down!¡¯

    There was also some shouting coming from the sidelines as Coach Long frantically tried to get some orders through as well. There was chaos within the defensive ranks, but Ty wasn¡¯t worried about all that, he focused on what was in front of him.

    He¡¯d been overpowered twice in a row, and he couldn¡¯t let that happen again. Bastion was open last play, and if he let it play out the same way, he would surely get open again and the QB would have to be a fucking idiot to miss that twice.

    The ball was snapped again, and Ty burst forward, both hands spearing out from him to fend off Patty and prevent him from leaving his line.

    Ty had fully expected a confrontation and another contest of strength, but his hands met nothing but air.

    He stumbled forward as Patty slipped outside and darted upfield.

    ¡®Deshaun, swi¡ª¡¯ Ty grimaced as Bastion ran straight into him this time, and Deshaun wasn¡¯t far behind.

    ¡®The fuck are you doing, Freshy!¡¯ Deshaun growled at him.

    Ty saw the ball float out of the QB¡¯s hand; it wasn¡¯t a perfect pass, but it didn¡¯t have to be, Patty was that wide open down the sideline.

    He stopped, caught the ball, and still had time to cross the first-down marker before the Safety¡ªwho had been waiting over the top¡ªcame down and shoved Patty out of bounds.

    On the sideline, Coach Hoang buried his face in his hands, groaning as he was seriously contemplating calling a timeout then and there.

    Bastion slipped back to his team¡¯s huddle, and as Patty was running back past Deshaun and Ty he flashed them a grin.

    ¡®Damn! I didn¡¯t think it was gonna be THAT easy,¡¯ Patty laughed.

    ¡®Man shut the fuck up!¡¯ Deshaun snarled and then turned his fury upon Ty. ¡®And stay the fuck outta my way, dumbass!¡¯ He shoved Ty away and moved back to the huddle.

    Ty growled and jogged back to the huddle, glancing towards the Pirates as he did. Patty and Bastion were looking his way, the former still with a grin, while the latter was a lot more stoic and reserved.

    When Ty and Deshaun were lined up in front of their adversaries again, it was Patty who spoke first and said:

    ¡®Hmm? What¡¯s the matter? Not so chatty now, are ya?¡¯

    Deshaun clenched a fist. ¡®Man, I¡¯m THIS close to knocking you out.¡¯

    ¡®Just focus on stopping them first,¡¯ Ty muttered, and Deshaun shot him a look, one eye twitching.

    When the ball was snapped again, both Bastion and Patty hopped forward to be on the inside shoulder of their respective opponent.

    Both Ty and Deshaun stood their ground, but that was all they could do, neither of them could break away from the sturdy blocks laid against them, or get past them either.

    It was another pass play, but this time it was a screen to the RB.

    Ty saw a mass of bodies from both teams rumbling their way, and soon he was caught up in the middle of it, unable to see what was going on or where the ball carrier even was in the sea of people around him.

    Multiple people from both teams slammed together and fell onto each other in a heap, with Ty stuck at the bottom.

    He couldn¡¯t breathe, he couldn¡¯t even see a way out of it, it was as if the entirety of BOTH teams were on top of him, crushing him down into the grass.

    The officials came over and helped break up and pull apart the pile, and JJ was among the teammates that helped pick the Dons players up off the floor. There was some light shoving and pushing from members of opposing teams, but the officials did well to get between them and keep things from boiling over into something more.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    When Ty was eventually brought back up onto his feet, nothing felt broken, though he was short of breath, and he realised amongst all that chaos, the RB had wormed his way forward for a gain of six yards.

    It was only so early on, but Ty was already stained by the turf of the field, and needed to catch his breath, while his direct enemy was completely unfazed.

    Ty roughly gnawed on his mouthguard, lining up in front of Patty once again.

    Again the ball was snapped, and again Bastion and Patty collided with Ty and Deshaun. This time, both Ty and Deshaun, underhandedly, got the better of their exchanges, with Deshaun yanking Bastion forward by his jersey and sending him tumbling to the ground, while Ty shoved his hand up under Patty¡¯s facemask, shoving his head back by his chin.

    The refs didn¡¯t see either foul though, not that they had any bearing on the play, again it was a run away from their side of the field, a stretch play trying to get outside past the edge of the line of scrimmage, but it was completely smothered and only ended up in a loss of yardage for the Pirates.

    It was 3rd down again, and like clockwork¡ªwithout even having to communicate¡ªthe Pirates hurried back into their formation, forgoing their huddle.

    Shouts came from the Dons bench. ¡®Screen! Screen! Watch out for the screen!¡¯

    ¡®Hut-hut!¡¯ Patty turned infield and sprinted underneath Bastion, while Bastion, heading to the outside, made a beeline for Ty.

    Ty did his best to skirt around Bastion, and was nearly fully around him before Deshaun slammed into them again, the three clogged together as Patty was free to catch the ball and turn upfield.

    As he was closer to the centre of the field though, he was soon met by JJ and crunched in a tackle, though he held onto the ball and was able to extend his arm out for an extra yard. It was only a short gain of six, but was still enough for another first down.

    ¡®Oh my god!¡¯ Deshaun exclaimed. ¡®I SWEAR, Samuels, if you get in my way, ONE more time.¡¯

    Ty didn¡¯t back down. ¡®Me? You need to open your fucking eyes and learn when to switch so your man can¡¯t just keep blocking me for free!¡¯

    Bastion looked between them both rather awkwardly as he was caught in the middle of their argument.

    ¡®Come on guys!¡¯ JJ moved over and clapped both his teammates on the shoulder. ¡®Keep your heads in the game, you¡¯re walking together, not against each other. It¡¯s just a couple of catches, no big deal. We got this.¡¯

    Ty and Deshaun tear their glares away from one another and look to JJ, calming down a bit and then looking around at their other teammates. Bastion ducked out from between them and hurried to his own huddle.

    ¡®Fuck it. Yeah, yeah we good. I¡¯m good,¡¯ Deshaun grumbled, looking down at the ground as he put a hand on JJ¡¯s shoulder and followed him back to the huddle.

    Ty stared at the scornful faces of his teammates, his teeth almost tearing holes into his mouthguard.

    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking look at me like that you pieces of shit. You think you¡¯re fucking better than me?¡± He stalked back to the huddle. ¡°I WON¡¯T let them score.¡±

    The Pirates were content to slowly and methodically work their way down the field, bit by bit they would chip away at the defence, taking small victories and small gains where they could.

    But whenever they NEEDED a big play or to drag themselves out of a hole, or it was third down and they needed to convert, they would rush back to the line of scrimmage, and fall back upon their trusty little bubble screen with the two-man game of Bastion and Patty.

    And it¡¯d work every. single. time.

    Coach Long looked down at Coach Hoang, both men watching on from the sideline.

    ¡®Should we pull one of them out of there and use a different pair to stop that screen?¡¯ Coach Long asked.

    Coach Hoang shook his head. ¡®Please, Coach. I know I¡¯m just the DC and you¡¯ve got absolute authority when it comes to these decisions, but please let them continue.¡¯

    Coach Hoang didn¡¯t think Ty and Deshaun¡¯s animosity had gotten that bad yet. He was willing to let them go until one of them threw a punch at the other, and he thought that giving up one touchdown was a small price to pay for the potential growth that could come from these two overcoming their issues.

    ¡®Alright, Luke. I trust you on this. It¡¯s your call when we pull the plug.¡¯ Coach Long nodded and stepped back.

    Coach Hoang took a deep breath. ¡®Thank you, Coach.¡¯

    Things weren¡¯t looking good, however, and it didn¡¯t look likely that Ty and Deshaun were gonna figure anything out soon; the Pirates had made it all the way into the red zone and were well within striking distance.

    ¡®Ahh, man. How do you think we should celebrate our touchdown, B?¡¯ Patty stretched his arms, standing rather relaxed in front of Ty as the four teens once again lined up in front of one another.

    ¡®Uhh¡­ well, I guess that depends on which one of us catches it,¡¯ Bastion responded.

    ¡®Don¡¯t get so fucking cocky!¡¯ Deshaun growled.

    ¡®S-Sorry,¡¯ Bastion said, lowering his head.

    ¡®Hut-hut!¡¯ Bastion darted aside, and Patty locked horns with Ty again.

    ¡®Move!¡¯ Deshaun roared. Bastion had made his way to the outside, and had put Patty and Ty in the path of Deshaun¡¯s pursuit.

    Ty tried to turn away from Patty and chase after Bastion, but was driven into the turf again, Deshaun getting caught up and tripping over them both.

    Bastion caught the ball, but with the shortened field, help was quicker to come, and he was taken down just before he could reach the endzone.

    Ty spat out his mouthguard, and some grass, pushing his chest and head up off the ground. Though his face was shoved back into the turf, first by Patty as he stood up.

    ¡®Sorry,¡¯ the WR said mockingly before jogging off to congratulate Bastion.

    And then Ty¡¯s face was shoved into the grass once again when Deshaun picked himself up. ¡®You are DEFINITELY getting sent back to JV after this.¡¯

    Ty tore some grass out before he stood up, picking up his mouthguard as well.

    ¡°They won¡¯t score! They CAN¡¯T. It can¡¯t happen.¡± His heart was pounding as he shook his head and took up his position.

    It was 1st and Goal at the Dons¡¯ four-yard line. The Pirates had shifted to a goal-line formation, with an extra Lineman in, and a FB lined up in the backfield along with their usual RB.

    Bastion and Patty were the only two players away from the centre of the field for the offence, and Ty and Deshaun were the only two defenders out there with them.

    The ball was snapped, but Patty and Bastion didn¡¯t move; it was a run straight up the middle. The FB led the way, and broke through the initial line, clearing open a path for the RB, but just before they could cross the plain into the endzone, both of them ran into a brick wall named JJ.

    The huddles in between that play and the next were short, there wasn¡¯t much to go over as neither team changed up their formation or made any substitutions.

    The Dons just had to be mindful of a passing play now that the run had been stuffed, but being so close to the endzone, there was no telling if the Pirates might just charge against that brick wall until either they or it broke.

    Ty couldn¡¯t hear anything but his own breathing and his heartbeat, staring into Patty¡¯s eyes, both teens held a nervous excitement within their gazes.

    ¡®Hut-hut!¡¯ Ty¡¯s spearing hand hit Patty dead centre in his chest, the taller boy stumbled. Ty saw Bastion streaking past behind Patty and leapt out after him.

    Deshaun tried to give chase as well, but got caught up with Patty who tried to push forward, both of them lost their balance and tumbled down.

    Bastion wheel around, fading towards the back corner of the endzone, but Ty was right there with him.

    The ball left the QB¡¯s hand and spiralled through the air.

    Ty turned and had his eye transfixed on the flight of the ball. He leapt into the air with a hand outstretched, pushing the limits of his flexibility and reaching to the heavens, he could only brush a fingertip against the pass.

    He grimaced as he couldn¡¯t reel the ball in for an interception as he hoped. But his touch had been enough to disrupt the flight of the ball and change the trajectory of it.

    Instead of hitting Bastion in the palm of his hands, it hit his fingertips instead, and bobbled off them, bouncing out of bounds and falling to the ground, incomplete.

    ¡®Dammit!¡¯ Ty stomped the ground, but then hurried back to the line and got ready, though for once, the pirates were in no hurry to rush things on third down.

    ¡®Hey man, bad luck,¡¯ Patty said, lightly smacking Bastion on the helmet. ¡®That was a good attempt though, you¡¯ll get it next time. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t block him longer, that one¡¯s on me.¡¯

    ¡®Ah, I-I should¡¯ve caught it, it hit my hands but¡­ he touched it and the path changed I¡­I didn¡¯t expect it,¡¯ Bastion said as the two made their way back to the huddle.

    Ty eventually shambled back to his own huddle, though he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of Patty and Bastion. His heart was still thumping loudly within his chest, and his breaths came ragged and heavy, he never even heard a word of what JJ said then, he didn¡¯t need to: he knew another screen pass was coming his way.

    Deshaun knew it too, and when he and Ty made their way back to their spots for the next play, he smacked Ty¡¯s chest with the back of his hand and said:

    ¡®Hey. We got this. Who gives a fuck about all that shit before. We¡¯re gonna stop them, right here, right now. That¡¯s all that fucking matters.¡¯

    Bastion and Patty came back over, but this time, there was no trash talk, no cheap barbs thrown at one another, just silence.

    But the two WRs didn¡¯t look nervous or jittery, quite the opposite. Their eyes had a hardened look, and both carried themselves with steely confidence.

    Again, the Pirates came out in that same heavy formation, keeping that singular island of four players left out to the strong side of the field.

    Ty took a deep breath, his pupils narrowed, his body was ready to explode.

    ¡®Hut-hut!¡¯ Ty shot his spear out again, but Patty slipped inside of it, cutting straight towards the centre of the field.

    Ty turned to keep up with him, just as Patty ran full force into Deshaun, both of them getting tangled up with one another. Again, Bastion was fading towards the corner of the endzone, wide open.

    Ty was a step slower this time, but he stopped and sprinted after Bastion all the same.

    The ball soared overhead and fell in a small arching rainbow. Bastion leapt up, wrapping his hands around it, stretching his legs out with his toes down, dragging them through the turf just within the endzone.

    Ty rammed into him, shoving him off his feet and out of bounds. But it was all too late. Bastion held onto the ball and Ty stared down at him.

    The whistle blew. The line judge raised his arms into the air.

    It was a Pirates Touchdown.

 Chapter 27: The Brewing Storm

    Ty blankly stared at the official long after they had moved away. Even after watching the scoreboard tick over to 0¨C6 for the away team, he still didn¡¯t fully believe what had just happened.

    The special teams unit that came out to try and block the extra point attempt after the touchdown had to nudge Ty in the direction of the bench to get him off the field.

    Deshaun stomped over to the bench and slammed his helmet down. ¡®FUCK!¡¯ He sat on the bench, one foot drumming against the ground as some of the team moved around him, weakly patting him on the back, head, or shoulder and giving him a quick word of encouragement.

    Though when Deshaun saw Ty walk over, he stood up again.

    ¡®Sit the fuck back down! Why the hell do you think you could possibly ever get off that bench again after screwing me OVER and OVER again like that?¡¯ Ty yelled, getting right up in Deshaun¡¯s face.

    Deshaun shoved him away. ¡®Me? YOU were the one fucking with ME! Not the other way around, freshy. The fuck you think you¡¯re even doing on this bench, let alone the fucking team!¡¯

    ¡®Hey! Knock it off!¡¯ The three coaches moved in to separate the two players, with Coach Long getting between them, a hand on either boy¡¯s chest as his eyes angrily darted from one to the other.

    ¡®I am THIS close to sitting both of y¡¯all out,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®And honestly, I just might! You¡¯re both on VERY thin ice, and if it weren¡¯t for Coach Hoang putting his neck on the line for y¡¯all, I would send you both home right now.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m beginning to think you might be right, Coach. Maybe these two are a lost cause after all,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®But¡­ I¡¯m going to be gracious¡ªor foolish¡ªenough to give you both one more chance. Don¡¯t make us regret it.¡¯

    Ty was led away from Deshaun by the OC, Coach Norman, though shrugged his hand off. He sat down as far away from Deshaun as possible.

    When he finally focused on the field again, the extra point for the Pirates had gone through without a hitch, making the score 0¨C7, and the Dons'' return of the following kick-off, had only been good enough to get them out to the 23-yard line.

    Before the offence took the field, Coach Long and Coach Norman pulled the hippy-looking QB aside.

    ¡®Listen Jay. Our defence needs some time to cool down after that long drive. I don¡¯t want you to feel any extra pressure, but we can¡¯t afford to have a short drive of our own. We need to move down the field, but, we need to buy some time for the D to recover. Can you do that for me?¡¯ Coach Long said.

    ¡®No worries, Coach. I¡¯ve got you. We¡¯ll take it niiice and slow.¡¯ Jay nodded with a smile.

    Coach Norman put a hand on Jay¡¯s shoulder. ¡®We know we can rely on you, Jay, but, if the defence gives you something over the top or there¡¯s a play to be made, don¡¯t hesitate to take that shot. Trust yourself and your instincts too.¡¯

    Jay still had his carefree smile as he kept nodding.

    The coaches shoved him towards the field and cheered the offence on, the crowd hollering as well for the moment the Dons offence first took the field that game.

    Just before Stephen made his way out there, he stopped by to check on Deshaun.

    ¡®Don¡¯t let that shit get to you, dawg. Imma get those points right back, don¡¯t even worry about it,¡¯ Stephen said, pulling on his helmet.

    ¡®Fuck you, dawg. Get the fuck out there already.¡¯ Deshaun waved him off but Stephen laughed and grinned, heading out onto the field.

    Coach Hoang then rolled over to Deshaun¡¯s side. ¡®Hey. I know it must be frustrating, but we wouldn¡¯t be so hard on you, and I wouldn¡¯t be pushing for you two to work together if I didn¡¯t think you could pull it off. That being said, however, if you really don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to manage to get along, and if you wanna throw in the towel and call it quits, then just say so, and we can be done with it, and you both can rest easy and sit out tonight.¡¯

    ¡®C¡¯mon Coach, you know I can do this, it¡¯s that damn fresh¡ª¡¯ A stern look from Coach Hoang stopped Deshaun short and the teen turned his head away. ¡®Fuck, man¡­ yeah, whatever, we¡¯ll do better.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not saying you have to be best buddies all of a sudden, you just have to work together.¡¯

    Coach Hoang gave Deshaun a pat on the shoulder and then moved away to Ty to give him the same talk.

    ¡®He¡¯s the one who won¡¯t get out of my way, or won¡¯t say anything out there or even think of anything other than himself and his own man!¡¯ Coach Hoang¡¯s disapproving glare had done nothing to stop Ty¡¯s little rant.

    ¡®But you ain¡¯t pulling me outta this game¡­ I¡¯ll work with him, whatever it takes. They ain¡¯t scoring like that again. NEVER.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t ruin the rest of the season just over your own ego, Samuels,¡¯ Coach Hoang said before leaving Ty alone again.

    Ty watched him go, and then looked over to where Deshaun was sitting; neither teen went over to one another, nor did they say anything to each other for the rest of their time on the bench during that drive.

    The offence did at least do what Coach Long had asked of them, and their drive was sucking up a lot of time and allowing the defence to catch their breath, letting the more frustrated members cool off.

    Though as they went about it, Stephen was practically a non-factor out there, seeing as he was being double-teamed each play, and the rest of the Receivers were struggling to find the soft spots of the Pirates¡¯ zone defence.

    Ty watched as number 23¡ªtheir RB¡ªwas at least doing a good job at eating up the yards on the ground; it looked like run defence was the Pirates¡¯ weakness.

    ¡®Ay! There ya go, Chris! Them boys can¡¯t stop you!¡¯ Deshaun called out after number 23 had just picked up another first down.

    Coach Long and Norman could be seen watching on at each other¡¯s side, chatting with one another.

    ¡®Looks like that intel we got from that little Hernandez boy was pretty spot on, hey Coach?¡¯ Coach Norman said.

    Coach Long shook his head in disbelief. ¡®Don¡¯t know how that boy knew, but, yeah, he hit it right on the head. That 51 out there is slow moving to his right. Can get a lot of good runs right up through that gap between him and the edge.¡¯

    They spoke of number 51 for the Pirates, their Nose Tackle (NT) who sat right in the middle of the defensive line. He was a BIG boy and would¡¯ve been over 300 pounds whilst not even being 6 feet tall.

    He also wore a heavy brace around his right knee, which could¡¯ve been the reason why he was so slow to react to plays going that way, and so easy to block from that side.

    Whatever the reason, the Dons offence was able to get as much yardage as they wanted running that way as things were, but they weren¡¯t the only ones to notice that: the Pirates coaching staff had figured out that little weakness as well.

    They made an adjustment on the fly, and little by little their ROLB (Right Outside Linebacker) crept down to fill in the gap between number 51 and the right-side DE (Defensive End).

    Without those free, easy yards, and with Stephen still being taken out of the equation, it wasn¡¯t long before the Dons offensive drive stalled out after passing half-field, and it wasn¡¯t long before the Pirates D got a stop on 3rd down, forcing Jay to throw the ball away.

    Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    But the offence had at least accomplished their job of draining the clock. By the time they came off the field, the first quarter was almost over, AND they had the added bonus of ending up in field goal range by the end of it as well.

    Coach Long and his daughter Bella could be seen making a quick prayer under their breath as the kicking team went out onto the field.

    The snap went off without issue, the placement from the holder was good, and the kick flew nicely off the boot.

    It was good!

    The crowd erupted into cheers and fanfare as the Dons put 3 points on the board and cut the Pirates lead down to 4.

    With the extra momentum behind them of scoring and fighting their way back into the game, the kickoff from the Dons was excellent and caught in the endzone. The Pirates¡¯ returner decided to take a knee this time, and settle for a touchback, meaning they¡¯d automatically start their drive from their own 25-yard line.

    Ty jogged out onto the field by Deshaun¡¯s side, the two still not speaking with one another. Ty looked to the scoreboard to remind himself of the state of the game, remind himself of his mistake that cost them a touchdown and had put them in a deficit.

    The Pirates were leading 3¨C7, with under 2 minutes to go in the first quarter.

    Again, Deshaun and Ty were shoulder to shoulder as they lined up opposite Bastion and Patty.

    ¡®Ooo! What scary faces you guys are making~¡¯ Patty laughed.

    ¡®Don¡¯t. Fucking. Test me,¡¯ Deshaun warned.

    Patty feigned further fright before laughing more. ¡®Hey, B. Reckon I could get the next touchdown, huh?¡¯

    ¡®Oh! O-Of course? I mean, I don¡¯t want to take all the glory.¡¯ Bastion nervously chuckled but soon quietened as Deshaun glared at him with a look that could almost kill.

    ¡®Set¡­¡¯ The Pirates QB slapped his thigh and Bastion suddenly turned away, jogging back towards his offensive line, with Deshaun following. But as they neared the mass of players there, the ball was snapped and everyone burst into motion.

    Ty went to rush after them, but Patty sprung forward and got in his way, just as the rest of the players on the field rushed towards him. Bastion ran full force against that tide and laid a block against one of the Dons LBs, as the ball was handed off to the RB for another run.

    Deshaun was lost in the flood of players streaming his way and smothered by a block from an OL.

    Try as he might, Ty couldn¡¯t break away from Patty¡¯s block, even as the RB came his way and was so close within reach, but Ty¡¯s fingers just couldn¡¯t stretch far enough and the RB skirted away and ran down the field for a big gain, the Pirates getting a first down with the first play of their second drive.

    ¡®Heh, looks like another touchdown won¡¯t take long,¡¯ Patty said before Ty finally shoved him away after the play was dead.

    Again and again, the Pirates nickeled and dimed onward with a few more quick plays, looking like it would be a repeat of their first drive, though out of the few plays so far, there hadn¡¯t been a screen involving Bastion or Patty just yet.

    Before the first quarter could run out of time, the Pirates went without a huddle once more and rushed up to the line of scrimmage to get one last play in.

    Though the Dons were no longer surprised by such actions from this erratic offence, they were right there with them, ready to make them regret trying to get one last play in before the break.

    ¡®Hut-hut!¡¯ Again, Ty was met by Patty¡¯s formidable block. But, after so much repetition of this, he was getting used to how Patty would fend him off, where he¡¯d put his hands, how he¡¯d use his strength to keep Ty at bay.

    Ty was able to anticipate the forceful shove underneath his arms, slipping one shoulder back out of the way, getting Patty off-balance enough so Ty could slip by him as he scrambled to keep Ty back.

    Though with how quickly the pass came out towards Bastion, Ty was still just a hair too late to interrupt it, though he didn¡¯t give up. And with how quickly he¡¯d gotten around Patty¡¯s block, there was less of an obstruction in Deshaun¡¯s path as he went around over the top of them and tried to cut Bastion off from getting further upfield.

    Without even meaning to, Ty and Deshaun worked together in a differently anticipated way, and swarmed Bastion after he caught the ball, tackling him from head-on and behind both at the same time and dragging him down just short of the first down marker, right as time expired for the quarter.

    The second would open up with the Pirates facing down a 3rd and 1 in their own half.

    Ty got back up, he wouldn¡¯t call that tackle a victory, but it was a set-up for a much greater victory. Just one stop and they could fully swing the game back into their control to open the second quarter.

    He jogged back to the bench for the short break in between quarters, and even as JJ and others ran by, smacking him and Deshaun on the shoulder and congratulating them for their tackle, the two still didn¡¯t encourage each other.

    They both sat far away from one another on the bench again, and Ty took a long drink of water, looking around at the crowd.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to spot someone waving at him, Megan jumping around to grab his attention. Even her smile stood out amongst the crowd as others were moving around to go use the bathroom or get something from their car or just stretch their legs, no one else was focusing on him but her.

    He looked at her, and she saw him looking, but he didn¡¯t wave or even smile her way before he turned back around and lowered his gaze to the ground, focusing back on the task at hand.

    The coaches left him alone as well, with Coach Hoang focusing on other parts of the defence, informing the Linemen and LBs that the Offensive Line for the Pirates had a tell when the play was going to be a run or not, and you could see what they were going to do beforehand on how their stance was before the snap.

    ¡®Listen! Watch them closely, okay? Numbers 77 and 72 on the right side especially. You can see them lean more heavily on their lead foot if it¡¯s going to be a run,¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    Meanwhile, Coach Long and Norman were scheming up ways to beat the Pirates'' defence, debating if they needed to get Stephen involved in more ¡°pick¡± plays, where another Receiver could run across his path and try to take out one or both of his defenders to get him open, or if they should just continue to use him as a decoy and try to win with their numbers advantage elsewhere.

    On the other side of the field, Patty was as relaxed as anyone could be, almost laying back on the bench with his hands behind his head.

    ¡®So! How many touchdowns we scoring today, B? 4? 5?¡¯

    Bastion sipped his Gatorade and frowned a little. ¡®Mm¡­ well, those guys are tough but um¡­ well, hopefully their offence doesn''t take up so much time as well, and maybe we could speed up a bit¡­ ah, I-I don¡¯t know how much more we could score.¡¯

    Patty laughed and sat up more, smacking Bastion on the back. ¡®Relax, B! We got this in the bag.¡¯

    Bastion nodded and flashed a grin, more of his friend¡¯s confidence rubbing off on him.

    Ty stared at the scoreboard, burning the 3¨C7 score into his mind, turning it into fuel for the fire of his soul.

    There were still 3 quarters left in the game, and anything could happen, but he KNEW that he wouldn¡¯t let them score another touchdown.

    Soon enough, the break was over and it was time for Ty to get back out there.

    The Pirates were once again in their heavy, goal line formation with an extra Lineman, and their bulky FB in to clear the way for their Halfback (HB), and this time when Patty and Bastion came over to line up with Ty and Deshaun, Patty looked upset, shaking his head and grumbling to his friend.

    ¡®Why are they trying that? Like, I get it¡¯s what you normally do in this situation, but we¡¯ve been beating these guys all game, just give it to us.¡¯

    ¡®Y-You should trust the coach, h-he¡¯s just doing what he thinks is best,¡¯ Bastion said.

    ¡®Hey!¡¯ Ty snapped, glaring at them both. It had to be a trick, and he wasn¡¯t falling for it, he KNEW they wouldn¡¯t run the ball, he KNEW another screen was coming. ¡®Quit fucking around and shut up! Maybe for shitty, unaccomplished losers like you, playing well for one quarter is something to brag about, but you haven¡¯t won shit.¡¯

    Patty scoffed, not even taking up a proper stance. ¡®I ain¡¯t kidding around¡­ but fine, fine. I can hold off bragging for a while, after all, there¡¯s no way you two idiots are beating us.¡¯

    Ty narrowed his eyes, but all he could do was wait for the snap of the ball, that¡¯s all anyone on the field could do.

    ¡®Run! Run! It¡¯s a run! Stop them! Get down low and dig in! Don¡¯t let them get a single inch more!¡¯ Coach Hoang screamed from the sideline, and the rest of the defence packed in tight to the line of scrimmage, nose to nose with the Pirates.

    Everything was set for a test of strength between the two squads, but still, Ty wasn¡¯t convinced, and still, he fully believed it was going to be a pass this way, and he was more than ready for it.

    But, when the ball was finally snapped, Patty never moved a muscle, he just stood there, totally relaxed and disinterested, even Bastion, who had been in his typical stance, relaxed at the snap of the ball and took a step back instead.

    All four players left out on their little island to the side of the field could only watch on helplessly as the rest of their teammates came together in a massive, dirty scrum in the middle of the field, battling over every blade of grass in their territorial war.

    The QB never even handed the ball off, let alone threw it. He kept it himself, and tried to power ahead, with the two RBs behind him charging forward and giving him a helping push.

    Eventually, the pile collapsed in on itself, and the QB was swallowed up into the mass, the ball lost somewhere underneath all the bodies.

    Officials rushed forward from every corner of the field, whistles blowing loudly as they tried to pry bodies off the pile and get to the bottom of it to see just where the ball ended up underneath all that mess.

    And all Ty could do was watch as he gnawed on his mouthpiece and dug his nails into his palms.

 Chapter 28: Isolated

    Even when the QB was finally uncovered, the ball still held tightly in his clutches, no one could tell if he¡¯d made it across the first down marker or not.

    So the measuring chains were brought out, two large rods connected by a 10-yard chain. The rear rod was stuck into the ground where the initial line of scrimmage had been for this set of downs, and everyone held their breath as the second official ran towards the ball with the second rod, the chain slowly growing more taut as its length was stretched out to the limit.

    But when the second rod was jammed into the ground, the tip of the football was a few inches beyond it: it was a first down for the Pirates.

    The Pirates players and bench erupted in cheers, while the home crowd booed loudly, and some of the more vocal fans rained down insults and complaints against the refs in regards to the spotting of the ball, thinking the officials had been rather favourable in where they judged the ball to have been downed on the field during the play.

    Ty ignored it all and was already moving away to huddle up again as JJ rallied the troops.

    ¡®Come on! It¡¯s just one play, we can still get the stop. Focus on the next set.¡¯ JJ specifically thumped Deshaun on the back as everyone moved back to the huddle.

    The coaches yelled out for the defence to keep a cool head, like an echo to JJ¡¯s words of encouragement.

    They settled into their formation as the Pirates dispersed their huddle and came out to meet them again. The Dons were spread out wide at the line of scrimmage.

    The three DL out there had the DT (Defensive Tackle) positioned right over the ball in front of the Center, whilst the edge rushers were planted just outside of the right and left Tackles.

    A curtain of four LBs was right behind the line, creeping down closer towards it, ready to fill the obvious gaps in the middle that they were inviting the Pirates into.

    And now there was only one Safety left deep downfield, covering the middle.

    Ty and Deshaun were left on an even bigger island, now without any cover or help over the top, a clear message that they had to get their shit together or else.

    On the next play, the Pirates didn¡¯t accept the invitation to try a run up the middle, instead, they went for another stretch to the outside.

    Bad decision.

    There was nowhere to go, and the RB was stuffed in the backfield for a loss of yards.

    Again they tried a run, this time up the middle like the Dons were offering, but there was no luck there either; as soon as the RB tried to squeeze through one of the gaps, a LB was there to meet him head-on and stop him dead in his tracks.

    But just like that it was third down and time for the Pirates to forgo their huddle once more and go back to their trusty failsafe of Patty and Bastion.

    ¡®Don¡¯t let your team down, guys~¡¯ Patty said, sneering at Deshaun and Ty.

    Deshaun shot Ty a glare, but Ty had his eyes locked on Patty.

    When the ball was snapped, Patty hesitated, Ty held his ground, not wanting to overcommit to jamming him up and losing him over the top.

    Then Patty rushed forward and cut inside with perfect timing so that he would still obstruct Deshaun¡¯s path just enough so Bastion could slip away to the outside.

    Even while recognising this, Ty couldn¡¯t disregard his duties against Patty and chase after Bastion, Patty wasn¡¯t just trying to block him this time but was actively still seeking out his own route and trying to get open as well.

    Ty leaned away, ready to pounce towards Bastion as he looked at Deshaun streaking by.

    ¡®Switch! We need to switch!¡¯ Ty shouted, but Deshaun ignored him and fruitlessly chased after Bastion like a dog chased after a car.

    Bastion caught the pass easily, though Deshaun did eventually chase him down. By the time he was tripped up, Bastion had already made it past the first down marker.

    Deshaun thudded back towards the huddle and Ty went over to talk to him on his way.

    ¡®Don¡¯t you fucking bark at me again, freshy,¡¯ Deshaun snarled at him, and Ty bit his tongue, saying nothing.

    ¡°You arrogant fuck. You think you¡¯re better just cause you¡¯re older? You¡¯re fucking nothing!¡±

    Ty exhaled slowly. ¡®Fine,¡¯ he said, ¡®I¡¯ll do it without you.¡¯

    Deshaun shot him another glare, but neither of them said anything after that.

    The next set of downs started, and again the Pirates¡¯ offence tested the Dons¡¯ defence for ways other than the bubble screens with Patty and Bastion to gain yards.

    They tried a screen to the HB, but the defence was all over it, swarming after the ball like a flood as they stopped the play for little to no gain.

    Even a short screen to the TE didn¡¯t work, the TE couldn¡¯t even get open with how congested the middle of the field was, and the QB was forced to throw the pass into the turf, just so there was no chance of it being intercepted within the sea of bodies.

    But there was always Patty and Bastion, together those two couldn¡¯t fail, and they always dragged their team further and further down the field.

    It worked, every. single. time.

    Ty tried to keep his cool, but with how stubborn Deshaun was being, when they should¡¯ve been working together, he couldn¡¯t help but get frustrated to the point of committing a penalty.

    He¡¯d tried to remember how he¡¯d overcome Patty¡¯s block earlier, how he stopped them before and got a fingertip on one pass and turned a touchdown into an incompletion, if only for one play.

    But¡­ was that really because of something he did? Or was it just a misstep from the offence? An errant pass which if it was just an inch higher would¡¯ve glided out of his reach, or a slip from Patty which led to him being overpowered for once and allowed Ty to break away.

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    He was beginning to think he was helpless, and it was that feeling of helplessness that led to him lashing out again.

    He jammed his hand up under Patty¡¯s face mask and shoved his head back, pushing away from him and breaking free to easily swat down the pass intended for Bastion.

    But he¡¯d already seen the flag fly out an official¡¯s hand, he knew the play didn¡¯t count and he¡¯d been caught in the act and was about to be penalised.

    For Ty¡¯s carelessness, the offence was rewarded with 5 yards for free, and an automatic first down.

    It really seemed like there was nothing Ty could do. The Pirates were within field goal range again, and he still couldn¡¯t get a stop.

    ¡°Bullshit. I¡¯ll fucking stop them. I can stop ANYONE.¡±

    The Pirates were confident that they could get a first down whenever they wanted with Bastion and Patty, so they were content to use the first two downs probing the defence in other ways, they needed to figure out more ways of gaining yards, it wouldn¡¯t do them well in the long run if they kept relying on JUST Bastion and Patty.

    They switched things up, subbing out one WR and bringing in their FB to better help with the inside runs, which did get them a couple yards, but the Dons still had the advantage there with JJ bypassing the lead block from the FB and blowing up the run quickly.

    And with an extra body in the middle for blocking, they tried another TE screen, and while they were able to connect, it still didn¡¯t get them far and only resulted in a couple of yards again.

    It just felt like the defence was always a step ahead, like they had more bodies out on the field, and they were able to contain or shut down anything the Pirates tried.

    They still had half the distance to go for a first down when they went back to Patty and Bastion on third down.

    ¡°I HAVE to stop them,¡± Ty thought, clenching his fists. He glared around at the three other players surrounding him; Bastion shuddered.

    Deshaun lunged forward to jam Bastion up at the snap of the ball, but Bastion slapped his hands away and broke off down the field.

    Ty grabbed Deshaun and practically threw him into Patty¡¯s path, freeing himself up to chase after Bastion.

    ¡®If you won¡¯t fucking switch I¡¯ll MAKE you!¡¯ Ty growled.

    Ty was just a step behind Bastion when the QB let the ball go. Bastion turned his head back to find the spiralling ball, and his eyes widened as he saw Ty in the perfect spot to intercept the pass.

    Bastion stopped on a dime and when Ty leapt up to grab the ball, Bastion threw himself at his opponent.

    Moments before the ball hit Ty¡¯s hands, Bastion¡¯s shoulder rammed him in the small of his back and bent him backwards.

    The ball bounced off of Ty¡¯s fingers and the two crashed to the ground. The pass was incomplete and the play was over, it was fourth down and the Dons had gotten a stop finally, though Ty knew it could¡¯ve been so much more.

    Ty shoved Bastion off, giving him an elbow in the ribs as he did so before he scrambled to his feet.

    Bastion gingerly picked himself up, and Patty rushed over, getting in between his best friend and Ty.

    Ty grinned. ¡®Hahaha! You knew I was gonna catch that, you knew and you had to foul me, you dirty fucking rat.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re one to talk! You¡¯ve been fouling us all game, shithead,¡¯ Patty snapped, directing Bastion away from the conflict, still shielding him from Ty.

    Ty kept grinning as he made his way back to the sideline, and Bastion finally breathed easy again.

    Ty made it back to the bench, and he was just about to sit down when he was almost pushed right over it by Deshaun, who got in his face.

    ¡®Don¡¯t you EVER pull that shit with me again, Tyrese!¡¯

    Ty looked down his nose at the taller boy. His frustrations were gone, he knew he could win on his own.

    ¡®You saw it. I would¡¯ve gotten a pick if that prick didn¡¯t foul me. That was Offensive Pass Interference and everyone knows it.¡¯

    Deshaun grabbed Ty by the collar with both hands and snarled at him.

    ¡®If you ever yank me aga¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Banks! Go sit down, dammit!¡¯ Coach Hoang barked.

    Deshaun looked over and then slowly let Ty go, pushing him down onto the bench before stomping off and taking his own seat further away.

    Coach Hoang watched him go, and then looked back to Ty as well, frowning deeply.

    ¡°They¡¯re clearly not getting along¡­ this shouldn¡¯t be working but¡­ how could he stop them by himself?¡± Coach Hoang thought.

    ¡®You saw, right, Coach?¡¯ Ty said. ¡®I can beat them. I¡¯m going to pay those fucking thieves back for every point they¡¯ve stolen¡­¡¯ Ty watched as the field goal attempt for the Pirates sailed through the uprights, pushing the score to 3¨C10. ¡®¡­Twice over.¡¯

    Coach Hoang should¡¯ve said something, all his practical experience as both a player and a DC was telling him to pull the plug and stop it before things got even worse between Ty and Deshaun, but something within him wanted to see just how far Ty could go in this desperate situation.

    How much could Ty grow when faced with such disastrous odds in this unfavourable postion? So he said nothing and left things as they were, his curiosity getting the best of him.

    After a decent return from the kickoff, the Dons¡¯ offence took over at the 27-yard line.

    Though the Receivers out there were still struggling with the Pirates¡¯ zone, Stephen was still getting double teamed, and the Pirates defence had even sured up the gaps in their defensive line, making Chris¡¯s runs harder and harder.

    Again the message had been to try and chew up clock as well and give the defence a reprieve. And while they did that¡ªnot as successfully as their first drive¡ªthey were eventually suffocated by the defence and completely stopped at around the middle of the field, forced to punt the ball away and let the Pirates take control again after only a few minutes.

    Ty jogged back out there, a sly smile on his lips, even though he could feel the hate oozing off of Deshaun as the older boy stared holes into the back of his head.

    Bastion stuck close to Patty¡¯s side as they lined up on their little ¡°island¡± with the two CBs again.

    ¡®I¡¯ve got a bad feeling, Patty¡­¡¯ Bastion muttered, glancing back to the rest of his teammates. They looked so much further away now.

    ¡®Ah? Naaah. Don¡¯t worry about it, B,¡¯ Patty spoke loud enough for Deshaun and Ty to clearly hear him as well. ¡®I mean, there¡¯s nothing TO worry about, not when we¡¯ve got this shitter dragging his whole team down.¡¯ He gestured to Deshaun, blatantly poking a thumb towards him.

    ¡®The fuck you say?¡¯ Deshaun snapped, but Patty went quiet, just smirking at him.

    ¡®Hut-hut!¡¯ Deshaun leapt across and completely ignored Bastion, instead going for Patty. Ty was caught off-guard by this, by Patty had been expecting it. Before Ty could even think about switching onto Bastion, Deshaun had knocked him down in his haste to track Patty down.

    Patty laughed and brought Deshaun far to the outside while Bastion got away scot-free and made the catch, though he was taken down just before the first down marker.

    A second whistle blew after the play was already called dead, and Ty saw another yellow flag flutter to the turf to signal another penalty.

    As he got up, he saw Deshaun standing over Patty, who was laid out on the ground near the sideline, still smiling up at the fuming CB.

    ¡®Personal foul: Unnecessary roughness, defence number 24. Fifteen yards have been added to the end of the play,¡¯ the head official announced. The ball was moved even further up the field thanks to Deshaun¡¯s aggression.

    Ty frowned, scowling at his teammate as he stalked back to the huddle. Just when he thought he was capable of beating Patty and Bastion, they threw another hurdle in his path: Deshaun.

    ¡°Two-on-one would¡¯ve been fine¡­ can I really beat all three of them working against me? These fucking assholes¡­¡±

    As the Pirates marched down the field, they¡¯d continuously go back to Patty and Bastion¡¯s side of the field, the pair of Receivers now using Deshaun as another tool to get themselves open, manipulating the hot-headed senior into Ty¡¯s path, using him as an obstacle to free themselves up with the one or two yards they needed to make a catch and get small gains which kept adding up into first downs.

    They were just edging past half field, and on the cusp of field goal range again, when the whistles blew for the two-minute warning, and a timeout was called for both teams to recuperate and ready themselves for the final two-minute sprint of this first half.

    Ty thudded onto the bench, his hands clasped together in front of his face as he stared across the field, steeling himself for the challenging two minutes ahead of him.

 Chapter 29: Two Minutes

    ¡®Hey! Just cause there¡¯s only two minutes left doesn¡¯t mean the offence is gonna let up,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®Things are only gonna get faster from here on out. Don¡¯t expect any breaks once you¡¯re out there¡ªthey won¡¯t give you any time to stop.¡¯

    He looked at all of his defenders as they huddled around him during the short break of this two-minute warning.

    ¡®Don¡¯t let it get to you though, they¡¯re in the same boat. They won¡¯t be able to stop either, so we gotta hit them first, the clock is our friend, remember that. Hit ¡®em hard and take the initiative from them. Make them hurt, make them slow down, make them wanna stop as they second guess themselves. Whoever hesitates first here loses.¡¯

    Coach Long stepped forward and clasped his hands on the shoulders of two players standing in the huddle. ¡®You¡¯re doing good out there, boys, keep it up! Remember, we¡¯re all here with you.¡¯

    Once the break was over, the defence stormed the field again, with the bench and the crowd cheering them on.

    Ty took up his position in front of Patty; Deshaun stood opposite Bastion. No one said anything, they were too focused on what was ahead.

    The ball was snapped, and it looked to be a run. Though when the HB and QB parted ways, the QB still had the ball in his hands¡ªit was play-action, a fake.

    Both Patty and Bastion charged forward, shoving Ty and Deshaun back as the TE streamed out under the gap made by their two blocks and caught the ball.

    Ty grit his teeth but couldn¡¯t get away from the block in time to do anything about the play, it was only a short gain, but the TE was free to step out of bounds and stop the clock after he¡¯d gained all the yards he could.

    There was no need for the Pirates to pick up the pace with the clock stopped just yet.

    ¡®Don¡¯t fall for any bait!¡¯ Coach Hoang screamed out. ¡®They won¡¯t run it! Just play for the pass and protect the sideline!¡¯

    The next play, the Pirates tried something similar, just to the opposite side with the single WR out there to block for the QB.

    This time, after the catch was made, another defender got out there and made the tackle before the TE could get out of bounds, keeping the clock running.

    NOW the Pirates went without a huddle, just like Coach Hoang had predicted.

    The Dons were ready for the speedy snap of the ball.

    ¡®Hut-hut!¡¯ Patty lurched forward and sidestepped to take Deshaun on with a block this time, trying to push the bigger, older CB into Ty¡¯s path as Bastion slipped away around them.

    Ty saw this though, and thrust his hands out, roughly shoving Deshaun away, but keeping himself freed up to pursue Bastion.

    He couldn¡¯t stop him from catching the ball, but after he caught it, Ty dragged him down from behind. Whilst he didn¡¯t stop him before he passed the shortened first down marker, he did¡ªmore importantly in this situation¡ªkeep Bastion in bounds when he took him down.

    With the clock running down further, the Pirates decided to take their first timeout, stopping the clock, but giving EVERYONE a breather.

    There was a short reprieve for all the players out there during the minute of the timeout. The next play after it, the Pirates again attacked the opposite side of the field to where Ty was stationed.

    The WR on that side did make the catch, but he barely got any gain at all, though he did make it out of bounds to stop the clock again at least.

    There was no rush, but for the next play, they went back to Bastion and Patty. Patty was the one who slipped away to make the catch this time, as Bastion threw himself in Ty¡¯s way and tangled up his legs.

    Deshaun was free to make the tackle and hit Patty before he could reach a first down, shoving him out of bounds.

    The Dons¡¯ defence was locked in on the sidelines, and it was hard to come by any yards while also looking to get out of bounds and stop the clock.

    So, the Pirates attacked the middle of the field where things were more open with their TE. And though this did get them the first down they needed, it resulted them in using their second of three timeouts after the Receiver was dragged down in bounds.

    Again everyone could catch their breath for a minute, though Ty didn¡¯t take his eyes off of his enemies over on their sideline; they were cooking something up in their huddle for when play would resume.

    Still, none of the four rivals said anything to one another when they were all lined up together on their side of the field again.

    For the play out of their timeout, the Pirates tried to pull off another trick. At first, the QB dropped back, looking to throw the ball like a regular passing play.

    But the HB rushed forward and took the ball from him instead, charging up the guts of the defence to try and catch them unaware with a ¡°draw¡± play¡ªa hidden run.

    It was the wrong play to make.

    JJ was all over it. He crushed the HB with a bone-crunching tackle.

    The ball spilled free.

    Whistles were already blowing as Dons players jumped all over the ball and smothered it, but the officials were running in, waving the play dead and saying that the ball only came out AFTER the runner had hit the ground.

    There was no fumble. It was still the Pirates¡¯ ball.

    JJ didn¡¯t look upset about it, so no argument was made against the judgement of the umpires.

    After the ball was taken away from the Dons players, the Pirates hurried forward, electing to save their final timeout, keeping the clock running.

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    They rushed into their formation, and the Dons matched them.

    They snapped the ball, and Deshaun overwhelmed Bastion for once, holding him back just enough so that he was able to stretch out a hand and knock down the pass that was intended for Patty.

    ¡®Yeaaaah! That¡¯s what I¡¯m talkin¡¯ ¡®bout! Get that weak shit outta here.¡¯ Deshaun puffed out his chest, taunting Bastion up close.

    Patty pulled his friend away, but even Ty could see the two WRs weren¡¯t as confident as they had once been. The momentum was switching to favour the Dons.

    ¡®Don¡¯t let ¡®em throw anything this way again, it¡¯ll be a pick,¡¯ Ty warned them.

    Patty and Bastion had no response.

    ¡®Let¡¯s go boys!¡¯ JJ cried when everyone made it into the short huddle allowed by the incompletion stopping the clock.

    ¡®Keep it up! Not much longer now, they¡¯re starting to feel the pressure and make mistakes. Not even one more minute boys, that¡¯s all we gotta hold out for.¡¯

    The spirits of each defender out there were at an all-game high, whereas the Pirates were jittery and overwhelmed.

    The ball was eventually snapped just before the play clock ran out, and something bizarre happened.

    Without even communicating, Ty and Deshaun were perfectly in sync with one another.

    For once, Deshaun didn¡¯t get blindsided by a block, or run into Ty, and none of that happened for Ty either.

    When Patty came towards Deshaun, Deshaun stepped back, and switched onto the Receiver without a word.

    And when Bastion streaked across Ty¡¯s face, he passed Patty off with full confidence and chased after his new target, covering him completely and offering no chance for a pass.

    Everywhere the Pirates¡¯ QB looked, his targets had a Dons player draped all over them. There was nowhere to throw the ball to, and before he could even fully register that, his line had crumbled and a DL was barrelling down on him.

    The QB dropped down and curled into the fetal position, protecting the ball but surrendering himself to the hit¡ªthe sack¡ªand the loss of yards.

    The Pirates were forced to use their last timeout, but even more damaging than that, it was fourth down and they¡¯d have to settle for a field goal as well.

    The crowd erupted in cheers, and even Coach Long was hollering and making a scene at the great team effort his defence displayed to get that stop.

    Coach Hoang breathed a sigh of relief, believing Ty and Deshaun were finally on the same page and their problems were over.

    The Dons¡¯ defence was warmly welcomed back to the bench, showered in praise and pats on the head and back.

    Now all that was left in this first half was this last field goal attempt.

    The Pirates¡¯ kicker took the field. Both sides were in position.

    The ball was snapped, it looked fine. There was no fumble on the catch or placement either, and the kicker made good contact too.

    But as the ball sailed, it drifted to the right, and thudded off the goalpost heavily, as if a giant bell had been rung. The mighty pole swayed like it might topple over.

    The kick was no good¡ªno score would be added.

    Again the crowd erupted in jubilation, and as the officials signalled for halftime, the Dons flooded off the bench and to the locker room, completely reinvigorated and riding the high of the last few moments.

    They were still down 3¨C10, but you never would¡¯ve been able to tell that from the way they were acting or the smiles on their faces.

    ¡®That¡¯s the kind of energy I love to see!¡¯ Coach Long said after he entered the room. ¡®Give yourselves a pat on the back for that great turnaround.¡¯

    ¡®Hey! And don¡¯t think that we just got lucky with that missed kick,¡¯ Coach Hoang added. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for that sack pushing them back and making it a longer kick, it would¡¯ve gone through. So give the defence the love they deserve.¡¯

    There was some whooping and clapping for the defence as things settled down.

    Ty looked around, noticed Bella¡¯s eyes on him as she was clapping. She moved closer.

    ¡®You two numbskulls finally working together out there?¡¯ she asked him, her eyes flitting over towards Deshaun.

    Ty shrugged. ¡®I guess he finally decided to stop getting in my way.¡¯

    Bella rolled her eyes. ¡®Uh-huh¡­ I¡¯ll take that as a no then. Well whatever you two did out there, it worked, so keep it up for the next half too.¡¯

    ¡®Sure thing, Coach¡ª¡¯ her glare stopped him short and he cleared his throat instead of finishing his sentence.

    Bella walked away, and Ty looked over to Deshaun. Their eyes met, but they didn¡¯t say anything or even make a gesture to acknowledge that they were looking at each other, or what had happened out there on that last defensive play.

    Ty sat back and took a deep breath, soon putting his headphones in and flicking on his music again to stay in the zone.

    Jay was off in one corner of the room with the WRs, drawing on a whiteboard as they crowded around him. Stephen towered over them all, his arms around the shoulders of two other Receivers as he kept them hemmed in and paying attention.

    ¡®Look guys, I don¡¯t wanna cramp your style or whatever, but like, their zone is really weak, okay?¡¯ Jay said, slowly drawing it out for them.

    ¡®They don¡¯t like to move around a lot, and look, I totally get that, why do you think I play QB? I just gotta stand there and throw a ball.¡¯ Jay laughed. ¡®But you can see it, right here where two zones close together, they both expect the other guy to cover it. So neither of them really move out to the edge of their zone that much, and you can just stop in the middle for an open pass, okay? Just trust me, find the open spot, and I¡¯ll find you.¡¯ He smiled around at them and set his marker down.

    Coach Norman and Coach Long could be seen talking with Chris as they brainstormed ways for the run to get going again.

    ¡®If the NT is trying to make up for his weak first step going right, he¡¯s gonna be leaning that way since we¡¯ve attacked that side for all of this half. So a counter would get him really bad, then he won¡¯t know which way he needs to protect,¡¯ Chris explained.

    Coach Norman laughed and ruffled the boy¡¯s hair. ¡®You¡¯ve got a coach¡¯s head on your shoulders, Chris. I bet you¡¯ll make a great OC one day.¡¯

    After the break, the Dons came charging back out with even more energy than they had started the game with, and the crowd showered them in cheers.

    As the team ran in front of the bleachers, Ty found Megan in the crowd again, though AGAIN he ignored her even as she screamed out for him.

    ¡®You¡¯re the best, Tyrese!¡¯

    He took his seat on the bench as the Dons received the opening kickoff for this second half. Chris got things started off with a bang, almost breaking completely free and taking the return to the house, though he was tripped up by the kicker as the last line of defence around midfield.

    The Dons¡¯ offence took over, and everyone was in high hopes. If they rode this wave of momentum and crowd support, a touchdown seemed inevitable.

    For the first play, Chris slipped out of the backfield and caught a dump-off pass in the flat. He burst forward behind a block, and when he was finally tackled, he spun and struggled in the arms of the defender, his legs never stopping as he pushed forward for as much yardage as he could get.

    More defenders swarmed, hitting the pile hard, and yanking at the ball.

    The hopes of the Dons came crashing down in an instant when that ball popped out into the air, only a moment before Chris¡¯s ass hit the turf.

    Chris¡¯s shocked face said it all, he knew it was a fumble. He tried to crawl after the ball, but more defenders fell over him at the end of the tackle, while others chased down the bouncing ball and threw themselves onto it.

    Stephen launched himself at the loose ball as well and desperately tried to claim it for himself.

    Officials rushed over again to check on the situation and see just who had reclaimed the ball, though they didn''t have to deliberate on that outcome for long. Just a quick glance told them all they needed to know.

    The Pirates had recovered.

 Chapter 30: The Fall

    ¡°Ah¡­ everyone around me is useless. I see it now,¡± Ty thought.

    The heavy silence left in the wake of the fumble was interspersed by muted cheers from the subsection of Pirates fans within the bleachers.

    ¡®Keep your head up, keep your head up!¡¯ Coach Long called out to the returning offence.

    Chris sat on the bench, head in his hands as he mumbled that it was his fault, over and over.

    Coach Norman moved over and thumped the boy on the back. ¡®You¡¯ll get ¡®em next time. You did your best, these things happen.¡¯

    Ty sauntered out onto the field alongside the rest of the defence. It was weird. He wasn¡¯t mad, or upset. He¡¯d accepted his situation, and with that came a calm resolve.

    Even Deshaun could tell something was off with Ty as they lined up together.

    ¡®Ohh man! Didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be seeing you two again so soon. I guess your entire offence is somehow even worse than you losers,¡¯ Patty said, grinning from ear to ear as he strutted over to Deshaun and Ty, Bastion of course in tow.

    Deshaun said nothing, clenching his fists. Ty stared coldly at Patty, and Bastion couldn¡¯t take his eyes off Ty.

    ¡®What? Cat got your tongue?¡¯ Patty¡¯s eyes darted between the two CBs as he chuckled, though his voice had lost the confident edge it had held only moments before.

    Things quietened down, and Patty¡¯s mouth went dry as he waited for the snap of the ball, which couldn¡¯t come soon enough.

    Ty was the first to move when the QB¡¯s voice finally pierced the air. He lunged at Patty, but it was just a bait. When Patty tried to slip by the over-aggressive move¡ªlike he had done for most of the game¡ªTy shoved him into Deshaun, successfully knocking them both out of the equation.

    He just had Bastion to worry about. Though not really. Ty¡¯s eyes were locked on the QB, he didn¡¯t even care about marking Bastion, he was going to get the ball first.

    Bastion backpedalled towards the sideline, though as he saw Ty lying in wait, he tried to signal for the QB to throw it further upfield, his body beginning to twist around so he could start running to the endzone.

    It was too late. The QB threw the ball out to the flat where Bastion was; he¡¯d never seen Ty lurking in the perfect position behind Patty and Deshaun.

    Ty pounced on the pass, his outstretched hands reaching the ball before Bastion¡¯s. His body crashed through Bastion¡¯s arms, and the WR couldn¡¯t wrap him up.

    Ty was home free as Bastion fell down and could only watch.

    Patty turned and sprinted after Ty, but quickly gave up the chase: Ty was already gone, and there was no one who could catch him.

    Bastion and Patty could only watch in stunned silence as the crowd roared with every step of Ty¡¯s race to the endzone.

    Bastion couldn¡¯t hear them. His whole world was distorted, as if he was sinking under water, falling ever deeper while Ty disappeared further into the darkness.

    He was snapped back to the surface when Patty shook his arm.

    ¡®Bastion! Come on, man, we gotta get off the field.¡¯

    The special teams units for both the Pirates and the Dons were already coming out onto the field, while Bastion was still kneeling on the ground, staring at where Ty had been.

    ¡®S-Sorry,¡¯ Bastion weakly apologised as Patty helped him up and the two jogged over to the sideline. Bastion still couldn¡¯t wrap his head around what had just happened.

    The extra point was good, and just like that, the game was tied, 10¨C10.

    Ty wasn¡¯t satisfied. He didn¡¯t celebrate with the rest of his teammates. He stared at the scoreboard. His job was not finished; he hadn¡¯t even made up for all his mistakes that game.

    Again, the Dons¡¯ kickoff was thumped into the endzone and downed for a touchback. The Pirates took over again on the 25-yard line.

    ¡®Everybody acts tough when they¡¯re up. Why ain¡¯t ya talking now?¡¯ Deshaun questioned Patty.

    Patty shook his head, keeping his eyes on Ty. ¡®Shut the fuck up, you didn¡¯t even do shit.¡¯

    Ty said nothing, he just stared. It made Patty¡¯s skin crawl. Bastion reached out, placing a hand on his friend¡¯s shoulder, trying to keep him calm, trying to silence him.

    The entirety of the Pirates¡¯ offence seemed rattled, and for the first two plays, the QB didn¡¯t even look towards Patty and Bastion.

    Both the run and the pass they tried resulted in no gain.

    Their usual, fast-paced, no-huddle offence on third down was slow. They still didn¡¯t huddle, but there was hesitancy behind each of the QB¡¯s actions, and what the QB did affected the entire offence.

    He snapped the ball and FINALLY looked to Bastion and Patty.

    Bastion was blocking Deshaun, trying to shove him into Ty¡¯s path, as Patty undercut them both and tried to get open towards the middle of the field.

    Patty called for the ball, insisting it was thrown his way. Bastion and the QB locked eyes; they were treaded water, their heads slipping further under the rippling waves, each breath filling their lungs with more water than air.

    Ty was barrelling down on them both; sharks circled them.

    The QB flung the ball away, well over the heads of everyone in that direction, giving no one any hope of catching it.

    Just like that, the Pirates¡¯ offence was walking off the field, heads hung low as they had to punt the ball back to the Dons.

    As the Dons¡¯ offence headed back out onto the field for the first time since Chris¡¯s fumble, Coach Long tried to keep their spirits up.

    ¡®Forget about what happened last time! They¡¯re on the ropes. We can beat them, and our new plans will work! Just keep pushing forward.¡¯

    Chris jogged by Jay¡¯s side and tugged his sleeve. ¡®Hey. I won¡¯t let that happen again. Get me the ball.¡¯

    Jay smiled. ¡®I know, man. You don¡¯t make the same mistakes twice, don¡¯t worry. I trust you.¡¯

    Their first play was a run, a counter to the left side. The Pirates¡¯ defence had been over-eager, like they felt they needed to prove something after their last victory, and their offence¡¯s recent struggles.

    Chris ripped off a huge gain, over 15 yards in one play.

    The next play the Pirates focused more of their efforts on stopping the run; there were big gaps in their zone defence.

    Jay picked it apart, and the Receivers knew just where to find the open spots on the field, he had his choice of targets. For the second play in a row, the Dons got a first down.

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    The Pirates couldn¡¯t stop them anymore, the Dons could do whatever they wanted out there, working their way down the field quickly.

    They were past half field before they knew it, and Jay was looking for another pass. He was just about to throw it into a soft spot they¡¯d been exploiting throughout the drive, when a new defender caught his attention just in the corner of his eye.

    He pulled the ball down, holding it close to his chest, but got crunched in a tackle. Thankfully, he held onto the ball.

    His teammates rushed over and helped him up, his linemen apologising, sounding overly worried; it wasn¡¯t every game that Jay got hit, he was usually pretty good at getting rid of it before any pressure could get to him.

    He looked around as he got back onto his feet. ¡°Where did that defender come from?¡± he thought. His experienced eyes scanned the field quickly; only one man had actually covered Stephen.

    Before the snap, there had been two defenders lined up against him, just like there had been all game, but after the snap, one of them had peeled off and helped up in covering the rest of the field.

    Jay smirked, and when Stephen came over to let him know about what they had done, the QB was already waving him away.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I saw. Let¡¯s show them why that¡¯s a dumb move, big guy,¡¯ Jay said.

    Stephen grinned. ¡®Finally, I can play the fucking game.¡¯

    The next play was the biggest gain the Dons had had all game. One-on-one, the CB who had been left against Stephen was no match for the giant, and Stephen made sure to let the defence know why it wasn¡¯t an option to leave him against just one CB like that.

    There was no way for the Pirates to resist the Dons anymore. Whatever plan they went with, of either dropping more people into coverage against the whole team, doubling Stephen, or focusing on the run, Jay quickly figured out what they were up to, and went with the best option.

    Whether it was on the ground with Chris, picking apart the zone with the rest of the Receivers, or letting Stephen cook in the 1v1, there was no stopping them.

    It wasn¡¯t long before they got into the endzone, the brilliant drive capped off when Stephen caught the final pass above his head, one-handed, a defender draped all over him.

    The Dons were finally in the lead, and the crowd was the loudest it had been all game.

    Though their energy was sucked out of them a bit when the kick for the extra point missed, leaving the score 16¨C10.

    ¡®Yes!¡¯ No one was more thrilled about that kick missing than Patty was. ¡®Come on! We¡¯re still in it, we just need one more touchdown. We¡¯ve still got this!¡¯

    Not even Bastion shared his enthusiasm.

    The return on the following kickoff was short, only getting to the 22-yard line where the Pirates took over again.

    As the Pirates¡¯ offence took the field, Patty still kept trying to inspire his teammates.

    ¡®Don¡¯t sweat, we¡¯re getting a touchdown right now, just give it here. Come on boys, don¡¯t let these fuckers think they¡¯re better than us. That shit was just a fluke!¡¯

    Again, for the first two plays of their outing, the QB refused to look Patty¡¯s way.

    The two runs they tried at least got SOME yards, but not enough. They still had over 5 to go when it came to third down.

    This time, the QB did actually call them into an unexpected huddle, his eyes darting around nervously. Even the coaches were confused by this, though their attempts to control the situation from the sideline were ignored.

    ¡®I-I don¡¯t think the bubble screen is gonna work, guys. M-Maybe we should try a draw play instead. Th-They won¡¯t expect it!¡¯ the jittery QB said.

    ¡®What the fuck, Kyle?¡¯ Patty exclaimed, staring down the young, freckled, ginger. ¡®Stop talking bullshit, just give me the ball, dammit. Trust me! We can still do this, like we¡¯ve always done, okay? B and I are better than those guys, they just got lucky once or twice.¡¯

    Patty turned his attention to his best friend, everyone watching him. ¡®You trust me right, Bastion? Don¡¯t you ALL trust us? When have we let you guys down?¡¯ He looked around the huddle.

    Bastion smiled and pushed a fist out into the middle of the huddle. ¡®Yeah. We¡¯ve got this. Trust on three.¡¯

    Patty quickly thrust his fist out against Bastion¡¯s, and everyone else slowly followed suit.

    ¡®1, 2, 3, trust!¡¯ Patty counted them down, and everyone shouted as one. Though as their huddle broke apart, a whistle blew, and a timeout had been called. During their frantic huddle, the 45 seconds they had to start another play was going to expire, so the Pirates¡¯ coach called a timeout.

    The offence awkwardly shuffled back to the sideline, expecting to get an earful.

    Patty went to explain what happened when they got to the sideline, but the coach stopped him.

    The older man looked around at each of his players. ¡®Are you alright now? Did that settle your nerves?¡¯

    The boys all nodded. A smile formed amidst the coach¡¯s thick, salt-and-pepper beard. ¡®Good!¡¯ He slapped a hand onto Kyle and Patty¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡®Believe in yourself, boys. Don¡¯t forget what you¡¯ve practised. I know they¡¯ve got us rattled right now. This half started off crazy, but we just need to take a breath, and remember everything we¡¯ve been through. We¡¯ve gotten through tougher times, and we¡¯ve practised for moments like these. Go out there and show them you won¡¯t be beaten so easily! Show them who you are and steal the lead right back from them! Go Pirates!¡¯

    ¡®GO PIRATES!¡¯ the players cheered, running back out onto the field, their spirits burning once more.

    Bastion ran out alongside Patty, looking at his friend, grins plastered over both their faces.

    ¡°Football is so much fun,¡± Bastion thought, all thought of the scoreboard and the specific state of the game had vanished from his mind. THIS is why he played. Nothing else mattered when he was by his best friend¡¯s side.

    ¡®Hut-hut!¡¯ Bastion rushed forward, he couldn¡¯t let his friend down. He laid a solid block on Deshaun again, even getting in Ty¡¯s way as best he could, clearing a path for Patty.

    The QB zipped the ball out quickly, just as Ty was darting around Bastion and Deshaun. He wouldn¡¯t be stopped now.

    Ty lunged forward, one long arm stretching out. Patty got his hands on the ball, it should¡¯ve been an easy catch. Then Ty¡¯s arm shot across his shoulder and smacked the ball away.

    ¡°Was his arm always that freaking long?¡± Patty thought.

    The Pirates had failed. It was fourth down, and they¡¯d have to punt. That¡¯s what EVERYONE thought. Everyone except Patty.

    He wouldn¡¯t give in. He blocked his teammates from returning to the sideline, his arms stretched out wide.

    ¡®No! We can¡¯t just give it back to them. We HAVE to score.¡¯ He knew this was the turning point of the game, he could feel it. If they didn¡¯t score now, they would lose this game.

    The coach could feel it too, that¡¯s why he let them stay out there. This would be the turning point of the game, the outcome of this play could decide the fate of the game.

    ¡°Patrick never gives up,¡± Bastion thought, staring at his best friend. ¡°He¡¯s always been like that.¡±

    He thought back to when he first met Patty.

    It was Bastion¡¯s freshman year. He¡¯d just moved to town. A quiet kid whose biggest interests were D&D and comic books. He had no friends and couldn¡¯t stand up for himself. He was the perfect target for bullies.

    He never fought back, but he¡¯d run if he could, and he was running on this particular occasion. Though, unfamiliar with the school, it wasn¡¯t long before Bastion found himself in a dead end.

    He thought he was done for. But that¡¯s when he met Patty.

    Patty threw the first punch, no one had even seen where he came from¡ªturns out they were right by some toilets, Bastion considered it the luckiest moment of his life that Patty had just finished taking a shit.

    Of course, even Patty couldn¡¯t win a fight against three other people. But it was that courage and selflessness to jump into such harsh odds to fight for a stranger that sparked Bastion to finally make a stand of his own.

    Together, the two of them were able to protect themselves and beat back their attackers, though not without earning some bruises and bloody noses of their own.

    They¡¯d never even said a word to one another, but they had fought side by side, they were brothers before they had even spoken.

    ¡®Hey! You okay?¡¯ Patty had said, offering Bastion a hand to help him up after all the violence was over.

    Bastion had stared at that hand, long and hard. He eventually took it, and a lifelong bond was forged from that very moment.

    In the present, Patty was once again offering Bastion his hand.

    ¡®We¡¯ve got this. Together,¡¯ Patty said.

    Bastion smiled and took his hand. ¡®Together.¡¯ The pair dapped each other up again before lining up for what felt like the most important play of their lives.

    If it was the two of them, Bastion felt that they could overcome ANYTHING, even that monster currently staring them down.

    Ty stood silently, watching them both. This was it. This was his moment to pull them both under and drown them for good.

    ¡®Hut-hut!¡¯ Patty rushed forward, but Ty¡¯s long arms met his chest first. He was knocked back and held away, right where Ty wanted him.

    When the ball was thrown, Ty shrugged Patty aside, shirking him off to Deshaun as he leapt after his real target: Bastion.

    Bastion dived forward towards the ball, he couldn¡¯t let Ty get it.

    They both caught the ball at the same time, four hands wrapped all around that pig skin.

    Bastion pulled as hard as he could as he fell towards the ground, but the ball wouldn¡¯t budge from Ty¡¯s grasp, it was like the ball was being sucked towards him.

    Ty grinned. Just before he ripped the ball free, he saw the hope vanish from Bastion¡¯s eyes. He tore the ball away from the other boy.

    Again, Patty and Bastion could do nothing as Ty bolted away.

    Ty crossed through the endzone for his second touchdown. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh. It was a laugh that was completely carefree, completely genuine, but completely fuelled by the misery of his enemies.

 Chapter 31: The Last Stand

    The Pirates¡¯ offence shambled off the field; shoulders were slumped, heads were hung, eyes were glued to the grass, and they walked as if they were trudging through mud.

    They all slowly made their way off the field, aside from Patty, Bastion, and Kyle. Those three were still staring at Ty¡¯s back, sunken into place on the grass.

    The special teams unit had to push the trio towards the sideline to finally get them moving, though Bastion needed Patty to guide him over to the bench personally, and even then, Bastion still seemed as if he was sleepwalking.

    The extra point for the Dons was good, pushing the score out to 23¨C10.

    Ty sat on the bench, leaning forward and eagerly watching the Pirates¡¯ players. His eyes betrayed the sadistic grin he hid behind one hand. His overwhelming dominance could be felt even when he wasn¡¯t out there, and the Pirates¡¯ offence weren¡¯t the only ones losing hope.

    The short kick return¡ªwhich only got them out to the 18-yard line¡ªwas proof that even the return team for the Pirates was feeling the pressure too.

    Ty strutted back out onto the field, though didn¡¯t verbally taunt either Bastion or Patty. He let his sharp grin do the talking for him.

    Deshaun didn¡¯t say anything either. He was both amazed and angered by Ty¡¯s display, and he couldn¡¯t talk shit about accomplishments that weren¡¯t his own¡­ he needed to put his own stamp on this game.

    Kyle never once looked at Bastion and Patty, he didn¡¯t even seem confident in his throwing anymore as he only handed the ball off to the RB three times in a row, just for the runner to get smashed each time for minimal or no gains at all.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the Pirates had to punt the ball away.

    Ty made his way back to the bench, a bit disappointed that the game had entered the boring stage, where the other team would completely ignore him now, but he was used to it and had expected it¡¯d come to this at one point.

    The Dons¡¯ offence hurried out onto the field, full of energy and not wanting to be outdone by their defence.

    ¡®Come on! Don¡¯t let anyone forget about us! We can¡¯t let the fucking defence outscore us,¡¯ Stephen said, most of the other players out there yelling along with him.

    Jay laughed and tried to keep things settled and focused, he seemed to be the only one out there unaffected by the raucous atmosphere that had taken over the Dons.

    Back on the bench again, Ty had his attention fixed on the Pirates, and he noticed that while most of his enemies seemed to have given up already, the opposite had happened to the defence.

    It was this desire to pick up the slack from the Pirates¡¯ defence, and perhaps the overconfidence of the Dons¡¯ offence, that led to a very short drive as the Dons struggled to get any momentum going, and soon had to punt it away themselves.

    ¡®Hey! I¡¯m loving the energy out there boys, but you gotta stay locked in. The game¡¯s not over yet. They¡¯re still out there giving it their all, you can¡¯t take it easy,¡¯ Coach Long said as the disappointed offence jogged back to the bench and took their seats.

    ¡®Sorry man,¡¯ Stephen said to Jay. ¡®We¡¯ll grind ¡®em down on the next one.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it, dude. We got this, just take it easy and do it like we always do,¡¯ Jay replied, offering a fist bump.

    After the punt, Ty was back out there, and Deshaun was getting more irritated with his lack of involvement.

    ¡®Hey! Tell that fucking bitch QB of yours to throw the ball this way. The pussy too fucking scared to get picked again?¡¯ Deshaun barked at Patty and Bastion.

    Bastion kept his head down, and Patty looked away, frowning. ¡®Shut up. You ain¡¯t even done shit,¡¯ Patty said.

    But again, the QB never even looked their way¡ªthough that didn¡¯t stop Patty and Deshaun from butting heads each and every snap¡ªand again, it was another quick three-and-out, with the Pirates failing to get a first down before having to punt it away again.

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    After a quick punt return from Chris, where he picked up an extra seven yards for the Dons to work with, the third quarter came to a close.

    The Dons¡¯ coaching staff reinforced the importance of ¡°keeping their foot on the gas¡± and not letting up. Anything could happen and they didn¡¯t want the Pirates getting back into the game.

    Over on the Pirates¡¯ bench, the coaches tried to reinvigorate the team.

    ¡®Don¡¯t let it get to your head,¡¯ the head coach of the Pirates said. ¡®It¡¯s alright, we ain¡¯t down by much. Defence, I¡¯m loving it, keep it up, I know you can do it. And offence, it¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just a setback, guys. We¡¯re the better team, c¡¯mon now. We were the better team in the first half and we¡¯ll be the better team in this last quarter too. One bad quarter doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re gonna lose the game. Bring it in.¡¯

    The team slowly closed in around their coach, bringing their hands into the middle of the circle, and placing them over the coach¡¯s.

    ¡®Don¡¯t panic, bring it back to the fundamentals. Pirates on three.¡¯ The coach looked around at the faces of his players, even during their blowout loss last week the offence hadn¡¯t looked THIS sorry at any point in the game.

    ¡®1, 2, 3, Pirates!¡¯ The echoing roar wasn¡¯t nearly as loud as he had hoped it would¡¯ve been, and he knew his speech hadn¡¯t had the desired result, but he didn¡¯t know what else he could do for them at that moment, it was in their hands now.

    The last quarter started with the Dons¡¯ offence taking to the field at their 43-yard line, a very favourable position.

    The Pirates¡¯ defence stormed out defiantly, full of energy and hoping to spark a comeback. They felt like they needed to after all.

    But the Dons wouldn¡¯t give them that chance. They now knew this wasn¡¯t going to be a cakewalk, where their opposition would roll over and die without a fight; they¡¯d have to stomp the life right out of them.

    It was a hard and fierce struggle, but one that was edging in the Dons¡¯ favour. The Pirates¡¯ defence tightened their zones, covering their gaps better.

    They were physical when it came to the run, always first to react and reach the important holes, they hit harder, they wanted it more.

    But the key factor that gave the edge to the Dons, was Stephen. The Pirates didn¡¯t seem to have an answer for him, or more specifically, the way Jay used the giant WR.

    The Pirates were crafty with their defensive schemes, and they would hide their hand before the snap. They¡¯d made it look like they weren¡¯t going to double Stephen, but then when the ball was snapped, two guys would instantly rush over to cover him, or maybe they wouldn¡¯t.

    Then there was the opposite, where they¡¯d make it look like they were going to be pressing him hard in a 2-on-1, but after the snap one or both defenders would peel away from Stephen and cover other options, or sometimes they¡¯d both actually stick with him.

    Either way, however, Jay wasn¡¯t falling for their tricks, and instead, the cool-headed QB was manipulating the defence however he saw fit.

    He¡¯d wait patiently behind his line, having full confidence that their blocks would hold and they¡¯d give him enough time, and then he¡¯d see what the defence was really up to.

    If they were actually doubling Stephen, he¡¯d use that giant target as a decoy and let everyone¡¯s attention fall to him, before dumping the ball off to something underneath, where Stephen¡¯s gravity had created a huge gap.

    Or if they had peeled off of Stephen and left him alone with one defender, he¡¯d trust the big guy in the 1-on-1 and throw it up high for him to come down with.

    It was working so well, and then the Dons reached the goalline. With only a shortened field to work with, the Pirates could get away with doubling Stephen and focusing so hard on him without leaving any other gaps.

    And they bulked up their defensive line too, not letting the Dons run it in either.

    Though on third down and with only a few yards to go before they reached the endzone, the Dons still tried to smash the ball in with Chris.

    Even JJ was called up by Coach Long and directed out onto the field to act as the lead blocker for Chris, positioned as the FB behind Jay.

    The Dons surged forward. JJ roared out ¡°PUSH!¡± after he slammed into a thick wall of bodies. Chris rammed into JJ¡¯s back, and even Jay got on the end of the line, helping propel them forward.

    The pile soon collapsed though, and Chris fell to the ground, stretching out the ball and thrusting it across the endzone.

    No signal was made as whistles blared from all around, and the officials converged on the pile, bodies peeling away from it as the team of umpires debated amongst themselves what had happened and whether or not the Dons had made it in for a touchdown.

    On the Dons¡¯ sideline, Coach Norman turned to Coach Long. ¡®Do you think he made it in?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not sure¡­ you can never tell from over here,¡¯ Coach Long replied.

    ¡®What do we do if they didn¡¯t make it? Are we going for it again on 4th down?¡¯

    ¡®Hmmm¡­ we could. Getting the extra three from a field goal doesn¡¯t change much, they¡¯ll still only need the two touchdowns to catch up¡­¡¯ Coach Long stroked his hairless chin.

    ¡®Just take the points,¡¯ Coach Hoang interjected. The other two looked over to him and he continued, ¡®Trust the defence. The Pirates won¡¯t score enough to come back, so just take the points.¡¯

    ¡®Hm¡­ alright, but that¡¯s only if we don¡¯t have a touchdown right now. Speaking of, looks like those zebras are finally ready to make their decision,¡¯ Coach Long said, drawing the attention back to the officials on the field, as the leader of the crew broke away from their meeting to announce their decision.

 Chapter 32: The Finishing Blow

    ¡®The result of the previous play,¡¯ the head official said, ¡®is that the runner was downed by contact BEFORE crossing into the endzone.¡¯

    A collective groan came from the stands, before boos rained down on the official.

    ¡®Therefore,¡¯ the official continued, ¡®it is still the Dons¡¯ ball, and now 4th down from the 1-yard line.¡¯ The clock resumed counting down, as both the offensive and defensive coordinators for the Dons looked to Coach Long, waiting for his decision on what to do next.

    He stayed silent for a few moments, thinking it over as he stared at the scoreboard. He then stepped up to the edge of the field and waved the offence over. ¡®Send out the kicking team, we¡¯re going for the field goal.¡¯

    ¡®You heard him, boys!¡¯ Coach Norman called out, signalling the kicking team to get up off their asses and run out onto the field.

    Most of the offence hurried back to the bench, JJ reminding them to keep their heads up as they went.

    ¡®My bad, my bad,¡¯ Chris said as he jogged alongside the others.

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t say that,¡¯ JJ said. ¡®It¡¯s a team effort. The Pirates wanted it more, that¡¯s all stuff like that comes down to. We all needed to put in just a bit more effort and we would¡¯ve got there.¡¯

    Jay shrugged. ¡®Oh well, we got the field goal at least, right? We¡¯ll just keep putting up points, no matter if it¡¯s three or seven.¡¯

    They all got to the bench and sat down to watch the proceeding field goal attempt.

    There was a heavy push up front from the Pirates who were still bursting with enthusiasm, but some of their energy must¡¯ve been drained from the hard-fought goalline struggle they¡¯d just battled through.

    No matter how hard they tried, they couldn¡¯t push through to block the kick, and with it being so close, it sailed through without issue. The score was now 26¨C10, and time was not on the Pirates¡¯ side.

    After the kickoff that followed the Dons¡¯ score, the Pirates¡¯ returner elected to take a knee in the endzone and settle for a touchback instead of trying to run it out.

    The Pirates came out again, starting from the 25-yard line. But even with the important stand their defence had just made, keeping the game within two possessions, there was still no life behind them, and they were quickly pushed to 3rd down after two failed pass attempts.

    Still, they were ignoring Bastion and Patty, Ty even yawning quite exaggeratedly out there on the field, and even though for most of the game on 3rd down they¡¯d always returned to the bubble screen, Kyle still refused to look their way even now.

    Seeing this, the head coach called a timeout before they could snap the ball, and brought the offence back to the sideline.

    His beard was already looking a bit saltier and less peppery as he addressed his team again. ¡®Come on, guys,¡¯ he said. ¡®You¡¯re looking like zombies out there.¡¯

    Patty was one of the only players that actually met the man¡¯s gaze at that moment.

    ¡®I can¡¯t do it for you, but I don¡¯t need to, I know you guys can do it yourselves, cause I believe in you. You need to believe as well. Believe in everything that we¡¯ve practised, everything I¡¯ve taught you, and everything you¡¯ve done before. Don¡¯t let yourselves down.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, yeah he¡¯s right,¡¯ Patty spoke up, nodding his head. ¡®Just like practice. We¡¯ve done this probably a thousand times, it''s no different now. Don¡¯t you guys trust me?¡¯ He looked at Kyle and Bastion specifically. ¡®I trust you.¡¯

    Bastion looked at Patty, then Kyle, and back to Patty finally. He thought back to all the practices they¡¯d been to over the years, every game they¡¯d played. No matter if it was raining, or if they were playing in sweltering heat, Patty was always there for him, Patty ALWAYS had his back.

    ¡®I trust you.¡¯ Bastion said, smiling.

    Patty grinned and then looked to Kyle, who was still quite nervous, unable to meet Patty¡¯s fiery gaze.

    ¡®Hey man. If you can¡¯t trust yourself, trust us, at least. When have we ever let you down?¡¯ Patty said, Bastion backing him up.

    The ginger sighed and slowly brought his eyes to Bastion¡¯s face, and then Patty¡¯s. He opened his dry mouth, and let out a very quiet ¡°Okay¡±.

    ¡®That¡¯s more like it, guys. You¡¯re family out there, and family always has your back, don¡¯t forget it.¡¯ The coach was all smiles now. He stuck his hand out into the circle again. ¡®Win on 3. 1, 2, 3¡ª¡¯

    ¡®WIN!¡¯ This time the cheer was loud and full of heart.

    The Pirates rushed out onto the field and took up their positions again, the Dons were already waiting for them.

    The huddle by the Dons¡¯ sideline during the timeout had been far less animated. Coach Long and Hoang had much less to go over, only reminding their defence to keep on their toes and look out for any trick plays.

    Nothing had to be said to Deshaun and Ty, Coach Hoang only gave them a look and nod. He had complete trust in the two that they were now able to handle anything thrown their way.

    When the two WRs lined up in front of Ty and Deshaun again, Deshaun grinned, while Ty was back to his stoic focus.

    ¡®Y¡¯all better not pussy out again after all that,¡¯ Deshaun said. ¡®If this ball ain¡¯t thrown our way, I might as well stay on the bench, cause it¡¯s clear y¡¯all can¡¯t beat us.¡¯

    Patty didn¡¯t rise to the taunting. He and Bastion exchanged a look, and Bastion put out a shaky fist.

    Instead of bumping his own against it, Patty grabbed Bastion and pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tight and holding him close until the shorter boy stopped shivering.

    When they separated again, both were laser-focused, and stared down their rivals coldly.

    Deshaun scoffed and shook his head, muttering that he¡¯d wipe those stupid looks right off their damn faces before he put his mouthguard in and hunched down into his stance.

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Ty loved this moment. Where everything was standing still, and he could feel every breath spread through his body right down to his fingertips and toes.

    His heart was so calm and still as well, it was nearly perfect. It was almost his favourite moment¡ªnot just in football, but in life ¡­ almost.

    The ball was finally snapped.

    Ty stepped back, Patty was surprised when his lunge forward met nothing but air, and he was even more surprised when Deshaun slammed into him, knocking him to the ground.

    The two had been at each other¡¯s throats the whole game, and Ty knew how agitated a CB could get when the ball wasn¡¯t being thrown his way, especially when there was so much trash-talking involved.

    He¡¯d let Deshaun do the dirty work for him, like he knew the older boy would.

    That left only Bastion for Ty to worry about.

    Bastion tried to cut inside seeing as Ty was positioned closer to the boundary, and Deshaun had left his mark to go after Patty instead.

    A panicked Kyle flicked the ball out early, seeing the small opening and going for it. Bastion probably wouldn¡¯t have gotten a first down even if he caught it, but he just wanted a completion at that point. Anything but another pick.

    Ty was all over it, however. He didn¡¯t worry about getting in front of Bastion, the Receiver was already twisting back to reach out for the pass that was behind him anyway.

    Ty simply undercut the improvised route, stepping around Bastion and into the flight path of the ball, his long arms stretched out, easily meeting the ball first.

    Ty intercepted the pass as Bastion lost his balance and slipped over.

    The Pirates RB had been flattened while trying to protect the pocket against the rushing defence, and Patty was still being shoved down by Deshaun, meaning no one was in Ty¡¯s path to stop him ¡­ except the QB Kyle.

    Kyle cried out when his pass was intercepted AGAIN, his anxiety already had him sprinting towards where he threw it, even before the ball had been caught by anyone, so he was at least close enough to stop Ty this time. He wouldn¡¯t let it be another pick-6. Or so he hoped.

    He desperately threw himself at Ty.

    Ty stuck one of those long, spear-like arms out, and swatted down the inexperienced tackle. In Kyle¡¯s paranoid desperation, it was as if he¡¯d forgotten everything he¡¯d been taught about laying a tackle¡ªif the scrawny QB had been taught anything at all on the subject.

    Kyle¡¯s helmet impacted Ty¡¯s hand, and then was shoved down into the grass, earning Kyle a faceful of dirt for his troubles. Ty freely sprinted away towards the endzone once more.

    Even this euphoric feeling wasn¡¯t quite the best thing that Ty could look forward to in his life, though it was so close to being his favourite.

    Even as he was crossing into the endzone for the third time that game, he thought, ¡°Not yet.¡±

    It was only when he turned back, laid his eyes upon his shattered enemies, and saw their utter defeat underneath his superiority did he succumb to the greatest ecstasy this world could offer.

    Ty knew the game was over then. The Pirates¡¯ offence knew it was over, he bet even the bench and the defence of his enemies finally understood that it was over.

    The Pirates¡¯ coaches had little to say when their offence finally dragged themselves back to the bench, merely muttering a few encouraging words, telling them that they had done their best and it would be okay, that it would be better next time and it was still early in the season.

    Hollow sentiments that did next to nothing to soften this crushing blow.

    The extra point being kicked through made little difference to Ty, but it solidified the Dons¡¯ lead at 33¨C10, a near insurmountable margin this late in the 4th, even in the best of circumstances. With how demoralised the Pirates were, there was no hope.

    But therein lied the utter cruelty of the game, even with no hope of victory, the Pirates were forced back out onto the field.

    The kickoff after the touchdown resulted in another touchback, the returner didn¡¯t even bother catching the ball this time.

    Though Ty¡¯s grin only grew when he stepped out onto the field and saw fresh faces lining up opposite he and Deshaun.

    His dark eyes quickly scanned the Pirates¡¯ bench, and saw both Patty and Bastion sitting along it, their downcast expressions devoid of any joy.

    The ball didn¡¯t come anywhere close to Ty for the quick 3 plays that the Pirates were back out on offence, but Ty expected nothing less, he had already proven his point¡ªthese people were no match.

    Even the Pirates¡¯ punter was over the game by this point, and his kick didn¡¯t travel far before it wobbled out of bounds.

    The defence had finally run out of gas as well, maybe they were protesting their offence¡¯s miserable performance, but whatever it was, they couldn¡¯t stand up against a gentle breeze, now.

    But the Dons didn¡¯t lay the pain on any thicker. There was barely any time left, and they had already secured a massive lead, they were content draining the clock as much as possible with consecutive rushes, slowly progressing ever closer to the endzone.

    And eventually, before time was about to expire, they kicked one last field goal, sending it straight through the uprights, and making the final score 36¨C10.

    With the game officially over, the two teams lined up and shook each other¡¯s hands one by one, led by the coaches at the forefront.

    Ty didn¡¯t offer his hand to a single one of his defeated foes, nor did they offer their hands to him, they couldn¡¯t even meet his sneering gaze. But that was more satisfactory for him than any meaningless handshake could¡¯ve been.

    When the Dons made it to their locker room, that was when the celebration could truly begin.

    As Ty was grabbing his things from his locker, he heard a soft voice clear their throat behind him.

    He turned around, pulling out an earphone, though when he saw Bella standing there, he almost pushed the earphone straight back in. But, he saw the ball she was cradling in her hands, and turned to face her fully.

    ¡®I think it¡¯s pretty obvious that this belongs to you ¡­ again,¡¯ she said as she handed over the game ball.

    He took the ball from her and looked it over, slowly spinning it in his hands. He looked up at her again and quietly said: ¡®Thanks.¡¯

    Bella didn¡¯t move away just yet. ¡®You know, you¡¯re not too bad when you stop being so stubborn about proving how good you are.¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Ty¡¯s brow furrowed, his lips turning down into a scowl.

    ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Bella rolled her eyes. ¡®I¡¯m just saying that if you use that stupid head of yours, instead of worrying about your ego you¡¯ll probably end up with so many of those you won¡¯t know where to put them!¡¯ She pointed at the game ball before turning away and storming off.

    Ty¡¯s frown deepened as he watched Bella sulk off. He was shortly approached by another, their voice drawing away his attention.

    ¡®Man, don¡¯t worry about Coach Short, she ain¡¯t called that just cause she¡¯s a little version of Coach Long,¡¯ Deshaun said, planting himself down next to Ty.

    Ty stared at the older boy, not saying anything. It¡¯s not like they were friends all of a sudden, they hadn¡¯t even worked together properly out there.

    ¡®Look¡­ I know we still ain¡¯t gonna get along, but I don¡¯t give a shit about that right now. You did good out there ¡­ for a freshy.¡¯ Deshaun wasn¡¯t looking at Ty as he spoke to him. ¡®Just¡­ keep that shit up, and let¡¯s stay out of each other¡¯s way. We cool?¡¯ He held a hand out to Ty.

    Ty looked down at the hand for a while before smacking the palm with one of his own, grabbing it firmly. ¡®We¡¯re cool.¡¯

    Deshaun lightly bumped his shoulder against Ty¡¯s and flashed him a smile. ¡®Alright man. Good game out there today.¡¯ He got up and left the younger boy be.

    Ty was glad Deshaun was beginning to understand that just because he was a freshman, didn¡¯t mean he was under the seniors on the team.

    ¡®Alright everybody, great game out there, boys,¡¯ Coach Long said, clapping his hands together to grab everyone¡¯s attention. ¡®Of course, the star of the show was Tyrese once again, but the rest of y¡¯all did great as well. Give yourselves a pat on the back. Head on home, enjoy the rest of your weekend, but most importantly, go and get some rest!¡¯

    As everyone began to file out of the locker room into the night, Ty was still sitting at his locker, waiting for the others to clear out first.

    Luke watched Ty, staying behind as well. As he looked that young boy over¡ªwho already had two spectacular performances under his belt in just as many games of high school football¡ªhe wondered just how far this young star could go.

 Chapter 33: Titanic Struggles

    You¡¯d think, that in the deserts of Arizona, it wouldn¡¯t be that cold, especially when it wasn¡¯t even winter yet.

    But that didn¡¯t stop Kenny Murata¡¯s breath from fogging up in front of his face as he sat in the bleachers under the bright lights of the ACP (Arizona College Prep) Knights¡¯ football field, watching the final moments of the Titans¡¯ varsity game play out.

    His parents were eager to begin 30 minute drive back home, as they hadn¡¯t dressed appropriately to stay out in the cold night air, only originally planning to watch their son¡¯s game earlier that afternoon when things were much hotter under the burning sun.

    But they¡¯d promised their boy that they would stay back and watch the older, bigger kids play as well, even if they didn¡¯t really understand the rules themselves, they were more than happy to sacrifice some of their comfort for something that brought their son so much joy.

    Though right now Kenny was very tense due to the state of the game. It was late in the 4th, with the Titans near the Knights¡¯ goalline and trailing by 4 points.

    It was 3rd and Goal, with only a few yards between the Titans and the endzone; there was little room for error. The Titans had to punch through into the endzone in only two more tries. There was no time for two field goals, there was no backing down, it was now or never.

    The Titans¡¯ huddle broke apart slowly and the players took up their positions, staring stone-faced at the frenzied Knights across from them.

    The Titans QB, who wore number 1 on his jersey and had the name Walker spread across his back, was a lithe Senior. He wasn¡¯t overly tall, and he was maybe a bit skinnier than what you¡¯d think a Football player would be.

    His weary eyes peered out from under his helmet as he scanned the defence from his pre-snap position in their ¡°shotgun¡± formation and then gave a nod to his TE.

    The towering TE nodded back, He was positioned at the end of the offensive line, almost like an extra lineman as he hunkered down. His unblinking eyes stared ahead at the two defenders who stood across from him, they had been matched up against him all game, but even so, they looked nervous while the TE¡¯s confidence exuded from his powerful body.

    Spearhead was the name across the TE¡¯s broad back, and 87 was his number.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯ The ball was snapped, and Walker caught it above his head before instantly tucking it under his arm. He darted to the right, following the lead of the RB, Redd, who wore number 30.

    Redd had been standing right beside Walker before the snap, and while it was a run play, he¡ªthe RUNNING Back¡ªwouldn¡¯t be carrying the ball and instead would be blocking.

    It might¡¯ve been a strange plan for any other team¡ªto have your RB blocking for your QB in a run play¡ªbut was a regular strategy for the Titans¡¯ offence, and Redd was built for the job.

    He was short, but almost as big in width as he was in height. Looking at him, you couldn¡¯t help but picture a pit bull.

    Walker and Redd were heading straight for Spearhead¡¯s side of the line, hoping to skirt past his sturdy block and bulldoze their way into the endzone around his edge.

    But in a 2-on-1, there was only so much even someone as big as Spearhead could do. He held off both defenders for as long as he could, but one slipped by him.

    Redd was right there to pick up the slack and hammered into the taller but lighter defender and mowed them over, tumbling down with them.

    An LB swooped in from the backside of the field and slammed into Spearhead, who was still fending off one of his original pair of defenders. Spearhead¡¯s block collapsed just as Walker was trying to push past.

    The Knights¡¯ LB pushed through the tangle of bodies and locked his arms around Walker, determined to drag him down.

    The endzone was RIGHT THERE. One more step, one more yard and Walker would be in.

    Walker fell down, protecting the ball close to his chest as he surrendered to the tackle. He was short of the endzone.

    The Titans¡¯ players picked themselves up, and Spearhead helped up Walker, staring at the smaller QB with a blank expression.

    ¡®The fuck you judging me for, man?¡¯ Walker said, shrugging off the hand once he was back on his feet. He trudged away from the opposing team to huddle up with the rest of the Titans. ¡®I tried.¡¯

    Spearhead''s hardened expression had only the slightest frown as he never took his eyes off of Walker¡¯s back.

    The offence huddled up again and turned their eyes towards the sideline they knew they would have to stay out there even though it was 4th down, of course, they¡¯d go for it, a field goal would still mean they were down by one point, and there was less than a minute to go.

    Coach Otsen stood there like a great, menacing statue, a cold glare on his face.

    Coach Knight¡ªthe offensive coordinator¡ªspoke into the headset he wore on his bald head and said: ¡®Zero, LL, Twig, Black.¡¯ A coded message for the next play call.

    Walker had his hands covering the earholes of his helmet to block out the screaming, hostile crowd, the message bounced around the helmet from the speakers inside. He relayed the message to the rest of the team.

    ¡®Snap on two,¡¯ Walker added before the group dispersed and took their positions again.

    Spearhead was again lined up almost as if he were another lineman, just off the right edge. This time, Walker was ¡°under center¡±, ready to receive the ball there. Redd was flared out wide to the right side of the field, and the three WRs out there were in a bunch to the left.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯ Walker cried, though the Titans didn¡¯t move, but their opponents didn¡¯t take the bait and launch themselves offside. Walker wet his lips with his tongue and gave the scoreboard one last glance before giving the second cry and spurring the field into action again.

    Spearhead bulldozed his way forward, sliding his two defenders back before he turned towards the middle of the field. Though he only took a single step that way before turning with the agility of a cat and bursting towards the opposite direction.

    He left one defender stumbling towards the centre of the field still, and he shoved past the second before Walker let the ball loose.

    The pass was low to the ground, so Spearhead dove for it, cradling it against his chest gently but securely as he slid across the grass and came to a rest ¡­ in the endzone.

    Touchdown Titans!

    The ACP crowd was stunned into silence before cries of anguish erupted from them. There was less than 30 seconds left in the game, and the subsequent extra point put the Titans up by three.

    Spearhead was given a hero¡¯s welcome when he returned to the bench; Coach Knight patted him on the shoulder and looked into the boy¡¯s eyes, his beard curling up into a smile.

    ¡®Shane! That catch was maximum levels of awesome!¡¯ Coach Vasquez said, pumping a fist in the air.

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Coach Otsen hadn¡¯t uncrossed his arms, but he had a soft smirk on his lips. He looked at Shane for a while before saying: ¡®You played great today, Spearhead.¡¯

    ¡®Thank you, Coach,¡¯ Shane replied with a smile of his own. He didn¡¯t rest for long, taking a quick drink and rushing back out onto the field after the extra point for the kickoff defence.

    The Titans were able to easily shut down the Knights¡¯ return and stop them at the 19-yard line, the panicked returner ran into a wall of Titans jerseys before long.

    The Knights had no timeouts remaining, and only 20 seconds left to get within field goal range. They had to throw caution to the wind, and they threw away their strategy along with it, letting God decide the result with two hail-mary pass attempts.

    The QB let rip with the longest passes he could throw, and under each one a massive crowd gathered each time. But both times the Titans¡¯ defence was able to punch the ball away and out of bounds.

    The game was over. The Titans won with a score of 21¨C24 and kept their perfect 2¨C0 record to start the season.

    Kenny couldn¡¯t help but smile. His goofy grin nearly took up the entirety of his face.

    The players of the varsity team all celebrated together happily, probably going a bit overboard with the celebrations, though they were wont to do such a thing.

    Kenny laughed as the players threw a bucket of icy, colourful sports drink over the team''s coaches¡ªa tradition that carried over to every win, not just the first of the season like he had assumed the previous week.

    Though as he continued to watch the celebrations, his smile slowly faded. He and the JV team were yet to be afforded such relief yet. Both of their games had ended in losses, this one today finished with a score of 20¨C13 in favour of the ACP Knights JV squad.

    ¡®It¡¯s over, right? We can go home now?¡¯ Kenny¡¯s mom asked.

    Kenny nodded, following behind his parents as they all made their way out of the stands and back to the car park.

    His mind was brought back to Jackson, the one who had kept up with him throughout summer training camp. Kenny hoped he would be back, it didn¡¯t have to be soon, just eventually. They¡¯d lost so many players that a total nobody had to be brought in without even having to bother with tryouts just so they could get the numbers up to have the minimum amount of players required for the team.

    ¡°If we had Jackson, would we have won?¡± This question stuck with Kenny for the whole drive home, but so did another thought¡ªHe HAD to make it onto the varsity team as quickly as possible.

    He had to prove that he deserved a spot, and he couldn''t allow himself to be dragged down along with the rest of the JV team.

    All the Titans¡¯ players were given a day to rest after their games, but the day after that they were back in their familiar slice of hell for more of Coach Otsen¡¯s gruelling ¡°training¡±.

    Kenny slipped his weighted vest on¡ªhis shoulders sagged less under the extra weight than when he first put it on. He could breathe easier, and he was actually running through proper drills now. Slowly, sure, but still, it was better than being a slug crawling on the ground like he had been for so long during those early days of summer.

    Jackson¡¯s vest was left on a rack, isolated and permeating loneliness. Kenny stared at it, wondering if he should put it on to have Jackson here in spirit at least. But there was no way he could carry Jackson¡¯s weight on top of his own, not yet at least.

    ¡®One day,¡¯ he muttered to himself.

    ¡®He¡¯ll be back,¡¯ Shane¡¯s voice startled Kenny. The older player had come over to retrieve his own vest and slip it on. ¡®At least I hope he will.¡¯ Shane smiled at the younger boy and then looked at Jackson''s lone vest. ¡®He was one of the more promising rookies, alongside you, of course.¡¯

    ¡®God knows we need him.¡¯

    Shane tilted his head. ¡®Ahh.¡¯ Recognition washed over his face and he smiled again. ¡®Don¡¯t worry about losing in the beginning. It¡¯s a slow process, getting used to this kind of training and this team. You¡¯ll start winning in the second half of the season. That¡¯s what happened when I was on the JV squad last year anyway.¡¯

    Kenny blinked, staring at Shane in confusion. ¡®Huh?¡¯

    ¡®What?¡¯ Shane seemed equally confused.

    ¡®Why were you in JV last year? You¡¯re the best player on the team!¡¯

    Shane tilted his head once more. ¡®Well, I was a freshman last year. All freshmen start in JV on the Titans, and it¡¯s not like I was always the best player, I might not even be the best now still.¡¯

    ¡®...HUH?!¡¯ Kenny looked Shane over again, the star captain of the Titans wouldn¡¯t LOOK out of place on an NFL roster, let alone being a high school kid, but to think he was ONLY a YEAR older than Kenny, who looked like an elementary schooler in comparison was mind-boggling.

    ¡®I¡­ uh¡­ um¡­ I¡¯m gonna¡­ I¡¯m just gonna go,¡¯ Kenny stammered, shuffling away from the conversation and going to retrieve the pieces of his blown mind while he got warmed up for that evening¡¯s session of practice.

    As Kenny walked away, Shane moved closer to Jackson¡¯s vest and looked it over for a long hard while before taking the weights for its pockets and adding them to his own.

    During the team¡¯s laps around the field, Kenny could actually RUN. Though it was a jog at the same pace as a rather brisk walk, he was still jogging at least.

    But¡­ he wasn¡¯t alone. The ¡°replacement¡± was there by his side, keeping up with him every step of the way.

    The kid who had been brought in to fill Jackson¡¯s shoes was named Frederick Watson, and Frederick was not subjected to the same hellish regimen that Kenny and the other REAL players were, so, he did not need to wear a vest.

    Coach Otsen said Frederick wearing a vest would only defeat the purpose of having him there in the first place and end up breaking the boy.

    Coach Otsen wasn¡¯t afraid to let it be known that Frederick was only there to make up the numbers for the team, practically admitting that he didn¡¯t care at all about this boy¡¯s development and would throw him away IF Jackson returned.

    As they ran, Kenny kept staring at Frederick. Frederick was not an athletic boy. He was a twig, and too tall for his own good it seemed. Watching him run was like watching Bambi try to take their first steps.

    Frederick¡¯s freckled skin was burning under the Arizona sun, and he was sweating and puffing as much as Kenny, even though he was running without any restrictions.

    ¡®U-Um¡­ i-is there a reason you¡¯re staring at me s-so much, Kenny?¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s Ken. And didn¡¯t you let the Knights score the game-winning touchdown the other day, Fred?¡¯

    ¡®Sorry, Ken¡­ and I-I told you, you can call me Freddy,¡¯ Fred mumbled. ¡®And um. I¡¯m really sorry about the game but I tried my best!¡¯

    ¡®And your best wasn¡¯t good enough!¡¯ Kenny grit his teeth. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t even be here! We should¡¯ve at least got someone who looks like they¡¯ve played ANY sport before.¡¯

    Fred flinched, and the two soon finished their last lap. Kenny walked away to get a drink, and Fred followed him.

    ¡®Why are you even here?¡¯ Kenny asked angrily, scooping up his water bottle.

    ¡®Um, my bag is just there, next to yours.¡¯ Fred pointed out.

    ¡®I meant here in general! Why are you on the team?¡¯

    Fred bit his cheek and bent down to get his water. ¡®I¡­ my dad wanted me to pick up a sport now that I¡¯m in high school¡­ this is the only team that took me. I-I was here for the tryouts originally but didn¡¯t make it. I was really excited when Coach Otsen put out the call for an emergency player again though.¡¯

    Kenny narrowed his eyes. ¡®Yeah, must be nice not having to actually try ¡®cause everyone knows you¡¯re just a fill-in.¡¯

    Fred looked down at himself. ¡®If this is because of the vest I¡­I wanted to wear one but, Coach Otsen said I couldn¡¯t¡­ I¡­¡¯ Fred sighed and sat down, the rest of the JV squad was finishing up, still lagging far behind the trailblazing Kenny.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m no good, and I know you guys aren¡¯t expecting me to do anything¡­ I haven¡¯t even touched the ball on offence yet and I keep making mistakes that cost us on defence but I¡­I¡¯m just doing my best.¡¯

    Kenny was about to say something snarky again but Fred cut him off.

    ¡®And I know that¡¯s not enough!¡¯ Fred sniffled. ¡®I don¡¯t even think I want to be here anymore, what¡¯s the point if no one cares that I¡¯m here? I¡¯m just a number, even Coach Otsen admitted that¡­ but I can¡¯t quit. If I quit for my own selfish reasons, then I screw everything up for ALL of you.¡¯

    Kenny was taken aback by the selfless resolve that Fred possessed, not expecting it from him. He had honestly thought Fred would end up quitting sooner or later, but, to hear that he wouldn¡¯t, not because he wants to keep playing but just for the sake of everyone else that has been so resentful towards him, it was shocking.

    ¡®I just hope that Jackson kid recovers and comes back soon¡­ then I won¡¯t let any of you down anymore,¡¯ Fred said, walking away.

    Kenny thought he should apologise, though he hesitated, and then Fred was gone before he could say anything.

    The rest of practice went on as normal, though Kenny didn¡¯t speak with Fred or even glare at him for the rest of the day.

    When Coach Otsen finally called an end to the session, Fred thanked the coaches and then quickly hurried away, while Kenny made his way over to dump his vest.

    Shane was the last of the varsity players to shed his vest, gingerly walking over to the racks and dripping with sweat as he emptied out the added weight and put it back into Jackson¡¯s vest where it belonged, he couldn''t remember the last session where he¡¯d struggled this much.

    ¡®Geez¡­ you were carrying my useless butt around out there? You really didn¡¯t have to.¡¯

    Both Kenny and Shane turned around, surprised to see Jackson standing there, two crutches supporting him.

 Chapter 34: The First Step

    Jackson shut the back door of the family car and shuffled away from it on his crutches. The front window rolled down, and his mom leaned over from the driver¡¯s seat, her expression filled with worry.

    ¡®Are you sure you¡¯ll be okay, Jackie? You don¡¯t have to force yourself to go back so soon if you¡¯re not ready for it,¡¯ she said.

    Jackson stood in front of the school¡¯s main entrance, and glanced over his shoulder at the campus.

    He turned his attention back to his mom and nodded. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ll be fine. If I wait until my leg gets better I¡¯ll have missed the entire first semester.¡¯ He laughed.

    Her smile was tinged with sadness and she didn¡¯t share his laugh. ¡®Okay, dear. Just give me or your dad a call if you need anything, or even Tommy. We¡¯ll be right there for you whenever you need us.¡¯

    ¡®I know, Mom. Thank you.¡¯

    ¡®Have a nice day.¡¯ She looked at him longingly before she finally peeled away from the curb and drove off.

    Jackson watched the car disappear around the corner before he turned to face the school. Already he could feel eyes on him from the other students who were also being dropped off, as they made their way inside.

    He hobbled through the halls ignoring the extra attention, even though it was such a strange feeling. It¡¯s not like everyone was openly staring, but compared to how little Jackson usually stood out, he felt like there was a great big spotlight shining down on him now.

    He frowned, but didn¡¯t say anything.

    This would take some getting used to.

    When he got to his locker, the bell for first period rang. Jackson hurriedly grabbed what he needed and sped through the halls as quickly as he could before he came to an unfortunate obstacle¡ªthe stairs.

    It was only one flight, but even so, it wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d done yet on his crutches, and getting up them proved to be a struggle. He was halfway there when he heard a voice behind him in the otherwise empty corridors.

    ¡®Um, do you need some help?¡¯

    He turned his head, saw an older girl standing just a few steps below him.

    She was a little out of breath, a few strands of blonde hair had fallen free from the messy bun on top of her head, and her light brown eyes were free of pity.

    ¡®Uhh¡­¡¯ Jackson¡¯s brain refused to work as he couldn¡¯t help but stare at her aquiline features. The girl moved closer and offered her shoulder for support.

    Now that they were on the same step, they stood eye to eye, and she smiled at him when he put his hand on her shoulder, both his crutches now clutched in just one hand.

    ¡®Th-Thanks,¡¯ he stammered.

    ¡®No worries. I¡¯m Jasmine.¡¯

    ¡®Jackson,¡¯ he said. Even with Jasmine¡¯s help, hopping up the stairs was slow going, but he didn¡¯t mind that, he¡¯d completely forgotten that he was late.

    When they reached the next floor, she looked around quickly. ¡®Is this your stop?¡¯

    He took a while to register that she¡¯d actually asked him something before he could answer. ¡®Oh, yeah, sorry. Thanks for your help. A-Again.¡¯

    She laughed and gently pat him on the back. ¡®Like I said, don¡¯t worry about it. Well, see ya around Jackson!¡¯ With a grin, she turned away and sprinted up the next set of stairs, taking them two at a time.

    Jackson watched her go, and even when she vanished up onto the next floor, he could still hear her feet pounding down the hall.

    He remembered he had his own class to get to, and rushed towards it.

    He pushed open the door and swung himself inside the room, blurting out an apology for being so late.

    The teacher, who was in the middle of speaking, stopped and turned his head towards Jackson, as did everyone else in the class.

    Again, Jackson squirmed under the spotlight before making his way down the rows of desks towards his own empty seat. It was right next to Eddie¡¯s.

    Eddie didn¡¯t say anything to Jackson as he sat down and set his crutches on the floor underneath his desk.

    Though both Sachin and Marcus, who were seated right behind the other two boys, leaned forward.

    ¡®Yo. We didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be back so soon. How ya feeling, man?¡¯ Marcus quietly said.

    Jackson glanced back at him and Sachin, and smiled. ¡®Yeah, well, no use just sitting around at home, right? I¡¯m doing good, don¡¯t worry about me.¡¯

    ¡®Bro, Eddie.¡¯ Sachin lightly smacked Eddie on the back. ¡®Aren¡¯t you gonna say something?¡¯

    Eddie looked back at Sachin, an annoyed frown on his face. He turned that frown towards Jackson slowly. ¡®Are you serious when you¡¯re saying you¡¯re alright now?¡¯

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    That was a punch to the gut, but Jackson felt he deserved it. ¡®I just¡­ yeah, I¡¯m fine now, I swear.¡¯

    Eddie didn¡¯t say anything, though his eyes studied Jackson coldly before he muttered, ¡°Uh-huh¡± and turned away.

    Sachin¡¯s and Marcus¡¯s lips pursed into thin, straight lines as they awkwardly looked back and forth between their two friends.

    ¡®Hah, but hey, now that you¡¯re back, at least my math grades are saved,¡¯ Sachin said, breaking the silence.

    ¡®Ohh, so that¡¯s the only reason you were worried about Jackson coming back, huh? I see how it is,¡¯ Marcus said.

    ¡®Bruh, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡¯

    Jackson smiled and turned towards the front of the class. He was glad for their lightheartedness, it made him feel as if things were normal ¡­ almost.

    Things were still tense with Eddie, and even Sachin and Marcus felt as if they were being disingenuous at times, trying too hard to lighten the mood. Jackson shouldn¡¯t have expected anything less though. Of course what he did had damaged their relationship somewhat.

    It was hard for him to focus on class with this regret and fractured friendship looming over his head, but the day slowly passed bit by bit and eventually, the final bell rang to dismiss everyone and send the students home or off to whatever club activities they had.

    It was an interesting first day back, and it passed faster than Jackson expected it would, though he still hadn¡¯t gotten used to the looks he¡¯d get, some people were even presumptuous enough to outright approach him and ask about what happened. He always waved them off with some lame excuse about a simple accident and moved away from their questions as quickly as he could.

    He never did see Jasmine again though.

    Jackson didn¡¯t quite wanna go home just yet though, so he sent a text to his brother who would be picking him up that day, telling him that he planned to stick around for a bit and that he¡¯d call when he was ready to go home.

    After that, he followed Sachin, Marcus, and Eddie over to their track practice.

    Eddie kept his head down and earphones in, working up a storm in preparation for the upcoming indoor meet, while Sachin and Marcus were a bit laxer in that day¡¯s practice. They still worked up a sweat, but they also spent a lot of time with Jackson as well, asking about how long he¡¯ll need the cast for, and when he could start training again.

    He answered all their questions, and was grateful for them worrying about him, even if he tried to tell them not to be distracted by him and just practice like normal.

    When their practice was over, Eddie went straight home without even acknowledging any of his friends. Jackson walked with Marcus and Sachin over to their bikes, though they asked him how he was getting home.

    He told them that his brother would pick him up, but¡­ he wasn¡¯t going home just yet. He looked towards the football field; he had one last thing to check before he left.

    When he got over to the field, the team¡¯s practice had already finished, but some players were still there, winding down or getting extra reps in. He spotted Kenny, and Tommy¡¯s doppelganger again, both of them were over by the vest racks, so he went over to greet them.

    ¡®Geez¡­ you were carrying my useless butt around out there? You really didn¡¯t have to,¡¯ Jackson said as he saw Shane putting the weights back into Jackson¡¯s unused vest.

    ¡®Hah. I was,¡¯ Shane said. ¡®Sorry for touching your stuff without permission, I just, wanted to make sure that you were still a part of this practice¡­ though, it seems like I didn¡¯t need to in the end. It¡¯s good to have you here, Jackson, right?¡¯

    Jackson nodded, looking up at this behemoth of a man. Up close, and with a better look at him, he found that it was strange he¡¯d ever confused this man for his older brother, though¡­ at the same time there was a weird similarity between them, not so much as physical but¡­ more like their aura? The way they carried themselves? He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it.

    ¡®Right, I¡¯m Jackson, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve been introduced properly.¡¯ Jackson extended a hand to the taller boy.

    Shane stepped forward and took Jackson¡¯s hand, shaking it firmly. ¡®Shane Spearhead. I¡¯m sorry about your injury.¡¯

    Jackson frowned, looking down at himself; he was a sorry sight.

    Kenny moved over and whacked Jackson on the shoulder, shaking him from his thoughts.

    ¡®Welcome back, dude. About damn time I saw your face around here. I¡¯ve missed you¡­ hah, more than you could know¡­ though, doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯ll be BACK back in a while.¡¯ Kenny looked down at the cast around Jackson¡¯s leg.

    Jackson was surprised to hear that he¡¯d been personally missed, though, with the situation regarding how few players the JV team had, maybe it was only natural. Thinking about that, he said:

    ¡®Sorry, um, I hope you guys haven¡¯t been in trouble because of me, what¡¯s happened with the two games so far? I¡­I heard we lost both, did we forfeit?¡¯

    Kenny shook his head. ¡®No uh¡­ Coach found a¡­ replacement, for you, if you can even call him that.¡¯ He looked around and shrugged. ¡®Ah, he¡¯s already gone, but, whatever. Point is, they SUCK, and, we¡¯d have totally won both those games if you were playing, dude.¡¯

    ¡®Oh¡­ sorry.¡¯ Jackson grit his teeth, looking towards the ground.

    Shane frowned. ¡®Hey. I¡¯m sure this replacement is doing his best, and that¡¯s all we can ask for. Winning or losing isn¡¯t caused by any singular person, it¡¯s a team effort out there. You win as a team, and you lose as a team. Keep working hard and you¡¯ll start winning.¡¯

    ¡®I couldn¡¯t have said it better myself, Shane,¡¯ Coach Otsen said, standing behind the boys. He looked them all over as they turned to face him, and then his eyes stopped on Jackson.

    The injured boy held his ground under that unwavering gaze. ¡®Hello, sir.¡¯

    Coach Otsen nodded to the cast. ¡®How long¡¯s that keeping you out of action?¡¯

    ¡®A few months, sir.¡¯

    Coach Otsen grunted. ¡®Missing your freshman year, that¡¯s quite the setback.¡¯ He paused. ¡®¡­Your folks never did tell me ¡­ how¡¯d it happen?¡¯

    Jackson squirmed again, always that damn question. His eyes darted to Shane and Kenny as well, curiosity burned in their eyes.

    He sighed and shook his head. ¡®It was just a stupid accident on my bike,¡¯ he said. ¡®A rock got caught under my wheel and I crashed.¡¯

    Coach Otsen nodded. ¡®Those things happen, be thankful there wasn¡¯t any damage to your ligaments, you¡¯ll recover and with hard work, you won¡¯t even notice it was ever broken¡­ assuming you¡¯re wanting to come back?¡¯

    Jackson looked into Coach Otsen¡¯s hardened eyes. Then he looked around the field, at the two boys nearby who were drenched in sweat, and finally, at his lonely vest.

    Did he really want to step foot back into this grass hell?

    He smiled slightly and nodded. ¡®Of course. I promise I¡¯ll be back next season, better than ever, and I¡¯ll make up for the year I missed out on.¡¯

    Coach Otsen grinned and slapped Jackson on the shoulder. ¡®That¡¯s what I like to hear, but I¡¯ll keep you to your word. When you come back, I¡¯ll need to work you twice as hard, so as to make up for lost time.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s heart pounded at the prospect of the challenge that awaited him in the future, but, he couldn¡¯t wait until he was healthy enough to face it.

 Chapter 35: New Victims

    After Ty returned home from his second victory, he came back to the same house he always did. Nothing had changed, and he felt foolish to think something would¡¯ve.

    His sharp teeth crunched right through the core of the apple he¡¯d been eating, his eyes stared a hole into the TV as it displayed the top ten big hits from last week''s NFL games. His father was parked right in front of the flashing images, sipping a beer while he watched.

    Ty felt like walking over there, stepping right in front of his father and saying, ¡°Hey, Dad, don¡¯t you wanna ask how MY game went?¡± but he said nothing, and he didn¡¯t move from his spot in the kitchen.

    Even with his most recent game ball sitting atop the TV, no one had noticed it or asked about its sudden appearance.

    Only Megan had mentioned it, saying that it was a nice spot to have it displayed, and that she wondered how many more he¡¯d bring home this year.

    Ty wondered that too¡ªthough he expected to come home with such a prize after every game this season¡ªhe more so wondered how many he¡¯d have to collect for anyone else to notice.

    ¡°If I flood this house with my accomplishments, and bury you under my awards and trophies, will you FINALLY say something then?¡± He gnashed the last chunks of his apple.

    So what if they didn¡¯t notice? Life moved on, and Ty moved along with it. Finally, that boring life had passed on to another day of training, even his regular routine couldn¡¯t compare to a real practice session.

    He heard a car pull up outside, and slung his bag over his shoulder. He didn¡¯t even say any goodbyes as he opened the door, and his father didn¡¯t look over or say anything either.

    Even when Megan called out, ¡°Have fun at practice, Ty!¡± no one else¡¯s voice questioned hers, or joined it in sending him off or wishing him well.

    He walked out without looking back and got into Coach Long¡¯s car, hardly saying a word throughout the short drive down to the field, staring out the window the whole way. He never noticed the concerned looks they gave him or how many times Bella opened her mouth to say something to him only to silently close it again.

    When they arrived at the field, Rabbit and JJ were already there, of course. The two of them had been working together in the gym, though Ty couldn¡¯t imagine Rabbit being able to lift more than the lightest weights available.

    Ty warmed up on his own while things got set up. After everyone arrived, Coach Long called them over for an announcement.

    ¡®Bring it in, boys. Let¡¯s have a great practice today, alright? But first I just wanted to say that the upcoming game this weekend will be the first away game for both our varsity and JV team. It¡¯s nothing too far away, just out to Norwalk, not even thirty minutes away to play against the Lancers. But if ya parents are busy and can¡¯t drive ya there, or you don¡¯t have a car of your own, speak up, and we¡¯ll all work together to figure out some sort of carpool. There won¡¯t be a team bus for this trip¡ªthat¡¯ll come if we make it into the state championship.¡¯

    Ty wasn¡¯t too fazed by the announcement, he would just get a bus if need be, however¡­

    ¡®Samuels.¡¯ Coach Hoang approached him after Coach Long was done talking. ¡®We¡¯ll give you a lift to the game this weekend, don¡¯t worry about that.¡¯

    ¡®Alright. Thanks, I guess,¡¯ Ty said. He still thought it was strange how Luke spoke on behalf of Coach Long when it came to offering him lifts.

    ¡®Oh, and while we¡¯re here¡­ defence! Gather round,¡¯ Coach Hoang called the rest of the defence over so that he could lay out the game plan for this weekend and what they¡¯d be focusing on today.

    ¡®So, from the scouting report¡ª¡¯ Ty couldn¡¯t help but shudder upon hearing Coach Hoang say it like that. Did this mean that brat was officially a part of the team¡¯s staff? He hoped it was from some other source.

    ¡®We¡¯ve learned that our opposition likes to run a very aggressive style of defence, prioritising blitzes. We¡¯re going to emulate that today to help our offence get used to such an all-out assault so they can hold up against the pressure.¡¯

    ¡®What about the offence we gotta prepare for?¡¯ Deshaun asked.

    ¡®Good question. They¡¯re pretty balanced all around and don¡¯t have a lot of tendencies that stick out, so we¡¯re going to stick to our own style of the CBs playing man coverage with a loaded box of players in the middle to cover the run, and a Safety or two over the top to cover anything deep.¡¯

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    There were muted, nonchalant words and grunts of acknowledgement from the surrounding players, though Ty wasn¡¯t thrilled about the prospect of today¡¯s training.

    ¡®So, what? We¡¯re taking a backseat while the focus is on the Defensive Line and LBs?¡¯ Ty said.

    Coach Hoang shook his head. ¡®Of course not, no singular group will ever receive more attention than another, in fact, when I say that we¡¯re going to be practising blitzing, that includes you DBs.¡¯

    ¡®What?¡¯ Even Deshaun seemed a little surprised, and Ty¡¯s scowl only deepened.

    Coach Hoang laughed. ¡®Don¡¯t look so happy about it, Samuels. CB and Safety blitzes are still a part of the game, and it¡¯ll make you an even more flexible and well-rounded player.

    Ty¡¯s jaw was clenched tightly. He didn¡¯t interrupt, so Coach Hoang continued.

    ¡®A great way to defend a pass is to never let the pass happen in the first place. You¡¯re quick, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be good at this.¡¯

    Ty sighed but nodded.

    Deshaun chuckled. ¡®Though this ain¡¯t really our style, why the switch up now?¡¯

    Coach Hoang shrugged. ¡®Like I said, it¡¯s to help the offence get used to this kind of defence. Plus, if we can get good enough at this as well, that¡¯s a great benefit, it¡¯ll be a nice secret weapon for us to use whenever our opponents have gotten a little too comfortable with our more routine schemes.¡¯

    Again, the surrounding players quietly agreed. Then, Coach Hoang blew his whistle and ordered everyone into position.

    The drill the DBs ran was simple enough: when the ball was snapped to the QB, he would have to quickly scan the field and find which DB it was that was blitzing him, then he¡¯d have to throw a pass to the receiver they left unmarked.

    Sometimes there was more than one defender bearing down on the QB, though, in those instances, an RB stayed by his side to offer a little extra protection.

    Jay was unfazed by any amount of pressure, and he was the one QB that completed a pass every single time the drill was run, and the one QB that no one could lay a hand on before he¡¯d released the pass, no matter how fast Ty and the other DBs ran.

    Though of course, if they ever did get to any of the QBs before they could find the open man, the DBs didn¡¯t tackle them, that¡¯d be too reckless for practice, instead, the QBs had two red flags hanging from their hips, and the DBs had to snatch one of the flags to win the drill.

    Ty struggled the most out of the group, though what frustrated him the most, was that Rabbit was the best out of everyone, varsity team included. Jay was the only one Rabbit couldn¡¯t get, but even then, he got closer than anyone else.

    When they were told to take a break, Ty trudged over to the bench, sat down, and picked up his water bottle. This practice wasn¡¯t as bad as he thought it would be, even if he was getting a bit frustrated with it. The bursts of sprinting were good, he could feel himself growing.

    ¡®Ya know, I really would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d be better at that,¡¯ a high-pitched, irritating voice said to him.

    Ty didn¡¯t say anything, staring straight ahead with the expression of someone who just had a bird shit on them.

    Ricky leaned over the back of the bench, his face only inches from Ty¡¯s. ¡®Maybe I should lower your overall just a bit.¡¯

    ¡®What do you want?¡¯ Ty grunted.

    ¡®Aww, come on, I know ya wanna know who you¡¯re facing next,¡¯ Ricky teased.

    Ty sat in silence, still not looking at the annoying boy for a while longer. Though eventually he sighed and rolled his eyes, glaring at that stupid, smug face before he said: ¡®Who is it this time, who¡¯s their best receiver?¡¯

    ¡®Hey, hey. No need to look so mad, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re gonna win, this team is a pushover¡­ though¡­ I don¡¯t know, their star Wideout is pretty good, the winner of the game might come down to who wins the 1v1 between you guys.¡¯

    Ty sat up further, his attention fully focused on the young scout. ¡®Who is he?¡¯

    ¡®I never got his name, but he wears number 80. He¡¯s a freshman too, so he¡¯s got a lot of potential as well¡­ I don¡¯t even think he played much in middle school, but he¡¯s good, real shifty, and fearless.¡¯ Ricky laughed.

    Ty narrowed his eyes and waited for Ricky to continue.

    ¡®He doesn¡¯t really run routes either¡­ well, not like most people do, he just does what he wants out there. Oh! And don¡¯t ever think something¡¯s uncatchable for this guy.¡¯

    ¡®What do you mean?¡¯ Ty pressed.

    ¡®Eh, you¡¯ll see it during the game I¡¯m sure. Anyway, you SHOULD win¡­ but maybe I¡¯m overestimating you, I don¡¯t know. If you¡¯re like¡­ hmmm¡­¡¯ Ricky looked Ty over inquisitively. ¡®Let¡¯s say a 78 now? Then this guy is a 76. No wait, maybe a 77¡­ 76 and a half?¡¯

    Ty sighed and stood up, letting Ricky ramble on with his stupid ratings.

    ¡°78?¡± Ty scoffed and held back a laugh as he returned to the field to resume training. ¡°What a joke.¡± He¡¯d never taken that rating seriously, but now he knew for sure that the kid was full of shit. There was no way a 78 could do the kinds of things that Ty had done over his first two games.

    But, to further prove that point, he¡¯d just have to crush this new prodigy even harder than the enemies he¡¯d defeated so far.

    ¡°We¡¯ll win by our biggest margin yet, and I¡¯ll destroy this rookie and end his career before it even started!¡±

    With a new promise and goal in his heart, Ty looked forward to the future. His heart and soul burned with a fire that would only grow greater and hotter the closer game day became.

 Chapter 36: Just a Spectator

    Jackson¡¯s first week back at school had dragged on, but he slowly got used to it once again, and became more accustomed to navigating the halls and stairwells on his crutches.

    He was still a bit slow, but not as bad as he had been his first day back. And he was getting used to the extra looks from strangers¡ªor maybe they weren¡¯t looking as much. It was probably a combination of the two, in reality.

    Though, he still hadn¡¯t seen Jasmine again. Maybe he¡¯d just hallucinated her; he was taking medication for the pain still.

    Tommy was also spending a lot more time at home as well, if there was any night where he didn¡¯t have classes or practice the next morning, he¡¯d sleep over rather than stay at his dorm. He and Jackson were getting back into their zombie-killing groove and getting nearer to their highest-ever round.

    But now, it was Saturday¡ªgame day. For both Jackson¡¯s team, and Tommy''s.

    ¡®You sure you don¡¯t wanna come watch the game?¡¯ Tommy asked Jackson, roughly drying his hair.

    ¡®Actually, my teammates are playing a home game today. I was gonna see if Mom could take me down to the field today.¡¯

    Tommy smiled. ¡®That¡¯d be a great idea. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d love to have your support, bro.¡¯

    Jackson looked over from his bed and returned the smile, though it was only a small one. ¡®Right, uh, though, next time you¡¯re playing at home, I¡¯ll have to come watch.¡¯

    ¡®Heh, no worries. I¡¯ll make sure to put on a good show for you, hahah, if I get any playing time that is.¡¯ Tommy laughed.

    ¡®You ready to hit the road, Tommy?¡¯ their dad called out.

    ¡®Yup! Let me grab my bag, one sec.¡¯ Tommy hurried to grab his bag, tossing the towel into the laundry as he made his way down the hall.

    ¡®Is Jack coming?¡¯ their dad asked.

    Before Tommy could answer, Jackson himself replied, having hopped down the hall after him, using the walls for support. ¡®Not today, Dad. Sorry.¡¯

    ¡®Everything alright, Son?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, of course. Yeah, I¡¯m fine it¡¯s just¡­¡¯ Jackson looked around for his mom. ¡®I was hoping Mom could take me to the Titans¡¯ game today.¡¯

    ¡®Ahhh.¡¯ Their dad nodded and smiled. ¡®I¡¯m sure she¡¯d be more than happy to do that. She just went for a walk with your sister, they shouldn¡¯t take too long to get back though.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll come to your guys¡¯ next home game though, promise,¡¯ Jackson told his dad.

    ¡®Hah, hopefully next time our games aren¡¯t on the same day, that¡¯d be good,¡¯ Dad said. ¡®Well, Tommy.¡¯ He turned to his eldest son. ¡®We best hit the road.¡¯

    ¡®Good luck today!¡¯ Jackson blurted as they were leaving.

    Tommy looked back with a grin. ¡®Thanks, bro. Tell your team good luck from us as well.¡¯

    Jackson stared at the front door for a while longer after they had gone through it. It wasn¡¯t until he heard Dad¡¯s car drive off that he turned his eyes away.

    He sat at the dining table, his crutches laid across it in front of him, waiting for his mom and sister¡¯s return.

    He hadn¡¯t gone back to watch another practice since his first day back at school, and even then he¡¯d only run into Kenny, Shane, and the coaches¡­ would the rest of his teammates even want him at the game? Or would he just be a reminder that he had let them down and abandoned them?

    He was a little startled when the front door opened up again. He looked up, seeing his mom and sister walk back in.

    ¡®Oh! Hey honey, your father and brother left already? You didn¡¯t want to go with them?¡¯ his mom asked, tilting her head.

    ¡®Oh, uh, no I¡­I was wondering if you could take me to the Titan¡¯s game instead, i-it¡¯s a home game today.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re not gonna try playing on your crutches, are you? That¡¯d be silly.¡¯ His little sister giggled.

    ¡®No sweetie, your big brother just wants to go and support his teammates and cheer for them. Isn¡¯t that right, Jackie?¡¯ his mom asked.

    Jackson nodded. ¡®Y-Yeah. Um, if that¡¯s alright? The JV game should be starting pretty soon actually.¡¯

    ¡®Of course we can.¡¯

    The two would quickly get ready while Jackson waited by the front door. They piled into the car, and his little sister sweetly asked to hold onto his crutches, saying she¡¯d protect them while they drove.

    It wasn¡¯t a long trip to the Arcadia High football field, and they were one of the first families there.

    They could see where the Titans¡¯ bench was set up, and Jackson¡¯s mom started going down the row of seats just above the bench, when Jackson stopped her, tugging on her sleeve.

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    ¡®Uh, actually¡­ could we sit a little higher? I want a better view of the field,¡¯ Jackson said.

    She looked back at her son, and his gaze nervously darted from her, to the bench, and back. She smiled softly. ¡®Of course, hon. Lead the way.¡¯

    Jackson sighed and his shoulders sagged a little before he turned away and started heading higher up into the stands, getting a seat closer to the midway point.

    He settled into his seat, Mom sat between her two children, adjusting their hats and making sure they were on tight.

    Jackson didn¡¯t whine, but his little sister did. He kept his eyes on the field instead, watching some of the players warm up.

    Shane was down there, his massive frame stood out amongst the handful of JV boys that surrounded him. And Kenny could be seen amongst the small group as well.

    ¡®Come on guys! I know it¡¯s just a warm-up but we still need to give MAXIMUM effort!¡¯ Coach Vasquez¡¯s voice reached even Jackson¡¯s ears clearly as he ran them through some simple exercises to get them fired up and limber before the game.

    Kenny took a deep breath, keeping his eyes on Shane. The older boy was so calm, and completely under control.

    Every movement was perfectly controlled and efficient. There was no wasted motion, no excessive force, but still, he wasn¡¯t slow either. With minimal effort, he could utilise the utmost of his strength and speed.

    Whereas when Kenny tried to copy his style, it was like he was moving in slow motion.

    More players and families slowly filed onto the field and into the bleachers, though the crowd never did grow too large, even as the opposition started to arrive; JV games weren¡¯t ever too big of a draw.

    Coach Otsen had called the players over to the bench not too long after the opposition¡ªthe Combs Coyotes¡ªhad started arriving. Kenny looked them over as the players started gathering¡ªthey looked beatable.

    Though, that¡¯d be a hard task, even if they were beatable. His eyes scanned his surrounding teammates until they fell upon Fred. Not only did the Coyotes have enough players for a different offensive and defensive squad, but even substitutes as well.

    And the Titans were still stuck with Fred. It was up to Kenny if they wanted to win, he¡¯d have to pull them through by himself.

    When it was almost time for the game, Coach Otsen directed the JV players over to the locker room for a final pep talk.

    ¡®Now. I know it¡¯s been a rough start. We¡¯re 0¨C2 and nobody wants to begin the season that way. But, it doesn¡¯t matter. The past games don¡¯t matter, and the future games don¡¯t matter. Only what¡¯s right here, right in front of us matters right now,¡¯ Coach Otsen said.

    Kenny never took his eyes off the imposing man as he circled around the locker room. Most players looked away whenever the coach got near, some were always staring dead ahead at the wall. Fred kept his eyes glued to the floor. Only one other didn¡¯t look away from the coach¡ªthe QB, Petey Martin.

    Petey¡¯s mixed complexion was that of a permanent, light tan. His cheeks were chubby, and he had a real baby face which made him look like he still should¡¯ve been in middle school, despite the fact that he was a sophomore.

    His coarse, brown hair was kept rather short, though one curly lock fell over his forehead.

    ¡®Don¡¯t ever let up. I need you to give it everything you¡¯ve got and hit those motherfuckers out there with your hardest shots right from the first whistle. That¡¯s what it takes to win!¡¯ Coach Otsen said, glaring around the room.

    ¡®You¡¯re stronger than them, tougher than them, and faster than them! So you better not lose because they¡¯re hungrier than you. You hear me? We are NOT going 0¨C3 to start off, or so help me, if you think I¡¯ve been tough on you in practice so far, you won¡¯t have seen ANYTHING.

    ¡®You are TITANS. Gods fear titans. It¡¯s about damn time you start living up to that name. Bring it in.¡¯ Coach Otsen held a trembling fist out.

    The players picked themselves up, Kenny was the first to put his fist against the coach¡¯s, then Fred surprisingly, and Petey was third before the rest added their fists to the pile.

    Coach Otsen looked around at all the young faces surrounding him, staring each player in the eye. ¡®Win on 3. 1, 2, 3.¡¯

    ¡®Win!¡¯ the players roared.

    They rushed back out onto the field to the mild cheers of their parents. Jackson¡¯s mom screamed loudly for the boys, and even his sister added to the cheers, but he himself stayed silent.

    He watched his teammates closely, his good leg bouncing and shaking as he leaned forward in his seat.

    They looked to be in high spirits at least, but his attention was most focused on the one face he didn¡¯t recognise within the group. ¡°He must be my replacement,¡± Jackson thought.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to spot Fred amongst the team. He was the only player who looked out of place, like the uniform didn¡¯t fit him, like he shouldn¡¯t even be out there.

    But Jackson wasn¡¯t about to judge a book by its cover. He was out there for a reason, and even that alone meant Fred belonged on the field more than a coward like himself who had run away from that pressure.

    Jackson closed his eyes and silently prayed for a Titans victory.

    When the Coyotes came out for their lap around the field, the cheers were sparse, and only a few people clapped for them, though still, Jackson¡¯s mom and sister were amongst those who did¡ªas a show of respect and good sportsmanship¡ªand after a nudge from his mom, even Jackson joined in and clapped for them, albeit very unenthusiastically.

    As Kenny, Petey, and a gangly boy named Lonnie¡ªwho was the tallest player for the Titans and was as skinny as a scarecrow¡ªmade their way out to the centre of the field for the coin toss, Kenny pulled Petey aside.

    ¡®Hey. We need to win today, even without what the coach said. I¡¯m not about to lose every damn game this year¡­ I gotta make it onto the varsity team, quick,¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®Hey, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m out here trying to lose, cabr¨®n.¡¯ Petey shoved Kenny¡¯s hand off his collar. ¡®And you ain¡¯t the only one trying to get out off this team¡­ ?Carajo! I¡¯ve been trying to get off this team for over a year.¡¯

    Kenny nodded, looking Petey over and patting him on the chest, right over the number 1 on his jersey. ¡®Good, then just give me the ball, as much as you can. Let¡¯s win this thing, together.¡¯

    ¡®Haha. Ay, together.¡¯ Petey smirked.

    ¡®Uhh. I guess we¡¯ll take the ball first,¡¯ Lonnie said.

    Petey and Kenny looked over. The Coyotes had chosen wrong for the toss, and on behalf of his other¡ªdistracted¡ªcaptains, Lonnie had elected that the Titans would receive the ball first.

    The three Titans players jogged back to the bench and let the rest of the team know.

    ¡®Alright, you know what to do. Get out there and hit them hard, show them what you¡¯re fucking made of,¡¯ Coach Otsen said.

    Coach Knight grunted, looking the boys over. ¡®Make a statement,¡¯ he gruffly said.

    They hurried out onto the field, taking up their positions on the field to receive the kickoff. Kenny stood all the way at the back of the formation, awaiting the kick near his endzone. He hunched over, his hands on his knees as he took a deep breath, staring down the field and watching the Coyotes kicker get set up.

    This was it. The game was about to start ¡­ he HAD to win.

 Chapter 37: A Dirty Beginning

    The kick was high, but not that deep. Kenny caught it securely against his chest, and his eyes quickly scanned the field.

    He weaved around blocks and ducked under outstretched arms, spinning away from tackles as he made it through the chaos and out towards half-field.

    As he raced down the sideline, only the last line of the defence¡ªthe Kicker themselves¡ªstood between him and a touchdown.

    Kenny nestled the ball under his outside arm, freeing his right arm in preparation to fend off the incoming tackle, but while his eyes focused on the Kicker¡¯s chest and arms, he was taken out from below.

    The Kicker swung their leg out, tripping Kenny up. Kenny tumbled to the ground and rolled along the grass¡ªtripping was a damn foul and everyone knew it.

    ¡®That was on purpose! Get him off the field!¡¯ Jackson pushed himself up out of his seat, standing up on his crutches. His mom quickly but gently pulled him back into his seat, chastising him for his outburst.

    Kenny sprung up, eyes glowering with rage as he threw the ball down and stomped towards the Kicker, officials were already converging on the spot of the foul, yellow flags strewn across the grass.

    The Kicker held his hands up in surrender. ¡®Sorry! I hope you¡¯re okay. I had to¡­ no way I could¡¯ve taken you down, and¡­ a foul is better than a touchdown. You understand, right?¡¯ He bowed his head. ¡®Please forgive me.¡¯

    Kenny scowled but turned away, shaking his head and jogging back to his team¡¯s huddle. There was a bad taste in his mouth; the Kicker hadn¡¯t even TRIED taking him on with a proper tackle.

    Of course, an extra 15 yards were tacked onto the end of Kenny¡¯s return thanks to the Kicker¡¯s unsportsmanlike conduct at the end, which meant the Titans would start even closer to the Coyotes¡¯ endzone.

    Kenny received some quick words of praise and a pat on the back for his efforts when he made it back to the huddle¡ªeven with the sour end, it was still a good run.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the Titans took the field again, this time in the formation of their offence, with Kenny on his own out wide to the right of the formation on the strong side with Lonnie lined up at TE on that end of the line as well.

    Petey was kept under Center as he was ready to accept the snap, only one RB behind him, and then Fred was set up way out to the left side of the field, with another WR next to him much closer to the rest of the team.

    The CB that lined up opposite Kenny wore the number 21. He was ghostly pale, with a crooked grin, knobbly knees and elbows, and a mop of black hair that stopped just above his eyes.

    The CB offered a hand to Kenny. ¡®Good luck,¡¯ he said.

    Kenny looked at the hand for a moment before he reached out and shook it.

    21 grinned more, latched onto Kenny¡¯s hand tightly and yanked it up and down hard, like he was trying to rip Kenny¡¯s arm straight from its socket.

    ¡®Hey! What the fuck?!¡¯ Kenny shoved the crooked CB back.

    ¡®Oi number 13, cut that out, save it for when the play starts,¡¯ an official reprimanded Kenny.

    Kenny rubbed at his shoulder, the official was already moving away before he could even say anything back.

    21 just laughed and continued grinning at Kenny.

    Kenny scowled and shoved his mouthguard in, his teeth grinding down on it angrily.

    Each Titans Receiver was closely covered before the snap, every DB just within arm¡¯s length of the Receiver they would be responsible for.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯ At Petey¡¯s shout, the field exploded into motion. From one side to another, bodies smashed into each other as the physical war for dominance began.

    Right from the onset, it was clear the Coyotes weren¡¯t going to be fighting fairly.

    From the Defensive Line, out to every DB marking a Receiver, they were all holding and pulling on their opposition, tugging on their jerseys to either hold them in place or drag them down.

    The Titans¡¯ Offensive Line quickly fell apart and blitzing defenders swarmed Petey.

    He stumbled back, and threw the ball out of bounds well over the head of Kenny, just so they wouldn¡¯t lose any yards when he was crushed between two Coyotes less than a second after he got rid of the ball.

    But, more yellow flags indicating penalties and fouls were scattered across the field. The Coyotes¡¯ holding had been so blatant that it would¡¯ve been impossible for the officials to miss.

    The result of a foul for holding against the defence would result in the offence being awarded 5 yards, and a fresh set of downs. So the result of the previous play was voided completely.

    With the help of the RB, Petey picked himself back up, wincing and groaning a bit as he did so.

    ¡®Shit, thanks Isaac¡­ ugh, those fuckers hit me damn hard,¡¯ Petey said.

    Isaac¡ªthe team¡¯s RB, and a CB when playing defence¡ªwas a freshman, whose puffy cheeks were usually sunburnt. He had thick, powerful legs, but a spindly upper body.

    ¡®Hey, imma need you to stay back and protect me too if they keep blitzing like that.¡¯

    Isaac nodded and got back into position.

    During the next play, the line held up a bit longer, and Kenny was able to break away from 21 for a moment. Petey let the ball fly towards Kenny, though just before he could catch it, 21 yanked Kenny back, dragging him down and stopping him from catching the pass.

    Another flag hit the grass, this time for Defensive Pass Interference (DPI), as the ball was in the air when the foul occurred, so instead of just the typical 5 yards for holding or illegal contact, the ball would be moved all the way up to the spot of the foul instead no matter how far that was, and once again, the offence would be given a new set of downs.

    The whole first drive continued like that. The Coyotes¡¯ defence continuously fouled their opponents and played roughly under the guise of ¡°setting the tone¡±.

    However, when the Titans neared the goal line, the Coyotes switched up their attitude. They didn¡¯t start playing entirely cleanly, mind you, but they began to hide their holding and fouling much better, and the officials either ignored it, or couldn¡¯t see it.

    A subtle tug here to hold a Receiver back just enough so they could only get their fingertips on a pass. Or a quick yank on the facemask of Isaac¡¯s helmet to bring him down after a short gain on his run¡ªwith how congested the area around the ball was, no one could see it, and only Isaac himself would be desperately appealing and trying to convince the clueless officials of what had happened.

    Or holding on to a blocker, so one of their teammates could pass by unmolested to get a free run at Petey. With their underhanded tricks, the Coyotes held the Titans up, right at the goal line, and forced them to take a field goal instead.

    ¡®Ref! Come on, they¡¯re cheating! Open your eyes, man,¡¯ Kenny complained in vain. The officials simply waved him off and told him to return to his team¡¯s huddle.

    ¡®This is bullshit!¡¯ Jackson¡¯s voice carried clearly across the field, and Kenny couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he looked up and watched Jackson be torn back down into his seat and chided by his mom again, this time for using such foul language.

    ¡®Sorry, but, they¡¯re cheating! And it¡¯s so obvious but those stupid, blind bastards can¡¯t even see it happening right under their noses,¡¯ Jackson complained.

    ¡®Yes well¡­¡¯ His mom cleared her throat. ¡®I¡¯m sure they¡¯re doing their best. Not everyone is perfect Jackie, and getting mad at someone else¡¯s mistakes isn¡¯t going to do you any favours, it¡¯ll just get you in a lot of trouble.¡¯

    She turned her attention back to the game, and Jackson knew that was the end of that discussion.

    The field goal was not too far out, and the Coyotes were more focused on hitting the blocking Titans with short, hidden elbows and forearms, rather than actually trying to stop the kick.

    The ball sailed through, and the first points of the game were tacked on for the Titans, as only a couple of minutes into the game, the score was already 3¨C0 in favour of the home team.

    Even though the Coyotes had been the one to give up points, they were the much more lively and spirited of the two teams as they both made their way back to the sidelines and to their respective benches.

    The Titans trudged back to their bench, licking their wounds and grumbling about how it was bullshit those dirty fuckers were allowed to get away with all their cheating.

    ¡®Hey, gather round and keep quiet. Don¡¯t look at them,¡¯ Coach Otsen said, pulling his players'' attention back to him in the huddle. ¡®You got 3 points and that¡¯s all that matters out there. They can¡¯t cheat forever, and so what if they do? You¡¯re the better team. You¡¯re stronger, faster, and tougher. Even THEY know that; why do you think they resort to breaking the rules, huh?¡¯

    Kenny turned his head towards the Coyotes¡¯ bench again, but Coach Knight stood in his way, blocking his view and forcing his gaze back towards Coach Otsen.

    ¡®Only a bunch of fucking pussies who know they¡¯re shit at this game, and can¡¯t win on their own would ever resort to openly cheating like that. Are you gonna lose to a team like that?¡¯ Coach Otsen said.

    ¡®No!¡¯ the players roared.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡®I can¡¯t hear you!¡¯ Coach Otsen challenged.

    ¡®NO!¡¯

    ¡®Then get out there and kick their fucking asses!¡¯

    The Titans gave a war cry as they made their way back out onto the field, the crowd cheering them on.

    The kickoff was mostly uneventful, with the Coyotes¡¯ returner waiting in the endzone until a Titans player finally got close, before taking a knee and surrendering himself for a touchback, after making the Titans run through violent and dangerous blocks, just to get close.

    The Coyotes¡¯ offence took the field, led by a tall, long-limbed boy. His beady eyes, and sharp front teeth gave his small face a look not dissimilar to a spider, and his long arms and legs, with his short, roundish body only added to the resemblance.

    ¡°Spider¡± was the QB, and his predatory little eyes scanned each of the Titans before settling on Fred. Spider called over one of the TEs, one that was on the shorter side, but his body was built like a tank, and he had a thick, square head.

    Spider whispered something to ¡°Tank¡±, and the blocky, stocky TE nodded, staring Fred down.

    Lonnie took his position in the middle of the Titans¡¯ defensive formation, making sure everyone was in position.

    ¡®Hey uhh¡­ move up closer, okay? Remember what the coach said,¡¯ Lonnie ordered, urging his teammates to press up more, though when Fred went to move closer, Lonnie stuck one of his long arms out and urged him back. ¡®No, you stay back¡­ remember what the coach tells YOU?¡¯

    Fred lowered his head, but shuffled back more, staying out of everyone¡¯s way.

    ¡®Snap!¡¯ Spider demanded. Organised chaos ensued.

    Spider first faked a handoff to the RB, and to their credit, the majority of the Coyotes¡¯ offence sold it well, though maybe that was just an excuse for almost all of the Receivers to dive into their opponents¡¯ legs to make it look like they were trying to block them.

    And the RB himself, even though he didn¡¯t have the ball, he still charged ahead, using his helmet like a battering ram to smash through the Titans¡¯ Defensive Line and inflict some punishment.

    Only two Receivers ran out on actual routes to make themselves targets of a pass¡ªA shifty little WR, and Tank.

    The WR cut across the middle of the field, right between Petey¡ªpositioned at MLB¡ªand Lonnie¡ªwho was one of the Safeties at the top of the formation.

    Lonnie bit on the bait, stepping up to make sure he¡¯d be there in case the pass went to that WR, and that¡¯s when Tank slipped around behind him.

    Spider flung the ball into the air as it shot out of his hand like a catapult. Tank made a beeline right for where it would land; with each stride, he broke further away from the LB that was covering him.

    Only Fred stood in Tank¡¯s path.

    Fred¡¯s heart pounded, and he stood there frozen for a moment, staring down the rampaging brute that was headed right for him.

    But then he looked at the ball. Fred knew what he had to do. He turned and ran towards the spot where the ball would land, sprinting as fast as he could to get there before Tank did. He removed Tank from his thoughts, focusing only on the ball.

    He went to throw himself into the air and swat the ball away, but just as he was about to leave the ground, the massive, bulky Tank smashed into him and sent Fred flying.

    Tank hadn¡¯t even tried to catch the pass in the end, instead, he simply lowered his shoulder and hit Fred as hard as he could.

    The pass ended in an incompletion, but the Coyotes weren¡¯t upset, they¡¯d accomplished their goal for that play.

    Fred writhed on the ground for a moment, coughing and wheezing before he rolled over and struggled to his feet¡ªno one came to help him up.

    He dragged himself back to the huddle, and the game continued without any care shown to the young boy.

    The next two plays ended in much the same way. Each pass was designed to distract Lonnie and pull his attention away from Tank, and then the hulking TE would steamroll through Fred, only feigning any interest or attempt to actually catch the ball.

    After each hit, Fred would take longer and longer to pick himself up off the ground.

    It was a quick 3 and out, with the Coyotes punting team coming out to kick the ball back to the Titans.

    Fred was offered no rest, having to stay out there on the field with the rest of his teammates, though he was kept away from the action in the punt return formation, sitting behind the two lines of blockers and rushers, where he¡¯d be out of the way.

    Kenny was way back down the field, near his own endzone, ready to receive and return the punt.

    Again, the kick hung in the air for a long time, being high but not all that deep. Kenny sat under it, and waved his arms in the air, signalling to the officials that he wanted a fair catch, and was giving himself up.

    This meant, that when he caught the ball, he couldn¡¯t progress it any further, but at the same time, it offered him protection and meant that no one could tackle him because the play would be over when he caught the ball ¡­

    ¡­That¡¯s how it¡¯s supposed to work anyway

    Kenny watched the ball carefully, his eyes glued to the sky the whole time through its flight. It fell into his arms without issue, but hardly a breath after he caught it, he was launched off his feet by a vicious spear and crunched into the ground under the body of a Coyote.

    The ball spilled free and bounced away as officials raced in, whistles shrieking into the night.

    Jackson was about to stand up out of his seat and voice his frustrations again when another voice drowned him out and shook the whole bleachers.

    ¡®HEY!!¡¯ Coach Otsen stomped out onto the field like he was trying to shatter the earth under his feet, he threw his playbook down.

    More officials got in his path, holding him back and trying to calm him down. The head official ejected the player who had laid the hit on Kenny. The offender¡ªnumber 51¡ªwas a nasty-looking kid who appeared almost too old to be playing in this league, with tattoos crawling along his arms and up to his neck.

    ¡®ARE YOU TRYING TO INJURE MY PLAYERS?! YOU THINK YOU¡¯RE A TOUGH GUY FOR HITTING A DEFENCELESS PLAYER? YOU PUNK BITCH!¡¯ Veins along Coach Otsen¡¯s neck and temples were bulging, a blood vessel just waiting to burst on the red-faced man.

    ¡®Hey, hey, hey. Calm down, chief.¡¯ The Coyotes¡¯ Head Coach approached Coach Otsen. He was a large man in his own right, with a large belly, and thick, muscled arms popping out from under his short sleeve top that was way too tight.

    A smug sneer was plastered across the Coyotes¡¯ coach¡¯s face, and a long scar ran across the left side of his extra short crew cut. Dog tags hung around his neck and sunglasses sat on top of his head.

    ¡®It was all just a misunderstanding. My boy didn¡¯t see the fair catch signal, he was too busy fighting through the blocks. I¡¯m sorry if your player got hurt, and look, my boy¡¯s already been sent off. I promise that won¡¯t happen again, but it was only an accident, these things happen.¡¯

    All the while, the condescending smirk never left his face. ¡®Now¡­ if you¡¯re worried about big hits like that though, well, maybe this sport just ain¡¯t for you, maybe you and your GIRLS would find soccer to be more your speed.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s enough Coach Kelly,¡¯ an official said, positioning themselves between the two rival coaches. ¡®I¡¯m warning you, there better not be anything like that again or I¡¯ll throw this game out and your team¡¯ll forfeit.¡¯

    Coach Kelly raised his arms in submission. ¡®Hey, like I said, it was an accident. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure my boys know not to let any ACCIDENTS like that happen again.¡¯

    Coach Otsen was still fuming, his head steaming under the sun, though he kept his mouth shut and was pulled back towards the sideline by Coach Vasquez and his other assistants.

    Coach Kelly¡ªstill with a smirk¡ªturned to walk back to his bench, when he smacked face-first into a rather solid object, stumbling back as his shades spilled to the ground.

    ¡®What the fu¡ª¡¯ His eyes widened, and he stared up at the silent, imposing figure of Coach Knight.

    The burly Coach Knight stared down at Coach Kelly, not saying a word.

    ¡®H-Hey, watch it, you¡­you fucking gorilla. Out of my way.¡¯ Coach Kelly tried to push Coach Knight aside, to no avail, the ¡°gorilla¡± didn¡¯t even budge.

    Defeated, and embarrassed, Coach Kelly tried to laugh it off as he picked up his shades and went around the immovable man. ¡®Ha¡­ hahaha, you think you¡¯re tough shit, huh? Yeah, we¡¯ll see who¡¯s laughing after we beat your ass! Just watch that scoreboard at the end of the game!¡¯

    Coach Knight made his way back to the Titans¡¯ bench, and normalcy resumed as the officials called a short timeout to the game.

    Kenny had been helped back to the bench, feeling at his ribs, but he assured everyone that he was alright.

    ¡®Ken!¡¯ Coach Otsen barked. ¡®You¡¯re good to keep playing?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m fine!¡¯ Kenny yelled back, gritting his teeth.

    Coach Otsen looked him over, then nodded sternly. ¡®Mm. Good.¡¯ He looked around at his battered group of players and then glanced over to the other bench. The tension and hostility in the air between the two groups was like an impenetrable wall.

    ¡®Are you going to let them push you around like that?¡¯ Coach Otsen said.

    ¡®No!

    ¡®Are you gonna let these fuckers just kick you around however they want?

    ¡®No!¡¯

    ¡®Are you going to sit there and die as they rip this game away from you and stomp you down into the dirt?!¡¯

    ¡®NO!¡¯

    ¡®Then get out there and show them what it means to be a TITAN!¡¯ Coach Otsen pushed a fist into the middle of the huddle. ¡®Titans on 3.¡¯

    Each player and every other coach placed a fist against or on top of Coach Otsen¡¯s.

    ¡®1, 2, 3, TITANS!¡¯ they roared.

    They charged back out onto the field, burning with passion and rage.

    ¡®Pete!¡¯ Kenny ran over to the QB and dragged him aside. Petey stared back into Ken¡¯s fiery gaze. ¡®You get me that fucking ball no matter what you have to do.¡¯

    Petey nodded, swallowing a lump in his throat as his eyes darted away, no longer able to match that intense glare. ¡®Y-Yeah. I¡¯ll do it¡­¡¯

    Kenny slapped him hard on the helmet and then rushed over to get set up in his position. Petey took a deep breath and moved over to his position behind the Center, his hands shaking as he lowered them between the larger boy¡¯s legs, ready to take the ball.

    He scanned the field, his heartbeat sounding like a drum within his helmet as he stared right into the eye of the storm.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯ Petey took the snap from the Center and scrambled back deep in the pocket. His eyes darted to Kenny, but number 21 was draped all over him.

    Kenny bit hard into his mouthguard, trying to throw this cheating bastard off him, as 21 clung on tight to Kenny¡¯s jersey, right up in the pits of his arms.

    The OL broke down, crumbling bit by bit. The first Coyote to make it past that wall was intercepted by Isaac. Though a second was right behind him.

    Petey searched for another option as he ducked under the wildly swinging arm of the beefy Coyote who tried to clothesline him rather than tackle him.

    Lonnie was on the ground, tripped up by a defender who was now lying on him.

    Nick¡ªthe second Receiver and also the one who handled Kicking duty¡ªwas covered too, stuck between two defenders. Another blitzing Coyote was bearing down on Petey.

    Kenny finally shrugged off his defender and burst away from the line, turning his head back to Petey and screaming for the ball.

    But Petey couldn¡¯t hear him. There wasn¡¯t any time left either, and he had already found a target. It was the only uncovered Titan out there¡ªFred.

    A Coyote lunged at Petey, just as he let the ball go. It was like a cannon had been shot into his gut, but he got rid of the ball, and the pass was on target, even if it wobbled through the air.

    Fred stood under that wobbling ball. It was coming in a little high, even for him, so he leapt into the air, hands outstretched to the heavens.

    He had eyes only for the ball, so he was completely oblivious to the vicious predator that had him in their sights.

    The Coyotes¡¯ Safety¡ªnumber 23¡ªhad a broad grin across his devilish face as he raced towards Fred. He knew he wouldn¡¯t make it in time to disrupt the pass itself, but that was never his target.

    Only a moment after Fred¡¯s hands grasped the ball, and raked it into his chest, number 23 collided with his legs, shoving them out from under him.

    Fred¡¯s elation over catching the ball swiftly turned to horror and confusion as his world flipped upside down in the blink of an eye.

    He closed his eyes firmly and tightened his grip on the ball, hugging it against his chest like it was the most valuable thing on earth.

    He hit the ground, head and shoulders first. There was a horrifying crunch, then a collective gasp from the crowd. He was bent in two by the impact, his legs finishing their rotation and kicking the ground above his head before they bounced back and he flattened again.

    ¡®Freddy!¡¯ his mother cried. Her voice was shrill and full of fear.

    He lay unmoving on the grass, the ball still clutched in his arms, and his eyes yet to open.

 Chapter 38: Everlasting

    ¡®Timeout! Timeout!¡¯ Coach Otsen was already hurrying onto the field as he signalled to the nearest official to call for a break in the game.

    Bodies converged around where Fred had crumpled on the field. The officials were trying to stop any fights before they could start, while the Coyotes were rubbing salt into the wound, and the Titans kept those mangy mutts back and checked on their fallen teammate.

    Coach Otsen pushed himself through the crowd, just as Fred was picking himself up.

    ¡®Whoa, stay down kid. Are you alright?¡¯ one of the worried officials said.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡¯ Fred mumbled as he staggered to his feet and looked up at Coach Otsen. He pushed the ball out towards him, still holding it in shaky hands.

    The coach took the ball and quickly passed it to an official before pulling Fred close, taking his helmet off and looking him over.

    ¡®Come on, Frederick. You did good, real good, just come on over and sit down.¡¯ He started to lead the boy away as the crowd parted for them. The Coyotes headed back to their bench, while the Titans followed behind their coach.

    ¡®How are you feeling, Frederick? Be honest now, I don¡¯t care if we have to forfeit, but I¡¯m not gonna let those nasty shits hurt one of you boys. There¡¯s no point playing if it¡¯s just gonna do more damage to you rather than help you grow.¡¯

    Fred sat down on the bench, still feeling a bit dizzy, but he looked at Coach Otsen and shook his head. ¡®I told you I¡¯m fine. Please! I won¡¯t let you down or hold any of you back, I promised I wouldn¡¯t get in your way. Don¡¯t¡­ I can keep playing.¡¯

    The other coaches looked him over closely as well.

    Coach Knight put a steadying hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Son. When were you born?¡¯ he asked.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Fred looked at him, confused for a moment before answering, ¡®November 26th, 2008.¡¯

    ¡®Luckily, he might not have a concussion,¡¯ Coach Otsen said.

    A doctor soon came over to check on Fred personally, flashing a light in his eyes and having him visually track a finger back and forth, running him through standard procedure for when a player was suspected to have a concussion.

    Coach Otsen, meanwhile, spoke with the head official as an extended pause was called for the game, due to Fred needing the medical examination, as the Titans didn¡¯t have the necessary amount of players without him.

    Jackson¡¯s mother turned to him, concern painted across her face. ¡®You should go check on your friend.¡¯

    Jackson bit his tongue and stayed firmly planted in his seat. He looked like he¡¯d seen a bird get run over on a highway. That injury would¡¯ve been his fault. It should¡¯ve been him out there, not Fred, and he¡¯d almost gotten that boy seriously hurt.

    But Fred was given the all-clear, and was okay to return, he THANKFULLY hadn¡¯t suffered any lasting damage, though this didn¡¯t admonish Jackson from his guilt.

    Before the team was sent back out onto the field, Coach Otsen called them together again for another quick word.

    ¡®Listen up. I meant what I said about forfeiting this game. These bastards aren¡¯t playing real football, and if this is gonna be more harmful to you than it is good¡ªif another stunt like what just happened with Frederick happens¡ªI¡¯m pulling the plug and I¡¯m taking this before the association to get Combs banned for this dangerous behaviour.¡¯

    There were grumbles from amongst the players. Fred spoke clearly and said: ¡®I don¡¯t want them to win.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah,¡¯ Pete said, ¡®we can¡¯t let them get away with this shit, Coach. We have to beat them. I¡¯m not gonna let one of them bastardos hurt one of my teammates and get away with it, especially if they think they can WIN because of that.¡¯

    Most of the boys added their voices in agreement to this statement.

    Kenny looked at Fred, staying silent for a moment before finally saying: ¡®Right. We¡¯re tougher than this. We can¡¯t back down now. This is what we¡¯ve trained for¡ªto be the best, to survive any situation, and to win no matter what. We¡¯ll crush them.¡¯

    ¡®Without falling to their level,¡¯ Coach Knight reinforced.

    ¡®Yeah!¡¯ The boys nodded.

    Fists met in the centre of the huddle. Coach Otsen looked around at all his young players, smiling wide.

    Coach Vasquez sniffled, tears filling his eyes. ¡®You boys are maximum inspiring and maximum brave. Let¡¯s give it maximum effort, and get a MAXIMUM win!¡¯

    ¡®3, 2, 1, TITANS!¡¯ the players roared and stormed back out onto the field, though Kenny pulled Fred aside.

    ¡®Huh, um¡­ is everything okay, K-Ken?¡¯ Fred looked him over.

    Kenny stared at him, and then patted Fred on the shoulder. ¡®I was wrong about you. You deserve to be here, and I¡¯m glad to have you on the team. Let¡¯s win this, together ¡­ Freddy.¡¯

    Freddy slowly grinned and then quickly hugged Kenny. ¡®Yeah! Let¡¯s do it!¡¯

    ¡®Okay, okay! Let me go, we gotta get in position,¡¯ Kenny whined, patting Freddy on the back and trying to pull him off.

    Eventually, the two broke apart and got into position, as they did so, Isaac came over to Pete. ¡®Hey. Give me the ball. Let¡¯s do a power run, right up the gut, trust me,¡¯ Isaac said.

    Pete looked into his eyes, never having seen such a fiery look in the bottom-heavy boy before. He nodded and grinned. ¡®Alright, g¨¹ey. Hit ¡®em hard for me.¡¯

    The Coyotes came out, still barking at the Titans¡¯ players opposite them, though their taunting did nothing to change the hardened expression on any of the Titans¡¯ faces.

    When the ball was snapped for the first play after Freddy¡¯s scary fall, the Coyotes¡¯ yapping was silenced.

    Isaac led the charge, ramming the ball right down the middle of the field with a powerful, angry run. The Offensive Line of the Titans steamrolled over their opposition, and then Isaac came face to face with number 51 of the Coyotes.

    Number 51 was a wild-looking beast. His irises were tiny black dots in his wide, bloodshot eyes, and his mouth was always set in a sadistic grin. A deep, old scar ran down the right corner of his lips and across his chin, leaving a large cleft in it. He was huge as well, with muscles rippling across his large frame, and looked too old to still be stuck on the JV team.

    But the smaller Isaac wouldn¡¯t be intimidated. He stared this huge, ¡°scar-faced¡± beast down, then lowered his helmet and smashed right through him.

    As heads collided, there was a crack like a thick tree branch had just snapped, and then Scar-Face lay flat on his back, with Isaac charging right over him before eventually being dragged down for a total gain of 21 yards.

    Already the Titans were past midfield, and even with the Coyotes still trying to foul them, there wasn¡¯t much they could do to stop this juggernaut they had awoken.

    Isaac continued to spear ahead with determined runs, bringing the Titans ever closer to the endzone and a touchdown.

    Kenny was the one to cap off this drive, not one to be outdone by his teammates, he shook free of the ghostly spectre that was the Coyotes¡¯ CB, number 21, shrugging off those cloying hands and spinning away from his dirty adversary to get into the open field.

    Pete zipped the ball into the small gap¡ªit was only a short and quick pass, they were already within 10 yards of the goalline¡ªand Kenny caught it securely on his chest, dropping to the ground just as a Coyote went flying over him, trying to take his head off with a big hit.

    The officials signalled the touchdown and whistles blared. The scoreboard ticked over, and the crowd erupted into cheers. The Titans celebrated before taking their time to get set up for the extra point attempt, while the Coyotes kicked at the grass and stomped off the field to swap with their special teams unit.

    The kick sailed through, and the score was 10¨C0.

    Once again, on the kickoff, the Coyotes¡¯ returner waited for the last moment to down the ball in the endzone for a touchback, and then their offence started from the 25-yard line.

    Spider still had his eyes locked on Freddy. ¡°He just needs to crash one more time, and then he¡¯ll crack for good,¡± Spider thought.

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    The ball was snapped, and again Tank went for a deep post route over the top of the defence, with many intercrossing routes from other Receivers underneath him.

    Lonnie stepped forward, forced to cover the routes underneath. Spider grinned, and let a long, looping pass fly, heading right for where Freddy was.

    Lonnie smirked. As soon as Spider had started his long catapult of a throwing motion, he turned and sprinted back. ¡®Move!¡¯ he shouted at Freddy, frantically motioning for him to get out of the way. ¡®I¡¯ve got it!¡¯

    Freddy stepped aside, and a confused Tank looked between the two defenders before glancing up to find the descending ball.

    Lonnie leapt up, and Tank tried to drag him back down, out of the way, but even with the big brute draped all over him, Lonnie¡¯s hands still latched around the ball and raked it in for an interception as he tumbled to the ground on top of Tank.

    Again the crowd cheered, Jackson¡¯s voice loudest amongst them.

    Lonnie shoved Tank back down as he stood up, leaving the ball on his chest. Tank growled and stood up, piffing the ball at the back of Lonnie¡¯s head as he walked away.

    Lonnie barely flinched as the ball bounced off his helmet. He turned and laughed as officials guided Tank off the field and gave him a strict warning.

    The Titans swarmed around Lonnie, slapping him on the back and on the top of his helmet as they laughed with him, congratulating him on his interception and for riling up that dumbass Tank.

    ¡®H-Hey, thanks for looking out for me, gr-great catch, too,¡¯ Freddy said.

    Lonnie shrugged. ¡®They¡¯re the dumbasses who kept doing the same thing over and over.¡¯ He then extended one of his long arms out to Freddy. ¡®Thanks for listening. I¡¯ve got your back, so don¡¯t worry¡­ they won¡¯t hurt you no more.¡¯

    Freddy grinned and bumped his fist against Lonnie¡¯s gently.

    They got set up in their offensive formation, and Pete looked over to Kenny, giving him a nod. Kenny smirked and looked straight ahead, staring right through the ¡°Ghost¡± in front of him.

    Ghost sneered, his gloved fists closing and opening over and over.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯ Ghost¡¯s hands shot out, but Kenny batted them away before they could sink their claws into any part of him.

    Kenny bolted to the outside, Ghost turned to follow, and that¡¯s when Kenny stopped on the spot and crossed back inside, leaving Ghost all twisted inside out.

    Ghost even kicked a leg out to try and trip Kenny, but he deftly skipped over it and dashed away.

    Pete fired out another pass, a little high, but Kenny could still catch it with a small hop, reaching his arms out and grabbing onto the rapidly spiralling ball, his hands squeezed around it tight.

    And then Scar-Face¡¯s shoulder slammed right into Kenny¡¯s ribs before the larger boy grabbed him and hammered him into the grass.

    It was a rough hit, and again Kenny felt all the air being forcefully ejected from his body, but this hit was surprisingly ¡°clean¡±.

    At least Kenny held onto the ball and made the catch.

    Titans players quickly ran over, shoving aside Scar-Face and helping Kenny onto his feet. He thanked them in between gasps, and then looked to the scoreboard. Time slowly ticked down to 0, and the 1st quarter was over.

    The Titans made their way off the field in high spirits and sat down on the bench, sucking in as much air as they could, and those who had been on the receiving end of the most hits and punishment were already rubbing at their sore bodies.

    ¡®Great job out there, team. Keep it up,¡¯ Coach Otsen said. ¡®See? They¡¯re no good, there¡¯s a reason they had to resort to cheap tricks and such dirty tactics. We¡¯re the better team, they can¡¯t compete with us. We just have to hold out and this game is ours.¡¯

    ¡®That touchdown was maximum amazing, Ken!¡¯ Coach Vasquez slapped Kenny on the back.

    While Coach Knight nodded to Isaac, the man¡¯s bushy lips lifted into the faintest of smiles.

    Over by the Coyotes bench, the air was much heavier, tension and animosity weighing it down, but even while trailing by double digits after just one quarter, they were still eerily calm.

    The 2nd quarter started after a short respite, and when the Titans took the field to continue their offence, Kenny was no longer being marked by just his Ghost alone, there was now another nuisance waiting just a bit further down the field, watching him like a hawk.

    Number 23 now stood just a few yards behind Ghost and favouring the inside of the field. 23 was a bit bigger than Ghost, with long legs but stockier, thicker arms. Everything about him was sleek and he kept himself low in his stance, ready to burst out in any direction with great speed. He never took his eyes off of Kenny, always watching.

    Kenny scowled. It was 23 who had tried to injure Freddy. That tackle could¡¯ve broken his neck and killed him, and yet, it was a normal thing for 23 to do.

    What a dirty villain.

    The rest of the Coyotes¡¯ defence had sunk down lower to focus harder on the run, putting more bodies, and bigger walls in Isaac¡¯s way.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯ Kenny rushed forward, and again started his swift, precise dance to shake Ghost loose, but when he got around the first Coyote, the second was there to grab a hold of him and hold him up just long enough for Ghost to recover and pincer him in place.

    Getting around two sets of grasping hands and bumping bodies was nearly impossible.

    But the rest of the team would not be denied. With Isaac continuing to give it his all and drawing plenty of attention alongside Kenny, Lonnie could find gaps in the distracted defence for his own catches, and even Nick caught a few passes here and there as well.

    This drive was a much tighter, back-and-forth struggle, with the Titans only slowly progressing before they got to a 3rd down while they were yet to pass half-field.

    Kenny was growing more and more frustrated after each play that he was taken out of the game by the ferocious, dirty double team. His jersey had been pulled on so much that he was surprised it hadn¡¯t ripped yet, though it was stretched out in places and already a looser fit than when the game started.

    He stared down his two opponents, huffing like a bull before it charged a matador.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯ Again, Ghost and this ¡°Villain¡± closed in upon him. He pushed through as best as he could, but their arms and hands closed around him firmly.

    He lashed out, smashing an elbow across Villain¡¯s helmet, spinning it around so the side covered his face. Kenny shoved away their arms and ducked under groping hands, one got caught on his own helmet and tore it right off his head as he pushed through.

    Whether the officials somehow missed Kenny¡¯s blatant elbow, or they let it go because of all the dirty shit the Coyotes had been doing up until that point, no one but them would know.

    Kenny didn¡¯t care, the wind whipped at his hair as he sprinted away and raced down the sideline. He stuck an arm up, looking back to Pete and calling for the ball.

    Just as Isaac¡¯s block got mowed down by a charging Scar-Face, Pete threw the ball high into the air, way out in front of Kenny.

    Kenny stretched his legs, pushing them to their limits as he ran as fast as he could under that ball, diving with outstretched arms, bouncing and sliding across the grass into the endzone.

    He made the catch, gripping the ball tight as he turned over onto his back and held it aloft.

    The second extra-point attempt of the game was also good, and the score was now 17¨C0; the Titans continued to pull away.

    The Coyotes changed up their offensive game plan, though they were still more focused on beating their opponents down rather than threatening the scoreboard.

    Now they were aiming to do that by wearing down the Titans¡¯ Lineman with repeated runs, smashing into them like a battering ram.

    But the Titans wouldn¡¯t crumble or fold easily, and their line held up under all of the abuse.

    Ghost and Villain got a lot more energised with their efforts to hold Kenny back, and while they gave up more fouls¡ªno longer trying to hide their dirty play¡ªthe Coyotes defence did succeed in at least slowing the Titans down, and for the rest of that half they only gave up one more field goal.

    The Titans jogged into their locker room for the halftime break with their heads held high, and applause showering down on them. The score read 20¨C0, and the home team seemed well on their way to a comfortable victory.

    During the break, Kenny, Freddy, and all of the Linemen received some light massages from the coaches and trainers as they were the ones most banged up by the Coyotes'' dirty and rough play¡ªthough everyone was worse for wear than when the game had started.

    ¡®I am so proud of ALL of you for what you¡¯ve done out there in that first half,¡¯ Coach Otsen said. ¡®The way you¡¯ve banded together, like brothers to fight back and push through this bullshit, it¡¯s incredible, and you¡¯re all winners in my book already. So, that¡¯s why I want to remind you, that you don¡¯t need to push yourself beyond your breaking point. The last thing I want is for any of you to get injured out there.¡¯ He looked around at every player.

    Each boy took his words to heart, but that didn¡¯t put a damper on the fire in their eyes, they were going to play this game out no matter what.

    Coach Otsen took a deep breath. ¡®Alright, get your legs and breath back. There¡¯s still another half to go. I¡¯m just gonna step out and go talk to the officials.¡¯

    Kenny looked around the room. His eyes fell upon Freddy, and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. All of this had started because the replacement had gotten hit so hard, and that tough, scrawny nerd had gotten back up without complaining at all.

    ¡°I really was wrong about him¡­ we all were,¡± Kenny thought.

    Coach Otsen met with the head official back out on the field.

    ¡®Look, Roger,¡¯ the official said, ¡®I¡¯ve had a talk with Coach Kelly. We¡¯re going to be a lot more strict on what constitutes targeting in the second half, and I warned him that if the constant fouling continues I¡¯ll start throwing out more players, and even this whole game if it gets bad enough.¡¯

    Coach Otsen nodded. ¡®I don¡¯t care if it ends in a draw or a no contest or whatever, I only want to look out for my players.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, you and me both. No one wants to see any of these kids get injured. Let¡¯s just get back out there and have a good, clean game in the second half.¡¯

    The Titans emerged for the 2nd half, just as fired up as they had been when they came off the field. The crowd showered them with cheers once more, and then boos poured out when the Coyotes crept back out onto the field.

    The Titans¡¯ kickoff to start the 2nd half, ended just like every other one had in the previous half¡ªwith a touchback.

    The Coyotes¡¯ offence skulked onto the field once more, a deathly calm over each and every player.

    The Titans focused up as well and the crowd went silent as they anticipated the first play of this new half, and what changes may come with it.

    ¡®Snap!¡¯ Players swarmed across the field. Spider handed the ball off to the RB. No! It was a fake, Spider still had the ball firmly in his grasp.

    Pete¡¯s eyes darted to Tank, the big TE rushed across the field like a freight train in the route of a shallow cross, cutting across the middle of the field only a few yards beyond the line of scrimmage. Pete gave chase.

    Kenny matched his man closely, shifting to the side and sliding across towards the middle of the field as he tried to keep the mousy Receiver in front of him. He was totally blindsided as another Receiver and his own teammate came crashing into him.

    As Kenny crashed to the floor under the two other bodies, his man was free to rush down the sideline.

    Only when Spider unleashed his catapult did Lonnie realise he had fucked up. Another Receiver had streaked across his face and drawn him away to the opposite side of the field from where the pass was headed.

    No one was there to stop it.

    Kenny¡¯s man easily caught the pass¡ªthere wasn¡¯t a Titans¡¯ player within 20 yards of him¡ªand strolled in for a touchdown.

 Chapter 39: The Real Fight Begins

    The Coyotes had no trouble with their extra point, and with that, the game was 20¨C7.

    Coach Otsen called the team over for a quick huddle before they received the kickoff.

    ¡®Alright, boys, that¡¯s my mistake; I shouldn¡¯t have let you get complacent and expect them to do the same thing over and over. But don¡¯t lose heart. They caught us off balance out there, but it¡¯s fine, we¡¯ve still got the lead, and it¡¯s our ball now, let¡¯s get those points right back!¡¯

    The players nodded, looking around at each other for reassurance. ¡°It was just a fluke,¡± they thought. ¡°We¡¯re still in control. We¡¯re still the better team.¡±

    They headed back out onto the field to set up for their kick return. Kenny was once again the lone returner standing just on the cusp of his own endzone.

    The kick trailed to the left side of the field, but Kenny tracked it down and caught it comfortably before rushing ahead.

    His gait was cautious, not going full speed as he was weary of having his facemask torn down, or being tripped up ¡­ but no such foul play occurred and due to his fearful running, he was rounded up by multiple Coyotes and brought down at the 21-yard line.

    Kenny was shaking his head while he got helped up, confused and trying to understand what the Coyotes were up to.

    ¡®My bad, guys. I¡¯ll do better next time,¡¯ Kenny said.

    But his teammates told him not to worry about it as they brushed off any grass that clung to his uniform.

    The Titans took up their positions and prepared their offence. Again, Kenny was staring down his Ghost and Villain duo. He didn¡¯t like the confident, sneering looks they both had on their faces.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯ Kenny pushed forward, ready to fend off all kinds of bumps, jersey tugging, and hands pushing at his face and helmet ¡­ but again, none of that came. The two Coyotes¡¯ defenders were guarding him closely and roughly, but there was nothing illegal about what they were doing.

    Pete faked a handoff to Isaac at the beginning of the play, but as his eyes scanned the field, he found no target that was open.

    In the end, he tossed the ball well over Kenny¡¯s head, so that no defender would be able to intercept it, but to also avoid a sack from the incoming Scar-Face.

    The Titans returned to their huddle, annoyed murmurs spreading around the circle.

    ¡®What are these fuckers playing at all of a sudden?¡¯ Kenny said.

    Coach Otsen ordered the next play, and the boys moved on before the discussion could develop much further than that, though they were all left with questions that they had to try to answer themselves as they once again lined up opposite the Coyotes.

    The ball was snapped again, and this time Pete gave the ball over to Isaac who charged ahead, right past the left flank of the Center. He barreled through the Defensive Line for a short gain of 4 yards.

    Again, there hadn¡¯t been any foul play from the Coyotes.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯ The next play, Kenny was once again tightly covered and couldn¡¯t break away from the double team. Pete fired the ball towards Lonnie, using Lonnie¡¯s extra height to their advantage, he made the catch and outstretched his arms, just getting the ball past the first down marker before he hit the ground.

    The drive continued, but it was slow going for the Titans. The Coyotes continued to play tight, hard defence, but not once did they commit a foul, and no yellow flag touched the grass.

    The Titans quickly floundered under this new form of defence, and without the aid of penalties, they couldn¡¯t even make it past the halfway mark before being forced to punt the ball away.

    Under orders from Coach Otsen, they punted the ball directly out of bounds around the Coyotes¡¯ 30-yard line, with the Line Judge marking it out at the 32-yard line specifically.

    But in doing so, the Titans bought themselves a little bit of reprieve, not having to chase down the kick or fight through blocks or lay a tackle.

    Just after the Coyotes¡¯ offence marched out onto the field and got into formation, a timeout was called by none other than Coach Otsen, who waved his players over.

    ¡®Listen up!¡¯ Coach Otsen said. ¡®Don¡¯t let them get into your head. I know you¡¯ve noticed it, but they¡¯re not playing dirty anymore are they? Well, they¡¯re at least not making it so obvious that even those blind zebras out there could see it.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯re switching up our defence,¡¯ a chilling, feminine voice said. Coach Carson, the Titans¡¯ DC, stepped forward in the huddle. Her angular face was held up by a short stocky neck. She had a thin, small mouth that rarely smiled. Kenny and the other boys knew her narrow, blue eyes were staring daggers from behind her thick shades. And though she was a petite woman¡ªsmaller than most of the players even¡ªshe still held a very commanding presence.

    ¡®Don¡¯t get caught up by any mind games or tricks. The reason they scored so easily last time, was because you were already expecting them to do what you wanted. That¡¯s when you lose!¡¯ She tightly clenched a fist in front of her face as she slowly spun around the circle, eying down each boy individually.

    ¡®Focus on yourselves, not what you THINK they¡¯ll do. Stick to the game plan, remember what we practiced, and play your hardest. That¡¯s the only way you¡¯ll win.¡¯

    Coach Otsen had a long rectangular whiteboard in hand, scribbling down the diagram of the scheme and formation they would use when the game resumed.

    They¡¯d be switching from their combo coverage to a full zone.

    Lonnie would cover the deep middle of the field like usual, and Pete would be underneath that, covering everything across the middle up to around 10 yards past the line of scrimmage. Working alongside him would be one of the heavier players on the team who was usually a part of the Offensive and Defensive Lines, Vincent. Isaac would cover everything underneath to the right side, with Nick watching deep down the right sideline. The 4 other big boys up front would focus on blitzing the QB, while Freddy was deep on the left side as a safety valve.

    As the huddle broke apart and everyone went to make their way back onto the field, Kenny was pulled aside by Coach Carson.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡®Ken, my boy,¡¯ she said, ¡®I¡¯ve got a special assignment for you. If the Receiver lined up in front of you goes deep, you follow him, if he cuts inside, you follow him, if he curls or goes short to the outside, you follow him. BUT!¡¯ She tightened her grip on his arm. ¡®And this is very important, no matter what that man does, if someone else sneaks in behind him to the flat out on the left, you have to leave him and move down to cover the flat.¡¯

    Kenny knew that by ¡°flat¡± she meant the area directly to the left of the line of scrimmage, all the way towards the sideline. But if he dropped down to cover that area and someone else went deep down the sideline¡­

    Coach Carson could see the worry on his face, she tugged on his arm to focus his attention on her again. ¡®Trust in Freddy. If anything does go deep, he can cover it.¡¯

    Kenny swallowed his doubts and nodded silently. She let him go and he turned away, hurrying out onto the field and into position.

    ¡®Remind those bastards why they had to cheat in the first place!¡¯ Coach Otsen yelled out.

    The Titans settled into their positions, shaking with anticipation, they couldn¡¯t let the Coyotes score again.

    ¡®Snap!¡¯ Spider had the ball. He faked a handoff. His eyes jumped about the field rapidly before he flung the ball to his favourite target; Tank was streaking down the right sideline, but Nick was in perfect position.

    Tank and Nick had to swap roles for a moment. Nick went for the interception so it was Tank who had to play defence and disrupt the pass in the end, hitting Nick hard and jarring the ball out of his grasp before he could complete the catch.

    At least it was an incompletion. The Titans players rallied around Nick, helping him back up, and shoving a laughing Tank out of the way. Nick was alright, only a little sore.

    Spider takes the next snap, and AGAIN he fakes a handoff to their bullish RB. This time the pass was directed towards the left side of the field, a short route underneath, though Kenny flew away from his original assignment and managed to make the tackle, though the Coyotes gained 7 yards.

    They set up again, and this time two Receivers were lined up on the left side, so Pete had moved over to at least give the illusion that he would try manning one before he would sprint back to his actual zone once the ball was snapped.

    ¡®SNAP!¡¯ Kenny jumped back, and Pete burst towards the middle of the field. Tank charged directly ahead, heading straight for the goalposts within the endzone.

    As Kenny¡¯s man led him towards the middle, he saw from the corner of his eye the second Receiver coming to blindside him again. He spun away from the collision as best he could, still getting tangled up a bit.

    ¡®REF! That¡¯s a pick play! They¡¯re cheating!¡¯ Jackson screamed from the stands, though to no avail¡ªno flag was thrown.

    Kenny was still on his feet, but he was a step behind the Coyotes¡¯ Receiver that was sprinting down his sideline, and, there was still the one underneath to worry about.

    He hesitated, and that only widened the gap between him and the Receiver ahead of him.

    Spider launched his catapult again, the ball arching high through the sky towards the left side of the field, going DEEP.

    Kenny wouldn¡¯t be able to make it in time, but he hoped the Receiver wouldn¡¯t either.

    The Receiver outstretched his arms, legs pumping furiously, he was almost there, he could catch it if he just stretched a bit more¡­

    Freddy flew in from the side and punched the ball out of the air, sending it flying safely into the crowd as he and the Receiver crashed into one another.

    The spectators roared, even without the bleachers being full it sounded like a whole stadium cheering Freddy on. The rest of the Titans gathered around him, helping him up and smacking him on the back proudly. He¡¯d definitely saved their asses just then.

    The Coyotes were forced to punt, and this time when Kenny called for the fair catch, he was actually allowed to catch it without getting speared illegally.

    The Titans took over once again, and they were resolved to continue putting pressure on the scoreboard. ¡°We¡¯re still the better team,¡± they reminded themselves.

    Isaac had the honour of being the workhorse for this drive. He was fearless as he dove forward and powered through the opposing lines, chugging ahead for small but consistent gains; he would keep the chains moving whenever the Receivers were failing to get past the Coyotes¡¯ tight coverage.

    Though Kenny and Lonnie couldn¡¯t be held back forever, and both would get small catches here and there to help out where they could.

    But once the field got smaller, and the defence had to defend less area as the distance to the endzone shrunk and shrunk, the Titans found it harder to keep the ball moving, and despite their best efforts, they ran out of steam and couldn¡¯t punch through the last line of defence.

    They had to settle for a field goal.

    Points were points though, so it wasn¡¯t a total loss. And if this was successful, and the score was pushed out to 23¨C7, that would mean the Coyotes would need 2 touchdowns both with 2-point conversions after them JUST to tie. A much tougher ask than the simple 1-point kick attempt that was usually made after a touchdown.

    They lined up for the kick, Nick was ready, he was reliable from this close of a range, and he was confident he could send it through the uprights.

    The ball was snapped, Pete caught it securely and set it down perfectly for Nick, but the line of blockers crumbled. A quick, unseen tug on a jersey had opened up a gap wide enough for one Coyote to slip through.

    Nick swung his boot and it connected solidly against the ball, but before it could fly further than even a yard, it was smothered by the flying Coyote who blocked it into the ground and took Nick out in the process.

    Pete scrambled after the loose ball, and it was all he could do to dive on it and cover it up to make sure no Coyotes¡¯ player could run it all the way back for a touchdown.

    The Titans¡¯ coaches could see the morale draining out of their players in real-time, and though they tried their best to keep their spirits up, not being able to sit down for a break wasn¡¯t helping.

    The players had to stay out there as they transitioned back to defence and would have to instantly put their failure to score behind them if they were to have any hope of stopping the charge of the Coyotes.

    Coach Otsen thought about calling another timeout, but decided against it¡ªhe¡¯d already used 1 of his 3 for this half, and he felt like he¡¯d need the last 2 later.

    From the very first play of this new Coyotes¡¯ drive, things weren¡¯t looking good for the Titans. They¡¯d lost a step. No one knew if it was because they¡¯d lost hope, had been worn down by the harsh conditions of the game, or a mixture of both.

    The Coyotes were walking all over them. Tank could only be brought down by 2 or 3 tacklers taking him on at once. The zone defenders couldn¡¯t keep up with Receivers and could barely hold them to short gains, and each time the Coyotes ran the ball they picked up at least 5 yards.

    They were already past half field when time thankfully ran out in the 3rd quarter and the Titans could finally catch their breath again.

    The Titans piled onto their bench, panting hard and guzzling down sports drinks as they rested their aching muscles.

    ¡®Keep your heads up,¡¯ Coach Knight said as he walked along the bench.

    Each boy who had been hanging his head, reluctantly lifted it up, their pain and tiredness clear on their sweat-coated faces.

    Coach Otsen looked them all over and his mouth set into a deep frown. ¡®What¡¯s with those looks? Is this not what I¡¯ve prepared for you? Are my training sessions not good enough for you?!¡¯

    ¡®No, sir!¡¯ was the tired response.

    Kenny shook his head, gritting his teeth. ¡®This is nothing, Coach! I could do this all day.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s more like it!¡¯ Coach Otsen said. ¡®I know you can do it, so don¡¯t give me any lame excuses. You¡¯ve still got a lot more left to give, and I won¡¯t be satisfied unless you leave it ALL out there on the field today. There¡¯s only one more quarter to go, just ONE. It¡¯s the last fucking stretch. I know you can hold out. Just 15 more minutes, that¡¯s all I¡¯m asking for, and then you can go home and sleep for an entire day for all I care. You¡¯ve come this far, just hold on for 15 minutes.¡¯

    The whistle blew for the final quarter to start, and every Titans player turned their eyes to the scoreboard.

    20¨C7.

    They were up by 2 scores still, and they only had to hold out for 15 minutes. That¡¯s all, just 15 minutes.

 Chapter 40: 15 Minutes

    The Titans march back onto the field. They had to make a stand, and they had to make it now.

    The Coyotes came to the centre of the field, their heads held higher, shoulders pushed further back.

    Kenny shifted uneasily and cast his eyes around the rest of his teammates¡ªsome of them looked like ghouls out there.

    ¡®SNAP!¡¯ Spider slingshotted a pass to Tank, short and quick. Pete tried to dive low and take out his legs, but Tank just bulldozed right over him and kept on running before more defenders collapsed in on him and finally dragged him down.

    The Titans realised it was going to be a LONG 15 minutes.

    Each time anyone had to hit Tank to try and tackle him, they¡¯d grow sorer, and recover slower.

    They tried to hold out for as long as they could, and while it wasn¡¯t exactly fast, the Coyotes did break them down. Eventually, an unstoppable Tank ran through the endzone, dragging broken bodies along behind him.

    The Coyotes bench and their small section of fans cheered boisterously, and each player on the field rallied around Tank. Spider sneered at each Titans player he passed by on his way back to the bench.

    There was no spirit behind the Titans¡¯ efforts to disrupt the extra point attempt, and the kick perfectly split the middle of the uprights.

    The gap was closing, with the score now reading 20¨C14. The Coyotes only needed one more touchdown and a successful extra point to take the lead.

    Kenny received the kickoff again, and this time he pushed aside all his worries about foul play and ran as hard as his tired legs could carry him.

    He weaved his way to the 35-yard line before he was shoved out of bounds and into the waiting arms of Coach Vasquez on the bench.

    ¡®Maximum run, Ken! Great job!¡¯ Coach Vasquez thumped Kenny on the back numerous times before sending him back out onto the field.

    The Titans took their time getting set up in their formation. There would be a slight change in the game plan now¡ªthey would be expected to run out the clock as much as they could. Even though there was still so much time left, any extra amount that they could use up was a benefit and brought them that little bit closer to victory.

    That meant Isaac started off this drive, barrelling ahead fearlessly with a brave, tough run up the middle. Though it only got a few yards this time; his legs were losing strength.

    In the coming plays, Kenny fought off his double team as best he could, gritting his teeth as he batted aside groping hands and slipped away from their pressure.

    It was hard to find room just to breathe against Ghost and Villain, but he wouldn¡¯t give in. ¡°This is nothing. You¡¯ve faced tougher battles,¡± Kenny reminded himself. He wasn¡¯t drowning yet.

    He caught another pass¡ªa quick slant breaking away from the double team before they could surround him. The play ended with him getting a first down once he was brought to the turf.

    Again, they tried running, and while Isaac wasn¡¯t making much progress, he was at least drawing time off the clock.

    They kept the short passes up, Lonnie¡¯s big body getting involved with quick catches over the middle as well, but around half field, they¡¯d fall short and have to punt the ball away again.

    This time, the call was for them to keep it in bounds, and chase down the returner fiercely. So that while they might expend some energy doing so, the clock could be drained further as well.

    ¡®Don¡¯t give him any time to breathe!¡¯ Coach Otsen had shouted at them. And the Titans didn¡¯t intend to let him down.

    Villain was the one waiting to return the punt for the Coyotes. The ball was booted high, and while he was waiting underneath it, just before the moment he had to catch it, he signalled for a fair catch, then caught the ball cleanly on his chest.

    Villain grinned as Pete got up in his face. ¡®You fucking scared, puta?¡¯ Pete said.

    Villain laughed and shoved past Pete, and Kenny came over to drag Pete back to the huddle so they could prepare for another defence.

    The Coyotes began moving down the field with a couple of quick first downs one after the other. It looked like the worn-down Titans would still be unable to stop them¡ªthe game was slipping from their grasp.

    Pete wouldn¡¯t stand for it, there was no way he¡¯d lose to these smug bastards. The next pass was another quick one over the middle for Tank, right in Pete¡¯s area.

    Pete launched himself with all his might, and like a cannonball, he crashed into Tank¡¯s chest, shoulder first, just as the big TE was going for the catch.

    The indomitable Tank was sent crashing to the floor, and the ball had bounced off his hands to the ground for an incompletion.

    Pete¡¯s teammates rallied around him, smacking him on the back and helmet as he stood over Tank.

    ¡®Stay down, basura,¡¯ Pete said before stepping over Tank and walking away.

    Tank was eventually helped up by a couple of his teammates. He glared death beams at the back of Pete¡¯s head the whole time he slunk back to his own huddle.

    On the next play, Pete was lining Tank up again, and it sure as hell looked like Tank was ready to smash straight through the smaller boy. He was grunting and huffing like a raging bull preparing to gore someone.

    ¡®Snap!¡¯ Spider dropped back to pass, Tank burst forward and Pete rushed to meet him. Then Spider slipped the ball to the RB instead, who ran ahead into the open lane Pete left behind.

    Vincent scrambled to stop the RB, and did, though not after the Coyotes had gained 9 yards.

    This brought about a crucial third down. The Coyotes only needed one more yard to refresh their downs and continue the drive, and the Titans just needed one more stop before the Coyotes would have to punt the ball back to them.

    Pete apologised for getting too focused on Tank and moving out of line. ¡®I¡¯ll make it up to you, amigos. Promise,¡¯ he said. He wouldn¡¯t let them get another run like that.

    He lined up in position again. Edging closer to the line of scrimmage. The Coyotes only needed 1 yard¡ªsurely they¡¯d run it again.

    Lonnie watched Pete creeping closer to the ball. He knew what Pete was thinking, they were all thinking the same thing.

    The ball was snapped, Spider took it and turned, going to hand it off to the RB again. Pete sprang forward, he had to react to get there quickly and stop them from getting even a single yard.

    But when Spider and the RB crossed by one another, Spider came out on the other side with the ball still in his hands. He turned back to face down the field, a grin splayed across his face.

    Pete froze in his tracks, but it was too late for him to recover. Tank had slipped into the gap behind Pete, right where Pete SHOULD¡¯VE been.

    Spider launched the ball. Tank twisted around to make the catch. Before the ball could meet his hands, he saw, from the corner of his eye, a long, thin arm stretch in front of his face and smack the ball out of the air, knocking it to the ground.

    Lonnie had rushed forward to cover for Pete, and made it in time to deflect the pass. It was 4th down, and Coach Kelly had a choice to make on behalf of the Coyotes.

    He aired on the side of caution, deciding to trust in his defence to get another stop. So he elected to punt the ball away rather than try to get that single yard again on 4th down.

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    After that, the game became a slog. Back and forth, neither team¡¯s offence could get much going before they¡¯d be forced to punt.

    It was a heavily contested, defensive battle, and as time dwindled, the score hadn¡¯t changed. When the two-minute warning occurred, and the teams were given a short break to ready themselves for the last push, the Coyotes had the ball within their own territory.

    ¡®Two minutes! You¡¯ve made it so far boys, two minutes. One stop. That¡¯s all you need. Stop those bastards one more time and you¡¯re winners. That¡¯s how close we are!¡¯ Coach Otsen fired the boys up one last time before sending them back out there.

    One more stop. It was a whole lot more manageable than the 15 minute speech from the 3rd quarter break. It filled Kenny with a lot of hope, and he was sure the others would feel that fire burning inside them too.

    He didn¡¯t know what the Coyotes¡¯ coaches had told their players during that minute of rest, but they all looked fired up too. After all, the entire game came down to here and now. The last, near hour that had come before was meaningless, the game would be decided with this drive alone.

    Kenny got in position, fists clenched so tight he thought he might rip through his gloves.

    ¡®SNAP!¡¯

    It was another run.

    The RB smashed through an attempted tackle and charged ahead for 7 yards. The Coyotes hurried into formation again, forgoing their huddle.

    ¡®Snap!¡¯ Spider screeched again and again as the Coyotes brute forced their way down the field, drawing ever closer and closer to the endzone, and to victory.

    The Titans were pushed back towards defeat, their endzone feeling like the edge of a cliff they were being herded towards, doom awaiting them on the jagged rocks and icy waters below.

    Kenny stuck to his man like glue, he was happy to give up things underneath in the flat, short gains like that were manageable ¡­ but, the rest of the team wasn¡¯t holding up so well.

    Tank could only be brought down with 3 people now, and even the Coyotes¡¯ RB was breaking through more tackles, in fact, all of them were harder to bring down¡­ the Titans were out of steam and unfortunately, the Coyotes weren¡¯t out of time just yet.

    They kept pushing forward, an unstoppable force as the Titans¡¯ feet skidded off the rocks, almost slipping over that cliff¡¯s edge. Though they were only bending, they hadn¡¯t broken yet.

    The Coyotes drained their timeouts as the clock ran down, under a minute, then under 30 seconds. Each time the Titans could catch their breath on the bench, Coach Otsen didn¡¯t have much to say. It was eerie, and more frightening than when he would scream at them.

    ¡®I¡¯ve done all I can,¡¯ he would say. ¡®It¡¯s up to you now.¡¯

    Kenny wasn¡¯t sure they¡¯d have the legs to do it. His heart wanted to win, wanted it more than anything, but could their bodies hold out for one or two more plays?

    The Coyotes made it into the redzone. Kenny had given up a short pass to the outside, shoving the Receiver out of bounds at the 14-yard line, with only nine seconds left, though that stopped the clock.

    The Coyotes set up for what could be their final play.

    Kenny¡¯s heart pounded within his head, it felt and sounded like his brain was throbbing and beating against the inside of his skull.

    In the stands, Jackson held his breath, his sister and mom praying for a Titans victory.

    Spider let the play clock run until there was just one second left before he snapped the ball.

    Kenny¡¯s man feinted to the inside before cutting out towards the sideline. Kenny stuck to him tightly.

    The RB stayed in the backfield, providing extra blocking and protection should Spider need it.

    Other Receivers ran deep routes, clearing out the right side of the field, drawing Nick and Lonnie¡¯s attention and focus to that side of the endzone.

    And Tank, of course, the true target was Tank, screamed across the middle of the field towards the opposite corner.

    Spider flung the ball up high.

    Tank would still be a few yards out from a touchdown when he caught it, and Pete was there to maybe even stop the catch from happening at all!

    Pete ran forward to meet Tank, his teeth crushed down on his mouthguard as he leapt up. Tank leapt higher, his arms were taller; the ball was in a spot only he could reach.

    But Pete could still stop him. It wouldn¡¯t be a touchdown just because Tank caught it.

    And catch it Tank did. His hands wrapped securely around the ball, and then Pete¡¯s arms wrapped around HIM.

    Pete sunk to the ground, trying to pull Tank down with him. His arms cried out in pain as he tried to move that massive mound of muscle.

    Tank stumbled forward but kept his feet. He put his massive hand against Pete¡¯s helmet and shoved the smaller boy into the dirt.

    Pete¡¯s arms slipped away from Tank, and Tank charged forward unrestrained ¡­ only one thing stood between him and victory ¡­

    Freddy.

    Freddy was shaking as Tank rolled towards the endzone, ready to crush anything in his path. But Freddy had no time to hesitate, no time to think, he could only move.

    His instincts went against everything that was natural, as he rushed towards the dangerous brute instead of away from it. He was the only one who could bring him down now, Freddy was the only thing that could stop the Titans from losing this game.

    He threw himself at Tank, latching onto him however and wherever he could. The wind was knocked out of Freddy instantly, but he didn¡¯t let go. He was almost knocked completely aside, but he still clung to Tank¡¯s back, desperately hanging on.

    But Tank wasn¡¯t stopping. He wasn¡¯t stopping, Freddy couldn¡¯t bring him down. Tank was so close. He was going to score. The Titans were going to lose!

    Freddy tried to dig his cleats into the ground, but even that did nothing. Then¡­ there was only one thing he could think to do, and anything was better than giving up and admitting defeat.

    His hand latched onto the back of Tank¡¯s collar. Again, Freddy pulled as hard as he could. Harder than he¡¯d ever tried to do anything ever before in his life.

    Tank halted, and his head lurched back before it was catapulted sideways and he tumbled over, slamming helmet first into the ground, less than a yard short of the endzone.

    The clock had already hit zero during the play, and the ball had been kept out of the endzone! The game was over. The Titans had won!

    Of course, that¡¯s what Freddy hoped, but as he got up, he saw the yellow flags flying. It was to be expected, there¡¯s no way a foul like that could¡¯ve gone unnoticed.

    But what did that mean? The game was over, there was no time left. Would they just award the Coyotes the touchdown and the win because of his foul anyway? Had he cost them the game?

    The Titans helped Freddy up, and shielded him from a raging Tank, who looked ready to kill the small, gangly boy.

    ¡®Come here! Imma snap you like the twig you are!¡¯ Tank screamed, his own team struggling to hold him back.

    Whistles blew and officials got between the two teams to break things apart and make sure no fights got started, while they got things under control.

    Almost everyone in the stands and on the field was still confused about what this all meant for the result of the game.

    The head official stood away from the chaos and addressed both the audience, as well as the coaches¡ªof whom Coach Otsen and Coach Kelly had come onto the field to figure out what would happen next.

    ¡®First, let me get the penalty out of the way,¡¯ the official said. ¡®Personal Foul on the defence, number 00, Horse-Collar tackle. Half the distance to the goalline, added onto the end of the play. As this foul occurred after time expired, the offence will be given one more play.¡¯

    Coach Otsen made no protest. He turned his attention towards his players. ¡®Hey! Look alive! One more stop, this is it! Get ready! Play like your lives depend on it!¡¯

    Coach Kelly stormed back to the sideline, whistling and shouting out orders.

    Most of the Receivers for the Coyotes quickly rushed back to the bench, leaving just one out there that Kenny covered all on his lonesome way out on the far side of the field.

    Tank moved from his usual TE position, and instead went into the backfield behind even the usual HB, who was now lined up as a FB.

    ¡®Goalline! EVERYBODY! Pack in and stop them!¡¯ Coach Carson ordered, pacing manically along the sideline. The Titans'' defence moved in closer, making their trench in the grass right where the endzone was.

    The ball was planted only inches away from the endzone. The Titans would have to stop them from moving even an inch forward if they wanted to hold them out. It¡¯d require everyone to hold them back, and Kenny could only sit on the outside and watch with bated breath.

    ¡®SNAP!¡¯ Spider screamed.

    Both sides roared and slammed together. Two walls of flesh collided against each other like the greatest sumo match ever seen as they pushed with all their might.

    Lonnie raised up over the top, making sure Spider himself couldn¡¯t try to leap over and into the endzone with the ball, but the QB had no intention of doing so.

    The Coyotes¡¯ HB ran forward, slamming into the wall and trying to push open a hole, as Tank was handed the ball. Tank charged ahead right behind his teammate and rammed into whatever was in his path without care.

    Pete skidded back, along with the rest of the Titans as they tried to hold the Coyotes back. His heart dropped. ¡®P-Push!¡¯ he desperately cried.

    Freddy ran to support his teammates, crying out at the top of his lungs as he added his might to the hellacious, team effort of trying to hold Tank and the Coyotes back.

    The two sides of the war were locked in stalemate for what felt like minutes before the meaty scrum started to collapse in on itself.

    Whistles blew furiously as the officials ran in, waving their hands about frantically. Still, no one gave up or stopped their struggle to hold their ground and push forward, even as they piled on top of each other.

    Tank was buried somewhere inside, and the ball had vanished under the pile along with him.

    Officials pulled bodies off the pile to get to the bottom of it. Kenny ran over to see for himself.

    Eventually, the final body was pulled from the pile, and there was the ball. Tank still held it tightly, his arms outstretched. Though three hands from the opposite direction were planted against the ball, holding it back.

    Pete, Vincent, and Freddy all had their hands outstretched, pushing the ball away, and keeping it out of the endzone by only a couple of blades of grass.

    The officials blew their whistles again and waved the game off. There was no touchdown.

    ¡®This game is over. Titans win!¡¯ they announced, and the silent crowd erupted.

 Chapter 41: A Threatening Promise

    Kenny ran over and helped Pete up, hugging him tightly. ¡®Haha! You did it! Fuck those cheating bastards, we won!¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®Hahaha. I spit on those cheating shitstains. No way we were gonna lose to them,¡¯ Pete said.

    Vincent squashed the both of them against his massive gut in a double bear hug. ¡®Aww yeah! Winning feels way too good.¡¯

    The reaction from the coaches on the sideline was a lot more muted for the most part, aside from Coach Vasquez who was screaming madly and jumping around like they¡¯d just won a championship.

    The other coaches simply shook each other''s hands and gave each other hugs as they shared praises back and forth.

    Freddy was still lying on the ground, clutching onto the ball, eyes staring at it as he held it not even an inch away from the endzone.

    Jackson was so elated that he almost hurt himself again bursting out of his seat as the Titans¡¯ victory was announced.

    Lonnie eventually helped Freddy back up onto his feet, the smaller boy still holding onto the ball, hugging it to his chest now.

    ¡®Heyy¡­ you did pretty good¡­ for an imposter¡­ you¡¯re not that bad¡­ Freddy.¡¯ Lonnie slapped him on the back.

    Freddy stared ahead blankly, not yet coming to grips with their win and the major part he had played in it.

    Eventually, the Titans made their way off the field, their euphoria slowly wearing off as they glanced over to their defeated opponents. The Coyotes were fuming.

    Coach Kelly made his way over to the Titans¡¯ bench and cleared his throat as he stood in front of the coaching team.

    Coach Knight stepped up to him first, staring down at him silently.

    ¡®I just wanted to congratulate you all on your win today. Your boys played with all their heart and left it all out there on the field. They were the better team today, they deserved it,¡¯ Coach Kelly said before offering his hand.

    Coach Knight took it and shook it firmly.

    Coach Vasquez stepped up. ¡®That game was maximum amazing, thank you so much!¡¯ He shook Coach Kelly¡¯s hand rapidly.

    Coach Carson shook his hand without saying anything, like Coach Knight before her. Then when Coach Otsen stepped forward to shake hands, the two men held onto each other for a little while longer than any handshake before them.

    Coach Otsen grinned. ¡®Yes, it was a dramatic and interesting game. I can¡¯t wait until our teams meet again later in the season ¡­ but as for the next game tonight.¡¯ He looked behind him to the varsity players who stared back with dark glares.

    Coach Otsen smiled and squeezed Coach Kelly¡¯s hand firmly. ¡®It won¡¯t be close.¡¯

    A cold bead of sweat ran down Coach Kelly¡¯s temple and with great effort, he yanked his hand away from Coach Otsen¡¯s grip. ¡®Hah¡­ r-right, well, we¡¯ll just have to wait and see.¡¯

    He retreated back to his own bench, rubbing his hand gingerly. No other coach from the Coyotes came over to offer their hand.

    The teams didn¡¯t line up to shake hands either, with the tensions between each side still high. The Titans players jeered any of the Coyotes that left and went home.

    ¡®Yeah, keep walking ?puta!¡¯ Pete flipped them off as they walked by.

    ¡®Hey! Jerk-offs.¡¯ Kenny peeled his jersey off and tossed it at Ghost and Villain. ¡®Thought you might want that, you were pulling on it so much!¡¯

    They snarled but didn¡¯t say anything back, only stomping on his jersey and kicking it away.

    ¡®Hey! Knock it off!¡¯ A stern glare from both Coach Otsen and Knight silenced the taunting Titans and got them to sit back down.

    The snarling Coyotes glared angrily but mostly held their tongues as they stalked off to the parking lot.

    Spider was the only one to speak up. ¡®Just wait. When you come to our backyard, you WON¡¯T be lucky enough to leave in one piece. He stared down the Titans coldly, not even baulking when Coach Knight got between him and sternly frowned down at him.

    Spider eventually wandered away, though his threat lingered long after he was gone.

    ¡®Go get in the locker room,¡¯ Coach Otsen barked, shoving the JV players off towards the room.

    They went without complaint, though the coaches stayed between them and any Coyotes that were in the way.

    Once in the locker room, Freddy sat down next to Kenny, he was still absentmindedly holding the game ball.

    Kenny looked Freddy over, and then stared down at the ground, slowly taking his cleats off. ¡°I guess I was wrong about him¡­ or maybe this was just a fluke. I wonder if he still wants to play after a beating like that.¡±

    Coach Otsen looked around the room, letting the boys revel in their victory as they celebrated together. His gaze came upon Freddy with the game ball, and he moved over to the boy.

    Freddy eventually glanced up at the coach once Coach Otsen had been standing in front of him for a while. He held out the ball, offering it up to him.

    Coach Otsen chuckled and shook his head. ¡®Listen up, boys.¡¯ He looked around the room. ¡®I don¡¯t think anyone here is more fitting to hold onto the game ball than young Frederick. Without him stepping up today and playing with the heart and courage of a true footballer, we wouldn¡¯t have won.¡¯

    The other boys clapped gently. Kenny ruffled Freddy¡¯s hair and said, ¡®Not bad for a nerd.¡¯

    Freddy blushed but smiled from ear to ear, hugging the ball again.

    ¡®Welcome to the team, Freddy,¡¯ Coach Otsen said.

    Not too long after, the JV boys had changed and made their way back out of the locker as the coaches shifted their attention to the varsity team and getting prepared for their upcoming game.

    When Kenny reemerged and took his front-row seat just behind the bench, Jackson perked up higher in the stands.

    ¡®Mom, I¡¯m just, I¡¯m gonna go say hi and sit with Kenny,¡¯ Jackson said, getting up out of his seat.

    His mom smiled and nodded. ¡®Alright, Jackie.¡¯

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    He carefully made his way down to the row of seats just behind the Titans¡¯ bench, sitting behind Kenny and leaning over to tap him on the shoulder. ¡®Hey.¡¯

    Kenny looked back and grinned. ¡®Yo, where you been?¡¯

    ¡®I was watching up there with my mom and sister.¡¯ Jackson gestured with a thumb over his shoulder.

    Kenny climbed over the chair and joined Jackson¡¯s row, sitting next to him. ¡®What did you think of the game?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, those umpires were the blindest I¡¯ve ever seen! Those fuckers were cheating on like, every play.¡¯

    ¡®Hah, tell me about it, and we still fucking beat them. Man, if you were playing, we would¡¯ve smashed them, no contest.¡¯

    Jackson chuckled nervously and looked away, shrugging his shoulders.

    ¡®S-Sorry,¡¯ Freddy¡¯s voice startled the boys and they looked ahead to the row of seats in front of them, Freddy was sitting backwards on his knees, facing them.

    He looked away, avoiding their gazes. ¡®Just, if it was you playing instead of me, I¡¯m sure it would¡¯ve been a lot easier for you guys to win. I bet¡­ you guys wouldn¡¯t have even lost one game yet if it was you playing instead of me.¡¯

    Jackson frowned. ¡®You¡¯re um, Freddy, yeah? Hey, don¡¯t be so hard on yourself. Like, if it weren¡¯t for you, the team couldn¡¯t have PLAYED any games.¡¯

    Kenny looked away, keeping quiet, it wasn¡¯t like he disagreed with Freddy.

    ¡®But I¡ª¡¯

    ¡®But nothing!¡¯ Jackson cut Freddy off. ¡®It¡¯s not like you took my spot. I CAN¡¯T play.¡¯ He tapped his cast loudly. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for you filling in for me, the others couldn¡¯t play at all, and hey, I was watching¡­ we would¡¯ve lost without you today.¡¯

    ¡®You¡­ th-thank you.¡¯ Freddy smiled. ¡®Y-You¡¯re um, Jackson¡­ right?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, and hey, keep your head up. What you did out there today, taking those hits and putting your body on the line for the win? You¡¯re more of a footballer than me¡­ hah, braver than me at least.¡¯

    Kenny frowned, his brow furrowing as he stared at Jackson, his confusion written over his face.

    ¡®What do you mean? Are you sitting out on purpose?¡¯ Kenny accused.

    ¡®What?!¡¯ Jackson jumped back a little. ¡®Uhh¡­ Oh! C-Coach Otsen, hey! Um, I mean, hello sir.¡¯ Jackson breathed a sigh of relief, Coach Otsen¡¯s arrival giving him a perfect excuse to avoid the question.

    Kenny was still frowning as Coach Otsen spoke to Jackson. ¡®Good to see you, Jackson. How¡¯s the leg?¡¯

    ¡®Err, it¡¯s getting better¡­¡¯

    ¡®You sticking around for the varsity game?¡¯ Coach Otsen asked each boy.

    ¡®Yep, yep.¡¯ Jackson nodded. Kenny was staying for it as well.

    ¡®Uhh, I-I should get going, actually¡­¡¯ Freddy muttered, getting up. ¡®Th-Thank you for the ball.¡¯ He bowed his head before squeezing past Coach Otsen and heading away.

    ¡®See you at practice, Frederick! And you two, try to study this game and take in some lessons for how the varsity teams play.¡¯

    ¡®W-Will do, Coach.¡¯ Jackson nodded.

    ¡®Yeah¡­ will do.¡¯ Kenny spoke quietly.

    Coach Otsen moved away again, leaving Jackson and Kenny alone with an awkward silence hanging over the two.

    ¡®So are you even hur¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Hi! You must be Kenny, right?¡¯ Jackson¡¯s mom interrupted, standing over the boys. ¡®I¡¯m Jackson¡¯s mom.¡¯ She smiled down at him.

    Kenny looked up at her. ¡®Oh! Y-Yeah uh, that¡¯s me. N-Nice to meet you, ma¡¯am.¡¯

    ¡®Are your parents here, Kenny?¡¯

    ¡®Oh uh, yeah just over¡­¡¯ He looked around before pointing them out in the stands. ¡®There.¡¯

    ¡®Ah, thank you. Heh, I¡¯m so glad Jackson has made a good friend, you did great today, congratulations on winning.¡¯ Jackson¡¯s mom said. ¡®It was nice meeting you.¡¯

    ¡®Oh yeah, no worries. Uh, s-see ya.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s mom leaned down and told him she would just be sitting with Kenny¡¯s parents now before she left the boys alone.

    Again a silence lingered between the boys. When Kenny went to eventually speak, Jackson cut him off.

    ¡®Look, let''s focus on the game and try to learn something, okay?¡¯

    ¡®Hmmm¡­¡¯ Kenny¡¯s jaw clenched firmly, but he slowly turned his attention away from Jackson and focused ahead on the field. ¡®Alright.¡¯

    If the JV Coyotes team was intimidating, then their varsity squad was downright monstrous. They were huge, even the smallest player was a jacked mountain of muscle that would¡¯ve stood at least 6 feet tall.

    They were led out by a bald man with wild, white eyes, and a stocky, thick neck. He looked like he should¡¯ve been a senior in COLLEGE instead of high school.

    Veins were bulging out along his arms, and as he made his way out to the centre of the field of the coin toss before the game, he headbutted his two other teammates¡ªhis teammates were wearing helmets, while he wasn¡¯t.

    He laughed boisterously and stood over both Wesley Walker¡ªthe Titans¡¯ varsity QB¡ªwho looked away with a disgusted face, like this rapid animal¡¯s breath stank nasty.

    When the rabid super senior tried the same intimidation tactic with Micky Redd¡ªthe RB¡ªMicky snarled up at him, not backing down.

    The Coyotes¡¯ captain laughed and grinned, showing that he was missing quite a few teeth. He stuck out a massive hand towards Micky. ¡®Let¡¯s have a good game. Yeah, boy?¡¯ he said.

    Before Micky could take the hand, Shane stepped forward and grabbed it instead. ¡®Yes. Let¡¯s.¡¯ Shane coldly stared down at the rival captain, a feat not many could do.

    The Coyotes¡¯ captain¡¯s eyes bulged out of his skull as his hand was crushed in Shane¡¯s grasp. His knees buckled and he shrunk before Shane until he was finally released, clutching at his hand and wincing.

    The Titans won the toss, and Shane spoke on behalf of the others that the Coyotes could receive the ball first.

    Shane silently strode off the field, and his teammates followed his back. The Coyotes glared at him as they slunk back to their bench, glowering with rage.

    The game was over not long after it began. From the opening kickoff, the Titans had thrown down the gauntlet and let their dominance and superiority be known when the Coyotes¡¯ returner fumbled after getting almost split in half from a tackle.

    Though the Coyotes did recover the fumble, it didn¡¯t help them one bit.

    On their first drive, they were stuffed three plays in a row on their opening drive and had to quickly punt the ball away.

    When the Titans were on offence, Baldy was the one who tried to cover Shane, and even while committing just about every foul in the book, there was nothing he could do to stop that determined Titan.

    Within minutes the first touchdown had been scored for the Titans, and the onslaught didn¡¯t stop until the final whistle blew.

    The final score was 52¨C0 in favour of the Titans. Shane had four receiving touchdowns, one fumble recovery for a touchdown, and over 200 receiving yards, fourteen tackles, and two sacks.

    Micky ran in the last two touchdowns, having close to 150 rushing yards on the day. Wesley was untouched in the pocket, with the Offensive Line putting up a dominant performance as well.

    The refs also cracked down on the fouling and were penalising the Coyotes much more harshly after the previous game had almost gotten out of hand.

    Both Kenny and Jackson were in awe of the performance, especially the display of receiving excellence that Shane put on. However, they weren¡¯t sure just how beneficial it would be for them to have seen such a game, seeing as his dominance was in large part due to his physical prowess and his size and strength advantage over the competition.

    ¡®Holy shit¡­ th-that was incredible. I¡¯ve never seen a game like that,¡¯ Jackson said.

    Kenny picked his jaw up off the floor. ¡®N-Not in person at least¡­ he¡¯s amazing.¡¯

    Jackson nodded along. ¡®B-But that¡¯s, I mean, you had to put up with a double team for most of the game, you still played awesome too.¡¯

    ¡®No way. Didn¡¯t you see him? Even when they doubled him it was like they weren¡¯t even on the same field as him. They could¡¯ve tripled him and he still would¡¯ve caught it.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, well, next time I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll handle a double team even better than today, so you¡¯ll be catching touchdowns left and right.¡¯

    Kenny laughed and stood up. It was late, and people were already spilling out of the stands and heading back home. He looked over to where his parents were sitting, though for once they didn¡¯t seem eager to head home, too caught up in their conversation with Jackson¡¯s mom.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know. That double team today¡­ it wasn¡¯t even that tough. I¡¯ve faced worse in middle school.¡¯

    Jackson blinked, standing up as well. ¡®Really? Did they triple-team you back then?¡¯

    Kenny shook his head, looking down. ¡®N-No that¡­ that was just one guy.¡¯ He took a deep, steady breath, though it felt all too shallow. He shuddered and closed his eyes.

    ¡®One guy was tougher than a double team¡­ e-even when those cheaters were pulling on your jersey and arms like crazy?¡¯

    ¡®I-I don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡¯ Kenny was panting harder, already feeling that it was hard to breathe. He pushed past Jackson. ¡®S-Sorry. I gotta get home, my parents don¡¯t like waiting¡­ I-I¡¯ll see you at school or practice.¡¯

    ¡®Y-Yeah¡­ see you later.¡¯ Jackson watched Kenny quickly hurry off. ¡°Who the hell did he face in middle school to make him act like that?¡±

 Chapter 42: An Uncomfortable Drive

    ¡®You ready to leave?¡¯ Ty carried his bag over his shoulder, leaning against the doorframe of his sisters¡¯ room.

    One half of the room was a mess of colour. Empty water and soda bottles spilt out from under the bed, empty packets of chips and candy were strewn about the place, with a bed that looked like it¡¯d been shaken around until the screws came loose, pillows and blankets scattered to the floor. Posters of pop stars and celebrities were plastered all over the wall as well.

    Meanwhile, the other half was perfectly neat, though the only colours that came from it were boring beiges, browns, and blacks. The walls were barren, and apart from the bed, the only other thing on that side was a small, simple desk.

    Megan sat on her made, brown bed. She looked up at Ty¡¯s words and smiled. ¡®Yep. I was waiting for you. It¡¯s not like I had to pack anything really.¡¯ She marked the page of the book she was reading¡ªPride and Prejudice¡ªand stood up.

    Ty turned and started down the narrow hallway of their home, not even looking back to make sure Meg was following, which she was.

    ¡®You sure you wanna come? You¡¯re gonna have to sit through a shitty JV game first,¡¯ he said. It was hardly past midday, and his game was scheduled for 5 pm, yet with who they were getting a ride from, they¡¯d need to be at the field much earlier.

    ¡®That¡¯s alright. I need to cheer you on, and, you¡¯ll be there with me ¡­ and I¡¯ll have my book too.¡¯ She was close behind him, still clutching her book as she followed him.

    As Ty reached for the front door, it opened suddenly, their father stepped in. He was obviously still a bit groggy from his previous night out, which he was only just returning home from.

    ¡®Where are you two going?¡¯ Their father still held onto the door, his body filling up much of the frame.

    ¡®Hi, Daddy,¡¯ Megan said.

    ¡®I¡¯ve got an away game,¡¯ Ty said. ¡®We¡¯re getting picked up. We¡¯ll be back tonight, don¡¯t worry.¡¯

    ¡®Hngh? You still playing football? Can¡¯t your mom take you?¡¯ Their father looked around the quiet home. ¡®Where is everyone?¡¯

    ¡®My coach is almost here, don¡¯t worry about it.¡¯

    ¡®Mama took the twins out for a playdate, earlier. Vicky is out with Shakira, and¡­ Devon is in his room, right?¡¯ Megan turned towards Ty, unsure about where their elder brother was.

    Ty grunted and confirmed her guess with a nod.

    Their father looked them over, his bloodshot eyes narrowed slightly. He looked around the entrance of the house again and then pushed past the siblings. ¡®House to myself, perfect.¡¯ His deep voice rumbled as he made his way straight to the fridge.

    Megan looked back, but Ty pressed forward and walked out.

    ¡®I love you, daddy.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, love ya too.¡¯ He half-heartedly waved to her, not even turning to face her and see her off before she left as well.

    Megan and Ty walked across the yard and stopped on the sidewalk in front of their home, waiting by the street for Coach Long to pick them up.

    Megan checked the time on her phone. Quarter past twelve; they¡¯d be here any minute now.

    As Ty waited, his mind drifted back to the DB blitzing drills they¡¯d done during training. More specifically, the only time anyone got a hand on Jay during it.

    ¡°How did that little shit get him?¡±

    He racked his brain, replaying the moment over and over. He closed his eyes to better visualise the sequence, but still, he couldn¡¯t pick up on what had made Rabbit¡¯s efforts any different to everyone else¡¯s.

    The ferocity didn¡¯t compare to Deshaun¡¯s. He himself was faster than Rabbit, and Rabbit couldn¡¯t hide his intentions as well as most of the veterans. Why had HE been the ONLY one to ¡°sack¡± Jay?

    Before Ty could find his answer, Coach Long¡¯s car rolled up in front of them. The coach himself got out and took Ty¡¯s bag.

    ¡®Good to see you, Tyrese. And hello again, young Megan. Haha, are both of you excited?¡¯ He put Ty¡¯s bag in the boot.

    ¡®Very excited. Thanks for driving us to the game, sir,¡¯ Megan said, then lightly nudged her brother with her elbow.

    ¡®Yeah, thanks. Sure beats getting the bus.¡¯ Ty pulled open the back door, looking in and finding Bella sitting at the far end of the backseat, with Luke in the front passenger¡¯s seat.

    Ty shimmied into the middle seat before Megan could say anything. She frowned and closed her mouth, squeezing in next to him.

    ¡®Samuels.¡¯ Luke nodded at Ty, then looked at Megan. ¡®...And, Megan, right?¡¯

    ¡®Meg is fine, but yes.¡¯ She flashed Luke a soft smile before glancing at Bella.

    Bella pushed against Ty¡¯s leg. ¡®Don¡¯t be taking up all the room. I was here first.¡¯

    Ty grit his teeth. ¡®What? I¡¯m just sitting here. Who asked you to come anyway.¡¯

    Coach Long started up the car. ¡®Hey now, there¡¯s plenty of room back there for all of you. Play nice. And of course, Bella is coming, can¡¯t play without the assistant coach after all.¡¯

    Bella smugly grinned at Ty who rolled his eyes. ¡®Oh yeah, the team would fall apart without our water girl,¡¯ he muttered.

    Bella shoved a sharp elbow into his ribs. ¡®Oh, you are SO riding the bench. And why are you complaining about me being here? This wouldn¡¯t be a problem if your sister wasn¡¯t here, who asked HER, huh?¡¯

    ¡®I-I always come to Ty¡¯s games,¡¯ Megan squeaked, holding onto Ty¡¯s arm.

    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    ¡®Sorry, didn¡¯t know Mr Superstar here needed his own personal cheerleader.¡¯

    Meg pouted more, still clinging to Ty¡¯s arm. Ty sighed. ¡®Just shut up, I¡¯m trying to focus.¡¯

    ¡®Come on, guys. It¡¯s only going to be fifteen minutes. You can get along for that long, can¡¯t you? Can you try, for me, my little bell?¡¯ Coach Long looked at Bella through the mirror.

    Bella groaned then shot a glare at Meg who was snickering, though she quickly shut up under that intense glare. Ty scoffed and smirked. ¡®Little bell?¡¯

    Bella elbowed him in the ribs again, drawing a grunt and a glare from him. He snarled and showed off his sharp teeth.

    Megan tried to pull Ty against her more. ¡®Just keep your hands and arms to yourself.¡¯

    ¡®Yes. Everyone should keep their hands to themselves,¡¯ Coach Long said.

    ¡®Yeah. EVERYONE.¡¯ Bella looked at the way Meg was clinging to Ty.

    Meg pouted and tightened her hold on her brother instead.

    Bella shook her head, looking away out the window on her side and mumbled, ¡®So weird.¡¯

    ¡®Th-This is just normal for a brother and sister,¡¯ Meg insisted. ¡®A-Aren¡¯t you close with your siblings?¡¯

    ¡®What siblings?¡¯ Bella looked over her shoulder at the brother and sister.

    ¡®O-Oh¡­ sorry¡­¡¯ Meg looked down. Ty didn¡¯t say anything. Bella furrowed her brow, finding the apology strange. So what if she was an only child? It was better than having some weird, cloying little sibling, she thought.

    Ty groaned and leaned his head back. At least everyone had calmed down for now. Bella was looking out the window, Meg was clinging to him, Coach Long was focusing on the road ahead of them, and Luke had just been enjoying the show. But everyone was quiet now.

    Ty closed his eyes, once again trying to focus on the previous practice session.

    ¡°What was different about it?¡±

    Maybe Rabbit was just THAT unremarkable that Jay had a hard time finding that HE was the missing defender?

    ¡°No. Then he¡¯d always be throwing it to Rabbit¡¯s man, ''cause he¡¯d think that guy was ALWAYS open.¡±

    As they drove along, Coach Long broke the silence. ¡®So, you¡¯ve always gone to your brother¡¯s games, Megan? Even in middle school? What about your parents? Do they usually work around this time?¡¯

    Meg perked up. ¡®Oh? Well uh, yeah. I¡¯ve always gone to Ty¡¯s football games, for as long as I can remember. I never miss one. And¡­ well.¡¯ She looked at Ty, whose eyes had opened again. He was looking at her but he didn¡¯t say anything so she continued. ¡®...Our parents sometimes work, but, they just, don¡¯t come to the games anymore. I think in Ty¡¯s second year of middle school was when they stopped watching.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, I¡¯m sorry to hear that. Though it¡¯s good he¡¯s got such a supportive sister.¡¯

    Meg¡¯s smile beamed brightly, and Bella rolled her eyes. ¡®Why is that? Why don¡¯t they come?¡¯ she asked.

    Ty shrugged. ¡®My mother has never been big into sports. And my father? Eh. He was too disruptive, even when we were blowing teams out he¡¯d always yell at the refs for the smallest, most insignificant calls.¡¯

    ¡®Damn¡­¡¯ Bella frowned. ¡®Don¡¯t they care, though? I mean¡­ don¡¯t they want you to get to the NFL?¡¯

    Ty lowered his head, not saying anything. It was a good question and one in which he couldn¡¯t accept the obvious answer.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry to hear that, Tyrese. Though I¡¯m sure once they hear how good you¡¯re doing, they¡¯ll start showing up for games again. Haha, just wait until you¡¯re playing for a state championship, they¡¯ll HAVE to show up.¡¯

    ¡®Maybe¡­¡¯ Ty mumbled.

    Coach Long cleared his throat. ¡®Anyway, uh, Megan. How old are you?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, I¡¯m 13, just a year younger than Ty.¡¯

    ¡®Ahh, so you¡¯ll be joining our school next year then, that¡¯s good. Are you into any sports?¡¯

    Bella snickered. One didn¡¯t have to look at Meg too hard or long to see that she wasn¡¯t exactly the sporting type.

    Meg ignored the older girl¡¯s restrained laughter. ¡®Well¡­ n-not exactly. But¡­ I mean, c-can girls play football?¡¯

    ¡®Well of course they can!¡¯ Coach Long laughed. ¡®It¡¯s not very common, but they can play with the boys. All they need is the courage to do so and the heart to give it their all and practice as hard as they can, just like anyone else.¡¯

    ¡®Though you still have to be good enough, and well¡­¡¯ Bella looked Meg over again. ¡®I don¡¯t think I need to say it, do I?¡¯

    Meg blushed and squirmed. ¡®I-I might not be that big or strong b-but I could¡­ well, maybe I could be a kicker?¡¯

    Ty blinked, only now seeming to realise what exactly they were talking about. ¡®Huh? Are you gonna try and join the team next year?¡¯

    ¡®W-Well, m-maybe?¡¯ Meg cowered under Ty¡¯s stern gaze.

    ¡®Cut the shit, Megan.¡¯

    ¡®Hey!¡¯ Coach Long¡¯s voice was as sharp as it was in practice ¡®Watch that language around a lady, Tyrese.¡¯

    Ty bit his tongue and matched Coach Long¡¯s hardened gaze through the mirror. He looked at Meg again and shook his head. ¡®You¡¯re not cut out for it and you know it. Don¡¯t insult me and everyone else who plays by thinking someone like you could have a place in it.¡¯

    His disgusted look shattered Meg and she quickly turned away, letting him go. She buried her face in her book so that no one would be able to see her eyes tearing up.

    Everyone gave Ty a nasty look, shocked that he would speak to his sister in that way, especially when she had been nothing but supportive of him, and obviously would¡¯ve only wanted to be on the team so she could be closer to him.

    ¡®Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t be upset, sweetheart,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®It does take hard work to get on a team, but if you are willing to put in that work, you can do it, no matter what anyone else says. And there¡¯s nothing disrespectful about that. In fact, I think it¡¯s even more respectful that someone would be willing to work extra hard to make up for what they might lack in natural talents, just so they can play the game they love and enjoy.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Luke agreed. ¡®But it¡¯s a rough game. So you have to make sure it¡¯s something YOU would really want if you¡¯re going to commit to it.¡¯

    Meg managed a rather meek, ¡°thank you¡± to both of the men, but didn¡¯t look up from her book.

    Ty sighed, either ignoring the looks and the effect he¡¯d had on his sister or simply not caring.

    ¡°Someone like Rabbit is bad enough, but MEG. That¡¯s too far¡­¡±

    Yet still, he could not for the life of him wrap his head around what Rabbit had done to get a sack on Jay.

    ¡®You¡¯re a real asshole, you know,¡¯ Bella¡¯s whispering voice shocked Ty from his thoughts. He blinked and looked at both of the girls he was sandwiched between.

    He frowned, but he didn¡¯t say anything or apologise. So what? He had just told Meg the truth, why did that make him the bad guy?

    Meg kept her nose buried in her book the rest of the way. Thankfully, the trip was short, and they didn¡¯t have to sit in awkward silence for long before they arrived, pulling into the parking lot at the Norwalk Lancers¡¯ football field.

    ¡®Here we are. Help me with the boot, Bella,¡¯ Coach Long said after parking the car. He got out, and Bella joined him at the boot.

    Coach Long took Luke¡¯s wheelchair, unfolding it and setting it out for him, though Luke was able to transition from the passenger seat to his wheelchair without assistance.

    Bella got out a large duffel bag, and when Ty came around for his bag, she turned away and walked off. ¡®You can get your stuff, yourself.¡¯

    Ty scowled at the back of her head but grabbed his things without a word. Megan pulled herself out of the car, her book now closed, but she still wasn¡¯t talking.

    They all made their way over to the empty bench for the away team. Coach Long returned silent, resentful looks with a friendly smile and wave as he went.

    Ty flashed his teeth at the few members of the home team that were already there, laughing to himself about how relieved all those shitty little JV kids would be when he didn¡¯t get suited up to play against them.

    Though there was little for him to do, except sit down and wait through this boring game for his own battle to begin. He just hoped having to watch such a pitiful display of football would dull his own skills.

 Chapter 43: Opening Act

    ¡®Do JV games go for the same length as yours normally do?¡¯ Megan asked.

    ¡®Yeah. Gonna be a boring one. Good thing you brought this.¡¯ Ty tapped her book. Meg nodded and lowered her gaze to the pages again.

    It didn¡¯t take too long for the rest of the Lancers¡¯ junior squad to arrive, and during that time the Dons¡¯ JV team filed into the field as well.

    Ty watched them all crowd around their respective benches. Contempt filled his eyes as he took in all the players older than him who were relegated to a division below his own.

    How could they still be in JV after their freshman year? While here he was, at least one year¡ªmost likely more¡ªtheir junior, and he was better than they would ever be.

    He held no pity for their unfortunate situation, only disgust that they¡¯d allow themselves to fall into such disgrace.

    Rabbit shuddered, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. He looked towards the crowd, eyes falling on Ty almost instantly. He shuddered again.

    Ty coldly glared down at Rabbit. ¡°They should all just quit. It¡¯s disrespectful to the rest of us otherwise.¡±

    ¡®Come on. Off to the locker room, boys.¡¯ Bella clapped her hands together, ushering the JV players towards the shoddy locker room designated for the away team.

    Ty sighed as he watched them all wander off. This couldn¡¯t be over fast enough.

    ¡®I want you giving your all out there today, boys.¡¯ Bella¡¯s voice filled the locker room as she addressed the team. She put on the same commanding tone her father did whenever he made his speeches to the players.

    ¡®This is the game we get our first win as a unit this season. I know we can do it. If you just do it like how we¡¯ve practised, that win is as good as ours, all you gotta do is give it 110 percent. Alright, bring it in.¡¯

    Coach ¡°Short¡± held a fist out and the players gathered around, pressing their fists against hers.

    ¡®Win on three,¡¯ Coach Short said. ¡®One, two, three, WIN!¡¯

    ¡®Win!¡¯ the players echoed.

    The Dons ran back out onto the field to barely any cheers from the small crowd, and when the Lancers emerged, the support was hardly louder.

    Ty looked around at the sparse crowd. Not even the majority of parents wanted to come watch this travesty ¡­ but his parents didn¡¯t come watch his games either.

    He snarled at himself and sunk lower in his seat, attention returning to the field before him.

    The Dons won the coin toss. Coach Short shouted out to receive the ball in the 2nd half, so that¡¯s what they elected to do.

    The kickoff was nothing spectacular, not even making it all the way to the endzone, and still, the returner barely made it to the 20-yard line before being tackled.

    ¡®Good hustle!¡¯ Coach Short shouted out. Her father, Coach Long, was watching by her side, remaining mostly silent.

    Ty watched the Dons¡¯ defence and the Lancers¡¯ offence take the field. To his eyes, no players stuck out, they were all as unremarkable as the next. The only one to catch his eye was Rabbit going out as part of the starting lineup.

    He was the delegated ¡°Slot¡± DB, tasked to cover the innermost Receiver. ¡°Why the fuck is he out there? Did someone get hurt?¡±

    The ball was snapped for the first play. It was a handoff up the middle, a power run, though the gap that had opened up in the Line was narrow, the Lancers¡¯ RB stumbled over the mess of legs and feet within his way and fell down for a gain of barely a single yard.

    Ty groaned. This was definitely going to be a long game.

    Throughout the first drive, Ty¡¯s focus was mainly on Rabbit, watching and analysing his every move. Rabbit would stick with whoever was lined up in the ¡°slot¡± opposite him, always following the Receiver closest to the inside of the field before the snap, tracking them wherever they¡¯d go.

    While the rest of the team was in press coverage, as Coach Short ordered and reminded them constantly. They seemed to be in variations of zone defences, with the Defensive Line being quite passive, plugging up holes rather than going all out in their pass rush.

    The Lancers¡¯ offence was quick. The QB never held the ball for long, and their run plays usually stuck to being up the gut. It was clear to any trained eye that they were used to going up against a hyper-aggressive defence from their own practices.

    But, Rabbit¡¯s man didn¡¯t catch a single pass throughout that first drive.

    ¡®Hmm¡­ he¡¯s lucky the guy he¡¯s up against is just about as trash as he is. He should be able to break past that mouse¡¯s weak press easily. And look at his footwork, so sloppy. It¡¯s a wonder he doesn¡¯t trip himself on every play,¡¯ Ty muttered to himself.

    Meg looked up from her book and then out to the field, her brow furrowing.

    The Lancers floundered before they even got past the halfway mark of the field and they had to punt the ball away.

    The Dons¡¯ offence took to the field after a fair catch from the relatively short punt.

    ¡®Watch the blitzes! Don¡¯t be fooled by them, find the real threat!¡¯ Coach Short called out.

    ¡®Don¡¯t forget the corners!¡¯ Coach Long added.

    As the offence progressed, they handled the blitzes as best they could with draw plays where the QB faked like they were going to pass, only to hand it off to the RB at the last minute.

    When they did pass, it was always something quick. Whether they were hitch curls where the TE or the Slot Receiver would only run ahead a few yards before stopping in an open and turning back to the QB, or one-step slants over the middle where the Receiver would step forward like they were about to sprint downfield only to sharply cut inside in a flat diagonal line.

    Even with these quick, blitz-beating plays, the offence was inevitably forced into a third-down situation.

    When that happened, Ty was shocked to see Rabbit make his way out onto the field again. This time, he positioned himself behind the QB as the RB.

    The ball was snapped and Rabbit darted out of the backfield, rushing towards the nearest sideline, easily outrunning the sluggish LB that tried to keep up with him.

    He looked back for the ball as it was tossed his way, and he made the catch. He skirted along the sideline and raced ahead for a first down before being shoved out of bounds.

    With a new set of downs, Rabbit hurried back over to the bench, being congratulated by the coaches as he took his seat again.

    ¡®Good job, Max,¡¯ both Coach Long and Short said, the former patting him on the back as he went past.

    ¡®Atta boy, Rabbit!¡¯ Coach Norman thumped him on the helmet.

    Ty frowned, watching on silently.

    The drive continued, and each time the Dons were forced onto third down, Rabbit would make his way back out there. Sometimes he¡¯d get a rush, other times he¡¯d run a route, though he was covered more closely with another DB after his first catch, and sometimes he¡¯d be in there to block, even if he did get run over in the blink of an eye, he still bought at least half a second more time for the QB to find a target.

    The Dons were eventually stopped just outside of the red zone. At least they were in field goal range, and their kicker didn¡¯t let them down, converting to put the first points of the game on the board.

    Halfway through the first quarter, the score was 0¨C3 for a Dons lead.

    Rabbit was soon back out there, back to his regular role as part of the defence. Ty was still watching him closely.

    ¡®Hey, see what he¡¯s doing?¡¯ He tapped Megan¡¯s leg, bringing her attention away from her book. She looked up, eyes locking onto Rabbit as Ty pointed him out. ¡®How he¡¯s the only one following his opponent no matter what?¡¯

    ¡®You always play like that,¡¯ Megan pointed out.

    Ty frowned a bit. ¡®Yeah but just because a toddler makes a finger-painting doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re Picasso or whatever, even if they¡¯re technically both painting.¡¯

    ¡®I didn¡¯t mean¡­ obviously, you¡¯re way better at it.¡¯ Megan squeezed his hand lightly.

    ¡®Hm, anyway, you know what that¡¯s called? Man Everywhere he Goes. Or MEG.¡¯ He grinned at her.

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    Meg blushed, looking away quickly. ¡®You¡­ huh¡­ the way you play is named after me?¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s cool, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Ty kept a hold of Megan¡¯s hand as he focused back on the game. ¡®Even if that shitty mouse can¡¯t keep up properly.¡¯

    The game was a slog. A defensive battle throughout the first half without many more points being scored.

    The Dons managed a second field goal, while the Lancers missed one of their own, though just before the half was up, they ran in the game¡¯s first touchdown, taking a 7¨C6 lead into the major break.

    Within the locker room, the coaches gathered together, going over the first half and what adjustments needed to be made.

    ¡®Our Receivers are struggling to break through their press,¡¯ Coach Short said.

    ¡®How can we scheme a way to help them,¡¯ Coach Long said, putting a hand on Coach Norman¡¯s shoulder to stop the OC from interrupting just yet so that Bella would have a chance to find her own solution.

    ¡®We could¡­¡¯ she looked down, thinking hard. ¡®What about using more motion before the snap to free up a Receiver.¡¯

    ¡®Great idea, Bella.¡¯ Coach Norman said, patting her on the back.

    She grinned proudly.

    ¡®Next. How could we have stopped their touchdown drive?¡¯ Coach Long asked.

    Coach Hoang, the DC, watched Bella think it over, staying silent.

    ¡®Uh¡­ I-I don¡¯t know.¡¯ She looked to Coach Hoang for help.

    ¡®They¡¯re getting too much time to throw. We know that while they¡¯re used to a lot of pressure, that doesn¡¯t mean we can just give them all day in the pocket. I think we need to switch to a more aggressive defence with our front four and see how they handle that.¡¯

    Coach Long nodded.

    ¡®Okay,¡¯ Bella agreed.

    Coach Long placed a hand on his daughter¡¯s shoulder, smiling down at her. ¡®Time to rally the troops.¡¯

    She nodded then took a deep breath, turning to face the players. She clapped her hands together. ¡®Alright! Huddle up, boys.¡¯

    They slowly gathered together, the senior coaches sticking to the outside as Coach Short was in the middle of the huddle.

    ¡®You all did great out there in the first half. Keep it up. We¡¯ll get our touchdown if we just keep chipping away. Don¡¯t feel bad about giving up that touchdown, they won¡¯t be in front for long. We¡¯ve got to tighten up defensively, keep plugging away, and clean up some of our mistakes, and this win will be ours. Come on, win on three, again.¡¯

    Once more they piled their fists on top of one another, all the coaches joining in.

    ¡®One, two, three, WIN!¡¯

    Their voices rumbled out from the locker room before they charged back out into the fray.

    When the home team made their way out to begin the 2nd half, the cheers that met them were much louder than at the beginning of the game as more spectators, and families for the varsity players had arrived in preparation for that night¡¯s 2nd game.

    Ty watched the 2nd half as closely as he had the first, ignoring the few of his teammates who had arrived as he kept his focus on the game.

    ¡°Was everyone always THIS shit?¡± he wondered. As he watched Rabbit, for some reason the little twerp didn¡¯t seem THAT out of place on the field this time.

    The 2nd half was as much of a gritty, defensive, grind-it-out kind of game as the 1st half had been. Deep into the 4th quarter, the scores were still in the single digits, with the Dons only having scored another field goal¡ªthough they did also miss another field goal attempt this half, meanwhile, the Lancers were yet to score.

    The Lancers¡¯ offence was storming down the field, as the Dons¡¯ defence desperately tried to protect their fragile 7¨C9 lead.

    The Lancers had entered the red zone with just under five minutes left in the game. The ball was snapped, and the QB dropped back for a pass. Rabbit¡¯s man screamed across the congested middle of the field, brushing past the crowd of people while Rabbit got tangled up with another defender and Receiver just long enough for his man to break away.

    The catch was made, and Rabbit¡¯s man strolled into the endzone for a 13-yard touchdown, pushing the Lancers back out in front.

    Ty strangely, felt a bit of sympathy for Rabbit. Sure, someone as small as he is should be perfect for nimbly darting through the congested parts of the field, but, it wasn¡¯t entirely his fault that he¡¯d been shaken off his man like that.

    ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Ty looked to the scoreboard as the kick for the extra point soared through the uprights.

    Four minutes to go, and the Lancers had a 14¨C9 lead. It was looking like the Dons¡¯ JV was going to stay winless for another week.

    ¡®Hey! Don¡¯t give up hope now,¡¯ Coach Long said as almost every player¡¯s head was hung towards the ground. ¡®There¡¯s still plenty of time left.¡¯

    Coach Hoang placed a hand on Rabbit¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Chin up, Graham. You¡¯ve still got a game to win.¡¯

    ¡®I-It¡¯s my fault¡­¡¯ Rabbit was shaking as he kept his eyes on the ground.

    ¡®Then you better fix it, shouldn¡¯t you?¡¯

    He kept quiet, biting his lip as he weakly nodded his head.

    The kickoff return was good, giving the Dons a shorter field to work with, starting their drive at their own 35-yard line.

    They¡¯d push down the field, refusing to panic or give up as they worked their way closer to the endzone. By the time the two-minute warning came around, the Dons were sitting just outside the Lancers¡¯ red zone at the 31-yard line, the endzone well within reach, though they were on 3rd down with 7 yards to go for a first.

    Coach Short swallowed a lump in her throat, trying to calm her shaking and rapid breathing. Her dad placed an arm around her shoulders, hugging her close. ¡®I¡¯m really proud of you today, sweetheart. You want some advice from your pops?¡¯

    ¡®Please.¡¯ She looked up at him desperately.

    ¡®A counter run. They¡¯re so aggressive, and we haven¡¯t run one yet in this game. They¡¯ll fall for it, and we should be able to get a touchdown in one play.¡¯

    Coach Norman stood nearby and nodded in agreement. It was the best plan they had for a knockout blow.

    ¡®Okay.¡¯ Bella relaxed, smiling up at the more experienced men. ¡®Thank you.¡¯

    Rabbit¡¯s heart almost burst out of his chest when he heard the plan. ¡®M-Me?... but¡­¡¯ He held back some bile that crept up into the back of his mouth and drowned it with the rest of his water.

    ¡®You can do it, Max! Just run as fast as you can. You¡¯ve got the easy part, okay? It¡¯s up to the Linemen to open up the hole for you, all you¡¯ve got to do is run through it and keep running until you get to the pylon,¡¯ Coach Short assured him.

    Rabbit took a steadying breath. ¡®O-Okay¡­¡¯ He shambled out onto the field with the other members of the offence once it was time to resume play. He was shaking like a leaf as he stood in the backfield.

    The endzone looked like it was miles away, and everyone standing in his way looked gigantic. He closed his eyes, trying to stop the shaking.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯

    Rabbit¡¯s eyes snapped open and he rushed forward and to the right. He took the ball from the QB, holding onto it for dear life as he slammed on the breaks and shifted direction, he kept his forward momentum but now he suddenly burst towards the left.

    Everyone on the field had been following the run and the blocking towards the right side of the field, and when Rabbit suddenly shifted back to the left, he¡¯d wrongfooted every member of the defence. The plan had worked perfectly, and that slight hesitation, that singular misstep from the defenders was all the speedy Rabbit needed to leave them in the dust.

    He raced in, untouched for the score. But, the offence wasn¡¯t done just yet. As they looked towards the sideline, they stopped, Coach Norman urging them to stay on the field. Coach Long held up two fingers, and soon Bella did the same.

    ¡®Go for two!¡¯ Coach Long ordered.

    Bella¡¯s words caught in her throat, she had no idea what they should do in this situation now that they were going for a two-point conversion instead of a kick for one.

    ¡®Keeper!¡¯ Coach Norman shouted.

    The offence understood his coded play call and bunched up close in their Line.

    Meg tilted her head as she watched the play being set up; the ball was set just 2 yards out from the endzone.

    ¡®What are they doing?¡¯ she asked Ty.

    ¡®Huh? Oh, right. I guess you¡¯ve never seen this. They¡¯re trying to get two points. See, instead of going for a kick, which almost ALWAYS works. You can try to get the ball into the endzone again with a normal play from the 2-yard line for two extra points instead of just one.¡¯

    She nodded as he explained things to her.

    ¡®If the offence can get in for another ¡°touchdown¡± they¡¯d be awarded an additional two points to go along with the six they¡¯d just scored. Why they¡¯re doing this now, is so they can push their lead out to three points and make it so a field goal would only be good enough to bring things into overtime.¡¯

    Meg turned her attention back to the game. The Dons¡¯ QB took the snap directly under Center, and tried ahead, trying to forcefully push his teammates and himself through the opposition.

    Both Lines collapsed, and the officials rushed in, waving the play dead as they began the task of pulling bodies away from the pile-up to see where the ball had ended up.

    However, when they got to the QB, it was clear that he was short of the endzone. Their conversion had been unsuccessful.

    The Dons still had a one-point lead of 14¨C15, but there was still just under two minutes to go, with the Lancers having all of their timeouts remaining.

    The Dons¡¯ defence would have to make one final stand.

    Despite the unsuccessful conversion, Rabbit was the brief hero of the game, his teammates swarmed around him to congratulate him on the score. Though he didn¡¯t have much time left to celebrate, he had to get back out there quickly to play his part in the final defensive struggle.

    The Lancers¡¯ offence was clearly panicked and rushing even quicker than their usual rapid pace. But instead of quick, short throws, this time they were looking for bigger gains, longer passes, and they had abandoned the run-game altogether¡ªa somewhat necessary sacrifice with such limited time remaining.

    They wanted to get those points back in one go, and each throw deep down the field was a clear indicator of that.

    They were around half-field with under a minute to go when they came to their fourth and final down.

    They still had the full 10 yards to go to get a first down, but with only a single timeout remaining, they didn¡¯t seem to care about a measly first down and were going for the win.

    Rabbit lined up with his Receiver, each DB had been told to play back and prevent deep balls over the top now, and Rabbit was no exception.

    ¡®HUT!¡¯

    Rabbit¡¯s man rushed forward and then veered towards the outside of the field, wheeling towards the sideline.

    At the same time, the Receiver lined up on the outside on the same side of the field shot forward and then darted towards the middle of the field.

    Rabbit was forced to go underneath the oncoming Receiver and his own teammate, his man getting a few steps of separation from him as they streaked down the sideline.

    The ball was lofted into the air, a high, spiralling rainbow arching down towards the sideline, Rabbit¡¯s man adjusting his path to be directly under it. If he caught the ball, there would be nothing between him and the endzone.

    Rabbit pushed as hard as he could, his legs pumping quickly as he closed the gap and looked for the ball. He was severely outsized, like he had been all day, but he knew he could stop this ball¡ªhe HAD to.

    He jumped with all his might, springing into the air before the Receiver had even turned to make their own leap for the ball.

    Despite Rabbit¡¯s smaller stature, his huge jump rocketed him high into the air above the taller Receiver, and he was able to get his hand to the ball first, swatting it out of bounds.

    He landed after the Receiver had already fallen onto the ground. The pass was incomplete. The Lancers had run out of downs and therefore turned the ball over to the Dons. There was not enough time left, and the Dons could use their downs to run out the clock with the Lancers unable to do anything.

    The Dons had won. All thanks to Rabbit.

 Chapter 44: Game Day III

    After the QB had taken the final knee necessary to run out the rest of the clock, the Dons rushed over to Rabbit, starting the official celebration of their first victory that season as they crowded around him and hoisted his tiny frame up into the air.

    It was clear without any need for an announcement just who was going to be receiving the game ball for today¡¯s victory, and no one had any objections about it.

    ¡®That¡¯s the way Rabbit!¡¯ Before JJ had shouted out his congratulations to Rabbit, Ty had no idea that he was even sitting nearby.

    JJ pushed his fingers into his mouth, whistling loudly as he and the other players crowded near the Dons bench continued cheering.

    Even Megan had put her book aside, clapping loudly with a smile. ¡®Isn¡¯t it great that they won, big bro?¡¯ She nudged Ty.

    Ty grunted. ¡®Eh, who cares if they won. It doesn¡¯t change anything for us¡­ and what if that Rabbit played well. Even a broken clock is right twice a day. Even a shitty player can have a good game every season, especially if they play against shit enough competition.¡¯

    JJ turned back to face Ty. ¡®Come on, Ty. Rabbit did good today. Even you have to admit he¡¯s the reason they won.¡¯

    Ty flashed his grinding teeth. ¡®It¡¯s a fluke, like I said.¡¯

    JJ shrugged and shook his head, sitting back down.

    The JV players rushed to the locker room, spirits still soaring as they were giddy over their first win.

    ¡®That¡¯s the way we do it! Wooo!¡¯ Bella was grinning widely.

    Her dad hugged her gently and laughed. ¡®Let¡¯s make this a habit, huh? If we keep playing like that we can win every week.¡¯

    Coach Long handed the game ball over to his daughter and then nodded towards Rabbit who was still swarmed with players.

    Coach Short pushed her way through the small crowd and then held the ball out to Rabbit. ¡®This couldn¡¯t go to anyone else.¡¯

    Rabbit¡¯s cheeks were a deep red as he stared at the ball and slowly reached out, taking it. ¡®Th-Th-Thank you!¡¯ He clutched it close, grinning up at her.

    She laughed and returned the grin. ¡®Great game everyone! Let¡¯s keep it up and win next week too!¡¯

    The boys roared and cheered more, the small locker room shaking.

    Back outside, the rest of the varsity players were arriving for their game that would be starting shortly. When all of the Dons¡¯ senior players had arrived, they headed towards the locker room as well.

    ¡®See you soon, Megan. I¡¯ll show you how MEG defence is supposed to look.¡¯ Ty squeezed her hand before starting down the steps of the stands.

    Megan blushed and giggled, wishing him luck.

    As Ty reached the bottom of the stands, an ear-piercing, collective squeal erupted behind him.

    ¡®Oh my god, Justin!¡¯

    ¡®Yeaaah! Justin! You¡¯re the best!¡¯

    ¡®Look over here! Eeei! He smiled at me!¡¯

    The girls filling the stands continued shrieking and squealing.

    Both Ty and Megan¡¯s faces curled up in disgust, with the latter covering her ears as she looked around at the obnoxious fangirls sharing the stands with her.

    While Ty looked towards the object of their attention and admiration.

    A tall, fluffy-haired boy was walking in front of the bleachers. Shyly laughing and waving up at his fans with one hand, he carried a sports bag over his shoulder. With his sparkling smile and expressive, green eyes, Ty thought he looked more like a model than an athlete.

    Justin looked down at Ty as he walked past him, offering him a smile. ¡®Hey, good luck, tonight. I¡¯m Justin.¡¯ The taller boy offered his hand by Ty slapped it away.

    ¡®I don¡¯t need luck to beat a fraud like you.¡¯

    ¡®Whoa. No need to be so angry, dude. Let¡¯s just have fun.¡¯

    Justin kept his smile as Ty walked away, grinding his teeth.

    As Ty headed for the locker room, he was showered with boos from Justin¡¯s fangirls.

    ¡®Who do you think you are!?¡¯

    ¡®How dare you hit Justin like that!¡¯

    ¡®His hand is worth more than your life!¡¯

    ¡®Drop dead you ugly little gremlin!¡¯

    Megan grit her teeth and clenched her fists, turning around and snapping at the other girls. ¡®Hey! Leave my brother alone you stupid idiots!¡¯

    ¡®Who does this ugly bitch think she is!¡¯

    ¡®Go home and cry to your momma!¡¯

    ¡®You brother¡¯s gonna get embarrassed by Justin, just watch!¡¯

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    Megan turned away again and chewed on her nails, mumbling to herself. ¡®There¡¯s no way Ty could lose to that stupid boy. Ty¡¯s the best. He¡¯ll make that pretty boy cry, then we¡¯ll see who¡¯s uglier.¡¯

    Ty walked into the locker room, just as Rabbit was about to leave. Rabbit stopped and looked away before brushing past and squeaking out, ¡®Good luck.¡¯

    ¡®Fuck off!¡¯ Ty snapped. Rabbit jumped a bit and scurried out as Ty stomped over to an empty locker and sat down.

    ¡®Hey. Don¡¯t forget what we¡¯ve been practising, alright?¡¯ Coach Long said, addressing the room of varsity players.

    Bella had once again taken a back seat now that the JV game was over.

    ¡®They¡¯re going to come at us hard right from the get-go. And they¡¯ll be used to whatever pressure we can bring at them, but that¡¯s alright, just cause they¡¯re used to it doesn¡¯t mean it won¡¯t affect them in the end.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s right.¡¯ Coach Hoang pushed himself forward. ¡®Defence, we need to strangle them. Don¡¯t give any of their Receivers an inch to breathe. They¡¯re gonna want everything short and quick, and when that doesn¡¯t work, they¡¯ll panic. And the pass rush, don¡¯t let them off the hook with any runs. Keep them controlled and hemmed in with nowhere to go.¡¯

    Coach Norman was over by Jay, going over the plan with him personally, reminding him to keep a level head like always and get the ball out quickly.

    ¡®They¡¯ll be coming for your head. You might get hit a few times, but you¡¯ll have to grit your teeth and bear it, kid. I know you can do it.¡¯ He pat Jay on the shoulder then turned to the Offensive Linemen nearby.

    ¡®And y¡¯all have to protect him, you hear? Those bastards out there¡¯ll come at him with everything they¡¯ve got every play, it¡¯s your job to be his shield and give him the time he needs.¡¯

    ¡®Got it, Coach.¡¯ They all nodded.

    ¡®Hey! Dons on three, get up here, boys. We¡¯re in this together.¡¯ JJ had moved to the centre of the room.

    The players converged around him, fists raised in the air.

    ¡®One, two, three.¡¯

    ¡®Dons!¡¯

    As the Dons ran out onto the field, the stands had filled up, though there was still only a small section supporting them so their cheers were quiet.

    Megan did her best to cheer loudly and make up for what the Dons supporters lacked in numbers, though her efforts were drowned out by the chorus of boos from the girls filling the stands behind her.

    When the Lancers team trotted out onto the field, the applause was thunderous, with the screams and support for Justin loudest of all.

    Justin himself was more than happy to wave up at his fans, even playfully blowing some kisses their way as the team jogged along the sideline in front of the largest set of bleachers.

    ¡®Shouldn¡¯t this fraud be in a boy band or some shit, what the fuck is this?¡¯ Ty said. Whilst some of the other team members looked a little green with jealousy about all the attention the Lancers¡¯ star was getting.

    The captains for both sides made their way out onto the field for the coin toss, and once again the Dons won the toss, and again they elected to defer the initial kick over to the Lancers so they¡¯d receive the opening kick in the 2nd half instead.

    Though the main intention behind that strategic decision, was so that their defence could make the first big statement and set the tone for this match.

    ¡®You know what to do.¡¯ Coach Hoang moved down the line of defenders as he addressed them. ¡®Don¡¯t let them move an inch. Don¡¯t let the crowd get to you, the best way to shut opposing fans up is to smash their team into the dirt and show them how dominant you are. Show them how hopeless fighting is. Get out there and crush them!¡¯

    The opening kickoff went short, the Lancers¡¯ returner catching it just outside his own endzone before taking it all the way to their own 27-yard line.

    Then, the stars of the show sauntered out onto the field.

    Led by JJ, the Dons¡¯ defence took the field. As Ty got up and left the bench, high-pitched boos came from the stands where Justin¡¯s cheer squad was situated.

    ¡®Huddle up, hermanos.¡¯ JJ pulled his team together. ¡®You heard Coach Hoang. You know the drill. Let¡¯s go out there and crush these bastards, yeah? On three.¡¯

    Again their fists met in the middle of the tight circle.

    ¡®One, two, three.¡¯

    ¡®CRUSH!¡¯

    They broke apart, taking up their positions on the field.

    Ty came face to face with Justin.

    ¡®Ohh.¡¯ Justin¡¯s smile grew. ¡®Fancy seeing you out here.¡¯ Justin extended his hand towards Ty once more. ¡®Hey, may the best player win.¡¯

    Ty glared at it but rejected the handshake again. ¡®Stick that thing in my face again and I¡¯ll break it.¡¯

    ¡®Hey now¡­ just trying to be friendly. It¡¯s all in good sport.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not here to be your friend. I don¡¯t give a fuck about you. You¡¯re an obstacle, that¡¯s it. I¡¯m here to win¡­ and don¡¯t worry. The best, ALWAYS wins.¡¯

    Justin slowly lowered his hand, his smile fading.

    ¡®Come on, Justin! Put that little gremlin in his place!¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t let that ugly mutt disrespect you! Score a homerun on his stupid head!¡¯

    Megan groaned as she kept chewing on one of her nails. ¡°Please, Ty. I know you¡¯re the best. You have to shut these cheerleaders up.¡±

    Ty stared up at Justin, while Justin turned his head away, looking towards his QB.

    There was a long pause as everything settled into place. The QB looked around, checking out the defence. He nodded to Justin who nodded back.

    Everyone took a breath, and then the first proper play of the game began.

    ¡®Set¡­ ¡­Hike!¡¯

    Ty¡¯s hand shot out, shoving Justin back as it hit him square in the chest. Justin took a step back, grunting before he slapped the arm away and started running forward, struggling to get by Ty who was glued to his hip.

    Justin swivelled his hips to the inside, Ty matched him. Then Justin snapped to the outside and bolted to the sideline. It was a crisp, clean route. It would¡¯ve bought enough space from most DBs, but Ty was NOT most DBs.

    Ty had his eyes locked on the QB, and after Justin made his break towards the outside, that¡¯s when the QB began his throw.

    Ty was all over it before the ball was even out of the QB¡¯s hands. He undercut the route, jumped in front of the pass, and caught it like it was intended for him from the very beginning.

    He raced towards the endzone. He was home free, with a touchdown to start the game off. He grinned widely and turned his head to the crowd, staring at their shocked, dismayed faces.

    He flipped them off. He didn¡¯t care if it¡¯d be an obvious taunting penalty, it would only take effect at the kickoff after his score.

    However, as he looked at the section of fangirls, their horrified expressions shifted back to hopeful ones as they began to cheer and shout again.

    ¡®Go Justin! Gooo!¡¯

    Ty then heard the pounding footsteps behind him. He turned his head back. Justin was chasing him.

    ¡°Why?¡± Was all Ty thought. It was clear Justin wouldn¡¯t catch him. No one could catch Ty. And Justin wasn¡¯t going to be the one to change that, so why was he chasing so desperately, why was he giving it his all for such a hopeless cause?

    Ty turned around fully, running backwards for the last 5 yards before stepping into the endzone.

    Whistles blew to signal the touchdown, and Justin slowed to a stop just before Ty, hunching over before him, hands on his own knees as he desperately sucked some air back into his lungs.

    Ty glared down at the larger boy who only grinned up at Ty, still trying to catch his breath. ¡°What the fuck is wrong with this guy?¡±

 Chapter 45: Tested Resolves

    ¡®Oh man¡­ ha¡­hah¡­ you really got us good, huh? You¡¯re incredible.¡¯ As he was still hunched over, hands on his knees, Justin grinned up at Ty. ¡®Don¡¯t worry though. I¡¯ll get those points right back, just you watch.¡¯

    Ty scoffed, his lip curling up in disgust. ¡®Good luck. Test me as much as you want, the result will ALWAYS be the same.¡¯ Ty shoved the ball into Justin¡¯s chest and walked off towards the bench.

    Ty¡¯s taunting penalty applied to the Dons¡¯ point after attempt, pushing the kick 15 yards further out, and in the end, the kick sailed just right of the posts, a chorus of cheers and jeers came from the crowd.

    ¡®Now then, Tyrese. I hoped you learned your lesson from that,¡¯ Coach Long said, looking down at him as Ty sat on the bench.

    ¡®That won¡¯t happen again,¡¯ Ty said.

    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t matter if that jackass could kick straight.¡±

    As Coach Long walked away, Bella moved over in front of Ty. ¡®Nice going, dumbass. Can¡¯t you keep your temper under control for five seconds?¡¯

    Ty glared up at her, though proving her wrong, he didn¡¯t react and held back his venomous retort.

    With a score of 0¨C6 in the Dons¡¯ favour, the Lancers returned the kickoff out to their own 22-yard line. From there, the offence would begin their second drive, hoping to at least not give up a defensive touchdown in a single play.

    As Ty expected, the QB was already fearful of him, and he¡¯d have to wait a while before the ball was thrown his way again.

    However, the rest of the defence was holding up stalwartly¡ªnothing would pass them.

    The Defensive Line would fake out blitzes before dropping back conservatively. The LBs played up close and tight over the middle of the field, denying everything short and helping to fill the box against the run.

    The CBs held up their Receivers, forcing them towards the help through the middle, and a Safety over the top made sure that if anything would¡¯ve slipped by, they couldn¡¯t have gotten far.

    With Justin being ignored by his QB, it didn¡¯t take long for the Lancers to go three and out, and be forced to punt.

    However, that didn¡¯t mean Justin gave up. On every play he still ran his routes with full effort, battling his hardest against Ty¡¯s fierce press, even if he was struggling to push past those long, spearing arms.

    Even if things were futile, he was still hopeful.

    The Lancers¡¯ punt hung in the air for a long time, and with a dogged pursuit from their special teams unit, Chris had to take a fair catch instead of trying to make a return of any kind.

    The Dons¡¯ offence would take to the field for the first time, already with a touchdown for them on the scoreboard, and starting their drive from their own 37-yard line.

    As Jay jogged out onto the field, Coach Norman and Coach Long called out to him.

    ¡®Don¡¯t get overwhelmed!¡¯ Coach Long said.

    ¡®Keep it short and snappy! Get the ball out fast!¡¯ Coach Norman implored.

    Jay gave both coaches a thumbs-up as he made his way out there. Even with the pregame info they had on the Lancers¡¯ aggressive defence, when Jay saw them lined up in ¡°cover zero¡± for the first play, he was surprised.

    He dropped back into shotgun formation, standing beside Chris as he awaited the thrown snap from the Center. He turned to Chris, quietly telling him to stay back for blocking. Chris nodded in acknowledgement.

    ¡®Benny.¡¯ Jay turned his attention to their stocky TE now. ¡®President.¡¯ Benny looked back and nodded, he knew he¡¯d have to ¡°protect the president¡± now and also stay in for blocking.

    ¡®Zero! Zero!¡¯ Jay called out to the rest of the defence, yelling loud enough so that the Receivers spread out wide could hear him. Then, once all his preparations were made, he stared down the defence in front of him.

    Cover zero was the term used for when the defence had no one left back to cover things over the top. Every single player on their side was pressed up close to the line of scrimmage, and everyone who wasn¡¯t personally covering a Receiver would come blitzing at the QB.

    This meant that no matter how many people the offence pulled back into protection, the defence would always have one more blitzer than there were blockers.

    Jay wiped his hands off on his pants and readied himself.

    ¡®Set.¡¯ His eyes darted to Stephen who was staring back at him. The giant gave him a barely noticeable nod. ¡®Hike!¡¯

    While cover zero meant the defence had an advantage in the blitz, it also meant that every matchup between a DB and a Receiver would be a strict one-on-one, and Jay knew he could always trust Stephen in such an instance.

    Jay dropped back only a few steps, eyes instantly homing back in on Stephen as his trusty safety valve broke free over the middle of the field.

    As Chris blocked one defender, another came racing past. Jay zipped the ball out just as the free rusher came crashing into his side. Jay was knocked to the ground, but Stephen made the catch! Though he was tripped up shortly afterwards for a gain of 9 yards overall.

    Again, the Dons took their formation, and again the Lancers came out aggressively, though this time they did at least have one Safety back in the middle of the field.

    This time, Jay handed the ball off to Chris after posturing to throw again. This ¡°draw¡± play netted them several yards and earned them a first down thanks to the Lancers'' over-eagerness to blitz, things were going well.

    Jay set back to pass on the next play, and though the Lancers had once again lined up aggressively before the snap, after the ball was in Jay¡¯s hands most of the defence had dropped back in coverage.

    His eyes darted around but he couldn¡¯t find any openings. A defender slipped around the edge of the offensive line, barrelling down on him. He had to throw the ball away or face a sack, and even though he got the ball out, throwing it well over Stephen¡¯s head, out of reach of anyone, he was still hit and shoved to the ground again.

    As Jay got up this time, he looked around for a flag for a late hit but found none. He took a deep breath and readied himself again.

    The next pass, Stephen¡¯s slant over the middle was covered well. Jay¡¯s eyes quickly scanned the field, finding a CB bearing down on him rapidly. With a hop, he lobbed the ball over the frenzied CB¡¯s head, finding Chris who had slipped out into the flat behind the blitzer.

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    For his efforts, Jay was once again knocked to the ground, and Chris was wrapped up in a strong tackle, taking him down for a gain of 5 yards.

    Jay picked himself back up with a groan, his Linemen helping him up and patting him down. Still, the Lancers¡¯ hounds were coming after him, posturing again to send everything after him.

    He couldn¡¯t trust his eyes though. His mind raced through the possibilities. ¡°They¡¯ll most likely back off and cover Stephen. If I force a pass there it could be picked off. But if I try to take my time and find the opening but they DO end up sending everyone, it¡¯ll be a sack.¡±

    He flexed his hands a few times, then wiped them off again. He¡¯d call up another draw play in hopes they were too focused on a pass.

    He handed the ball off to Chris again, who burst through the middle of the line of scrimmage and weaved his way towards the 1st down marker, but was ultimately tackled just short, barely a yard away from it.

    The order came in from the sideline that they¡¯d punt the ball away, and the special teams unit was sent out to replace the offence. The Dons¡¯ first drive had stalled out rather quickly.

    Jay scrunched up his face for a moment. He should¡¯ve had that 1st down, and if they went for it on 4th and short, they¡¯d have it. Though he kept that thought to himself.

    ¡®Hey, good effort out there, boys. We¡¯ll get them next time.¡¯ Coach Long¡¯s attempt at uplifting the offence¡¯s spirits fell on deaf, uncaring ears.

    The punt bounced through into the endzone for a touchback, and the Lancers would start their third drive from the 20-yard line.

    ¡®This time I¡¯ll get you. I almost had you last time,¡¯ Justin said as he and Ty lined up against one another.

    Ty couldn¡¯t help but see his enemy as delusional and as such, gave him no response.

    As the ball was snapped, this time, Ty noted how Justin¡¯s hands shot up quickly, batting away Ty¡¯s spear-like stab, which freed up the Receiver to get a cleaner break away from the line of scrimmage.

    Still, Ty was glued to his hip, and no matter how much Justin shimmied or feinted, Ty continued to stick to him.

    The pass ended up going in the opposite direction, over towards Deshaun¡¯s zone further down the field. Deshaun batted the ball out of the air, grinning as he then shushed the crowd.

    ¡®Aw come on! Throw it to Justin! Don¡¯t throw it to that loser!¡¯

    ¡®Yeah! Justin¡¯s the best! Give him the ball, you stupid thrower person!¡¯

    Justin¡¯s cheer squad was growing restless the longer he was taken out of the game.

    Next, the Lancers attempted a run along the right side. Justin faked a route for a split second before ramming into Ty with a solid block, and in at least a contest of strength, the taller boy could get the better of his opponent for once.

    Even so, the run didn¡¯t have much success, gaining three yards before it was snuffed out by the ever-vigilant JJ. There was no hope of the Lancers¡¯ RB escaping his clutches.

    That brought the Lancers to a rather long 3rd down and would give the Dons the perfect opportunity to surprise them by switching up their conservative ¡°cover three¡± zone defence to something more aggressive.

    Meanwhile, Justin approached his QB in the midst of their huddle. ¡®Marvin, I¡¯m here for you. Don¡¯t worry about your first interception. I¡¯ve got this one.¡¯ He placed a hand on the older boy¡¯s shoulder, flashing him a smile.

    Marvin was a junior. He wore a compression sleeve over his throwing arm, from near his wrist to the middle of his bicep, the white fabric contrasting against his dark skin. His wide, grey eyes were even more colourless behind his lightly tinted visor. He was around the same height as Justin, with thicker arms. His tightly set jaw, however, said that he did not share in Justin¡¯s confidence.

    Nevertheless, he gave a short nod to his Receiver and the huddle broke apart.

    Once the offence was in formation, Ty watched the WR and QB closely. Marvin seemed calm, and Justin was avoiding Ty¡¯s gaze, constantly staring back at his teammate. When they met eyes, Justin flashed him a thumbs up.

    ¡®Hey! Hound! Hound!¡¯ Coach Hoang rolled along the sideline, shouting out orders for the defence¡ªtheir formation switched accordingly.

    JJ pressed up closer, but the staggered Safties came to be on the same level instead of having one short and one deep, though both were creeping over towards opposite sidelines.

    Deshaun subtly shifted his feet as he stood opposite his Receiver. He was to be the ¡°hound¡± that was unleashed after all, and would blitz the QB from his blindside.

    ¡®¡­Set-hike!¡¯

    Ty feinted with his spear¡ªJustin swatted air aside. He stumbled out of the gates, trying to skirt past Ty to the outside, then he spun inwards. Ty had his eyes on Marvin the whole time, who was staring back at the pair, completely unaware that Deshaun was speeding towards him from behind.

    As Justin broke to the inside of the field, Marvin threw the ball, getting crunched in a tackle from behind just as the ball left his fingertips.

    It was a desperate pass, and a wrong one. Ty had completely smothered Justin once again, and shut down his spinning attempt to work back into the middle of the field, picking this pass off was almost easier than his first interception that game.

    The only thing that changed this time, was when Ty made the pick, Justin was already right behind him, and before Ty could even think of returning this one for a touchdown as well, he was already being dragged down to the ground.

    ¡®Nooooooo!¡¯ Ty could almost hear the hearts of those fangirls shattering. It brought a smile to his face.

    ¡®Dammit!¡¯ Justin punched his own hand in frustration as he got off Ty, though he quickly offered a hand to help the smaller boy up. ¡®Ah, sorry, that was great defence though, I really thought I would¡¯ve got you with that move.¡¯

    Ty ignored Justin¡¯s hand and instead waited for one of his teammates to come over and help him up.

    Justin retracted his hand awkwardly. ¡®Oop, sorry. Uhh¡­ heh, next time though, definitely next time.¡¯ He still had a dumb grin on his face as he hurried off to go check on Marvin as the Lancers¡¯ offence made its way off the field.

    While Ty may not have gotten another touchdown, the Dons¡¯ offence was already well within field goal range.

    ¡°Hopefully this time the kicker doesn¡¯t fuck things up¡­ IF it comes to that,¡± Ty thought.

    ¡®Don¡¯t forget about your play-action, now,¡¯ Coach Norman reminded Jay as he took to the field again. ¡®Keep those antsy bastards second-guessing, ya hear?¡¯

    Jay nodded. ¡®Got it, Coach.¡¯

    And in the first play, that was exactly what Jay did. He faked another draw, and after Benny helped the Tackle he was lined up beside with a quick double team block against the pass rusher, he peeled out in his own quick route.

    The pass was successful, and this time, Jay actually remained untouched, and Benny gained a quick 7 yards.

    Next, they actually did hand the ball over to Chris, no draw play necessary as Jay gave the ball right to him for a run to the outside, though it only gained a couple of yards, leaving the Dons with a 3rd & 1.

    Coach Norman managed to convince Coach Long to go for it all on this 3rd down, instead of trying a conservative but more likely to be successful run play that would just get the yards and gain a first down.

    ¡®That¡¯s what they expect, a run up the gut, everyone¡¯ll be thinking that, Coach. That¡¯s why we gotta throw it deep. Play-action, they¡¯ll all buy it. Stephen¡¯ll be open, I know it.¡¯

    Coach Long nodded. It was an unexpected plan. Going for the simple run might¡¯ve been the ¡°correct¡± thing to do, but that¡¯s what would make the touchdown pass over the top so effective.

    ¡®Let¡¯s do it.¡¯

    Jay wiped his hands off. He was happy with the call, he knew it¡¯d be one-on-one with Stephen; this should be a touchdown.

    ¡®...Set¡­ ¡­ ¡­hike!¡¯

    Jay took the snap from under Center, turning and extending the ball out to Chris. Of course, it was a fake, and as the two passed each other by Jay quickly wheeled around, darting to the outside of the protective pocket and turning his attention downfield in the endzone to where he expected Stephen to be streaking towards.

    What he didn¡¯t expect, was to have the massive 230 pounds, 6-foot-tall, gorilla of a DE right in his face.

    Jay¡¯s eyes widened and his legs pumped faster, though there was no hope of him outrunning this freakish specimen. As he was crushed in a bear-hug tackle, Jay flung the ball downfield just before he crashed to the ground and was flattened under the defender.

    The ball soared just over the reach of Stephens¡¯ outstretched hand, while he was open within the endzone. It fell incomplete, and 4th down was upon the Dons.

    As Jay tried to recover all the air that had just been squashed out of his lungs, his teammates helped him up, and he saw that Coach Long was once again signalling for them to come off the field instead of going for it on a 4th & 1.

    Jay clenched his fists for a brief moment. They should¡¯ve had that touchdown, now they had to settle for a field goal.

    ¡°Dude¡­ you can make that pass¡­ you have to¡­¡±

    He sighed heavily as he sat down and watched the kicker line up his shot.

    This time, thankfully, it split the middle of the uprights.

    Their lead was pushed to a minimum of two possessions at 0¨C9 late into the 1st quarter.

 Chapter 46: Indomitable Spirit

    The following kickoff bounced through the back of the endzone for a touchback, so the Lancers took over from their own 25-yard line.

    When they lined up in their formation, one of the WRs was missing, and instead had been replaced by a FB lined up in the backfield along with the HB.

    ¡®This drive I¡¯ll get you,¡¯ Justin promised, smiling at Ty.

    Ty tilted his head. ¡®You¡¯re pretty dense, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ He wondered how many interceptions he¡¯d have to get before this dumbass understood that they shouldn¡¯t even be in the same league.

    ¡®Set hike!¡¯ Justin stutter-stepped as he moved off his line, Ty backed up a step, but it quickly became apparent Justin wasn¡¯t going to run a route and he was just blocking for a run as the two collided.

    The HB, now running behind his new, stocky, lead blocker who bullishly charged ahead and cleared a path, was able to get a decent gain of 6 yards.

    The next play was another similar run, with the HB heading straight up the gut behind his towering shield.

    JJ locked horns with the FB again as the bullish Lancer made a beeline straight for the Dons¡¯ captain, and again, the HB had a great run, earning a new set of downs for the offence.

    The clock continued to run and soon the 1st quarter was over. Back on the sideline during the short break, Coach Hoang made his way over to JJ.

    ¡®Jones, don¡¯t get frustrated by that blockhead out there. His only job is to stop you from getting to the runner, so he¡¯s gonna be coming after you each and every run. That¡¯s perfect though. Don¡¯t back down, don¡¯t try anything tricky. Show him that he can¡¯t stop you.¡¯

    JJ nodded, chugging some of his sports drink.

    As the Dons got lined up to start the second quarter, JJ¡¯s eyes held a new determination, locked solely on the FB who had been stopping him from doing his job.

    ¡®Hey! Watch that play action!¡¯ Coach Hoang called out to the rest of the team.

    ¡®Set. Hike!¡¯

    Just as Coach Hoang had predicted, this time the run was a fake.

    Justin tried his best to separate from Ty, though still couldn¡¯t shake him off enough.

    Though JJ had crept up too far, and there was just a small enough gap over the middle for the TE to make a catch for 9 yards before being wrapped up.

    Afterwards, the defensive formation shifted, bringing one of the Safeties lower to enable and cover for JJ¡¯s more aggressive approach to stopping the run.

    The next play, the Lancers ran the ball again, and this time JJ was all over it, when the FB¡ªwho was almost as thick as he was tall¡ªran into JJ, it was the FB who got the worse of the collision as JJ bulldozed right through him and tackled the HB for a short gain¡ªthough it was still enough to earn another 1st down for the Lancers.

    But that was the end of their success running the ball on that drive. The FB could never get the better of JJ again, and no matter which way they tried to run the ball, JJ was always there.

    With the rest of the team covering up the gap JJ left behind in the passing game, and Ty still shutting Justin down, it wasn¡¯t much longer before the Lancers had to punt again.

    The short punt sailed out of bounds, and the Dons took over near their 40-yard line.

    Jay marched out onto the field, and instantly his eyes dropped to the monster at the end of the Lancers¡¯ Defensive Line.

    The Left End (LE) smiled at Jay before he sunk down into his four-point stance, planting both hands onto the turf and digging his cleats into the dirt underneath.

    He looked like a predator ready to pounce, and that smile still hadn¡¯t left his face. Jay saw no malice behind that smile or those cheerful eyes, but he still knew this guy wasn¡¯t about to run over and give him a hug ¡­ well, at least not a FRIENDLY one.

    ¡®Set¡­ hike.¡¯

    Jay¡¯s eyes quickly scanned the field, and he flung the ball out just as quickly, hitting Stephen on a quick slant route over the middle for a short gain.

    Even with such a rapid release, that smiling LE was right in his face by the time he¡¯d finished his throwing motion.

    A shiver ran down Jay¡¯s spine. ¡®Hey Benny¡­ come here.¡¯ He beckoned the TE over.

    Benny jogged over. ¡®Yo, ¡®sup?¡¯

    Jay nodded to the LE. ¡®Dude, see that bear ¡­ number 55? Chip ¡®im. Please?¡¯

    Benny grinned. ¡®Got it.¡¯

    Jay patted him on the shoulder. ¡®Cheers.¡¯

    The huddle broke away, and on the next passing play, Benny was lined up next to the Right Tackle, (RT), the Offensive Lineman furthest to the right of the formation, who was matched up against number 55.

    When the ball was snapped, Benny, instead of going directly out into his route, first bumped into number 55, giving a ¡°chip block¡± to help his teammate keep the aggressive defender under control and buy Jay a little more time.

    The plan worked, and with the extra second in the pocket, Jay was able to find a target further downfield for a gain of over a dozen yards.

    The Dons would continue to employ this chip block strategy with Benny as they worked their way further downfield and onto the cusp of field goal range before the defence tightened up and they were brought to 3rd down.

    This time, number 55 lined up even wider. Before the ball was snapped, he was down in his stance on the outside shoulder of Benny.

    ¡®Set¡­ ¡­hike.¡¯

    Number 55 burst forward, and Benny did his best to shove him even wider around the edge before taking off downfield.

    Though number 55 used that extra room to build up his momentum as instead of trying to get around the RT, he slammed right into the Lineman¡¯s chest and drove him backwards, heading on a straight path for Jay.

    As Jay dropped back in the pocket he saw from the corner of his eye number 55 bull rushing right through the RT, and it was all he could do to drop down onto the ground in a protective ball before he was crushed by both the massive bodies that fell over him.

    This sack ended up pushing the Dons out of field goal range, and they ended up having to punt instead.

    Both Benny and the RT apologised to Jay on the way back to the bench.

    ¡®Naaah¡­ don¡¯t worry about it, dudes. It¡¯s fine.¡¯ Jay flashed them a carefree smile but when he sat down on the bench, he hung his head in his hands.

    It was the Lancers¡¯ turn on offence again, but they still couldn¡¯t get much going as Ty continued to get the better of Justin despite the Receiver¡¯s best efforts to break free.

    Marvin didn¡¯t throw the ball Justin¡¯s way for the rest of the first half, and Justin couldn¡¯t blame him, he wasn¡¯t getting open; he couldn¡¯t beat Ty ¡­ yet.

    The rest of the second quarter was very slow. The game was clearly that of a defensive struggle between the two teams as neither offence put up any more points before halftime.

    In the Dons¡¯ locker room, they were at least optimistic thanks to their lead. The defence received plenty of praise, while the offence had a few ideas to work with.

    ¡®We¡¯ll have to double that 55, boy,¡¯ Coach Norman said. ¡®Otherwise, he¡¯ll keep wrecking everythin¡¯.¡¯

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    Coach Long nodded. ¡®That, and I reckon if we bring in JJ as a FB to have an extra blocker it¡¯ll help. Our boys can get open, we just need to give them that time.¡¯

    Meanwhile, the Lancers were struggling to find the solutions for their problems, namely how to get their star Receiver into the game.

    The coaches thought it¡¯d be best if they started throwing in some pick plays or screens for him.

    Justin frowned at the prospect. ¡®No I¡­I can beat him on my own. I don¡¯t want to use unfair advantages. Please¡­¡¯ He looked up at his coaches as he pleaded with them.

    Coach Henderson stared down into Justin¡¯s eyes. ¡®Hm¡­¡¯ The older man pulled at the grey hairs of his thick moustache. ¡®I trust ya, kid. ¡®Sides, not like your strength is in your speed or elusivi-TEE. I know you¡¯ll shake off that annoying gnat, 21. Just make sure you¡¯re not too late and the game is already out of reach.¡¯

    ¡®Thank you, sir.¡¯ Justin smiled brightly. Coach Henderson ruffled the boy¡¯s hair before moving on.

    When the Lancers emerged to begin the 2nd half, Justin¡¯s cheer squad was back at full strength, screaming their heads off for him.

    The third quarter would have a slow start, as the Dons¡¯ offence came out first. While number 55 was given more focus from blockers and held in check, such attention meant that the rest of the blitzers had an easier time getting through their 1-on-1 matchups and Jay was still under tons of pressure.

    The Dons¡¯ first opening drive of the half didn¡¯t amount to much before they punted the ball away yet again.

    When the Lancers took over, Ty still had Justin locked down, and while the Lancers tried to exploit other gaps in the defence, namely deeper passes to try to exploit the lighter coverage downfield now that one Safety was covering for JJ, the Dons¡ªunder the guidance of Coach Hoang¡ªcould shift to their own trick coverages and blitzes to cover up those gaps or reduce the amount of time that Marvin had to throw the ball.

    So as the end of the 3rd quarter neared, the score was still 0¨C9, though the Lancers had the ball again and were desperate to change that.

    ¡®Hey, Marv,¡¯ Justin said, moving closer to his QB in the huddle. ¡®Look, I¡¯m getting open, trust me. I can feel it. I can do it, okay? You gotta trust me and look my way this drive, you¡¯ll see.¡¯

    Marvin looked at Justin, his eyes then drifted beyond the huddle and over to where Ty was.

    ¡®Uhh¡­ y-yeah. Alright man, I gotchu, don¡¯t worry ¡®bout it.¡¯ Marvin nodded, still uneasy about the idea of testing Ty again.

    ¡®Trust me, bro.¡¯ Justin grinned, squeezed Marvin¡¯s shoulder, and then walked away, lining up against Ty again.

    Ty yawned in Justin¡¯s face. ¡®Man¡­ I¡¯m so bored over here. Feel like I¡¯m gonna fall asleep if we don¡¯t see any action soon.¡¯

    ¡®Aww, come on, this has been fun! Don¡¯t fall asleep now, I¡¯m just about to beat you.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm¡­ seems you¡¯re already asleep, ¡®cause you must be dreaming if you think you can beat me.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll see.¡¯ Justin kept smiling as Ty scowled at him.

    ¡®Set hike!¡¯

    Justin stuttered out of the gates, he feinted inside, outside, then back in again for real. There was a window, a tiny gap that the ball could be thrown into.

    Marvin saw it, he¡¯d been watching the whole time, but he hesitated just a fraction of a second and then the window was already closed.

    He turned away and checked the ball down to the RB instead, gaining only a few yards, but he told himself it was better than another turnover.

    When Ty and Justin lined up opposite each other again, Ty was frowning. He¡¯d seen that window too.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here? This guy can¡¯t beat me¡­ so what the fuck was that?¡±

    The ball was snapped again. Justin gave a halfhearted shimmy before he ran into Ty to block him. It was another run.

    At least that¡¯s what Ty thought, except he was wrong, he was lulled into a false sense of security when instead, it was a pass all along, and the blocking was simply a bluff to sell the play action better.

    Justin peeled away from the block and broke to the inside of the field.

    Marvin didn¡¯t hesitate this time, as he whirled away from the fake handoff, his eyes fell upon Justin and he let the ball rip.

    Justin was open, he could catch this ball, he knew Ty was only a half step away, but that was all the space he should need.

    If only Ty was a normal defender, then something like this could¡¯ve worked.

    Ty closed the gap in an instant, and thanks to those long arms, he was able to reach over Justin¡¯s shoulder and swat the ball away from him, knocking it to the ground for an incompletion.

    Justin stumbled to a halt, then turned to face Ty, smiling wide. ¡®I almost had you that time. I was THIS close.¡¯ He held his forefinger and thumb barely an inch apart to emphasise just how close he felt to beating Ty.

    ¡®Yeah right. You ain¡¯t catching shit against me.¡¯

    Justin shrugged, slowly walking away. ¡®Hey, you couldn¡¯t intercept this one. Isn¡¯t that proof I¡¯m getting closer?¡¯

    Ty glared at the back of Justin¡¯s head but returned to his own huddle.

    It was 3rd down, they just needed one more stop. He wouldn¡¯t let Justin get it.

    However, turns out it wouldn¡¯t be up to Justin, as the next play was another run, though this time Marvin kept the ball and scrambled for a first down himself after faking another handoff to the RB.

    The deception bought him just enough time to sprint to the 1st down marker before he was tackled barely a yard ahead of it.

    With a new set of downs, they went back to the passing game.

    This time, Justin sprinted forward, pushing through Ty¡¯s tough press before he curled back right at the sticks that marked 10 yards ahead of the line of scrimmage.

    As Ty stopped and moved forward to cover the curl, Justin whipped around and burst forward again, sprinting downfield. Ty spun to chase after him, only to find that this was just yet ANOTHER fake and it really was a curl after all.

    Again, those long arms came in and saved Ty in the nick of time as he smacked the ball away once more.

    Justin laughed, clapping his hands. ¡®Oh, dude! You¡¯re so good! I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t get you there.¡¯

    Ty said nothing, glaring briefly before he moved away, shaking his head. ¡°Get your head in the game! You¡¯re faster than this guy, what the fuck are you doing?!¡±

    Ty¡¯s teeth ground together as he stomped his way back to position. Coach Hoang watched closely on the edge of the sideline.

    ¡®Hound!¡¯ Again he ordered for Deshaun to blitz the QB. Even if Justin was getting more separation from Ty, those plays took a long time to develop.

    The weight upon Marvin¡¯s shoulders was feeling lighter. That monster out there that wore number 21 wasn¡¯t unbeatable. Justin could do it, he could feel it¡ªthis was the one.

    Justin gave his QB a huge grin, nodding at him. It was obvious who the target of this next play was even Megan could see where the ball was going to be thrown. Ty blocked out everything else from his mind, focusing solely on Justin.

    ¡®Set¡­ set, Hike!¡¯

    Justin batted Ty¡¯s hands aside, pushing forward, then shifted his hips to the outside before snapping in the other direction, breaking towards the middle of the field.

    He¡¯d done it. He was open! Even against Ty¡¯s long arms, if the pass was out in front of him enough, there would be no way Ty could stop it.

    Marvin saw it too, and he was just about to throw the ball before he was hammered from behind.

    It was a miracle he held onto the ball while he was flattened into the dirt.

    Deshaun scrambled to his feet after his brutal sack, laughing and barking into the air.

    ¡®That¡¯s what I¡¯m fucking talking about! How¡¯s that grass taste, bitch?¡¯ He laughed more, more so slapping his teammate¡¯s hands rather than giving them high fives, and bumping his chest and helmet against theirs.

    Justin hurried over to help Marvin up, grabbing onto the older boy¡¯s helmet tightly and staring through his visor.

    ¡®Did you see?¡¯ Justin had his brightest smile yet. ¡®I was open! I can beat him.¡¯

    Somehow, all the worry and the pain inflicted by that sack left Marvin¡¯s body as he stared into Justin¡¯s shining eyes. He nodded. ¡®I-I saw it¡­¡¯

    ¡®You know what to do then.¡¯ Justin laughed and hugged his QB before moving away.

    Marvin¡¯s heart was pounding, hope filling him despite the fact they were staring down an extremely long 3rd down after that sack had set them back 6 extra yards.

    ¡®I¡¯ve got you now,¡¯ Justin told Ty when they faced each other again.

    Ty simply shook his head, saying nothing.

    The two stared at each other as time wound down in the 3rd quarter, this would be the final play before the 4th and final quarter began.

    ¡®Set hike!¡¯

    Justin sprinted forward 10 yards, then shot towards the middle of the field. As Ty shifted to keep up with him, Justin curled back around and went in the opposite direction towards the sideline, drifting up the field as he did so.

    Ty was late to react, Justin had got the step he needed.

    Marvin threw the ball with a high arc which fell near the sideline. It¡¯d be a close call if Justin would be able to keep his feet in bounds and still complete the catch.

    Justin ran as hard as he could, adjusting for the flight of the ball. He jumped high, reaching out and raking the ball into his arms. Ty was hot on his heels, but too far to disrupt the pass.

    Justin had caught it! The ball was in his hands and then hugged tightly against his chest. Now if he could just get his feet down in bounds still.

    Justin stretched his legs out, pointing his toes down. He felt them dig into the grass just before Ty shoved him in the back and pushed him out of bounds.

    Cheers erupted from the crowd as Justin made the catch. When the sideline official ran in they didn¡¯t hesitate to signal that it was a successful catch and that Justin had got his feet in bounds¡­ but¡­ he was just a yard short of a 1st down.

    ¡®Oh my god! You made me work so hard for that¡­ damn, and we didn¡¯t even get the first down? Ah, maybe I could¡¯ve reached out for it¡­ and maybe the pass could¡¯ve been a little further up the field. Damn!¡¯ Justin shook his head, still grinning.

    ¡®That was a fluke. Not that it matters anyway. Enjoy that catch, it¡¯ll be the only one you get for the rest of this game.¡¯

    Just was still smiling. Even one catch was an improvement when Ty had promised he wasn¡¯t going to catch anything not that long ago.

    Ty moved away, returning back to the bench as the Lancers elected to punt, to many boos from the confused cheer squad.

    ¡®Whaaat? Justin caught it! Give him all the points you stupid umpires! What are you doing?!¡¯

    Ty blocked out the incessant whining of the crowd, kicking the bench before he sat down, glaring out across the field.

    ¡°Just a fluke. I¡¯ll wipe that smile off his stupid fucking face next time he tries some shit like that,¡± Ty promised himself.

 Chapter 47: Hollow Victory

    After the punt, Jay led the Dons¡¯ offence out to start the first drive of the final quarter.

    Jay¡¯s eyes were still locked on 55 as the teams lined up against one another again. Jay took a deep breath. He knew he could do this, he had time. They needed a score, and they¡¯d get one with this drive.

    ¡®Set¡­ hike.¡¯

    Jay stayed high up in the pocket to avoid the deep, wide rush of 55. He knew he didn¡¯t have to drop back far for this short throw.

    He found Stephen over the middle after he¡¯d gotten free from his defender thanks to the mesh routes he and Benny had run, passing across one another just in front of the line of scrimmage.

    Stephen was able to run for a few more yards after his catch for a gain of 7.

    Jay wiped his hands off and briefly smiled. It was a good start. He had to continue that.

    The Dons worked their way down the field slowly but surely. Taking their time as they put together their longest drive of the game thanks to strong running behind JJ¡¯s blocking, and quick passes that took advantage of the excessive blitzing.

    When they neared the goalline and had made it into the red zone, however, the Lancers stopped their blitzing and switched to a more conservative defence that could cover most of the condensed field.

    After their first run up the middle had been stuffed, the Dons were on 2nd & goal.

    Stephen was lined up just outside of Benny, the giant was clearly being double-teamed even before the ball was snapped.

    ¡®Set. Hike.¡¯

    This play wouldn¡¯t be a run, Chris and JJ both stayed in to protect Jay as he looked towards Stephen.

    Stephen was trying to push through the double team head-on, pressing forward relentlessly, as Benny slipped around behind Stephen and curved towards the corner of the endzone.

    Jay lobbed the pass right into the corner, maybe it was a little too far, but Benny could get there with a stretch.

    Benny¡¯s eyes were locked onto the ball, his legs kicked against the ground as hard and fast as they could, and he stretched his arms out to catch the ball.

    It bounced off his hands as he slid to the ground, the ball tumbling away out of reach.

    Jay¡¯s shoulders sagged for a moment before he hurried over to Benny¡¯s side.

    ¡®Shit¡­ sorry man, I should¡¯ve had that,¡¯ Benny said, looking down.

    Jay patted him on the back. ¡®All good, dude. Shit happens. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¯

    They lined up again, and Benny would be getting a chance to redeem his costly mistake. This time, the play would be for him to forget about the chip block he¡¯d been putting on 55, and go straight for a hitch curl right over the middle.

    ¡®¡­Set¡­ ¡­hike.¡¯

    Jay dropped back a step and looked over the middle, already prepared to pass as his arm reared back with the ball.

    Alarmed, he brought the ball back in close to his chest, eyes widening.

    55 had dropped back into coverage instead of rushing and was all over Benny. It¡¯s like he had read their minds on what they were going to do.

    Jay quickly scanned the field for another outlet. Stephen¡¯s out route? No, he still had two bodies smothering him. The cross over the middle at the back of the endzone was tightly covered as well.

    Chris streaking out of the backfield and heading to the corner? Jay was out of time! He flung the ball towards Chris right as he was levelled by a big hit.

    As he was pressed into the grass by the heavy defender, the ball sailed a few yards over Chris¡¯s head for an incompletion.

    As the special teams squad made their way onto the field, it was clear that the Dons would be kicking another field goal.

    Jay inwardly cursed himself as he was helped up to his feet and then made his way off the field.

    The kick was good, and now at least the Lancers would need two touchdowns to take the lead, with the score being 0¨C12, but Benny was still deeply apologetic for dropping that touchdown.

    ¡®Sorry, Coach, I ruined the play.¡¯

    Coach Long squeezed the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Hey, don¡¯t be so hard on yourself, you¡¯ll get ¡®em next time. They played great defence out there. We¡¯ve all gotta do better.¡¯

    Jay sat next to Benny on the bench. ¡®Relax. If my throw was better you could¡¯ve caught it on your chest, easy. Plus, that 55 out there read us like a book on the last play; it¡¯s not your fault.¡¯

    Benny smiled, feeling a little better as the two bumped fists before turning their attention back to the field to watch as the Dons defence stepped up after the short kick return from the Lancers.

    Ty was ready to make up for the catch he¡¯d allowed, while Justin was feeling jittery, his eyes nervously darting to the scoreboard over and over.

    ¡®Aww man, there really isn¡¯t much time left. Gotta start winning all the time¡­ come on, Justin, you can do this,¡¯ he muttered to himself, trying to psyche himself up.

    The cheering from his fangirls was as loud as ever. Though Ty could hear a distinct, familiar voice amongst that wall of noise, going against the grain and cheering for him instead.

    He glanced in Megan¡¯s direction, his resolve hardening. He glared at Justin again. ¡®Keep your delusions to yourself. You ain¡¯t winning shit.¡¯

    Justin laughed softly but then went quiet.

    ¡®Set hike!¡¯

    Justin came out of the gates fiercely then hesitated about 10 yards downfield. He faked to sprint forward before curling back towards the ball, but Ty was right behind him and was able to reach over his shoulder to knock the pass away.

    Justin grimaced but clapped his hands, staying silent as he jogged back to the huddle and got ready for the next play.

    The next play avoided Justin and Ty entirely. After faking a run, Marvin flicked the ball out for an 8-yard gain on the opposite side of the field.

    On 3rd & 2, the ball came back Justin¡¯s way as he ran a quick slant, getting just enough inside leverage to make the catch. Ty was all over him right when he caught the ball and dragged him to the ground right after, though he had gained enough yards for a first down.

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    Ty ground his teeth violently, and while Justin praised Marvin for the pass and vice versa, he said nothing to Ty as they lined up again.

    Though Justin was ignored in the next set of downs with Ty getting the better of their duel and keeping him in check, the Lancers were still able to earn another 1st down as the rest of the defence was slowing down after the long, gruelling game.

    It wasn¡¯t long before another 3rd down was upon the Lancers, and with the full 10 yards to go still, they felt backed into a corner and saw Justin as their saving grace to get out of it.

    ¡®Set¡­ set hike!¡¯

    With a quick burst, followed by a double-move as he feinted like he was going for another curl route, Justin raced along the sideline, with Ty following not even a step behind him.

    The ball was lobbed up high in the path of both Justin and Ty, though the trajectory favoured Ty more.

    Justin was put on the back foot, and both stars had to switch roles for a moment as Receiver became defender, and defender became Receiver.

    Justin was able to swat the ball away from Ty, and while they both fought to catch it, it fell out of bounds for an incompletion.

    The Dons¡¯ defence had made another stand.

    Back and forth the game went, with both offences still struggling to get much of anything going for them.

    The Lancers¡¯ D always seemed to get a sack right when they needed one to fully swing momentum their way and keep the Dons from scoring, while on the other hand, Justin did start getting more catches, Ty would always get that vital victory on a 3rd down to stop them short.

    Time was not the Lancers¡¯ friend, and as it wound down, they grew more desperate and finally began to put together their first good drive.

    It was a deep post route¡ªafter faking to the outside¡ªthat opened the floodgates as Justin finally shook Ty off for a big gain that pushed the Lancers into field goal range.

    Ty smacked his own helmet, growling as he took his mouthguard out, tossing it over to the bench instead, the grinding of his teeth almost audible.

    As time ran down to the final 2-minute warning, the game had come down to this one-on-one duel between Justin and Ty; Marvin was no longer looking anywhere else.

    Ty would get the better hand for the majority, but whereas he needed four victories in a row to stop this offence and get them off the field to secure his team the win, Justin only needed one good reception to advance the ball again and earn another four chances for himself.

    Another catch brought them into the edge of the red zone when Justin again faked towards the sideline before breaking to the middle of the field.

    The Lancers used a timeout to stop the clock, though there wasn¡¯t much planning to be done for either time in this short reprieve. Everyone knew it was up to Justin and Ty themselves to determine the outcome of this game.

    Again they would battle repeatedly after the timeout, with Ty batting the ball away, though unable to get a decisive interception again. However, each successful defence did drain the clock bit by bit.

    ¡®Set-hike!¡¯

    Justin took a step forward and then cut to the outside. Ty felt the ball scrape past his fingertips before it slotted into Justin¡¯s hands and the Receiver tried to turn the corner upfield towards the endzone.

    Ty gave chase, hot on his heels, just barely managing to drag the taller boy down within the 5-yard line before he could score.

    Another timeout had to be used, but the Lancers were so close. They could smell the endzone, they could smell the beginning of their comeback.

    Ty and Justin stood in front of one another, all alone on the far side of the field; no one else within 10 yards of them.

    They stared each other down, each boy panting heavily as they said nothing, their determined, fiery eyes said everything they needed to: ¡®I¡¯m going to win. You can¡¯t stop me.¡¯

    Marvin wet his lips with his tongue, watching the silent staring match between Justin and Ty as he tried to stop his hands from shaking.

    ¡®Set¡­ hike!¡¯

    Ty thrust his hand out, his spear was faster than it ever had been. It struck Justin square in the middle of his chest.

    Justin took a step back, wincing. Ty¡¯s hand grasped his chest, holding onto his jersey, but it felt like his heart was being squished.

    He gasped and feinted towards the middle before slapping Ty¡¯s arm aside and darting to the outside corner.

    His jersey was tugged aside and it slowed Justin up just a touch. Ty was glued to his hip, their hands still pushing and pulling at one another as they fought for position.

    A yellow flag fluttered to the floor, but neither of them paid it any mind. They only had eyes for the ball that was spiralling towards them.

    Justin left his feet first, Ty only half a beat behind him, a single hand outstretched to go against Justin¡¯s two.

    Ty got his hand on the ball first, that long arm an unavoidable obstacle. But then Justin clasped both his hands around the ball as they fell back towards the earth.

    Justin wrenched the ball away from Ty, landing gracefully on his toes, like a ballerina. He fell out of bounds, Ty falling on top of him, trying to swat the ball out of Justin¡¯s grasp, but it stuck firm.

    The officials rushed in, signalling a touchdown, and the crowd erupted.

    The penalty for defensive holding was declined by the Lancers, and the touchdown was officially awarded.

    Justin lay on the ground, basking in his victory, his team quickly surrounding him, cheering and hollering as they helped him up to his feet after he was done relishing the moment.

    Ty rejected the help offered to him by his teammates, shrugging off JJ¡¯s gentle patting and blocking out his words of compassion. He dragged himself over to the bench, body trembling.

    He stared at the scoreboard. There was only a minute left. He watched the score tick over from 6¨C12 up to 7¨C12 when the extra point was blasted through successfully.

    He was snapped out of his silent fuming when Coach Long addressed him on the bench.

    ¡®Tyrese! Hey, don¡¯t let that mistake get you down. It¡¯s just one touchdown, we¡¯ve still got the lead. I need you out there on the field again.¡¯

    Ty blinked. The kickoff hadn¡¯t happened yet, but the teams were lining up for it, with the Lancers obviously preparing for a short ¡°onside kick¡± where they would attempt to kick the ball along the ground and at an angle towards the sideline, in hopes that their team would be able to recover it first instead of the Dons.

    The main problem in the way of this was that those who would be chasing after the ball on the Lancers'' side had to be lined up behind the kicker, and the ball had to travel forward 10 yards before they were legally allowed to touch it.

    Ty stood up off the bench, still in a bit of a daze. He looked at Coach Long.

    ¡®Come on! Get your butt out there, you¡¯ve got incredible hands, we need you to secure that ball if it comes your way.¡¯

    Coach Long shoved Ty out onto the field.

    When he stepped back into the field of play, it was like a switch had been flipped inside Ty. He hurried out into his position within the formation. Almost every player for both teams was lined up on one side of the field.

    The Lancers were lined up side by side, ready to charge ahead and retrieve the ball by any means necessary, whilst the Dons were lined up in rows, with protective blockers up front who would hold the line while the catchers behind secured the ball.

    Ty took his position in the final row, standing alongside Stephen who grunted and glared down at Ty.

    ¡®Don¡¯t get in the way and fuck things up, freshy. Just let me get the ball.¡¯

    Ty ignored the giant, instead staring across the 10-yard gap between the Dons and Lancers, eyes locked on Justin. Justin stared back for a while before turning his head towards the kicker when they began their short run-up.

    The kicker dribbled the ball across the ground, then it took an awkward hop and launched into the air, going over the heads of the front lines as Lancers and Dons collided with one another.

    Ty would¡¯ve been happy to let Stephen take the ball at first, but once the kick happened, the ball was headed straight for him and he hadn¡¯t even moved a muscle.

    All he needed to do was secure the ball and the game would be over, the Dons would win.

    Justin slipped by the blockers, rushing at Ty, desperate to get to the ball. But he was too late.

    Ty gently cradled the ball into his arms. Justin was sideswiped by a hard block from Stephen. However, instead of simply going down and surrendering himself, Ty scrambled forward.

    He wasn¡¯t satisfied with such a victory. He needed to humiliate his opponents more; he needed to recover those points he had given up.

    Though, with such a congested field, and so many bodies within such a small area, he couldn¡¯t get far before he was tripped up and taken down.

    And even with the Lancers desperately tearing, raking, and pulling on his arms and the ball, he held on tight and refused to fumble.

    Nothing happened from Ty¡¯s ill-advised return attempt, neither good nor bad.

    Sure, Ty was given disapproving looks and got scolded for trying to be fancy and risking a fumble when the correct thing to do was give himself up, but he didn¡¯t mind that and hardly paid attention to what Coach was saying. He already knew it wasn¡¯t the correct thing to be doing¡ªhe didn¡¯t care.

    In the end, the Dons still took over, and all they had to do was drain the clock. With only one timeout remaining, the Lancers had no way of stopping the clock enough before time was up.

    The Dons had won, keeping their undefeated streak alive for another week with a final score of 7¨C12.

 Chapter 48: A Throne to Conquer

    Ty tossed the game ball to the nearest official, his eyes never leaving Justin¡¯s face, as they stood not even a foot apart.

    ¡®Dammit. I was almost there haha.¡¯ Justin still had a grin plastered across his face. ¡®Man. But I guess onside kicks never really go the way of the kicking team.¡¯ He held a hand out towards Ty. ¡®Good game, you beat us fair and square¡ªyou¡¯re the better man today.¡¯

    Ty didn¡¯t even acknowledge the hand for a while before he reached out and clasped it in an uncomfortably tight grip. ¡®When we meet next, I¡¯m going to crush you even harder.¡¯

    Justin kept smiling, not retreating from the rough handshake. ¡®Hah. I look forward to it. But next time. I¡¯M gonna win.¡¯

    Ty snarled and let Justin¡¯s hand go before shoving past him. As Ty made his way to the bench, he was showered by rageful boos from Justin¡¯s cheer squad.

    ¡®This is bullshit!¡¯ ¡®Justin deserved to win!¡¯ ¡®You all cheated!¡¯

    Even the umpires caught their fair share of abuse from the crying girls. Megan felt overjoyed and vindicated upon witnessing their outrage; she knew her brother was going to win¡ªhe always did.

    She rushed down to the bench to congratulate Ty. ¡®You did amazing, big bro!¡¯

    Ty looked up after draining the last dregs of his water bottle, tossing the empty container to her. ¡®Mm, thanks. We¡¯ll go in a sec, just need to grab our shit from the locker room and whatever.¡¯

    He turned but then stopped, turning back to her. ¡®Actually, might be a little while if we¡¯ve gotta wait for the coach and that.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be right here.¡¯ She sat down on the bench, smiling at him as he walked away.

    The aftergame speech would be brief this time, once again the game ball was awarded to Ty. Coach Long was thrilled with the win and the effort from all involved. It was a hard-fought game, and he was glad they were able to grind out the win in the end.

    Then, once all their gear and equipment were rounded back up, it was time for them to leave. Coach Long¡¯s car was the last from the Dons¡¯ team to pull out of the parking lot.

    The drive back to Ty and Megan¡¯s home was much more relaxed and felt much faster than the drive to the field had been.

    Megan was situated in the middle of the backseat, clinging to Ty and leaning against him heavily. Bella kept her mouth shut this time, staring out the window as she replayed the key moments of both games in her head.

    Two victories for the Dons was a successful day, but those wins were too close for her comfort.

    Coach Long offered to stop at an ice cream shop to celebrate the wins, but Ty shot that idea down quickly.

    ¡®Could you take us home first if you¡¯re going to do that? You can do what you want after, but I¡¯ve got nothing to celebrate. It¡¯s not like you celebrate waking up in the morning.¡¯

    ¡®Hah. Yeah, I guess only one interception is a bad game by your standards, huh, Samuels?¡¯ Luke turned to look back at Ty, smirking in response to the boy¡¯s glare.

    ¡®Alright, Tyrese,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®Fair enough. I¡¯ll get ya home, you just have a nice, long sleep tonight. You¡¯ve earned it.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ Ty muttered before leaning his head back and staring up at the ceiling of the car.

    When Ty and Megan arrived home, the house was dark. ¡®See you at practice, Tyrese,¡¯ Coach Long said after he dropped them off.

    ¡®Thank you for driving us!¡¯ Megan called out. Ty ignored them and went straight to the door, heading inside. The TV was the only light on within the house, their father passed out in his chair in front of it.

    When both kids were inside, Coach Long peeled out of the driveway, the house darkening once again as the headlights turned away from it.

    Ty¡¯s room was empty, neither the twins nor Devon were home. The same could be said for Megan¡¯s room as Vicky was also absent. Their mother, too, was nowhere to be seen.

    ¡®The twins aren¡¯t here?¡¯ Megan asked Ty.

    Ty had already kicked off his shoes, lying on his bed. He looked over and shrugged. ¡®Guess not.¡¯

    Megan frowned and stepped back from the doorway. Ty closed his eyes, but she returned soon. ¡®Mama isn¡¯t answering her phone.¡¯

    ¡®You know what our mother is like¡­ the twins are probably fine, they¡¯re just having a sleepover I bet.¡¯

    ¡®But what if they aren¡¯t? What if she just¡­ took them to some man¡¯s house or something.¡¯

    Ty sat up with a sigh. ¡®You said it earlier, they were out for a playdate, they¡¯re just staying over at that person¡¯s house for the night. Not like we can do anything about it. You gonna call the cops and report them as missing? Like that¡¯d do shit. They¡¯re with their mother, cops won¡¯t give a fuck.¡¯

    ¡®But¡­¡¯

    ¡®But nothing. Just wait ¡®til tomorrow. If they don¡¯t come back, then we¡¯ll worry.¡¯ Ty laid back down and turned his back to the door, but he didn¡¯t hear Megan leave. ¡®¡­Goodnight Megan.¡¯ Still, she did not move.

    ¡®Can I sleep with you tonight? I¡¯m scared.¡¯

    Ty sighed heavily and turned his head to look at her. She was shaking and tearing up. He turned to face her fully and nodded. ¡®Fine, whatever.¡¯

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    She smiled and hurried over to his bed, crawling in with him and pressing close to her older brother. She wrapped her arms around him, and he did the same to her, both holding each other tight.

    ¡®Just get some sleep, Meg. Everything will be alright in the morning. Goodnight.¡¯

    ¡®Goodnight ¡­ I love you.¡¯

    ¡®Love you too.¡¯

    In the morning, it was still just the three of them in the house. When their father woke up, Megan told him that she was worried about the twins and how they hadn¡¯t come home last night.

    But he was dismissive, telling her that they were with their mama and they¡¯d be fine. Plus, he was too busy to worry about that right now, he had to get to work, and he¡¯d deal with it later. Before he left, he told her to call Mama again, but this time the call went straight to voicemail.

    Around midday, after Vicky had returned home, and just before Megan was going to call the police department about the missing kids, their mother returned, the twins in tow.

    Other than being hungry, they looked to be fine, and when asked about where they¡¯d been, they only said that they stayed at Mama¡¯s friend¡¯s house.

    Later, when their father returned, an argument broke out between the parents regarding their mother¡¯s whereabouts last night.

    Ty went for a run to get away from the shouting, whilst Megan tried to distract the twins in the front yard, though even out there, the shouting could still be heard. Ty could still hear it four houses down.

    Practice couldn¡¯t come soon enough.

    When the next session of team practice finally came around, Ty was annoyed but curious to see Ricky already there, talking with JJ. Of course, Rabbit was also listening in from close by, but he was still in the midst of his stretches.

    ¡®That brat is already here? For fuck¡¯s sake,¡¯ Ty grumbled. ¡®What does he want.¡¯

    ¡®Samuels. Focus on yourself,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®Get warmed up.¡¯

    Ty shot the DC a quick glare before he shrugged off his bag and got his cleats on. He kept his eyes on Ricky and JJ, and though they both glanced over in his direction, their conversation didn¡¯t stop, nor did either of them come to say hello¡ªhe was thankful for that at least.

    When the rest of the team eventually arrived, they were called together in a huddle at the centre of the field. ¡®Listen up!¡¯ Coach Long¡¯s voice boomed out. ¡®This week is going to be our toughest challenge yet. We¡¯re going up against a serious contender, a team most of you will be familiar with ¡®cause of the way they kicked our asses and sent us home last year.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s brow furrowed and he looked around the huddle of players. Other freshmen looked around in a state of confusion as well. Every single one of the senior players were silent, their jaws clenched tight. JJ¡¯s fists were shaking.

    ¡®After they beat us they went on to win Regionals as a whole and even made it all the way to the State Championship. I¡¯d be lying if I said they weren¡¯t the favourites to do that again and actually win State this year.¡¯

    ¡®Not if we can help it,¡¯ Bella said, drawing a chuckle and a smile from her dad.

    ¡®You all know the drill then,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®We¡¯ve got to focus on our run defence, and offensively, we¡¯re going to have to rely on our passing game this week. Offence and defence, split up and go to your coordinators.¡¯

    As the teams split into two large groups and huddled around either their OC or DC, Ty moved closer to the captains Deshaun and JJ. ¡®Hey. What¡¯s that all about? Who are we going up against?¡¯

    Deshaun looked down at him. ¡®We¡¯ll explain later, Freshy.¡¯

    Ty frowned but didn¡¯t pry further. He went through the motions of practice quietly. This time, the DBs had a major focus on tackling as did every part of the defence.

    Along with that, the DBs had a specific drill where they had to quickly recognise whether the offensive play was play-action or an actual run, and had to decide between sticking to their man, or shedding away from them to focus on the RB.

    If someone made the wrong choice, they¡¯d have to do a lap of the field. Ty himself ended up running a few laps, as did almost everyone.

    All throughout practice, Ricky was keeping a close eye on everything while waiting by the sidelines.

    It was only when the main practice was done, and things moved into the gym for weights training that Ricky moved in, following them into the building.

    ¡®Yo, Ty. Over here, hermano,¡¯ JJ called Ty over. JJ was surrounded by the DL, Deshaun was there as well, and so was young, tiny Ricky.

    ¡®Why¡¯s he here?¡¯ Ty scowled down at the kid.

    ¡®You wanna see tape of the guy that¡¯s gonna kick your asses or not?¡¯ Ricky said, phone in hand.

    Ty continued to scowl.

    ¡®Go on and show us the video, Ricky,¡¯ JJ said.

    Everyone gathered there crowded around Ricky¡¯s phone screen as he brought up a video. He pressed play and the screen showed a sideline view of a football game between the Warren Bears and the Norwalk Lancers that the Dons had only just defeated.

    ¡®This is from the second week, and who you¡¯re going up against. Watch the HB,¡¯ Ricky said.

    The footage zoomed in on the lone RB in the backfield. He was damn huge. Almost the biggest player out there, bigger than even a FB let alone a HB. The offence was set up at the 25-yard line. It looked like the game had only just started.

    The ball was snapped and it was a handoff to the outside. The HB was on a collision course with number 55 of the Lancers, the same guy that had just been terrorising the Dons¡¯ offence.

    The two met head-on, the thud of their collision was audible through the phone. A collective wince and chorus of ¡°ooo¡¯s¡± came from the crowd at the game and the group watching the video.

    The clash was brief; over in an instant. Ty¡¯s eyes widened as that same 55 who was so imposing against the Dons had been flattened. The HB steamrolled over him and continued down the field, sprinting away faster than anyone else on the field and making it all the way to the endzone.

    ¡®What the fuck¡­?¡¯ Ty was stunned, but no one else in the group looked surprised, only concerned.

    The video continued, showing more monstrous runs and highlights of that beast in the backfield as he decimated the staunch Lancers'' defence, running all over them. He was practically unstoppable.

    There were two other long touchdown runs of note. In one, he got into the secondary and stiff-armed a Safety so hard the defender bounced off the grass like a basketball as he was tossed aside.

    And in the other, three defenders had him wrapped up, tackling him all at one, draped over his shoulders and clinging to his legs. Even that wasn¡¯t enough to stop him. He shrugged them off and broke away from their grasps with relative ease.

    The end of the video zoomed in on the final scoreboard, with the Bears winning 42¨C0. The HB stood before his crowd, basking in their praise and cheers as they chanted the same word over and over:

    King.

    When the video faded, Ricky put his phone away. ¡®Just so you know. He¡¯s better than he was last year. ¡°The King¡± is averaging over 250 rushing yards a game, with 4 touchdowns to go with it. He seems pretty pissed that he didn¡¯t win State last year.¡¯

    JJ moved away from the group, his face dark as he strode over to the nearest piece of equipment and quickly got to work, loading up the bar excessively.

    ¡®That fucking guy is not normal¡­ what the fuck. And I thought he was bad last year. How the hell are we meant to stop that?¡¯ Deshaun said. He turned his head away and spat on the ground. ¡®I¡¯m going home. You guys figure out something, he¡¯s your problem.¡¯

    Ty looked to the Linemen gathered before him. All of them had the same downtrodden, defeated look on their faces. He shuddered, a chill running down his spine.

    ¡°What the fuck am I supposed to do against a RB? That¡¯s not my job¡­¡± He was reminded of his duel against Harry¡ªthe situation may have been vastly different, but it gave him that same feeling of helplessness.

 Chapter 49: The King

    Metal clanked and rattled over the aggressive, punchy music of NBA Youngboy. The sounds streamed out from the compact backyard of a small, brick house. Five teens stood under the roof of the carport turned home gym.

    The barbell was loaded up with a few hundred pounds, moving up and down smoothly¡ªthe spotter standing at the end of the bench wasn¡¯t needed.

    After a dozen reps, the bar was set atop the rack, and the lifter sat up, rolling his shoulders.

    ¡®Ey, man. You seen these guys, this year? They ain¡¯t lost yet,¡¯ one of the boys sitting atop a nearby box said. He was as large and solid as a fridge, about as white and plain as one too, currently hunched over his phone.

    Another boy stood by his side, shorter, but rounder, with a face that made him appear much younger than he really was. He was watching the phone screen over the other boy¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡®So what, Connor? We beat ¡®em before, we¡¯ll beat ¡®em again,¡¯ the spotter said, hands resting on the bar now. He was broadest at the shoulders, his arms long and thick, with a scrunched-up face.

    ¡®Nah. I don¡¯t know, Zee, they different this year. You seen this freshman?¡¯ Connor slipped off the box.

    ¡®Who cares about a freshman? We gon crush that kid,¡¯ a boy leaning against the mini fridge by one corner said. He had a heavy, round belly, with wide, powerful legs, and was the shortest of the group.

    ¡®Their whole D looks better this year. They only gave up 20 points so far,¡¯ the boy beside Connor said.

    ¡®Shut up, Mack,¡¯ the boy sitting on the bench said. The others went quiet as they looked at him. He was on par with the tallest of the group, though was the most muscular by far. A tattoo of a lion covered his right pec, a sparkling, gold chain hung low around his neck, and his thick dreads were pulled back into a tail at the back of his head, one pink loc dangling over his face. His face was sharp, his amber-coloured eyes were even sharper as they glared across at Mack and Connor.

    ¡®Zel¡­ I¡¯m just sayin¡¯ we should¡ª¡¯

    ¡®We ain¡¯t got nothin¡¯ to worry ¡®bout.¡¯ Denzel stood up and started removing the weights from the barbell. ¡®Zee and Derrick are right. We sent those motherfuckers packin¡¯ last year, ain¡¯t no way we losin¡¯ to ¡®em.¡¯

    Zee moved away from his spotter position as Denzel hoisted the bar up onto his shoulders, one and a half plates on either end. ¡®Who even is this freshman?¡¯ Zee asked, going over to Connor and Mack.

    Connor turned the phone towards Zee. ¡®Check it out, man. Two passes in a row, two picks.¡¯ The screen showed footage from the Dons¡¯ previous game against Norwalk, specifically, Ty¡¯s interceptions.

    Derrick laughed. ¡®Shit, you gettin¡¯ all worked up ¡®cause of a damn DB? Who gives a shit?¡¯

    ¡®I mean, it ain¡¯t JUST him. That MLB looks bigger too,¡¯ Mack added.

    It was Denzel¡¯s turn to laugh. He squatted down deep with the bar laid across his shoulders, then, he¡¯d explode upwards, legs extending fully and even propelling him into the air about a foot off the ground. A second after landing, he¡¯d repeat the motion.

    ¡®He ain¡¯t shit either. The fuck are ya worried ¡®bout a goddamn rookie CB for?¡¯

    ¡®I mean. He¡¯s gotten a pick-six in every game so far¡­¡¯ Connor mumbled.

    Denzel scoffed. ¡®We beat ¡®em 28¨C14 last year. Shit. We haven¡¯t scored under THIRTY this year. You think they can touch us? We winnin¡¯ state, and ain¡¯t nobody gonna stop us.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m just saying, maybe we shouldn¡¯t pass the ball next game,¡¯ Connor stated.

    ¡®Yeah, should probably tell, Ethan not to pass,¡¯ Zee said.

    Denzel dumped the weights behind him, even with the mats laid over the floor, they still crashed heavily and noisily. He glared back at the others as they crowded around Connor¡¯s phone. He stepped over the barbell and stomped over to them, snatching the phone away.

    ¡®This him? This scrawny li¡¯l nigga, 21?¡¯ Denzel¡¯s thick brow furrowed as he watched the screen.

    The others nodded.

    ¡®The fuck are you worried for?! Look at this twig! I¡¯d break him in half if he tried touchin¡¯ me. The fuck is he gonna do?¡¯

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    ¡®W-Well¡­ they¡¯re undefeated so¡­¡¯

    ¡®Fuck outta here. Only reason they undefeated is ¡®cause they haven¡¯t played us yet.¡¯ Denzel shoved the phone back into Connor¡¯s hands.

    ¡®So¡­ are we just gonna run the ball every play?¡¯ Derrick asked.

    Denzel looked at him coldly. ¡®We ain¡¯t gotta do any special shit. We¡¯ll run as much as we need to. We¡¯re gonna crush those pussy ass niggas anyway.¡¯

    ¡®Ight, ight. I get it.¡¯

    Denzel¡¯s lip curled up into a snarl, revealing a golden tooth right at the forefront of his mouth. ¡®Get in the damn car.¡¯

    The others frowned, but they moved out of the carport and towards Denzel¡¯s car which was parked against the curb on the street. It was a black, ¡®06 Chevy Impala. Something he got cheap but could still run well enough. After buying it he added some gold rims and a custom plate that read: ¡°The King.¡±

    Though when Derrick was going to get into the passenger seat, Denzel stopped him. ¡®Nah, driver¡¯s seat. You¡¯re steerin¡¯.¡¯

    Derrick was confused for a moment before realisation came across his face. He hurried around to the other side and got into the driver¡¯s seat while the others filled the backseat and Denzel moved to the back of the car.

    Once Denzel was ready, Derrick took the handbrake off and switched the car out of park into neutral, steering it towards the centre of the lane.

    Denzel dug his heels into the tarmac then pushed up onto the balls of his feet, posturing low towards the ground as his hands were planted firmly on the rear of the car, pushing with all his might.

    His house was positioned at the bottom of a long, hill with a slight but steady incline of roughly 15 degrees. He gritted his teeth and kept pushing, even as the car held firm at the beginning of the incline.

    Veins popped out along his neck and biceps, then his tree trunk-like thighs and bulky calves as well. He closed his eyes, his entire body feeling like it was on fire.

    In the midst of his struggles, memories of the last State Championship game flashed through his mind, and no matter how he tried to shake them away or focus on something else, they wouldn¡¯t leave him alone.

    He was smaller¡ªa year was a long time, especially for someone in their teen years. And the King was but a Prince back then.

    The bright lights of SoFi stadium had been too much for him at the time, and all his confidence was merely a front to shield himself from any doubts and fear.

    But as the Championship game went on, that shield quickly crumbled away.

    Throughout his whole life, there wasn¡¯t anyone who could stand in front of Denzel. On the football field, he had ALWAYS been unstoppable.

    He¡¯d always been a big kid. Always drew complaints from other parents, even back in PeeWee football when the only thing he knew about the game was that he had to run and never look back.

    ¡®Get the ball and run. Run and don¡¯t let anyone in your way stop you or slow you down,¡¯ those were the words his dad had told him before his first game, and he took those orders to heart.

    After that first game, everyone knew he was special. Knew that he was destined for great things and that he¡¯d make the league one day.

    That was when football became his life, the only thing that was important.

    No matter the level, no one could hold him back for long. Sure, they might stop him a few times, but he¡¯d always wear them down. They¡¯d need to throw more and more bodies at him, but even then, eventually, they¡¯d run out of manpower and Denzel would plough right through them.

    The only reason he hadn¡¯t made the State Championship in his freshman season of high school ball, was because the coach hadn¡¯t given him enough opportunities. That¡¯s what he told himself at least.

    But then, his sophomore year they did make the Championship, and that¡¯s when he finally met a wall he couldn¡¯t break through.

    Sierra Canyon hadn¡¯t lost a game that year either, but it didn¡¯t take long for anyone watching to realise that they were in a league all on their own and even Denzel¡¯s Bears were no match.

    The Bears¡¯ unstoppable rushing attack was smothered from the opening drive. It was the first time Denzel had felt like a small kid out on the field. No longer was he a king, just a weak, insignificant, 16-year-old peasant.

    He was crushed over and over, ground down into nothing. No matter how many times he tried, he could never break through. Even with 30 carries, he hardly broke past 50 yards throughout the entire game, and the Bears hadn¡¯t managed to score a single point.

    It was a nightmarish day, one that Denzel vowed he would never let happen again. He was not some bug to be crushed underfoot and trampled over by others on their way to success and glory. It was HIS right and HIS alone to transcend the greatest heights and ascend the throne at the pinnacle of all of football, and he¡¯d steamroll past ANYTHING that got in his way.

    ¡°Never again! I¡¯m the fucking King! Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ stoppin¡¯ me!¡± Denzel¡¯s eyes snapped open as he pushed his body into a higher gear and the car finally started rolling forward up that hill.

    Once he got it into motion and over that first hump, the rest of the climb was much smoother; keeping it rolling was far easier than getting it started.

    Derrick kept the car going straight, and the others leaned out of the window, shouting back encouragement to Denzel as he muscled them up the hill.

    After travelling the length of a full football field, they¡¯d reached the top of the hill, and Denzel stopped, standing up tall as he leaned against the trunk of the car, panting softly. His body was gleaming with sweat as he looked down from the hill at the town below.

    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was on top of the world. Right where a king belonged. ¡®Ain¡¯t nothin¡¯ stoppin¡¯ me from winnin¡¯ State. Then after that. Imma take over the nation too.¡¯

    He couldn¡¯t let anything get in his way. The Dons were nothing but a meaningless bump in the road along his glorious path. Something he could barely even see, let alone worry about. He was already looking far beyond them, staring ahead to his date with destiny and revenge¡ªlooking to the State Championship game where his redemption awaited him. Where he¡¯d crush Sierra Canyon and prove that he was the undisputed king of California.

 Chapter 50: Hone Your Mind

    ¡®Yo, Jackson! Got something for you, buddy.¡¯

    Jackson perked up upon hearing Tommy¡¯s voice. He sat up on his bed, setting his phone down.

    ¡®I¡¯m up in my room!¡¯ he called out, then listened for his brother¡¯s footsteps.

    Tommy had been spending more and more time back home since Jackson¡¯s injury, practically living here on the weekends when he didn¡¯t have classes.

    Tommy pushed open the door and stepped in, and Jackson was instantly hit with the greasy, fatty, but delicious smell of fast food burgers and fries.

    Jackson licked his lips, eying the brown paper bag hungrily. Tommy noticed the gluttonous gaze and then laughed, shaking his head.

    ¡®Nuh-uh, this ain¡¯t for you. This is mine.¡¯

    ¡®What?! That¡¯s so unfair. What did you bring me then?¡¯

    Tommy slipped off his backpack, dumping it by the door, reached into his pocket, and tossed a small USB over to Jackson who caught it.

    ¡®Keeping your hands warm, that¡¯s good. But I brought you some tape of our last game ¡­ besides, can¡¯t have you eating this crap, not when you¡¯re stuck on your butt while that leg is healing.¡¯

    ¡®Well, what about you? Should YOU be eating that junk?¡¯ Jackson glared at his brother.

    Tommy shrugged and sneered. ¡®I¡¯m still working out every day. I can afford this every once in a while. Now. Have you got a computer in here?¡¯

    Jackson was still frowning but he shook his head.

    ¡®Alright, gimme a sec.¡¯ Tommy set the food down, making sure Jackson didn¡¯t go for it, then he turned to his backpack and unzipped it, pulling his laptop out.

    He moved over to Jackson¡¯s TV, booting the laptop up, and stealing the HDMI cable from the Xbox, sticking it into the laptop instead.

    ¡®Toss the USB here?¡¯ Jackson lobbed it over and Tommy caught it in one hand. ¡®Thanks.¡¯

    Tommy got the computer set up, the screen now displayed over the TV and brought up the film from his team¡¯s last game.

    ¡®Alright, check it. I want you to focus on the Receivers and their matchups with the DBs and how they handle zone coverages. And some other stuff too.¡¯

    Jackson sat up more, propping himself up with a pile of pillows behind him. ¡®Okay. What exactly am I looking for?¡¯

    Tommy pulled a chair over to the TV stand where the laptop was and brought the video forward to the moment just before the first snap. ¡®Alright, here. Take a look at the defence.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s brow furrowed as he studied the still image on screen. The camera angle was a little above the field, taken from the stands, giving a wide view of the field.

    ¡®I see them. Now what?¡¯

    Tommy grabbed his bag of food, chewing on a fry. ¡®What coverage are they in? Man? Zone? What kind of zone?¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s eyes narrowed more and he stared at the screen harder. ¡®I¡­I don¡¯t know. Man?¡¯

    ¡®Alright, let¡¯s watch.¡¯ Tommy resumed the video. The ball was snapped, and quickly, the defenders fanned out into a variation of zone defence.

    ¡®Ooh, no good. Looks like cover four now, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯

    ¡®How was I supposed to know that just from looking at a picture?¡¯

    Tommy frowned. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s try another one.¡¯ He skipped ahead to another play, stopping pre-snap once more. ¡®Now. Man or zone?¡¯

    Jackson stared at the screen silently for a full minute.

    Tommy got up and moved closer to the screen, standing beside it. With a fry in hand, he circled the Safties on screen. ¡®Look at the way they¡¯re positioned, the way they¡¯re posturing on the field.¡¯

    Jackson wet his lips. ¡®Zone?¡¯

    ¡®What kind of zone? Quarters? Cover three? What?¡¯

    ¡®Cover two.¡¯

    Tommy pressed play again. After the ball was snapped, the high Safety drifted back to the middle of the field, while the lower Safety chased after the HB who came streaking out of the backfield, picking him up in man coverage.

    ¡®Mm, cover one robber. Close though.¡¯ Cover one signified only one defender was back deep in a zone over the middle. The robber part had to do with the MLB who was also covering the middle of the field, though much closer to the line of scrimmage compared to the Safety above him.

    ¡®I don¡¯t see how I¡¯m supposed to get that from just a picture still.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm¡­ you¡¯re right, it can be hard to tell from just a picture. Out there on the field, you can see the defender¡¯s faces, their eyes. You¡¯re right there with them and can get a better read of them. But here, like this? You can see EVERYTHING, the whole picture. Look.¡¯  Tommy rewound to just before the snap.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    Tommy tapped the TV, pointing out the CB to the far left. ¡®See how he¡¯s standing? A little to the outside, already angled towards the QB and the centre of the field? He knows he has help in the middle, and is only thinking about protecting the outside.¡¯

    He skipped ahead again, to another play and then pointed out the same defender. ¡®Now look. He¡¯s squared up against the Receiver. What do you think he¡¯s doing?¡¯

    ¡®He¡¯s ready to drop back into a zone this time?¡¯

    ¡®Exactly! ¡­ Or is he? Maybe they¡¯re ALL in man this time. Maybe he¡¯s going to blitz the QB? What else can you see about just him?¡¯

    Jackson studied the defender harder. ¡®I¡­ he¡¯s a step back? He¡¯s not going to blitz¡­¡¯

    ¡®Okay. What if they¡¯re all in man?¡¯

    Jackson scanned the rest of the field. ¡®I-I don¡¯t think so?¡¯

    ¡®Why?¡¯

    ¡®Because¡­Because the Safeties are too far back. No one¡¯s covering the TE.¡¯

    Tommy smiled slightly but didn¡¯t say anything as he pushed play. The ball was snapped, and this time, the majority of the defenders did drop back into zone coverage.

    ¡®Good job. This kind of stuff is important so you know what you¡¯re going up against any given play, and know what to expect once the ball is snapped.¡¯

    Jackson nodded.

    ¡®Plus, seeing as you¡¯re banged up and you can¡¯t do anything with that leg of yours, it¡¯s important that we sharpen that noggin of yours and use this time to train your brain.¡¯

    Jackson nodded again, and the two resumed their study session, with Tommy quizzing Jackson before each snap to guess what the defence was going to do and why he thought that.

    Eventually, Tommy would move closer to the bed, and even started sharing his fries with his younger brother as the film study continued.

    When they reached the end of the video, Tommy restarted it and went over it again for details that they missed the first time around, pointing out his observations and his reasonings for what makes him think it¡¯s either zone or man.

    ¡®Each player is going to be different, though. They¡¯ve all got different ticks, different habits that you can catch. But you can¡¯t get sucked in by the individual and focus only on the guy in front of you. You have to see the defence as a whole.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah. Right, I get what you¡¯re saying.¡¯

    ¡®But Receivers have those same tendencies too, you know. Some people are really transparent when it comes to if they¡¯ll be run blocking or not.¡¯

    Jackson tilted his head.

    ¡®If you look for it, you can notice it in some people. You just have to make sure that no matter what, YOU are lining up in the same way, in the same stance, no matter what. Whether you¡¯re going to be running a screen, a slant, a go route, a curl, or it¡¯s going to be a run play, no matter what you have to treat it the exact same before the snap.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t¡­ I¡¯ll make sure I do that. I¡¯m not sure if I do anything different, though.¡¯

    ¡®It can be unconscious. Something really small. Some people might flex their hands a lot if they¡¯re running a deep route. Or, they¡¯ll loosen their shoulders more before a blocking play. Lean back more before a screen.¡¯ Tommy laughed. ¡®You start to pick up a lot of little things when you¡¯re on the bench most of the game.¡¯

    Tommy stood up and stretched. ¡®Come on. Get up. We¡¯ll go outside for a bit, get some fresh air, give you some time to stretch and get your blood flowing. Get a drink or whatever, then we¡¯ll come back in and we can watch the route running and you can see how Receivers get open at the next level, or why they DON¡¯T get open.¡¯

    Jackson sighed and rubbed at his temples. With Tommy¡¯s help, he got out of bed and they made their way outside.

    As they stood in the sun, Jackson crunched on an apple and downed a glass of water.

    When they returned inside, Tommy kept his promise, and they started up the video again, this time focusing more on the instances of Receivers going up against their defenders directly in the plays where man coverage was used.

    On the plays where a Receiver would win the duel, Tommy would point out the techniques that he used, and the different moves utilised to freeze the defender or make them hesitate even for just a moment so that the Receiver could get enough space between them to make the catch.

    And in cases that were the opposite, where the CB smothered the WR and was all over them without ever giving any opening for a pass, he¡¯d stop and point out where the Receiver went wrong, then ask Jackson what he would¡¯ve done differently in the situation.

    This part of the study was much more extensive and time-consuming, and before they knew it, the sky outside was dark, and Mom was calling for them to join everyone at the table for dinner.

    At the table, Tommy explained what they¡¯d been getting up to, their parents looking at both boys with proud smiles.

    ¡®Hahah. Well, I know someone that¡¯s going to have a good career in coaching and training after their playing days are over,¡¯ Dad said.

    Tommy smiled, looking down at his plate. ¡®I¡¯m just trying to help my little bro out as much as I can. Have to keep him doing something productive, you know? Can¡¯t just let him waste away all because of a bad leg.¡¯

    Jackson poked at his food, keeping quiet.

    ¡®Well, I think it¡¯s wonderful that you¡¯re being so helpful, sweetheart.¡¯ Mom reached out and rubbed Tommy¡¯s arm. ¡®It¡¯s been so nice to have you around more again.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks, Mom.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re mother¡¯s right. It¡¯s been great to have you back. And your room is always there whenever you need it,¡¯ Dad said.

    ¡®Thanks, Dad, I know. Anyway, I think we¡¯ve done more than enough studying for one day. Might just play some games with Jackie Boy after dinner. Don¡¯t want to fry his brains.¡¯

    Jackson chuckled softly and flashed a quick smile.

    When the boys were done with their dinner, they returned to Jackson¡¯s room, and indeed played through a few rounds of zombies before Tommy decided to call it a night.

    He stood up, switching off the Xbox and grabbing his things. ¡®Got an early start tomorrow. Sorry to cut things short, but it was fun, right?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, of course. It¡¯s always fun playing with you, Tommy.¡¯

    Tommy ruffled Jackson¡¯s hair and then moved towards the door, stopping before he opened it. He turned back to face Jackson.

    ¡®Hey. They¡¯ve got a counsellor at your school, right? Have you thought about talking to them?¡¯

    ¡®Wh-What?¡¯ Jackson¡¯s smile faded rapidly. ¡®Why?¡¯

    Tommy¡¯s eyes darted to the cast around Jackson¡¯s leg. ¡®You know why, Jackson¡­ I think it¡¯d do you some good. No point in healing up physically if, when your body¡¯s ready to get back out there, your mind still isn¡¯t right.¡¯

    Jackson slumped down into his bed further.

    ¡®I¡¯m not trying to be hard on you. And I¡¯m not judging you either. It just ¡­ would be good for you to talk to someone, to get it off your chest, and to work through your issues. Find out why you put yourself in such a dangerous position in the first place; find a way to stop you from doing it again.¡¯

    Jackson was still silent. Tommy faced the door.

    ¡®It takes a lot of bravery to step out onto the football field. But I know that you¡¯re brave too, Jackson. It¡¯s not cowardly to seek help in overcoming your fears. Letting those fears hold you back is the real cowardly thing to do.¡¯

    Tommy opened the door and stepped out into the hall, looking back at Jackson again. ¡®I love you,¡¯ he said.

    Jackson looked over and muttered back: ¡®I love you too.¡¯

    Tommy smiled and closed the door, leaving Jackson in the dark.

 Chapter 51: What Do You Fear?

    Jackson sighed as he hobbled through the school corridors. The halls were fairly busy during the lunch break as plenty of students were stashing or retrieving things from their lockers before making their way outside, though all of them gave Jackson a wide berth as he came shambling through.

    ¡°Is this even the right time to go see the counsellor? What if they¡¯re busy?¡± He kept his head down as he made his way towards the office, following the directions he¡¯d gotten from the teacher he had just before the break.

    By now, he was able to completely ignore the mutterings of other students, though even without his ability to block out the noise, most of the excitement surrounding him and his bad leg had died off.

    However, one voice was able to pierce through his bubble of silence. ¡®Jackson?¡¯

    He raised his head, stopping and blinking. Jasmine stood before him. Today her ponytail was much neater. ¡®Ah¡­ J-Jasmine¡­ hey.¡¯

    She smiled at him. His eyes were drawn to her full lips. ¡®Looks like you¡¯re already handling those crutches a bit better,¡¯ she said.

    ¡®Oh, uh, yeah I guess so.¡¯

    ¡®Where are you headed? Need a hand going up or down any stairs?¡¯

    ¡®Huh? Oh, no I uhh¡­ I¡¯m okay. Just uhh¡­ forgot my phone in a classroom.¡¯

    ¡®Want me to walk with you?¡¯

    He almost answered yes before he stopped himself and bit his tongue. ¡®N-No, that¡¯s alright I¡­I¡¯ll be okay, thanks though.¡¯ What would she think if she knew where he was really going? Just how messed up would she think he was then?

    ¡®Hmm, well, if you say so.¡¯ She shrugged. ¡®Take care of yourself.¡¯

    ¡®You too¡­¡¯ He turned slightly, watching her walk away. The two waved at each other just before she disappeared down the stairs.

    Jackson sighed again and trudged forward, soon reaching the door of Ms Cotton¡¯s office. He raised a fist and knocked gently on the door. He shifted about on his crutches as he waited a moment before Ms Cotton opened the door.

    She was just a fraction shorter than Jackson, her brown hair cut short. Her eyes, behind a pair of thin glasses, were so dark they were almost black and already looked to be judging him. Overall, she was very prim and proper, standing with a rigid posture.

    She said: ¡®Can I help you?¡¯

    ¡®Um¡­ I was just wondering if you were free to talk right now? I¡¯m¡­ having some struggles.¡¯

    She smiled and opened the door wider, stepping aside and holding it for him. ¡®Of course, come right in.¡¯

    He thanked her and stepped through. The office was small and cosy, having the smell of honey and lilacs from a scented candle set upon her desk off to the side of the room. The couch, across the short table, sat opposite a large sofa chair and was piled with cushions.

    ¡®What¡¯s your name, young man?¡¯

    ¡®Jackson, Jackson Woods, ma¡¯am.¡¯

    ¡®Ms Cotton is fine, Jackson. Please, take a seat.¡¯ She gestured to the couch.

    He cleared away some pillows and sat down, laying his crutches over his lap, hands fiddling with them.

    She grabbed a notebook and pen from her desk before sitting on her chair, though she set aside the notebook for now. ¡®So what can I help you with today?¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, well, it was my brother¡¯s idea that I should come and see you.¡¯

    She raised a brow. ¡®And is he a student here also?¡¯

    Jackson shook his head. ¡®He¡¯s a freshman in college actually.¡¯

    ¡®Why did he think it¡¯d be good for you to see me?¡¯

    ¡®Well¡­ I guess that¡¯s to do with how I¡¯ve been feeling lately and uh, how I¡¯m doing since my leg is all busted up.¡¯

    ¡®I see. You know, I¡¯m generally here for when there are issues going on regarding things happening at the school, or if you¡¯re having trouble with the work or issues with other students and teachers.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, uhh, I mean, this is getting in the way of me playing football. I-I¡¯m on the school team, the JV squad. At least, I was before I got hurt.¡¯

    At this, her interest was renewed. ¡®Were you kicked off the team?¡¯

    ¡®No, I¡­I don¡¯t think so. But, I can¡¯t play this season.¡¯

    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡®How does that make you feel?¡¯

    He went quiet, looking down at his cast as he frowned. ¡®I¡­I don¡¯t know.¡¯

    ¡®Jackson, I can only help you if you¡¯re open with me. It¡¯s okay. You can speak openly here. Just search within yourself and express your feelings as clearly as you can.¡¯

    He lowered his head into his hands, rubbing at his face. ¡®I¡­ it makes me feel sad, like I let everyone else down because I can¡¯t play. But¡­ relieved too¡­ because I can¡¯t screw things up now.¡¯

    She reached over for the notebook and jotted something down. When she was done writing she looked up at him again. ¡®How did you hurt your leg, if I might ask?¡¯

    He was quiet again for some time. ¡®There¡¯s this hill near my house. Just before the first game of the season, I rode up this hill with some friends, we were all on bikes. Then¡­ I challenged them to race down it and¡­¡¯ He took a deep, shaky breath. ¡®I went as fast as I could. Too fast. When I neared the bottom I lost control and crashed and broke my leg in a couple of different places.¡¯

    Again, she took notes before speaking up. ¡®While it might¡¯ve been reckless, accidents happen. You can¡¯t blame yourself for that.¡¯

    Jackson chewed on his bottom lip. ¡®Right¡­ an accident¡­¡¯

    She looked over at him, setting her pen down. ¡®Was it an accident, Jackson?¡¯

    His hands squeezed his crutches tighter. The question hung heavy in the room for a long time. Ms Cotton stayed silent, as did Jackson for a while. She waited for his answer.

    Exhaling, Jackson¡¯s shoulders slumped and he stared at the floor. ¡®No.¡¯

    Her pen scribbled against the paper again.

    ¡®Did you hurt yourself to get out of playing football?¡¯

    Silence. It lingered only briefly this time.

    ¡®¡­Yes.¡¯

    More silence was broken only by the scratching of the pen.

    ¡®Why? Do you not enjoy football? Why not stop and qui¡ª¡¯

    ¡®I do! I love football still. It¡¯s my life! That¡¯s why I¡­I don¡¯t know why I did this ¡­ I was just, so scared.¡¯

    She frowned but nodded. ¡®I see. Have you had any other thoughts or instances of self-harm or suicide?¡¯

    ¡®Wh-What?!¡¯ Jackson¡¯s eyes widened as he reeled back. ¡®No, of course not.¡¯

    Her eyes glanced up from her notebook as she wrote. Then she spoke. ¡®And how long have you been playing football?¡¯

    ¡®Since I was¡­ five I think. As long as I can remember.¡¯

    ¡®Is your family involved with football?¡¯

    ¡®Yes. My dad is part of the coaching staff at Arizona State and my brother plays on the team.¡¯

    ¡®Have they always had a big influence and hand in pushing you to play football?¡¯

    ¡®Well, of course. I mean, they¡¯ve always been playing or coaching, and so, I was always around it growing up. And, what kid doesn¡¯t want to be just like their big brother, so of course I was going to follow in his footsteps.¡¯

    ¡®Is that why you felt like you were a disappointment and would let your team down if you played? Because you couldn¡¯t match up to your brother¡¯s example?¡¯

    Jackson went quiet again. ¡®I¡­I don¡¯t know. Maybe. I guess¡­ I didn¡¯t really feel good enough to be playing anymore.¡¯

    ¡®Why? It¡¯s your first year here, yes? I understand there must be quite the jump from this level and what you were used to during middle school, especially now that you¡¯ll be the youngest and smallest out there. But that¡¯s the same for everyone at this age. You¡¯ll grow and overcome any challenges, won¡¯t you?¡¯ She eyed him.

    Jackson fidgeted under her intense gaze but didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡®So what is it about football that is making you so distressed that you¡¯d go to such lengths to avoid stepping on the field again? What do you feel when you think about playing now?¡¯

    Jackson shuddered and closed his eyes.

    He was brought back to that fateful day where he had met HIM.

    He couldn¡¯t have been human. He was a monster. Those sharp teeth, his garish mouth constantly pulled into a grin, laughing at Jackson¡¯s torment as Jackson¡¯s will crumbled away.

    Those eyes; void of any human emotion, save the sadistic glee of breaking down those inferior to him. Like a predator would have as they toyed with their prey.

    Those arms; they were longer than they had any right to be. Jackson could see them dragging along the floor in his twisted memory of that dark, nightmarish day.

    So oppressive was this monster, that everything around him was stripped away, all was left black and bare.

    He wasn¡¯t human. He was a black hole, where hope and football went to die. Sucking up and crushing everything in his path ¡­ inescapable.

    And Jackson was caught, sinking deeper and deeper into that endless void. No matter how far he reached out, how he stretched, salvation was too far from his grasp.

    He was all alone.

    ¡®Jackson!¡¯ Ms Cotton¡¯s voice pulled him from that hellish daze. He gasped heavily, body trembling as he panted loudly. His heart was pounding in his chest and was struggling to take in any air.

    ¡®I-I can¡¯t ¡­ breathe¡­¡¯ Perspiration had built up along his head and body.

    ¡®It¡¯s okay¡ªyou¡¯re okay. Deep breaths.¡¯ Ms Cotton had moved closer, placing a comforting hand on his back, rubbing in circles. ¡®I¡¯ll get you some water, just keep breathing, slow and steady. In and out, nice and deep, okay?¡¯

    He nodded and she hurried out of the room. When she returned, Jackson had settled down quite a bit. She handed over the cup of water and he thanked her for it, sipping reservedly.

    Then, her phone rang.

    She answered it and turned her back to Jackson. He continued sipping his water, slowly calming down more.

    ¡®Yes. ¡­ I see. ¡­ No, that¡¯s alright, I understand. ¡­ I¡¯ll be right there. ¡­ Thank you. ¡­ Bye.¡¯ She hung up and turned to face Jackson. ¡®Are you alright?¡¯

    He nodded slightly.

    ¡®I¡¯m glad. I think it¡¯d be good if we could talk more, but right now, an emergency has come up at daycare and I need to go. But, I¡¯d like to see you weekly if that¡¯s alright. I can pen you in for Wednesdays after school, how does that sound?¡¯

    ¡®Okay.¡¯

    She collected her things and moved over to the door. ¡®Feel free to collect yourself in here for as long as you need until you¡¯re feeling better, Jackson. It was nice meeting you.¡¯

    He didn¡¯t look up. ¡®You too.¡¯

    After one last, long, look, Ms Cotton opened the door and left, shutting it behind her.

    Jackson was alone once more.

 Chapter 52: Game Day IV

    Another away game meant another road trip with Coach Long, Coach Hoang, and Bella. Ty was waiting outside his house, sitting on the curb of the road. Megan sat by his side; of course, she was coming along too.

    She would occasionally glance behind them, looking at the house when she heard a playful shout from the ever-energetic twins as Victoria was stuck babysitting for once. Ty, on the other hand, was laser-focused and silent as he stared at the asphalt ahead of them.

    Megan kept quiet too, not wanting to disturb him while he was concentrating so hard. She didn¡¯t dare ask what he was thinking about, despite her curiosity.

    Ty thought back to more of their practice sessions leading up to this important game. The main focus had been tackling, constantly slamming the training dummies into the turf, wrapping them up securely, over and over until coaches Long and Hoang both were satisfied.

    Then there were the Oklahoma drills, where two boys¡ªit didn¡¯t matter if they were offence, defence, varsity, or JV¡ªlay flat on their backs opposite each other, while the rest of the team crowded around them, creating a confined space that was barely a yard wide, and only five long.

    One boy would have a football¡ªthough it was practically just a prop¡ªand at the coach¡¯s whistle, both boys would hop up and test each other in a contest of strength.

    The ball-carrier¡¯s aim was to make it past the defender by whatever means necessary, whilst the defender¡¯s goal was to bring the carrier back down to the ground.

    The drill resulted in a tense, explosive atmosphere with the compact crowd watching and reacting to every big hit, every tough struggle, and every slippery escape.

    JJ had been dominant on BOTH sides of the drill. No one had been able to slip away from his grasp, and he¡¯d rarely been brought down.

    Ty, meanwhile, had been average.

    Tackling was not one of his strong suits, he¡¯d admit that. Sure, he¡¯d never had problems with poor tackling, but he thought it was a problem if he ever got into a situation that required tackling in the first place. Who needs to tackle someone when you can stop them from getting the ball?

    He did a little better in the role of the ball carrier, having more experience evading tackles thanks to his many scrambles after an interception, but still, in such a tight space with little room to work with, he wasn¡¯t the best.

    One thing he had learned from watching everyone¡ªand experiencing it himself¡ªwas that the legs were the key. ¡°Go for the legs. Doesn¡¯t matter how big they are, or how strong, if you get low and take out their legs, no one can move.¡±

    Coach Long¡¯s car soon pulled up in front of them. Ty stood up, dusting himself off before he opened the door, Megan squeezing in first to sit in the middle, Bella giving the other girl a look as they exchanged short and cold ¡°hi¡±s.

    Ty placed his bag into the boot and then got in. Speaking on behalf of her brother, Megan thanked Coach Long for driving them. Ty was still quietly focusing ahead of the game.

    This drive was much more uneventful than last week¡¯s, though Bella still couldn¡¯t help herself and made at least a couple of comments under her breath about Megan¡¯s clinginess, but the younger girl didn¡¯t rise to the provocation.

    They made it to the Bears¡¯ field bright and early, the JV game, once again, would be the preshow to the night¡¯s main attraction.

    While the coaches went through the game plan ahead of the JV game, Ty and Megan found a seat in the stands.

    The field this time was a much larger, extravagant affair, with multiple, towering stands surrounding it. There were also bigger, more powerful lights next to each stand, in preparation for night games.

    As time drew closer to the start of the JV game, and more players and families arrived, the stands filled out faster, even for a JV game. By the start of the game, the crowd was already bigger than what usually showed up for the Dons¡¯ previous JV games.

    Coach Short stalked the sideline. Bella had a stern look on her face as she watched the slugfest begin.

    Even without any mud present, it was still a very muddy and sloppy game from both sides, with defence being the main focal point from both teams. Neither offence could get anything going.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    The Bears¡¯ run defence was stout, like a brick wall that the Dons couldn¡¯t break through no matter how hard they tried. Even the elusive Rabbit couldn¡¯t skip around or over that impenetrable wall.

    The most frustrating part was that the Bears didn¡¯t even have to over-commit to stopping the run to have such a dominant defence against the ground game. It wasn¡¯t like they were stacking the box with an excessive amount of defenders, it was just that their front four were powerful enough to hold up everything, and their LBs could react in a flash to any run or pass.

    Though the Bears'' offence, for as mighty as their defence was, was almost the opposite. They struggled mightily on that side of the ball too.

    Only in the second half did the Bears start to break away and finally put up a small gap between the two teams, looking like they had fresher legs during the second half.

    So, despite the Dons¡¯ best efforts and their victory last week, they fell just barely short in this week''s JV game, losing in the end 6¨C3 to the Bears.

    Rabbit had given it his all, collapsing on the bench, panting hard after the game was over.

    By this time, the crowd had swelled tremendously. Hardly a seat was empty before the REAL game was about to get underway.

    As Ty got up from his chair and headed towards the locker room to get ready, Megan wished him luck, giving his hand a gentle squeeze just before he pulled away.

    He muttered a thanks without looking back.

    In the locker room, Coach Long had the boys gathered together.

    ¡®Listen up. I know most of you might be holding a grudge thanks to last year''s Regionals, and you¡¯re all looking fired up, but you gotta keep a cool head out there. Don¡¯t do anything stupid, and don¡¯t be making mistakes just ¡®cause you¡¯re mad and wanting to put some hurt on them like the way they hurt us.¡¯

    There was a restless murmur throughout the huddle.

    ¡®We know what they want to do. They¡¯re gonna come out and try to run all over us, but we ain¡¯t gonna let ¡®em. Look at the man beside you. That¡¯s your brother. Together, we can do anything. Ain¡¯t nobody running over us if we work together. Come on. Hands in the middle.¡¯

    Everybody laid a fist against or on top of Coach Long¡¯s in the centre of the circle.

    ¡®Together on three. One, two, three.¡¯

    ¡®TOGETHER!¡¯ the team screamed as one.

    Ty took a deep breath, then followed the surge out of the locker room as JJ led the team out onto the field, jogging a single lap of it.

    The huge crowd was nearly silent as the away team made their rounds, only muted, polite cheers and applause greeted the Dons. Ty waved to where Megan was in the crowd. She was easy to find for anyone; one of the few Dons supporters, a rock standing firm against the opposing tide.

    As the Dons approached their bench, the crowd dropped to total silence, then a voice boomed over a sound system.

    ¡®Laaadies and gentlemen. The time you¡¯ve all been waiting for has arrived. Put your hands together and let¡¯s hear you scream for your Regional Champions, and State Runners Up, theee Warren Bearsss!¡¯

    The stands shook and rumbled under stamping feet, a roar of cheers pierced the air, and the Bears'' main squad burst out from their locker room onto the field, the cheers only escalating after the emergence of the players.

    The players ran out onto the field, led by their coaches, and stopped at the centre of the field, playing up the crowd, basking in the adulation.

    ¡®I¡¯m loving that energy, people. But I think we can get a little bit louder! Especially for the man we¡¯re all here to see¡­ everyone, bow down to the reigning king of Warren, the greatest Running Back in the nation, a future hall of famer in the making ¡­ iiiits, KIIING Denzel Kingstonnnn!¡¯

    The crowd erupted even louder, people jumping up and down so much, that Ty thought the stands might collapse. Megan had to cover her ears as she sat right in the centre of that thunderous noise. ¡°King¡± Denzel Kingston finally made his appearance.

    Ty watched as the boy ran out to join his teammates already on the field, then led them around their lap, the screams elevating within whatever section of the crowd he passed by.

    Denzel was huge. Even bigger than he had looked on tape. When he passed across the Dons¡¯ bench, he slowed their jog even further, staring down each member of the Dons.

    Denzel¡¯s gaze seemed to linger on JJ for a while, both looked like monsters, even among the rest of the players. Denzel grinned, while JJ kept a stern, tightly set, blank face.

    Then Denzel passed by Ty. The King stared down at the little peasant, who should¡¯ve been insignificant by all accounts, but he continued to stare just as long as he had at JJ before eventually they drifted away.

    Ty felt his whole body tingling. His hands were shaking, and he continued to stare at Denzel¡¯s back, long after the larger boy had passed him by. He had a demented grin on his face, his heart racing.

    ¡®The fuck you looking at, bitch! We gon¡¯ smack that dumb look off your face! Believe that, bitch! Gon¡¯ make you crown me and call me king!¡¯ Deshaun loudly taunted, getting up in the face of the trailing Bears as they continued to run by, though he was soon pulled back by Coach Long.

    Ty prowled along the sidelines as the coin toss took place. Deshaun was still jeering and running his jaw, though Denzel¡¯s focus was solely on JJ as they stood opposite one another.

    The Dons won the toss, and the only thing Denzel said throughout the interaction was: ¡®We¡¯re taking the ball.¡¯ Then he moved back to his huddle and the Dons¡¯ captains returned with the news.

    Ty felt a rush flow through his body. He couldn¡¯t sit still, and he couldn¡¯t stop his body from shaking, nor could he wipe the smile off his face. He couldn¡¯t wait until the kickoff was done and the defence was out there on the field.

    He¡¯d finally found someone who had it, that special something that made it feel like his soul would explode! ¡°I¡¯m going to CRUSH him!¡±

 Chapter 53: Bow Down

    Pumped up by the crowd, and not wanting to be drowned under the pressure, the opening kickoff was smashed out of the back of the endzone.

    As the Dons¡¯ defence took the field, Coach Hoang called out to them. ¡®Hey! Don¡¯t forget what we¡¯ve been practising, and don¡¯t be scared of them! Remember, the sideline is your friend!¡¯

    ¡®Be fearless!¡¯ Bella shouted.

    Cheers showered King Denzel as he sauntered onto the field and got into position. JJ had eyes only for the towering RB. JJ was positioned close to the line of scrimmage, ready to make a play against the run.

    A Safety was shoulder to shoulder with JJ as well, and only two WRs were lined up far to the outside on either side of the field.

    Ty¡¯s eyes kept darting over to Denzel¡ªit was like he was a beacon that one couldn¡¯t help but be drawn towards¡ªbut he also analysed his direct opponent quickly.

    The WR standing before Ty wore number 14. They weren¡¯t much taller than Ty, they had broad shoulders and a large chest. However, they looked bored and perpetually tired. Their dark face had even darker bags under his half-lidded eyes, and he yawned into his hand as he stood opposite Ty.

    ¡®Auuuwh¡­ don¡¯t bother. Ball ain¡¯t coming over here. Juuuust relax,¡¯ the WR yawned, stretching as he stood straight, not in any sort of presnap stance.

    Ty frowned, but soon the drowsy WR was proven right. The ball was snapped, and the QB handed it straight over to Denzel, with the FB¡ªDerrick¡ªleading the way through a large gap that was opened between the Right Guard (RG)¡ªZee¡ªand the RT¡ªMack¡ªheading to the opposite side of the field.

    Denzel burst through the hole with incredible speed, but JJ jumped in front of his path, their eyes locked on one another, with JJ lunging forward to make the tackle and stop the play short.

    That was when Derrick slammed right into JJ, knocking the wind out of his sails and stopping him right where he stood.

    JJ at least held his ground and forced Denzel to cut further outside, but he was locked in place and unable to chase after him.

    Deshaun rushed over to tackle Denzel, but a stiff arm that felt like a cannonball hitting him in the chest shattered those foolish hopes and sent Deshaun stumbling down onto his ass.

    As the last line of defence, the Safeties scrambled over and shepharded Denzel out of bounds, but only after he was able to pick up 21 yards.

    JJ and Derrick broke away from one another once the play was whistled dead. ¡®Feeling lighter, eh, chica?¡¯ Derrick laughed, returning to the huddle with a smirking Denzel.

    JJ didn¡¯t say anything, rolling his shoulders in circles as he frowned.

    ¡®Good blocking. Keep that shit up, just like that. These boys are easy feasting,¡¯ Denzel said in his huddle.

    As Ty stood in the Dons¡¯ huddle, he was still overly pumped and jittery, bouncing on his feet as he kept his eyes on Denzel.

    The Receiver he was lined up against hadn¡¯t made any attempt to block him, but with the way the ball had been run, there wasn¡¯t much he could do to impact the play either way.

    ¡°They can¡¯t run the ball that way ALL game. He¡¯ll come,¡± Ty assured himself.

    The Bears lined up in much the same formation, two WRs spread wide, two RBs, the QB under Center, and a TE to the right side of the line.

    Ty frowned deeply. His opponent still looked as if they¡¯d fall asleep at any moment. He looked across at his teammates. ¡°Another run to the right? Come on, you have to stop them, right?¡±

    The ball was snapped again, and once more the QB turned to hand the ball off to Denzel, only to keep it for himself and whirl back around, looking to throw.

    Ty had already been moving across to try and cover the run just in case, but froze as he saw the QB had kept it.

    ¡®Oh fuck!¡¯ Even #14 seemed surprised, yet to move from his spot presnap, when he suddenly burst into motion, sprinting downfield.

    Ty scrambled back, quickly getting back into position and covering his Receiver as the ball was flung their way.

    Ty couldn¡¯t believe his luck. Was it ego that forced the opponents to try and challenge him? Or had they noticed how enthralled he had been with Denzel? The play-action had worked to get him out of position, and maybe if the Receiver had actually been paying attention this would¡¯ve worked.

    But with the Receiver¡¯s slow start, Ty had recovered fast enough to be right in the ball¡¯s path as it floated straight into his outstretched hands for an easy pick.

    ¡®Oh you dumb motherfu¡ª¡¯ was all Ty heard before he had left his opponent in the dust.

    He sprinted ahead, eyes locked on the vacant grass before him with the endzone as his goal.

    He never let up, even as he was crossing the plain and in for the score. Though as he did so, Denzel came into view from the corner of his eye and the hairs on the back of Ty¡¯s neck stood on end.

    ¡°Where had he come from? He almost caught me. What the fuck?¡±

    Ty panted softly as the taller boy came to a stop just in front of him. Ty shoved the ball into Denzel¡¯s stomach. ¡®Here.¡¯

    Denzel let the ball fall to the ground, his nostrils flaring as he glared down at Ty. Ty grinned.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡®You might be a king, but, I think you¡¯re just the king of the worms, squirming around on the ground, crawling through your own piss and shit. While I¡¯M king of the skies, ruler of everything in the air.¡¯

    Denzel¡¯s lips curled into a scowl, but teammates from either side soon arrived and separated the two before things could escalate any further.

    Ty made his way to the bench, never taking his eyes off Denzel, euphoria washing over him.

    On the other side of things, #14 and the Bears¡¯ QB were arguing with each other as they made their way back to their bench, trying to figure out who was to blame for that pick-six.

    The kick for the extra point after the touchdown sailed through the uprights, pushing the Dons out to an early lead of 0¨C7.

    The second kickoff didn¡¯t go for a touchback, but the return¡ªdone by a scrawny, quick kid that had yet to take the field offensively¡ªwas short, getting only to the 20-yard line where the Bears took over for their second drive.

    Denzel stormed to the huddle and quickly broke it apart, shoving the QB aside. ¡®Don¡¯t be throwing shit again. Just give me the fucking ball and clear a path up the middle.¡¯

    When no one moved, Derrick said: ¡®You heard The King. Get into formation!¡¯ And after his friends followed Denzel into position, the rest of the team soon moved to their places as well.

    #14 hung his head, sighing loudly as he stood in front of Ty. ¡®Now you¡¯ve fucking done it man¡­ this game is so fucking boring, I swear.¡¯ He turned his head towards the centre of the field. ¡®It¡¯s so useless once he gets like this.¡¯

    Ty growled. ¡®Shut the fuck up or get off the field if you don¡¯t wanna play. Trash like you shouldn¡¯t have an opinion on the game.¡¯

    #14 narrowed his eyes as they drifted back to Ty, but he didn¡¯t say anything further.

    The ball was snapped, and the QB immediately gave it over to Denzel, who once again charged forward with Derrick leading the way for him right up the guts of the defence.

    This time, before Derrick could collide with JJ, another LB rushed forward and smashed into Derrick, taking him out of the play and clearing the path for JJ.

    JJ ran forward, taking a wide stance as he came before Denzel, the two staring each other down. Denzel stuttered; would he go left, or right? JJ was frozen in place before for only a moment, but that was all Denzel needed.

    Having halted his opponent, he burst forward, lowering his head and shoulders and met JJ in a contest of strength. JJ was slow on the reaction, but braced himself and lowered his own pads and helmet.

    There was a crack like a gunshot as the two beefy teens crashed together.

    JJ wrapped his arms around Denzel¡¯s bulky frame, holding onto him as tight as he could and digging his heels into the turf. While Denzel pushed his arm out¡ªshoving JJ away¡ªand kept his feet constantly churning.

    JJ grit his teeth, veins bulging along his arms and neck as he put all his strength into the tackle, but he was slipping, falling down. His eyes widened just before Denzel shoved him into the turf and broke away from his grasp, charging forward, and after a couple of steps, he was back up to top speed, like nothing had even been in his way.

    Another defender caught up from behind after JJ had held Denzel up just long enough, but Denzel skipped over their diving attempt to bring him down, shoving their head down into the dirt as he carried on his way.

    The Safties came to stop him, but he went right when they lunged left, leaving them behind to pick themselves up off the grass.

    #14 had once again made no attempt to block Ty, and Ty had given chase as soon as the ball was snapped, but even so, once Denzel was out in the open, there was no catching The King.

    He rumbled over the goalline with yards of space between he and Ty, waving goodbye to him over the last ten.

    The cheers were as loud as a raging storm as Denzel had broke away for his big run, and when he came to a stop in the endzone, the announcers voice boomed over the speakers again.

    ¡®TOUCHDOWWWWN!¡¯

    Denzel strode over to Ty, shoving the ball into his chest. ¡®You pretty fuckin¡¯ slow for a shitty li¡¯l bird, huh?¡¯

    Ty held onto the ball, turning to watch the boy walk away. ¡®You¡¯re talking a lot of shit when you haven¡¯t even run my way yet.¡¯

    Denzel looked back and laughed, continuing to walk back to his bench and bask in his applause¡ªthe crowd chanting his name.

    ¡®King! King! King!¡¯

    Ty sulked back to the Dons¡¯ bench. He¡¯d never seen JJ beaten so one-sidedly. He didn¡¯t think it was possible for JJ to lose like that before.

    ¡®Sorry guys,¡¯ JJ said as he sat down, a serious look on his face. ¡®He¡¯s bigger than last year¡­ way stronger too.¡¯

    The kick soared through for the extra point, evening the score back up at 7¨C7.

    ¡®Don¡¯t sweat it, Jones,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®It¡¯s no big deal. Just think of it like the game starting over again, the scores are zero zero. We just have to keep THEM at zero from now on.¡¯

    The Dons remained positive, and after the Bears kickoff¡ªwhich Chris returned to the 28-yard line¡ªthe Dons¡¯ offence would take the field for the first time that game, still only a couple of minutes into the first quarter.

    However, even the offence would have to contend with King Denzel, as he took up a position as a MLB for the Bears¡¯ defence.

    Thankfully, he wasn¡¯t as big of a problem on defence as he was on offence. He was still an exceptional LB, but compared to his work as a HB, it was obvious which side of the ball he was best suited for.

    The main problem to overcome when confronting the Bears¡¯ defence was their stout Defensive Line. Led by Denzel¡¯s closest friends, Zee, Connor, Mack, and Derrick.

    Those four boys were the hardened, scarred anvil that had been toughened throughout many beatings dished out by the hammer that was Denzel¡¯s running.

    Having to go up against him every pratice for over two years had turned them into one of the best run defences in the country, and Chris felt that first hand very soon into the Dons¡¯ first drive.

    Sure, he was more elusive and agile than his much larger counterpart, but if those defenders got even a hand on him, it was like an unbreakable chain had been wrapped around him.

    Each hit, each grab felt as if it¡¯d crush his bones.

    He¡¯d wince and grit his teeth, but carry on without complaint, even as his runs came up short.

    In the passing game, Stephen was matched up against Denzel. While Stephen still had the height advantage¡ªas he did over just about anyone¡ªstrength went to Denzel.

    While Stephen may have been able to outmanuever Denzel, when it came to actually catching the pass, Denzel seemed to always be quick enough to close the gap, and could use his strength advantage to shove Stephen off his spot and disrupt the pass.

    ¡®So damn big, but you still a weak, li¡¯l bitch!¡¯ Denzel remarked after knocking Stephen to the ground.

    Stephen¡¯s bald head was steaming, but he said nothing.

    The Dons¡¯ offence were quickly forced into a three-and-out, and had to punt the ball away back to the Bears.

    The Bears¡¯ scrawny returner¡ªwho turned out to be one of their DBs¡ªwas back for the punt as well, though signalled for a fair catch this time.

    When the offences and defences switched over, Ty didn¡¯t notice that #14 had remained on the bench and a new WR was lined up before him; he only had eyes for Denzel.

    He stood, waiting and wondering. It would be stupid for the Bears not to give Denzel the ball again. Would he finally be coming Ty¡¯s way? Would Ty be able to stop him? Or if not, and he continued up the middle or to the opposite side, would his team be able to hold Denzel back?

    His heart was pounding again, though the excitement and euphoria was gone, anger and anxiety in their place.

 Chapter 54: Unstoppable Onslaught

    The ball was snapped, and as Ty moved to start making his way across the field, the new Receiver in front of him blocked his path and shoved him back.

    Denzel took the ball for another rush, sprinting around to the outside, once again heading away from where Ty was positioned.

    Thankfully, he was pushed out of bounds before scoring another touchdown, but not before he¡¯d shoved Deshaun to the ground once again, and picked up a dozen more yards.

    Deshaun was helped up by the rest of the already battered team and brushed himself off, cursing under his breath and glaring at the back of Denzel¡¯s head.

    Ty¡¯s frustration would only grow as he struggled to make it past the relentless blocking of his opponent, let alone make it across to influence any plays in the drive as the Bears continued to feed Denzel the ball until he bulldozed his way into the endzone for his second touchdown of the game.

    The successful extra point secured the Bears a lead of 14¨C7, and after the kickoff, the Dons¡¯ offence vowed to even up the scores again.

    However, they¡¯d be beaten back for a second time. The Bears¡¯ defence dealt with them quickly, though the Dons did get at least one first down this drive, lasting a bit longer than their first attempt.

    Chris was still kept entirely in check, after his first five rushing attempts, he had only a gain of a single yard to show for his efforts.

    Stephen didn¡¯t fare much better, of the three passes that had targeted him, he¡¯d only managed to catch one for a gain of 6 yards.

    As the embarrassed and angered offence stomped back over to the bench, Coach Long watched with concern, speaking with Coach Norman. ¡®That boy Denzel has improved on defence.¡¯

    ¡®The whole team has,¡¯ Coach Norman commented. ¡®We can¡¯t get anything past the big fellas up front.¡¯

    As the defence readied themselves to take to the field, Coach Hoang moved over, a whiteboard sat in his lap.

    He quickly scribbled up a rough formation of both teams. ¡®Look, we can¡¯t let them just do what they want. This battle will be won up front. We¡¯re only down one touchdown. We can stop them now and bring things back. So, to do that, we¡¯re going to have to create our own gaps in the line, funnel him through, and hit him hard when he¡¯s coming through the hole.¡¯

    He drew arrows jutting from some of the circles that represented the players on the whiteboard, underlined others as he indicated where he wanted his defenders to focus their efforts.

    ¡®Shut down the lanes they want, but leave open a trap. Then when he takes the bait and runs through, that¡¯s when Jones hits him hard!¡¯

    Their resolve was set. They nodded, and when the punt was over, the defence stormed out, ready to execute Coach Hoang¡¯s adjusted plan.

    Ty still hoped for his chance. He¡¯d have to deal with the pesky blocker in front of him first, but he wouldn¡¯t let that stop him from getting to the ball.

    He said nothing as he lined up opposite the thick, brick wall of a Receiver, barely even acknowledging him. And the Receiver spoke as little as a brick wall.

    JJ was lined up much closer to the line of scrimmage, along with just about everyone else on the defence¡ªall of them were ready to pounce.

    The ball was snapped again, and the Dons¡¯ Linemen and LBs swarmed, cutting off all routes for the run, save for one hole on the left side.

    JJ was already on his way into the open gap, making it in to the narrow lane first, but Denzel was soon there to meet him.

    The two collided head on once more, this time in a tight corridor rather than the open field. There would be no way to get around JJ, only go through him, he had no reason to hesitate.

    Even so, the result was the same. JJ ended up flat on his back, staring up at the sky as Denzel rolled right over him.

    Sometimes people had to learn the same lesson twice before it fully sunk it¡ªNO ONE could stand before The King.

    The Bears marched down the field, the Dons only able to slow their progress, but a touchdown was inevitable. This time, when they got down to the goalline, the Bears made a short toss to their TE for the score.

    The first quarter came to a close soon after, and the scoreline of 21¨C7 was grim for the Dons.

    Ty was still a bundle of nervous energy as he sat on the sidelines during the short break between quarters. Outside of the pick-six, he hadn¡¯t been involved in the game at all, he¡¯d never had the chance to do anything else.

    Even on the few passes they¡¯d thrown after that interception, they¡¯d only ever been short things to a TE or to the FB who had slipped out of the backfield.

    Coach Hoang sat alone, far away from the bench, staring out across the empty field as he tried to come up with another solution to the problem. But he was having trouble thinking of another. If Denzel could beat even JJ one on one in such a favourable position, he wasn¡¯t sure there was anything they could do to stop him.

    On the offensive side of the ball, the Dons were stumped as well. The run game would have to be abandoned at this rate.

    Maybe they could incorporate Chris in the passing attack more, with screens and short outlet routes. At least that¡¯s what Coach Long and Norman hoped would help.

    The Dons would start the second quarter with the ball, and the ¡°new plan¡± worked marginally better as they got their longest drive of the day, but in the end were still stopped just short of field goal range.

    The second quarter turned out to be even more one-sided than the first¡ªin a way¡ªas the Dons were unable to score at all. They did at least stop the Bears from getting any long, explosive touchdowns, and held them to a lower score for the quarter.

    With the Dons¡¯ offence lasting longer on the field, the Bears were only able to tack on ten more points before the half, thanks to a touchdown run from Derrick where the defence was completely sucked in by another fake handoff to Denzel that left Derrick free to run in untouched.

    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    Then, the Bears were also able to kick through a field goal just before time expired in the first half.

    Ty had yet to get close to Denzel on the field. No run ever coming his way, nor did any other pass come near enough for him to intercept it or even deflect it.

    As the dejected Dons entered their locker room for the major break, the scoreboard read 31¨C7, and even the ever optimistic JJ¡¯s head was hung low.

    Coach Long went around to the defensive players, slapping them on either their back or shoulder, telling each one to ¡°keep their head up¡± and that the real game started now.

    ¡®This is when champions prove themselves,¡¯ he said. ¡®When the men are separated from the boys.¡¯ He looked around the room. Each boy was looking at him, but only a few of them had any life behind their eyes at all.

    He sighed. ¡®Listen, even if we don¡¯t come back, and we can¡¯t win¡­ well, you can¡¯t win EVERY game, and this will still be a good learning experience. Just because we lose, doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll be defeated. The only way we can be defeated is if we ourselves give up. As long as you continue to give it your all, no matter what happens, you¡¯ll be able to hold your head up high and remain proud of yourselves.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah. He¡¯s right, boys. Don¡¯t give up. We¡¯re not beat yet,¡¯ JJ said, trying to further rally the players.

    After his speech, Coach Long moved aside with Coach Norman, and the two men spoke with Stephen, explaining their suggestion of how to beat Denzel on the offensive side of the ball at least.

    ¡®Double moves. He¡¯s fast, and strong, but he¡¯s not a coverage guy. He can¡¯t keep up with an intricate route or stick with you if you hit him with feints and double moves.¡¯

    Stephen listened, his jaw set tightly as he nodded. He still had to make up for his sorry performance in the first half as well.

    Coach Hoang, however, was awfully quiet during the break. Through his silence, he felt expectant eyes on him. He clicked his tongue and then grit his teeth, looking around at the defenders.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry,¡¯ he said. ¡®I don¡¯t really have anything to say. I¡¯ve let you all down. I don¡¯t see what we can do other than throwing everything we have at stopping the run, and leave ourselves open to passes over the top.¡¯

    JJ stood up. ¡®No, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault. If I was stronger, if I could come out here and say that I¡¯ll stop him¡­ then there wouldn¡¯t be a problem. But I can¡¯t. He¡¯s stronger than me. I can¡¯t do it on my own. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m gonna stop trying, though. I¡¯m a shit leader right now, but if I have you supporting me, I know we can do this, hermanos.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m with you, dawg. Always.¡¯ Deshaun stood up, dapping up JJ and hugging him.

    Ty ground his teeth, he could feel the game slipping away from him, like the world was falling out from under his feet. He stood up. ¡®I¡¯ll stop him.¡¯

    Everyone nearby turned to look at him. ¡®Don¡¯t be fucking stupid, freshy,¡¯ Deshaun said.

    ¡®Hold on, Banks, let Samuels talk.¡¯ Coach Hoang stared at Ty. ¡®What do you mean?¡¯

    Ty took a breath, slowly unclenching his jaw. ¡®I just mean, if you can send him my way, on a stretch to my side, if you shut down every other lane so it¡¯s the ONLY possible place he could run¡­ I¡¯ll bring him down. No matter what.¡¯

    Coach Hoang and Ty stared at one another for what felt like a full minute before either of them said anything.

    It was Coach Hoang who broke the silence. ¡®Alright. We¡¯ll give you your shot. It¡¯s not like things could get any worse.¡¯

    Ty nodded. The team gathered together in the middle of the room, fists raised together.

    ¡®Never give up, on three. One, two, three.¡¯

    ¡®NEVER GIVE UP!¡¯

    The Dons would be receiving the kickoff to begin the second half, and Chris¡ªdetermined to do SOMETHING positive for the team¡ªgave them their best starting field position of the day after his return brought the ball to the 36-yard line.

    After that, it was time to implement their new plan of attack, and with Chris staying in the backfield as an extra blocker to buy time for Stephen¡¯s routes to develop, they were able to march forward chunk by chunk.

    They had already passed halffield by the time the Bears were able to adjust, switching to a focus on zone defence, so that Denzel wasn¡¯t having to deal with Stephen one on one.

    Soon after, the Dons were held up, and brought to fourth down. The field goal unit was sent out onto the field.

    Annoyed that they had come so far, only to be held up near their goal, the offence came off the field, but at least the first set of points they were responsible for were put on the board as the kick¡¯s aim was true.

    The score was 31¨C10, and while three points weren¡¯t much, it was at least the beginning of what they hoped would be a comeback.

    After another touchback on the following kickoff, Ty took to the field, grinding his teeth constantly, his nails digging into his palms. It felt like the entire game rested on this next play.

    #14 for the Bears was back out on the field as well, glaring down at Ty. ¡®They benched me ¡®cause of you. Happy? What a shit fucking game. They¡¯re not even doing anything with me and then they fucking bench me.¡¯

    Ty blocked out his complaining, he had more important things to be focusing on.

    The Dons crept closer to the line of scrimmage before the snap, making it clear that they intended to stop the run at all costs.

    It was a challenge that The King couldn¡¯t simply ignore.

    Everyone knew where the ball was going after it was snapped.

    ¡®Blueee fourty-two¡­ hut!¡¯ The QB took the ball, shoving it directly towards Denzel who quickly scanned the field. The Dons were throwing themselves against his blockers, barring all paths except for one. The one that led far out to the left, where Ty was waiting.

    Of course, Ty still had #14 to deal with, who seemed quite upset after having to sit out the majority of the first half, and ferociously launched himself at Ty to push him back.

    Ty stood his ground, his long arms kept the aggressive boy at bay, and even still, his eyes were locked on Denzel.

    Though, as Denzel came charging over, #14 turned his head. Upon seeing the unstoppable King coming closer, the Receiver stopped trying to prevent Ty from getting to him, almost shoving Ty towards him instead.

    Ty gladly rushed forward to meet Denzel, sinking low in his stance as he spread his long arms wide. ¡°Low is the key, the legs are the key. The legs!¡±

    Denzel wasn¡¯t surprised. How else could someone so small and skinny hope to stop him if not by tripping him up? He knew Ty would sink so low, and it would¡¯ve been easy for The King to hurdle over him ¡­ but he had a point to prove.

    Denzel lowered his shoulder as well, wrapping the ball up tightly in both arms as he lined Ty up.

    Ty was lower, and he lunged forward, aiming for Denzel¡¯s knees and ankles.

    Denzel slammed into Ty, getting his arms and chest in the way of the tackle.

    Ty grunted, wrapping his arms around whatever he could. ¡°Did a car just hit me?¡±

    Before he could even comprehend what was happening, Ty was crushed onto his back. His hands groped at Denzel¡¯s legs and feet as they churned over him and continued forward as if he wasn¡¯t there. Even when he latched onto Denzel¡¯s foot, The King ripped away from his grasp with ease, and was barely even slowed down.

    Ty could only lay on his back, staring up at the spinning, starry sky as Denzel rumbled onwards. The cheers and chanting of the massive crowd let Ty know that another touchdown had been scored.

    ¡®Hah. Pathetic. And I thought you guys could¡¯ve been at least a little exciting.¡¯ #14 shook his head, walking away from Ty.

    Ty rejected the hands offered to help him up, slowly sitting up on his own accord, wincing and feeling at his ribs.

    When he stood up, Denzel had returned, a large grin on his face. ¡®Looks like even a bird becomes worm food if you clip its wings,¡¯ he said.

    As JJ got between the pair, Denzel was already moving away. Though Ty had said nothing. He turned away, shambling back over to the bench.

    This game was over.

 Chapter 55: The Taste of Defeat

    Ty couldn¡¯t stand this feeling. There was no way he could accept it, this sickening taste in his mouth; he hadn¡¯t lost yet, not until the final whistle blew. He wouldn¡¯t give in.

    The Dons offence was back out there again. The kickoff return this time was more deflated, only reaching the 24-yard line. It seemed even the moral of the offence had been smashed down.

    Denzel was no longer participating as a part of the Bears¡¯ defence, but it didn¡¯t matter, the Dons were still forced to punt.

    The Dons¡¯ defence dragged themselves back out onto the field, JJ still trying to keep everyone motivated, while Ty quietly fumed and prepared to redeem himself.

    They switched to just an all out rush-stopping defence, leaving only the DBs back in coverage to defend against passes.

    Death through the air was the poison they had picked, and though they weren¡¯t happy with it, it would have to be better than what Denzel had been doing to them.

    Ty was laser-focused, though #14 didn¡¯t say anything to him this time as they awaited the snap.

    When the snap did happen, Ty lunged forward, aiming to shove #14 aside and rush straight for Denzel as the rest of the team collapsed in to stop him as well.

    This time, they actually were able to drag him down for only a gain of 2 yards as the formidable Offensive Line had crumbled under the all-out assault.

    Denzel¡¯s friends hurried to help hi up, apologising for their failure to protect him, though he brushed it off.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry ¡®bout it.¡¯ He looked around at the Dons¡¯ defenders, disgust in his eyes. ¡®If that¡¯s how they gon¡¯ play it, fuck it, we know what to do.¡¯

    The Dons¡¯ spirits started to raise again, and they lined up once more. If they could just keep getting results just like that, maybe they could bring this back after all.

    ¡®It¡¯s hopeless. Why do you have to be so boring?¡¯ #14 said, but Ty was still ignoring him.

    Again, when the ball was snapped, Ty lunged forward once more. THis time, however, he made contact with nothing. #14 was all too happy to get out of his way.

    The QB dropped back, pushed the ball towards Denzel, but drew his hand back at the last moment and kept the ball.

    Ty scrambled to a stop and turned back, but it was too late. #14 had more than enough space, and the ball was lobbed over Ty¡¯s head for an easy catch.

    Thankfully, the pass was a little behind #14, and he had to slow down a step to catch it. Due to that, Ty was able to reach him and shove him out of bounds right after the pass had been completed.

    #14 sighed, dropping the ball once the play was over. The pass had resulted in a gain of 14 yards. ¡®See? Hopeless. Maybe next time you can give us a small challenge at least. Just try to not bore me to sleep.¡¯

    He roughly pushed past Ty on his way to his huddle. Ty narrowed his eyes, watching #14 walk away. He was being toyed with, and this sleepy fuck wasn¡¯t even trying. Did he even need to when Denzel was usually so dominant?

    Though the ball wasn¡¯t always thrown to #14 after that, the Dons had no way of stopping both the air attack AND Denzel at the same time, so they slowly bled out as more and more passes were completed.

    This new tactic was at least more successful than how they¡¯d been defending the rush, though it was hard to tell if that was because of what the Dons were doing, or more so because the Bears had let their foot off the gas.

    In the end, the Bears only tacked on another ten points before the end of the game.

    And on the opposite side of the ball, the Dons¡ªonce their moral recovered a bit, but also perhaps because of the Bears easing up¡ªwere able to score an offensive touchdown of their own.

    Stephen caught a short pass over the middle of the field after they¡¯d meticulously worked their way downfield to the goal line. After his catch, he then promptly spiked the ball as hard as he could into the turf to vent some of his frustrations about the defeat.

    The touchdown had come too late into the fourth quarter for it to really mean anything, and by that point their defeat was inevitable. To their credit, the Dons never gave up.

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    The game ended with a whimper rather than a bang, with a final score of 48¨C17, the Bears were heralded as the victors.

    And even though the crowd had been cheering and celebrating their victory since near the beginning of the second half, they erupted with jubilation as the final whistle was blown and the game was officially over.

    The Bears celebrated on the field and by their bench, riling up the crowd and playing up to them as they showered in the praise of their fans.

    The coaching staff of the Dons did their best to cheer up their downtrodden players as the hollow feeling left behind by the defeat sunk into them and they began to fully comprehend what had happened.

    Their undefeated streak was over and their hot start to the season had been frozen just like that.

    Ty stood on the field, staring up at the scoreboard. The numbers 48 and 17 burned into his memory, searing themselves into his brain. He couldn¡¯t quite fathom that the game was over.

    He was the last person standing on the field after it was all said and over.

    Coach Hoang eventually had to wheel over to him and tug his arm. ¡®Samuels. Hey, snap out of it. Are you okay? Come on, let¡¯s get to the locker room. The game¡¯s over. We might¡¯ve lost, but there¡¯s plenty of season left. We¡¯ll get another chance against them.¡¯

    Ty blinked, looking down at Coach Hoang blankly. ¡®This¡­ is losing?...¡¯

    ¡®Feels like shit, I know.¡¯ He started to roll towards the locker room before he stopped and looked back. ¡®¡­Have¡­Have you never lost before?¡¯

    Ty looked away, not saying anything. He was failing to come to grips with this horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach.

    Coach Hoang frowned and kept a hold of Ty¡¯s hand, leading him over to the locker room.

    Inside, the atmosphere was dead. Hardly a sound was made except for the shuffling of feet and the thudding of cleats against the floor.

    There was no game ball to be handed out¡ªthat had obviously been rewarded to Denzel in the other locker room¡ªand there was no grand speech to be made.

    When Coach Long did say something, he kept it brief.

    ¡®You can¡¯t win them all, guys, and that¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll just have to get them next time. So let¡¯s use this as a learning experience; there will be plenty to go over at the next practice.¡¯

    He looked around the room, hardly anyone was looking at him.

    He cleared his throat. ¡®Well. Get home safe, get plenty of rest, and I¡¯ll see you all at practice. Dons on three.¡¯ He held his hand up.

    Like zombies, the team shuffled towards him and then raised their hands up against his.

    ¡®One, two, three.¡¯

    ¡®¡­Dons.¡¯

    Coach Long frowned but stepped away from the huddle as it broke apart and everyone went on their way grabbing their things and heading home.

    As Ty emerged from the room, Megan was right there to greet him, hugging him tight. ¡®Ah. I¡¯m so sorry! You still did amazing, Ty. And I¡¯m sure you tried your hard¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t.¡¯ Ty didn¡¯t hug back, and slipped away from her grasp. ¡®Just¡­ don¡¯t.¡¯ He kept his head down as he trudged back to the car park.

    The drove home was as silent and awkward as it could¡¯ve been. The awkwardness wasn¡¯t helped when Coach Long offered to get ice cream as a way to cheer them up instead of celebrate this time. Even then, Ty had no reaction, he just stared at the floor.

    Megan and Bella both politely declined the joking offer, and Coach Long took the siblings straight home.

    The house was dark when they arrived. Ty got out and closed the door without saying a word.

    Megan apologised on his behalf, then thanked Coach Long for driving them and bid everyone a goodnight before she left and followed her brother; Ty was already inside the house by the time she was out of the car.

    She got inside just in time to hear his bedroom door close.

    He dumped his bag down, then flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling for a moment. A wave of emotions hit him as he stared at that popcorn ceiling. He had lost. He was powerless, in a game of football¡­ he had been utterly defeated.

    He could feel something bubbling away inside of him, a visceral, fiery rage boiling in his gut before it rushed through the rest of his body, spreading to the very ends of his limbs and drowning him in it like hot magma.

    He turned over, stuffing his face into his pillow and screamed. He screamed until his throat was sore and his voice was hoarse. It did little to ease him. His body was still burning up.

    He had lost, and it was all his fault. If only he was faster, stronger, bigger. If he was better, he wouldn¡¯t have lost.

    He got out of bed, even after screaming, he still had so much pent up energy left over. He couldn¡¯t sit still, not with this fire burning throughout his whole body.

    He paced around, but it wasn¡¯t enough. He wanted to explode, and he was so hot he couldn¡¯t think properly, couldn¡¯t breath in this stuffy room.

    He walked out, the door swinging shut loudly. He didn¡¯t even notice that the twins had been watching everything with fear-filled eyes.

    Megan opened her door, sticking her head out just in time to hear the slam of the front door as Ty left.

    Once outside, he had an easier time breathing, but he still felt so wound up, like he¡¯d burst apart at the seams at any moment.

    He took off running. He sprinted into the street and then followed the dark, empty road, running as far as his legs would take him. He had no goal in mind, no destination, he was simply running just for the sake of running.

    ¡°Useless! Worthless piece of fucking shit! How!? How could you lose?! I¡¯ll never lose again!¡± He panted heavily, wide eyes staring ahead as his feet pounded against the asphalt.

    ¡°I¡¯ll destroy them. All of them. That stupid, boring fuck. That jackass king. The whole team! When we meet again, I¡¯LL DESTROY THEM!¡±

 Chapter 56: Left Behind

    Jackson¡¯s crutches thudded along the floorboards as he made his way over to the front door, where Tommy was already waiting for him.

    ¡®You ready?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    Jackson answered with a nod.

    ¡®Alright, see ya, Mom, see ya, Dad, see ya, Chrissy.¡¯

    ¡®Have fun, you two, and stay safe,¡¯ their Mom called out as Tommy opened the door for Jackson and the two went out to Tommy¡¯s car. Their Dad and Chrissy were too engrossed in their game of Connect 4 to give a response.

    Jackson laid his crutches over the backseat, then hopped into the front. Tommy looked back at the crutches after he got into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡®When can you get rid of those things?¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, two weeks maybe? I¡¯ll visit the doc again and they¡¯ll let me know how much walking I can do without them.¡¯

    Tommy nodded, pulling out of the driveway and heading towards Arcadia High¡¯s football field. It was game day, and while Jackson was still forced out onto the sidelines, this was still a perfect time to study the art of the game.

    Today, the Titans would be playing at home, going up against the Mesquite Wildcats. The JV squad hoped to carry over their momentum from last week¡¯s hard fought win, while the Varsity team was determined to continue their winning streak.

    The brother¡¯s arrived at the field shortly before the afternoon¡¯s first game would begin; the coin toss for the JV game just concluded as they were finding their seats.

    When Jackson steered clear of his team¡¯s bench, Tommy didn¡¯t press the issue or ask any questions. He looked the bench over, however, and frowned. ¡®Do you guys have a lot of injuries with your JV team?¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Jackson frowned as well, looking down at the Titans bench a few rows below them. Coach Otsen was addressing the players just before sending them out for the kickoff. All the familiar and expected faces were there.

    Jackson shook his head. ¡®No. We just¡­ not many people made the cut for tryouts, and less stayed after training actually started.¡¯

    ¡®There was only twelve of you after summer training camp?¡¯

    ¡®Uhh¡­ eleven including me¡­ they had to bring in someone new when I was injured¡­¡¯

    ¡®I see¡­¡¯ Tommy turned his attention back towards the field.

    Jackson frowned deeper, lowering his head, reminded of how he¡¯d let the team down before their first game.

    Tommy nudged his leg. ¡®Keep your head up. This is important. I know you¡¯ve watched tons of games like this, but this time is different. We¡¯re not here just to have a good time, we¡¯re still here to learn.¡¯

    ¡®O-Oh, right. S-Sorry.¡¯ Jackson nodded and with a clenched jaw, he kept his eyes on the game now.

    The Titans would be kicking off to start the game, going on defence first. As Tommy watched the Titans take their formation for defence, he leaned forward in his seat.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen your team play yet. What do you think you guys are best at.¡¯ He glanced at Jackson.

    ¡®Oh, uhh. Well, defensively¡­ I mean overall, Kenny is the best player¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Aside from you.¡¯

    Jackson chuckled awkwardly and cleared his throat before continuing. He pointed Kenny out to his brother. ¡®But, I mean, he¡¯s a more offensive focused player. He¡¯s still a good DB. Other than that, the rest of our pass defence might be a little weak, but our run defence tries to make up for it. Our guys upfront are getting really strong.¡¯

    Tommy nodded. As the first drive was underway, it wasn¡¯t long before the apparent weak point of the Titans¡¯ defence was exploited.

    Number 18 for the Wildcats was headed straight for Freddy who was backpedalling rapidly and looking quite nervous. #18 shimmied then swerved outside, though once Freddy shifted their hips to turn that way, #18 instantly darted the other way.

    Freddy scrambled to keep up, but got all twisted around by his own feet and tumbled to the ground, leaving #18 wide open.

    A long ball soared through the air and as #18 slowed up, it fell right into his hands. Thankfully, Lonnie was able to catch up with him and prevent him from scoring a touchdown, even if it was a gain of over 40 yards and the Wildcats were in field goal range just like that.

    Jackson winced and his shoulders slumped.

    ¡®What happened there?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    ¡®That was¡­ ahh¡­ he¡¯s the kid they brought in after I was injured. H-He hasn¡¯t played before all this.¡¯

    Tommy rested his chin on his hand as he looked at Jackson. ¡®I see¡­ but that¡¯s not what I asked, is it? What went wrong and why do you think it happened?¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s brow furrowed as he looked towards the field. Freddy had been helped up onto his feet, and the game continued, the defence scrambling to do their best to keep the opposition back.

    He replayed the previous play in his head. ¡®Uhh¡­ well, he was too nervous, too worried about being beat. He jumped too early on the first thing he saw¡­¡¯

    ¡®Right. And the Wideout pounced on that chance, as soon as he saw the defender flip his hips, he got him turned around and zipped in behind him. That¡¯s the kind of thing you need to be doing¡­ haha, but it won¡¯t always be that obvious. Spotting a jumpy and nervous defender when you¡¯re lining up is important.¡¯

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    Not too long after, the Wildcats scored with a quick 7 yard pass into the endzone to their TE. Tommy stood up, cheering and clapping, Jackson looking up at his brother worriedly as he was one of only a few supporters cheering for the away team.

    Tommy pointed down at the play excitedly, grinning. ¡®See that? It was a zone defence, and that was an option route. The TE saw that the middle of the field was congested because of the threat of a run, but that his teammates had drawn attention way out to the sidelines and the back of the endzone, so he found the gap in the zone and sat right down in it. It was perfect! Just the way they would¡¯ve drawn it up.¡¯

    He sat back down, still grinning. ¡®Being able to see the field and read the entire defence, it can be even more important than being faster or stronger, or able to jump higher than your defender.¡¯

    ¡®Right¡­¡¯ Jackson nodded. It really was like the TE had known EXACTLY where to go to find the perfect opening in the defence for that touchdown.

    ¡®I know it can be harder to pick up in real time, but this is good practice. Sure with film you can go into greater detail and you can always pause and rewind, but this helps you understand it all closer to how it would be in a real game. I know you¡¯ve watched a lot of games live before, but there¡¯s a difference between WATCHING and STUDYING.

    After the extra point was good, and the short kickoff return, the Titans took the field for offence this time.

    Tommy again turned towards Jackson. ¡®Offensive strengths, shoot.¡¯

    ¡®Well, Kenny¡¯s the best WR¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Aside from you.¡¯

    ¡®R-Right¡­ uhh, well yeah, but, we¡¯re more of an aerial attack then. Our linemen can provide good time, and our Recievers are good. Petey can put the ball right where you need it, and he doesn¡¯t usually make mistakes. ¡­But I mean, we¡¯ve still only won just one game, so we¡¯re maybe not THAT good yet.¡¯

    Tommy shrugged. ¡®Don¡¯t beat yourselves up about that. You¡¯re a young team, you¡¯ll get better as the season goes on.¡¯

    It didn¡¯t take long for Kenny to showcase his skills. On a deep ¡°in¡± route, he snagged a nice grab over the middle of the field, yielding a 17-yard gain on the play.

    ¡®Beautiful,¡¯ Tommy commented. ¡®You see how decisive he is with his cut? When he¡¯s at the top of his route before he turns towards the middle, he gets the defender to hesitate for just a split second, but that¡¯s all he needs cause he¡¯s already prepared to make his move.¡¯

    Jackson could only agree; it had been a crisp, clean route that Kenny ran, the cut towards the middle giving him the space he needed from his defender to make the catch.

    ¡®Then, when he needs to make the catch, he¡¯s¡­ well he¡¯s fearless.¡¯ Tommy frowned.

    Jackson looked away. ¡®A good Receiver HAS to be fearless¡­¡¯

    Tommy rubbed the back of his head. ¡®Noo, no. Fearless isn¡¯t the right word. They have to be courageous. They have to push their fear aside, and focus on their goal instead. That goal being the ball. A Receiver can¡¯t worry about anything else when they¡¯re going for a catch, just the ball. They can¡¯t worry about the defenders, or themselves, they have to be focused solely on catching the ball, no matter what. And with the way Kenny throws himself into it, you can see that¡¯s how it is for him.¡¯

    Jackson was quiet. Still looking away from the field.

    ¡®You¡¯ve always been like that too when you were playing,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®Th-Thanks.¡¯

    The Titans¡¯ first drive would end in failure, unable to get any points. However, their defence would hold up, and before the first quarter was over they managed to tie the game with another good pass on a well designed pick play to the outside, where Kenny helped free up Nick for the touchdown.

    Going into halftime, the score was 7¨C10 with the Titans behind only because of a field goal kicked just before time was up.

    ¡®You wanna go down there and give them a pep talk? Or even just to say hello?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    Jackson shook his head. ¡®N-Nah¡­ I should just¡­ I don¡¯t want to distract them. I should just let them focus.¡¯

    Tommy let things be.

    The second half got underway, and the two brothers kept a watch eye on the battles between the Receivers and DBs throughout the second half.

    Tommy would continue to point out good plays and mistakes, then he''d ask Jackson why something worked or why it didn¡¯t. He¡¯d even point out good things he saw from Receivers that didn¡¯t even have the ball thrown their way on the play.

    Jackson would keep his eyes peeled for anything impressive, even if it was something simple like a good block, or good effort to reach an uncatchable ball.

    But, as the end of the game drew closer, and it looked like it¡¯d come down to a nail-biting finish, the analysis side of things slowly disappeared as the two became engrossed in the game.

    Throughout the second half, both teams had managed to score another pair of touchdowns each, so the margin was still the same as it had been at halftime, right in the final moments of the fourth.

    The Titans had the ball with under thirty seconds left in the game. They were only 2 yards out from the endzone, but it was fourth down.

    Instead of aiming for overtime by taking the near guaranteed field goal, Coach Otsen elected to go for it, having one last trick up his sleeve as he called their final timeout.

    ¡®Alright, come close here.¡¯ He pulled the boys into a tight huddle, leaning down to be eye level with them. ¡®We¡¯ll run an Jet Sweep ¡­ to Freddy.¡¯

    There was shock on all the faces in the huddle, but no one said a word against him, Kenny having to bite his tongue to keep his mouth shut.

    Then, Freddy himself broke the silence. ¡®Ummm¡­ C-Coach Otsen? What does that mean?¡¯

    Coach Otsen pulled the boy in front of him, hands on Freddy¡¯s shoulders as he looked into his eyes. ¡®When Petey taps his foot, you¡¯re going to start jogging towards him, like you¡¯re gonna pass right behind him. When you¡¯re close enough he¡¯s going to snap the ball, and he¡¯ll hand it right to you, right here.¡¯ He smacked his hand against the boy¡¯s stomach firmly. ¡®Hold it tight, and RUN. Run as fast as you can, and you aim straight for that cone, that pylon at the corner of the endzone, and you don¡¯t stop running until you reach it, no matter what.¡¯

    Freddy gulped but nodded meekly, clutching his stomach once Coach Otsen moved his hand away.

    ¡®Now get out there and win this damn game!¡¯

    As they took to the field again, Coach Knight gave Coach Otsen a questioning look.

    Coach Otsen chuckled. ¡®They¡¯ll never expect it. We¡¯ve barely used him as anything more than a blocker and distraction all game, and now we¡¯re giving him ball to win it all on the final play? There won¡¯t even be anyone in his way, he could walk into the endzone.¡¯

    As Freddy lined up, he kept his wide eyes on Petey at all times. He was shaking, breathing hard as he felt like he might crack a bone from how hard his heart was pumping against his ribcage.

    Then Petey tapped his foot twice, and Freddy started moving. His breathing stopped, but his heart kept racing.

    The ball was snapped, and then passed into Freddy¡¯s hands. He squeezed it as hard as he could, and ran like his life depended on it while Petey faked a handoff to Isaac.

    In the end, Coach Otsen was right. Freddy could¡¯ve been able to walk into the endzone at a leisurely pace and no one would¡¯ve even laid a finger on him.

    He easily ran in for the game-winning touchdown, and the crowd burst into cheers.

    Tommy hooted and whistled in joy, stuffing his fingers in his mouth as the whistle carried loudly over the rest of the cheering.

    The entire team swarmed Freddy, hoisting him up into the air upon the shoulders of the largest boys. He had just won them another game. Maybe their season was turning around after all.

    As he watched all this unfold, Jackson forced a smile, though his fists clenched tighter against his legs. He couldn''t tear his eyes away from Freddy and the rest of the team as his replacement was lauded as the hero of the game once again.

 Chapter 57: A Titanâ€™s Strength

    Even after the JV game was over, Jackson remained in his seat, not moving down to congratulate his teammates on their second win.

    ¡®I think it¡¯d be good if you went down and at least told them they did a good job,¡¯ Tommy said, but Jackson stayed firmly rooted in his seat.

    Tommy sighed but left it at that. As he stood up and stretched, he looked down at his little brother. ¡®Well, I¡¯m gonna grab some food while we wait for the next game to start.¡¯

    He looked around briefly. ¡®Looks like there¡¯s a little food vendor over there, you want a hot dog?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, yeah, thanks.¡¯

    Tommy made his way down the stands. Jackson kept his eyes on his teammates as the celebrations died down, and the JV team slowly departed, with most of them heading for the car park.

    Kenny, however, was sticking around to watch the varsity game as well. As he climbed higher into the stands, he looked Jackson¡¯s way.

    Neither boy called out to the other, and while Kenny stood there, staring for some time, a frown came across his face.

    He wouldn¡¯t approach Jackson, and instead moved by, going to sit with his parents who were situated a few rows away from where the brothers had set up.

    Jackson squirmed in his seat, but Tommy soon returned, carrying with him a couple of hot dogs, as well as two bottles of water that he held in just one hand.

    He sat back down, passing over one of the loaded up hot dogs, and a bottle.

    ¡®Thanks.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¯

    Jackson took a gulp of water before he dug into his food.

    When the varsity squads of both teams took to the field, Tommy looked both sides over. Then, he pointed out Shane. ¡®Who¡¯s that?¡¯

    Jackson wiped his mouth before responding. ¡®Shane Spearhead. He¡¯s um¡­ well he¡¯s really good. Our best player.¡¯

    ¡®I could tell¡­ What position does he play?¡¯

    ¡®TE, like you. And uh, MLB on defence.¡¯

    ¡®Hah. Looks like we¡¯ll have someone great to learn from today then.¡¯

    Jackson nodded, looking at Shane as he and the other captains ventured to the centre of the field for the coin toss. ¡®You¡­ could tell he was the best just from looking at him?¡¯

    ¡®Can¡¯t you?¡¯

    Jackson tilted his head, staring at Shane. ¡®I¡­I guess.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just Shane¡¯s physicality that made him stand out. It was the way he carried himself. It wasn¡¯t arrogance as much as it was self-assuredness in himself and his determination to be the best; Tommy said as much.

    ¡®Who¡¯s the best player from the other team then?¡¯ Jackson asked.

    ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Tommy scanned the Wildcats¡¯ bench as the players huddled together before the kickoff. He shook his head. ¡®None of them are on the same level as Shane. It¡¯s hard to tell. I don¡¯t think anyone stands out from the pack just by looking at them.¡¯

    ¡®So¡­ we should win then, right?¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s not always that simple. Just because one player might be head and shoulders above the rest in terms of ability, doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll win. This is a team sport, Jackson. A great team will always triumph over superior individuals if they¡¯re just that¡ªindividual.¡¯

    After the kickoff, the Titans¡¯ offence took the field, ready to make a statement to start the game off strong.

    Tommy turned to Jackson. ¡®So, outside of Shane, what are the team¡¯s strengths? You¡¯ve seen them before, right?¡¯

    Jackson nodded. ¡®Right, well, you already know Shane is the best player, he usually ends up getting double teamed every game that i¡¯ve seen. But, other than that, Micky, our HB, is really good,. Um, we like RPOs¡­ but, outside of Shane, our passing offence would be below our rushing attack.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, maybe we can see why that is today. I mean, if he¡¯s getting double teamed, the other Receivers should have a lot less attention on them, and it should be easier for them to get open.¡¯

    With the first snap, both brothers went quiet and focused on the game, as the Titans opened with a deep ball to Shane down the sideline.

    Tommy was amazed by the agility and quickness that Shane possessed. It wasn¡¯t even that it was impressive for a man of his size, it was just outright impressive for ANYONE regardless of size.

    ¡®They can¡¯t even keep up with him, but then when he has a step, did you see the way he used his body to shield the drop point of the ball? He made sure he¡¯d be the only one who could get a hand to it¡­ beautiful.¡¯

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    The first drive for the Titans went off without a hitch, as Shane was the primary force dragging them down the field. Whether it was in the passing game, where he¡¯d utilise his big frame to secure the best position and make openings for quick flicks or long bombs. When it came to the run game, he¡¯d flaunt his expert blocking by opening up gaps or securing the edge for Mickey to burst through without any problems.

    The first touchdown came on a pass over the middle, thrown up high, where only Shane could reach it. Even through heavy traffic he went up and plucked the ball from the sky when no one else could even lay a finger on it.

    Just like that, the Titans jumped out to an early 7¨C0 lead.

    Tommy rose to his feet excitedly, cheering loudly as Shane jogged back to the sideline. ¡®Did you see that? That was a masterclass! Now THAT is how you use your strengths to your advantage.¡¯ He looked down at Jackson. ¡®You could learn a thing or two from that.¡¯

    ¡®Eh? R-Really? But¡­¡¯ Jackson looked down at himself. He wasn¡¯t exactly as big as Shane, nor did he think he ever would be. He¡¯d have to live in the gym to get the same kind of strength, and as for height¡­ well he could only pray for that.

    ¡®Of course. You¡¯re not gonna be THAT big ever, but¡­ still, if Dad and I are anything to go by, you¡¯re going to be a tall WR, and you need to be able to USE that height properly.¡¯

    Tommy sat back down. ¡®You can¡¯t be afraid to get physical with your opponent. And even if you¡¯re never as strong as him, it¡¯s not just brute strength that he uses, it¡¯s his positioning and his balance too, he never lets them get comfortable enough to challenge him in the air. Without a steady foundation, they can¡¯t jump as high or far, they can¡¯t change direction as quickly.¡¯

    The Wildcats were thwarted rather quickly on their first offensive possession, and when the Titans¡¯ offence took to the field again, this time, two defenders were lined up against Shane.

    ¡®Wow, and here comes that double team already¡­ haha, now what will he do?¡¯ Tommy was grinning from ear to ear. Though Shane was his junior, and still in high school, it was like Tommy was prepared to learn something new now.

    The Titans were quick to adjust their scheme now that Shane was receiving extra attention. Instead of trying to force in long passes to him like they could when he was covered one-on-one, they now fell back upon their trusty RPOs.

    RPO stands for Run/Pass Option, and in this play, the QB would usually be awaiting the snap in the Shotgun position, with the RB directly beside him. At the beginning of the play, the RB would move to take the ball from the QB, it was at that moment, that the ¡°Option¡± part would kick into play, and the QB had a decision to make.

    With only a split second to make the decision, the QB would have to read the defence, and decide whether it was best to give the ball to the RB, or keep it for himself.

    If he kept it, he would have another decision to make. He could make a run himself, or if it was open, there would typically be a short passing route for him to throw to.

    With this many variables, it was a tricky concept to execute, but when executed well, it was incredibly tough to defend.

    Both Wesley and Mickey were elusive, powerful runners, and both were a problem to deal with on the ground. But if a defence became too focused on stopping either runs, then that would leave the airways open for quick passes.

    And even while being double teamed, Shane excelled at these short passes.

    Once again utilising his body to the utmost, he¡¯d single out one of the defenders guarding him, and while running away from one, he¡¯d directly challenge the other, and use his superior frame to block them off from making a play on the ball, securing a brief opening, which was perfect for these short, snappy passes.

    The Wildcats were unable to stop this tri-pronged attack, and slowly but surely succumbed under the Titans¡¯ superior offensive might.

    The Titans once again marched down the field and forced their way into the endzone, this time Mickey was the one to score, running the ball in for another touchdown.

    ¡®Incredible¡­¡¯ Tommy laughed and shook his head, applauding once again.

    After the second touchdown, the Wildcats'' defence was able to adjust, and they didn¡¯t give up another touchdown before halftime, where they went into the major break with a score of 17¨C7 in favour of the Titans.

    Shane was still the most troubling aspect of the offence for the Wildcats to deal with, and he had been the one that made the catch to put the Titans into field goal range for their final score of the first half.

    Even on defence Shane was a force to be reckoned with, slowing up the run game, and controlling the middle of the field when it came to the Wildcats¡¯ passing game too.

    In the second half, the Titans continued to grind their opponent down until resistance was futile. Shane would not be stopped, and the Wildcats proved to be horribly outmatched as the game ended with a score of 31¨C10.

    Shane had caught another touchdown pass, the second one coming when he managed to break free over the top of his double team and run away for a reception of over 50 yards. And Wesley also managed to run in a touchdown of his own.

    Throughout the second half, Tommy had become so enthralled with Shane¡¯s performance as a TE that he¡¯d forgotten they were there to analyse the game, not admire it.

    Jackson didn¡¯t mind, however. He¡¯d never complain when given the chance to watch Shane¡¯s incredible play.

    Both Tommy and Jackson were in a bit of a daze until Kenny¡¯s voice called out to them. ¡®They always have such an incredible game, don¡¯t they?¡¯

    ¡®Hahah, if they¡¯re all like that then I¡¯m sure they¡¯re amazing to watch every week.¡¯ Tommy stood up and turned to face Kenny. ¡®I¡¯m Tommy, Jackson¡¯s older brother.¡¯ He extended his hand to the boy.

    ¡®Kenny Murata.¡¯ The two shook hands firmly, Kenny holding back from wincing at Tommy¡¯s strong grip.

    ¡®You played really well today too, congratulations on the win.¡¯

    ¡®Y-Yeah, congrats,¡¯ Jackson said. ¡®I¡¯m really glad you guys were able to win again.¡¯

    ¡®Hah, yeah, seems like all the torture Coach Otsen puts us through is paying off. Though, I won¡¯t stop until I earn my spot on that varsity team.¡¯ Kenny looked around and then sighed. ¡®Ah, I gotta go. My parents wanna get out of here already. But, I¡¯ll see you at school, Jackson.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, see you then.¡¯ Jackson waved goodbye.

    ¡®Nice meeting you!¡¯ Tommy called out.

    ¡®Nice meeting you too!¡¯ Kenny waved back before hurrying over to his parents.

    Tommy looked down towards the Titans¡¯ bench again, then he turned to Jackson.

    Jackson looked up at him. ¡®¡­Maybe we should go too.¡¯

    Tommy nodded with a slight smile. ¡®Okay.¡¯

    The two made their way to the car, pulling out onto the road and starting the drive back home. Jackson stared out the window, watching as the field and its bright lights drew further and further away until it disappeared from sight.

    ¡°Everyone keeps winning¡­ am I even a part of this team anymore? Do they even need me? Do they even want me?¡±

 Chapter 58: Overcoming Weakness

    That Monday, school couldn¡¯t end fast enough for Ty. There wouldn¡¯t even be a team practice that afternoon ¡­ but he did still have something to look forward to, which only made the day drag on longer.

    Once that final bell rang, he was the first out of the door. He hadn¡¯t been able to focus on anything any of his teachers had said the whole day.

    When he was out in the halls, he made a beeline for the front gate, realising one flaw in his plan. He didn¡¯t know which class JJ ended his day with, and he could only hope to catch him at the gate.

    As he waited by the gate, watching the other kids stream by, his thoughts drifted back to where they often found themselves since the loss.

    He was right back in the middle of the game, Denzel was running him over¡ªrunning them ALL over¡ªrepeatedly. Again and again. Over and over. The King trampled all over the Dons, all over Ty on his way to victory, and their way to defeat.

    He hadn¡¯t been strong enough to stop Denzel. It was all HIS fault. Because HE was weak, they had lost. ¡®Never again,¡¯ he muttered.

    People passing by gave him strange looks and went around him with a wide berth as no one wanted to get near the gloomy, fuming boy.

    When JJ finally came into sight, Ty stepped forward, approaching him quickly. ¡®JJ.¡¯

    ¡®Yo! What¡¯s up, hermano?¡¯ JJ smiled, clasping a hand on Ty¡¯s shoulder. He looked at the people he had been walking with, a couple girls and another boy, though none of them even came up to his broad shoulders. ¡®Hey, I¡¯ll see you guys tomorrow.¡¯

    The trio waved goodbye, though the boy slowed down, looking back at Ty and JJ with some concern. ¡®You okay, Julius?¡¯ His eyes darted back and forth behind his glasses, constantly glancing at Ty and then back at JJ.

    ¡®What are you looking at?¡¯ Ty snarled. The glasses-wearing boy flinched.

    ¡®Hahaha, come on you guys.¡¯ JJ smiled wide, defusing the situation as he squeezed Ty¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Thanks Bernard but I¡¯ll be fine, this is my teammate, Ty. Best freshman I¡¯ve seen. And Ty, this is Bernard, we¡¯re working together on a science project.¡¯

    ¡®A-Alright.¡¯ Bernard cleared his throat and scrambled away from the two.

    Ty huffed and shook his head.

    ¡®Now, what¡¯s up? What did you need to talk about?¡¯ JJ asked.

    ¡®You workout, yeah?¡¯ Ty looked JJ over, the answer should¡¯ve been obvious.

    ¡®Of course!¡¯

    ¡®Are you going to the gym now?¡¯

    JJ raised a brow. His smile grew. ¡®I might be.¡¯

    Ty looked away, nodding, staying quiet for a moment. ¡®¡­Can I come with you? I need to get stronger.¡¯

    ¡®Of course! You ever been to one before?¡¯

    Ty shook his head. ¡®Not outside of team lifting.¡¯

    ¡®Well, you¡¯re in luck. I¡¯m always happy to show a rookie the ropes. Come on.¡¯ JJ headed for the nearby carpark, bringing Ty along. ¡®I can give you a ride.¡¯

    ¡®I came on a bike.¡¯

    ¡®Oh¡­ uhh, maybe it could fit in the trunk?¡¯

    Ty went and brought his bike over to JJ¡¯s car, an old Buick LeSabre that was still in good condition.

    ¡®Mierda.¡¯ JJ stood at the back of the car with the trunk open, staring at the bike. ¡®I don¡¯t think it fits.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll just ride behind you.¡¯

    JJ frowned but nodded, shutting the trunk. ¡®Yeah. I mean, at least you¡¯ll get an extra warm up.¡¯ He flashed a smile.

    Aside from that initial mishap, they didn¡¯t run into any further trouble, and the journey didn¡¯t take too long before they pulled up in front of the Silverback Fitness.

    JJ walked right in, carrying a sports bag that he¡¯d retrieved from his back seat over his shoulder; Ty followed behind him after locking up his bike.

    The gym wasn¡¯t overly large, but it was still bigger than what they had at the school. It was dark too as the lights were dim and it didn¡¯t have any windows. There were only a couple of mirrors, both stretching from the floor to the high ceiling. Metal rattling, heavy grunting, and rap music pouring from the speakers set up in the corners, underscored everything. An earthy aroma like that of cedarwood mixed with the salty BO and scent of sweat that filled the air.

    JJ made his way straight towards a large man who was bulging with muscles that looked like a mixture of The Hulk and Blade. ¡®Yo! Monty.¡¯

    ¡®JJ!¡¯ The large man turned and the two muscle heads embraced in a hug that could¡¯ve turned coal into diamond.

    Ty looked around the rest of the gym, a few other of its members were watching the interaction between JJ and Monty as the two held a conversation in Spanish.

    Soon, JJ pointed out Ty and Monty strode over, extending one of his bear-like hands.

    ¡®Welcome, welcome. A friend of JJ¡¯s is a friend of mine.¡¯

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    Ty shook the man¡¯s hand, the grip was surprisingly gentle.

    ¡®The first day? On the house. I¡¯m sure JJ will take good care of you.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, thanks.¡¯

    ¡®No problems, friend. Just be careful, don¡¯t want anyone getting hurt, but, like I said, I¡¯m sure JJ will look after you. If you need me, I won¡¯t be far away.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks again, Monty. Come on, Ty. We¡¯ll get warmed up over here.¡¯ JJ put an arm around Ty¡¯s shoulders, leading him away.

    Ty followed JJ over to a few stairmaster machines where JJ began stretching, gesturing for Ty to do the same.

    The two limbered up, then hopped onto the machines, taking things slow and easy at first.

    As they steadily climbed the infinite steps, JJ looked over at Ty. ¡®So, why the sudden interest in the gym? I know you go hard after practice¡­ but you don¡¯t seem thrilled to be doing stuff like this.¡¯

    ¡®Of course I¡¯d rather be on the field, honing my skills.¡¯ Ty shrugged. ¡®But sharpening my body, that¡¯s important too, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s no reason. I just want to get stronger.¡¯

    JJ kept watching Ty, the other boy continued to stare forward. JJ shook his head then muttered something in Spanish.

    Ty glared at him. ¡®Say that in English.¡¯

    JJ met his glare coolly. ¡®That¡¯s a bunch of bullshit and you know it. You¡¯re here because of what happened last game. Because we lost.¡¯

    Ty went quiet, looking away again.

    ¡®There¡¯s nothing wrong with being upset about a loss. Own it. You¡¯re here because you never want that to happen again ¡­ same as me.¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Ty looked over. ¡®Didn¡¯t you lose to them last year?¡¯

    ¡®Twice. Doesn¡¯t make it any easier. I don¡¯t think it ever gets easier, no matter how many times you lose. But that¡¯s okay. It¡¯s fuel, and it¡¯s up to us that we use it to get stronger.¡¯

    JJ upped the intensity of his machine. ¡®Besides, it¡¯s my fault that we lost. I let the team down. You guys did your job of stopping the passes, funnelling Denzel towards me ¡­ but I couldn¡¯t stop him. It was my job to bring him down and¡­ I couldn¡¯t. I failed.¡¯

    Ty looked down at his machine, soon matching the increased speed that JJ had pushed to. He wasn¡¯t alone, his rage and despair was felt by JJ too. Did the rest of the team feel the same way?

    ¡®I¡¯d never lost a game before last weekend. Never. Not in PeeWee Football, not in Elementary, or Middle School. Not even flag football or anything like that. ¡­I hate it. I never want it to happen again.¡¯

    ¡®Hah. Yeah. Se siente como una mierda. Feels like shit, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯

    Ty ground his teeth stomping up the stairs harder and faster, almost going too fast for the current setting. ¡®I WON¡¯T let it happen again. I¡¯m never going to lose again.¡¯

    ¡®WE aren¡¯t going to lose again,¡¯ JJ corrected him.

    ¡®We¡¯re going to make it to Nationals, and we¡¯re going to WIN.¡¯

    ¡®?Claro, carajo!¡¯ JJ stopped his machine and hopped off, Ty soon joining him back down on the floor.

    ¡®It¡¯s gonna take a lot of hard work to get strong enough to stop that guy,¡¯ JJ said.

    ¡®I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll do anything it takes to stop¡­ to CRUSH! that fucker.¡¯

    JJ smirked. ¡®Alright, let¡¯s get to work.¡¯ He slapped Ty on the back firmly and led him over to the dumbbells¡ªtoday, he¡¯d show Ty through some good upper body workouts.

    Even though Ty was a novice, he pushed himself extremely hard, and while JJ made sure they weren¡¯t going so hard that they¡¯d hurt themselves, both of them pushed each other to the edge, testing themselves over and over, to the point of failure and beyond.

    By the time they were done, hours later, their bodies were on fire even though they were both drenched in sweat. JJ had discarded his soaked-through shirt long ago, veins bulging along his pumped up arms as he lay against a bench, taking deep breaths.

    Ty stared at his hands, the tips of his fingers were numb and tingling. A burning sensation was spreading along his upper body, reaching places and muscles he had never even known about before. A grin consumed his face as he panted heavily.

    JJ got up, tossing his empty water bottle back into his bag, taking from it a large towel, beginning to wipe down the last bits of equipment they¡¯d been using, before he directed Ty to the back room where they could hit the showers and get changed.

    Only then did he realise that Ty wouldn¡¯t have a spare set of clothes with him. ¡®Ah, we need to get you a bag for next time. Always need to bring water, your towel, and a change of clothes.¡¯

    ¡®I can shower at home today. But¡­ that means we¡¯re doing this more? Hahah. Same time tomorrow?¡¯ Despite his soreness already setting in, Ty felt like he could conquer the peaks of K2.

    ¡®Hahahah I appreciate the eagerness, but aren¡¯t you forgetting team practice tomorrow?¡¯

    ¡®Oh¡­ right, of course. After that?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah. After that we¡¯ll hit the gym hard.¡¯ JJ nodded. ¡®Oh, but, don¡¯t go home just yet anyway, even if you aren¡¯t showering. You need to eat after this kind of thing.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ve got food at home¡­¡¯

    JJ shook his head. ¡®Not the food you need after a workout like that. I¡¯ll show you.¡¯

    After JJ¡¯s quick shower, and his change of clothes, he took Ty outside and across the street to Mountains of Meat, his favourite burger joint.

    They sat down outside, and JJ ordered for the both of them. While they waited, he had another bit of advice for Ty.

    ¡®Since you¡¯re new to this¡ªbut even so, when you go as hard as we did today it¡¯s just good practice¡ªyou need to put some heat on your muscles when you get home. If you¡¯ve got a heat pack, perfect. If not, a hot bath will do.¡¯

    Ty nodded.

    When their burgers arrived, Ty¡¯s eyes almost popped out of his skull. Both of them were huge. Almost the size of his head it looked like.

    They were comprised of two massive, beef patties, with lean rashers of bacon squished between, above, and below them. topped with a jumbo sized egg. Then, piled next to each burger was a mountain of fries.

    JJ rubbed his hands together, drooling at the sight of the burgers. ¡®Dig in, hermano. It doesn¡¯t get any better than this.¡¯

    Ty was wondering how he¡¯d manage to get through all this in one sitting. He doubted if he¡¯d ever eaten this much in ONE DAY.

    ¡®How much does this shit cost¡­¡¯

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t worry about that. You don¡¯t have a job yet, right? It¡¯s my shout. Just eat.¡¯ JJ picked up his burger and opened his mouth so wide Ty thought his jaw would unhinge.

    Ty picked his own up and stared down at the burger. ¡°Mountain of Meat is right.¡± He leaned in and took a bite.

    It was good, but even one bite was filling, and there were still all those fries too. Looking across the table, JJ was smashing through his burger like he had somewhere to be later.

    Ty kept eating quietly, shoving as much of it down his throat as he could, if JJ said this was what his body needed, he¡¯d trust him.

    Almost halfway through his plate of food, JJ slowed down and wiped his mouth. ¡®Hey. You meant what you said before, didn¡¯t you?¡¯

    Ty looked up, having eaten maybe only a quarter of his meal. ¡®Meant what?¡¯

    ¡®About not losing again, until we¡¯re National champs.¡¯

    Ty gulped and set his burger down, staring into JJ¡¯s eyes. ¡®I didn¡¯t say that. Who said anything about being okay with losing just because we won Nationals once? I¡¯m not going to lose EVER again.¡¯

    JJ felt a surge of adrenaline rush through him. The look in Ty¡¯s eyes told him that his friend was deadly serious ¡­ and he felt like it wouldn¡¯t even be that ridiculous to turn that impossible-sounding dream into a reality.

 Chapter 59: Righting the Ship

    For the first team practice after the Dons¡¯ loss to the Bears, EVERYBODY arrived at least ten minutes early.

    Coach Long laughed and clapped his hands together. ¡®Now that¡¯s what I like to see. Looks like everybody¡¯s ticked off about losing, huh? Good. Let¡¯s get to work and fix that.¡¯

    As such, practice started a few minutes earlier than normal, and even for warm ups, the entire team¡¯s intensity was shifted up a gear from their usual outings.

    ¡®I can see the fire burning inside you all. The loss is eating you up, right? That¡¯s good!¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®We¡¯re going to use that today. Let¡¯s get to some drills.¡¯

    Coach Long would spend most of his time with the defence that day, and of course, after the poor performance they just showed, they¡¯d be focusing on stopping the run, AGAIN.

    Whereas over with the offence, a majority of their focus would be on rushing and blocking, they¡¯d also give some time to working on catching in traffic and through contact.

    As the defence went through their drills, they would shed a block from Coach Long or an assistant, then tackle a dummy.

    Ty wasn¡¯t the most thrilled with the focus being on run defence and tackling, but, he wasn¡¯t totally against it either, seeing as he still had some frustration to vent about their loss. Picturing Denzel¡¯s smug face on the dummy was almost therapeutic every time he speared into it.

    While offensive players would either take the ball and ran through a narrow path of cones with sharp turns and cuts, or, for the Receivers, they¡¯d have to catch a ball well over their head. Throughout it all, both sets of players would be getting whacked by heavy, foam arms from multiple assistants.

    ¡®That¡¯s great!¡¯ Coach Long called out. ¡®Keep that energy. And keep that loss in mind. Don¡¯t let it drag you down, let it push you forward to even greater heights. It¡¯s just one loss, it doesn¡¯t mean much. We¡¯re going to see them again in regionals, so you better be ready to pay them back for that loss.¡¯

    As the varsity and JV teams were mixed together for this practice, Ty and Rabbit inevitably ran into one another, with Rabbit coming over to Ty while they were both waiting their turn for the drill.

    ¡®H-Hey¡­ I-I just wanted to say s-sorry¡­ about you guys l-losing and everything.¡¯

    Ty glared at him. ¡®Shut it. I don¡¯t need your fucking pity,¡¯ he growled.

    ¡®S-Sorry¡­ I just¡­¡¯ Rabbit lowered his head. ¡®Sorry. N-Next time we come against them¡­ I¡¯ll¡­I promise I¡¯ll be strong enough to help.¡¯

    ¡®Tch. You could NEVER help us against someone like them.¡¯

    Ty ran forward, launching himself into the drill and left the other boy behind. Coach Hoang watched the interaction with a frown.

    JJ came up behind Rabbit, putting a hand on his shoulder. ¡®Oi, don¡¯t listen to him. He¡¯s still dealing with the loss, he doesn¡¯t mean that. You just keep doing what you¡¯re doing, you¡¯ll make it off JV in no time.¡¯

    Rabbit looked at JJ with a strained smile but didn¡¯t say anything.

    The intensity stayed high throughout training, and as the drills shifted to one-on-one tackling between the offence and defence, Coach Hoang watched on closely.

    ¡®Don¡¯t ease up now. And don¡¯t forget about what¡¯s in front of you, guys. There are still other teams out there that¡¯ll kick your asses if you overlook them and focus on your revenge against Warren. These other teams aren¡¯t pushovers!¡¯

    Ty and Chris were matched off against one another.

    At the blow of the whistle, Ty sprung up and rushed forward to cut Chris off. He stretched his long arms out wide, almost taking up the entire confines of the area they¡¯d be given to work within.

    But his arms felt heavy. His whole body had felt like lead even before practice had started¡ªthe after effects of yesterday¡¯s workout with JJ.

    Decisively, Chris didn¡¯t shy away from the contact and burst towards one of Ty¡¯s outstretched arms.

    Ty shifted his weight, putting his shoulder into Chris as he tried to wrap his aching arms around the boy, but Chris¡¯s legs never stopped pumping, and he broke through the tackle, leaving Ty in the dirt.

    Though once the drill was over, Chris quickly turned around and offered a hand to Ty to help him up.

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    Ty looked at it, then looked away, tearing up some grass as he cursed under his breath and pushed himself up.

    Chris shrugged and sighed, moving away.

    Ty moved over to his bag, getting a drink. As he did so, however, he was disturbed by a familiar, and annoying, whiny voice.

    ¡®They were right before,¡¯ Ricky said, ¡®about not getting complacent and stuff, and focusing on the next game, too. This team might kick your butt as well.¡¯

    Ty side eyed him, taking another gulp from his water before he acknowledged the kid. ¡®What do you want? Just here to gloat about shit? If you¡¯ve got some more footage just hurry up and show it.¡¯

    ¡®Well, you guys did go pretty viral getting run over by The King like that.¡¯ As Ty growled Ricky hopped back. ¡®Whoa! Relax, relax. I¡¯m here to help, promise. I meant it when I said you guys could be in trouble next week.¡¯

    ¡®Well hurry up and spit it out then! Who are we facing next week.¡¯

    ¡®The Downey Vikings. They¡¯re the only other undefeated team in the division¡­ uhh, outside of the Bears. But, instead of a star HB, it¡¯s their WR you need to watch out for.¡¯

    Ty laughed. ¡®Then what¡¯s the problem? Of course we won¡¯t lose if their best player is a WR. I¡¯ll shut them down. We only lost last week to that stupid fucking king dickhead, because he¡¯s a shitty RB and how am I supposed to deal with that shit?¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s that cocky attitude that makes you lose, you know.¡¯

    Ty, again, stepped forward towards Ricky, he quickly put more distance between himself and the angry, older boy.

    ¡®Whoa! Wa-Wait! I¡¯m serious when I say you guys might lose! This WR is different. He¡¯s the best in this region, and he might even be the best in the state!¡¯

    ¡®So what?! I¡¯m the best fucking DB in the NATION.¡¯

    Ricky gulped. ¡®Yeah? You really wanna prove that? Then beat this guy. Embarrass him, make him your bitch! Uhh, th-then you¡¯ll be a little closer to a 90¡­¡¯

    Ty scoffed and started walking away.

    ¡®H-Hey! Watch out though, this team is good! Even outside of their star!¡¯

    Ty didn¡¯t respond. His heart was pounding. He could feel the strength returning to his numb arms and hands as the fire spread throughout his body.

    This upcoming game would be his message to the world, that his loss was a fluke, a fluke and a mistake that he¡¯d never let happen again. He¡¯d prove it by destroying Downey.

    As practice wound down for the day, most players were exhausted, having given it their all for hours. Even so, Coach Long urged the boys over to the school gym to cool down and pump some iron.

    JJ, drenched in sweat, was still as motivated and full of energy as ever, rallying a large group of both varsity and JV boys around him.

    Ty was one of those who were still pumped and raring to continue, though he wasn¡¯t sure if his body was up for what his mind wanted to do. He moved closer to JJ and told him as much.

    ¡®Hey. I don¡¯t think ¡­ my arms are messed up after yesterday or something. I can barely lift them let alone any extra weight.¡¯

    JJ laughed and slapped Ty on the back. ¡®Yeah, maybe we went a little too hard for your first proper session at a gym. But don¡¯t worry about it, if your arms aren¡¯t working, just focus on your legs.¡¯

    JJ looked around at the dozen boys that had converged around him. ¡®Hey, Jamie, can you run Ty through some squats and stuff, be his spotter for the day and he¡¯ll spot you too. Oh, and Max, you work legs with them too.¡¯

    Ty groaned and ground his teeth as Rabbit was forced upon him, but his attention was soon dragged away by this Jamie he¡¯d never heard of before.

    A fresh-faced kid that Ty couldn¡¯t recall seeing before stepped forward. A bit of peach fuzz clung to Jamie¡¯s upper lip, a poor excuse for even a first moustache. With his long, narrow head, and his large eyes, and the way he gawked at people, Ty couldn¡¯t help but think of a dumb fish when looking at him.

    But, he was well built, especially for someone who must¡¯ve been a freshman on the JV team. He was just a couple of inches under six feet, but had large, strong shoulders and stocky legs.

    JJ, whilst acting more like a coach and trainer as he made sure everyone else was doing things correctly and weren¡¯t overexerting themselves. Though when he had some time to workout himself, he spent most of his time focusing on legs as well, joining Ty and his little group.

    As time wore on, more people started to leave the gym and head home. Though not too long after the time in the gym started, JJ was surprised to see Deshaun walking towards the exit.

    ¡®Hey. D! Deshaun! Where you going, hermano?¡¯ JJ wiped his face with a towel.

    Deshaun adjusted how his bag sat on his shoulder, looking around the gym. ¡®I¡¯m just going. Shit man, what¡¯s it matter?¡¯

    ¡®We gotta keep training. C¡¯mon. I know we lost to them again, but, we can¡¯t beat them if we don¡¯t get stronger.¡¯

    Deshaun sighed. ¡®Naaah¡­ you do that. Imma do me. I¡¯ll focus on the field. Besides.¡¯ He looked towards Ty who was sitting at a leg press machine, watching the conversation. ¡®Looks like you¡¯ve got someone to take my spot.¡¯

    Deshaun turned and left before JJ could respond.

    ¡®What¡­ Deshaun!¡¯ JJ cursed under his breath before heading out after Deshaun. Across the gym, Stephen dropped his weights down loudly and made his way out after them.

    Jay raised the towel off his face as he lay across a bench in a corner, but he soon dropped it back down and went back to sleep.

    Chris continued his box jumping, headphones on, he hadn¡¯t even reacted to the walk out.

    Rabbit stammered and hesitated a bit, but soon left Ty and Jamie to go out after JJ.

    Ty shook his head, staying right where he was. ¡®Fuck that noise,¡¯ he muttered. He had no time to worry about others. He could only focus on himself, and the rivals in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m not losing ever again.¡± He reminded himself of his promise. The first obstacle in his way was Downey, and he had to crush them first before he could focus on his royal revenge.

 Chapter 60: Inner Strength

    Even though Jackson still had to rest his leg, Tommy had convinced him that it¡¯d be good to attend each and every practice, so that he could at least watch his team and understand the fundamental reasons for their drills, as well as give them all his support.

    Jackson couldn¡¯t argue with his big brother, and did begin religiously attending practice, though for now, he kept well back on the sidelines.

    He¡¯d show up right before practice started, find a seat on the lone set of bleachers, and stay there throughout the whole session, keeping to himself, and keeping quiet.

    The drills were still as intense as ever, and Coach Otsen was riding everyone as hard as he always did, with coaches Knight, Vasquez, and Carson making sure to keep everyone¡¯s spirits high and give an extra push to anyone who was lagging behind.

    The one thing that had changed, however, was the fact that the JV team was handling these hellish practices much better than the start of training camp.

    Even Frederick was now allowed to properly join in with the practices, and while he was the one who struggled the most, he was also offered the most support and encouragement, not just from the coaches but from his fellow teammates as well.

    Kenny was still the leader of the JV squad, blazing a trail ahead of the pack, but Petey wasn¡¯t too far behind him now.

    Petey looked more determined than ever, though it didn¡¯t look like Kenny¡¯s shining example was the driving motivator for the older boy. Whenever he got a break, Petey would constantly look over to watch the varsity squad run through their drills, namely, his eyes were always locked on Wesley¡¯s back.

    The varsity player¡¯s themselves were well into their stride. Those few who had kept their weighted vests were able to keep up with the others who had shedded the excess weight, and their moral was through the roof thanks to their winning streak.

    Shane was still their shining example, and his lead seemed to pull everyone along with him. They were happy to chase after his back.

    Everyone¡¯s focus was on the upcoming games this weekend, and the teams standing in their way. No one had any time for the phantom watching over them on the sidelines, and when practice was over, that phantom was quick to leave.

    Jackson hobbled away from the field as quickly as his crutches allowed, making his way to the nearby carpark, where Tommy was already waiting for him.

    Tommy leaned over and pushed up the passenger seat. ¡®How¡¯d it go?¡¯

    Jackson shovelled his crutches through to the backseat before he hopped into the car. He closed the door then sighed. ¡®Yeah, it went really well. The varisty team is looking unstoppable, and the JV players have found their groove too.¡¯

    Tommy looked him over before nodding and starting up the car. ¡®Well that¡¯s good. Imagine how much better and stronger they¡¯ll look when you¡¯re all healed and ready to play again.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s mouth screwed up as if he¡¯d just eaten something sour, but he didn¡¯t say anything. He didn¡¯t put a voice to his concerns about messing up the team¡¯s rhythm, or if they even needed him in the first place.

    Tommy glanced over at Jackson but didn¡¯t pry any further. He put on some music from his phone through the aux cord, shuffling his Nu Metal playlist for the drive home.

    When they got home, Tommy followed Jackson to his room. ¡®Hey, sit down. I wanna talk with you about something. Oh, and I¡¯ve got something for you too.¡¯

    Jackson was a little confused, but intrigued as he sat on the edge of his bed, laying his crutches across it. ¡®Okay. What is it?¡¯

    ¡®Wait right there.¡¯ Tommy flashed a grin before leaving the room. He wouldn¡¯t be gone for long, and when he returned, he carried with him a small dumbbell and a tennis ball.

    Jackson only looked even more confused before Tommy spoke up. ¡®Look, I know you can¡¯t run around or jump, or even really walk right now. But that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t work out completely. Plus, we can¡¯t let your hands rot away for months.¡¯

    He passed over the dumbbell, which was five pounds in weight. ¡®Just to start with,¡¯ Tommy said.

    Jackson took it in one hand, looking over the piece of equipment, getting a feel for the weight of it in his grip. He then looked at Tommy with a raised brow.

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    Tommy laughed and leaned against the wall opposite Jackson. ¡®You¡¯re gonna do some bicep curls, while we talk. So get started. Up and down, focus on making smooth, controlled movements, especially when you¡¯re guiding it back down.¡¯

    ¡®How long am I doing this for?¡¯ Jackson started doing just as he was instructed, keeping his arm steady and body still as he pulled the weight up to his chest.

    ¡®For as long as it takes to answer my questions.¡¯

    Jackson was still confused, but gave a short nod.

    ¡®Alright. First, what do you think are the qualities, the skills, that a Receiver needs to be great?¡¯

    Jackson was surprised by the question, expecting more of a personal interrogation.

    ¡®Keep that arm moving,¡¯ Tommy said.

    Jackson shook his head and put his arm back into motion, curling the dumbbell repeatedly. ¡®Uhh¡­ I mean, a great Receiver needs to have good size, they need to be fast, jump high, good at running routes, maybe elusiveness? But most importantly catching the ball.¡¯

    ¡®Good. Speaking of¡­ catch!¡¯ Tommy tossed the tennis ball at Jackson, who shifted back a bit but managed to catch the ball in his free hand. ¡®Very good,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®Don¡¯t stop lifting that weight.¡¯ He then held his hand open, wanting the ball back.

    Jackson passed it back. ¡®Now, switch hands,¡¯ Tommy said. Jackson did so. ¡®Good. Adding on to your answer, I¡¯d say control over your body and balance are also key aspects; good footwork for sideline catches, and the strength to maintain your position and keep your opponent away from the apex of ball¡¯s flight.¡¯

    Jackson nodded and caught another ball toss more smoothly this time.

    ¡®But also, awareness, the ability to perceive the defence and find the holes and weaknesses in it, like we¡¯ve been talking about with the game film. But, the most important aspect, right up there with catching, is heart.¡¯

    Jackson blinked, almost dropping the next toss. Tommy smiled and tilted his head. ¡®How many of these qualities do you think a great Receiver needs to possess?¡¯

    Jackson thought for a moment, still curling the dumbbell and occasionally catchin the tennis ball throughout ¡®¡­All of them,¡¯ he finally said.

    ¡®Impossible,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®¡­Well, maybe not if you¡¯re Calvin Johnson, but he was the best.¡¯

    Jackson frowned. ¡®How many do they need then?¡¯

    ¡®Swap hands.¡¯ Tommy took a breath before answering. ¡®Look, good hands¡ªthe ability to catch¡ªis the most important skill, but not everyone needs to have hands like Larry Fitzgerald. And heart, everyone needs heart, otherwise they¡¯ll never reach their full potential. But other than those, you could only need one or two skills that you excel at, as long as you¡¯re better than anyone else in the world when it comes to those.¡¯

    Jackson stayed quiet, listening intently.

    ¡®Think of Tyreek Hill. He¡¯s not big, he¡¯s not strong. And while he¡¯s got good hands, he can run a good route, and he¡¯s got good fundamentals, the one thing that makes him one of the best in the world, is his unmatched speed.¡¯

    Jackson nodded.

    ¡®Or then you have the inverse of that, and you get someone like Rob Gronkowski, who might be the best TE of all time. And of course he¡¯s not lacking in any department, but it was his size and strength, and how he could utilise those to their utmost that made him what he was. When you look at the greats, yes, they¡¯re all good at the important stuff, but they focus on what makes them unique, they hone in on their greatest strength and they excell at that better than anyone else, and THAT is what makes them the best.¡¯

    Tommy had stopped tossing the ball to Jackson, and Jackson had stopped curling the dumbbell.

    ¡®Hey, swap hands again.¡¯

    Tommy tossed the ball while Jackson was swapping hands, and he bobbled the catch before snatching it up against his chest.

    ¡®Now. What do you think your biggest strength is, little bro? What¡¯s the one thing you can do better than anyone else? What do you need to focus on and hone until you¡¯re the best in the world at it?¡¯

    Jackson was quiet, thinking back to his time playing football throughout the years. He tried to remember all his touchdowns, all his big catches, the best moments of his ¡°career¡±.

    He had always felt faster than everyone else, like no one would be able to keep up with them, that was were most of his success came from, when he felt the most alive and exhiliarating, blowing by someone and leaving them behind.

    He opened his mouth to answer when the memory of his speed failing him popped into his head. He was back at this summer¡¯s pro camp. A one on one drill. He had the step he needed. In the past, that was all he needed and he¡¯d be gone, no one could catch him. No one but HIM.

    Jackson shuddered, dropping his arm down and letting the weight rest against his bed. The tennis ball bounced off his chest, as if he hadn¡¯t even seen it. He closed his mouth and bit his tongue.

    Tommy frowned, looking his brother over quite worriedly. ¡®Jackson?...¡¯

    ¡®I¡­I don¡¯t think I have any strengths.¡¯

    Tommy¡¯s face dropped. He let out a heavy sigh then moved over to pick up the tennis ball that had bounced to the floor. ¡®Come on Jack¡­ that¡¯s a load of crap. I know you¡¯re special. Just¡­Just keeping searching inside yourself and you¡¯ll find it.¡¯

    Tommy patted his brother on the shoulder then moved to the door. He stopped and looked back at Jackson. ¡®I know you¡¯ve got it in you to be special. Just keep thinking about it, okay? And don¡¯t overdo it with the weight, just, keep doing it throughout the day when you get some spare time.¡¯

    Tommy left the tennis ball on the drawer by the door before leaving.

    Jackson sighed and moved the dumbbell to the floor with a heavy thud. He laid back in his bed, letting his weary head and arms rest as he closed his eyes.

 Chapter 61: Game Day V

    The day of Tyrese and the Dons¡¯ redemption was upon them. As Ty pulled up to the Dons¡¯ home field, he dumped his bike down, stalking towards the stands.

    Mentally, he was locked in. It was the complete opposite from before last week¡¯s game. His heart was perfectly calm, he wasn¡¯t shaking, his vision was sharper than a hawk¡¯s, and he could feel the still air against his skin.

    He was as focused as he had ever been in his life.

    After finding a seat in the stands and finally turning his attention towards the field, he was surprised to see that the Dons¡¯ JV team held a comfortable lead in the dying minutes of the fourth quarter.

    Coach Long looked pleased on the sidelines, an arm draped around his daughter¡¯s shoulders as she still looked tense and nervous while watching the game closely.

    The Vikings had the ball with just over two minutes to go, and they were rapidly marching down the field to try and make up the two touchdown deficit they were facing.

    The Dons¡¯ defence held strong, able to match the intensity and burning desire for victory that was driving the Vikings. Their lines bent but never broke.

    As the Vikings forced their way down the field behind the sheer power of their will, they found themselves at the goal line, with over a minute and a half to go, but without any timeouts left.

    This was where the Dons made their stand.

    They didn¡¯t let the Vikings get a single yard further. Four passes later, the Dons had kept the Vikings out of the endzone, and now the ball would go to the Dons on a turnover on downs after the Vikings had used up all their chances at a touchdown.

    Without any timeouts remaining for the Vikings, there was nothing stopping the Dons from running out the rest of the clock¡ªtheir victory was secured.

    Coach Short was ecstatic, her dad hugged her tighter as he congratulated her and the players before sending the offence out in ¡°Victory Formation¡± to kneel down the rest of the game until the time was up.

    Cheers came from the crowd that was still filling up the stands in preparation of the varsity game right after, but from a small section right near Ty, a loud cry of boos could be heard.

    Looking over, Ty saw three boys his own age standing up and yelling insults down at the defeated Vikings team.

    ¡®Boooo! You suck! How could you lose to those bums?¡¯

    ¡®Way to make us look bad, retards!¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re SOOOO shit!¡¯

    Ty stood up, tilting his head as he watched the trio. He¡¯d never seen them before, but they each carried a sportsbag with them or had one resting by their feet, and they all had the clear look of an athlete. Obviously, they were vikings, and on the varsity team by the sound of things.

    He couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡®Hey!¡¯ he called out to them. ¡®Shut the fuck up, would ya? No one wants to hear you whining. Besides, your loss is going to be way more embarrassing.¡¯

    Their attention quickly turned to Ty. They were all taller than him. One was white, the other two were black.

    The white guy was shorter than the other two, though with the biggest forehead. His jacked arms looked too small for the rest of his body, and apart from his forehead, the other defining feature of his face was the brown stain over his mouth that he called a moustache. ¡®The fuck did you say?¡¯

    The tallest of them looked like he had a mop growing out of his head. His thin locs had been bleached blond, and looked perpetually wet. His lips seemed stuck in a snarl as he looked ready to jump over the seats and charge right at Ty. ¡®You better watch your mouth, bitch.¡¯

    The last boy was the most calm, and even through his outrage, his eyes looked more calculating. Despite not being the tallest, he looked the longest, like his limbs and even his neck had been slightly stretched out more than normal. His short, black hair was styled in a high fade, with waves running through it.

    He pointed at Ty and looked at his friends. ¡®Who¡¯s this li¡¯l nigga supposed to be?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m the best player in the nation, and the motherfucker who¡¯s gonna lock your whole team up.¡¯

    The vikings laughed. ¡®Yo, ain¡¯t you the ones who just lost? How can you be the best in the nation, you dumbass bitch?¡¯ Mophead said.

    ¡®Hah. Yeah, ain¡¯t he the one who got ran over last week? That shit was awesome.¡¯

    ¡®Man shut the FUCK up!¡¯ Deshaun stepped up beside Ty, glaring across at the other boys. ¡®Can¡¯t hear myself think over you little bitches cryin¡¯.¡¯

    The boy with the fade rolled his eyes. ¡®And who the fuck is THIS nigga?¡¯

    ¡®I ain¡¯t your nigga. Don¡¯t you fucking say that shit again, ¡®fore I come over there and punch your teeth down your throat.¡¯

    ¡®Go on then. We¡¯re right here! We¡¯ll beat your ass on and off the field.¡¯

    ¡®Okay, that¡¯s enough. Keep this for the field. Ignore those pendejos.¡¯ JJ swooped in, getting between Ty, Deshaun, and the vikings. He started pushing his teammates back and down the steps.

    Before the vikings could give chase and continue the trash talk, one of their other teammates stepped in and wrangled them together. He was so big he was able to wrap a single arm around two of their necks together and pull them back.

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    ¡®You¡¯ve done enough, already. You can keep flirting during the game.¡¯ This giant was like a huge slab of stone, with a thick, neanderthal-like brow, and a buzz cut so short he might as well have been bald.

    As Ty was being ushered away from the encounter, he bumped into another, well-built teen. Their purple eyes had a dopey look, but their smile was eerie and off-putting. His bald, 8-ball head shined under the field lights. ¡®Damn. Looks like I missed all the fun.¡¯

    Ty pushed past him without a response. Deshaun shoved by and said, ¡®Have fun gettin¡¯ your ass kicked.¡¯

    The bald boy laughed and kept smiling as he watched JJ, Ty, and Deshaun head down to their bench.

    Ty ignored the dirty looks he and Deshaun got from the coaches as they made their way towards the locker room.

    As he did so, Ricky ran over and jogged along beside him and the others, making sure to have JJ between him and Ty. ¡®Hahah, that was great! Looks like you¡¯ve met your date for the night.¡¯

    Ty glared down at the kid. ¡®I¡¯m not in the mood for your shit right now.¡¯

    Deshaun grunted. ¡®I ain¡¯t seen any of those punks before. They all freshmen?¡¯

    Ricky nodded. ¡®Yeah. The Vikings had a lot of seniors retire after last season, and got a huge influx of freshmen this year. Some of them are pretty damn good.¡¯

    He looked back. ¡®The white guy is Nathan Porter, he¡¯s their new QB.¡¯

    ¡®A freshman QB? Don¡¯t see that often,¡¯ JJ said.

    Ty kept quiet, acting like he wasn¡¯t listening.

    ¡®The one who looked like a dog with rabies, is Isiah Jet. A pretty good two-way player. WR for offence, and CB for defence.¡¯

    ¡®He ain¡¯t shit,¡¯ Deshaun muttered before spitting on the ground.

    ¡®Then you had Marshall Ward. Their new rising star, and the favourite to claim the crown of best WR in the state.¡¯

    Ty fixed his eyes on Ricky but kept silent. He looked back at the stands, but couldn¡¯t see the trio anymore.

    ¡®And uh, the big guy was their DT and Center, ¡°Polar Bear¡± Mike Ironbark. The key to their run defence.¡¯

    ¡®What about that big bald motherfucker we ran into on the steps?¡¯ Deshaun asked.

    ¡®Huh? Oh uh¡­¡¯ Ricky looked back, frowning. ¡®I don¡¯t know¡­ I haven¡¯t heard anything about him or really seen much footage.¡¯

    ¡®How do you know all this shit anyway,¡¯ Ty said.

    ¡®Hah, connections. A scout needs to have good connections.¡¯

    Ty glared at him but Ricky just grinned back, feeling confident behind JJ.

    Though as they neared the locker room, Ricky stepped away from them, wishing them luck before he hurried back to his seat in the stands.

    In the locker room, after the usual pregame pep talk¡ªwith the emphasis on forgetting the past and focusing only on what was in front of them today¡ªCoach Long called Ty and Deshaun together.

    ¡®Look boys,¡¯ he put a hand on their shoulders, leaning down to look them in the eye, ¡®I like your energy and passion today, but that doesn¡¯t mean we need to drag down the other team or attack them personally. Keep that aggression for out on the field, but still keep it clean alright? Let¡¯s get a win today.¡¯

    Deshaun nodded. ¡®Yes Coach, sorry Coach.¡¯

    Ty looked away as Coach Long looked at him sternly. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ll keep it on the field.¡¯

    ¡®Good.¡¯ He squeezed their shoulders with a smile before he stepped away and brought the whole team together in a huddle in the middle of the room.

    With their fists raised together, they roared out their battlecry of ¡°WIN!¡± and then stormed out onto the field.

    The crowd gave them a big, warm welcome as the players took their lap around the field, all the while the Vikings were staring them down, the animosity having spread from the three freshmen and infected the rest of the team as well.

    Deshaun, JJ, and Stephen took the centre of the field for the coin toss, meeting with Mike, Marshall, and a bulky, friendly-looking senior.

    The senior offered a charming smile and a cordial handshake to all of the Dons, and Mike grinned at them with Rosy cheeks, but Marshall stared them down.

    ¡®That little freak boyfriend of yours too scared to come?¡¯ Marshall said to Deshaun.

    ¡®Shut your mouth, little boy. Let the men handle business,¡¯ Deshaun said.

    ¡®Ohh, I didn¡¯t know you were all sucking each other¡¯s dicks. I see how it is.¡¯

    ¡®Let¡¯s keep the taunting to a minimum, gentlemen. Consider this your first and only warning. I don¡¯t want to have to start the game off with unsportsmanlike penalties,¡¯ the official warned them sternly before urging the Vikings¡¯ captains to make a call regarding the toss.

    ¡®We¡¯ll take, heads, thank you,¡¯ the senior captain said, still smiling.

    The coin was tossed, and it landed on heads. The Vikings deferred the opening kickoff, electing to start on defence so that they could receive the kick to start the second half.

    The Dons¡¯ captains returned to their bench, Deshaun restless and in a foul mood. He pulled Chris aside. ¡®Hey, run that return right down their throats.¡¯

    Chris looked up into Deshaun¡¯s intense gaze and nodded before pulling on his helmet and jogging out to take his position ready to return the opening kick.

    The kick was hammered deep into the endzone, but when Chris caught it, he still decided to bring it back out into the field of play instead of taking a knee for a touchback.

    Determined to make up for his poor performance against the Bears and their impenetrable run defence last week, Chris ran with intensity and anger. His heart was racing as his focus sharpened, and the field seemed to widen before him, all the gaps in the blocking seemed bigger, almost calling out to him.

    He broke through the first line of defence and raced away, avoiding any swiping hand or slow, lumbering tackle attempt until he was in the open field, streaking down the sideline.

    He just had the kicker to get past, and then he¡¯d be free for a touchdown.

    He knew all the Kicker had to do was push him out of bounds, so Chris tried to cut back inside. But the Kicker had expected that, and Chris only juked right into his waiting arms, running straight into the Kicker¡¯s chest. Despite bowling the stickly thin viking over, Chris fell down on top of him, and his run was brought to an end, just at half field.

    Chris punched the grass, but picked himself up quickly, staying out on the field as the Dons¡¯ offence made their way out.

    As Stephen got off the bench, he looked down at Deshaun, grinning. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, D. We¡¯ll show those dumbass freshies they aren¡¯t ready to be playing with the big boys.¡¯

    Deshaun smirked. ¡®Show them little boys that they can¡¯t stop you. They can¡¯t touch you, big dawg.¡¯

    Stephen jogged out to take his place in formation, some extra pep in his step.

    ¡®I gotta deal with your big, ugly ass all game? Fucking ay, man. Can¡¯t they give me some kind of challenge here?¡¯ Isiah stood before Stephen, a couple of his dreads falling down over his face.

    ¡®Shut your punk ass up, little boy.¡¯

    Isiah grinned, shaking his head. ¡®This shit is too easy,¡¯ he muttered to himself.

    Jay lined up under Center, sighing as he looked back at Chris and gave him a nod.

    Chris¡¯s heart was still thumping powerfully, his gaze locked ahead. His whole body was taut, still riding the adrenaline of his kick return, and mulling over the disappointment that he was tripped up at the final hurdle.

    ¡°Not this time. I¡¯ll run this ball through their throats, no matter what.¡¯ His eyes fell upon the massive wall ahead of him.

    Mike stood directly in front of Jay and Chris, like an immovable tower.

    Chris wouldn¡¯t back down. He dug his cleats into the ground harder, ready to push off with all his might and run straight through whatever was in front of him.

 Chapter 62: A Hot Start

    ¡®Set ¡­ hut.¡¯ Jay snapped the ball and spun back, handing it straight over to Chris who burst forward.

    Mike charged ahead, pushing through the centre of the Dons¡¯ Offensive Line as the blockers slid back, desperate to hold him off.

    A small gap opened up to the left. Chris darted right for it, arms wrapped tightly around the ball.

    Mike stuck a huge paw out in Chris¡¯s path, and despite Chris¡¯s best attempts to avoid it, his jersey was snagged in Mike¡¯s iron grip.

    Chris twisted and spun, his feet constantly pounding against the turf as he willed himself forward, dragging himself and Mike along for another yard before the massive DT got his arms fully around Chris¡¯s waist and dragged him down.

    The play ended in a gain of 2 yards. Chris came up angry, slapping the ball in his hands before he tossed it to the ref who came in to claim it.

    Stephen and Isiah were shoving one another, helmet to helmet as they kept talking trash to one another until an official had to come over and separate them on the threat of penalising them both.

    Chris turned to Jay during the huddle. ¡®Again!¡¯

    Jay looked at him, orders from the coach bounced around in his helmet, calling for the next play to be a quick pass to Stephen on a slant.

    Jay shrugged and smiled. ¡®Sure. Maybe they won¡¯t think we¡¯re dumb enough to do the same thing twice.¡¯

    They lined up for the exact same play. Chris readied himself, one foot scraping up the grass like a bull preparing to charge.

    The ball was snapped, and just like the previous play, Jay gave it right to Chris. Chris stepped forward, but this time, just before he met with Mike who had shoved aside his blockers, Chris saw an opening way outside to the right.

    He planted himself firmly and jumped to the right, barely avoiding Mike¡¯s outstretched arms. He skirted around the edge of the line and turned sharply upfield running free as Mike got caught up in the centre of the chaos and was unable to give chase.

    Isiah was too caught up in his dick-measuring contest with Stephen as both boys tried to overpower the other and ride them into the dirt instead of doing anything to actually affect the play going on.

    When Chris was finally tripped up by a LB he had gained 9 yards and earned a First Down for the Dons.

    Coach Norman and Coach Long watched the improvised play closely and then conferred with each other on the sideline quickly. They were going to test if such a play was a fluke, or a weakness they could exploit.

    The next play was another designed run, aimed to the outside again. The troublesome Mike would be double-teamed by one Guard, while the other left his man unmarked to instead run ahead of Chris and clear the way for him.

    Following his lead blocker and running away from the unblocked defender, Chris was able to pick up even more yards this time, and thanks to a variety of different run calls throughout the drive, the Dons marched down the field.

    The Dons only attempted one pass on their opening drive. It came in the Red Zone, and thanks to a little bit of play-action¡ªand Isiah¡¯s overeagerness to throw himself at Stephen¡ªStephen was able to break free over the middle for a catch that put the Dons right at the goal line.

    After Stephen picked himself up, he grinned back at Isiah. ¡®Sorry, I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to guard me. You¡¯re too fucking small.¡¯

    Isiah snarled but said nothing before stalking back to his team¡¯s huddle.

    Stephen laughed and jogged back to the Dons¡¯ huddle, spotting JJ there as he had run out from the bench.

    ¡®Sup.¡¯ JJ grinned around at everyone. ¡®Coach says to run it right up the gut and make a statement through that big boy up front.¡¯

    Chris smirked and nodded. ¡®Sounds good to me.¡¯

    JJ lined up in the backfield, just in front of Chris. He kept his eyes on Mike, who smiled at waved at him from across the line of scrimmage. JJ chuckled to himself.

    The ball was snapped, and once more, Jay handed it over to Chris. JJ bolted ahead to lead the way.

    JJ smashed straight into Mike, though it was like running into a brick wall and he was stopped dead in his tracks.

    However, Mike¡¯s momentum was nullified too; neither boy was going anywhere. That was until Chris joined in.

    He rushed ahead, lowering his head and shoulder, and rammed right into JJ¡¯s back, adding his strength to the power struggle. Together, the two Dons began pushing Mike back.

    With a fierce battlecry, more players from both sides joined in with the struggle, creating a huge scrum in the middle of the field. While Jay stood back, watching on with his hands behind his head. Stephen and Isiah were still caught up in their own struggle.

    Even with the combined effort of both teams all fighting against one another. The Dons were winning, and the Vikings kept slipping back until Chris fell into the endzone. The officials ran forward quickly, whistling the play dead and signalling a touchdown as the crowd cheered loudly.

    The pile of fallen players in the endzone were helped back onto their feet, and Chris was pulled into a tight huddle of his teammates, each of them smacking him on the helmet as they congratulated him on the herculean effort.

    Chris and the rest of the offence were welcomed to the bench with cheers and applause from the other, the coaches giving them all a pat on the back.

    ¡®Great work out there, boys. I¡¯m glad you trusted yourselves out there and made the right call to keep running. Don¡¯t be afraid to listen to your gut, sometimes you boys can see something we can¡¯t when you¡¯re out on the field. It¡¯s up to you to make those judgement calls Jay.¡¯ Coach Long gripped the boy¡¯s shoulder as he looked into his eyes. ¡®I trust you to do the right thing.¡¯

    Jay shrugged. ¡®Chris was the one who said to do it. I just followed him.¡¯

    Coach Long shook his head. ¡®No. You¡¯re the leader out there, Jay. You¡¯re the one who drives the offence. Ultimately it¡¯s down to you, but yes, a good leader knows when to listen to his teammates.¡¯

    Jay looked away, scratching his head. ¡®I guess so¡­¡¯

    The extra point was good, and the Dons jumped out to an early 7¨C0 lead. The following kickoff was fielded by Marshall and returned to the 37-yard line before he was run out of bounds.

    He ended up right in front of the Dons¡¯ bench. ¡®Ahh, damn. I almost had that one,¡¯ he chuckled to himself before rolling the ball towards the bench.

    Ty stopped the ball with a foot before he stood up. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get another chance real soon, right after this pick-six I¡¯m about to get.¡¯

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    Marshall shook his head, his hand mimicking jaws opening and closing. ¡®You talk too much. Get your ass out here and let¡¯s see what you¡¯re made off li¡¯l bitch.¡¯

    Coach Hoang moved in front of Ty before he could retort any further, and Marshall backed away, heading out to take up his position in the offence.

    Coach Hoang glared up at Ty. ¡®Let your game do the trash-talking for you, Samuels. Just go out there and beat them, that¡¯ll do more damage than any amount of words could.¡¯

    Ty scoffed but pulled his helmet on and took the field with the rest of the defence, though he made a beeline for Marshall.

    ¡®Man. You guys are really in trouble if you¡¯re losing to our offence. I mean, they¡¯re not bad, but I¡¯ve been the main scoring threat for our team this year.¡¯

    Marshall laughed. A wide grin spread across his face which accentuated the slightly alien look about him. ¡®You should worry about yourself. I¡¯m going to embarrass you, and I promise. For every TD that you guys get, I¡¯m going to put up two more on YOUR head.¡¯

    Ty snarled. ¡®You ain¡¯t even going to catch the ball, fucker.¡¯

    On the opposite side of the field, Deshaun was matched up with Isiah, though neither player seemed happy about the matchup.

    ¡®Hah, they really got an old, washed-up motherfucker like YOU tryin¡¯ to guard ME?¡¯

    Deshaun looked across the field to where Ty and Marshall stood. ¡®The fuck is with all you freshies nowadays? Don¡¯t you ever shut the fuck up? Like I wanna be anywhere near a bitch ass motherfucker like you, who¡¯s stuck playing Robin to someone else¡¯s Batman.¡¯

    Isiah growled. ¡®Look who¡¯s talkin¡¯. At least I ain¡¯t a worthless Senior who¡¯s number two compared to a damn freshman.¡¯

    Deshaun turned to Isiah with a murderous gaze but didn¡¯t say anything more.

    Isiah only smirked.

    The ball was snapped, and the near impenetrable wall that was Mike was now the main contributor to the line that protected Nathan and gave the Vikings¡¯ QB all the time in the world to find an open Receiver.

    Marshall shot to the side, then darted upfield, fending off Ty¡¯s shoving hands, but Ty was glued to his hip. No matter how many times Marshall stuttered or hesitated to try and open up space before he burst forward again, he couldn¡¯t get any separation from the tight coverage¡ªthere was no outrunning Ty.

    On the other side of the field, Deshaun lunged forward at the snap of the ball, but Isiah easily swatted aside the overly aggressive attempt at a press, and blew by Deshaun.

    Deshaun scrambled after him, but a shimmy of Isiah¡¯s hips, and a feint of turning back froze Deshaun for a moment as he thought the Receiver could¡¯ve been running a type of curl route and coming back for the pass.

    That was all the space Isiah and Nathan needed. As the Receiver raced down the sideline, Nathan let the ball loose in a long, high arch. The pass was right on the money, perfectly aimed at Isiah¡¯s back shoulder.

    Isiah turned at the last moment, catching the ball on his chest as it flew just over Deshaun¡¯s outstretched hands. Isiah dragged his feet along the ground as he fell out of bounds, and just like that, the Vikings had gained over 20 yards in their first play.

    Isiah pushed himself back up after the catch, grinning at Deshaun. ¡®Outta the way, motherfucker. It¡¯s time for the new generation to make some noise.¡¯

    Deshaun scrunched up his face but didn¡¯t retaliate. He turned away and hurried back to the huddle.

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t worry about it. It was a good throw. Just keep playing hard and stick to them, if they want to throw risky passes like that, we¡¯ll make them pay,¡¯ JJ said, not letting anyone focus on the previous play.

    The Dons lined up in formation again, with one Safety deep over the middle, it was up to Ty and Deshaun to watch the sidelines and their respective Receivers, whilst JJ, his LBs, and the other Safety would watch for the run and any short pass in the middle of the field.

    The next play was a run from the Vikings, and following Mike¡¯s lead, the RB rushed ahead up the guts of the defence for a solid gain of 5 yards where JJ had to sprint down and make the tackle.

    Ty sneered, lining up again in front of Marshall. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m covering the wrong guy. For all that shit-talking, you haven¡¯t done much.¡¯ He looked across the field at Isiah.

    ¡®Hahaha. Trust me, if you try to have that scrub nigga over there guard me, I¡¯m getting a touchdown.¡¯

    ¡®Work on getting a catch first before you worry about touchdowns.¡¯

    Marshall frowned.

    The next play was another pass, and again, despite Marshall¡¯s efforts to break free from Ty, he just couldn¡¯t shake him.

    Isiah on the other, had once again gotten away from Deshaun. This time, after a slow start 10 yards down the field, he shook to the inside and got Deshaun to bite before he turned sharply to the outside.

    Nathan slung the ball right on time, and Isiah was able to catch it right on the edge of the field just before a recovered Deshaun shoved him out of bounds.

    Isiah laughed and tossed the ball back to Deshaun when the play was over. ¡®C¡¯mon. At least TRY to keep up.¡¯

    ¡®Shut the fuck up,¡¯ Deshaun said before turning away.

    Coach Hoang watched closely from the sidelines, his hands clasped together just under his nose as his eyes scanned the field extensively.

    Marshall made his way back to the Vikings¡¯ huddle, his frustration apparant on his face. ¡®Throw me the fucking ball, goddamn!¡¯

    Nathan looked over, frowning. ¡®That dude¡¯s draped all over you, and Isiah¡¯s been getting open.¡¯

    ¡®Did I fucking ask for an explanation. I just said throw me the ball. So throw me the motherfucking ball! Do you think he¡¯s better than me or something?¡¯ He got right up in Nathan¡¯s face.

    Isiah watched on, not saying anything, wondering if Marshall was talking about HIM, or Ty.

    ¡®Alright, alright. Shit. I¡¯ll throw you the fucking ball, you happy?¡¯

    ¡®Hmph, just make sure you throw it right where I can catch it.¡¯ Marshall turned away and stomped over to his spot.

    Ty didn¡¯t say anything before the snap, he was more focused on Deshaun, glaring at the older boy.

    ¡®Keep focused, right here, li¡¯l nigga,¡¯ Marshall said. ¡®You¡¯re ¡®bout to learn who the real danger is.¡¯

    ¡®Seeeet-hut!¡¯ The ball was snapped, and after a quick glance towards Isiah, Nathan¡¯s eyes drifted over to Marshall, and that¡¯s where they stayed.

    Marshall pushed through Ty¡¯s stabbing hands, forcing past them as they ran shoulder to shoulder. Ty¡¯s eyes were fixed on Nathan as he ran alongside Marshall.

    Marshall cut towards the outside, and Nathan jerked the ball back slightly, preparing to throw. Ty pulled away from Marshall, jumping further out to try and undercut the pass he thought was coming his way, visions of an interception and a touchdown in his eyes.

    But Nathan put both hands back on the ball, and Marshall stopped and launched himself in the other direction, heading towards the middle of the field instead.

    Ty whirled and raced after the Receiver. Nathan fired the ball over the middle of the field with a high, but flat, bullet pass.

    Ty was right behind Marshall, who dove for the ball. Below them, JJ raised up, stretching a hand out, but his fingertips JUST couldn¡¯t graze the pass.

    Marshall thrust a hand out, and Ty dove and stretched with him. However, even his long arm couldn¡¯t make up the distance.

    Marshall¡¯s long fingers clasped the ball, and dragged it into his palm, then into his chest as he tumbled to the floor and Ty landed on top of his legs.

    The catch was successful, and Marshall stood up, proudly towering over Ty. ¡®There¡¯s your catch. The touchdown is coming next. You can¡¯t stop me.¡¯

    JJ hurried to Ty¡¯s side and helped him up, shepherding him away from the antagonistic boy. ¡®Ignore him, that was good defence, we¡¯ll get them next time.¡¯

    Ty grumbled but walked away without trouble, looking back at the QB. ¡°That pass was a fluke. Another inch outside and it would¡¯ve been too far to reach. Another inch high, same thing. Another inch lower, or to the inside, and JJ or I could¡¯ve stopped it. He can¡¯t do that again. It was a fluke.¡±

    A fluke or not, the Vikings couldn¡¯t be stopped on this drive. The Dons had no answer yet. If they committed more players¡ªmore DBs¡ªto try and cover more of the field and stop the passing attack, the Vikings would charge forward behind Mike with the run and pick up large chunks of yards, drawing ever closer to the endzone.

    But, if they left Ty and Deshaun to handle their Receivers without any extra help, the Vikings would ease down the field through the air.

    Even though the next time Marshall was targetted¡ªthis time on a comeback curl¡ªTy was able to swat the ball away.

    Ty still came away frustrated with this result, mainly because he knew he could¡¯ve had a touchdown the other way, but Marshall had thrown himself in the way at the last second and given up his chance to catch the ball just to stop Ty from intercepting the pass.

    The Vikings were already in field goal range, and another completed pass to Isiah brought them just before the goal line. From there, scoring was simple.

    Nathan kept the ball this time, and pushing behind Mike, he burrowed into the endzone with ease as the Vikings answered the Dons¡¯ opening touchdown with one of their own.

    Ty came off the field with a scowl which only deepened when he watched the extra point sail through the uprights. The game was tied again with a score of 7¨C7.

 Chapter 63: Momentum Shattered

    ¡®Hey D, don¡¯t worry about that shit. You¡¯ll get ¡®em next time,¡¯ Stephen said.

    The two bumped fists, but Deshaun grumbled. ¡®Fuck it. Punk got lucky, that¡¯s all.¡¯

    Ty looked over from his seat on the bench. ¡®Let¡¯s hope his luck runs out next time.¡¯

    Deshaun shot him a glare.

    ¡®Hey. We all need to work together. We¡¯ll all do better next time and keep them out of the endzone,¡¯ JJ said.

    ¡®We¡¯ll switch up our zone,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. Their heads turned to face him. ¡®Day, get out there.¡¯

    Stephen looked out to the field, this time, the ball had been booted out of the endzone and Chris hadn¡¯t had a chance to return the kick.

    Stephen pulled on his helmet. ¡®We¡¯ll score again, just get a stop.¡¯

    ¡®Listen. You two are going to have to deal with those Receivers. Don¡¯t worry about anything short. They don¡¯t seem like that kind of team, but either way, we¡¯re going to spread out our zone underneath you, so you won¡¯t have to worry about those double moves they keep pulling, just don¡¯t let them get over the top of you.¡¯

    ¡®That lanky fucker just got lucky. Deshaun needs to keep Mophead on a tighter leash,¡¯ Ty said.

    ¡®Shut the fuck up and handle your own shit, I¡¯ll handle mine just fine.¡¯

    ¡®Both of you shut up,¡¯ Coach Hoang snapped. ¡®You¡¯re a team. You both want the same thing. Those guys over there on the other bench are laughing at BOTH of you. Focus on shutting THEM up.¡¯

    Both boys went quiet and turned their attention out to the field to watch how the Dons¡¯ offence did on its second drive, while Coach Hoang addressed JJ and instructed him to play closer to the line of scrimmage next time, and focus more on stopping the Vikings¡¯ runs.

    Over on the Vikings¡¯ sideline, the head coach stopped one of the players from running out to join the formation and sat him back down on the bench.

    ¡®Myles. You¡¯re up.¡¯

    Myles¡¯s purple eyes opened unexpectedly. He stood up, bald head gleaming as he pointed at himself. ¡®Me? Really?¡¯ The corners of his mouth curled upwards.

    ¡®Is there anybody else named Myles on this team? Stop smiling like an idiot and get out there already.¡¯ Even the coach looked slightly unsettled by his smile.

    ¡®Heh. Okay Coach.¡¯ The large boy picked up his helmet, keeping his smile as he jogged out onto the field.

    ¡®And whatever you do, make sure you stop that number 23!¡¯

    As the Dons¡¯ offence and the Vikings¡¯ defence took the field again, the Dons would take notice of a particular change in the defensive formation before them.

    Myles was lined up much closer to the line than his counterpart who he replaced had been, looking more like another LB than a Safety.

    He was big and strong enough to be a LB, and perhaps he was, either way, he looked like he was raring to charge in and smash whatever was in his way.

    ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Coach Long studied the two formations from the sideline. ¡®Let¡¯s see how they handle another play-action. Everyone¡¯s expecting us to keep running.¡¯

    The first play out for the Dons¡¯ second offensive drive was to be a pass, and with this new Safety lined up closer to the line of scrimmage, creeping ever closer to the Dons, it seemed like the right call to make, as the Vikings¡¯ defences deeper down the field would already be weakened.

    Jay looked across to his Receivers, and then back to Chris, signalling to them all that the call was changing to a deep pass.

    Stephen smirked down at Isiah. ¡®They still couldn¡¯t find anyone else to guard me? That¡¯s a biiig mistake.¡¯

    ¡®Does every old bitch on your team love to yap without doin¡¯ shit?¡¯

    ¡®Oh I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯m about to do. Watch and learn, freshy.¡¯

    The ball was snapped, and Jay turned back to hand it over to Chris, just like they had done almost every play on their first drive that brought them a touchdown.

    Myles rushed forward like a ravenous beast that smelled blood, though he stopped immediately as soon as he saw that Chris didn¡¯t have the ball. He froze, like he was no longer interested now that the play was a pass instead of a run.

    Stephen shoved right through Isiah, brushing off his feeble attempts to slow him down or push him back. But as Stephen charged straight ahead, Isiah was able to keep up with him step for step.

    Benny charged forward too, rushing straight up the middle of the field, preoccupying the single high Safety out there, making sure Stephen would be all alone with his opponent.

    Jay calmly threw the ball deep out to Stephen¡¯s side of the field. It wasn¡¯t the most accurate pass, but it didn¡¯t need to be, he was just throwing it up and trusting in Stephen¡¯s superior size in the one-on-one.

    Stephen didn¡¯t even turn to face the pass, he looked back over his shoulder, watching it that way instead. When it was close enough, he leapt up into the air to catch it at the highest point he could.

    Isiah scrambled beside him, and even with his own height and leaping ability, he knew there was no way he could reach the ball first. Though that didn¡¯t stop him from trying.

    His hands swiped at the ball in the air, but instead one latched onto Stephen¡¯s shoulder. It was unclear if it was an accident or not, but the smaller boy dragged Stephen¡¯s arm down and pulled him away from the ball.

    The ball bounced off of Stephen¡¯s free hand and fell to the ground as they crashed back down to earth.

    The pass may have been incomplete, but flags flew in from multiple sides of the field and officials waved the play off.

    Isiah was penalised with DPI, so the Dons¡¯ offence would move up to the spot of the foul anyway.

    Stephen laughed, clapping his hands in Isiah¡¯s face at the announcement of the obvious penalty. ¡®Damn, can¡¯t guard me without fouling? You know that was gonna be a touchdown, didn¡¯t you?¡¯

    ¡®Fuck you.¡¯ Isiah shook his head, walking away. The next time he lined up opposite Stephen, he¡¯d start a few more steps back from him.

    Then, when the Vikings would be worried about another pass, the Dons called up a Draw play.

    Jay dropped back, posturing for another pass, but at the last moment handed the ball off to Chris who zipped behind the double-team against Mike and burst through the clogged line into the open field.

    Just when he thought he was free, he was met face-to-face with Myles.

    The larger boy had a feral grin on his face. He lowered his shoulder as he launched himself at Chris.

    Chris planted his feet, but before he could duck, jump, juke, or spin out of the way, Myles slammed into him.

    There was a heavy crack as pads hit helmet. Chris¡¯s head shot back. His helmet flew into the air, and his body crumpled to the turf; the ball spilt free.

    Myles was very satisfied with himself, standing over Chris, gloating over his perfect hit. He¡¯d smashed the smaller boy right in the head, but it was still a clean hit as Myles hadn¡¯t used his own helmet to lead the charge, and had only hit Chris with his pads.

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    Defenders and offensive players alike scrambled for the fumble caused by the big hit. A pile dove onto the loose ball and it disappeared under the large mass of bodies.

    Whistles blew shrilly as officials rushed in and tried to separate players and get to the bottom of the pile.

    Myles was suddenly hit from behind, almost losing his footing as he was knocked away from Chris. Stephen stood there, fuming as he glared at Myles.

    Myles didn¡¯t have much of a reaction regarding the attack. ¡®I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d break so easily,¡¯ was all he said before he walked away.

    ¡®You motherfucker¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Hey! Easy, big guy,¡¯ Jay said, getting between Stephen and Myles, holding his friend back. ¡®Don¡¯t get yourself thrown out.¡¯

    Chris was still down on the ground. He hadn¡¯t moved since the collision. Then he started to groggily sit up.

    ¡®Chris! Are you alright?¡¯ Stephen knelt down by his friend, checking on him.

    The crowd erupted in cheers, but not because of Chris¡¯s supposed recovery, but because Benny had emerged from the bottom of the pile with football in hand, the Dons had recovered the fumble and would be keeping possession.

    ¡®Huh?... Oh yeah¡­ yeah I¡¯m fine,¡¯ Chris said. He started to stand back, pushing Stephen away. He was extremely wobbly as he got back onto his feet, but he wasn¡¯t standing for long before he fell again.

    He would¡¯ve hit the turf again if it wasn¡¯t for Stephen catching him. ¡®Shit! You¡¯re not fucking alright, you dumbass!¡¯

    An official who had seen the interaction quickly called a pause to the game, and signalled for the doctors on standby to come check out the injured player.

    Medical staff hurried forward and helped escort Chris over to the bench as a timeout was called to the game.

    ¡®Hey, buddy. Can you tell us your name?¡¯ A doctor crouched before Chris who sat on the bench. A gloved hand on his shoulder steadied the boy.

    Chris¡¯s glassy, unfocused eyes blinked rapidly. ¡®H-Huh? My name?... I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m Chris.¡¯

    ¡®And how many fingers am I holding up, Chris?¡¯ The doctor held up two fingers.

    ¡®What?...¡¯ Chris¡¯s brow furrowed as he stared at the shaking, blurry fingers before him. ¡®Four.¡¯

    The doctor frowned, lowering his fingers as he looked up at Coach Long who stood nearby, watching the whole ordeal with great concern.

    Chris tried to look past the doctor, then tried to stand up but was firmly held down in his seat. ¡®H-Hey. I need to¡­ stop. I need to get out there¡­ we need to win. My team needs me.¡¯

    ¡®I can¡¯t do that buddy. I think you may have a concussion.¡¯ The doctor stood up and looked to the officials nearby and the Dons¡¯ coaches, shaking his head. ¡®I¡¯ll need to evaluate him inside, but I wouldn¡¯t get my hopes up on him being able to play again tonight.¡¯

    There was a sullen round of applause as Chris was helped over to the school building nearby and taken through to the medical rooms.

    Stephen clenched his fists, staring across to the Vikings¡¯ bench.

    The teams took the field again after the medical timeout was over. No RB had been sent out to replace Chris, so Jay stood alone in the backfield, but Stephen had no intention of the team running the ball.

    Before he took up his position, he stomped over Jay. ¡®I don¡¯t care how, just get me the ball.¡¯

    Jay nodded silently.

    Stephen lined up in front of Isiah again, but he had eyes only for Myles in the middle of the field.

    ¡®Damn¡­ I didn¡¯t think your boys were so weak. Who do you think the next one to drop will be?¡¯

    Stephen¡¯s eyes slowly panned across to Isiah. ¡®You¡¯ll end up knocked out next if you say one more word.¡¯

    Isiah¡¯s jaw set tight, but he didn¡¯t say another word to Stephen.

    ¡®Set ¡­ hut.¡¯

    Isiah hopped back and kept retreating as Stephen surged forward. The giant turned back, and Isiah skidded before pouncing forward, trying to make up the distance to stop a curl route.

    But it was a fake. Stephen spun around Isiah and sprinted downfield as the high Safety rushed to close the gap and cover-up Isiah¡¯s mistake.

    Jay threw the ball hard and low, even his cool demeanour had been somewhat affected by seeing his close friend get knocked out like that.

    Stephen caught the ball against his stomach, and then stuck his arm out, roughly shoving the smaller Safety aside as they tried to tackle him.

    They bounced off his stiff-arm and fell to the ground, and Stephen rumbled across the ground. No one was able to catch him as he ran in for another Dons touchdown.

    The cheers of the crowd were quieter this time, still reeling from the injury just the play before.

    Isiah kicked himself and quickly made his way to the bench, thudding down roughly as Marshall scowled at him.

    Again, the extra point was converted, and the Dons jumped out to another 7-point lead.

    Stephen sat on the bench, stewing in his anger. One single touchdown had done nothing to subside his rage. He had ignored the congratulations he got.

    He stood up suddenly, eyes locked on a particular player who had taken the field for the Vikings¡¯ kickoff return. Myles stood in the formation, waiting to be one of the blockers that would escort Marshall¡¯s return.

    ¡®Move!¡¯ Stephen dragged one of the Dons¡¯ players back onto the bench and went out to take his place in the return defence.

    ¡®Hey! Stephen, what are you doing?¡¯ Coach Long called out, but he was ignored. He sighed and shook his head, but let the play continue.

    When the ball was launched high into the air by the kick, Stephen made a beeline straight for Myles, seeking him out rather than trying to avoid his block and get to the returner like every other Dons player was.

    Myles had a curious look on his face as he saw the furious giant rampaging right towards him, but he didn¡¯t back down and met him head-on.

    Stephen went to tackle Myles to the ground, but the shorter boy held his ground.

    The two locked horns and attempted to throw each other off their feet but neither were giving up an inch of ground as they struggled with one another.

    Stephen lashed out, thrusting his palm against the side of Myles¡¯s helmet, spinning it sideways before he latched onto the facemask and ripped the helmet from his head.

    Myles laughed, grinning again as he lunged forward, thrusting his hands up at Stephen¡¯s face. The face mask got in the way, but Stephen¡¯s head reeled back and his helmet was flung to the ground.

    The fight continued as Stephen managed to wrestle Myles to the ground, struggling to get on top of him as Myles writhed about and tried to flip Stephen over so he could get on top. Each boy threw punches whenever they had a moment of control.

    Officials rushed forward and desperately attempted to pry the two mighty boys apart.

    ¡®God dammit!¡¯ Coach Long hurried out onto the field as other players had now swarmed around the fight to try and break things up.

    It took a while, and a lot of manpower, but eventually the two boys were separated. A group of officials and players alike had to pull them both apart and hold them back. Coach Long was at the forefront of the group that wrangled Stephen.

    Myles laughed again, still grinning, a bit of blood running into his mouth and staining his sharp teeth thanks to a busted nose. While Stephen came away from the scrap with a cut lip and his own share of bruises.

    When both boys were dragged away to opposite sidelines to be back with their benches, the head official took to the centre of the field and called for everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡®Because of extraneous unsportsmanlike conduct, both number 81 of the Dons and number 52 of the Vikings have been ejected from the game. As both teams are being penalised, those penalties offset each other, and play will resume at the spot of the kickoff return.¡¯

    After that, the officials came over to have a stern talking with both head coaches. While the Vikings¡¯ head coach pleaded that his boy was just defending himself and it was Stephen who had initiated the brawl and should be the only one punished, Coach Long took full responsibility for Stephen¡¯s actions and promised he wouldn¡¯t let that happen again with anyone else.

    The officials warned that they¡¯d throw the game out if another incident like that occurred, and then they backed away, calling for play to resume.

    Coach Long turned his attention to Stephen. The man shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. ¡®I¡¯m not mad at you, Stephen; I¡¯m just disappointed.¡¯

    ¡®He hurt Chris. I¡ª¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t want to hear it. Grab your things. Go home. We¡¯ll deal with this at practice.¡¯

    Stephen opened his mouth to say something but swallowed his words. He stood up.

    ¡®Hey, we¡¯ll beat those fuckers, don¡¯t worry,¡¯ Deshaun said, looking back at Stephen as he was taking the field along with the rest of the defence.

    Stephen looked over at him. ¡®Make them pay.¡¯

    Deshaun nodded, then Stephen stormed off to the locker room.

    Deshaun was soon matched up with the familiar, annoying face of Isiah. ¡®Oh man. I didn¡¯t think that big bitch would get his feelings hurt just from one little hit. It¡¯s not our fault that little white boy can¡¯t take a hit. They boyfriends or something? I¡¯m starting to think your whole team are a bunch of faggots.¡¯

    Deshaun ground his teeth together. ¡®You talk a lot of shit. Come see me after the game if you can back it up, bitch.¡¯

    Isiah smirked. ¡®Yeah. I¡¯ll gladly beat your ass off the field too.¡¯

    The two stared at each other until the snap of the ball.

    Deshaun feinted with his right hand, getting Isiah to hesitate. Isiah¡¯s lips curled into a snarl before he shoved right into Deshaun¡¯s chest, pushing him back.

    The two fought for every yard as Deshaun did his best to hold him back. The Vikings¡¯ TE streamed past them, heading straight towards the endzone on a deep vertical route.

    Isiah shoved Deshaun off and went to cut under the TE¡¯s streak. Deshaun lunged after him, and that was when Isiah swerved back to the outside.

    Deshaun planted his feet¡ªhis ankles buckled and he fell to the ground. Isiah charged ahead without looking back.

    He caught the ball along the sideline, and was untouched as he ran into the endzone for another Vikings touchdown.

    Just like that, the game was about to be tied again.

 Chapter 64: Step Up or Shut Up

    Deshaun smashed his fist into the turf, before he picked himself up and cussed himself out. As he made his way towards the sidelines, doing his best to ignore the dejection of the crowd and the celebration of the Vikings, Ty came straight for him.

    ¡®What the fuck was that?! Are you fucking kidding me? You¡¯re killing us, man. Why don¡¯t you just sit on the fucking bench and let us defend with ten players if you¡¯re going to be that useless!¡¯

    As they reached the sideline, Deshaun glowered at Ty. ¡®Why don¡¯t you shut your fucking mouth, freshy? If you keep getting on my ass about one little play, I might just shut it for you.¡¯

    Deshaun turned away. Ty grabbed his arm and spun him back around. ¡®That one play cost us a touchdown!¡¯

    Deshaun shoved the younger boy back. ¡®Don¡¯t you fucking touch me, bitch!¡¯

    ¡®You want me to shut up? Stop letting that feral mutt walk all over you, and then I¡¯ll shut up.¡¯

    ¡®Hey!¡¯ Coach Hoang¡¯s voice cut through the squabble. ¡®Samuels, Banks, both of you, step away! Are you children? Is that it? Sit down and don¡¯t say another word to one another.¡¯

    Ty and Deshaun sat down on opposite ends of the bench. They saw the extra point sail through successfully, and as time ticked down to zero in the first quarter, the score was once again tied, now at 14¨C14.

    Coach Hoang stared long and hard at both boys. Seeing that neither of them were trying to continue the fight, he relaxed. ¡®Banks, how are your ankles?¡¯

    ¡®What? They¡¯re fine.¡¯

    ¡®Knees? Hips? Everything? You didn¡¯t tweak anything, or feel a snap?¡¯

    Deshaun grit his teeth. ¡®I¡¯m FINE! I just fucking tripped, damn. Cleats got stuck in the fucking grass, that''s all¡­ that bitch didn¡¯t make me injure myself.¡¯

    Coach Hoang looked him over again but nodded and then moved away.

    During the short break, the Dons¡¯ coaches¡ªamongst their many issues¡ªhad one problem that they needed to solve quickly.

    ¡®Who¡¯s taking Chris¡¯s spot as our kick returner?¡¯ Coach Norman asked.

    An obvious answer could¡¯ve been Cameron, the backup HB and the one who would be taking Chris¡¯s spot in the offence, but speed and elusivity¡ªthe key aspects that a great returner needs¡ªweren¡¯t his strong suit; he was more of a power back that relied on strength and determination to shrug off contact and fight through it.

    ¡®I¡¯d say we give it to Cole. He¡¯d be our best option now that Chris is down,¡¯ Coach Long said. The men looked towards Cole. The boy was one of their WRs, similar to Chris in build, if a little taller and with skinnier legs, he was still quick and agile when he got out in the open field.

    ¡®What about Tyrese?¡¯

    The coaches turned to Bella, looking down at her and then across to Ty.

    ¡®Tyrese? I think Cole would have him beat when it comes to evading tacklers,¡¯ Coach Long said. Coach Norman nodded in agreement.

    ¡®But shouldn¡¯t we give Tyrese a chance? And let him improve on that? I mean, imagine if he could return every interception for a touchdown, or how good of a returner he¡¯ll be if we give him some practice. Chris is a senior, Cole too. We won¡¯t have them forever, but Ty can fill that role if we give him the chance.¡¯

    There was silence as they ruminated over the suggestion, and then Coach Hoang spoke. ¡®She¡¯s right. Let¡¯s go with Samuels. The difference will be negligible, and he honestly might surprise us today. But we need to think about the future and the potential he has. He might be an even better option than HAYES in the future if he can commit himself to this role as well.¡¯

    ¡®Alright, I''m not sure if I agree that he could be better than Chris when he''s healthy, but we¡¯ll go with Tyrese. Get him out there and ready.¡¯

    ¡®Yes Coach.¡¯ Coach Norman was quick to carry out the order and told Ty of the news.

    Ty was surprised, sitting up straighter. ¡®What? Why me? Isn¡¯t there anyone else that could do this?¡¯

    Coach Norman shook his head. ¡®We chose you. We think you¡¯ll be our best bet now Chris is out of the game.¡¯

    Ty sighed but didn¡¯t stand up from the bench.

    ¡®Hey. Prime Time returned kicks,¡¯ Coach Hoang said, coming over to see what the hold-up was.

    Ty scrunched up his nose. ¡®I¡¯m not Prime Time.¡¯

    ¡®Come on. This is still something that a CB can do to affect the outcome of the game. We¡¯re not asking you to play another position, just adding another job onto that position. Besides, if you refuse I¡¯ll sit you out on defence.¡¯

    Ty groaned and shot Coach Hoang a dirty look. ¡®Yeah, yeah. I¡¯m doing it.¡¯ He stood up and put his helmet back on, heading out when the break was over to line up with the rest of the kick return team.

    He focused, watching the ball rocket high into the air off the Kicker¡¯s boot. He never took his eyes off it as he watched it plummet into his waiting arms, then he took off.

    He burst forward with great speed, but found himself charging towards a wall of bodies. He stopped and looked for an opening, trying to squeeze by two oncoming Vikings.

    He ducked under one sweeping arm, feeling it bounce off his helmet as it went by. But as he tried to get around the second tackler, he was crunched against his body and wrapped up tight, then driven into the ground.

    He¡¯d taken the ball out to the 22-yard line before he was stopped. Ty stood up with a snarl, feeling at his side as he hurried off the field. That DEFINITELY wasn¡¯t an enjoyable experience.

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    As the offence took the field, Chris¡¯s replacement jogged out to line up behind Jay. Cameron was stockier than Chris, only an inch or so taller. He had a rather unassuming face, but one that appeared far older than he actually was.

    First up, the Dons decided to go back to the well that had worked greatly for them when Chris was out there on the field, and they tried another run to the outside, this time with Cameron being the ball carrier.

    It didn¡¯t go well.

    They did hem Mike into the centre of the field and keep him from disrupting the run, but Cameron just didn¡¯t have that same burst of speed Chris did, so when it came to getting to the edge¡ªand more importantly, getting AROUND it¡ªhe didn¡¯t have the quickness to get away from the defenders and leave them behind.

    He was tackled for no gain at all.

    Coach Norman and Coach Long were both concerned with what they saw, but they weren¡¯t about to give up on the run just yet. Next, they¡¯d try one up the middle.

    Of course, that meant they were heading straight for the strongest point in the opposition¡¯s defensive line¡ªMike¡ªbut it also meant they were playing to Cameron¡¯s strength. They were willing to bet on Cameron for one play at least.

    Again, Jay handed the ball over to Cameron and this time watched him ram the ball up the gut of the defence. He rushed straight into Mike¡¯s grasp, challenging the massive, white bear.

    But it was to no avail. Even though Cameron gained a yard¡ªone more than the attempt to the outside¡ªhe was still swiftly brought down by Mike in a dominant display of overwhelming power.

    The Dons were forced into a long third down situation. They HAD to throw now if they were to have any chance of gaining the required yards and earning themselves another set of downs.

    With Stephen ejected from the game, that meant Benny would have to take on more of the responsibility when it came to the passing game; he¡¯d be Jay¡¯s most reliable target out there now. But stepping up to fill Stephen¡¯s shoes in the WR spot specifically, would be Cole.

    Cole was the exact opposite of Stephen when it came to who they were as a Receiver. Whilst Stephen relied on his physicality and superior size to dominate through the air, the undersized Cole would have to use his speed and quickness to his advantage if he were to make an impact.

    Isiah laughed when he lined up in front of Cole. ¡®I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re puttin¡¯ me on a motherfuckin¡¯ white boy. There really ain¡¯t anyone better?¡¯

    Cole kept quiet, adjusting his gloves as he did his best to ignore the taunts from his larger opponent.

    Jay took a deep breath before snapping the ball and dropping back in the pocket.

    He scanned the field calmly, looking side to side as he tried to find any opening within the defence¡ªthey were all plugged up tight.

    The middle was clogged up with a couple of players closely watching Benny. Cameron had made his way out of the backfield and towards the flat, but Jay ignored that at first; they needed more yards.

    He looked to Cole, but Isiah was all over him. He frowned. ¡°That should be holding, ref, what are you looking at?¡±

    Nothing else was open either. He looked back to where Cameron was, but he was covered too now. Then he saw Mike break through the protection of his offensive line and barrel towards him.

    It was too late to throw the ball away¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to risk being hit in the middle of throwing and turning the ball over somehow¡ªand he couldn¡¯t get away from that massive bear. Jay dropped down, giving himself up and took the sack.

    The Dons would have to punt.

    ¡°It¡¯s all over,¡± Jay thought.

    Mike helped him back onto his feet, patting him down. ¡®I didn¡¯t hurt you, did I?¡¯

    ¡®Nope. I¡¯m fine. Thanks.¡¯ There was an easygoing smile on Jay¡¯s face as he made his way back to the bench. He wasn¡¯t upset at their struggles, he had accepted it; without Chris and Stephen, there was nothing they could do. It was out of his hands now, and it was up to the defence to keep them in this game.

    Cameron came back to the bench, his shoulders slumped as he apologised to his teammates and coaches about letting them down and not getting anywhere on the ground.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it,¡¯ Jay said, ¡®we can¡¯t score anyway. Without Chris and Stephen, we¡¯re stuck in the mud. Like trying to surf on tiny little ripples.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t give up yet. We can still win this, and the offence can still perform,¡¯ JJ said. There was enough fire in his belly to make up for Jay¡¯s uncaring attitude. ¡®I¡¯ll be out there and lead the way for Cameron, that way we should still be able to run the ball.¡¯

    ¡®And I¡¯ll do a better job at holding the edge,¡¯ Benny said, ¡®I¡¯ll hold them back for longer and let Cameron get fully clear. Hell, I¡¯ll even do better when it comes to getting open. I won¡¯t let our passing attack die just because Stephen¡¯s not here.¡¯

    ¡®Me too,¡¯ Cole said. ¡®That annoying guy is grabbing me like crazy, but if I can be just a little bit faster and get enough separation, the refs will have to see it.¡¯

    JJ grinned, smacking them all on the back and rubbing their heads. ¡®That¡¯s what I like to hear. We¡¯ve got this, guys.¡¯

    ¡®Jones! Get your butt out on the field with the defence,¡¯ Coach Hoang yelled. JJ was still smiling as he took up his spot in the formation.

    As Ty and Deshaun were jogging onto the field, Coach Hoang called out to them as well. ¡®Samuels, Banks. You¡¯re swapping places! Banks will cover number 13, and Samuels will take number 80.¡¯

    ¡®What?! Fuck that, I¡¯m not¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Do it or I¡¯m sitting you,¡¯ Coach Hoang cut off Deshaun. Reluctantly, the two swapped matchups, and Ty lined up against Isiah, while Deshaun took his place in front of Marshall.

    Marshall laughed. ¡®Oh, you really fucked up now, didn¡¯t you? I told that punk ass li¡¯l nigga not to let them put your sorry ass on me.¡¯

    ¡®Shut the fuck up. After I crush you, I¡¯ve got shit to finish with that other lame as freshy.¡¯

    Isiah tilted his head as he looked Ty over. ¡®What¡¯s the matter? That other pussy get too scared? You need to come over here and try to make up for your boyfriend¡¯s mistakes?¡¯

    Ty had eyes only for Marshall and Deshaun. ¡®A second-tier DOG like you doesn¡¯t matter to me. You won¡¯t get a single catch with me guarding you. In fact, you better pray they don¡¯t throw the ball to you, or else I¡¯m taking it home the other way.¡¯

    ¡®Ha! Y¡¯all like to talk a whole lotta shit for a bunch of scrubs. We¡¯ll see what happens when they throw it here.¡¯

    During that whole drive, the ball would not once be thrown towards Ty and Isiah.

    The fact that Isiah was no longer getting open wasn¡¯t even the main factor in Nathan¡¯s decision not to throw it to him, he just never had to. Marshall was ALWAYS getting open.

    Every play he¡¯d shake loose from Deshaun one way or the other. He¡¯d perfectly manipulate the older defender right to where he wanted him to go, and then Marshall himself would go the other way.

    He¡¯d run forward, staring straight ahead, charging down the field like he was going to go deep, and then at the very MOMENT that Deshaun decided to finally flip his hips and start sprinting instead of backpedalling, that was when Marshall stopped in place and turned back on his curl.

    20 yards. 12, 15, 13. Ty and the rest of the Dons could only watch on as the Vikings marched down the field. They were helpless as Deshaun was picked apart over and over by Nathan and Marshall. The two were perfectly in sync, and each pass hit Marshall right in stride, right after he made his true cut.

    And then Marshall was into the endzone with one final catch. A fade to the corner, with Marshall catching the ball as it flew right over his shoulder and into his outstretched hands. He dragged his feet to make sure he was inbounds.

    He turned around to face Deshaun, grinning widely. ¡®You¡¯re just free touchdowns, ain¡¯t you, nigga?¡¯

    Deshaun said nothing, staring straight ahead as Marshall laughed and joined his team in celebration.

    The Dons had lost their lead.

 Chapter 65: Claw Your Way Back

    Deshaun retreated to the bench, not saying a word to anyone. When he took his seat, Ty approached.

    ¡®Are you fucking serious? Are you trying to make us lose?¡¯

    Still, Deshaun didn¡¯t say anything, not even meeting the younger boy¡¯s gaze.

    ¡®Hey! I¡¯m fucking talking to you. Who the fuck do you think they are?¡¯ Ty panted heavily. He¡¯d seen that look before, though he¡¯d never seen it on a teammate¡¯s face, not even last week.

    ¡®You¡¯re not allowed to give up, you piece of shit. You hear me!? If you quit because of those two losers, you¡¯ll never be allowed to step foot onto MY field again.¡¯

    ¡®Samuels! Get out there and return the kick,¡¯ Coach Hoang shouted.

    Ty backed off, still staring Deshaun down for a while longer before he turned away and ran onto the field.

    Jay opened one eye. His legs were stretched out, one crossed over the other, his feet resting on his helmet. He looked over at Deshaun. ¡®So the defence is lost too? Hmm¡­ nah. Not yet. You guys can still win it.¡¯

    Deshaun remained silent, holding his helmet in his hands, one finger tapping against it repeatedly.

    Ty wasn¡¯t about to let this game get any further away from him. He couldn¡¯t just roll over and die. He had to do something. If simply shutting down one of the Receivers wasn¡¯t enough, then he¡¯d have to change the game any chance he got.

    He prepared himself, digging his cleats into the turf, and getting himself set as he stood under the drop of the ball.

    When he caught it, he again shot straight through the middle of the field with speed that surprised the Vikings trying to close around him. He burst through their lines, untouched, and only the nervous-looking Kicker stood before him and the endzone.

    The Kicker backed away, fear in their eyes as they tried to line Ty up. Ty sped past the centre of the field.

    Ty swerved left, and then right. The Kicker dove in his path, and Ty leapt over them, his feet clipping them in the air and having to readjust himself.

    He stumbled at the landing, almost falling, but kept himself moving forward. But that stumble was all the other Vikings needed to be able to catch up to him and bring him down.

    Ty had managed to make it into Vikings territory, and when he had finally been tripped up, he had been 37 yards away from the endzone.

    He slammed the ball against the turf and pushed himself up, snarling as he stomped off to the bench. He had been SO close. He almost had a touchdown, almost had their redemption.

    At least he had set up the offence for success now. They were already on the edge of field goal range, but from here, he hoped they could get a touchdown to keep the game tied.

    With the offence back out there, it was time for the Dons to try out their new emergency strategy. JJ took the field with them right away, lining up just in front of Cameron. Benny¡¯s jaw was set tight as he took his position on the edge of the line, and Cole kept his arms and legs loose as he stood in front of Isiah, who was laughing and grinning like a hyena about to swarm in for the kill.

    Jay sighed, taking his position as he stared out at the defence before him and the rest of his teammates. He silently thanked Ty for getting them this close to start with, and then he snapped the ball.

    First up, they tried another run to the outside, this time with JJ leading the way. Only, it was a fake! Jay held onto the ball. He whirled around, and looked down the field.

    Benny¡ªwho had initially stayed in to block and sell the run even further, had then disengaged from his man and started running downfield.

    Jay found him, and the two linked up for a pass of 12 yards. New life could be breathed into this offence after all.

    Next, they stuck with the passing game, and this time Jay was able to find Cole, getting the ball out just before Mike crushed him in another sack.

    Cole had sped across the width of the field, using his speed to get further and further away from Isiah until he made the catch and turned upfield right by the sideline, where Isiah was able to catch him and shove him out of bounds only after a gain of 9 yards.

    After that, they were able to gain a first down by powering through the middle with a run. JJ was able to hold Mike off for a moment, the two stuck in a stalemate for a second, and then after Cameron added his strength to the push, they bulldozed ahead for another 4 yards.

    That was when the offence dried up, however. Now that they were drawing closer and closer to the goal line, and with the usable field shortening, the defence no longer had to worry about stretching themselves thin.

    They could press up fearlessly and once again, the Dons struggled to get anything further. By the time it came to fourth down, they still needed maybe 2 and a half yards to earn another first down, and were nearly 5 yards away from the endzone.

    ¡®What¡¯s the call, Coach?¡¯ Coach Norman looked at Coach Long. ¡®Are we going for it, or taking the points?¡¯

    Coach Long didn¡¯t think about it for long. ¡®Kick the field goal.¡¯

    While Coach Norman himself was leaning more on the side of letting the offence have one last crack at scoring a touchdown, he relented to the Head Coach without argument and the kicking team was sent out onto the field as the offence returned to the bench, disappointed, but with hope reignited.

    ¡®Damn! We were so close. If I just had that catch.¡¯ Benny smacked his hands together, frowning. ¡®Sorry guys.¡¯

    ¡®Nah, you guys did great,¡¯ JJ said. ¡®We¡¯ll get them next time.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah. We¡¯ll see how we go next time we¡¯re out there.¡¯ Jay once again set his helmet on the ground to use as a footrest, though this time he kept his eyes on the field as he leaned back against the bench with his hands behind his head.

    Marshall seemed to be running with a mission in mind during his next return, but even so, the Dons did a good job of corralling him, and kept him to ONLY, a 30-yard return.

    Looking at the clock, the Vikings would only have time for one more drive before the first half came to a close.

    ¡®Alright, defence, listen up,¡¯ Coach Hoang rallied them. We¡¯re switching to a heavy zone now. I don¡¯t want any more long bombs through the air. Let them beat us on the ground if they can, but I trust in our strength up front to be able to stop them.¡¯ He looked at JJ. Then he turned his gaze upon Deshaun. ¡®I know we¡¯ve struggled a bit so far, but that¡¯s okay. Banks, you¡¯ll be dropping back into a deep zone. Don¡¯t worry about following your opponent''s every move, just make sure he can¡¯t get over the top of you.¡¯

    Deshaun looked away, his fingers drummed against his helmet but he kept his mouth shut.

    ¡®Samuels. You¡¯ll be back to your original assignment. You stick with number 13 and you don¡¯t let him go anywhere. I need you to not let him get a single catch.¡¯

    ¡®Easy.¡¯ Ty grinned.

    ¡®Don¡¯t get cocky, just do your job. Let¡¯s make a stand and go into the half with all the momentum!¡¯

    ¡®Woo! Come on, ?hermanos! Let¡¯s bounce back.¡¯ JJ clapped his hands together as he led the group back out onto the field.

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    With the Dons putting some points on the board again, the crowd was reinvigorated, and with this upcoming, final stand of the first half, they had come alive again, chanting and cheering for their hometown heroes.

    The Vikings didn¡¯t look to be cracking under the pressure, they appeared as composed as before, and Marshall¡¯s confidence had only skyrocketed. He grinned when Ty came up to him again.

    ¡®I warned you not to let that other nigga guard me. Look what happened.¡¯

    ¡®And now what? You¡¯re back to begging for scraps now that I¡¯m here again. Look around. You¡¯re alone out here.¡¯

    Marshall looked around. He and Ty were the only ones on this side of the field.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about anyone else, it¡¯s just you and me. And you¡¯re not making one more catch for the rest of the game.¡¯

    Marshall shot an icy scowl at Ty and the two sunk into their stances.

    Across the other side of the field, Deshaun lined up further away from Isiah, leaving more space between them, and he also was facing the QB instead of looking at Isiah.

    ¡®Hahah. Man, I can¡¯t believe they didn¡¯t fuckin¡¯ bench you. You¡¯re like a beaten bitch who keeps on crawlin¡¯ back for more.¡¯

    Deshaun didn¡¯t even look at him.

    The ball was snapped, and surprisingly, the first play was a run. It was a draw to be exact, but as Nathan dropped back to throw, he instead handed it off to the RB who rushed ahead and followed Mike¡¯s broad back.

    Mike charged through the Dons¡¯ defensive line, and soon came head-to-head with JJ. The two slammed into each other forcefully, and while Mike began to drive JJ back, the RB went to dart by.

    Right as the RB was going past, JJ lunged at him with one arm and latched onto him. He almost wrestled the ball free, but the RB adjusted his grip and held on tight as he was brought to the ground.

    It was still a gain of 6 yards for the Vikings, but it ate up valuable time.

    The Vikings hurried to the line, and the ball was quickly snapped again.

    Isiah saw Deshaun backing way off, and so he whipped around into a short curl instead. Nathan was just about to let the ball go when he saw another Dons defender drifting in front of Isiah, so at the last second he was able to readjust his aim and send the ball soaring over both Isiah and the defender¡¯s heads.

    The crowd cheered loudly as the Vikings were quickly brought to third down and the clock was stopped. If the Dons could just get one more stop, then their offence would have a chance at a rapid, last-second counter attack.

    ¡®You fucking pussy. You need help to guard me, huh?¡¯ Isiah barked at Deshaun.

    Deshaun ignored him and instead went over to congratulate the teammate who had helped him out. ¡®Good stuff, man. That was all you.¡¯

    A vein throbbed along Isiah¡¯s forehead.

    The third play was another pass, though as Nathan looked Isiah¡¯s way, he was struggling to find an opening in the zone. JJ had the middle of the field on lockdown, so there as no luck there, which left Marshall.

    Marshall pushed through Ty¡¯s stiff press, shoving aside his hands and getting right up into the smaller boy¡¯s chest.

    He shoved Ty off a bit and then shook inside. Ty stuck with him, and even when Marshall spun to the outside, Ty was right there, glued to his hip.

    Marshall called for the ball anyway as he ran towards the sideline, a hand raised in the air.

    Nathan tossed the ball high. With how close together the two were, neither Marshall or Ty could really get a good jump. Ty swiped at the ball with a long arm, but it just went past his fingertips.

    ¡°Too high! He can¡¯t catch it.¡±

    Marshall stretched upwards, dropping one arm down, reaching out with just one hand, and once again, his long fingers managed to stick to the ball and drag it down into his palm to secure the catch, even as Ty dragged him down to the turf.

    It was a gain of 11 yards, and the Vikings took a timeout.

    ¡®So much for me not getting another catch,¡¯ Marshall said. ¡®You sure like to talk big for such a li¡¯l nigga that can¡¯t back shit up.¡¯

    ¡®A lucky catch. That¡¯s all it was.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, keep telling yourself that.¡¯

    Ty returned to his huddle, grinding his teeth. That was two flukes now.

    The next play, Marshall was targeted again. This time, he ran ahead ten yards before giving a little shimmy and then cutting diagonally across the field, heading towards the goal post at the back of the endzone.

    Again, Ty was right with him, and this time the pass was just low enough for him to bat the ball out of the air before Marshall could reel it in.

    ¡®What did I tell you? You¡¯re just fucking lucky. Sit the fuck down.¡¯

    Marshall gave Ty a shove but backed off and hurried to his huddle.

    The next pass was a screen to the RB as the Vikings hoped to catch the Dons off guard, but they were all over it. They swarmed to the ball as soon as the RB caught it and overwhelmed him, dragging him down for a loss of yards, and the Vikings had to use another timeout.

    During the huddle, Coach Hoang signalled Deshaun to switch things up and ignore his zone so he could instead blitz the QB. It was the perfect opportunity to reveal this trick.

    After the timeout, Nathan dropped back for another pass, needing to pick up a lot of yards quickly to continue the Vikings¡¯ drive.

    While the front of his protection was incredibly sturdy and secure as always, he¡¯d dropped back deep and was wide open from the sides. And with his eyes on Ty and Marshall, he never even saw Deshaun coming.

    Deshaun slammed into Nathan like he had been shot out of a cannon. Nathan crumbled under the hit, his head flying back as Deshaun speared him into the ground. The ball came loose, and there was a frantic scramble for it.

    Mike¡¯s massive frame was the first to fall onto the loose fumble, and there was no shoving him off of it, so the Vikings did recover, but they¡¯d be having to punt anyway.

    Most of the defence rallied behind Deshaun, slapping him on the back or the helmet as they cheered for him.

    As he led them towards the bench, Deshaun smiled slightly. ¡®Shut up, you idiots ¡­ let¡¯s just play like that in the second half, alright?¡¯

    They laughed and cheered again.

    There wasn¡¯t enough time for the Dons to drive all the way down the field, so they instead decided to run out what little remained of the clock.

    Both teams headed into their respective locker rooms for the major break, with the score being 17¨C21 in favour of the Vikings.

    In the rooms, Coach Long stepped aside and spoke with a doctor before addressing the team.

    ¡®Sorry, Coach. It¡¯s definitely a concussion. He won¡¯t be returning to this game, and we¡¯ll have to monitor how he recovers during the week, but I wouldn¡¯t expect him to be ready to play the next game either.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks, Doc. You just look after him and make sure he¡¯s alright for now. I¡¯ll have a chat with his parents and let them know too.¡¯

    After that, Coach Long made his way to the centre of the locker room. ¡®Listen up, boys. Chris won¡¯t be able to return today, but that¡¯s alright. We did good just before the end of the half, that¡¯s what we need to focus on right now. We need to keep that feeling, keep that fire, and play with it going into the second half.¡¯

    ¡®We may be hurting but we gotta keep giving it our all, for our hermanos ca¨ªdos,¡¯ JJ said.

    ¡®He¡¯s right. Just keep playing your hearts out, and make your teammates proud. Come on, bring it in now.¡¯

    Everyone gathered around Coach Long¡¯s raised fist.

    ¡®For Chris, on three. One, two, three¡ª¡¯

    ¡®FOR CHRIS!¡¯ It was the loudest roar that Ty had ever heard from their team-wide battlecry. He could feel the energy of his teammates pumping through him.

    JJ led the charge out of the locker room and back out onto the field. They were hit with loud, passionate cheers, like a tsunami of noise.

    Ty stepped onto the field again, heart pumping strongly. ¡°No matter what, we¡¯ll win this game. Even if I have to drag us across the finish line by myself!¡±

    When the Vikings emerged, they were met with muted cheers from their few fans and families, and even some boos amongst the quiet applause.

    They, of course, would start the second half with the ball after the opening kickoff. As Marshall stepped onto the field, he glared around at all the fans.

    ¡°Who the fuck are they to boo ME? This is all cause of that little fucking RUNT. Just cause you stop me once¡­ just cause you¡¯re returning the kicks now too? You think you can fucking stop me? ME?!¡±

    He took the field for the kickoff, fists clenched tightly. His earlier promise to Ty was fresh in his mind. Two touchdowns for every one the Dons scored. He was still three away from that goal.

    That needed to change.

    When he caught the ball, he scanned the field, patiently sauntering forward before he cut to the outside of the field, slipping past an over-ambitious tackler. He aimed for the gap left behind by the defender he had just passed.

    He raced through the gap and broke away down the sideline, sprinting past more desperate pursuers as they struggled to get free from blocks and lay a hand on him.

    Soon enough, it was down to the Kicker alone to stop him, or at least slow him down enough so reinforcements could catch up.

    Marshall was right on the edge of the sideline. One false step and he¡¯d be out of bounds. The Kicker didn¡¯t have to tackle him, he just had to knock him out of bounds. Marshall knew that better than anyone, of course.

    When the Kicker lunged for him, Marshall suddenly stopped and cut further in-field off a single, powerful step. The Kicker flew right by him, and then there was nothing in front of him, no one to stop him from running right into the endzone for a touchdown.

    The second half started with a bang and a statement. The gap between the two teams widened further. Marshall still had two more touchdowns left to get.

    The Vikings and their handful of fans roared as their bench erupted in cheers at the amazing touchdown.

    But on the other side, the hearts of the Dons plummeted.

 Chapter 66: The Struggle

    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Ty stared daggers at Marshall who stood across the field, still gloating and revelling in the glory of his touchdown.

    Marshall looked over at Ty. While smirking, he held up two fingers. Two touchdowns. Two more to go.

    ¡°None of that shit fucking counts. Damn coward can¡¯t do anything against me and he knows it.¡±

    Again, the extra point was successful, and the Vikings extended their lead out to 17¨C28. The Dons were still within reach just a field goal and a touchdown with a two-point conversion away from tying the game again. All hope was not lost¡­ yet.

    Coach Long moved over and put a hand on Ty¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Alright, Tyrese. You¡¯re up again. Let¡¯s see if we can¡¯t get that touchdown right back, okay? But there¡¯s no worries if you can¡¯t break through, just do your best.¡¯

    Ty stood up and made his way out onto the field, breathing heavily as he took up his position. ¡°Another fluke. These bastards are just the luckiest fuckers I¡¯ve ever met. That¡¯s all it is. I¡¯ll get the touchdown right back.¡±

    The kick was skied high, and Ty caught it near the 5-yard line. He rushed forward, running like a man possessed. He sped past the first attempted tackle, and then jumped to the outside, bursting through an outstretched arm.

    He stumbled, but kept his feet and spun away from another would-be tackler. He had slowed down completely now, however, and the rest of the Vikings¡¯ kicking team converged upon him.

    Still, he struggled. Even as he was wrapped up by multiple opponents he kept pushing against them, squirming to break free as his feet pounded against the turf. Their arms began to slip from his shoulders and fall further down his body, until one hooked onto the ball as Ty held it tight.

    Both sides yanked hard, the ball caught in the middle of a tug of war, and then it popped free. Ty fell to the ground, tumbling over his head as the ball shot into the air and then bounced away.

    Thankfully, it rolled out of bounds before either side could recover it. As ordained by the rules, a fumble that went out of bounds, was returned to the team who had fumbled it¡ªthe Dons maintained possession.

    Ty sat on the ground, panting heavily as he stared at the spot where the ball had rolled out of bounds. His hands tore up some of the grass, and he ignored the offers of help from his nearby teammates to pull him up, and picked himself up instead.

    Ty¡¯s shoulders were slumped, his head hung down as he went back to the bench.

    ¡®Good work out there, Tyrese. I love the fight,¡¯ Coach Long said, whacking him on the back. ¡®Just be careful with the ball next time. It¡¯s okay, you¡¯re learning, and we were lucky that we got it back this time.¡¯

    The Dons¡¯ offence would take over at the 39-yard line after Ty¡¯s return and fumble.

    Jay¡¯s face was looking sterner than usual. His lips were curled into a slight frown, and his forehead was showing some wrinkles for once.

    He knew better than any Dons player out there that this drive was the most important of the game; a catalyst for their comeback, or their downfall. But he had a feeling they could do it.

    The Vikings were not a defensive juggernaut, and with the renewed offence, and the team stepping up to fill in for their fallen brothers, they could move down the field.

    It was breaking through the stout, redzone defence that was the real issue. It was what had him worried right now, but he had to get those thoughts out of his head; they¡¯d have to get to the redzone first.

    Coaches Long and Norman felt the Dons needed to make a statement to start this drive, and so they decided to make another run up the gut, with JJ leading the way as the primary blocker for Cameron.

    JJ wasn¡¯t about to let the team lose two in a row, and he was getting fed up with things ending in a stalemate every time he clashed with Mike.

    Someone had to fire up this offence, and that someone would be him.

    When the ball was snapped, JJ shouted as he ran forward. Mike hadn¡¯t even gotten around the first block from the Dons¡¯ Center when JJ fired into him.

    His eyes widened as he was knocked back, his feet almost completely leaving the ground. Then, before he could even get his bearings back, JJ¡ªwith another fierce cry¡ªlaunched his second assault and this time, lifted Mike off the ground and pancaked him flat onto his back before crashing on top of the larger boy.

    Cameron streamed forward through the wide open gap, and run into the secondary unscathed before he was brought down by multiple defenders but not until he had picked up 12 yards for the Dons.

    That set the standard for the drive, and while one or two plays might¡¯ve been stopped and held back, the Dons moved down the field. Whether it was thanks to a pass to Benny or Cole, or another great run from JJ and Cameron, they steadily ate through the yards and then found themselves just outside of the redzone.

    It was second down with 1 yard to go, and the call was to look for the touchdown right now, with a long pass to Cole down the sideline. If that failed, the Dons would fall back to a run to pick up the first down.

    Jay was calm. He felt good about their chances. The line just had to hold up long enough for Cole to get open and down the field.

    The ball was snapped, and Jay dropped back, scanning the field and then looking across to where Cole and Isiah¡¯s duel was taking place.

    Isiah was on him tight, but Cole might¡¯ve had a step. If not a touchdown, they could get a penalty out of it.

    Jay pulled his arm back, and then stopped. No good. There was a Safety waiting over the top, the airspace over that area was completely cut off.

    His eyes quickly darted back to the middle, looking for his safety valve, Benny. Mike was just breaking through the line, but Jay could lob the pass over him ¡­

    Jay¡¯s eyes widened as Mike stopped and sprung up mid charge, getting a hand to the pass right as it looped over his head.

    The ball bounced high into the air, taking on a new, wild trajectory. Benny was knocked aside as the defence converged on the ball like a flock of seagulls to unguarded food.

    It fell right into their laps, and the pass was picked off.

    The Viking who had caught the interception didn¡¯t get far on his attempted return, but the damage was done. The Dons drive was over.

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    Jay hung his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose. He shambled off the field, his teammates following him off and patting him on the back.

    JJ hurried over to his side, grabbing the back of his neck and pulling him close. ¡®Hey, don¡¯t worry about it, hermano. Mistakes happen, it¡¯s all good. We¡¯ve still got this. We¡¯ll get you that ball right back.¡¯

    JJ took to the field alongside the rest of the defence, and Jay sat down on the bench. Coach Long came over to consolidate him. ¡®Hey, it¡¯s alright now. That was a hell of the play from the defence, and those things happen. We can¡¯t dwell on it, and have to focus on doing better the next drive. We can still win this game.¡¯

    When the Vikings¡¯ offence took up their positions on the field, right after the first play, it was clear they¡¯d made an adjustment based on what had happened to end the first half.

    When Nathan dropped back to pass now, the RB stuck in the pocket with him, offering extra protection in general, but looking out for any late blitzes that could come from Deshaun or the other DBs.

    If it was hard to break through the stout offensive line to get pressure before, it was practically impossible now.

    Coach Hoang rested his chin on his hands, watching the development. ¡®Hmm¡­ at least it gives us one less aerial threat to worry about. Our zone just needs to hold firm now.¡¯

    During the drive, Isiah was still struggling to find space within the Dons expansive zone, and while the run game was working a little better for the Vikings, JJ was still a dominant force when it came to stopping it and they couldn¡¯t get consistent gains that way.

    Going up the middle, he was able to nullify Mike¡¯s power, and leave the door open for his teammates to swarm in and take down the RB. And if they tried something to the outside, well they wouldn¡¯t have the benefit of Mike¡¯s blocking prowess then, and JJ was much faster getting to the ball and would shut that down singlehandedly.

    The one place they had to go was with Marshall, and his battle with Ty.

    The two went back and forth with one another, constantly pushing each other to their limits every play.

    Ty kept on Marshall like he was attached to him, and most plays the WR was never able to get any space away from him. ¡­ But all he needed was a step.

    Thanks to his absurd reach, and his incredibly sticky fingers, Marshall was able to reel in catches that should¡¯ve been impossible. And all he needed was one catch at a time to work his way down the field.

    Ty could stop him twice and disrupt the pass, but all Marshall needed was one long grab and his team would gain another set of downs, so even if technically Ty was winning more of their battles, the Vikings were still moving down the field bit by bit.

    The Vikings reached the Dons¡¯ 30-yard line, and were looking to put the game out of reach with another touchdown, but currently, on third down and long, they just needed to worry about getting a first down.

    As the Dons¡¯ huddle broke apart, JJ pulled Deshaun aside. ¡®Coach Hoang said you¡¯re the Hound this play.¡¯

    Deshaun frowned, looking across to the Vikings¡¯ huddle, eyeing the RB. ¡®I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to work.¡¯

    ¡®But that¡¯s the call. Trust the Coach.¡¯ The two broke apart and took up their positions.

    When the ball was snapped, Deshaun bolted straight by Isiah. Isiah was surprised but looked back to Nathan as he streamed down the field. ¡®Hey! Watch the blitz! I¡¯m open! Over here!¡¯

    Nathan didn¡¯t have a reaction, but the RB stepped up, running into Deshaun¡¯s path and blocking him off.

    ¡®Out of my fucking way!¡¯ Deshaun shoved the other boy back.

    Nathan stepped up to throw, bumping into the RB slightly as he let go of the ball¡ªit wobbled through the air instead of spinning in a tight spiral. ¡®Shit!¡¯

    Ty looked back and saw the wobbly pass¡ªhis eyes lit up.

    He and Marshall fought for the best position as the ball floundered towards them. It looked like it was going to be too far away, even for Marshall¡¯s stretched out arms and fingers.

    Marshall relented, giving up as he saw the ball was too far. Then Ty launched himself and dove past.

    He stretched his hand out, fingers shaking as he extended them as far as he could, he twisted his body to get as much reach as he could, like he¡¯d seen Marshall do plenty of times before.

    The ball grazed his finger tips. Then, just like Marshall would do, Ty tried to latch onto the ball and drag it in.

    It bounced away as his hand snapped closed and his arm drew into his chest. He crashed to the floor, and the ball fell to the ground.

    ¡°Fuck!¡± Ty sat up, one eye twitching as he stared at the ball.

    ¡®Hmph, dumbass.¡¯ Marshall shook his head, jogging away.

    Ty picked himself up, kicking the ground before he made his way off to the bench. He almost had it. But now he had to watch as the Vikings set up for a field goal.

    The kick was good, and the lead was pushed out to two full touchdowns. Ty ground his teeth as he watched the scoreboard tick over.

    His next return wasn¡¯t a good one. He came out from inside the endzone, and didn¡¯t even make it back to the 20-yard line as he had blindly bulldozed ahead and tried to weave his way through the heavy traffic.

    On the sideline Bella sighed, scrubbing at her face with her hands. ¡®Maybe it was a bad idea suggesting that idiot. He just runs in like a mad bull and doesn¡¯t even try to look where he¡¯s going.¡¯

    When the Dons offence took the field again, they looked as if their fire had died down. They were less invigorated. It was like the interception on their last drive had drained all their energy.

    JJ was growing tired after his constant battles with Mike on both sides of the ball, no longer able to provide that all important spark.

    Nor was Cameron used to carrying so much of the load, and he too was looking less and less energetic.

    While the third quarter did end with the ball in the Dons¡¯ possession still, and the break bought them a short reprieve, it wasn¡¯t enough, and it didn¡¯t take long into the final quarter before the Dons¡¯ drive died and they had to decided to punt the ball away.

    Coach Hoang sighed, closing his eyes. ¡°Come on, defence. It¡¯s up to us now, guys. Let¡¯s drag this back for a win.¡± He looked at Ty as the defence marched onto the field. ¡°It¡¯s up to you. Shut them down, Samuels. Show me that special something.¡±

    Once again, Ty and Marshall¡¯s intense duel resumed, and once again, Ty just couldn¡¯t get all the stops he needed.

    When the defence tried to switch things up and bring more pressure against the QB, the Vikings had adjusted again. Now when the blitz was called out, Nathan found a target right from where the blitz had come from, getting the ball out quickly and earning his team small but impactful gains.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the Vikings were right within field goal range again, knocking on the door of the Dons¡¯ endzone.

    ¡®You¡¯re not getting lucky again,¡¯ Ty said, pacing back and forth in front of Marshall. ¡®I¡¯m getting my pick this time.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re the one who was lucky. You pull some retarded stunt like that again, I¡¯m getting a touchdown.¡¯

    ¡®You haven¡¯t scored on me. You CAN¡¯T score on me. This game is mine.¡¯

    Marshall pointed to the scoreboard. 17¨C31. Then he held up four fingers. ¡®I still need two more. And I¡¯m going to love scoring them on your head.¡¯

    ¡®HIKE!¡¯ At Nathan¡¯s screech, the field exploded into motion. Ty stabbed a hand out, shoving Marshall back. The larger boy growled but pushed through, smacking Ty¡¯s hands away as they ran down the field side by side.

    Marshall shuffled his feet, wobbling his body and head, but Ty stuck with him and didn¡¯t overcommit to either side. Then Marshall continued straight ahead, trying to push past Ty.

    Ty stuck to his hip like he was glued to it, and the two broke away further down the sideline, sprinting towards the endzone.

    They looked back, the ball was in flight, heading right towards them.

    Ty turned around first, tracking back as he kept his eyes on the ball. He had it. It was his! He leapt into the air, stretching one hand out to reach the high-arcing ball. It was going to fall right into his grasp, he could pull it in, he¡¯d practised this countless times.

    Then two massive hands blocked his line of sight to the ball as Marshall reached over him, arms stretching out further than Ty¡¯s could. Marshall got his hands to the ball first.

    Ty swiped at the ball, but hit nothing other than air as he crashed down to the earth.

    Marshall landed behind him, pulling the ball in tight to his chest. His feet were in bounds with yards of room to spare. He was standing in the endzone. It was a touchdown.

    Ty lay on his back, watching an official close in, signalling the touchdown. Marshall stood over him, grinning down at him.

    ¡®That¡¯s three, nigga. Now hold this for me.¡¯ Marshall dropped the ball onto Ty¡¯s chest and sauntered off.

    Ty¡¯s world went silent.

 Chapter 67: Lost in the Dark

    Ty sat up slowly. He held the ball to his chest, staring down at it. A muffled voice called to him.

    ¡®Son, son are you alright? I need the ball, son.¡¯

    Ty looked up at the official. Their hands were held out waiting for him to give them the ball. Ty tossed it to them and then stood up, he didn¡¯t even notice his teammates¡¯ hands this time.

    He looked at the scoreboard: 17¨C37. He shook his head. He made his way to the bench. ¡°This isn¡¯t right. It can¡¯t end like this.¡±

    ¡®You did your best, Samuels. Sometimes great offence just beats great defence.¡¯ Ty barely even registered Coach Hoang¡¯s words.

    The extra point only added to the Vikings¡¯ lead.

    Ty stood up, ready to take the field for the kick return. This was the one. He could feel it; he wouldn¡¯t let anyone stand in his way.

    But before he could step out onto the field, there was Bella, standing in his way, blocking his path. He stared down at her. ¡®Move.¡¯

    She shook her head. ¡®Why? So you can go out there and fumble again? Or get yourself concussed too? Sit down.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re not my coach.¡¯ He went to walk around her.

    ¡®Tyrese.¡¯ He stopped at the sound of Coach Long¡¯s voice. ¡®Sit this one out.¡¯

    Ty looked over his shoulder, black eyes as cold as the void of space. Cole awkwardly jogged past Ty and took his position out on the field to return the kick.

    ¡®You need to rest. We¡¯ll need you at full strength for when we¡¯re back on defence if we¡¯re going to have you make an impact to finish out the game.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not tired. I can do both and make more of an impact!¡¯

    ¡®I didn¡¯t ask for your input, Tyrese. Sit down.¡¯

    Ty ground his teeth together but moved back over to the bench and sat down.

    Cole fielded the kick in the endzone and took a knee for a touchback rather than run it out¡ªTy''s grinding intensified.

    The Dons¡¯ offence took to the field once again, and while the game was almost over, they weren¡¯t about to roll over and die just yet.

    However, even though they still had a fire burning within them¡ªalbeit dimly¡ªthey couldn¡¯t get far down the field. There wasn¡¯t any time for them to utilise the run game properly, and with that, the Vikings were able to focus on pass defence and could put a stop to any of their attempts to gain yards through the air.

    If Stephen had still been there, maybe it could¡¯ve been different; maybe they still could¡¯ve put up a fight.

    It wasn¡¯t long before the Vikings got the ball back, even with the Dons refusing to punt and instead using their fourth down to try and pick up the extra yards they needed with their offence, their play failed, and it was a turnover on downs instead.

    Even though the Vikings were practically within scoring range right from the beginning of their drive, they had no intention of putting up more points. Instead, were happy to just run out the clock, quite literally.

    Ty stood across from Marshall, like a coiled snake ready to strike any moment. But he never got his chance. The Vikings never threw another pass. Even Marshall himself looked quite pissed by the development¡ªhis promise would go unfulfilled today.

    The final minutes of the game would pass by with the ball ping-ponging between each team. The Dons were unable to score again, and the Vikings never allowed Marshall or Ty to duel one another again.

    Ty couldn¡¯t even impact the run defence no matter how hard he tried to. He¡¯d sprint over at the snap of the ball, but before he could even reach the RB, they¡¯d have fallen to the ground already, having only burrowed forward a couple of yards, keeping right behind Mike, with their arms wrapped tightly around the ball, and whenever a defender so much as laid a finger on them, they¡¯d drop to the ground.

    Then, the Vikings took a knee, and the clock slowly wound down to zero. Ty watched every second tick away, each one feeling like a minute had passed by.

    The crowd was silent. Most of the Vikings were ecstatic, cheering and celebrating loudly. Both Marshall and Isiah looked disappointed¡ªthe former because he¡¯d failed in his personal goal, and the latter because it was over and they couldn¡¯t put up even more points and humiliate the Dons further.

    JJ went over to Ty, who hadn¡¯t moved since the final whistle blew. He slapped the younger boy on the back and gave him a one-armed hug. ¡®We did our best. It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll get them next time.¡¯ Then he moved away and started shaking the hand of each Vikings player one by one.

    Ty slowly shambled off the field, shuffling towards the bench like a zombie. They¡¯d lost. HE had lost ¡­ AGAIN. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡®Good game, Tyrese,¡¯ Coach Long said. He stood at the edge of the sideline, welcoming all the players back to the bench, giving them all words of encouragement and a pat on the back.

    ¡®No.¡¯ Ty shuffled past. ¡®No.¡¯ He stood in front of the bench. ¡®No.¡¯ He took off his helmet. ¡®No. No. No! NO!¡¯ He gripped his helmet tightly and slammed it onto the bench. He kicked the underside of the seat, then continued to smash his helmet against it wildly.

    ¡®Nooo! Fuck! Fuuuuuck! What the fuck are you doing you stupid piece of worthless shit! FUCK YOU!¡¯

    He threw his now dented helmet against the bench one last time, it bounced into the front row of the crowd, though people had already moved away at the beginning of his outburst.

    ¡®Samuels!¡¯ Coach Hoang moved closer. Jay reached out, putting an arm around Ty, placing a hand on his shoulder, telling him to calm down.

    ¡®Don¡¯t fucking touch me!¡¯ He shook Jay off and backed away, panting hard. Part of him felt better, though a larger part was still burning with rage.

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    ¡®Tyrese. Calm down. It¡¯s just one game.¡¯ Coach Long looked at him with concern, hands held up as he edged closer, trying to calm the boy down.

    ¡®Ty.¡¯ Meg¡¯s voice came from the stands, she was shaking as she looked at her older brother. She¡¯d never seen this side of him; never seen how closely he resembled their father.

    ¡®Shut the fuck up! And leave me the fuck alone!¡¯ Ty turned, his cleats clattered against the ground loudly as he stormed off.

    ¡®Tyrese!¡¯

    ¡®Samuels! Shit. I¡¯ve got him, Coach.¡¯ Coach Hoang moved to go after him.

    Coach Long frowned but looked around at the rest of the team. He held his arms out and began herding the other boys away. ¡®Alright, get to the locker room, right now.¡¯ He still had everyone else to look after, so he''d have to leave Ty in Luke''s hands.

    ¡®Ty!¡¯ Meg groaned and scrambled back up the stands, rushing to where she¡¯d been sitting to watch the game, grabbing her things before she raced back down to chase after Ty.

    ¡®Ugh, stupid idiot¡­¡¯ Bella shook her head before moving along with the others to the locker room.

    ¡®Samuels!¡¯ Coach Hoang called out again.

    ¡®Fuck off! I¡¯m walking home, I don¡¯t need a cripple to babysit me.¡¯ Ty sped up, still walking, yet his speed was almost that of running.

    Meg ran past Coach Hoang, breathing heavily as she chased Ty onto the street. He was walking off into the dark, but he wasn¡¯t heading home. He didn¡¯t know where he was going, just away. Far, far away from that field.

    ¡®Oh this fucking brat,¡¯ Luke muttered under his breath, pushing harder.

    Ty stormed off into the dark. He needed to get away, away from the field, away from everyone, away from himself ¡­ but that was impossible.

    He was steaming in the cool night air. He felt like he¡¯d explode. Maybe it¡¯d be better if he did explode. If he could just burst into tiny chunks right then. Maybe he wouldn¡¯t feel as if he was burning then, maybe his head and his heart would stop pounding then.

    ¡°I lost. How?¡± He pressed his palms hard against his eyes, so hard he saw flashes of white against the blackness.

    ¡°You know how. You weren¡¯t good enough.¡± The moment of his fumble replayed in his head. His failure to get around the Kicker cleanly on the return that he almost took back for a touchdown. His failed interceptions. Each and every single one of Marshall¡¯s catches against him, his hand always just too short to reach the ball. They all flashed through his head.

    And then there was the touchdown.

    Over and over he saw those hands block out his vision, and then snatch the ball right from his grasp. He had been ¡°Mossed.¡± It was pathetic. It was unforgivable. It was all his fault.

    His feet stopped moving. He stood under the harsh, fluorescent light of a street lamp. He turned his head up, staring into the light.

    The city rumbled around him. Life went on. The world moved on. Even as he felt as if everything was crashing down around him, nothing had stopped, nothing had cared about him or his problems.

    He closed his eyes. The drone of engines could be heard faintly. A honk here, squealing tyres there. Yowling cats, barking dogs, the hum of hidden insects¡ªthe music of the city.

    Burning rubber and tar singed his nose, the scent of smoke, piss, and alcohol clung to the air and stained his lungs with every breath. The world around him was the same as it had always been.

    Luke passed by Meg. She was hunched over, one hand against a fence, trying to catch her breath. She stared ahead at Ty. Her expression was a mix of fear, worry, and anguish.

    Luke approached Ty. ¡®Samuels¡­¡¯ He rolled to a stop next to the boy, sharing the light with him. ¡®Ty,¡¯ he said with a softer tone, putting aside his coaching voice.

    Ty opened his eyes and looked down at Luke, but he didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡®This isn¡¯t the way to your home.¡¯

    Ty bit back his initial response, then he looked away. ¡®What do you want?¡¯

    Luke frowned. ¡®I¡¯d want you to apologise for your outburst back there. If I was in control of the team, you¡¯d be off of it after a meltdown like that.¡¯

    Ty gave him a dirty look. ¡®Piss off.¡¯

    ¡®If this is how you¡¯re going to react to losing, I don¡¯t think football is right for you. You need to learn how to suck it up and get used to this.¡¯

    Ty whirled around to face Luke properly. ¡®Get used to this?! I¡¯ll never get used to this! This is horrible! This disgusting feeling in my stomach, like I could puke out everything I¡¯ve ever eaten and it still wouldn¡¯t be enough. Or how I could punch the ground until every bone in my arm was broken and still want to smash my head through it. I¡¯d rather die than feel this way again!¡¯

    ¡®Well tough shit! Losing is a part of not only football but life! Ask anyone and they wouldn¡¯t even be able to count the amount of times they¡¯ve lost.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not like them! I¡¯m different. I¡¯M special. I¡¯m going to be the greatest.¡¯

    Luke scoffed. ¡®You might have potential, but even the greatest can¡¯t win all the time. Just look at Tom Brady.¡¯

    Ty turned away, going quiet. He¡¯d be better than Brady. He knew it. He wouldn¡¯t stop until he was the best, undoubtedly, even if it killed him. ¡­But how could he say that after he had just lost, twice in a row no less?

    ¡®Look, I know how you¡¯re feeling. I¡¯ve been there before. I¡¯ve been in the darkest places a person can throw themselves into. You don¡¯t think I ever wanted to end it all after my injury?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not going to kill myself.¡¯ Ty sounded disgusted.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t either. I¡¯m still here, aren¡¯t I? But I know what it¡¯s like, to be stuck in the dark, screaming at yourself, going over every moment that led up to it, blaming yourself for every little thing, wondering what you could¡¯ve done different, what you should¡¯ve done. ¡­ But what¡¯s done is done, and there¡¯s no changing the past.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t need to change the past.¡¯

    ¡®Good. Because you can¡¯t. You can only look to the future, and right now¡ªthe things you can control.¡¯ Luke sighed. Ty was still breathing hard, shoulders heaving with each breath. Steam continued to rise off him into the night sky.

    ¡®I also know what it¡¯s like to have that burning anger inside you, eating up your stomach. It¡¯s like a great big boulder of molten lava, weighing you down, holding you back. No matter how much you might want to reverse your situation, take all that pain you¡¯re holding onto, and give it to the person or people you blame for doing this to you¡­ that doesn¡¯t change anything either, that¡¯s not going to make you feel any better.¡¯

    Ty looked down at him again. Luke scratched at the back of his head. ¡®It¡¯s not my proudest moment, but yeah, I¡¯ve thought about what if I wasn¡¯t the one who ended up in a wheelchair, and it was the guy who tackled me instead. I¡¯ve wished for it. But that wasn¡¯t going to make me happy. I wasn¡¯t ever going to be able to move on if I kept holding onto that.¡¯

    ¡®Hm.¡¯ Ty shook his head. ¡®I¡¯ll get my win back. I don¡¯t care how it makes anyone else feel. I don¡¯t care if they blow up, if they smash their bench, or throw away their cleats, I¡¯m going to win no matter what.¡¯

    Luke¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡®You need to focus on yourself. That¡¯s how you can achieve victory. If you really want to win, then you need to look inwards, not to blame yourself, but to overcome yourself, to find those shortcomings and turn them into your strengths. If you¡¯re really committed to doing that, then meet me at the field tomorrow morning.¡¯

    Ty tilted his head. ¡®Tomorrow''s Sunday.¡¯

    ¡®You don¡¯t train on the weekend? Just be there. You could be special, but what makes someone special isn¡¯t the fact that they¡¯re fast or they can jump high, or they can make a one-handed catch. The special ones are those who get back up after being knocked down, who take their losses, their mistakes and use them to better themselves instead of running away and quitting.¡¯

    Ty grabbed Luke¡¯s wheelchair, holding onto both arms as he leaned down close to the older boy and stared through him with wide eyes. ¡®I¡¯m not giving up. I¡¯m not running. I WILL get better. I WILL become the best. And I WILL NOT lose again ¡­ EVER.¡¯

    Luke stared back into those dark eyes. He shuddered, but a grin slowly came over his lips. What this kid¡ªthis freshman¡ªwas saying was insane ¡­ but, he believed him completely.

 Chapter 68: Resolution

    Tommy¡¯s hands and fingers tapped against the steering wheel, following along with the drums of the music blaring from the radio as he and Jackson made their way through lamplit streets back home.

    The Titans¡¯ games were over for the day, and Tommy felt that it had been another valuable experience to watch them both up close.

    He looked across at Jackson and asked: ¡®What did you think of the games? Pretty good right?¡¯ Before Jackson could answer, Tommy continued with more of his own thoughts. ¡®That varsity team, woo boy, they look strong. They could probably go on to win State.¡¯

    Jackson nodded wordlessly, it almost looked like his head was bobbing along to the music.

    The Titans¡¯ varsity squad had gone on to win their game comfortably, again led by Shane as he spearheaded both the offensive and defensive efforts and carried the team along for the win with his usual dominating performance.

    They¡¯d beaten every team in the division at least once now, and only had to worry about the second meetings in the back half of this round-robin-like format. They seemed a lock for Regionals, and if they kept playing with the same intensity and discipline that they showed in the first half of the season, they¡¯d most likely head into Regionals with their undefeated record intact.

    ¡®It was tough luck regarding the JV team and their game though, they almost had the win in the end,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®Yeah, it was unlucky. They almost had it,¡¯ Jackson repeated. The JV team consisting of Kenny and the others had only lost by one touchdown in the end.

    ¡®I bet if they had you out there helping them they would¡¯ve won, easy.¡¯ Tommy grinned. ¡®If you weren¡¯t already out there helping the varsity team win that is, hahaha.¡¯

    Jackson frowned, going quiet again.

    Tommy¡¯s smile faded. ¡®Well, best not to worry about stuff like that seeing as you¡¯re injured right now anyway¡­¡¯ Tommy cleared his throat and dialled up the volume of the radio a couple of levels.

    Jackson looked out the window, watching the lights flash by. They probably WOULD have won if he was playing. ¡­ Right?

    He liked to believe they would¡¯ve, but he wasn¡¯t sure. And he also wasn¡¯t sure about how their loss made him feel.

    A part of him was glad in a way. The team losing meant that they did need him, and if he could contribute to them winning, then he¡¯d be a great value, and they¡¯d welcome him back with open arms. He didn¡¯t like having those selfish thoughts, it made him feel sick, but he couldn¡¯t ignore that side of him, as shitty as it sounded.

    Then there was the other side. This side also saw that they lost because he wasn¡¯t out there, but it focused on the loss, and him being on the sidelines. It was HIS fault they lost. HE had let them down all because he tried to run away from his problems and had gotten himself hurt; he didn¡¯t deserve to be welcomed back to the team.

    It was the way that the Titans had lost as well that was most frustrating and tormenting. Their opponents¡ªthe Vista Grande Spartans¡ªhad targeted Freddy constantly throughout their final drive. They saw he was the weak link defensively¡ªit didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out¡ªand they¡¯d abused him to get the touchdown they needed for the win.

    The Spartans had been ruthless in their attack. They were fast and disciplined, with a headstrong, young Head Coach, who looked like he was a college student, barely older than Tommy.

    That Coach had been quick to see that Freddy was the weak point of the Titans¡¯ defence, and was even quicker to exploit it. The Spartans themselves were quick to adjust to the changes and advice their coach gave to them as well, clearly having total confidence in him.

    After that, the Titans did their best to struggle and hold on, thankfully they seemed more than a match for them on the other side of the ball¡ªfor the most part at least¡ªbut their defeat was inevitable in the end.

    No matter what Coach Otsen tried, or how many adjustments of their own he and Coach Carson made, no matter what defensive scheme or formation they drew up, they couldn¡¯t hide Freddy sufficiently enough, and he led to their downfall.

    It wasn¡¯t for a lack of trying on Freddy¡¯s part that he couldn¡¯t keep up, on the contrary, he gave his all and played his heart out¡ªthat too, was clear to see for even a blind man¡ªbut it just wasn¡¯t enough, he could only hold on for so long.

    He was the one who got beat for the final touchdown, and when the Spartans focused on everyone other than him during the Titans¡¯ final drive, he wasn¡¯t able to pick up the slack or relieve any pressure from his teammates, leading to them falling just short.

    ¡®Hey,¡¯ Tommy¡¯s voice caused Jackson to look over. ¡®There¡¯s going to be a National Championship for the high school level this year, right? That could probably take a while¡­ so, I reckon you could have a chance of making it back to help your team out if they make it into the National Tournament.¡¯

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    ¡®Uhh¡­ I don¡¯t know about that¡­ I mean, even if I did get healed up in time, I heard that was only for varsity teams, and so¡­ I wouldn¡¯t be on that team anyway.¡¯

    ¡®Naah, come on. I promise I¡¯ll get you back into shape, no matter how long that takes, and you don¡¯t have to worry about your skills being up to par. If you get back to the way you used to be, then you¡¯ll be more than good enough to make varsity.¡¯

    ¡°But I wasn¡¯t varsity to begin with.¡± Jackson kept his thoughts to himself.

    ¡®Just, getting healed is the real problem. We can¡¯t try to force you back before your body¡¯s ready.¡¯ He looked over, seeing the hesitation and doubt evident in Jackson¡¯s eyes. He cleared his throat again. ¡®Though uh, maybe for now we¡¯ll just focus on getting you healthy again and in your best condition. Get your body and mind right before we worry about football.¡¯

    Jackson nodded once more.

    ¡®Speaking of, when is that leg supposed to be healed? Shouldn¡¯t you be close to seeing your doc again and getting it evaluated?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ve got an appointment with them this coming week. They¡¯ll check out my leg and how the bones are healing. They¡¯ll see if I can stop relying on the crutches as much, and tell me when I can start to rehab it.¡¯

    ¡®Awesome! That¡¯s great, and I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll go well. Hey, you just let me know when you get a proper date and time locked in. I¡¯ll do my best to make sure I¡¯m free to come check it out with you so I can know first-hand what the doc recommends for exercises to strengthen and rehab it.¡¯ He looked excited, grinning widely.

    ¡®Yeah, sounds good.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯d be good to get into some proper workouts with you, little bro.¡¯ He reached over and ruffled Jackson¡¯s hair.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know how ¡°proper¡± they¡¯ll really be, but yeah ¡­ I guess that would be nice?¡¯

    ¡®You guess? What, don¡¯t ya like spending time with your big bro?¡¯ Tommy nudged him.

    ¡®That¡¯s not what I mean and you know it.¡¯ Jackson shoved him playfully and the two laughed.

    It wasn¡¯t much longer before they reached home.

    Tommy shut the car off. ¡®Alright, get inside, and get to bed. Sleep is one of the most important parts when it comes to recovering and improving. You can¡¯t grow if you don¡¯t give your body time to rest.¡¯

    Jackson felt it was a little too early but didn¡¯t see the point in arguing. ¡®Okay, okay.¡¯ He got out and took out his crutches, following Tommy inside.

    Tommy stopped by the living room, checking in with the rest of the family as they were all watching a movie together. He told them how the games went, and described some key highlights to his dad.

    Jackson limped over to the stairs leading up to the bedrooms.

    Tommy turned his head. ¡®Goodnight, little bro. I love you.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, love you too.¡¯

    ¡®Goodnight, Jackie!¡¯ the rest of the family disjointedly said.

    ¡®Goodnight!¡¯

    ¡®Love you!¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, I love you all too.¡¯

    Jackson sighed and continued up the stairs carefully. He made his way over to his room, and then flopped into bed.

    An hour later¡ªafter getting changed into his pyjamas and laying in his bed, staring up at the ceiling¡ªhe still couldn¡¯t get to sleep. Alone in the dark, he was stuck with nothing but his thoughts, and he couldn¡¯t keep them away.

    He sat up, and decided to distract himself with some weightlifting. He had two tennis balls with him as well now, juggling them both in the one hand, while the other pushed and pulled the weight around, with it was for bicep curls, shoulder presses, lateral raises, or rows. Then he¡¯d swap over when one arm got tired.

    Even forcing his body through these efforts, his mind was still troubled and clouded.

    It was his fault they lost the game.

    He was arrogant to believe that he was good enough to change the outcome of the game singlehandedly.

    He should just run and give up on football entirely.

    He should¡¯ve crashed into oncoming traffic.

    He set the weight down on the floor, more noisily than he should¡¯ve. He let the tennis balls drop and bounce away until they settled wherever they came to a stop, and then he stood up.

    He hobbled out of his room. Leaving his crutches behind, he stuck close to the wall and used it as support while he hopped down the hall towards the bathroom.

    There wasn¡¯t any noise coming from the living room anymore, the lower level of the house was dark, but he still heard the noise of a TV coming from his parents¡¯ bedroom as he passed by.

    In the bathroom, he went right to the sink, splashing water onto his face before he stared at himself in the mirror. He had to chase out those bad thoughts and focus on something else.

    What would Tommy do in this situation? What would Jerry Rice do?

    ¡°They aren¡¯t pathetic enough to end up like this!¡±

    ¡°How dare you compare yourself to them when you¡¯re just a pathetic little kid!¡±

    He shook his head. He ignored those whiny little voices in the back of his head as best he could. He had to try his best he had to ¡­

    ¡®You have to give up.¡¯ HE was standing over him again. Jackson¡¯s blood ran cold. ¡®Run away and never set foot on another football field again. Trash like you ain¡¯t worthy.¡¯

    Jackson splashed his face again, the cold water shocked the nightmare away, silencing HIS horrible, taunting voice. He breathed heavily, unsure if there was cold sweat running down his face mingled with the tap water. He stared down into the sink, watching water drip into the drain.

    He couldn¡¯t think like that, couldn¡¯t try to emulate his idols. He couldn¡¯t think back to THAT moment. He couldn¡¯t focus on football right now.

    ¡°I just have to get better. Physically, mentally, I have to be the best I can be.¡±

    He looked into the mirror again and nodded. He turned and left the bathroom, making his way back to his bed. He had to sleep for now, and when Monday came around, he really needed to talk with Ms Cotton again.

 Chapter 69: Foundation

    Ty listened to the wheels and chain of his bike spin. Here he was, arriving at the school¡¯s football field, at eight in the morning on a Sunday.

    He cruised through the surprisingly open gate, and stopped in the car park, dumping his bike aside. Coach Hoang was already waiting for him.

    ¡®You took your time getting here, Samuels.¡¯

    ¡®And how¡¯d you get here so early?¡¯

    ¡®Uber.¡¯

    Ty raised a brow.

    Coach Hoang shrugged. ¡®Hey, there¡¯s always someone who¡¯s up and available at all ours. Was probably at the end of a night shift driving drunks home.¡¯

    ¡®Uh-huh.¡¯

    Coach Hoang¡¯s expression became stern. ¡®Alright, that¡¯s enough chatting. Get out there and get warmed up¡ªstart stretching.¡¯

    ¡®Yes, Coach,¡¯ Ty said mockingly before jogging past and heading out onto the turf. He noticed that no cones or any other pieces of equipment were set up.

    After he was loose and limber, Coach Hoang had him run laps of the field, up and down the full length five times, then around the boundary for another five.

    When Ty was done, he jogged over and slowed to a stop in front of Coach Hoang. ¡®That it? You going to just keep me running around all day?¡¯

    ¡®I might. You got a problem with that?¡¯

    Ty struggled to hold back a scowl. ¡®I don¡¯t see how this is going to be of much help if that¡¯s the case.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s just fine. You¡¯re the athlete, I¡¯m the coach. You don¡¯t need to see how it benefits you, you just need to do as I say. Now, gimme another lap just for mouthing off.¡¯

    Ty opened his mouth but closed it again without saying anything. He turned away and took off again, only airing his grievances under his breath once Coach Hoang was out of earshot.

    He raced through the punishment lap, going all out as he was eager to get this warm-up over with so he could move on to something better.

    When he was done, he slowed to a stop in front of Coach Hoang, panting softly as he looked down at him. ¡®There, happy now?¡¯

    ¡®Are you happy with that performance?¡¯

    Ty narrowed his eyes but didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡®Alright, that was good enough. Now, drop down and give me a hundred push-ups.¡¯

    Ty sighed but slowly got down on the ground, propping himself up on his hands and toes.

    ¡®What¡¯s the matter, Samuels? You don¡¯t like to work hard if you aren¡¯t playing ball?¡¯

    ¡®I never said that.¡¯

    ¡®Your attitude sure did.¡¯

    ¡®Hey. I¡¯ve started working out with JJ. I¡¯m willing to put in the work no matter what as long as it¡¯s going to make me better.¡¯

    ¡®Hm, you¡¯re going to the gym with Jones?¡¯ Coach Hoang leaned back a bit, looking Ty over. ¡®That¡¯s good. Make sure you keep at it, even if you¡¯re not showing any results. And get started already! You waiting for a whistle to blow or something?¡¯

    Ty grumbled but lowered himself until the grass was tickling his nose, and then he pushed himself back up forcefully.

    ¡®Keep those elbows tucked in and keep your back straight. But that¡¯s one.¡¯

    Ty clenched his jaw, listening to Coach Hoang count higher and higher.

    ¡®Twenty-seven. God, you¡¯re skinny. You need to eat more.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not that small. I ain¡¯t no Rabbit.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re not much better ¡­ is that why you¡¯re so hard on him?¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Ty¡¯s rhythm faltered, but he recovered and didn¡¯t stop, though he was no longer keeping count, and it didn¡¯t seem like Coach Hoang was either.

    ¡®Don¡¯t act like I haven¡¯t noticed. You haven¡¯t exactly kept your thoughts about the kid to yourself. Is it because you see yourself in him?¡¯

    ¡®What?!¡¯ Ty stopped now, sitting up on his knees.

    ¡®Hey, get back down, I didn¡¯t say you could stop.¡¯

    Ty didn¡¯t hide his scowl at all this time. ¡®I¡¯m nothing like him, and he¡¯s nothing like me.¡¯

    ¡®You could learn from him. When he loses, when he fucks up, he doesn¡¯t get mad, he doesn¡¯t blame himself or anyone else, he just puts his head down and keeps on giving his all, trying his hardest to make sure he never makes the same mistake twice.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, ¡®cause I give up right away, don¡¯t I?¡¯

    ¡®No, but you aren¡¯t thinking clearly, you don¡¯t move on. You get caught up on every little thing. Your opponent makes one catch and you get stuck on that play for the rest of the game, so then you can¡¯t see what¡¯s right in front of you.¡¯

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    Ty kept pushing, staring angrily at the ground.

    ¡®That¡¯s why you lost again. You were too focused on the game last week against the Bears. You were so worried about letting that happen again that you couldn¡¯t lock in properly and you let them get away with so much bullshit that I KNOW you can stop. You¡¯re incredibly gifted, Tyrese, you just have to get past those mental blocks you¡¯re putting on yourself.¡¯

    Ty opened his mouth to respond.

    ¡®Ah! I don¡¯t want to hear it.¡¯ Coach Hoang raised a hand. ¡®Go and run another lap because you stopped without me saying you could.¡¯

    ¡®Motherfucker¡­¡¯ Ty pushed himself up and brushed himself off before he jogged to the sideline and started another lap.

    Again, Ty got through the punishment as quickly as he could. When he returned he dropped back down in front of Coach Hoang and resumed his push-ups without needing to be told. Though he stopped as soon as he heard the number that came out of Coach Hoang¡¯s mouth.

    ¡®One.¡¯

    Ty froze and looked up at him. ¡®What?!¡¯

    ¡®You heard me. One. You¡¯re starting again because we were interrupted thanks to you. You need to do one hundred in a row, no breaks, no interruptions.¡¯

    ¡®Are you fucking¡­¡¯ Ty shook his head but dropped down and pushed up again.

    Coach Hoang smirked. ¡®One.¡¯

    Ty glared up at him but didn¡¯t say anything. Coach Hoang¡¯s counting continued.

    After a while, Coach Hoang¡¯s monotonous counting was broken by himself. ¡®What¡¯s going to happen when you lose again?¡¯ he asked.

    ¡®I¡¯m not,¡¯ Ty grunted.

    ¡®Okay. What happens IF you lose again.¡¯

    Ty gritted his teeth but continued his push-ups. He thought about it for a moment. He was going to have to face King Denzel and Marshall again if he was going to make it to the State Championships let alone the National Tournament.

    What if there was someone even stronger than them before that? He moved with increased vigour, pushing himself hard. He had to get stronger, faster, better¡ªNOW.

    ¡®I¡¯m not going to lose,¡¯ he said quietly.

    ¡®No one intends to lose, no one WANTS to lose either. But that shit happens. You have to accept that it can and it will. And when it does, you can¡¯t blow up like that.¡¯

    Ty didn¡¯t say anything.

    After a little while longer Coach Hoang stopped him. ¡®Alright, that¡¯s one hundred, get up.¡¯

    Ty stood up, his chest was tight, and a faint burning sensation spread from his centre out along his arms.

    ¡®Get a drink, then you can do some sprints up the stands.¡¯

    Ty looked over to the stands that crowded one side of the field. He nodded.

    He and Coach Hoang were quiet after that. Ty ran up and down those stairs time after time, never uttering a complaint or questioning how much longer he¡¯d have to run for.

    Coach Hoang watched on from the bottom of the stands. He didn¡¯t question Ty, didn¡¯t make any small comments, and didn¡¯t antagonise him any further. He could see the boy was already dealing with things, chewing on his thoughts like they were a tough old steak.

    After he¡¯d done enough sprints up the stands, Coach Hoang had Ty jumping up them next and making his descent backwards one step at a time.

    When Coach Hoang thought Ty had done enough of that, he moved him over to the goalpost at the end of the field and had him do pullups off it until Ty felt as if his arms would fall off.

    ¡®Alright, hit the grass and take a breather.¡¯

    Ty dropped down, panting hard as he sat on the turf, hunched over. His arms were numb.

    ¡®Do you know why I¡¯m making you do this?¡¯ Coach Hoang asked.

    ¡®Because ¡­ you don¡¯t ¡­ like me?¡¯ Ty said between breaths.

    Coach Hoang laughed. ¡®Is that how it comes across? I like you very much, Samuels, I think you could be a very special player one day. So in fact it¡¯d be the opposite, I¡¯m doing this because I see so much potential in you. But no, I¡¯m talking about the reason for this specifically.¡¯

    Ty would¡¯ve shrugged if he could¡¯ve. ¡®Because you want me to be stronger then.¡¯

    ¡®Yes. I want YOU to be stronger. I want your body to be better, right now, I don¡¯t care about bettering Tyrese Samuels the football player. We just need to get your body to its peak.¡¯

    ¡®But isn¡¯t that still going to make me better at football?¡¯

    ¡®Naturally, yes, but that¡¯s not the aim, more of a side effect.¡¯

    Ty was utterly confused.

    ¡®You¡¯d never lost before¡ªnot a game of football, at least¡ªnot until last weekend, right?¡¯

    Ty nodded.

    ¡®And You¡¯ve been playing since you were a kid ¡­ when do you think you¡¯ve grown more as a football player? The last five years leading up to your first loss? Or from the Bears game to now?¡¯

    ¡®What are you talking about? How could one week ever be the same as five years?¡¯

    ¡®Because a loss against competition that is stronger than you, or on par with you is going to make you grow much more than beating up on weaker opponents. In fact, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if¡ªregarding your skills as a player, at least¡ªyou hadn¡¯t grown at all since you turned ten.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s insane.¡¯

    ¡®Is it? I didn¡¯t see how good you were at ten years old, so you might be the better judge, but I think my point still stands. Your instincts for the game, your awareness, your ability to read your opponent, these things, they¡¯re instinctual to you. Sure, you have your flaws¡ªyou can crack under pressure, pressure YOU put yourself under, and you can try to make the hero play all by yourself which leaves you open to exploitation by the offence, but I think at a very young age, you reached a level that was so far above your peers, that you could no longer learn anything from beating them.¡¯

    Ty closed his eyes. Football had always come easy to him. All those years of dominance, had they really been meaningless? A way to inflate his ego? But what else was he supposed to do? He could only compete against those who were put in front of him.

    ¡®The best way to hone a blade is against another of the same quality,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®After years of outclassing others, having the sharpest edge, you¡¯ve finally met your match, and even one that is far superior to you.¡¯

    Ty gave him a dirty look.

    Coach Hoang ignored him and continued. ¡®You¡¯re an exceptional player. Sure, you¡¯ve learnt things from the few victories we¡¯ve had so far, but nothing can help you like your battles against the likes of Kingston and Ward. Those are what push you beyond your limits, and what will help your skills skyrocket. We just need to make sure you have the body that can keep up with your newfound potential. So you CAN reel in that catch, so you CAN chase down that ball, so you CAN break away from everyone and take that kickoff back to the house. So you can be the best you can be.¡¯

    Ty was quiet. It made sense. He had never pushed himself before like he had against either Denzel or Marshall. Not even when he was duelling Justin, or when he had to overcome his and Deshaun¡¯s inability to work together, and ESPECIALLY not in his first game against that damn ogre.

    ¡®Get up. Finish off with some backwards sprints up and down the field, then you can go home¡­ oh! Actually, if you¡¯ve got a membership at a gym now, you can go relax in the sauna¡ªit¡¯s really good for your strained and tired muscles.¡¯

    Ty stood and turned around, getting started on the final laps Coach Hoang wanted from him. With Ty going backwards, Coach Hoang was able to keep up with him, and sped along by his side.

    ¡®Hey, we¡¯ll have to do this more often,¡¯ Coach Hoang said and then looked around. ¡®Probably not here during the week, but I¡¯ll figure something out. This was pretty spontaneous, but thanks for coming out here. I really appreciate that you¡¯re willing to put in the extra effort.¡¯

    ¡®Of course.¡¯ Ty flashed a sharp grin. ¡®Thanks for looking out for me, Coach.¡¯

    Coach Hoang slowed to a stop, watching Ty with a smile. ¡°This kid is definitely going places ¡­ we just gotta fix that damn head of his.¡±

 Chapter 70: Open Up

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get rid of these things.¡± Jackson sighed as he thudded down the school halls on his crutches, once again on his way to visit Ms Cotton.

    Although getting rid of his crutches would mean he¡¯d be another step closer to returning to the football field, he didn¡¯t know if he was ready for that.

    He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. ¡°No, don¡¯t think about football. You¡¯re just getting your body healthy again, that¡¯s all. And today, it¡¯s all about your mind.¡±

    ¡®Hi Jackson.¡¯

    Jasmine¡¯s voice startled him. ¡®Whoa!¡¯ He stumbled a bit, eyes opening to see the older girl standing before him.

    She giggled softly. ¡®Oops, hope I didn¡¯t scare you. You alright?¡¯

    Jackson steadied himself. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m fine, perfectly fine.¡¯ He looked at her¡ªshe was as beautiful as ever, though he always seemed to be running into her whenever he came to see Ms Cotton. ¡®What uh, what are you doing here?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, I just had to see Ms Cotton about something ¡­ not to see her for a session or anything, I just wanted some advice. I¡¯m thinking about majoring in psychology when I head off for college.¡¯

    ¡®Oh!¡¯

    ¡®Not that it would be bad or embarrassing if I did need to chat with Ms Cotton about some other problems.¡¯

    ¡®Right, but uh, are you heading off to college soon then?¡¯ Jackson looked a little worried.

    ¡®Oh, no. Pssh, not for a few years. I¡¯m still a sophomore, I just want to get on top of things and know what I¡¯m aiming for.¡¯

    ¡®Huh¡­ yeah, it¡¯s pretty important to have a goal in mind.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, where are you headed? I¡¯ll walk with you.¡¯

    ¡®Oh uhhh, no that¡¯s, that¡¯s really not necessary.¡¯ Jackson laughed nervously.

    ¡®Why? Don¡¯t you like having me around?¡¯

    ¡®What?! No! I never said that! I do it¡¯s just¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Then it¡¯s decided. I¡¯ll walk you to wherever you¡¯re going, that way we can talk a bit more.¡¯

    ¡®A-Alright.¡¯ Jackson¡¯s shoulders slumped a bit, unable to refute her, he shuffled along the hall slowly, Jasmine staying right by his side. She had said it wouldn¡¯t be embarrassing to need a session with Ms Cotton, but did she really mean that? He was about to find out whether he liked it or not.

    He went quiet as he hobbled along. Jasmine eventually broke the silence. ¡®Sooo¡­¡¯

    ¡®S-So?¡¯

    ¡®Sooo, what¡¯s your plan for college? Do you have one? I mean, maybe it¡¯s a little early to ask ¡®cause you¡¯re still a freshman right?¡¯

    ¡®Right well¡­ I mean, I guess I always thought I¡¯d just get a football scholarship.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, that¡¯s a pretty good plan though.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, I guess.¡¯

    ¡®What? Having second thoughts?¡¯

    ¡®I-I guess you could say that.¡¯

    Though it wasn¡¯t long before they came to Ms Cotton¡¯s door, and Jackson had to stop. Jasmine looked at the door and smiled, though Jackson¡¯s eyes lowered to the floor.

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t be embarrassed. There¡¯s nothing wrong with recognising you need a little help, or someone to talk to and listen to your problems. Everyone should learn to take better care of their mental health.¡¯ She whacked his shoulder. ¡®I just said I wanted to major in psychology, what do you think that¡¯s for if not to become a counsellor?¡¯

    ¡®R-Right¡­¡¯ Jackson¡¯s cheeks reddened as he rubbed his arm. ¡®It¡¯s just, this leg¡­ and a new school you know, I¡­¡¯ He sighed.

    ¡®You don¡¯t have to explain yourself to me, dude. Hmm, look, gimme your phone real quick.¡¯

    Jackson blinked, confused, but he did as she asked.

    Jasmine took it and after a moment handed it back to him. He saw that a new contact had been added to his list. ¡®There, if you ever need to talk, now I¡¯m just a call away.¡¯

    ¡®E-Eh¡­?¡¯ Jackson¡¯s blush darkened further. He¡¯d just¡­ gotten her number, without even needing to ask.

    ¡®Alright? I¡¯ll talk to you later Jackson.¡¯ She walked away, waving goodbye.

    Jackson limply waved back, still reeling from the shock. It took him a little while to remember where he was but he eventually knocked on Ms Cotton¡¯s door. He opened the door after she called for him to come in.

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    He took a seat on her couch, setting his crutches aside for a moment. She offered him a warm, comforting smile, one that had been practised a countless number of times.

    ¡®Good to see you again, Jackson. I hope you¡¯re taking care of yourself. But now, what can I do for you today?¡¯

    His mind was still clouded by the euphoria of getting Jasmine¡¯s number, so it took him some time to remember what he¡¯d wanted to talk about today, though Ms Cotton was patient and let him figure it out. ¡®Oh! R-Right I uh, I might be getting rid of my crutches this week.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s wonderful to hear, I hope your recovery is going well, and fingers crossed that happens.¡¯

    ¡®Y-Yeah¡­ well, I mean it is good but¡­ I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m mentally ready to move on? I mean, I hate having them, they¡¯re really annoying but it¡¯s just, another step closer to having to get back onto that field. I feel like my mind isn¡¯t caught up with how my body is healing.¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s no obligation for you to resume football once you¡¯re healed.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s fists clenched over his lap, nails scratching at his thighs. That was true. Frederick was there now. They didn¡¯t need him anymore, right? But he still couldn¡¯t just abandon the team.

    ¡®I want to though.¡¯

    Ms Cotton took the time to note something in her little pad. ¡®Jumping from middle school to high school can be very mentally jarring for some kids, and some can take longer to adjust than others. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that, but usually, there is an issue, a core reason as to what is most jarring about the jump. Let¡¯s try and find that.¡¯

    Jackson frowned. ¡®Well, it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m scared about screwing things up for the team. Scared that I¡¯ll hold them back.¡¯

    ¡®I see. And have your parents or your coaches, even your teammates, have they made you feel as if you¡¯re a failure or do you feel they¡¯ve been overly critical towards you?¡¯

    ¡®Wh-What?! No way. My parents are amazing. E-Even when I mess up they¡¯re always so supportive. And Coach Otsen too. He¡¯s hard, but he¡¯s hard on everyone, and he¡¯s just trying to push us all to be our best.¡¯

    Ms Cotton jots something down. ¡®And your teammates?¡¯

    ¡®No. They¡­ it was just training camp. It was all so hard for everyone. We were just worried about ourselves.¡¯

    ¡®So why do you think you¡¯re so critical of yourself?

    Images of the summer camp flashed through his mind¡ªhis greatest asset and strength was so easily overcome and stripped away. He squirmed in his seat but stayed silent.

    ¡®This won¡¯t work if you aren¡¯t open with me. It¡¯s alright, you can tell me anything, I¡¯m not here to judge you, and whatever you say won¡¯t leave these four walls.¡¯

    Still, he is silent.

    Ms Cotton¡¯s pen scratched across paper once again before she sighed. ¡®Alright, why don¡¯t we move on to something else then? Have you thought more about what specifically it was that soured your relationship with football this year?¡¯

    Jackson had to stop himself from laughing, it would¡¯ve been a grim laugh at the irony of the question¡ªit still led back to that day. To HIM. He shook his head.

    Of course, his continued silence didn¡¯t go unnoticed by Ms Cotton. She set her notepad aside, her expression becoming more stern. ¡®Jackson, I am here to help. There¡¯s nothing more that I want than to help you right now, believe me. But there¡¯s nothing I can do for you if you won¡¯t TALK to me.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s eyes darted over to the door.

    ¡®You are free to leave if you don¡¯t feel this is beneficial to you, no one is keeping you here, Jackson.¡¯ Ms Cotton got up and opened the door for him.

    Maybe it was a bad idea to come here. Maybe he should just leave. Jackson¡¯s hand edged towards his crutches, but then he put it back down on his lap. He stayed where he was and heaved out a loud exhale.

    ¡®I¡­I used to be fast.¡¯

    Ms Cotton closed the door and moved back to her desk.

    ¡®Like, really fast. The fastest on the field, other than maybe my friend Marcus. This was in middle school, and I used to run track with my friends too. Sure, I wouldn¡¯t always win those races, but on the football field, no one could keep up with me. But that, that just isn¡¯t the case anymore.¡¯

    ¡®Why do you say that?¡¯

    He bit his lip. He didn¡¯t want to say the specifics, to relive it any more than he already had to. ¡®It just isn¡¯t. I¡¯m not the fastest. It was my best quality, the one thing that made me who I was as an athlete, and now it¡¯s gone. Without it, I¡¯m not sure if it''s even worth it for me to be out there.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m sure you¡¯re still very quick, Jackson. Plus, I know you wouldn¡¯t be worthless, no one is worthless.¡¯ Her brow furrowed, she was never a very sporty person, but she had to do her best to try and understand. ¡®But, okay. Why do you need to equate your worth to how well you do in football anyhow? Have you ever tried just going out there and having fun with your friends and teammates? Is football fun to you? Or is it strictly about winning and losing?¡¯

    ¡®Of course I¡­I did have fun. But, winning is still a lot more fun than losing, and it¡¯s¡­ football has been my whole life. It¡¯s my future too, it¡¯s not just a game. It¡¯s something I want to do forever, it¡¯s something I want to be the best at.¡¯

    ¡®Hm, I can understand wanting to be the best at something, but even the best face setbacks in their time. I think, no, I¡¯m sure you just need some time to adjust. When it comes to sports, that¡¯s also a big jump moving from middle school to high school. I mean, you¡¯re going from being the oldest and the biggest in your competition, back to being the smallest and the youngest. But, you¡¯ve got four years now. That¡¯s a long time, especially for kids your age who are going through periods of such growth and change. You¡¯re facing kids that are nearing adulthood when you only just became a teenager, that¡¯s a big difference.¡¯

    Jackson bit his tongue, not mentioning that HE had to have been around his same age.

    Ms Cotton didn¡¯t notice and continued, saying: ¡®I¡¯m sure by your senior year you¡¯ll be right back to being the fastest, as long as you continue to work hard to do so. But you can¡¯t be so hard on yourself. You can¡¯t expect yourself to still be the best when you¡¯re going up against so many other boys who are a lot older and a lot more experienced than you. Nobody comes in and is the greatest right away, no matter who they are.¡¯

    Jackson understood that what she said had merit. He was just a freshman. (Even if HE might also be a freshman.) He had tons of time to get that speed back and become the fastest again. ¡°Doesn¡¯t he have all that time too?¡± Jackson pushed the thought from his mind.

    He grabbed his crutches and stood up. ¡®You¡¯re right. Thank you, Ms Cotton.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s my pleasure. That¡¯s what I¡¯m here for after all.¡¯ She smiled and stood as well, seeing him over to the door.

    ¡®I¡¯m being too¡­too short-sighted and not looking at the big picture. I have so much more ahead of me. So much time to get back to how things used to be.¡¯

    She put a hand on his shoulder. ¡®Things won¡¯t ever be the same. But that¡¯s okay too. It¡¯s all about growing with the times and continuing to be the best version of yourself. As long as you can say you gave it your all, you should be proud and happy.¡¯

    He nods and leaves, not looking back. He had to look forward to the doctor¡¯s appointment. His next obstacle¡ªthe one that would decide if he could throw away these damn crutches.

    He just hoped he was ready for that scenario.

 Chapter 71: Start of Redemption

    Ty arrived at the practice field, having walked straight there from his final class. From the looks of it, both JJ and Rabbit had done the same.

    Rabbit looked over at Ty and then his eyes darted to the ground. He gave Ty a wide berth, having learnt his lesson last week about trying to console him after a loss. Ty said nothing.

    Even JJ was in a dour mood, though he at least said: ¡®Let¡¯s give it our all and train hard today, hermanos.¡¯

    Rabbit responded with a chipper ¡°Mm!¡± while Ty only nodded his head.

    They moved over and began stretching before their warm-up. Ty kept his distance from the others as they paired up.

    However, unlike last week, as the boys went through their extra warm-up and early practice, they noticed that they were the only players to arrive before the coaches. No other players even came meaningfully early.

    When the coaches did start to arrive, Bella made her way over to Ty. He stopped beside her, frowning in her direction. ¡®Yes?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, no, don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m just standing here, wondering how long it¡¯ll take for you to freak out again and throw another tantrum.¡¯

    He clicked his tongue and turned away from her. ¡®I don¡¯t throw tantrums.¡¯

    She laughed loudly. ¡®Oh really? Then what do you call what you did last game, and the game before?¡¯

    Ty was quiet for a moment. ¡®Stress relief.¡¯

    Bella narrowed her eyes. ¡®Uh-huh, well I hate to imagine how far your methods of ¡°stress relief¡± will go. What¡¯s next? You punch somebody? A player on the other team? One of your teammates? A ref? My dad or one of the other coaches?¡¯

    He looked at her coldly. ¡®Are you done yet? Or are you just here to piss me off?¡¯

    ¡®Hmph.¡¯ She whipped around and walked away.

    Ty sighed heavily and shook his head.

    Five minutes after practice was scheduled to begin, Coach Long called the team together. Deshaun was nowhere to be seen, but they weren¡¯t going to wait for him any longer as everyone else¡ªeven Chris¡ªhad arrived.

    The senior players looked around, worried about Deshaun¡¯s absence. None of them had any clue why he wasn¡¯t there.

    Coach Long cleared his throat, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention again before he began his speech. ¡®Now, I know we might be down in the dumps because of the last game, especially after losing two in a row, but we can¡¯t worry about the past. What¡¯s done is done and we need to put those two weeks behind us and focus on the road ahead. Those losses are nothing more than a good learning experience.¡¯

    Ty dug his cleats into the turf, teeth grinding together angrily. ¡°Why are you so calm!? You should be kicking our asses for losing ¡­ AGAIN!¡±

    ¡®Some of you,¡¯ Coach Long¡¯s gaze fell upon Stephen, and then Ty, ¡®might have more to learn from last weekend¡¯s game than others. But we¡¯re all going to train hard today and use this session to work out all our grievances so we can look forward to the next opponents.¡¯

    The cut on Stephen¡¯s lip had scabbed over, the giant looked ahead sternly but showed no reaction to being called out.

    ¡®Also, while Chris is here, he won¡¯t be joining in with today¡¯s practice. As it stands, he won¡¯t be participating in the upcoming game either.¡¯ Coach Long looked around. ¡®And at this rate, Deshaun might be sitting that out as well.¡¯

    A murmur that spread throughout the crowd of boys.

    ¡®Alright! Let¡¯s get to work!¡¯ Coach Long silenced them and the boys moved away to get warmed up and do their laps together before the teams split apart into their offensive and defensive groups, then followed their respective coaches and coordinators to begin the day¡¯s drills.

    Chris made his way over to Coach Long, trying to plead his case that even if he didn¡¯t do any of the contact drills that day, he could at least run around with the others, but Coach Long wasn¡¯t having any of it, so Chris was stuck on the bleachers, only allowed to watch.

    Ty and Stephen were both worked extra hard throughout the day, singled out for their outbursts in the previous game.

    Coach Hoang smiled down at Ty and Stephen as the boys were forced to hold a plank position while the rest of the team was moving on to other drills.

    ¡®Heh, Coach Long thinks you aren¡¯t being worked hard enough. Obviously, if you¡¯ve got enough energy to fight and throw a fit, then you could be working harder in practice and during the game.¡¯

    ¡®I was ¡­ standing up for ¡­ Chris,¡¯ Stephen muttered.

    Coach Hoang frowned. His stopwatch beeped, signalling that their time was up. ¡®Don¡¯t stop. I think you can both handle another thirty seconds.¡¯

    ¡®Fuck you¡­¡¯ Ty strained to say.

    Coach Hoang chuckled and moved away.

    The rest of practice would continue similarly for Ty and Stephen. They were always asked to do more, push harder, or redo the drills over and over with greater intensity, even when they had already been giving their all.

    Ty was loving it.

    However, his focus was constantly being disturbed as he¡¯d hear JJ asking around if anyone knew where Deshaun was.

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    ¡®Have you seen him? Did he say anything before?¡¯

    No one had even seen him at school that day, nor had anyone received any kind of message from him. They had no idea where he was. Whenever JJ had time to sit down and get a drink, he would text Deshaun, but he never got an answer.

    When Ty got the rare chance to sit down and catch his breath, he looked around the field. Everyone was working hard, but there was a depressing air about them today. There wasn¡¯t any fire like there had been last week after their first loss. Instead of being angry and wanting to redeem themselves, it looked like most people had given up.

    It sickened him.

    He spat his water out onto the grass and then found JJ. ¡®Hey, are we gonna hit up the gym today when we finish here?¡¯

    A distracted JJ spun around to him. ¡®Huh? Oh, uhh¡­ shit, I don¡¯t think so tonight, man. I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯m worried about Dee. I need to figure out what¡¯s going on with him first.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡®What? Fuck him. If he doesn¡¯t want to show up and work hard, fuck him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine, he¡¯s just ran off somewhere, scared because he knows he¡¯s a fuck up.¡¯

    ¡®Hey.¡¯ JJ stepped closer to Ty, forcing the smaller boy to crane his neck back just to look him in the eye. ¡®You¡¯re a freshman so you wouldn¡¯t get it. But Dee¡¯s been my hermano for four years now. We¡¯ve shed our blood, sweat, and tears for this team, together. You wouldn¡¯t understand. Go to the gym on your own today.¡¯

    Ty ground his teeth together louder as JJ walked away.

    JJ walked past Coach Hoang who was using the break to talk with Ricky. Ricky had arrived just before practice began, but like Rabbit, he was wise enough to avoid Ty this week as the boy looked even more irate than usual.

    Coach Hoang appeared heavily invested in the conversation, listening intently as Ricky spoke to him and showed him something on his phone. Soon enough they broke away and Ricky made his way back over to his spot on the bleachers to watch the rest of the practice.

    After the break, Coach Hoang called his defenders together. ¡®Listen up. I don¡¯t like the way we¡¯ve been playing. We¡¯re good, you¡¯re all fine players, but that¡¯s it. I¡¯d have thought after these years of working together, you¡¯d be more of a team, but it seems like you¡¯ve still got a long way to go before that happens. Does anyone know where Banks is?¡¯

    There was a collection of ¡°no¡¯s¡± and various shakings of heads from the group.

    ¡®See, this is what I¡¯m talking about¡ªyou¡¯re not working together, nobody is thinking about the person next to them, you¡¯re all just worried about yourselves! We¡¯re going to fix that starting today. Line up! Two lines side by side, one staggered a bit behind the other.¡¯

    The boys did as they were told. Opposite them, they saw members of the JV team begin to line up. The QBs were in one line, and then the Receivers and RBs were next to them.

    ¡®Our next opponents are a team that favours the run, just like the Bears. However, they attack in a style wholly different from the Bears. Their favourite play is Read Option. Today, we¡¯re going to work on shutting that down, and bettering our communication, because no one player can put a stop to this, it¡¯ll take a team effort.¡¯

    Ty shifted on his feet, his expression souring at the thought. Read Option (ran this way), was a run designed for the QB, though he would have usually a RB to support him, running parallel to him and slightly behind, so that when someone came to tackle the QB, he could flip the ball back to the RB and they could continue forward. But on the other hand, if no one stopped the QB and they worried about the RB instead, then the QB would run forward unabated.

    Coach Hoang moved to the front line. ¡®From here, your part in this drill is the most pivotal. I need you to be assertive and act without doubt. Uncertainty will kill us against this play. Whatever choice you make, you have to stick to it and put all your trust into that choice and that your teammate will have your back. Communicate what you¡¯re going to do clearly, and then it¡¯s up to your teammate to follow your lead and cover the other option.¡¯

    Coach Hoang moved away and blew his whistle, each person at the front of a line stepped forward and the drill got underway. The pairs of defenders worked together to varying degrees of success as they repeated the drill over and over, Coach Hoang practically bashing it into their skulls so they¡¯d be able to shut down this play while sleepwalking.

    Over on the other side of the field with the varsity offence, their focus for this week was getting the WRs involved with the run game so that they¡¯d still be able to attack the outside without Chris.

    They ran Jet Sweeps over and over, having the Receiver of choice move in motion before the snap of the ball, running behind the O-Line and just as they were passing by the QB, they¡¯d snap the ball and whirl around to hand it off to the Receiver who would then sprint away to the outside before turning upfield.

    Cole was the most well-suited to the role and had the best results. Meanwhile, Stephen had the worst results.

    Coach Long and Coach Norman even flirted with the idea of Cole playing a few snaps at RB in the next game just to try and see how that goes.

    After another failed attempt from Stephen where he barely even got two yards, Coach Long called the obviously frustrated boy over.

    ¡®Stephen. Keep on trying, it might take some getting used to, but this will help to develop your quickness and agility. But¡­ outside of that, I need to tell you something.¡¯

    Stephen was surprised, his frustration evaporating. ¡®Uh, sure, go ahead, Coach. What is it?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ve thought about it for a while. What you did last game was unacceptable, we can¡¯t have that behaviour anywhere near our team. We need to set an example that shows it won¡¯t fly around here, so you¡¯re out of the starting lineup for this next game, and you¡¯ll be staying on the bench for the full game.¡¯

    ¡®What?!¡¯

    ¡®Hey.¡¯ Coach Long put a hand on Stephen¡¯s shoulder. ¡®I know you¡¯re a good kid, Stephen, and that you were just trying to stand up for Chris. But that¡¯s not the way we do things here. You get them back on the field, in the game, without fighting. Hurt them on the scoreboard.¡¯

    Stephen gritted his teeth. There was no arguing with the coach, what he said was final. He swallowed his pride and looked aside. ¡®Fine. Fine, I¡¯ll ride the bench.¡¯

    ¡®¡®Atta boy.¡¯ Coach Long patted him on the shoulder and sent him back to the line.

    Stephen went away without further complaint. It was just a regular game. It was fine to miss it.

    Coach Norman stepped up beside Coach Long. ¡®You sure that¡¯s the best idea, Coach? I get dropping him from the starters but, benching him entirely? Next week¡¯s going to be a pivotal game, and we¡¯re already missing Chris, and potentially Deshaun.¡¯

    Coach Long watched over the practice sternly. ¡®I know. It¡¯s a breaking point, whether we win or lose next week could change the outcome of our whole season, but that doesn¡¯t mean we can let the boys get away with any kind of behaviour just because an important game is coming up. We have to set an example for these boys and curb their issues now before its out of our hands and we send them off into the world thinking they can just smash their way through the things that annoy them in life.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s your call, Coach. We¡¯re with you all the way, no matter what.¡¯

    Coach Long watched the boys closely. Next week really felt like it was their whole season on the line despite it looking like just any other game of the season. Three losses in a row might be more than they can handle mentally, they could check out after that and that¡¯d make them an easy knockout once Regionals comes round, if they even made it that far.

    On the other hand, if they bounce back with a win then they could get back on track and really put those losses behind them as nothing more than a speed bump in the middle of the road. They could still finish strong and recover their momentum to head into Regionals with a rejuvenated fire.

    Only time will tell if they can overcome their dire situation, or if they¡¯ll falter under the pressure without their usual leaders to hold them up.

 Chapter 72: Body Unshackled â€¦ Almost.

    ¡®Do you feel any more pain than usual?¡¯ the doctor asked, their gentle hands massaging down Jackson¡¯s leg, thumbs pressing just firm enough on his shin.

    Jackson winced slightly at around the midway point. ¡®I mean, yeah it can hurt sometimes, but, not too bad, and there isn¡¯t much pain usually.¡¯

    ¡®Mhm.¡¯ The doctor didn¡¯t say much as they continued their administrations. They asked the same question over and over and gave the barest of grunts and mumbles in response to the answers.

    They¡¯d rub Jackson down, have him push his leg down against their hands, lift up against them, they¡¯d stretch his leg this way and that, always asking. But Jackson felt alright for the most part, there were only a few instances where he showed a visible reaction to the pain.

    His older brother, Tommy, and their mother watched the proceedings from close by. They kept any comments or worries they might¡¯ve had to themselves, not wanting to disrupt things.

    ¡®It really doesn¡¯t hurt much. It feels nice to have the cast off, finally. Ugh, though I am kinda itchy now.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, that can happen. Doesn¡¯t look like there was an allergic reaction to the plaster which is good, and it¡¯s still in fine condition. You just make sure you give it a good wash when you get home,¡¯ the doctor advised.

    Jackson nodded. Everything seemed to be going well. The door opened up again. A nurse entered and handed over a folder to the doctor. The doctor thanked them, and shimmyed out one of the large images from the folder, taking a look at it.

    ¡®Hmm, X-rays seem to have come out nicely, no problems there.¡¯ They pinned the image up to the wall, all eyes were locked onto the closeup of Jackson¡¯s fibula and tibia.

    The doctor circled one part. ¡®He¡¯s where the fracture occurred, and if you remember what the first x-rays looked like when you were last here, well, the difference speaks for itself.¡¯

    From what was once the place where both his bones had snapped, now there was hardly any indicator that they had been broken at all. Only minute fissures that were yet to heal were highlighted.

    ¡®It looks as if your recovery is going well, Jackson. However, I would suggest that you continue to take things easy until your bones have completely healed, we wouldn¡¯t want to disrupt the process this close to completion, or cause any unnecessary setbacks. I¡¯d give it another fortnight.¡¯

    Tommy was visibly disappointed, finally speaking up. ¡®So, Doc, when you say ¡°take it easy¡±, what exactly do you mean by that? Are there any exercises or stretches that we can do in the meantime to help strengthen the leg and maybe speed up this last stretch recovery?¡¯

    ¡®Excellent question. It wouldn¡¯t be wise to do too much, but some of those exercises you saw us doing earlier, pushing against someone¡¯s hand, upwards, downwards, outwards, those are good. I can give a list of other stretches that can help, but for breaks in the shin area such as this one, there isn¡¯t much that stretching can do really.¡¯

    ¡®Got it.¡¯ Tommy nodded, whipping out his phone to take notes.

    ¡®Besides that, stick to your crutches. You won¡¯t need the cast, but you should still keep pressure off the leg and keep some bandages wrapped around it, or wear a compressive sleeve to help keep things where they should be for the most part. Now, getting up to go to the bathroom should be fine to walk, but nothing more than a minute or two without assistance.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm. I had hoped he would be further along than that already,¡¯ Mom said.

    ¡®These things take time, Mrs Woods. They can be frustrating, I know, but they won¡¯t get better if we don¡¯t give them time to rest. Now, Jackson, if there is any pain, you should stop what you¡¯re doing immediately, especially if the pain is coming along this area.¡¯ And the doctor brushed their hand along Jackson¡¯s shin.

    ¡®I understand,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Good. Then there doesn¡¯t seem to be much else I need to say. Just keep doing what you¡¯re doing, you all seem to be taking good care of Jackson and his leg. I¡¯ll have a nurse bring you some bandages you can use for that wrapping, and they can show you how to do it right. But after that, you¡¯re free to go.¡¯

    ¡®Thank you for your help, Doctor.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m just doing my job, Mrs Woods. If something happens, don¡¯t hesitate to call.¡¯ The doctor glanced at the X-rays. ¡®Would you like your own copy to take home?¡¯

    Mom looked at Jackson. Jackson looked at the X-ray on the wall. ¡®Ohh, no, uhh, that¡¯s alright. I don¡¯t need one.¡¯

    ¡®Very well.¡¯

    The family picked up their things, and once Jackson¡¯s leg got wrapped up tight, they made their way out to the car.

    As they piled into the car, Tommy was both excited and disappointed. ¡®Aww man, it sucks we still have to wait a bit before getting you back out on the field running around, but I¡¯m glad you¡¯re getting better and making progress.¡¯

    ¡®Y-Yeah, me too.¡¯ Jackson sat in the back, reminding himself that he was just trying to get his body healthy and strong again. But, it did feel good to finally be free of that cast, even if he did still have the annoying shackles that were his crutches, at least he¡¯d gotten rid of one.

    He felt a little more free. He couldn¡¯t help it as a smile crawled across his cheeks.

    As they pulled out of the hospital car park, Mom¡¯s eyes glanced back through the rearview mirror. ¡®You know what I think this occasion calls for? Some pizza to celebrate! What do you boys think?¡¯

    ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Tommy looked back. Jackson was still somewhat of an invalid, so it''s not like he could work off that junk food. ¡®Ah what the hell, I think this is plenty special enough for us to celebrate. Pizza sounds amazing.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s grin grew wider.

    The next day, Jackson went to school without his cast for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. Sure, he hadn¡¯t gotten rid of the crutches yet, but it still felt a whole lot better.

    After the first class, Sachin, Marcus, and Eddie found him in the halls.

    ¡®Yooo! You finally got rid of that cast, huh?¡¯ Sachin said, pulling him into a side hug.

    ¡®Haha, still stuck with them damn crutches though, that¡¯s tough luck, man,¡¯ Marcus laughed.

    ¡®Shut up¡­¡¯ Jackson couldn¡¯t help but laugh, jovially shoving them both.

    ¡®Congrats,¡¯ Eddie said. Jackson¡¯s smile vanished. ¡®I just hope you don¡¯t put yourself back in a cast again any time soon.¡¯

    Jackson cringed. His leg may be healing, but his relationship with his best friend only seemed to be fracturing further.

    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Sachin sighed. ¡®Come on, bruh.¡¯

    ¡®Man what are you talking about? You¡¯re not still yapping with that conspiracy theory, are you? Why the hell would Jackson do something like this,¡¯ and they pointed to his leg, ¡®to himself!¡¯

    ¡®Whatever. I gotta get to my next class.¡¯ Eddie brushed by Sachin and Marcus, walking away.

    ¡®Ugh, man. Sorry about him we¡­ we gotta catch up sometime, okay? We¡¯ll see you later.¡¯

    ¡®Y-Yeah, no, it¡¯s fine. He just, it¡¯s alright. I¡¯ll see you guys around.¡¯

    Jackson watched them leave. His shoulders slumped. He got on with the rest of his day.

    When his classes were over, he started making his way to the practice field, though, after his run-in with Eddie and the others, he was dreading the team¡¯s reaction to his recovery.

    ¡®Look at youuu!¡¯ Jackson froze at the sound of Jasmine¡¯s voice.

    He turned to face her. ¡®Ah, h-hey, Jasmine.¡¯

    She was grinning radiantly, Jackson almost melted at the sight of her. ¡®Look at you, dude! You got rid of that cast.¡¯ She hurried to his side, still beaming. ¡®Congratulations.¡¯

    ¡®Th-Thanks,¡¯ he chuckled nervously.

    ¡®You must be getting better, how long do you have to keep using these things?¡¯ She gently tapped one of his crutches.

    ¡®Oh uh, I think the doctor said a fortnight?¡¯

    ¡®Ohh, I love that game.¡¯

    ¡®Ugh, no you¡­ you dork.¡¯ They laughed as Jackson shook his head.

    ¡®How are you holding up though? Still need some company as you hobble like a turtle to wherever it is you¡¯re going?¡¯

    ¡®Hah hah, very funny.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m somewhat of a comedian, what can I say? Hahah, but if you don¡¯t mind, I could come with you wherever you¡¯re going.¡¯

    ¡®O-Oh uhh, well, I was just going to the football field to watch the team practice. You probably wouldn¡¯t wanna come ¡®cause it¡¯s¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Sounds fun! Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Jasmine grinned.

    ¡®H-Huh? Really?¡¯

    She shrugged. ¡®Sure, why not? C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go.¡¯ She looked around. ¡®Just lead the way, turtle.¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, y-yeah. Okay then.¡¯ And with that, he began to hobble through the halls again, leading the way out to the practice field. She stuck by his side. At one point, she tilted her head as she observed him.

    ¡®Hey, I¡¯m not annoying you, am I?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®Wh-What?! No way. Why would you think that?¡¯

    ¡®Wellll, you seem awfully reluctant to be hanging out with me most of the time. Annnd I couldn¡¯t help but notice that you didn¡¯t send me a text or anything even though I gave you my number.¡¯

    Jackson blushed. He looked at the floor. ¡®S-Sorry, I¡­I just didn¡¯t want to bother you.¡¯

    ¡®Pfft, dude, come on. I wouldn¡¯t have given you my number if I thought you were going to bother me.¡¯

    ¡®R-Right, sorry¡­ I¡¯ll uh, be sure to send you a text sometime then.¡¯

    ¡®Good. I¡¯d like that.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s blush didn¡¯t go away until they made it to the field.

    They found a spot on the field to sit, sticking to the first set of seats along the ground row of the bleachers. Jasmine, to Jackson¡¯s surprise, sat with him and stayed as they watched practice get underway.

    ¡®Y-You really don¡¯t have to stay.¡¯

    She shrugged. ¡®Yeah, but I want to. I don¡¯t have anything better to do.¡¯

    ¡®Do you even know what¡¯s going on?¡¯

    ¡®Nope. I mean, I think I¡¯ve seen my little brother play Madden a couple of times, but, I¡¯ve never really understood football.¡¯

    ¡®O-Oh¡­ I could try and explain?¡¯

    She smiled. ¡®I¡¯d like that, too.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s cheeks darkened but he turned to the field, focusing on the drills that the team were running through, doing his best to explain how they¡¯d be applied to in-game situations and why they¡¯re helpful.

    Jasmine listened intently, though she was amazed at how hard everyone worked, and almost fell out of her seat when Jackson explained the weighted vests to her.

    ¡®What?! That¡¯s insane! How do you even move around like that.¡¯

    ¡®Hah¡­ I didn¡¯t. I was still crawling around like a worm before I hurt my leg.¡¯

    Jasmine laughed. ¡®No way. I¡¯d be¡­ I¡¯d be stuck! Like I wouldn¡¯t even be able to move at all. You guys are crazy.¡¯

    ¡®I-I guess so, haha.¡¯

    They continued to watch, though throughout Jasmine would continue to make funny little comments, Jackson¡¯s lessons devolving into a comedy session as they kept making fun of how uptight Coach Otsen was, like a drill sergeant. Or how Coach Vasquez was jumping around and screeching like a monkey on crack. That was especially funny when compared to Coach Knight, who was like a giant boulder standing stoically against the raging storm that was Coach Vasquez¡¯s ¡°MAXIMUM¡± energy.

    Time flew by, and before Jackson knew it, practice was over, and the boys were free to go. However, instead of going home right away, a large portion of them made their way over to Jackson and Jasmine.

    ¡®Yo! Look who¡¯s got rid of his cast. How¡¯s it feel to be free, Jackson?¡¯ Pete was the first to come over and bring attention to the fact, though more soon followed.

    ¡®Congrats!¡¯

    ¡®When can we get you back on the field?¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re still on the team right?¡¯

    ¡®Hah, I¡¯m more interested in the girl. This your chick?¡¯ Wesley said, even a few of the varsity players had come over to check out the situation.

    ¡®Hahah, bringing your girl to practice, classic,¡¯ one of the other seniors laughed.

    ¡®Wh-What?! N-No we¡¯re not¡­ she¡¯s not.¡¯ Jackson groaned, lowering his head, his cheeks burning red. More boys laughed.

    Jasmine laughed louder than them all, smirking wryly. ¡®What¡¯s wrong? Are you boys jealous that Jackson¡¯s the only one with a girl to bring around?¡¯

    ¡®Oooh ¡­¡¯

    Wesley scoffed. ¡®Well, if she ain¡¯t your girl, does that mean she¡¯s free to be taken?¡¯

    Jackson frowned, fists clenching, but he didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡®By you? I¡¯d rather make-out with vomit,¡¯ Jasmine said.

    More laughter came from the group, but before Wesley could retort, Mickey stepped in. ¡®Cool off, man. Leave the kids alone.¡¯

    Wesley backed off, muttering about how Jasmine ¡°wasn¡¯t even that good-looking anyway¡± as he left.

    Mickey stepped closer and patted Jackson on the head. ¡®Don¡¯t let these jackasses get to ya, man, we¡¯re just playing. It¡¯s good to see you outta that cast, it¡¯ll be great to have you back on the field.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, dude. Coming back from injury is tough, but we¡¯re here for you,¡¯ another added.

    ¡®Y-You guys really mean it? You¡¯re not¡­ mad?¡¯

    ¡®Fuck no. Of course, we ain¡¯t. Why the hell would we be mad? Accidents happen, we all get that, sometimes you can¡¯t help it,¡¯ Mickey said.

    ¡®Yeah¡­ accidents. Right, right, was stupid of me to ask.¡¯

    Jasmine watched Jackson closely. She was the only one to notice his hesitancy with the word ¡°accident¡± as if it almost pained him to use it.

    ¡®I can¡¯t speak for your JV teammates,¡¯ Heads turned towards Shane who was now finished with his extra laps and had made his way over, still donning his weighted vest, ¡®but even so, I saw that you were a great leader during the early practices. I¡¯m sure they missed you.¡¯

    Lonnie stepped forward and placed a hand on Jackson¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Yeah, dude. ¡­I¡¯m happy to see you¡¯re getting better.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, yeah.¡¯ The general sentiment was in agreement with Lonnie¡¯s statement.

    ¡®It¡¯ll be good to have you back,¡¯ Kenny said. He was standing off to the side of the group. Jackson didn¡¯t look at him for long. He saw too much of Eddie¡¯s accusatory glare in those eyes.

    ¡®D-Does this mean I¡¯ll be off the team now?¡¯ The group was beginning to disperse, which finally gave the timid Frederick room to make his voice heard.

    ¡®Why?¡¯ Petey asks.

    ¡®Well¡­ because you won¡¯t need me anymore once Jackson¡¯s back.¡¯

    Kenny stepped over and whacked Freddy over the back of the head.

    ¡®Ow!¡¯ Freddy rubbed the back of his head.

    ¡®Dude, Freddy. That¡¯s not true. No one¡¯s going to get replaced. We¡¯ll all work together and we¡¯ll finally be in full force once Jackson gets back. Though¡­ if anyone is gonna be ¡°replaced¡± it¡¯ll probably be me, ¡®cause I¡¯ll have already moved up to varsity, but, you know.¡¯

    ¡®Hah! In your dreams kid.¡¯ Kenny¡¯s hair gets roughly ruffled by one of the older boys before they playfully shove him and walk away.

    Kenny groaned and grumbled, staring daggers at the older boy as they walked away while he tried to fix his hair.

    ¡®That¡¯s a good goal to have.¡¯ Again, everyone looked to Shane. ¡®Keep working hard, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make it onto the varsity team in no time. You¡¯ll be a welcomed addition to the team.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, shame I won¡¯t be around to see it though. Ain¡¯t no freshman making varsity on Coach Otsen¡¯s team. Not even Shane was varsity his first year,¡¯ Mickey points out.

    As the conversation and attention drifted away from Jackson, he let out a sigh of relief. Things were going to be alright. Everything was fine. Just so long as nobody found out his accident wasn¡¯t really accidental.

 Chapter 73: Take Your Opportunity

    Ty arrived at the Dons¡¯ home field during the halftime break of the JV game. The Dons currently held a comfortable lead of 13¨C3.

    He found a seat in the near-empty stands. He sat a few rows back from the Dons¡¯ bench. During the break, he stared at the empty field with a quiet intensity.

    There had been no warning from Ricky about this upcoming team. Did that mean there was nothing to worry about? Or was he trying to avoid putting any excess pressure on the Dons to save them from getting anxious about facing another tough challenge? With Stephen, Chris, and Deshaun missing did it even matter? Would they even be able to beat a ¡°weak¡± team without those three?

    When the game resumed play, his mind was taken away from any thoughts about what was to come and how strong the varsity team of the Peninsula Panthers might be, as the sloppy play from both JV teams gave him plenty of distractions.

    ¡°Horrid. Look at them, even¡­ even that shitty Rabbit is looking good out there.¡± It was disgusting to see.

    Rabbit was getting plenty more action both offensively and defensively this game. It seemed that the Dons¡¯ JV team had a little less manpower with some of the regulars being held back to preserve their strength in case they were needed as backups in the varsity game later.

    But Rabbit was shining under the spotlight put on him during this game. He stepped up big time and was having a breakout performance with plenty of solid runs. His defence was the most impressive (to all except Ty) part of his game that day. He was swatting balls aside the few times he was targeted, but mostly he kept his man in check and gave no room for any pass attempt.

    Ty wasn¡¯t impressed. He didn¡¯t see any reason to give Rabbit credit for this performance, all he saw was that the Panthers had to be THAT bad that they even made someone like Rabbit look good.

    ¡®Pathetic,¡¯ he muttered, shaking his head.

    Coach Hoang, having noticed the pervasive cloud of negativity that was exuding from Ty, looked back at him. ¡®Samuels. If you¡¯re just going to mope around back there, looking like you¡¯re at a funeral, you could go warm up and get yourself ready for your game instead.¡¯

    ¡®Maybe I will, it¡¯s better than watching this shit.¡¯ Ty stood up, ignored the dirty look Coach Short gave him, and began to stretch his legs.

    He¡¯d sprint up and down the stands over and over as the game went on. Eventually, he¡¯d stop, seeing JJ waiting for him at the bottom of the steps. ¡®Heeey, good work there. Don¡¯t you ever stop training?¡¯ JJ asked.

    Ty caught his breath, walking back to his seat where he¡¯d left his bag, getting a drink. ¡®I could work harder.¡¯

    JJ shook his head. ¡®You¡¯re crazy, Ty.¡¯ His smile faded, expression becoming more serious. ¡®But uh, you didn¡¯t see Dee at school, did you?¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t even see you or anyone else at school.¡¯

    ¡®Hm. I¡¯m just asking ¡®cause I still haven¡¯t seen him at all this week. I mean, at least he started messaging me back, but it¡¯s weird, you know? Even if he¡¯s got family stuff going on, you¡¯d think he¡¯d come to school or practice at least once. Do you think he¡¯ll show up today?¡¯

    Ty sighed heavily, having checked out through most of JJ¡¯s rambling. ¡®I don¡¯t care. Even if he DID show up today, he¡¯s not going to be playing thanks to missing practice. So it doesn¡¯t change anything whether he turns up or not.¡¯

    JJ frowned. ¡®Hmmm. I mean I guess you¡¯re right. And it¡¯s still early now. Looks like we¡¯re the only ones here yet. We¡¯ll just have to wait and see if he shows.¡¯

    ¡®Uh-huh.¡¯

    ¡®Anyway, we¡¯re gonna have to pick up the slack, eh? Seeing as the others won¡¯t be playing, means we¡¯ll have to do a lot more of the work if we wanna win this one.¡¯

    Ty agreed with him on that at least. ¡®It¡¯s fine. We¡¯ll win. I¡¯m not losing again.¡¯

    JJ slapped him on the shoulder. ¡®Of course. We won¡¯t lose.¡¯ With a grin, JJ settled into his own seat. Ty left to do another few laps up and down the stairs before he felt sufficiently pumped up for the game.

    Throughout the rest of the JV game, the Dons would push their lead out to 17 points, keeping it that way for the majority of the game. However, the Panthers did make a late push in the final quarter. At this time, Rabbit was worn down from his intense double duty, his body not yet used to such responsibilities, and as such, wasn¡¯t able to impact the game as much.

    But the Dons held on to the final seconds, and the Panthers ran out of time. The Dons won the game with a final score of 27¨C24.

    Rabbit collapsed onto the bench after the game, drenched in sweat as he struggled to get his breathing under control.

    ¡®Good work out there today, Max,¡¯ Coach Long said, patting him on the back. Then he turned to Coach Short and hugged her. ¡®And good job to you, baby girl. That was a great call to have Max as the starter today with Trey and Harrison resting.

    Bella blushed as she hugged back and then cleared her throat, putting on her ¡°coaching voice¡± as she said: ¡®He¡¯s been putting in the work with practice, and while he might not¡¯ve been ready to give it his all on both sides of the ball for a full game, I¡¯m glad we still won. Good job, Rabbit.¡¯

    Rabbit gave them a thumbs up, but didn¡¯t raise his head off the bench.

    Ty stood up from his seat. He HAD to win now, there was no way he was going to let Rabbit win when HE lost.

    He made his way down the steps, where Meg met him just before he stepped down onto the field. ¡®Hey, big bro.¡¯

    ¡®Oh. Hey, Meg.¡¯ He glanced back, there were plenty of places for her to sit today.

    ¡®Good luck, today.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ He went to move by her but she took his hand and he stopped.

    She looked into his eyes, hers showing concern. ¡®Please don¡¯t ¡­ don¡¯t get angry if you lose today.¡¯

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    Ty gently pulled his hand from her grasp and she reacted as if it had physically pained her. ¡®I won¡¯t. ¡­But I¡¯m not going to lose today so there¡¯s nothing to worry about anyway.¡¯

    She masked her worries with a smile. ¡®Y-Yeah! Of course, you won¡¯t lose ¡®cause you¡¯re the best.¡¯

    ¡®Exactly.¡¯ This time when he went to walk away, she didn¡¯t stop him. She watched him go as he walked across the field and entered the locker room.

    Ty was already in a foul mood. The past two losses, Rabbit¡¯s performance, not finding anyone interesting in the few players from the Panthers that he¡¯d seen so far, and then that conversation on top of it, all of it had pushed him into a highly agitated state.

    ¡°I need to break those fucking cunts. Whoever steps in front of me. I¡¯ll destroy them today.¡± His teeth ground together, sounding like a machine rumbling to life.

    He geared up. The coaches went over the game plan one last time, reminding everyone of what they needed to focus on today for their keys to success.

    Then, as Coach Long got his usual pregame speech underway, Chris stepped up, still in his casual clothes, to give his own voice to motivate the rest of the team.

    ¡®Sorry I can¡¯t be out there today to help you all guys. I know we¡¯re one big family in here, so you¡¯ll all have to step up and fill my shoes today. And that goes the same for the other members of our family who can¡¯t play today.¡¯ He looked around.

    Deshaun hadn¡¯t been seen that day, still yet to turn up if he ever was going to, and while Stephen wasn¡¯t down in the locker room with them right now, he had been seen in the stands and had talked with some of the boys.

    ¡®We¡¯ve gotta get back on track today. Give it your all and then some. I know some of you,¡¯ Chris¡¯s eyes fell upon Benny, Cole, and then Cameron, ¡®are going to have to put in the extra effort, but this is your chance. Take it, and prove yourselves. Prove that you belong and that you should be given a bigger spotlight even in normal circumstances. Hah, maybe you¡¯ll give us horrible examples of leaders a good kick in the ass to get our shit together.¡¯

    ¡®Christopher,¡¯ Coach Long said sternly.

    ¡®Haha, sorry about the language, Coach.¡¯ He grinned. ¡®Come on, bring it in, fam.¡¯ Chris raised his fist and the team gathered around him, pressing their fists against his. ¡®For family. One, two, three¡ª¡¯

    ¡®For family!¡¯

    The team cheered and hollered, making their way back out of the locker room and storming the field. They found their opposition already on the field, currently warming up.

    As Ty jogged with the rest of the Dons, doing a lap of the field, he tuned out the cheers of the crowd and kept his attention solely focused on his enemies. He looked for anyone who stood out, anyone who sparked interest or had that special feel about them.

    He found nothing.

    He turned his head away, his mood only worsening.

    Over with the Panthers, they were keeping things loose and carefree, warming up casually.

    A trio in particular were grouped closely together, with a pair of them passing a ball between each other, while another stretched on the ground by them.

    One of the pair passing the ball around stood six feet tall; had a white sleeve and glove over his right arm and hand, while his left was bare; had a high fade, with a zig-zag pattern shaved into the side of his head; and a naturally smug face as if he knew some great big secret that no one else did and was constantly amused by it.

    ¡®So, does this mean you¡¯re going to pass me the ball in game, Malik?¡¯ the other boy playing catch asked. This boy was a little shorter, but with large, gloved hands; had a mud-coloured mullet; his face hadn¡¯t quite lost its baby fat; and his thin lips looked as if they¡¯d been pinched together.

    ¡®Fuck you, Sean. Maybe if you could catch I¡¯d throw more often.¡¯ Malik threw the next pass with a lot more heat, almost overthrowing Sean, who bobbled the catch before reeling it in. ¡®See?¡¯

    ¡®I caught that one! AND it was a shit pass.¡¯

    ¡®Quit your bitchin¡¯, we¡¯ll pass when we need to, like we always do,¡¯ the boy on the ground said, his legs spread in a wide split. He was the same height as Sean; though he was the thickest of them all, whether it was his muscular arms or legs, or his barrel-chested torso, even his head was quite thick; and he wore a dark ski mask with his mouth uncovered, having just pulled a vape from his lips.

    ¡®Anthony, juul.¡¯ Malik clapped his hands.

    Anthony tossed the vape over and stood up. Malik caught it and took a hit.

    ¡®That shit is so gay,¡¯ Sean said.

    ¡®Bitch, don¡¯t act like you¡¯re cool just ¡®cause you don¡¯t vape.¡¯

    ¡®What? No, I don¡¯t give a fuck about that, and hey, don¡¯t act like you¡¯re cool just ¡®cause you guys vape. But like, that¡¯s gay, using the same one. You might as well just kiss each other.¡¯

    Malik and Anthony looked at one another, then back at Sean. ¡®Shut the fuck up,¡¯ they said in unison.

    Sean shook his head, the vape soon passed back to Anthony. ¡®Oh, fuck, Coach¡¯s coming.¡¯ Malik whacked Anthony on the arm.

    ¡®Shit.¡¯ Anthony looked around. ¡®Yo, Billy.¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ A younger, skinny kid who had been running on the spot looked over.

    Anthony tossed the vape at him, and he caught it¡ªright before the coach came up to them. ¡®William! You¡¯re the culprit, are you? How many times do I have to tell you all, you can¡¯t do this shit during games or practice!¡¯

    The older trio snickered as Billy gave them a disheartened look but didn¡¯t try to argue with the coach or confess that it wasn¡¯t really his.

    Soon enough, it was time for the captains to come together for the coin toss in the middle of the field. With Deshaun and Stephen being out, Jay reluctantly had to get off his ass to take one of their places, and then, just as Coach Long was going to put Benny forward as the other replacement, Bella suggested Ty.

    ¡®He¡¯ll be a captain next year, right? It¡¯ll be good to give him a taste of the responsibility and see how he handles it, yeah?¡¯

    The men looked at each other and then back at her. ¡®Great idea. Tyrese! You get out there too,¡¯ Coach Long shouted.

    Ty blinked but stood up. He was surprised, but at least this could give him a good opportunity to come face-to-face with the best players the Panthers had to offer, right?

    He followed the others out there, Jay trudging along like he¡¯d rather be anywhere else, and when they all made it to the centre of the field, they found Sean, Malik, and Anthony waiting for them.

    The six boys looked each other over, taking the time to try and get a first impression of their opposing captains. Ty wasn¡¯t impressed by any of them.

    JJ stepped forward with a bright smile and offered each opposing boy a handshake and they all accepted. ¡®Let¡¯s have a good game, tonight. Good luck to you and your team.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, thanks, same to you, I guess.¡¯ The others weren¡¯t as enthusiastic about the pleasantries and were quick to retract their hands.

    The Dons won the toss, and Ty butted in when the officials asked whether they wanted to start with the ball or not. ¡®Let those fuckers start on offence,¡¯ he said.

    ¡®Excuse me?¡¯ The official''s expression hardened and the other boys glared at Ty.

    JJ laughed nervously, stepping between Ty and the others. He patted Ty on the chest and pushed him back a little. ¡®Sorry about him, sir. He¡¯s new; still got a lot to learn, you see. But, we¡¯d like to defer the kick.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm. Very well. I¡¯ll be sure to have a word with your coach about this, young man,¡¯ the official said, pointing a finger at Ty.

    Ty shrugged and began walking away.

    ¡®Hey! Imma make you regret, that FUCKER. You¡¯re gonna look real fucking stupid when we score on you straight away,¡¯ Malik said.

    Ty grinned but didn¡¯t say anything or even look back as he continued to the bench and sat down.

    When JJ reported back what had happened, leaving out the part where Ty swore in front of the official, Coach Long seemed happy with the decision, after all, the defence was only missing one starter instead of two.

    ¡®Alright. It¡¯s up to you boys to make a statement. Hold the offence back and we¡¯ll take control of the game right from the start.¡¯

    JJ nodded. Ty was focused on the field, watching the special teams units prepare for the opening kickoff. When the whistle was blown, the game was underway, and everything else faded from Ty¡¯s mind.

 Chapter 74: Game Day VI

    The ball was caught just short of the Panthers¡¯ endzone, so the returner quickly scurried off downfield, but his attempt at a return was short-lived, and he didn¡¯t get very far, only reaching the 20-yard line.

    ¡®Let¡¯s go, Dons!¡¯ JJ led the march onto the field for the Dons¡¯ defence.

    Ty took his usual position and then looked across the field to where Deshaun would usually be. It was strange to see someone else in his place.

    The Dons¡¯ formation was set close to the line of scrimmage so that their LBs could stop the run as quickly as possible. While everyone else was set to play Zone defence, Ty would stick to Man, as he always did.

    Sean was the man to line up in front of Ty.

    Ty tilted his head, disappointed. ¡®Oh. I was hoping you had some secret weapon on your bench.¡¯

    Sean scoffed. ¡®¡®Sup, fucker. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m all the weapon we need to handle a scrawny little shit like you.¡¯

    The ball was snapped, but Sean seemed disinterested as he came forward to impede Ty¡¯s path and block him.

    Ty¡¯s eyes darted to the middle of the field, where he saw Malik running towards him. Anthony was a couple of yards below Malik but further forward as they ran parallel to one another.

    Ty shoved Sean aside with a ferocity that surprised the larger boy. He sprinted towards Malik, causing him to pitch the ball over to Anthony instead.

    Just as Ty was about to turn and give chase to Anthony, he heard JJ¡¯s voice. ¡®I got outside!¡¯ JJ rushed by, tracking down Anthony and dragging him to the grass for only a short gain.

    Ty watched, a sense of relief washing over him. That had been so easy. With that kind of help, and even the simple communication, it was a breath of fresh air. He remembered back to his time trying to work together with Deshaun dealing with screen passes and how much of a nightmare that was. ¡°I was playing three against one.¡± But working with JJ, from just one play he could already completely rely on him.

    ¡°Who cares if Deshaun isn¡¯t here?¡±

    ¡®Yo! Watch your fucking block, Sean,¡¯ Malik shouted as he went over to help Anthony back up.

    Sean flipped them off on his way to the huddle.

    The Dons were happy, breaking away from their huddle in a similar formation, but wary if the Panthers were going to run the same play again to try and catch them off-guard. Who wouldn¡¯t expect a different okay after putting a stop to their supposed best weapon?

    ¡®Red, hike!¡¯ Malik took the ball, but this time he didn¡¯t look to run. His eyes flashed over the middle after a short drop back, and he let loose with a pass to their TE.

    Again, JJ was right there, and he broke up the short pass. The rest of the Dons got around JJ quickly, congratulating him on his back-to-back plays.

    Sean stormed over to Malik. ¡®Aye, what the fuck? You throw it, but you throw to fucking Sam? What about me?¡¯

    ¡®Maybe if you would¡¯ve blocked before, I might¡¯ve passed it to YOU.¡¯

    Sean scrunched up his face. ¡®Fine, I¡¯ll fucking block, just throw it to me afterwards!¡¯

    Malik shook his head, lining up again.

    ¡®Red hike!¡¯ He took the ball, this time running away from Sean and Ty¡¯s side of the field.

    JJ had been lined up closer to Sean and Ty so it took him longer to reach the other side, and that was only exacerbated when Malik pitched the ball out to Anthony again.

    Anthony was able to spin away from one tackle, and got to the first down marker just before JJ caught up with him and shoved him out of bounds.

    ¡®That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. Wooo!¡¯ Anthony cheered in JJ¡¯s face as he brushed by him and returned to the Panthers¡¯ huddle. An official gave him a warning about taunting, but he didn¡¯t seem to care.

    The next play was another Read Option, this time, instead of going back to the side that had just been so successful for them, they hoped to keep the Dons off-balanced by going back to Ty¡¯s side.

    This time, Sean did a slightly better job of blocking, and held Ty up for longer.

    Malik turned upfield just as Ty slipped away from Sean. Ty lunged to the side, a long arm wrapping around Malik while the other stretched up to block off the pitch.

    Malik thought about dumping the ball off to Anthony, but that hand in the air made him second guess it, and he soon found himself face-first in the turf.

    They¡¯d only gotten a short gain again. ¡®Dammit!¡¯ Malik pushed himself up.

    ¡®Stop running and pass, pussy,¡¯ Ty said, heading back to the Dons¡¯ huddle.

    Malik scowled at the back of Ty¡¯s head.

    Sean jogged over. ¡®Hey! That wasn¡¯t my fault that time. Hurry up and pass the fucking ball to me already.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah yeah, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m throwing it to you. Just embarrass that stupid fucker for me.¡¯

    ¡®Hah, too easy. I¡¯ll shut that annoying little shit up.¡¯

    Before the snap, Malik looked over to Sean and Ty, hate filling his eyes as he regarded Ty. Everyone on the field could see where the ball was going to go.

    Ty grinned. This was his chance.

    After the snap, Ty feinted with his hand, but Sean showed no reaction, running ahead, and then after a slight shimmy, he broke towards the outside at a slant.

    Ty stuck with him easily, eyes turning back towards Malik and the ball before Sean even raised his hand calling for it.

    Malik heaved the ball into the air, putting a bit too much oompf behind it as it skyrocketed well over both Sean and Ty¡¯s heads into the crowd.

    Both Sean and Malik cursed, but Ty seemed the angriest of all, teeth grinding loudly. He had been in the perfect position to intercept the ball! Only for it to be one of the shittest passes he¡¯d seen.

    Neither of his opponents seemed to realise just how fortunate they were that the pass was uncatchable by anyone. Ty could only wonder how they could be so blind.

    ¡®Bro, I¡¯m not ten feet tall, how am I supposed to catch that?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, well maybe if you got open I could throw it properly!¡¯

    Sean and Malik argued briefly before the huddle broke apart again.

    The next pass went towards the opposite side of the field, and while the other Receiver was able to reel it in, they had to stretch out to do so, halting their momentum. Because of this, they were tackled just before they could get enough yards for another first down.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    The Panthers would be punting.

    Ty stayed out on the field to receive and return the punt, but Cole came up to him and rather awkwardly informed him that Coach Long wanted to see him on the bench.

    ¡®What? I¡¯m just about to go there right after this, can¡¯t he wait?¡¯

    Cole shrugged. ¡®Coach¡¯s orders. He told me to come take the return.¡¯

    Ty looked over Cole¡¯s shoulder, and sure enough, Coach Long was beckoning him over to the bench. He growled in annoyance but made his way to the bench, stopping before the coach.

    ¡®You wanted to see me?¡¯

    ¡®I heard you had a little bit of an¡­ incident during the coin toss. Is that right?¡¯

    Ty grimaced. ¡®¡­Yes.¡¯

    Coach Long shook his head. ¡®That was my fault, you weren¡¯t ready for that and I shouldn¡¯t have sent you out there. But, because of your mistake, we could¡¯ve had to give the opposition the ball to start BOTH halves. I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re not taking the returns today, Cole will handle that responsibility.¡¯

    ¡®What?! I didn¡¯t even ¡­ nothing happened, we¡¯re still getting the ball in the second half!¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s not important, it¡¯s the principle. You need to learn to treat your opponents and the officials with more respect. The decision¡¯s been made, Tyrese. Just sit down.¡¯

    Ty grumbled but sat down on the bench.

    The punt wobbled out of bounds, and there wasn¡¯t any return to be made anyhow.

    The Dons offence took to the field.

    Anthony and Sean were also out there to play defence for the Panthers, as Anthony manned up against Benny, and Sean was matching Cole.

    Jay took a deep breath as he stood behind the O-Line, looking around at his teammates lined up in their formation. He was concerned about not having Stephen or Chris out there with him, but he¡¯d put his trust in Benny, Cole, and Cameron to step up. At least it was reassuring to have JJ behind him.

    His eyes flicked to the scoreboard. It was also a lot easier to keep calm while both teams were yet to score a point. ¡°We should change that.¡±

    The first play was a handoff to Cameron who ran it straight up the gut, following behind JJ for a gain of 4 yards. Not bad, but not great either.

    It looked like the Panthers were a more defensive-minded team. Even without someone like Mike from the last game, just from one play, Jay could tell they were a tougher unit overall.

    He took a deep breath, they still made good progress. Gaining four yards was a good release of any pressure they might¡¯ve had. They just needed to keep it going.

    They motioned Cole across to the other side of the field, and Sean stuck with him. Seeing that the Panthers were using Man defence, Jay hit Benny over the middle on his drag route for another decent but somewhat short gain.

    They went back to Cameron who gave a good run and picked up the first down for them.

    However, when they handed it to Cameron again after that, he was stuffed right at the line for no gain at all.

    ¡®Mierda. That was my bad, I missed my block.¡¯ JJ helped Cameron back up, then slapped Jay on the shoulder. ¡®Let¡¯s get them on the next play.¡¯

    Jay nodded. On the next play, he¡¯d pass the ball to Cole as he broke through to the middle of the field, however, perhaps still accustomed to throwing to Stephen and his massive frame, the ball sailed out of reach of Cole.

    Jay was just thankful there hadn¡¯t been a Safety over the middle otherwise it would¡¯ve flown straight to them.

    The Dons were staring down the barrel of a third down and had yet to gain a single yard during this set of plays.

    Jay wet his lips. The next play would be their last chance this drive. His eyes found Benny, his most reliable target still out there.

    And, after seeing that the Panthers¡¯ Safeties liked to stay out wide in their two high Zone, the middle was open to exploit, and that¡¯s exactly where Benny was sent.

    Benny charged up the middle of the field, and Jay lobbed the pass up to him, this time not overshooting anything as he was right on the money, Benny would just have to wrap his hands around the ball and ¡­

    And Anthony got his mitts in the way, wrenching the ball away from Benny as they tumbled to the ground. Neither of them came down with a catch as the ball bounced away from them both and fell to the grass.

    While it wasn¡¯t an interception, the Dons would still have to punt.

    Ty stood up on the sidelines, hands shaking as he watched the offence come crawling off the field, defeated. Without Stephen and Chris here, he¡¯d have to rely even less on the offence that he normally did.

    ¡°You¡¯re the offence now,¡± he told himself, ¡°you have to do the scoring. You have to pull all the weight.¡±

    He was restless as he watched the ensuing punt, which ended with a fair catch from the Panther¡¯s returner.

    Ty rushed out onto the field, anxious to get to his position and turn the tides of this game.

    He¡¯d have to wait a little longer, however, as the first play the opposition ran was another Read Option to the side where Deshaun would¡¯ve normally been.

    Again they picked up a gain big enough for a first down as again, JJ had to run just a little too far to properly stop them on that side.

    Ty wondered; if Deshaun was here, would he do a better job at stopping the runs to that side? He shook that pointless question from his mind. There was no use worrying about such things when there was no changing them and they were out of his control.

    But, seeing as the Panthers were exploiting one side of the field and having much more success running that way, the defence¡ªall of the LBs including JJ, and the D-Line¡ªshifted towards that side of the field before the snap.

    Spotting this, Malik ran the other way, heading for Ty who was held up by Sean, but once again got the better of that blocking match.

    However, with backup a little further away, Malik pitched the ball quickly to Anthony who was able to pick up 5 yards before someone scrambled over to push him out.

    ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Sean dragged his feet on his way back to the huddle, but then he suddenly perked up. ¡®Oh! Okay, so if you won¡¯t THROW it to me, can we at least try THAT?¡¯ he asked Malik.

    Malik looked him over and then checked out the Dons¡¯ huddle. ¡®Alright. I think we can try it. Just make sure you get a lot of yards with this, you know it doesn¡¯t work good after someone¡¯s seen it.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, yeah, I know. I promise I¡¯ll like, get a touchdown with this or something.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah right. Just get a first down at least, idiot.¡¯

    Their huddle broke apart and Sean had a grin when he lined up opposite Ty.

    ¡®I don¡¯t wanna see those ugly, yellow teeth, so stop smiling like a dumbass.¡¯

    ¡®Like you¡¯re one to talk with those fucked up teeth.¡¯

    Ty flashed his shark-like teeth. ¡®All natural, nothing fucked up about them.¡¯

    Sean shuddered. ¡®There¡¯s nothing natural about those things.¡¯

    Ty narrowed his eyes. Inside, he was excited, however. If that idiot was so happy, surely it meant another pass was coming their way right? That meant another chance to steal the ball.

    Unfortunately, when the ball was snapped, it looked like just another Option play, with Malik running towards Ty once again.

    However, this time, Sean gave very little effort to blocking Ty. Ty hurried forward to tackle Malik, having completely ignored Sean who instead backed off, and actually ran back to Malik as well.

    Just before Ty could tackle Malik, he passed the ball off to Sean, who sprinted across the field, catching the entire defence unaware as he reversed the field, running against the grain. Defenders scrambled to stop and turn around, but by the time they caught Sean, he had gained 16 yards with his trick run.

    ¡®Fuck yes! Finally, you see what happens when you give me the ball?¡¯ Sean laughed, grinning even wider as he made it back to the huddle.

    ¡®Yeah, good job. Don¡¯t expect that to happen again.¡¯

    He was still grinning as he nudged Malik. ¡®Well, don¡¯t you think I deserve a pass now?¡¯

    Malik rolled his eyes. ¡®Oh my god, if you stop fucking bitching about it, fine.¡¯

    ¡®Yes!¡¯ Sean struggled to hide his excitement as he took his position in the formation.

    Ty stared at him coldly. ¡®You too much of a fucking pussy to face me in the air? You just gonna run away all game?¡¯

    Sean shook his head. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, little shit. I¡¯ll give you exactly what you¡¯re asking for. Watch out, I think this one¡¯ll be a touchdown.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s eyes gleamed. His head turned to Malik as he stood as close to Sean as was legally allowed before the snap.

    As soon as the ball hit Malik¡¯s hands, Ty thrust his hand out, knocking the wind from Sean¡¯s unsuspecting chest, staggering him.

    Sean struggled forward, gasping for air as he ran. Ty kept a hand brushing against Sean¡¯s hip, running with him; eyes still on Malik.

    Sean needed space. He stopped and shifted his hips to turn back. Malik was nowhere near ready to throw¡ªTy didn¡¯t bite. Sean started forward again, sprinting down the sideline.

    Ty finally turned his hips, sprinting alongside him, head turned back over his shoulder.

    The ball came flying towards them. Ty¡¯s eyes lit up like a shark that had just spotted its wounded, floundering prey. He turned back around quickly, planting his feet firmly. He launched himself into the sky, arms extended outward.

    Sean turned back, bewildered as Ty was already in the air, the ball just about to hit his outstretched hands. He stumbled, grabbing onto Ty¡¯s hips, trying to drag him down.

    Ty latched onto the ball, fingers gripping it like teeth sinking into flesh. He was pulled to the ground, but he still held onto the ball.

    An official ran in, signalling and confirming the interception.

    Ty¡¯s sharp grin shone in the bright lights.

 Chapter 75: Grit and Grind

    ¡®Woo! Good shit, Ty.¡¯ Ty accepted the hand that reached out to help him to his feet. Standing, he came face to face with Cole. Cole had been filling in since Deshaun wasn¡¯t playing and the DBs had been shuffled around to make up for that.

    ¡®Hm¡­ thanks.¡¯ Ty¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly at the slaps on his helmet and back, but he made his way to the bench, a small smile on his face.

    He sat down, praise from the other players and coaches welcoming him as he took his spot on the bench. This was how things were supposed to be. ¡°If only I had been able to take it back for a touchdown.¡±

    Over with the Panthers, things weren¡¯t as jovial. ¡®Bro, what the fuck kind of pass was that?¡¯ Sean glared at Malik, who glared right back.

    ¡®The fuck are you talking about? That pass was perfect. You¡¯re the one who got beat by that scrawny shrimp.¡¯

    ¡®You threw it right to him! You¡¯re supposed to throw the ball OVER little shits like that.¡¯

    ¡®Hey! Cut that shit out, dumbasses.¡¯ Anthony got between them. ¡®We¡¯re not going to get anything done with you two fighting. It doesn¡¯t matter whose fault it was, it¡¯s over now. We move on. If we wanna win, we stick to the ground.¡¯ He shoved Malik away. ¡®First, we gotta lock up on D, so sit your ass down. We¡¯ll get the ball right back.¡¯

    Malik grumbled but made his way off the field. ¡®I ain¡¯t throwing shit to you again this game, man.¡¯

    ¡®Good! I don¡¯t want shitty passes like that, anyway,¡¯ Sean replied.

    Anthony pulled Sean away. ¡®Shut the fuck up and focus on D.¡¯

    As the Dons¡¯ offence took the field, Coach Hoang called his defence together. ¡®Good work out there. Especially you, Samuels. That was a hell of a pick. But, aside from that, we need to focus on shutting this Read Option down.¡¯

    ¡®I need to be more in the middle of the field for when they go to the other side,¡¯ JJ said.

    Coach Hoang raised a hand. ¡®No. You stay where you are, Jones, I don¡¯t want you sliding over to the middle. You and Samuels are defending the fat side of the field well. But when they go to the skinny side, we need to do things a bit differently. I want us sealing the outside when they go that way, cut off the RB and force the QB to keep it. Then, Snyder,¡¯ Coach Hoang addressed the other MLB who played alongside JJ, ¡®you need to drag that QB down. At least hold him up, but I need you to make those one-on-one tackles.¡¯

    ¡®Yes, Coach.¡¯

    ¡®Alright. And everybody, watch those counters, don¡¯t overcommit and let them come back across the field for free yards.¡¯

    ¡®Yes, Coach!¡¯ the group answered collectively.

    Not to be discouraged or outdone, the Panthers¡¯ defence played with greater intensity, and the struggle between them and the Dons¡¯ fired-up offence was a great one after Ty¡¯s interception.

    Sean gave it his all to make up for the interception, even though he still wouldn¡¯t take responsibility for it, and battled fiercely with Cole who was pushing himself as hard as he could to make up for the hole Stephen left behind.

    They were locked in a stalemate, which favoured Sean as Cole barely couldn¡¯t shake him off, no matter how hard he tried.

    Benny was trying his best to break free from the tight defence, but even though he had a few inches on Anthony heightwise, he couldn¡¯t break free from the smaller, younger boy. While he could position his body and make use of his height to get SOME catches, they never went very far.

    Cameron and JJ on the ground were the main driving forces so far, and while they were managing to push the Dons forward bit by bit, the Panthers¡¯ defence soon tightened up and threw more bodies down low to prevent the run, bringing a halt to their momentum.

    Thanks in large part to starting with a shorter field after Ty¡¯s interception, the Dons found themselves in field goal range, however, but now they were on third down.

    Coach Norman looked at Coach Long, asking if they should try the Jet Sweep now, but Coach Long shook his head. He said it was too early to reveal that card.

    They went for a run up the middle with Cameron instead, but when the Panthers stuffed that, they settled for the field goal.

    The ball sailed through the uprights, and thanks to the successful kick, the Dons took the first lead of the game: 3¨C0.

    The Panthers returned the following kickoff to the 22-yard line, and then Ty and the rest of the Dons¡¯ defence took the field again.

    With their new plan in mind, they were eager to see how the Panthers would respond.

    The Panthers came out, looking unshaken by Ty¡¯s earlier pick. Sean said nothing as he stood in front of Ty, not even looking at him.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡®Hah, I reckon I could go to sleep now and I wouldn¡¯t even miss anything, right? I doubt you bitches are brave enough to try and challenge me in the air again.¡¯

    ¡®Shut the fuck up.¡¯ Sean shook his head. ¡®Annoying little shit. You don¡¯t even know anything.¡¯

    Ty grinned, keeping his smug expression throughout the Panthers¡¯ short drive. First, they tried the Read Option towards the right side, hoping for as much success as they¡¯d been getting with it on previous plays, but they hardly got 2 yards.

    Next, they tried a run up the gut, hoping to catch the defence spread too thin and leaving the middle open as they worried about the outside runs, and while it worked better than their first play, they only got 4 yards and were now on third down.

    On third down, they returned to the Read Option, this time to Ty¡¯s side. Ty jumped down, ready to take out Malik, as was his assignment, but once again, Malik handed the ball off to Sean on the reverse.

    ¡®Counter! Watch it!¡¯ Coach Hoang shouted.

    The Dons were ready for it this time. They hadn¡¯t overcommitted, and when Sean tried to come back against the grain, he was swarmed this time and taken down behind the line of scrimmage.

    ¡®Yes! That¡¯s what I like to see!¡¯ JJ got around his teammates, smacking them on their pads powerfully, a grin beaming on his face.

    Ty smirked, moving over to Sean. ¡®Knew it¡ªyou¡¯re scared. You might as well run back home. We¡¯ve already won.¡¯

    ¡®You ain¡¯t won shit, bitch.¡¯ Sean glared at him and then stalked back to the bench.

    Ty chuckled, making his way back to the Dons¡¯ bench.

    Cole tried his best to evade tackles on the punt return and gain a few extra yards for the Dons, but he didn¡¯t get far despite his efforts.

    Then, when the Dons¡¯ offence was in control again, Cole and Sean¡¯s duel resumed. Thanks to a mixture of Cole wearing him down, and Sean¡¯s frustrations getting the better of him, Cole was able to draw a couple of holding penalties from Sean, and helped the Dons march down the field, past the halfway mark.

    They were on the verge of field goal range, and only needed a couple more yards to pick up the next set of downs after a couple of decent runs from Cameron.

    To give Cameron a small breather, and try to catch the defence off guard, Coach Long called up a Play Action pass on third down.

    After Jay faked the handoff, he looked in Cole¡¯s direction. Cole had sold a block at the beginning of the play, and then when Sean overcommitted, he blitzed right by him and shot towards the centre of the field on a Post route.

    He had the step; he was in the open. Jay lobbed the ball over, but as Cole stretched out for it, he felt a tug on his hip, being pulled back slightly. At the same time, Sean pulled himself forward and lunged across Cole¡¯s body, knocking the ball out of the air.

    Cole tumbled to the ground. He sprung to his feet, hands in the air, calling for a flag from the officials as he angrily looked around. ¡®Hey! Come on, that was pass interference!¡¯

    But no flag came. The crowd booed and made their voices heard, clearly disagreeing with the no-call from the officials.

    It was fourth down. Coach Norman looked at Coach Long again, but Coach Long was already motioning for the punting team to get out there.

    ¡®I would¡¯ve gone for it, Coach.¡¯ Coach Norman said.

    ¡®Maybe I should¡¯ve. But I¡¯ll stick with my gut and trust our defence. Today¡¯ll be a low-scoring game.¡¯

    The ball was punted out of bounds within the Panthers¡¯ 15-yard line, and when it was their turn to attack, their offensive woes continued.

    They only got one first down before they had to punt again. They didn¡¯t try another counter from their Read Option, nor did Malik force another pass into Sean. But even when they only ran the ball up the middle or away from Ty and JJ, and even with a couple of short passes to other Receivers sprinkled in, they still couldn¡¯t get far at all.

    It wasn¡¯t long before they had to punt the ball away. Even so, they soon got it right back, as their defence tightened back up, and the Dons failed to break through.

    The struggles between both teams would continue throughout this first half, and neither team was able to pull away or get past those stalwart defences. After that first field goal, not another point was scored in the first half, and both teams went into the major break frustrated and tired.

    Coach Long was still yet to use the Jet Sweep, though even he was annoyed that they hadn¡¯t been able to break through the defence without it.

    Ty looked at the scoreboard. The Panthers were still at zero, which was the perfect result and something he hoped to see at the end of the game as well, but the Dons hadn¡¯t scored since that field goal right after his interception.

    ¡°Without those two they really are struggling¡­ I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have to do THIS much work myself¡­¡± But everything was fine. As long as that zero remained right where it was, it didn¡¯t matter how little his offence scored, they¡¯d still win.

    Cole was the most relieved when the long break came around. He guzzled down his Gatorade, and was panting the hardest. With the extra reps on defence, combined with how much punting there had been in the first half, he was feeling the burn. He couldn¡¯t remember the last time he¡¯d been worked this hard in a game, but he wasn¡¯t about to complain.

    ¡®Good work out there, boys,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®Defence, I can¡¯t ask any more from you. You shut them out in the first half, and even forced a turnover. All I want is for you boys to keep that up in the second half. Do that, and the win is ours.¡¯

    ¡®Good stuff hermanos, but don¡¯t get lazy now, the job¡¯s only half done.¡¯ JJ walked around the locker room, patting each of his fellow defenders on the back.

    ¡®Offence, you¡¯re doing great work too, just be patient, your time will come. This game will be decided on who can stay focused and keep pushing. Don¡¯t be the first ones to give up in the second half.¡¯

    ¡®Keep it up, don¡¯t stop giving your all,¡¯ Chris said, standing by the door and watching over all the boys.

    Coach Long smiled. ¡®Remember who you¡¯re doing this for. Bring it in.¡¯

    The team gathered around him, fists in the air.

    ¡®For family. One, two, three¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Family!¡¯

    The boys charged out of the locker room, rejuvenated and ready to take on the world in the second half.

    Coach Long pulled Coach Norman aside as the two jogged out behind the team. ¡®We¡¯ll do it for the first play, surprise them with the Jet Sweep. It¡¯s time to make a statement and blow this game open.¡¯

    Coach Norman grinned. ¡®Right away, Coach.¡¯

 Chapter 76: Sweep Them Off Their Feet

    Coach Norman stopped Cole just before he went out to receive the kickoff that would open the second half. ¡®Listen, don¡¯t expend too much energy here, if it¡¯s in the endzone, just take the knee. You¡¯ll need your legs for the opening play of our offence.¡¯

    Coach Norman saw the expectant and excited look on the boy¡¯s face and confirmed Cole¡¯s suspicions with a nod. Cole raced out into position, grinning under his helmet.

    He did catch the kick in the endzone, and he did indeed take a knee for a touchback instead of trying to run it out.

    His heart was thumping but he contained his giddiness as he lined up after hearing the play call in the huddle. Jay tapped his foot before the snap, and Cole started to jog towards him behind the O-Line.

    It wasn¡¯t the first time they¡¯d used this motion in the game, but nothing had come of it so far, and each time they¡¯d let Cole cross to the other side of the formation and settle back into his stance before snapping the ball.

    Not this time, however. Right as he was passing Jay, the ball was snapped and handed straight to him. Cole burst into a sprint, and left the defence behind as they were caught fully unaware and flat-footed.

    He raced into the secondary, and once there, he was dragged down but only after he¡¯d gained 23 yards.

    Chris cheered the loudest from the sidelines, and while coaches Norman and Long were both grinning after seeing the result, they had to admit they were a little disappointed because for a moment there it looked like Cole would take it to the house for a touchdown.

    Cole was also unhappy with the fact that he couldn¡¯t break away from that last tackle and keep going for the touchdown.

    Cameron and JJ pulled him up, the former smacking him repeatedly over the helmet. ¡®Damn! That¡¯s what we need, baby!¡¯

    ¡®Good work, hermano, let¡¯s keep it up.¡¯ JJ patted him on the back as they headed back to the huddle.

    Jay greeted them with a smile. ¡®Hey, way to use that speed. How you feeling?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m good. I feel great,¡¯ Cole said.

    Jay nodded. ¡®Good, good. Coach wants to feed the hot hand, so get ready for a deep shot. When I tap my foot this time you need to do the same, but turn back when you reach me, then it¡¯s just a straight sprint down the sideline.¡¯

    Cole nodded and moved back into position as the huddle broke away.

    Sean was fuming as he stood in front of Cole. ¡®What the hell, am I playing against a RB or what? You can¡¯t catch a pass so you¡¯re just gonna run away on the ground?¡¯

    Cole shrugged. ¡®We¡¯ll see.¡¯

    ¡®Fucking pussy.¡¯

    Jay tapped his foot again, and Cole motioned towards him. Sean followed along, hurrying ahead of him though he was stuck on the other side of the Line. But when Cole reached Jay he suddenly turned around and started running faster back to his original spot.

    Sean skidded for a moment and raced after him. The ball was snapped while they were both still running, and Cole had a clear lead on the hot-headed boy.

    Jay dropped back, a calm smile on his face. He looked towards Benny first, watching the large boy charge ahead and then break towards the outside, right under Cole¡¯s route. The Safety over to that side of the field stepped up, hesitating slightly. That was all Jay needed.

    He lobbed a deep bomb over the top. Cole still had a good few yards on Sean and the Safety. He turned around to catch the pass square on his chest, and he dragged his feet along the ground just before he fell out of bounds.

    This time it was a 30-yard gain, and the Dons were already in field goal range, nearing the red zone.

    Building off of this momentum, there was no time for the Panthers to recover as the Dons continued to force their way forward, soon finding themselves at the goal line.

    Again, Cole motioned across the field. Jay snapped the ball and made to hand it off to Cole on another Jet Sweep, but it was a masterfully constructed fake, and instead, he handed it off to JJ who bulldozed his way through the centre of the field and into the endzone for the touchdown.

    The crowd erupted in cheers as the first touchdown of the game was scored, and then was quickly converted with a successful kick for the extra point, pushing the Dons¡¯ lead out to 10¨C0.

    Even though JJ was the one to run the ball in for the score, he got up right away and gave the ball over to the real hero of the drive¡ªCole.

    Cole was breathing heavily as he sat down on the bench, showered in plenty of praise as he took a well-deserved, albeit brief rest.

    After the extra point, and another touchback, the Dons'' defence was back out on the field, Cole still breathing a bit hard as he lined up.

    Ty looked at the scoreboard, smirking as he stood in front of Sean. Now that the Dons had a two-possession lead, he felt a lot more comfortable, and he was glad that the offence was finally able to get going on its own.

    ¡°Maybe I won¡¯t need to score just so we win. Even if these losers somehow fluke their way into scoring we¡¯ll still be winning.¡± He looked the Panthers over, they seemed pissed about falling further behind, but also much too collected for Ty¡¯s liking. ¡®You know, as hard as it is, you¡¯re somehow a worse DB than Receiver. Congratulations.¡¯

    ¡®Shut up,¡¯ Sean snapped.

    Ty yawned dramatically. ¡®What¡¯s that? Sorry, I¡¯m falling asleep over here. Seeing as, you know, they¡¯re never going to throw the ball your way again.¡¯

    ¡®I said shut up! You don¡¯t know shit. You aren¡¯t the only ones hiding tricks up your sleeves.¡¯

    Ty was intrigued but had no time to ask what trick they might be hiding because the ball was snapped at that moment.

    Sean slammed into him. The two engaged in a harsh battle of strength and leverage. So far, nothing looked out of place. Malik was running towards Ty¡¯s side of the field, and it looked like their standard Read Option play. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re still hiding their tricks.¡±

    Ty brushed the block aside, and lunged toward Malik. It didn¡¯t even look like they were going to be trying their counter with Sean either.

    He rushed forward, having full faith in JJ that he¡¯d be able to cover the pitch out wide to Anthony. But that pitch never came.

    Instead, Malik raised up and flipped the ball over Ty¡¯s head just before Ty could tackle him.

    Ty steadied himself against Malik and whipped his head around, watching the ball drop into Sean¡¯s hands as he had leaked out downfield after he had let Ty get away from the block.

    No one was around Sean, and when he caught the ball, he spun around and sprinted away, bursting through the secondary.

    Thankfully, the Safety was able to make it over from the centre of the field and stopped Sean before he could run away for a touchdown untouched, but the Panthers had still gained 30 yards with their very first play of the second half.

    ¡®Fuck yeah! These bitches ain¡¯t shit, they can¡¯t hold us!¡¯ Malik cheered, making sure to give Ty a shove as he passed him and went to hype up Sean.

    ¡®These bitch ass motherfuckers.¡¯ Ty clenched his jaw tightly.

    When Sean sauntered back into position, he had the smuggest of grins. ¡®I can¡¯t wait to see the look on your face when we beat you.¡¯

    Ty flashed his sharp teeth with a snarl. ¡®You ain¡¯t beating shit. That was just ONE dirty play where you ran away from me, ¡®cause you KNOW you can¡¯t beat me straight up. I ain¡¯t losing to a scared bitch like you.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll see about that, won¡¯t we?¡¯

    ¡®Shut up and play.¡¯

    Having already crossed half field, the Panthers were reinvigorated, fully believing that they could turn things around in the second half, and just like the Dons, get their first touchdown with their first drive after the break.

    Anthony was running with greater speed and power now, and was able to break away from Cole and the other DB to the right side of the field, rushing ahead for an 11-yard gain.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡®Hey! Did you forget how to tackle?!¡¯ Coach Hoang yelled, storming along the sideline. ¡®The game¡¯s not finished! So stop acting like you¡¯ve already won and make the damn play!¡¯

    JJ pulled the huddle tighter together. ¡®Come on! Don¡¯t let these cabr¨®ns walk all over us now. Don¡¯t let all the hard work of the first half, and the touchdown our offence just scored go to waste. They¡¯re still the same team, we can still stop them!¡¯ He thrust his hand out in the middle of the huddle. ¡®Defence on three. One, two, three¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Defence!¡¯

    The crowd chanted ¡°Defence¡± trying to inspire the home team, but even so, the Panthers reached the goal line before the defence finally got their shit together and put up a fight.

    It came to a critical third down, with the Panthers knocking on the door of a touchdown, but they were yet to pull out the flip pass again even after running a few more Read Options towards Sean and Ty.

    As he stood opposite Sean, Ty¡¯s eyes were locked on Malik. Ty¡¯s feet were planted on the painted grass that marked the beginning of the endzone, but he never took his eyes off the QB.

    ¡°They¡¯re running this way. I know they are. Is he going to pass, or run it in himself? He could just dive into the endzone easily¡­ but he¡¯d have to get through me. But if I have to stay back to defend the pass he ¡­ no. He¡¯s going to pass. I know he will. He won¡¯t challenge me himself. He¡¯ll go for the pass, it¡¯s easier ¡­ that¡¯s what they think.¡±

    Ty stared Malik down as the ball was snapped, and the QB predictably came running this way. Ty slapped aside Sean¡¯s hands, and Sean was all too happy to slip away and find open space behind him to hunker down and wait for the pass.

    Ty hurried forward, eyes locked with Malik¡¯s. Malik hopped up, flicking the ball over the top towards Sean.

    Ty¡¯s arm shot up. Like a snake striking its prey, his hand swatted the ball deflecting it higher into the air. Ty jumped up while Sean and Malik were still stunned, he reached out with both hands and caught the wildly spinning ball.

    Malik snapped out of his shock and rushed forward, but was met with a hand in his face. His own arms swiped at the air as he couldn¡¯t stretch beyond Ty¡¯s long reach.

    He stumbled back and fell on his ass while Ty sprinted away.

    Sean leapt over Malik and chased after Ty, but he was too far behind him and Ty was too fast¡ªhe was gone.

    Ty sprinted away followed only by his teammates who were celebrating as they ran along with him. When Ty got to the Panthers¡¯ red zone he spun around, enthusiastically waving goodbye to his opponents. He crossed over into the endzone backwards, still waving.

    A yellow flag flew into the endzone as the officials signalled for the touchdown. The Dons would receive a penalty on their extra point attempt, but Ty didn¡¯t care. He was grinning from ear to ear, still staring at Malik.

    Ty walked back to his bench, watching the Panthers as they retreated to theirs. ¡®That¡¯s right, get off my field! Bye bye! You can go home now!¡¯

    An official came over to warn Ty that if he didn¡¯t stop he¡¯d be thrown out of the game, so he quieted down, laughing to himself. He couldn¡¯t stop grinning.

    The kick for the extra point sailed wide. Coach Hoang moved in front of Ty as he sat on the bench. ¡®Samuels. Get up and give me a lap of stair sprints, right now.¡¯

    Ty shook his head but stood up. ¡®It¡¯s just a point. And he¡¯s the one who missed. I just won us the game anyway.¡¯

    ¡®One point is all it takes to turn a victory into a defeat.¡¯

    Coach Long watched on with approval, but let Coach Hoang handle this matter.

    Ty narrowed his eyes but didn¡¯t say anything as he got started with his sprint up and down the stands, being cheered and praised on his journey, fans reaching out to smack him on the back as he passed by.

    The Panthers¡¯ kick return only got to the 18-yard line before it was stopped. Then their disheartened offence jogged out.

    They didn¡¯t stay on the field for long, however, three plays later they were punting the ball away.

    Cole was back for the return. He caught the ball, spun away from one defender and made his run, veering towards the sideline as he weaved through traffic.

    He was running on empty but continued to pump his legs as fast as he could. At the last moment, he tried to cut back inside to avoid a tackle but was hit hard.

    The ball was jarred loose and fell to the ground, but in the ensuing scramble for it, it was knocked out of bounds, and the Dons would maintain their possession.

    Cole was helped back to his feet, wincing. He huffed and puffed even harder, as if whatever little air he had before had been knocked right out of him. He staggered over to take his position as part of the offence.

    Coach Long watched with concern, and before calling the next play, had someone run out to replace Cole.

    Cole¡¯s shoulders slumped, and he was reluctant to leave the field. Coach Long ended up calling a timeout as the play clock was winding down.

    Cole dragged himself to the bench as the rest of the offence took a seat as well.

    ¡®Catch your breath, boys,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®You¡¯re doing well, just keep at it and let¡¯s put this game away for good. There¡¯s still plenty of time for them to come back so don¡¯t get sloppy now.¡¯

    He stepped in front of Cole who had been hunched over but instantly sat up straight in front of the coach. ¡®Yes, Coach?¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯ve been playing great, Cole. But I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve had a rest yet, have you? Aside from quarter-time and half-time, of course. Otherwise, you¡¯ve been out there for every snap on both sides of the ball, haven¡¯t you? You can sit this drive out, and you can stop worrying about returning punts and kicks.¡¯

    ¡®But Coach I can¡ª¡¯

    ¡®No buts.¡¯ Coach Long smiled and placed a comforting hand on the boy¡¯s shoulder. ¡®We asked a lot of you today and you¡¯ve more than stepped up to the plate. You deserve this little break, don¡¯t worry. The world won¡¯t end if you sit on the bench for a few plays.¡¯

    Cole lowered his head, nodding. Of course, the world wouldn¡¯t end just because he sat down for a few plays, and he decided it was also too arrogant to believe they¡¯d somehow lose from this position just because he was on the bench for a minute or two.

    However, the offence didn¡¯t get far without Cole, this drive, but it wasn¡¯t like they were passing much anyway. Already they had begun to drag out the plays and run down the clock with nothing but rushing attempts.

    They soon punted the ball back to the Panthers, but the Panthers'' offence was completely lacklustre.

    Malik was second-guessing every decision now, and couldn¡¯t run the Read Option at all. Sean wasn¡¯t even mad, and he didn¡¯t even ask for any passes anymore.

    Ty was loving it. He stood in silence, no longer taunting either boy, just relishing the moment. He breathed it in, soaking in the depression that the Panthers were sinking into faster and faster. ¡°This is what I live for. This right here. This is victory.¡±

    Anthony was the only one who seemingly hadn¡¯t given up hope. ¡®Just give me the fucking ball if you can¡¯t do anything with it then,¡¯ he shouted at Malik. But he couldn¡¯t do anything on his own, no matter how hard he fought against the Dons, their defence was too oppressive, and they hadn¡¯t eased off the gas at all.

    The score was 16¨C0 at the end of the third quarter, and that was where it stayed until the end of the game. Running out the clock was a formality by that point; the game was over as soon as Ty had returned that interception for a touchdown.

    Whilst the Dons played as if they had no intention of scoring since that touchdown, the Panthers never once even threatened the chance of a comeback.

    When the final whistle blew, the crowd once again burst into jubilant cheers, raining applause down on the victorious Dons who were elated to have broken their treacherous skid of two losses in a row.

    The teams lined up to shake hands after the game. Ty kept his hands in his pockets the whole time, only offering his sharp grin.

    Sean and Malik didn¡¯t even attempt to shake his hand, but Anthony, conversely, reached out and forcibly took Ty¡¯s hand from his pocket, shaking it roughly as he leaned against the smaller boy.

    ¡®We¡¯re gonna beat you next time and wipe that dumbass, smug grin off your face, you shitty little bitch. I¡¯ll see you in regionals.¡¯

    Ty laughed. ¡®Make sure your team doesn¡¯t piss their pants next time.¡¯ Ty waved goodbye, and Anthony flipped him off as they parted ways.

    The Dons made their way into the locker room¡ªJJ put Ty in a headlock and dragged him off the field before he could start more problems.

    Down in the locker room, after the boys had got most of their celebrating done, Coach Long stood in the centre of the room. ¡®Alright boys, settle down now. I know it feels good to win again, but let¡¯s calm it down for a moment. Music off, come on now.¡¯

    It still took nearly a minute for the room to go completely silent and for everyone¡¯s attention to turn towards Coach Long.

    ¡®Now, that was an exceptional performance from you all, and we can only win when we ALL play well together, so give yourselves a pat on the back first and foremost.¡¯ He paused to give themselves time to do so. ¡®But having said that, there are a few players today without which we couldn¡¯t have won.¡¯

    Ty was a little surprised to hear the words ¡°a few¡± but assumed the coach was only trying to be nice.

    ¡®Not enough can be said about Tyrese¡¯s performance. Another two picks, I think he¡¯s already got the school record for most in a season, and at this point, it¡¯s hard not to take them for granted, they seem to happen that much.¡¯

    Ty lowered his head, trying to hide his grin as he basked in the glory. He prepared himself to accept yet another game ball to add to his growing collection. It had been too long since he received one.

    ¡®But, who I really want to highlight today are three players who don¡¯t get enough love, and due to the absence of some of our regular starters had to step up big time. We wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it without them today, and I wish I had three balls to give out to them all, but I can¡¯t find any who are more deserving than Benny, Cameron, and Cole today.¡¯

    Clapping and a few whoops bounced around the room as the trio shyly accepted the praise. Chris and Stephen¡ªwho was also down in the locker room for the first time that night¡ªwent around ruffling their hair.

    Ty frowned deeply. ¡°What? We¡¯d have only scored one touchdown without me¡­ what did they do that was so great today? This is bullshit!¡±

    ¡®Oi, wipe that look off your face.¡¯ Coach Hoang said to Ty.

    Ty slowly relaxed, his scowl dropping away to his usual resting bitch face instead.

    ¡®Can¡¯t you be happy for your teammates? Or does winning only matter when you¡¯re the player who gets the most praise? Of course, you were the key to winning, but it¡¯ll get boring and only divide the team if you¡¯re the only one whose actions are praised.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s not ¡­¡¯

    But Coach Hoang was already moving away before Ty could rebuttal. He ground his teeth quietly. ¡°Bullshit! If they want a game ball they should just play well enough to earn it. The fuck is this handout bullshit?

    He was one of the first out of the locker room that night, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he stormed out into the chilly night; the stands were practically empty.

    Meg met him with a hug, squeezing him tight. ¡®Congratulations! That¡¯s more like it, isn¡¯t it? Those last two weeks were just flukes, you¡¯re still the best, big bro.¡¯

    ¡®Mm¡­ yeah, thanks.¡¯ Ty patted her back and then continued towards the car park. She took his hand, following by his side.

    Ty held on loosely as she squeezed and pressed close.

    Now that the euphoria and adrenaline had worn off, the win felt hollow. It wasn¡¯t because of the game ball snub either, but something else.

    There was still a fire burning within Ty. A fire of vengeance, with two names fuelling it:

    Marshall Ward, and Denzel Kingston.

 Chapter 77: Round Two

    Jackson and Tommy arrived at the Titans¡¯ homefield, just in time to catch both JV teams warming up before the start of the game.

    They had their choice of seating within the near-empty stands. They settled in a few rows back and waited for the action to begin.

    Without his cast, Jackson felt much more comfortable.

    ¡®ACP Knights. This is the second time you guys are playing them this season, right?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    ¡®Yeah, we lost the first time. On their home turf. Maybe things will be different this time now it¡¯s our home game.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll have to wait and see, ¡®cause I don¡¯t know. But I do know one thing, and that¡¯s the fact you¡¯d knock the socks off of ¡®em if YOU were out there playing right now.¡¯

    Jackson rubbed the back of his head, sighing. ¡®Yeah, maybe. But, I think they¡¯ll still be able to get it done without me. I trust them to be able to pull through, they¡¯ve been getting better.¡¯

    Down on the field, Kenny finished some extra stretches. His heart was pounding slow and heavy; they needed to avenge their loss, but now that they were into the back half of the season and starting the rematches, his focus was drifting to the game against the Coyotes and the promise that had been made.

    He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of any distractions. The captains made their way out to the centre of the field for the coin toss¡ªthe Knights won and elected to defer the opening kick.

    Coach Otsen brought the team together in a final huddle before kickoff. ¡®Get in here. Listen up. Don¡¯t be scared of them, you know who and what they are. Don¡¯t be worried about the past, just focus on the lessons you learned from that defeat. You¡¯re stronger now. I know you¡¯ve only been playing together for a little over a month, but you¡¯ve all grown so much in that time, you¡¯re a completely different team. Go out there and show them just how much you¡¯ve changed!¡¯

    ¡®MAXIMUM Growth!¡¯ Coach Vasquez cheered.

    ¡®Titans on one.¡¯ Coach Otsen held a strong fist in the air, it was soon flanked by just over a dozen more with all the players and the other coaches joining in.

    ¡®Three, two, one¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Titans!¡¯

    ¡®Let¡¯s kick some fucking ass!¡¯ Pete led the charge onto the field for the Titans.

    Kenny was on return duties and he brought the ball out to the 27-yard line to start things off. The Titans were fired up from the coach''s speech, and ready to make an impact during the beginning of this game.

    They charged out of the gates, led primarily by Kenny, however, it was a balanced attack between the air and ground. They raced down the field like they were in a hurry to get the game over with, and within a few minutes, they had opened the scoring, punching in a touchdown with a QB Sneak as Petey ploughed ahead behind the O-Line.

    ¡®Hell yeah!¡¯ Tommy cheered and applauded enthusiastically, even stuffing his fingers into his mouth to whistle loudly.

    ¡®Let¡¯s go Titans!¡¯ Jackson cried out. The two of them made the small crowd sound somewhat alive.

    ¡®Wooo!¡¯ The Titans were still pumped, getting around Petey, and celebrating with him. They looked over to the sideline, making sure that Coach Otsen wanted them to just go for the kick, and at the same time, they saw Coach Knight give them a look of approval and a thumbs up.

    Such a simple gesture fanned their fires into a frenzied storm.

    The kick for the extra point sailed through the uprights, and on the ensuing kickoff, they blitzed past the blockers and stopped the returner short at the 17-yard line, their adrenaline continuing to run high.

    Their first defensive drive was up next, and Coach Carson capitalised on the boys¡¯ exuding energy and brought tons of heat and pressure against the Knights.

    The Titans capped off the quick three-and-out with a huge sack, pushing the Knights back a further five yards before they had to punt.

    Kenny had another good return, gaining an extra 15 yards for the Titans on his runback this time. And when they took over for their second offensive drive, the wind was still in their sails, and they were overflowing with confidence and determination.

    Once again they began storming down the field, picking the defence apart as they ran the ball down their throats, or broke free of the aerial coverage and gained chunks of yardage at a time with precise passes.

    They were nearing the red zone in no time, looking for their second touchdown of the game. A Post route had been drawn up for Kenny, and while it might not get him into the endzone initially, Kenny himself, and his teammates were confident that he¡¯d be able to scramble in for a touchdown after the catch.

    ¡®Set. Hike!¡¯ Petey took the snap, dropping back. He kept his eyes away from Kenny¡¯s side of the field, not wanting to reveal their hand just yet.

    Kenny raced forward, fighting through the tight press coverage. He gritted his teeth, inwardly groaning about the DB having inside leverage against him.

    He got to the top of his route, stutter-stepped, and got the defender to lean towards the outside before he shrugged them off and cut inside instead, streaking diagonally across the field.

    He looked at Petey, and Petey looked at him.

    Petey swung his hips around and slung the ball out. As soon as it left his hand, his shoulders dropped¡ªhe¡¯d overthrown it.

    Kenny gave a half-hearted leap but didn¡¯t even reach for the ball it was that far above him. He turned, watching it whistle past his head. Well beyond him, the Safety in the back of the endzone stretched out, plucking the ball out of the air.

    They hit the ground safely, then dropped to a knee, opting for a touchback instead of trying to return their interception for a touchdown or extra yards.

    ¡®?Mierda!¡¯ Petey smothered his face with his hands, devolving into a slew of curses.

    The Titans stood around with their hands on their head. That interception was like a punch to the gut, right when they were ready to take a commanding, two-touchdown lead.

    ¡®Hey! It¡¯s alright! Just focus on defence! Don¡¯t let it discourage you!¡¯ Tommy shouted.

    Jackson looked at him then looked back down at the field. Kenny was moving around to each individual Titan, and Freddy as well. Jackson couldn¡¯t hear the words of encouragement they were passing on to their teammates, but he could see the positive effect it was having. They stood taller, shook off the cobwebs that were trying to hold them down and get them stuck on the interception, and they moved on to the next play.

    Coach Otsen watched closely from the sideline. He¡¯d drifted near to one of the officials, ready to call a timeout after the pick, but upon seeing the quick mental recovery the team made, he thought better of it.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡®Alright! It¡¯s just one mistake, it¡¯s okay. Let¡¯s play some defence and get the ball right back!¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®Yo, my bad, guys. Let¡¯s make up for it right now though, come on!¡¯ Petey said. He even gestured to the crowd, trying to get them more involved.

    Tommy laughed and started up a ¡°defence¡± chant, stomping his feet. Jackson joined in, stamping down with his good leg.

    ¡®Calm down! Let¡¯s take our time. We¡¯ve got this.¡¯ The Knights¡¯ QB kept a cool head, trying to keep things under control.

    The Titans'' overaggressive defence, with all their blitzing, was swiftly used against them. The Knights had adjusted quickly, and with their first couple of plays in this second drive, burnt them badly down the field for big gains.

    In fact, it didn¡¯t take them long at all to even up the score and run in a touchdown of their own after the interception.

    Coach Otsen cursed under his breath. ¡®Hey! Learn from that lesson! Don¡¯t forget what I taught you and what we¡¯ve been practising just ¡®cause you¡¯re getting excited! Lock in and focus up! Let¡¯s get this win!¡¯

    The minimal crowd was deflated after the Knights scored, and again the wind had been knocked out of the Titans¡¯ sails. Of course, things couldn¡¯t be so easy for them. They definitely had a game on their hands now, and from the looks of it, it was going to be a hard-fought battle that¡¯d come down to the wire.

    Both teams traded big plays, and big stops back and forth. Eventually, the end of the first half came around. The teams entered the break with the Knights having a slim lead of just a field goal, the score being 14¨C17 in their favour.

    The Titans took to the locker room, slightly disheartened, but still with a lot of fight left in them.

    Coach Otsen paced around the room. ¡®Hey, I liked that fire we came out with, but you got too cocky, too excited. They aren¡¯t going to roll over and die out there. No matter how badly you might want to win, you still have to EARN IT.¡¯

    All the boys sat with their heads held high, eyes locked on Coach Otsen. They were silent save for their panting breaths.

    ¡®Don¡¯t let them beat you down again. It¡¯s only a three-point lead, there¡¯s plenty of time to come back and win this. Get out there and show them who you are, show them your strength! Go regain your dignity and make them suffer the way we did!¡¯

    ¡®Come on, guys. We can¡¯t lose to the same team twice.¡¯ Even the sloth-like, perpetually calm Lonnie had been riled up by the circumstances. His gaze held a sharper edge.

    ¡®I won¡¯t let you down this time,¡¯ Freddy said.

    ¡®Hey. No one individual has EVER let this team down. We all work together. We win as a team, and we most certainly LOSE as a team. You¡¯re a band of brothers on and off the field, got it? Now give ¡®em hell!¡¯ Coach Otsen practically shoved the boys out of the locker room, sending them back out onto the field once the break was nearing its conclusion.

    The crowd was filling up slightly, and a more raucous reception welcomed them onto the field to get the game back underway.

    Once again, to start the second half, the Titans hit the ground running. They¡¯d adjusted their defence to not be SO aggressive and no longer left as many holes open to counterattack. They still managed to keep up the pressure, and almost with superior effort and energy alone, forced the Knights into another three-and-out to open the third quarter.

    It was also the Titans who claimed first blood in the second half, just like they had to open the game. They struck first with another touchdown and stole back the lead.

    But again, the Knights showed their resiliency and their ability to maintain their calm under duress. It wasn¡¯t long before they got the touchdown back and retook the lead.

    The second half would be a bit of a seesaw with momentum and the lead swinging back and forth.

    Both teams fought hard, but as their energy waned, the defences became looser and more easily exploited. As the fourth and final quarter was nearing its end, the Titans were still down three points, just like they had been at halftime, but now the score was 31-34.

    The Titans had the ball, beginning what would most likely be their final drive of the game, their last chance to earn victory.

    They struggled to get out of the gates for this most crucial drive, being pushed to fourth down right away, but Coach Otsen decided to go for it.

    On the most important play of the game, Kenny made a diving catch for the first down. His hip and knee hit the turf just before he fell out of bounds.

    ¡®Beautiful,¡¯ Tommy exclaimed; Jackson was speechless.

    This play seemed to kickstart the Titans and get them back on track. They brute-forced their way downfield, and with just under a minute left, they were right on the goal line.

    Coach Otsen used the last of their timeouts, just so he and Coach Knight could draw up a play that would be a surefire touchdown.

    Coach Vasquez pulled Freddy aside. ¡®Your job is of MAXIMUM importance, Freddy.¡¯

    ¡®M-Me?¡¯ Freddy gulped.

    Coach Vasquez grinned. ¡®Yes! But you can do it! I MAXIMUM believe in you.¡¯

    ¡®O-Okay.¡¯ A steely determination came over Freddy¡¯s eyes. He nodded and took deep breaths, listening to the plan.

    On the field, Kenny and Freddy were lined up side by side, about five yards from one another. Kenny was on the outside, Freddy more on the inside.

    They looked at one another and nodded.

    ¡®Set HIKE!¡¯ Petey took the ball, instantly looking towards the pair of Receivers as he took only a shallow drop back.

    Kenny sauntered only a few steps forward. Freddy bolted towards the outside, running past underneath him.

    ¡®Switch!¡¯ One of the defenders called, desperately waving his friend over to keep following Freddy who was rushing towards the back corner of the endzone.

    But, while they were caught up with this, Kenny took the moment to slip away from the crowd and break towards the middle of the field.

    Petey rose up and shot the ball in quick, hard, and low.

    Kenny dived, and wrapped his arms around the ball, crashing to the grass as he held it tight.

    Officials ran in, signalling the touchdown. The crowd, which had nearly filled out before the big game, erupted with cheers.

    ¡®That¡¯s what I¡¯m fucking talking about, Rook! What a great fucking catch!¡¯ Mickey screamed from the bench, all the varsity players now in attendance.

    Kenny popped up, all the boys getting around him, cheering loudly.

    ¡®Let¡¯s fucking goooooo!¡¯ Kenny hurled the ball into the stands, his adrenaline pumping at an all-time high. It was moments like these that he lived for, that made all the hard work, all the practice, EVERYTHING worth it.

    But the game wasn¡¯t over yet. There was still time on the clock, and they still had to kick the extra point.

    The kick soared wide, probably in large part due to all the excitement they were feeling about their last-minute comeback. And then it was time for kickoff, and their final stand on defence.

    After the touchback, the Knights took to the field, the usually calm QB looked jittery. All of them looked nervous¡ªnervous, desperate, and hungry. They wouldn¡¯t go down without a fight.

    ¡®Tight! Don¡¯t give them any room to breathe!¡¯ Coach Otsen ordered.

    Each DB pressed as close as they could to their man, and the D-Line all looked like sprinters in their starting blocks for a one-hundred-metre race. Lonnie was one of two Safties left back to cover any deep ball.

    ¡®HUT!¡¯ The field exploded into motion. Simultaneous battles erupted all across its width, and all appeared to be in a stalemate.

    Slowly, a weak point appeared.

    Freddy was locked in a duel with one of the Receivers, and while he did his best to keep his man in front of him, he slipped ever so slightly. He recovered quickly, but in the fast-paced world of a CB, a slip was all it took for you to lose your Receiver.

    Freddy chased after him but was stuck a step behind as the Receiver streaked out into the open field.

    The QB flung the ball out, lobbing it high and long; the ball veered towards the sideline in its flight.

    Freddy pumped his legs as hard as he could, but the Receiver was pulling further and further away from him. He couldn¡¯t catch up.

    Lonnie sprinted over with the last of his reserves, eyes locked on the ball.

    The Receiver looked back, his eyes too were glued on the ball. He stretched out, ready to make the catch.

    Lonnie slammed into him, knocking the Receiver to the floor. Lonnie¡¯s feet stomped against the grass several times as he tried to control himself after the collision, running out of bounds out of control only stopping when he ran into the solid wall that was Shane.

    Shane caught him, held him up, and looked down at him with a smile.

    Lonnie panted hard, looking up at Shane, those steady hands on his shoulders calmed him down. His eyes drifted down, falling on the ball cradled in his arms.

    ¡®Good catch,¡¯ Shane said.

    The roar of the crowd was deafening. A grin spread across Lonnie¡¯s face. He whirled around and held the ball aloft as if it was the greatest prize he¡¯d ever held. ¡®YEAAAAH!¡¯

    His teammates swarmed him, jumping all over him as they congratulated him and celebrated their victory that was sealed by his interception.

    The entire crowd was on their feet, Jackson would¡¯ve been the only one still sitting down. But that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t moved. He was probably the most awed by what he¡¯d just seen.

    Jackson felt a fire surge up within him. He wanted to be out there, in the midst of the celebration. He wanted to be the one to snag the go-ahead touchdown, or to secure the game-ending interception. They¡¯d accept him if he did that, they¡¯d have to, injury be damned.

 Chapter 78: Unexpected Spectator

    All the Titans had to do after that, was kneel with the ball and run out the rest of the clock¡ªtheir victory was assured.

    When the game was officially over and the timer hit zero, the celebrations began in earnest. The crowd showered the players with applause and even the varsity team got around their juniors and congratulated the JV team on their win.

    Lonnie, Petey, and Kenny were seen as the saviours of the game. When they made it to the locker room, even Coach Otsen struggled to get the boys under control.

    ¡®Alright, settle down, settle down. I know it feels good to get a win over a team that beat you before, but it¡¯s just one game after all, calm down boys. We¡¯ve got another one coming next week.¡¯

    The chatter slowly died down.

    ¡®That¡¯s not to say that I¡¯m not proud of you and the way you performed today. You were all incredible. You all deserve your flowers, but, the man of the hour is the man who secured our victory today and ended the game. There¡¯s only one game ball,¡¯ he held it aloft, ¡®and that ball goes to none other than Lonnie. Get up here.¡¯

    Cheers picked up once again as Lonnie stood and ambled over to Coach Otsen. He took the game ball, a little embarrassed to be in the limelight, then he shuffled back to his locker and sat back down.

    ¡®Now get your asses home safely and I¡¯ll see you all at practice on Monday.¡¯

    ¡®Yes Coach!¡¯

    Outside in the stands, the atmosphere was still electric, the crowd riding their high as they sat in anticipation for the varsity game.

    Jackson sat alone, Tommy having gone off to get them food in between the games.

    ¡®Is this spot taken?¡¯

    Jackson almost jumped out of his seat when he heard Jasmine¡¯s voice. He looked up and saw her standing there, grinning at him. She was always surprising him.

    ¡®Hehe. Sorry, did I sneak up on ya?¡¯

    ¡®Uh, no I was just, spacing out, uh, th-the seat isn¡¯t taken so um, b-be my guest.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ She sat down next to him.

    Jackson gawked at her. Seeing her turn up here had totally stunned him.

    ¡®Hm? Who¡¯s this?¡¯ Tommy said, having returned with a couple of hotdogs. He looked from Jackson to Jasmine and back again. Jackson looked as if he hadn¡¯t registered the fact that his brother had returned so Tommy spoke up again. ¡®Jackson!¡¯

    He snapped out of it.

    ¡®Aren¡¯t you going to introduce us?¡¯

    ¡®Oh r-right, sorry.¡¯

    Jasmine giggled.

    ¡®Um, th-this is Jasmine, she goes to my school, and uh, Jasmine, this is Tommy, my older brother.¡¯

    ¡®Nice to meet you,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®Hehe, same.¡¯ Jasmine grinned up at him.

    ¡®Ah sorry. Here you go, bro.¡¯ Tommy passed off one of the hotdogs and then wiped off his now free hand before extending it towards Jasmine. She shook it firmly. ¡®Sorry I didn¡¯t get you a dog, didn¡¯t think we¡¯d have guests.¡¯

    ¡®Oh no, you¡¯re fine. I ate before I left.¡¯

    Tommy shuffled past and took his seat. ¡®Did you just get here?¡¯

    ¡®Yep.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s a shame, you missed a hell of a game, didn¡¯t she, bro?¡¯

    ¡®Huh? Oh y-yeah, the game just now was incredible.¡¯

    ¡®Hm? I thought the game hadn¡¯t started yet?¡¯

    ¡®Ohh no, no the JV teams just played each other, the varsity game is about to start soon, but, before that, there¡¯s always a JV game.¡¯

    ¡®Ohhh.¡¯ She nodded. ¡®No wonder the place feels so pumped up. Oh man, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know there were gonna be two games, I just heard about the varsity game. I would¡¯ve liked to have seen it.¡¯

    ¡®You would¡¯ve loved it,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®Heh, I bet. But hey, I¡¯m pretty excited for the game I will get to watch, if the first one was anything to go by, this should be awesome!¡¯

    ¡®Haha, definitely. I¡¯ve only seen this team play a few games but it¡¯s always great to watch them play.¡¯

    ¡®Mm¡­ it is,¡¯ Jackson said, ¡®but, it probably won¡¯t be as exciting as the JV game. See, our Varsity team is undefeated so far, and they¡¯ve already beaten this team. It¡¯ll probably be another easy win for them.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, the JV team had already been beaten and they just came out today and avenged that loss. The same thing can happen with the varsity teams.¡¯

    ¡®Well, either way, I¡¯m still excited, and I mean, maybe they won¡¯t be able to handle the pressure of keeping their streak alive, you never know until you find out.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, that¡¯s true. I-I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be good.¡¯

    Jasmine smiled, settling into her seat more comfortably.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Kenny emerged from the locker room and made his way over to the stands. He scanned them as he made his way up the steps and his eyes soon found his parents, but they also found Jackson and the others as well. He made his way towards Jackson and co first. ¡®Yo.¡¯

    They looked over at him. ¡®Hi, Ken.¡¯ Jasmine waved.

    ¡®¡¯Sup, Kenny? You were awesome out there.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll say, some of those catches you made were incredible, especially coming from a freshman.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met.¡¯ He stuck his hand out to Tommy.

    Tommy clasped it firmly. ¡®Tommy. I¡¯m Jackson¡¯s brother.¡¯

    ¡®Nice to meet you, Tommy. I¡¯m Ken, but you can call me Kenny.¡¯

    ¡®Nice meeting you too, Kenny.¡¯

    Kenny stayed standing. ¡®So you guys saw the game? Was pretty good, huh?¡¯

    ¡®I didn¡¯t.¡¯ Jasmine pouted. ¡®Sorry.¡¯

    ¡®Oh ¡­ nah, it¡¯s cool. I mean, I know everyone comes here for the big boys anyway.¡¯

    ¡®You guys definitely stole the show though,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Hah, thanks, man.¡¯

    ¡®Everyone who missed it really missed out.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m right here ¡­¡¯ Jasmine pouted more.

    ¡®Ah! No, I didn¡¯t mean it like¡­ I¡¯m sure this next game is gonna be awesome too.¡¯

    She burst out in laughter. ¡®I¡¯m just messing with you, I know it¡¯ll be great, even if it¡¯s super one-sided I¡¯ll probably enjoy it.¡¯

    Kenny looked over to where his parents were sitting. They looked impatient and miserable now that he wasn¡¯t playing. He sighed and hung his head back. Then an idea came to him. He looked at Tommy.

    ¡®Hey, you drove here?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡¯

    ¡®Do you think it¡¯d be alright if I caught a ride home with you guys tonight? I mean, my parents are just over there,¡¯ he pointed with his chin, ¡®but they aren¡¯t really the biggest football fans and only watch ¡®cause they feel they¡¯ve gotta support me and stuff. I know they¡¯d rather get home ASAP but uh, I wanna watch the varsity game so if you could take me home later, well we¡¯d get the best of both worlds right?¡¯

    Tommy listened intently as Kenny made his case. He looked where Kenny said his parents were sitting. Then he stood up. ¡®I don¡¯t mind taking you home later, but only if it¡¯s alright with your folks, too. Let¡¯s go say hello to them, I should probably introduce myself rather than be a total stranger that they might leave their kid with.¡¯

    ¡®Alright, that makes sense.¡¯ Kenny started leaving the way over.

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t take long¡ªthe game¡¯s about to start,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Yeah don¡¯t worry about it, we won¡¯t be long, and we can still watch from over there.¡¯ Tommy and Kenny moved away, leaving Jackson and Jasmine alone for the moment.

    Jackson looked across at her and she smiled at him¡ªhis gaze quickly darted down to the field where the captains were gathering in the centre for the coin toss.

    The Titans won this toss, however, Coach Otsen thought it was best to try and capitalise on the crowd, betting that they were still fired up from the finish of the previous game, and use that added momentum to give the offence an extra boost.

    If they could score a touchdown to open the game, they might just win it off that one drive, he thought.

    So the Titans elected to receive. The kickoff ended in a touchback as it was booted out of the back of the endzone (Jackson had to explain that the kicking team didn¡¯t get anything for that and it just meant the offence would start with the ball at the 25-yard line), and soon the game got properly underway.

    To start the game off, the Knights had two men marking Shane at all times. But the Titans weren¡¯t worried about that; the best way to use momentum as a driving force in football was to run the ball down your opponent¡¯s throat.

    Mickey was the focal point of the Titans¡¯ attack for the opening drive. He sliced the defence apart on the ground or rammed right through them. And thanks to their usage of the Read Option (the handoff variety), Wesley had his fair share of yards on the ground as well.

    Throughout the opening drive, Jackson would explain the plays and strategies behind them to Jasmine, and would answer any question she had about the game, being much more comfortable when football was the topic of discussion.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the Titans to find themselves within the red zone, and then shortly after that, knocking on the door of the endzone as well.

    Unfortunately, their touchdown was prevented for the moment when Mickey was stuffed right at the 1-yard line. Even as he powered ahead and pumped those legs as hard as he could, twisting and turning, he couldn¡¯t push past that final yard, and was driven into the turf.

    They still had more chances, as it was only 2nd down after that, so they were still in high spirits. Mickey was helped back to his feet and they set up again.

    For the next play, they tried the Option again. Wesley kept the ball, however, the defender who came unblocked had eyes only for Wesley and wrapped him up before he could go anywhere, whilst Mickey walked into the endzone without the ball.

    On the sidelines, Coach Otsen cursed loudly, stomping up and down. He turned to Coach Knight, verbalising his thoughts and rage over that mistake with a short rant. Coach Knight stood there in silence, occasionally nodding his head.

    On 3rd down, they tried to score through the air. Wesley scanned the field after a shallow dropback. Of course, Shane was smothered by two defenders, even Mickey was covered as he streaked out to the flat.

    Wesley only just saw an open man out of the corner of his eye, right as a defender broke free from their block and charged towards him. He tucked the ball close to his chest and went down, electing to go for safety rather than risk fumbling during the hit.

    The Knights had made their goal line stand and kept the Titans out of the endzone¡ªthey would be forced to go for the field goal.

    Coach Otsen was fuming now. ¡®Wesley!¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, yeah. I fucked up, I know! My bad¡­ we still got the fucking points at least.¡¯

    Coach Otsen glared at him. ¡®Sit your ass down and replay those downs over and over in your head until you learn from the mistakes you made. That¡¯s four points you left out there on the field. That¡¯s four extra laps for you during the next practice!¡¯

    Wesley grumbled but took his seat.

    The field goal went through the uprights and the Titans scored first, taking a 3¨C0 lead.

    ¡®Why do they all look so upset? They just scored, didn¡¯t they?¡¯ Jasmine leaned closer to Jackson.

    ¡®Well, yeah, they did but, they could¡¯ve got more points with a touchdown, so they¡¯re just upset at themselves for messing up.¡¯

    ¡®But they still scored. How can you be upset at points?¡¯

    ¡®Uhh¡­ I mean, four points can mean a lot in the long run. You always want the most out of a drive.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, I guess. Still shouldn¡¯t be mad at scoring, no matter how little it is.¡¯

    ¡®Hah ¡­ yeah I guess.¡¯

    ¡®Look out, we might have a game on our hands after all,¡¯ Tommy said. He and Kenny had returned. ¡®That was a pretty important stop, with the momentum swing that¡¯ll come after it, who knows what might happen.¡¯

    Jasmine seemed excited. She looked at Kenny with a grin. ¡®What¡¯d your mom and dad say?¡¯

    He sat down with them and Tommy took his seat again. ¡®They¡¯re cool with it. It¡¯s just a ride home. Hah, I think they were just happy that I wasn''t forcing them to stay.¡¯ He turned his attention to the field. ¡®I don¡¯t wanna miss this game. I need to see how Shane shakes off that double team.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s IF he can,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®These teams have already played. Maybe during the time between now and the last game, they came up with a way to shut him down.¡¯

    ¡®The Knights were the closest to beating us. We only won last time because of a game-winning touchdown from Shane right at the end of the game. If they shut him down¡­ we¡¯ll lose.¡¯

    Jackson looked at Shane as he stood on the field. He stood tall and proud, the epitome of a Titan. Yet, he hadn¡¯t touched the ball in that opening drive, and he still had to play on defence too ¡­ what if the Knights had found a way to nullify him there as well?

 Chapter 79: Resiliency

    It definitely looked like the Knights had been working on a plan for their offence to get around the Titans¡¯ stalwart defence led by Shane who¡ªin his MLB position¡ªwas one of the pillars of the Titans¡¯ defence.

    First up, they went with a powerful run to the inside. This was helped further by the Guard on the opposite end of the O-Line ¡°Pulling¡±, meaning that he left his usual position as soon as the ball was snapped and ran out to be the lead blocker for the RB, while the rest of the O-Line shifted over to cover for him.

    The Guard ran through the hole that had opened up in the Line, and met Shane head-on as he crashed down to try and stop the run early, just like the Knights had drawn it up.

    But what they hadn¡¯t expected was for Shane to overpower the Guard and burst through the block. While the RB did gain some yards, it was only two, and it dealt a great blow to the Knights¡¯ confidence in their run game. After all, if the Titans stopped it that easily the first time they saw it, it¡¯d only get worse the more they tried it.

    That wasn¡¯t the only contingency they had for Shane, however. Next, they went to the air where the Knights had two Receivers run a Mesh route together, as they both ran shallow routes across the field just beyond the Line of Scrimmage, named for the ¡°mesh¡± point, where their paths would cross over.

    With Shane positioned in the middle of the field for defence against passes, if he stepped down and followed one of the receivers, the other would be open no matter which way he chose.

    AND, there was a hidden dagger to this play, that¡¯d slip into the Titans¡¯ unsuspecting backs. Another receiver would be running a deep IN route, just beyond where Shane and any other low zones would be, and in front of the Safeties deep over the top.

    If both underneath routes were somehow covered, then the ¡°dagger¡± above them would sink in behind the lower defenders and be open.

    While the Knights might¡¯ve been stifled on the ground, they picked up yards quickly through the air. Tommy sat back with a grin, watching the offence flow; he couldn¡¯t help but admire it.

    ¡®Hah, see that?¡¯ He turned to Jackson. ¡®Sometimes we¡¯re really lucky as Receivers, because the coaches and playcalling can make our jobs so much easier.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, it doesn¡¯t matter how clever and tricky they might think they are, we¡¯ll still stop them and win,¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®Hahah, of course, I¡¯m not rooting for the Knights, just appreciating good offence when I see it. You play defence as well, don¡¯t you, Kenny? What would you try to stop that play just now?¡¯

    Kenny was quiet as he thought about it for a moment. ¡®The CBs need to jam the Receivers and keep inside leverage for the mesh¡­ and you could have one of the Lineman drop back into a really low zone over the middle too. Then the LBs just need to pass off the crossing Receivers, focus on covering a specific side of the field rather than a specific player.¡¯

    Tommy nodded. ¡®Then what about the Dagger?¡¯

    ¡®Cover Three?¡¯ Jackson suggested. When Tommy looked at him as if he wanted him to explain himself, Jackson did so. ¡®Well, if you have two DBs drop back into deep zones down the sidelines, then you could have one Safety over the middle to cover the Dagger.¡¯

    Tommy grinned. ¡®You could, and then what happens when another Receiver runs a Post route? Or, even when they¡¯re getting jammed at the line, instead of going inside for the mesh, they counter to the sideline? That¡¯s the beautiful thing about football, it¡¯s all about reacting and countering what your opponent is doing. Even route running and defending against Receivers is just a miniature, contained version of that same principle. You watch what your direct opponent is doing, and you react with the counter.¡¯

    ¡®I didn¡¯t realise so much thought and strategy goes into it. It¡¯s like¡­ chess in a way,¡¯ Jasmine said.

    ¡®Hahah, yeah, it¡¯s a far cry from the mindless affair that the dumb high school jock trope might make it out to be. It¡¯s a really beautiful sport.¡¯

    Just as Tommy was saying that, a Knights Receiver caught a pass over the middle of the field, and the moment he caught the ball, before his feet could even touch the ground again, he was laid out with a big hit¡ªthe impact was audible even up in the stands.

    The crowd gasped and winced, but the boy had held onto the ball and secured the catch. He was helped up by his teammates, and while he did move over to the bench to sit out, he appeared to be mostly alright, even if he was winded after the collision.

    ¡®And of course, you can have all the strategy you want, but if there¡¯s too much of a physical difference, well ¡­ you can¡¯t strategise for that.¡¯

    The Knights had been moving the ball decently well, slowly but surely picking their way downfield with their Mesh and Dagger, runs to the outside, and play action passes to mix things up as well.

    However, the Titans rapidly made adjustments, Coach Carson barked orders from the sideline, and Shane was one of the voices that repeated them out on the field.

    The Titans eventually shut the Knights down, but not before they¡¯d gotten into field goal range.

    The kick was good, and like that, the score had been evened up at 3¨C3 as the Knights ended their first drive with a field goal, just like the Titans had.

    During the downtime after scoring and the ensuing kickoff being set up, Jasmine looked at Tommy. ¡®I like your shirt.¡¯

    Tommy blinked and then looked down at the Korn memorabilia he was wearing. ¡®Oh, thanks. They¡¯d have to be my favourite band.¡¯

    ¡®Niiice. Yeah, they¡¯re pretty good, but I like Slipknot better.¡¯

    ¡®True! Slipknot is a little better,¡¯ Jackson said.

    Tommy shot him a look and then nudged him. ¡®You¡¯re just saying that because she did.¡¯

    ¡®N-No! I mean it.¡¯

    Jasmine laughed. ¡®Oh man, it¡¯d be soo cool to start a band like that though, but I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve never known anyone else who was interested.¡¯

    ¡®You can play? I¡¯m no good at that music stuff, definitely just a listener,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®I can play guitar, although, I¡¯m not that good right now, but you know, gotta start somewhere.¡¯ She shrugged.

    ¡®Whoa, that¡¯s cool,¡¯ Jackson said.

    She smiled. ¡®You play?¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, n-not really, I mean, learning to play drums would be cool but I¡¯ve just ¡­ focused on other stuff.¡¯

    She nods. ¡®Fair enough.¡¯ She turned to Kenny. ¡®What about you?¡¯

    ¡®Huh? Oh, I¡¯m not really into metal ¡­ and no I don¡¯t know how to play the piano or the violin or anything like that.¡¯

    ¡®So what music do you listen to?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    ¡®Rap mostly. But not any of that mumble crap, only real rap like Eminem, Logic, Joyner, and NF.¡¯

    ¡®Ohh, I love Em.¡¯ Tommy grinned.

    ¡®Yeaaah, but Kendrick solos,¡¯ Jasmine says.

    ¡®Yeah, he¡¯s pretty good too, just never got into him as much,¡¯ Kenny says.

    ¡®Um, you seem to really like music, Jasmine. Why don¡¯t you make that your major? Or uh, go to some art school instead of psychology?¡¯ Jackson asked.

    ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ She rested her cheek on her hand as she turned her gaze towards the field of play. ¡®I¡¯m not sure. I mean, it¡¯s more of a hobby, and I guess psychology will be a more guaranteed career path. Plus, I do enjoy it and want to help people, don¡¯t get me wrong. But who knows, maybe I will switch to focusing on music, maybe I¡¯ll do both. That¡¯s the good thing about preparing early and giving all this stuff some thought, by the time it comes around to graduate, I¡¯ll know exactly what I want to do.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s a great mindset to have,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®Speaking of college, have you boys thought about what you¡¯re doing for it? Outside of football, of course, because even when you¡¯re an athlete, it''s still important to have a major that you¡¯re passionate about. I mean, I¡¯m doing sociology, but, either way, I¡¯ll probably go into coaching after I graduate.¡¯

    ¡®You mean after your NFL career,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Hahaha ¡­ yeah, totally.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s brow furrowed as he watched his older brother¡¯s expression sadden.

    ¡®Hey, your turn to fess up, what are those majors gonna be?¡¯ Jasmine asked.

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    ¡®Well, outside of football, I like art and drawing ¡­ NOT just because of manga.¡¯ Kenny waved an accusing finger around. ¡®So, maybe something to do with graphic design or animating. I don¡¯t know, I haven¡¯t really thought about it much.¡¯

    Jackson was quiet for longer and everyone gave him time to think. ¡®I''ve only ever thought about football. So, whether I make the NFL or not¡ª¡¯

    ¡®You definitely will,¡¯ Tommy interjected.

    Jackson smiled slightly. ¡®Right, but, even if I don¡¯t, I¡¯d like to do something football-related, whether it''s coaching, or even just broadcasting, or anything.¡¯

    ¡®Heh, it sounds like you both have the same goal and a backup in place. But yeah, you guys have tons of time to worry about college crap.¡¯

    ¡®What about you, Jasmine? How much time do you have?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    ¡®Oh me? I¡¯ve still got plenty of time too, I guess. I¡¯m still only a sophomore.¡¯

    ¡®Ahhh. You sure are organised to be worrying about college at that age. I didn¡¯t even know what I was going to major in during my senior year, hahah!¡¯

    The game continued, and throughout the rest of the 1st quarter, it had turned into a much more defensive game with neither team able to break through, right until the final minute of the quarter, where the Titans were able to charge into the endzone, thanks to strong run from Mickey.

    In the second quarter, only another set of field goals were kicked by either team, and so they went into the break with a score of 13¨C6 in the Titans¡¯ favour.

    Even with the Knights being able to shut down Shane offensively¡ªthrough the first half he¡¯d only been able to catch one pass for only 7 yards¡ªthey were still on the back foot. The Titans proved that they weren¡¯t just a one-man team.

    Between the break, the group of four continued to happily chat amongst themselves. They prodded Kenny more on what exactly he liked to draw, and while he did say that he enjoyed comic books and their style, he mainly did doodles of monsters and horrific abominations, enjoying the challenge of trying to put a form on fear and the freedom that came with it.

    While Tommy also¡ªunsuccessfully¡ªattempted to get Jackson to show off his ¡°beautiful singing voice¡± as part of his tryout to be the lead singer of whatever band Jasmine eventually made.

    Jackson eventually settled on the excuse that he couldn¡¯t be the singer because that should be Jasmine¡¯s job, and that there aren¡¯t enough metal bands with female leads. He even said that he bet her voice was the beautiful one.

    At which, her cheeks darkened slightly and she said that maybe she¡¯d sing for them one day.

    Jackson thought he¡¯d like that, and couldn¡¯t wait for the eventual day.

    When the teams took to the field again and play resumed in the second half, however, the Knights came out with a point to prove and were determined to not let this chance slip away from them.

    They received the ball to start and they came out swinging, forcing their way downfield with big play after big play, and eventually, with a fade to the back corner of the endzone, they were able to score their first touchdown of the game.

    Jasmine booed loudly as the extra point was successful and the game was once again tied up.

    Momentum seemed to be on the Knights¡¯ side, and the second half looked to be slipping out of control for the Titans, especially when their first drive after the break ended in a quick three-and-out. Soon the Knights¡¯ offence was back out onto the field to potentially take the lead.

    Shane had gotten another catch during the Titans'' drive, but he only gained two yards as his two defenders swiftly brought him down.

    When he made his way out onto the field for defence again, he was as stoic as ever, however, a chill air exuded from him as he pulled his gloves down tighter over his clenched fists.

    The Knights looked to build off the momentum they had; they went for their Mesh Dagger combo play once more.

    The Safeties for the Titans were playing up a little closer now, and so there was less room for the Dagger to work with, meaning they had to make their route a little shallower too.

    It was this fact, and a slightly underthrown ball that led to the interception.

    Again, it seemed like the play had worked perfectly, with the LBs creeping up to deal with the Mesh routes, while the Dagger snuck in behind. Yet when the QB released the ball, Shane rose up, seemingly, from out of thin air, and snagged the ball before it had a chance to get to its intended Receiver.

    The crowd erupted with cheers¡ªJackson and co being amongst the loudest supporters¡ªand the momentum had switched in the blink of an eye.

    The Titans'' offence took over near half field, and it only took them three plays to get another touchdown. All three plays were passes to Shane, and each catch resulted in 15 yards or more.

    The first half of the game, he¡¯d been studying his two opponents, watching them and how they worked in tandem to cover him, and he¡¯d realised some things. One, the smaller of the two was eager to bite on feints, ESPECIALLY towards the outside of the field. And two, the larger defender, whilst near the same height as Shane, couldn¡¯t jump nearly as well as him.

    For the touchdown catch, Shane used a shimmy to the outside to get the smaller defender to bite, then left him behind as he turned upfield instead. Then it came down to a one-on-one aerial battle with the other defender, and Shane was confident there wasn¡¯t any high schooler in the state that could hang with him in an aerial duel. He flew into the sky with one hand extended and plucked the ball from the air as simply as picking an apple from a tree.

    That was the turning point of the game, and the Titans never looked back after that touchdown.

    The Knights managed to squeeze in another field goal before the end of the game, but things were finished off when Shane caught another touchdown with only three minutes to go in the 4th quarter.

    The game ended with a final score of 27¨C16 as the Titans made a statement to the rest of the division that they wouldn¡¯t take things easy just because they had already beaten everyone.

    ¡®Wooo! Oh my god! That was awesome. Are they all like this?¡¯ Jasmine seemed ecstatic after the end of her first game.

    ¡®They can be, they can be a lot closer too, or a lot more of a blowout. Like I said, the game before this one was incredible, you would¡¯ve lost your mind if you saw it.¡¯

    ¡®Heh, well I¡¯ll definitely have to get here earlier next time to check it out.¡¯ She smiled at Kenny.

    ¡®O-Oh! Uhh, well actually, I think we¡¯ve got an away game next, but yeah, we¡¯ll definitely let you know when the next home game is coming up.¡¯

    ¡®Well, Jackson¡¯s got my number, so, I¡¯m sure he can let me know.¡¯

    Tommy raised a brow. Jackson blushed and quickly looked away, rubbing his cheek. ¡®Yeah, yeah, of course. I¡¯d be happy to.¡¯

    ¡®Heh, awesome. But, I¡¯ll see you guys at school.¡¯

    ¡®You sure you don¡¯t need a ride?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    ¡®Nah, my parents dropped me off and they¡¯ll pick me up too, thanks for the offer though.¡¯

    ¡®Alright, well it was nice meeting you, Jasmine.¡¯

    ¡®Hehe, same. See you guys.¡¯ She walked away, waving goodbye.

    They all waved back, and then when she was out of sight, Tommy punched Jackson¡¯s arm. ¡®You didn¡¯t tell me you had her number. So is she your girl then?¡¯

    ¡®Wh-What? N-No it¡¯s not like that¡­¡¯

    ¡®What, don¡¯t you like her?¡¯

    ¡®I do! ¡­¡¯

    Tommy laughed and Jackson¡¯s face went bright red. He groaned and hid his blush in his hands. ¡®Can we go home now.¡¯

    ¡®Alright, alright.¡¯

    As they made their way to the car park (slowly thanks to Jackson¡¯s crutches), Kenny quietly said to Jackson: ¡®Dude, you should ask her out.¡¯

    ¡®Uhh¡­ I mean, I don¡¯t want to ruin things between us¡­ what if she says no?¡¯

    ¡®So what?¡¯

    ¡®Well, then it¡¯ll be super awkward and we won¡¯t be able to be friends! Uhh, b-besides, I can¡¯t¡­ not while I¡¯m still like this.¡¯ He gestured to his crutches.

    ¡®Hmmm, then as soon as you get rid of those annoying things, go for it.¡¯

    ¡®M-Maybe¡­¡¯

    ¡®Dude! If you don¡¯t make your move, someone else will and you¡¯ll miss your chance! She¡¯s awesome and I bet she gets asked out all the time, one day she¡¯s gonna say yes.¡¯

    ¡®I-I¡¯ll think about it.¡¯

    ¡®Dude¡­¡¯ Kenny rolled his eyes.

    Tommy smirked but didn¡¯t pry into the conversation.

    On the way to Kenny¡¯s house, the three listened to some old Eminem songs, rapping along to them. Through the drive, however, Kenny¡¯s eyes would dart over to Jackson and his leg.

    When they got to Kenny¡¯s house, it was a modest, cosy, little two-bedroom place within a quiet neighbourhood, nothing exciting but nothing to complain about.

    Before Kenny got out, he thanked Tommy then looked at Jackson. ¡®Yo, dude, walk me to the door.¡¯

    Jackson scoffed. ¡®What¡¯s the matter? Scared of the dark? C¡¯mon, it¡¯s right there, and I¡¯m on crutches here.¡¯

    ¡®DUDE. Just come walk with me for a sec.¡¯

    Jackson frowned as he looked back at Kenny, trying to figure out what was so urgent and important. ¡®Uhh, alright.¡¯

    Jackson and Kenny both got out of the car and slowly made their way over to Kenny¡¯s front door, but Kenny made no move to open it. He turned and looked at Jackson.

    ¡®Uhh, you okay?¡¯ Jackson shifted on the spot.

    ¡®Why don¡¯t you tell me what really happened with your leg? I want to hear the REAL story.¡¯

    Jackson gulped. He started to sweat even though it was a chilly autumn night. ¡®Uhh, what are you talking about? I have told you the story.¡¯

    ¡®Dude.¡¯ Kenny looked at him sympathetically. ¡®I¡¯ve seen the way you act whenever someone brings it up, the way you get when you say it was ¡°just an accident¡± ¡­ you can tell me.¡¯

    Jackson was unable to meet Kenny¡¯s gaze. He sighed loudly. And then he confessed. He told Kenny the real story behind his ¡°accident¡±, how his leg came to be broken, and why he did what he did. He shared how he felt throughout it all, however, he omitted the event that caused him to start feeling that way.

    Kenny stayed quiet, staring at Jackson. Jackson couldn¡¯t read his expression, but he was sure Kenny hated him now. He flinched slightly when Kenny reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, expecting a punch.

    He opened his eyes and relaxed after the punch never came, and that was when Kenny headbutted him.

    Both boys groaned and winced with pain, but Kenny didn¡¯t let go, and he didn¡¯t pull his head back from Jackson¡¯s, he kept their foreheads pressed together, and he stared into the other boy''s eyes.

    ¡®Fuck. God that hurt ¡­ Jackson, look at me.¡¯

    Jackson opened his watery eyes. His vision was a bit blurred, but he met Kenny¡¯s gaze.

    ¡®Don¡¯t do any dumb shit like that again. Of course, you¡¯re not worthless. Imagine if you got hurt worse than just a broken leg. Fuck¡­ you¡¯re an incredible teammate, I haven¡¯t even played with you but I already know that. Just by having you at practice, you pushed me to give it my all, to always try my hardest. You were always right there with me. It¡¯s been shit without you, dude.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯

    ¡®You should be! Fuck dude¡­ we¡¯re teammates aren¡¯t we? On and off the field, I¡¯m there for you, and I¡¯ll always support you. You just have to speak up about shit like this. When you¡¯re feeling like giving up, and nothing is worth it, you have to let us know, and we¡¯ll help you through it, ¡®cause that¡¯s what teammates do! We¡¯ll always have your back, no matter what.¡¯

    Kenny let Jackson go and leaned back, rubbing at his own head. ¡®Ugh, shit hurts a lot more than they make it seem on TV.¡¯ He sighed. ¡®Thanks for telling me, dude. I just wish you did sooner. I¡¯ll see you at school.¡¯

    Kenny turned away and opened the door, disappearing inside his home.

    Jackson stood there for a while longer. A tear rolled down his cheek.

 Chapter 80: A Trio of Returns

    Ty stood in his dingy bathroom. A bathroom which was shared by too many siblings. The shelves and cabinets were a mess of all their different cosmetics, toothbrushes, deodorants, and countless other hygiene products, plenty of which he knew were either empty, or hadn¡¯t been touched.

    He stared into the stained, old mirror. He was shirtless, flexing his non-existent muscles, disappointed that he looked the same as he always had, despite all his training and working out now.

    He¡¯d been doing regular private workouts with Coach Hoang, as well as going to the gym most days, whether JJ was there or not, as well as keeping up his usual training, but maybe it was stupid to think results would be visible so quickly.

    He was still as skinny as ever, sure he had a six-pack, but that had always been there, and there still wasn¡¯t a shred of muscle anywhere else.

    ¡®TYRESE! Stop hogging the fucking bathroom!¡¯ Victoria banged on the door.

    Ty threw his shirt back on and opened the door, shoving past her without a word.

    ¡®Finally!¡¯

    He ignored her and grabbed his bag from his room. Then he hurried to the front door. ¡®I¡¯m going to school!¡¯ He yelled, but he went through the door and closed it before even waiting for a response he was sure wouldn¡¯t come. He didn¡¯t even know who else was home at that moment.

    He hurried to school, wishing the day would already be over and he could skip straight to practice.

    The day was a long slog, just like any other, but eventually, it was over, and it was time for practice. Ty sighed with relief; he never felt more at home than he did on a football field.

    The usual early birds showed up¡ªJJ and Rabbit. Ty ignored them, though Rabbit did congratulate him and JJ on winning their last game and ending the short losing streak they¡¯d been on.

    One notable person was missing before practice got underway, as Coach Long didn¡¯t show up, even as Bella made her way to the field. Ty thought it was strange but didn¡¯t say anything yet.

    It only became stranger, when it was officially time for practice to get underway, and Coach Long was still missing. Even Deshaun had shown up, which JJ was on the lookout for and quickly made his way over to meet him.

    ¡®Dee! Where you been, hermano? I¡¯ve been trying to talk with you.¡¯

    The two dapped each other up, though Deshaun looked away. ¡®I¡¯ve just been busy, what¡¯s it matter?¡¯

    ¡®Busy? The hell is that supposed to mean? We had a game, and you still didn¡¯t show, we could¡¯ve lost.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah right. I heard you won anyway, so did it matter?¡¯

    ¡®Well ¡­ not like that but¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Leave it. I¡¯m here now, ain¡¯t I?¡¯ Deshaun moved past JJ.

    ¡®Banks! I need to speak with you, Jones, go group up with the others,¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    JJ frowned but moved away to stand with everyone else, while it was Coach Hoang¡¯s turn to chew out Deshaun.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know what game you¡¯re trying to play, Banks, but we aren¡¯t playing it. What¡¯s done is done, so you¡¯re going to have to live with the consequences.¡¯

    ¡®Fine, I don¡¯t give a shit. Sit me out for the next game.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm. No, no, that isn¡¯t it. You¡¯re going to have to work harder than you ever have before, you need to get back to acting like the leader we know you can be, and you¡¯re going to have to earn back the respect of your teammates. If I see you slacking off, if I even see someone else working harder than you today, there¡¯ll be hell to pay. Now get your ass over with the others.¡¯

    ¡®Yes, sir.¡¯ Deshaun rolled his eyes and walked over to the rest of the team.

    Coach Long still wasn¡¯t there, but Coach Norman stood before the teams. ¡®Quiet down. I know the coach ain¡¯t here, but that ain¡¯t no excuse for us to be slacking off. Now, he will be here in a moment, but that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re gonna wait for him.¡¯

    ¡®Where is he?¡¯ one boy asked.

    ¡®He¡¯s just got some business to take care of, then he¡¯ll be here as soon as it¡¯s done. While we wait, go and give me some laps and get warmed up.¡¯ He clapped his hands sharply and the players moved off to begin jogging around the field.

    Ty, his curiosity getting the best of him, made a detour over to Bella first. ¡®Hey, where¡¯s your dad at?¡¯

    She looked at him, frowning. ¡®Not that I need to tell you, but he¡¯s with Chris, making sure he¡¯s all clear to join in properly today. They should be back any minute.¡¯

    Chris and Coach Long were with the school nurse, double-checking that all signs of Chris¡¯s concussion were well behind him, and he was okay to resume practising and playing.

    The examination was just finishing, and everything appeared good¡ªChris was in the clear.

    Coach Long thumped him on the back lightly. ¡®I¡¯m happy for you, let¡¯s hope that¡¯s the last concussion you ever have to worry about. But, as for today, let¡¯s just take things easy with you.¡¯

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Chris looked up at him and nodded. ¡®Yes, Coach.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll see how you go this week, but we¡¯ll probably let Cameron share more of the snaps in the upcoming game.¡¯

    Chris was a little frustrated but nodded again. ¡®I understand, Coach.¡¯

    During the early stages of practice, JJ was trying to stick close to Deshaun, but Deshaun did a good job of avoiding him and his probing, annoying questions.

    Thankfully for Deshaun, when Chris and Coach Long returned, it distracted everyone else and took the heat off him.

    Coach Long didn¡¯t want to disrupt the practice going on, but it was unavoidable. The boys gathered around Chris, wondering if he¡¯d be able to join in today.

    ¡®Okay, don¡¯t crowd around him now. Give him some space.¡¯ Coach Long cleared his throat. ¡®Yes, Chris has been cleared to participate, but he¡¯ll still take things easy for a few days.¡¯

    The others didn¡¯t seem to care that they were going to ease him back into things, they were just happy that he was better. They cheered and pressed in around him again, whacking him on the back or shoulder, jostling him a bit as they welcomed him properly back.

    Chris couldn¡¯t hold back the grin that overcame his face. It felt right to be back instead of being relegated to the sidelines.

    ¡®Alright that¡¯s enough, get back to work!¡¯ Coach Long¡¯s shrill whistle dispersed the crowd gathered around Chris and sent everyone back to their drills.

    Now that Coach Long was back, and practice was fully underway, JJ had no chance to pester Deshaun or confront him.

    However, that didn¡¯t mean he had given up, and during their drinks break, he made his way over to the other boy. This time, JJ was flanked by several of the other seniors.

    Jay, Deshaun, and Chris stood beside him, Benny and others were sat nearby. Ty was sitting not too far away, but he did his best to ignore the confrontation.

    Deshaun looked up from his seat and set aside his drink. ¡®The fuck is this? A gang muggin¡¯?¡¯

    JJ stared at him like he was a dog that had been caught tearing up a cushion. ¡®Just tell us what you were up to, what was so important that you had to miss not only practise but an entire GAME.¡¯

    Deshaun wiped his nose with the back of his hand, looking away. ¡®I¡¯ve been working, ¡®cause I got a fuckin¡¯ job unlike some of you bums. Helpin¡¯ out my old man with his construction business.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t cha need some kinda ¡­ qualifications for that?¡¯ Jay said, too lost in thought to notice Deshaun¡¯s glare.

    ¡®Hmm, okay, but I still don¡¯t think that¡¯s any reason for you to stop coming to practice, and it ESPECIALLY shouldn¡¯t stop you from showing up at a game. You can work around those hours, right?¡¯ JJ said.

    ¡®Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe some people don¡¯t care as much about some shitty game. ¡­ Not everyone has D1 offers like you.¡¯

    JJ took a step back, surprised by the antagonistic response. ¡®Whoa ¡­ what¡¯s that mean?¡¯

    There was an awkward silence between the seniors. Ty was looking over, watching and listening with interest now.

    Deshaun shifted in his seat and then sighed heavily. ¡®I ain¡¯t got any offers from ANY college to come play.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s bullshit,¡¯ Stephen said. ¡®You¡¯re easily good enough to go D2 at least.¡¯

    ¡®I ain¡¯t bullshittin¡¯, I know that much. Either way, I ain¡¯t got offers. So sorry if I¡¯m prioritisin¡¯ my future career rather than football at the moment, we can¡¯t all make the big leagues like a certain Mr D1.¡¯ Deshaun stared at JJ.

    ¡®That¡¯s¡­ okay, yeah, I have a couple of offers from some schools, but that doesn¡¯t mean anything. Everyone has some offers, right?¡¯ JJ looked around.

    ¡®Yeah, I mean I got some D2 offers for sure.¡¯ Stephen rubbed the back of his neck.

    ¡®Hm? Oh, yeah ¡­ I think I¡¯ve got some offers from places.¡¯ Jay sighed. ¡®But college sounds like such a pain, don¡¯t you think?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ve heard from a D1 school, but they said they could only move forward with me if we won State first,¡¯ Chris said.

    ¡®Even I¡¯ve heard from a D3 school,¡¯ Benny awkwardly spoke up.

    ¡®You see what I¡¯m fuckin¡¯ talkin¡¯ about?¡¯ Deshaun waved his hand around. ¡®EVERYBODY got a scholarship. Everybody BUT me. Shit, I¡¯ll be fuckin¡¯ lucky to have even a D3 college interested in me now that there¡¯s a fuckin¡¯ freshy showin¡¯ me up.¡¯ He shot Ty a dirty look.

    Ty held no remorse or empathy for the older boy¡¯s situation, staring back at him blankly.

    ¡®Man, that doesn¡¯t matter. They¡¯re probably late or got lost in the mail or something. You¡¯re way too good to not get ANY offers. But anyway, who cares? WHEN we win State¡ªnot if, when¡ªwe¡¯ll all go D1.¡¯ JJ placed a hand on Deshaun¡¯s shoulder, smiling down at him.

    ¡®Are you forgetting there¡¯s a National Championship this year?¡¯ Every head turned towards Ty. ¡®When we win that, I bet even the worthless backups who rode the bench will go D1 and get to pick their dream college.¡¯

    JJ grinned and laughed. He nudged Deshaun. ¡®See, Dee? I promise we¡¯re gonna win State AND the National, then we¡¯ll all go D1, and we¡¯ll be able to play against, or with each other in college, wherever we end up.¡¯

    The coaches called for the break to be over and for everyone to get back to work.

    JJ kept his smile and offered Deshaun a hand. ¡®What do you say, hermano? You gonna help us be champions?¡¯

    Deshaun looked at the hand silently for a moment before he clasped it tightly and was helped to his feet. ¡®Fuck it. I ain¡¯t got shit to lose anyway. Let¡¯s win some fuckin¡¯ trophies.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s the spirit!¡¯ JJ pulled him into a hug and the others rubbed Deshaun¡¯s head roughly, telling him how glad they were to have him back.

    ¡®Duuude, we almost lost without you guys,¡¯ Jay said.

    Deshaun laughed. ¡®You ain¡¯t need to lie, I seen the scores. Y¡¯all were really in trouble without me, huh?¡¯

    Chris looked over at Ty. ¡®They would¡¯ve had an easier time. But thankfully our awesome teammates stepped up big time. Let¡¯s repay them this week and return the favour, yeah?¡¯

    Deshaun looked at Ty as well. ¡®Yeah, yeah sure.¡¯

    Ty stood up, rolling his shoulders as he walked back out onto the field. He glanced in Deshaun¡¯s direction. ¡®Hey. If you don¡¯t want to be shown up by a ¡°freshy¡± then maybe you should work harder and do better, instead of being a crybaby bitch about it.¡¯

    ¡®The fuck you say?!¡¯

    JJ got in between Ty and Deshaun, holding Deshaun back. ¡®Yo, Dee, relax! Settle things on the field and prove him wrong there, alright? Uhh, he¡¯s just trying to motivate you in his own unique way, you know?¡¯

    ¡®Fuck. Goddamn freshy. He needs to watch his damn mouth and show us some motherfuckin¡¯ respect.¡¯ Deshaun backed off, and they all returned to practice, Stephen agreeing with his sentiments regarding Ty.

    When their training resumed, they picked back up with an incredible intensity, the whole team being pumped up as Deshaun set the standard for effort.

    Ty had seen Ricky around, but he hadn¡¯t been approached by the brat, so he hadn¡¯t heard anything about who they were facing next.

    Looking around, he didn¡¯t think it mattered. He was certain that whoever they faced in this upcoming game, they wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against the resurgent Dons.

    But, he did have a creeping doubt about one thing, gnawing away at the back of his mind. All that talk about winning State and going on to win the Natty as well was all good, but they still had an important hurdle before them¡ªthere was no winning State if they couldn¡¯t even make the tournament, which meant winning Regionals.

    And to win Regionals they¡¯d have to best the Bears or the Vikings ¡­ or a team even stronger than those two.

 Chapter 81: Bridges Burnt, or Mended?

    Jackson had grown used to tackling his school days with his crutches. A lot of the time he didn¡¯t even have to think about it, traversing the halls and rooms was somewhat natural to him now. A crowded staircase was the only thing that really gave him trouble anymore.

    His mind and eyes drifted to his leg as he made his way through the halls between classes. He stopped and lowered his foot to the floor, pressing down with it until it hurt. His brow furrowed in annoyance and he lifted his foot back up.

    Before he could resume his travel, he was approached by a couple of familiar faces. ¡®Yo, how you been, man?¡¯ Marcus grinned at him. Sachin came over and dapped him up.

    Jackson smiled, but it wavered slightly as he saw Eddie wasn¡¯t with them. ¡®Hey, what¡¯s good? I¡¯ve been doing as well as I can with these.¡¯ He jostled his crutches.

    ¡®Bruh, when can you get rid of those things?¡¯ Sachin asked.

    ¡®Not soon enough. What¡¯s up?¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s two friends looked at one another, then back at him. ¡®Oh uh, nothing really, man. Just, we wanted to let you know of an upcoming track meet, thought you might like to come check it out this Friday.¡¯

    ¡®Oh! Well, yeah! Of course. Is it the first meet this season?¡¯

    ¡®Ehh, not exactly but you know that¡¯s not important, man. I¡¯ll text you the deets later, but uh yeah, we just thought it¡¯d be nice to have you there, cheering us on, seeing how we suck now.¡¯ Marcus laughed quietly.

    ¡®Yeah, and it¡¯d just be nice to hang out after it,¡¯ Sachin said.

    ¡®Right.¡¯ Jackson nodded. ¡®Eddie¡¯s gonna be there too, right?¡¯

    Marcus rubbed the back of his neck. ¡®Well ¡­ yeah.¡¯

    Sachin whacked him on the shoulder. ¡®Bruh, just tell him. Ugh, I¡¯ll do it.¡¯ He turned his attention to Jackson. ¡®Look, Jackson. We know you and Eddie have been weird ever since your accident¡ª¡¯

    Jackson twitched at the word.

    ¡®¡ªbut you guys need to squash whatever beef has gotten between you. Like, bruh, it¡¯s been over a month now, come on.¡¯

    Jackson sighed and looked down. ¡®Yeah, you guys are right ¡­ it¡¯s stupid, and we shouldn¡¯t let this shit get between us and keep us from being friends. But I mean, it¡¯s really up to Eddie, he¡¯s the one who¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Man don¡¯t feed me that shit,¡¯ Marcus said. ¡®It¡¯s going on with both of y¡¯all. Y¡¯all need to air this shit out and that¡¯s a two-man thing. ¡®Cause this shit¡¯s mad awkward and it¡¯s making US feel weird so I can¡¯t even imagine how fucked up it must be for you and Eddie. But whatever it is, it ain¡¯t gonna go away until y¡¯all talk about it.¡¯

    ¡®Marcus is right. Just, during the lunch break, yeah? There¡¯s this food truck on the back street behind the school, we¡¯ll go there. Then you and Eddie can clear up whatever the fuck is going on.¡¯

    ¡®Alright, alright. I get it. I¡¯ll talk with him if¡­¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, man, we¡¯ll make sure he talks with you too. Y¡¯all need to end this shit now. We ain¡¯t little kids anymore, we can¡¯t just get mad over little shit and stop talking to each other ¡­ for months.¡¯

    Jackson smiled slightly. ¡®Thanks, guys. I¡¯m sorry we haven¡¯t hung out as much recently.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, that¡¯s on us too, man. When that leg of yours is better we need to start hanging out more like we used to.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯d like that.¡¯

    ¡®Good good. ¡­ yo, lunch break, food truck, behind the school, don¡¯t forget yeah?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, yeah, I won¡¯t forget, we¡¯ll talk more then.¡¯

    Marcus and Sachin both dapped up Jackson and then went on their way to class. Jackson sighed softly, regathering his thoughts before he hobbled off to class as well.

    Just as the lunch break started and Jackson began making his way towards the back of the school, he ran into Jasmine in the halls.

    ¡®Hey Jackson.¡¯

    ¡®Oh! H-Hey Jasmine¡­¡¯ Jackson stared at her, forgetting what he was doing for a moment.

    Her smile grew. ¡®Hehe, what¡¯s up?¡¯

    ¡®Huh? Oh uh, a-actually I was just about to go and meet some friends¡­ well, a former friend maybe, I¡¯m not really sure¡­ we haven¡¯t spoken a lot in a long time.¡¯

    ¡®Everything okay?¡¯ She tilted her head.

    ¡®Oh, yeah, yeah it¡¯ll be fine. ¡­ I hope.¡¯

    ¡®If you want I could come with you, offer some emotional or moral support, whatever works best.¡¯

    ¡®Oh ¡­ no, no that¡¯s fine. Thank you but ¡­ I think this is something that¡¯s better handled between us. We just need to hash this shhh¡­.stuff out. It¡¯s nothing you need to worry about.¡¯

    She put a hand on his shoulder. ¡®You¡¯re my friend, Jackson, so I¡¯m going to worry about you either way. But, okay. I don¡¯t want to impose, and I¡¯ll give you some space and let you do this on your own if that¡¯s what you think is best.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s cheeks burned red. ¡®Y-Yeah¡­ th-thanks.¡¯

    ¡®Good luck.¡¯ With a last, stunning smile, Jasmine went on her way.

    Jackson stood there, stunned for a while longer before he snapped out of his stupor and hurried to the back gate.

    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

    Once there, he found Marcus waiting for him. ¡®Oh, Marcus, what¡¯s up?¡¯

    ¡®Yo man, nothing, just here to make sure you know where to go. Sachin¡¯s with Eddie still. I just said I forgot something in my locker.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, right, right. Well uh, best not keep them waiting?¡¯

    ¡®Riiight.¡¯ Marcus started leading the way to the food truck.

    It wasn¡¯t too far away, and it was a nice little Mexican joint, run by a couple of big, friendly-looking dudes. It was pretty popular by the looks of it with how many other students were lined up, or gathered around it waiting for their food, or already busy chowing down.

    The tantalising smell of the food filled the air, and a low drone of chatter drowned out the ambience of the city. Already, Jackson was salivating.

    Marcus brought Jackson over to where Sachin stood out in the line¡ªEddie was right beside him.

    Eddie looked over, spotting Jackson. ¡®What the fuck?¡¯

    Jackson looked around in a bit of a panic. There were far too many people around for his liking. They weren¡¯t expecting him and Eddie to clear things up here, were they?

    ¡®Relax. We can grab some food and then go somewhere a bit quieter so y¡¯all can talk it out,¡¯ Marcus said, moving in to stand beside Sachin and Eddie like everything was normal. Jackson awkwardly stood on the other side of Marcus, keeping his eyes down.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯m hungry anymore.¡¯ Eddie turned to leave, but Sachin¡¯s large hand on his shoulder kept him in place.

    ¡®C¡¯mon, bruh. It¡¯s just talking. Just wait right here for a bit.¡¯

    Eddie glared up at the larger boy, but Sachin wasn¡¯t moving and his grip was like iron. Eddie sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. ¡®This is retarded.¡¯

    ¡®If anything¡¯s retarded here it¡¯s both of y¡¯all acting like this,¡¯ Marcus said.

    ¡®Bruh. Leave it. Food first, talking later.¡¯

    The air was tense and heavy, but the boys settled into silence, impatiently waiting as the line slowly moved forward.

    Then, after they ordered, they stepped aside and waited in more awkward silence for their food to be ready.

    Eventually, it was, and they all took their burritos and choice of soda can, and walked away from the food truck and the others crowding around it.

    They found a bench and table to sit at. Marcus and Jackson took one side, Eddie and Sachin the other.

    ¡®So now what?¡¯ Eddie said.

    ¡®Bruh, why are you so mad?¡¯

    ¡®You want to know why I¡¯m mad? Jackson knows, why don¡¯t you ask him and he can tell you.¡¯

    ¡®Hell nah, I asked you. Why are YOU mad.¡¯

    Eddie clenched his jaw and turned his gaze upon Jackson. ¡®Because he¡¯s lying.¡¯

    ¡®What?¡¯ Both Sachin and Marcus were confused. ¡®The hell are you talking about?¡¯

    ¡®He¡¯s lying, he¡¯s always lying to us, and he¡¯s been lying for¡­ for I don¡¯t even know how long. Go on, Jack. Tell us how long you¡¯ve been lying, for how long have you been lying every time you said you were ¡°okay¡±.¡¯

    Jackson blinked. ¡®Wh-What?¡¯

    Eddie slammed his fist on the table. ¡®Don¡¯t play dumb! You know what I¡¯m talking about. You know what you did, and only you know how long you¡¯ve been lying like that.¡¯

    Jackson was taken aback. His chest felt tight, and his mind was racing. ¡®I¡­¡¯ He had to stop and think, to get his bearings.

    ¡®You hurt yourself on purpose, tell them!¡¯

    ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ Marcus rolled his eyes. ¡®Not this shit again.¡¯

    ¡®Give it up, bruh. Jackson would never do¡ª¡¯

    ¡®I did!¡¯ Jackson blurted.

    Marcus and Sachin stared at him.

    ¡®¡­Why?¡¯ Eddie finally said.

    ¡®W-Were you trying to get yourself killed? What the hell were you thinking, man?¡¯

    ¡®No! Fuck ¡­ no I would¡­ I¡¯d never do that. I¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Then why?¡¯

    ¡®Let him talk.¡¯ Sachin placed a hand on Eddie¡¯s shoulder, but even he looked pale at the revelation.

    ¡®I just¡­ I didn¡¯t want to play football. I didn¡¯t think I was good enough, and I was too much of a coward to say anything.¡¯

    ¡®You didn¡¯t ¡­ but you love football, why would you wanna stop?¡¯ Marcus said.

    ¡®Because I wasn¡¯t good enough!¡¯

    Marcus flinched back.

    ¡®Was it because we left you?¡¯ Eddie asked.

    ¡®What? No that¡¯s not¡­¡¯

    Eddie¡¯s shoulders shuddered and he laid his head in his hands, palms pressing into his eyes. ¡®Why couldn¡¯t you just tell us? We¡¯re your friends¡­ how did we let it get so bad without seeing anything?¡¯

    ¡®Eddie¡­¡¯ Jackson could see blame weighing down Eddie¡¯s shoulders. ¡®It¡¯s not your fault. I promise.¡¯

    ¡®But we left you behind. We were a team in middle school, and then we all parted ways and left you while we chased after our own selfish dreams with track. We¡¯re not even a team there anymore.¡¯

    ¡®I decided to focus on football alone.¡¯

    ¡®But we¡¯re your friends.¡¯

    ¡®So what?!¡¯

    Silence hung over the table. Eddie stared at Jackson through watery eyes.

    ¡®Just because we¡¯re friends doesn¡¯t mean we need to do everything together. And it doesn¡¯t make you responsible for everything that happens to me. It¡¯s not your fault, Eddie. None of you are at fault.¡¯

    ¡®Yo, Eddie are you crying?¡¯ Marcus muttered.

    ¡®Shut up.¡¯ Eddie roughly wiped his eyes.

    ¡®But¡­ why? Why didn¡¯t you think you were good enough, you were always the best,¡¯ Sachin said.

    ¡®Yeah well, not anymore.¡¯ Jackson looked away and clenched his fists, holding back a shiver.

    ¡®You should¡¯ve said something,¡¯ Eddie said.

    ¡®I know that now.¡¯

    ¡®Friends don¡¯t lie to each other like that! How are we meant to help you if you bottle all this shit up to yourself and never tell anyone?¡¯

    ¡®Like you¡¯ve been bottling up your anger?¡¯

    They went quiet again.

    ¡®Okay ¡­ well, I think we all know that now. We should always be open with each other, right?¡¯ Marcus said.

    The others nodded.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t see how you were hurting,¡¯ Eddie said.

    Jackson shook his head. ¡®It¡¯s not your fault. I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t say anything.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll do better in the future.¡¯

    ¡®Me too.¡¯

    ¡®So are y¡¯all gonna be friends again, now?¡¯ Marcus looked between them both.

    They both nodded again.

    ¡®Hahaha. Yo, I think you guys need to hug it out and make it official.¡¯

    Both Jackson and Eddie didn¡¯t say anything.

    ¡®C¡¯mon bruh, don¡¯t make me force you over there.¡¯

    Eddie snorted with laughter. ¡®Alright, alright I¡¯m getting up¡­ fuck, bro.¡¯ Eddie stood up and moved over to Jackson¡¯s side.

    Jackson stood up. Then the two embraced tightly.

    They held each other in silence for a while before Eddie said: ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯

    ¡®Me too.¡¯

    ¡®Best buds?¡¯

    ¡®Always.¡¯

    Eddie let go and stepped back. Jackson sat back down. ¡®Hey uh, Marcus and Sachin told me about your meet coming up this weekend.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah?¡¯ Eddie moved back to his seat as the others began eating.

    ¡®Yeah, and uh¡­ well I was thinking of coming out to watch you guys.¡¯

    Eddie looked across at Jackson and then smiled slightly. ¡®I think I¡¯d like that.¡¯

    Jackson smiled as well. Both boys looked as if there was a little less weight holding them down.

 Chapter 82: Looking to the Future

    Even with winter fast approaching, the Arizona sun was still fierce and beat down hard on the Titans as they worked through their practice session.

    Kenny guzzled down water and wiped his brow. His short break was almost over, and then he¡¯d be back out there on that green hell, running until he collapsed.

    At least that¡¯s what the coaches would try to put him through, but Kenny didn¡¯t even have eyes for the side of the training field assigned to the JV team. He was too focused on the varsity players instead.

    They were gliding along the turf, no matter how hard they went at their drills, they looked effortless, even the ones who still carried the same burden he did.

    He watched them with awe rather than with jealousy as some of the other JV players did. Those jealous few focused more on those who chose the easy road and had shed their extra weight.

    Kenny could only see those who still wore the vest but looked as if they were as free and weightless as a bird. Even though he was much improved from how he handled the extra weight, Kenny still felt as if he was struggling through mud every practice.

    Even when the JV team¡¯s short water break was over, Kenny still couldn¡¯t keep his eyes from wandering over to the other portion of the field where the varsity players continued to work out.

    ¡®You¡¯re really obsessed with making it over there, huh?¡¯ Pete said.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Kenny looked over, his hyper-focused mind taking a while to register an outside question. ¡®What? I mean, of course. Isn¡¯t everyone trying to make it onto that team?¡¯

    Pete looked over and nodded. ¡®Yeah, I guess so.¡¯

    ¡®Aren¡¯t you?¡¯

    Pete frowned. ¡®I am ¡­ hey, but you shouldn¡¯t worry about that. Coach Otsen has never put a rookie on the varsity team. It just doesn¡¯t happen. You have to go through this gruelling year of hell first. So it¡¯s better to only worry about yourself until next season.¡¯

    ¡®Hmph. There¡¯s a first for everything. And maybe I¡¯ll be the first freshman to make it.¡¯

    Pete laughed at that. ¡®Ohh you¡¯re a funny one, mi amigo. At least you know you¡¯d have a good career in comedy if this football stuff doesn¡¯t work out for you.¡¯

    Kenny didn¡¯t look very amused. He looked Pete up and down. ¡®What¡¯s your excuse then? You¡¯re a sophomore, aren¡¯t you?¡¯

    Pete frowned again and looked away. ¡®Yeah, so what? It¡¯s not like this is a year trial, and once you finish you automatically get put in the varsity team. Puta madre, some people never make it over there.¡¯

    ¡®Are you going to be one of them?¡¯

    He looked at Kenny seriously. ¡®No. I¡¯ll make it next season¡­ I hope.¡¯

    ¡®You hope?¡¯

    Pete looked across the field. ¡®Wesley Walker, he¡¯s the starting QB, yeah? That pendejo. Well, he¡¯s still a junior. He¡¯s got another year left. So, even on top of the other backups, I¡¯ll still have to contend with him as well ¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can make it to be the starter for next season, but I¡¯ll try my hardest.¡¯

    Kenny patted Pete on the back. ¡®Aww, don¡¯t feel too bad, buddy. I¡¯ll still come nice and early to watch your JV games when I make varsity.¡¯

    ¡®Hey! ?Puta!¡¯

    Kenny¡¯s laughter was cut short when Coach Knight¡¯s whistle blew in his ear, the large, stoic man looking down at both boys disapprovingly before they kicked things back into high gear and got back to training rather than chatting.

    Over with the varsity players, Wesley sneezed loudly. He came to a stop and looked around, sniffling a bit. He didn¡¯t have much time to stand still and look about, however, as Coach Otsen quickly got on his case.

    ¡®Wesley! You can daydream on your own fucking time! Keep moving or you¡¯ll all do laps.¡¯

    Wesley grumbled but resumed his drill of precision passing.

    ¡®Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten about the laps you already owe me, either. Just because we won doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re getting let off for the points you cost us.¡¯

    Wesley groaned loudly. ¡®Why are you riding my ass so hard, man? Redd couldn¡¯t score either.¡¯

    ¡®What was that?¡¯ Coach Otsen stomped forward, getting a bit closer to the disgruntled boy.

    ¡®Nothing, Coach.¡¯

    ¡®Hmmmm.¡¯ Coach Otsen didn¡¯t say anything further, but he kept a close eye on Wesley for the rest of practice.

    Throughout the rest of practice, Kenny seemed more intent on trying to mimic the drills the varsity players were doing¡ªspecifically the Receivers¡ªrather than worrying about what he and the rest of the JV players were supposed to be doing.

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    About halfway through, Coach Otsen¡¯s voice boomed across the field. ¡®Don¡¯t let the intensity drop! Don¡¯t think just because you won that things are going to be getting easier. Varsity, you¡¯ve beaten every team already, but don¡¯t think that means you can take it easy from here on out. If you lose as much as one game, I¡¯ll make training camp look like a fucking walk in the park! Hell! I expect you boys to put an even bigger beating on every team the second time around.¡¯

    ¡®Yes, Coach!¡¯ some fiery voices from the varsity side responded. Most stayed quiet aside from their panting.

    Training had come to a standstill as Coach Otsen addressed both teams. He turned his attention to the JV side, a few players visibly wilted under his gaze¡ªFreddie was one of them, but he quickly raised his shoulders back up and stood tall, even if he was shaking a bit.

    ¡®And for the JV team. You¡¯ve got another big challenge, facing another team that¡¯s already beaten you. Just because you¡¯ve avenged one defeat doesn¡¯t mean this team will roll over and let you do the same. We¡¯ve got a road trip ahead of us so let¡¯s start it right by kicking down this first door and dominating the Golden Hawks in their own house!¡¯

    ¡®Yes, Coach!¡¯ the whole team answered, Kenny¡¯s voice leading the call. His fists clenched tight. Their opponents were Desert Sunrise. The team they¡¯d faced first this season. They¡¯d only had ten players during that game because of Jackson¡¯s injury, and Freddy wasn¡¯t with the team to fill in yet.

    It had been a brutal game, but things would be different now. They¡¯d grown so much since then, and they had enough players to field a proper team now.

    Jackson had only just arrived. He heard the address and another wave of guilt had struck him. He hadn¡¯t seen that game¡ªhe was stuck in the hospital, of course¡ªbut he had seen the score afterwards and it wasn¡¯t pretty. He wondered how the Titans would handle them now.

    But the responses from the players put a smile on his face and pushed aside his worries. The Titans¡¯ JV team might not have been the best in the division¡ªunlike their varsity counterparts¡ªbut you certainly couldn¡¯t say they didn¡¯t work the hardest.

    ¡®Now get back to work!¡¯ Coach Otsen clapped his hands loudly and dispersed the teams back to their drills.

    ¡®Let¡¯s finish with MAXIMUM effort!¡¯ Coach Vasquez shouted.

    Jackson settled into the nearby stands alone, not wanting to disrupt the practice as it resumed. He watched as the last half of the session finished with greater intensity than the first had started, and when it was over, Kenny came over to say hello.

    ¡®Yo dude, Jasmine didn¡¯t come today?¡¯ Kenny said.

    Jackson looked around for her then shrugged. ¡®Oh, nah. I guess not.¡¯

    ¡®Right, right, you good?¡¯

    ¡®Hm? Oh, yeah I¡¯m fine I just¡­ I needed some time to myself to think and keep a clear head today, I guess. Ended up being a bit late.¡¯

    Kenny nodded. ¡®Everything alright?¡¯

    ¡®Yes. I¡¯m good.¡¯

    ¡®You sure?¡¯

    ¡®Kenny ¡­¡¯ Jackson looked at him sternly. ¡®Everything¡¯s fine. I promise I¡¯d tell you if something was up.¡¯

    ¡®Okay okay. Sorry.¡¯ Kenny sat down, sighing with relief.

    ¡®Looks like Coach keeps on working you all harder the longer the season goes on.¡¯

    ¡®Tell me about it. Hah, I¡¯m not complaining though.¡¯ Kenny grinned. He looked at Jackson and then he looked around at the others. ¡®Have you told anyone else?¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Jackson looked around. It was clear Kenny meant anyone else on the team. ¡®Oh, no, no not yet.¡¯

    ¡®Maybe you should. Like¡­ now?¡¯

    Jackson thought about it but shook his head, deciding against it. After his earlier confession to Eddie, Sachin, and Marcus, he felt drained. He knew it probably wouldn¡¯t be as much of a big deal emotionally to tell the team, but there would be a lot more people to tell, and probably a lot of questions still. He just wasn¡¯t up for it after the first confession.

    He sighed softly. ¡®Not today. Honestly, I told some of my other friends earlier in the day. I think one group of people per day is enough for me.¡¯

    ¡®Hm. Fair enough, I guess? I mean, it shouldn¡¯t be a big deal, right? You just, tell them the truth and then that¡¯s that. I mean, they¡¯ll probably tell you that you were stupid for hiding it for so long, and doing it in the first place. But no one¡¯s going to hold it against you if you tell them. ¡­ And I promise I won¡¯t let them headbutt you.¡¯

    Jackson laughed, his forehead throbbing slightly as the memory of the headbutt was brought up. ¡®Thanks, Kenny.¡¯ Jackson reached out and patted Kenny¡¯s shoulder. ¡®But I¡¯m alright for today. I¡¯ll tell them another time, and soon, I promise.¡¯

    Kenny frowned and looked away. ¡®Alright, dude. I¡¯ll let you do you.¡¯ He sipped the last of his water. ¡®Does Jasmine know?¡¯

    ¡®Uhh ¡­ no. But I hadn¡¯t met her before the acc¡­ before I hurt myself.¡¯

    ¡®You should still tell her, I reckon, dude.¡¯

    ¡®And I will. Later.¡¯

    ¡®Right, right.¡¯ Kenny nodded, dropping the topic there.

    As most players were packing up and heading home, Shane wanted to continue practising. Kenny and Jackson watched him approach Wesley with a ball in hand. They didn¡¯t hear what he asked, but he was turned down and Wesley continued on his way.

    A similar process happened with the backup varsity players as well, and then Shane caught Petey just before he was leaving. After the brief discussion, Petey nodded and followed Shane back out onto the field.

    Kenny and Jackson watched as Shane explained things a bit more to Pete, and then they got set up. Shane stood before a couple of inflatable dummies that were pressed close together, and a single cone was laid out on the field far to his left, closer to the sideline.

    Shane and Pete looked at one another and gave the go-ahead. Pete acted as if the ball was snapped and dropped back into his stance ready to throw. Meanwhile, Shane jab-stepped to his right, batted aside one of the dummies, then squeezed between them while curving to his left.

    He ran flat towards the sideline, then rounded the third cone and turned sharply upfield. Not long after, Pete lobbed the ball high Shane¡¯s way.

    Kenny stood from his seat as he watched Shane leap into the air, twisting around with one hand outstretched to make the catch.

    He landed safely with both feet inbounds, and then jogged back to Petey, handing him the ball back with a grin.

    Then they¡¯d set up and do it again, repeatedly.

    Kenny watched for a while before he turned to Jackson. ¡®I¡¯m gonna¡­ I¡¯m gonna join them.¡¯ He gestured to Shane and Petey.

    Jackson nodded wordlessly, not taking his eyes off Shane.

    Kenny hurried over. The others were more than happy to let him work in with them, and soon he was following Shane¡¯s lead and running the same route over and over.

    Jackson watched on from the sidelines, leaning over slightly as he massaged an ache in his injured leg.

    Oh how desperately he wanted to run out there and soar alongside them.

 Chapter 83: Game Day VII

    Ty had his head leaned back against the headrest of the backseat, his eyes were closed, and his focus was on the upcoming game as the car rolled smoothly along the road.

    Another away game, another road trip with Coach Long, Bella, and Coach Hoang. ¡®I hope you¡¯re not taking the game lightly,¡¯ Bella said.

    Ty didn¡¯t open his eyes. ¡®Why would I?¡¯

    ¡®Because they¡¯re¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t distract him while he¡¯s focusing, Bella. Samuels wouldn¡¯t take any team lightly, he¡¯d always give it his best, isn¡¯t that right, Samuels?¡¯ Coach Hoang looked back at them.

    ¡®Yeah, that¡¯s right. My brother always plays as if it''s the most important game of his life,¡¯ Megan¡ªwho sat between Bella and Ty like usual¡ªsaid.

    Bella scoffed. ¡®Uh-huh.¡¯

    Ty opened his eyes and looked at her. ¡®It¡¯s true. Even when facing a team I¡¯ve already crushed, I won¡¯t take it easy on them. They don¡¯t deserve my mercy.¡¯

    ¡®Why do you have to say it like that?¡¯ Bella groaned.

    ¡®Because that¡¯s the way it is. When I¡¯m out there, the goal is to destroy my enemies, and I won¡¯t stop until I¡¯ve accomplished that goal.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s great. Now let¡¯s leave the talk of destroying for when you¡¯re actually out on the field. We¡¯re almost there, right, Coach?¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    ¡®Any minute now, boys and girls.¡¯

    And soon enough, the men were proven right as the car pulled into the parking lot just outside the home field for the St. Anthony Saints.

    They spilt out of the car, and Ty let out a sigh. They were here, but now the real struggle of waiting began, and the ¡°joy¡± of sitting through the JV game awaited him.

    He wasn¡¯t looking forward to it.

    He kept himself busy as best he could before the JV players arrived. With the Saints¡¯ arrival, there was already a decent turnout, especially for the beginning of a JV game.

    The crowd made themselves heard as their home team took to the field, showing early on that their support would be loud and plentiful.

    But, as the game got underway, Ty kept his attention on those still arriving, looking for any who might¡¯ve been members of the Saints¡¯ varsity squad to scout out the competition before his own game later.

    There weren¡¯t many at the field, to begin with, and from the few Ty saw, none of them elicited any interest from him.

    The Dons started the game off strong, starting on offence first, they opened the scoring on their first drive, though it was only a field goal. It was still points, and it set the tone early on, giving them a strong momentum boost.

    They capitalised off such momentum with a good defensive stand in the next drive, forcing the Saints to punt, and on their second drive, the Dons did even better than a field goal when they managed to run the ball in for the game¡¯s opening touchdown.

    Still, the crowd¡¯s spirit wasn¡¯t dampened, and while the Dons¡¯ sideline cheered and celebrated the early victory, such jubilation was drowned out by the home crowd¡¯s cheers as they did their best to uplift their team.

    ¡®It¡¯s so loud! They¡¯re not usually this noisy for the opening game!¡¯ Megan had to yell even though Ty was sitting right next to her. With all the noise, there was no way she could concentrate on her book.

    ¡®They¡¯ll get even louder for the next game¡­ at least in the beginning. I¡¯ll suck the life out of them soon enough, don¡¯t worry.¡¯

    Megan clung to Ty as they watched the game, though Ty didn¡¯t put an arm around her.

    After the Dons¡¯ touchdown, they began to lose steam as they couldn¡¯t keep up their hot start, and to end the first quarter, the Saints were able to kick a field goal of their own, keeping the Dons only a touchdown away as the score going into the second half read 3¨C10.

    The Dons struggled out of the gates of the second quarter as well, trying and failing to get back to their form from their first couple of drives as the defensive adjustments from the Saints shut them down at every avenue.

    Watching the Saints kick another field goal seemed to spark some life back into the Dons as they came out the very next drive and got those three points back, but the resurgent flame was short-lived.

    The Saints scored another field goal, and then, just before halftime, they managed to score a touchdown of their own after a screen pass to their HB.

    The Dons went to the locker room for the long break trailing by three, with a score of 16¨C13.

    As they were leaving the sidelines and heading across to the locker room, Ty called out to Bella. ¡®Maybe you should worry about your own game before you give a shit about my attitude!¡¯

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    She glared back at him and flipped him off as she stormed across the field. ¡®I hope you eat dirt today, asshole!¡¯

    Coach Long moved in to console his daughter and chastise her for her language whilst acting as the coach for the team.

    Coach Hoang looked back at Ty and shouted at him to start running if he had time to run his jaw.

    Ty sat back, snickering, and Megan whacked his arm. He frowned at her.

    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t be so mean. They¡¯re trying their best ¡­ and before¡­ they¡¯re just worried about you¡­ I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t want to see you get mad again if you lose¡­ I know I don¡¯t.¡¯

    ¡®Well I won¡¯t lose, so it¡¯s stupid to worry about something that can¡¯t happen.¡¯

    ¡®But what if you do?¡¯

    Ty scowled at his little sister. ¡®I WON¡¯T.¡¯ He stood and stomped off, deciding to take Coach Hoang¡¯s advice and do some sprints up the stands after all.

    During the break between halves, more varsity players from both sides started to arrive, and as the game got back underway, JJ came to join Ty at his seat as he returned from his running.

    ¡®Yo, what¡¯s up, hermano?¡¯ JJ settled in beside Ty but looked across him at Megan. ¡®Hm, have we met?¡¯

    Ty was focused on the new arrivals from the Saints¡¯ side, so he didn¡¯t respond to JJ immediately. He was still disappointed by what he saw, however. ¡°Is there something wrong with me? Or can¡¯t I tell unless someone feels like THEY did?¡±

    Megan leaned over and smiled at JJ, offering him a handshake. ¡®I don¡¯t think we have. I¡¯m Ty¡¯s little sister, Megan.¡¯

    ¡®Nice to meet you, chica. I¡¯m Julian, but everyone just calls me JJ.¡¯ They shook hands.

    ¡®Likewise, Julian.¡¯

    JJ looked at Ty and nudged him. ¡®Hey, you alright?¡¯

    ¡®Huh? Oh, hey, yeah. Fine, just this shit is putting me to sleep having to wait.¡¯

    ¡®Ahh come on, it¡¯s not that bad, it¡¯s nostalgic¡­ well I guess maybe not for someone who never was in JV but still.¡¯

    Ty frowned but turned his attention back to the field as the second half got underway.

    Starting on defence this time, the Dons were at least able to hold the Saints back and force them to punt to open the third quarter. They were even able to equal the scores as they kicked a field goal on their first offensive drive.

    But it was only a few minutes later when the Saints ran in another touchdown and pushed the score out to 23-16, where it would stay for the remainder of the third quarter.

    Megan found her voice to cheer and support the Dons, following JJ¡¯s lead as they did their best to combat the energetic home crowd.

    The place came alive in the fourth quarter when the Saints opened with yet another touchdown, the stands feeling as if they might fall apart under the jumping and stamping.

    The Dons were downtrodden, but not defeated yet, and they swiftly responded with a touchdown of their own to cut the lead back to only seven.

    Yet the Saints were the ones to score next with a final touchdown, and the Dons never recovered from that last blow.

    The game ended with a Dons defeat and a final score of 37¨C23.

    From the way the crowd reacted when the final whistle blew, you¡¯d think they¡¯d just witnessed a championship victory. The crowd seemed to be in full force now, and Ty couldn¡¯t recall if he¡¯d ever heard a louder stadium.

    ¡°How can they always lose¡­ it¡¯s fucking shameful. Listen to these people. Ugh, it makes me sick.¡± Ty shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll make them shut up. Their silence will make the most beautiful music after this fucking racket.¡±

    Ty stood. The team had all arrived, and it was time to prepare for the REAL game. He started to make his way to the locker room.

    JJ came with him, and while Ty focused on mentally preparing for the game, JJ did his best to go around to all the JV boys and console them after their loss.

    Rabbit was still upbeat and followed JJ around, helping raise everyone¡¯s spirits back up and reminding them there was always next week.

    Ty looked over for a brief moment. He shook his head and muttered to himself. ¡®Sickening.¡¯

    As the JV team cleared out, Coach Long stepped forward to address the varsity players ahead of their game. In the moment between the chatter of the players dying down, and Coach Long starting his speech, they could all hear the crowd¡¯s chanting outside as they awaited their team¡¯s emergence.

    ¡®Remember this is just a game like any other, alright? That means we still need to give it our all, but there¡¯s nothing to worry about, and nothing to overthink, okay? I know that crowd sounds loud and intimidating, but that¡¯s nothing. No matter how noisy they get, they can¡¯t be on the field, they can¡¯t affect the game. Just block them out, and act like you¡¯re playing in front of nobody. It¡¯s just you and the other team out there on the field, remember that.¡¯

    He smiled and raised his fist, the team soon crowding around him. ¡®Let¡¯s go out there and make some noise of our own. Dons on three. One, two, three¡ª¡¯

    ¡®DONS!¡¯

    The Dons took to the field, and when the Saints emerged from their locker room, it was like a wall of noise slammed into the field. It was almost deafening.

    Ty sighed and smiled, imagining the sweet silence that would echo around the field soon enough.

    All the usual captains for the Dons were able to participate in the coin toss this week, and the Dons won, electing to defer and send out their defence first.

    Before they could run out, Coach Hoang had some final words for his defence. ¡®You all know the drill by now. Hit them hard¡ªhit them fast. Don¡¯t give them any time or space to breathe. It¡¯s your job to take the initiative and seize control of the game right here and now.¡¯

    He then turned to Ty. ¡®Samuels? You¡¯re on number thirteen.¡¯

    Ty looked across to the other bench. Number thirteen was an unassuming white kid. He had a buzzcut like some military wannabe, but other than that, he wasn¡¯t much taller than Ty, and he was about as skinny. However, Ty had the clear advantage when it came to wingspan.

    ¡®He won¡¯t touch the ball,¡¯ Ty said.

    ¡®That¡¯s what I like to hear. Now go out there and prove you¡¯re not a liar.¡¯

    The Dons'' defence marched onto the turf and took their positions.

    When number thirteen lined up in front of Ty they were excited, grinning widely. ¡®Oh, man. I¡¯ve been waiting for this! Heh, I hear that people are already calling you the best CB in the state,¡¯ he said.

    ¡®Those people are wrong.¡¯

    ¡®Oh?¡¯

    Ty grinned. ¡®I¡¯m the best in the nation.¡¯

    The boy smirked. ¡®That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been beaten before, right? Heh. If you¡¯ve been beaten once, you can be beaten again. And I¡¯ll be damned if I don¡¯t beat you today.¡¯ He stuffed his mouthguard in, grinning around it.

 Chapter 84: Throwing Down the Gauntlet

    Ty¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®I promise you, your bitch ass will NEVER beat me. Not in your entire life.¡¯

    Thirteen seemed unfazed.

    ¡®Alfie!¡¯

    Thirteen looked over to the QB as they called to him.

    ¡®Zebra. Ze-bra!¡¯

    Aflie gave a thumbs up.

    Ty turned his hateful gaze towards the QB. ¡®I mean it. In fact, I bet that you won¡¯t even get a catch this game.¡¯

    Annoyance flickered across Alfie¡¯s features, but he said nothing.

    The ball was snapped, Alfie hopped forward and then burst sidewards, hurrying through the middle of the field in a shallow cross.

    Ty was right behind him and as the ball came their way, he easily stretched his long arm around Alfie and swatted it away before a catch could be made.

    Both boys slid to the ground with Ty on top of Alfie. Ty made sure to push Alfie into the ground as he stood up. ¡®No catches. I told you.¡¯

    Alfie¡¯s teammates helped him up and he dusted himself off. He smiled at Ty. ¡®Good D, but there¡¯s still an hour left. We¡¯ll see who¡¯s on top at the end.¡¯

    Ty laughed, returning to his huddle. Alfie should be a comedian instead of a footballer, he thought. He knew this game would be decided well before time was up if he had anything to say about it.

    The next play was a run. Ty wasn¡¯t exactly ready for that kind of play, but it wasn¡¯t headed his way, nor did Alfie show any proficiency with blocking. From the short struggle, the two seemed to be equally matched in strength, or close enough, so Ty¡¯s much greater reach was the deciding factor that gave him a large advantage in a battle of blocks.

    The run play went up the centre of the field and ended in a gain of a few yards. It was better than nothing, but it still didn¡¯t really help the Saints that much as third down came around and they still had 7 yards to go.

    The next play was another pass. Alfie ran forward, struggling through Ty¡¯s tough press until he got around 10 yards downfield, then he curled back around and ran towards the QB for a couple of yards.

    Ty was on him like they were stuck together, and there was no room for a pass. However, the ball was thrown to the opposite side of the field, where a similar route was run but to much better success against Deshaun.

    The catch was made, and it just barely earned the Saints a first down after Deshaun recovered and made the tackle.

    Ty groaned and rolled his eyes, though he could hardly hear himself over the explosion of noise from the crowd. JJ hurried over, helping Deshaun onto his feet. ¡®It¡¯s all good, Dee, you¡¯ll get the next one.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, fuck. I¡¯m sorry. I ain¡¯t fallin¡¯ for that dumb shit again though.¡¯

    ¡®I know you won¡¯t.¡¯ The two fist-bumped as they hurried back to the huddle. Deshaun answered Ty¡¯s glare with one of his own, but neither boy said anything to one another.

    When Deshaun got back into position, he bounced on his toes for a moment and rubbed at his legs, trying to get further warmed up and into the flow of things after missing last week''s game and some practices.

    The crowd was still cheering and chanting loudly, but as the home team lined up in position and got ready for the snap, the crowd faded into silence.

    The ball was snapped. Alfie took a step forward before shooting across Ty¡¯s face in a slant.

    The pass was whipped in quickly, but Ty pounced and once again his long arm shot out and spiked the ball down before Alfie could get his hands on it.

    This time, the two bumped into one another, and Alfie was pushed into the wall of bodies that made up the O-Line and D-Line.

    Ty simply shook his head and jogged away.

    On the next play, the Saints tried some play-action, faking a run before looking deep.

    Alfie didn¡¯t even pretend to block as he tried to dart past Ty, but Ty never even thought about the run, only having eyes for his man¡ªhis prey. He was glued to Alfie¡¯s hip once more, but thankfully for the Saints, the eventual pass soared over both their heads and out of bounds, well out of reach.

    Ty snarled and ground his teeth, frustrated by the interception chance that had been wasted because of an overly sloppy throw.

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    The Saints were pushed to third down, and they hadn¡¯t gained a single yard yet on this set of downs. So they tried to catch the Dons off guard with a Draw play, posturing for a pass at first, before handing it off to the RB.

    Whilst the D-Line might¡¯ve been fooled, and a path was opened up in the middle of the field for the RB to run through initially, JJ wasn¡¯t tricked so easily and was all over it.

    He stuffed them as they only got halfway to the first down marker, and that ended the Saints¡¯ first drive.

    Cole was still on return duty as the coaches were being extremely careful with Chris in his recovery from the concussion, but this return, in particular, ended in a fair catch anyway.

    And then it was the Dons¡¯ turn on offence. With the Dons having access to all their firepower this week, it meant that JJ stayed on the sidelines when the offence was on the field ¡­ for now.

    ¡®How do those legs feel?¡¯ Jay asked Chris as they huddled up.

    ¡®Like rockets.¡¯

    ¡®Ready to stretch them out and see how you hold up.¡¯

    Chris nodded, a determined look on his face. ¡®Send me straight up the middle. I¡¯m not afraid, and I¡¯m not some fragile little egg that needs to be protected.¡¯

    ¡®Duuude ¡­ we know.¡¯ Jay placed a hand on Chris¡¯s shoulder.

    The crowd was thunderous, their chants of ¡°defence¡± almost rumbled the very ground the players stood on. To start their offensive campaign, the Dons sent Chris up the middle for what they hoped would be a powerful run.

    However, it started poorly as he ran into the back of one of his Linemen, and ended up not gaining any yards from it. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t lose yards, but he was still mad as he got helped back to his feet.

    ¡®Shit, my bad guys. I missed the hole. I saw it at the last second but couldn¡¯t cut into it. I let you down.¡¯

    The O-Line laughed, slapping him on the back. ¡®All good, brother, we¡¯ll just make it bigger next time.¡¯ They were still in high spirits, even as the crowd only got louder after the defence¡¯s success.

    Next, the Dons decided to shake off any rust that Stephen might¡¯ve had from him missing last week¡¯s game.

    He ran a short In route, and was open, yet when he cut inside, the pass was a little behind him, and he was slow to react. The ball whizzed past his shoulder and he only got a hand to it as he tried to twist back and catch it.

    Thankfully, the deflection caused it to fall harmlessly out of bounds rather than bounce into the waiting arms of a defender elsewhere on the field.

    However, the Dons were staring down a three-and-out as they had yet to gain any yards and were quickly on to third down.

    Coach Long and Norman cooked up a quick slant to Cole, and while the initial catch wouldn¡¯t earn them the first down, they hoped with his elusiveness, Cole would be able to pick up the first down using his legs after the catch.

    The Dons lined up again, trying to shut out the crowd¡¯s roars. Jay rubbed his hands off on his pants and got ready. ¡®Seeet. Hut.¡¯ The ball was snapped and after only taking a step back, Jay turned and flicked the ball towards where he expected Cole to be.

    Cole didn¡¯t let him down, and was right where he needed to be, catching the ball on his chest. Unfortunately, he hadn¡¯t gained enough space from his opponent, and after he made the catch he was swiftly tackled for only a minimal gain.

    They were nowhere near the spot required for a first down, so there was nothing left for the Dons to do but punt the ball back and let their defence have another crack at things.

    ¡®It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡¯ Coach Long welcomed the boys back to the bench warmly, his voice straining to be heard over the jubilant celebrations from the crowd.

    Ty¡¯s skull pounded like someone was smashing a baseball bat against a drum set. He couldn¡¯t even hear himself think over this noise.

    But, after the Saints¡¯ short punt return, he stood and was sent back onto the field. As he jogged away from the bench, he heard Coach Hoang¡¯s voice, but couldn¡¯t make out what he had said.

    It wasn¡¯t important anyway, Ty knew what he needed to do. No amount of noise was going to distract him from his job, from his promise.

    Standing in the centre of the field, the swirling storm of noise was its loudest. He¡¯d have to scream to trash talk Alfie as the boy stood across from him, so Ty decided it wasn¡¯t even worth the effort and kept his mouth shut.

    Then, when the Saints were ready to snap the ball, the noise would fade, and the air would be silent for a moment. It was the calm before the storm.

    The ball was snapped and instantly the cheers started back up as the players on the field burst into motion.

    This time it was a handoff to the RB. He rushed to the outside, towards Deshaun¡¯s side of the field, and picked up a gain of 4 yards¡ªa good way to start a drive.

    The crowd was elated, of course. Ty cast a gaze all around the stands surrounding the field. He needed to shut them up before he went deaf. They were irritating, screaming like banshees over the tiniest thing. He knew they were pathetic and that they¡¯d never accomplished anything if they were this ecstatic over any small victory.

    He needed to remind them how far beneath him they were.

    Silence overtook the field once more, for a few brief seconds there was a peaceful bliss until the ball was snapped.

    Ty backpedalled as Alfie ran ahead. Alfie stuttered, he started to go towards the centre of the field. No! Ty didn¡¯t bite¡ªit was a feint. Aflie¡¯s real goal was the outside.

    When Alfie did cut to the outside, Ty was right on top of it. His head shot around to watch the QB now instead. He saw the pass coming before it had even left the QB¡¯s hand.

    They really made it too easy for him sometimes.

    It was like the ball was thrown directly to Ty, as if he was always the one meant to receive it, as if it had been drawn up that way.

    When the ball hit his hands, it fitted into them perfectly, like it was made for him, like this was the most natural thing in the world.

    A dejected gasp went up from everywhere in the crowd as Ty picked the ball off. And then he was storming along the grass, flying over it as he galloped away with the ball.

    No one could catch him.

    He crossed into the endzone and angrily threw the ball into the stands. Then he stopped and he stood there, listening.

    Listening to the sweet sound of silence.

 Chapter 85: The Sound of Silence

    Ty basked in the silence for a good, long while. And then the silence turned to a low drone of boos aimed at him while he lingered in the endzone, soaking it all up.

    He laughed and made his way off the field slowly. Even the boos were more acceptable than the incessant cheering.

    He sat down on the bench for a brief breather, though after the short kick return, he and the Dons¡¯ defence were back out on the field.

    The crowd was much quieter when their beloved offence took the field this time, and it brought a smile to Ty¡¯s face.

    However, Ty was curious if the offence had learnt their lesson, or if the QB would still be stupid enough to throw his way.

    It didn¡¯t take long for him to get his answer. The first play of this drive was a handoff up the middle that was easily stuffed by the Dons¡¯ D-Line.

    Ty laughed. ¡®Looks like this game is over,¡¯ he said to Alfie.

    ¡®Don¡¯t get cocky just because of a couple of plays. There¡¯s still plenty of time.¡¯

    ¡®Yet you and I won¡¯t have anything to do with the rest of the game. Look¡ªlook at your QB, he¡¯s shaking, he won¡¯t even look in my direction. He¡¯s never throwing you the ball again.¡¯

    Alfie frowned. ¡®We haven¡¯t given up yet. It¡¯s not over until we give up.¡¯

    Ty scoffed. ¡®They look like they¡¯ve given up to me, you¡¯re just too stupid to see it.¡¯

    For the rest of the drive¡ªwhich was a quick three-and-out¡ªthe ball didn¡¯t come anywhere near Alfie or Ty, not even on a run to their side of the field.

    The crowd seemed disheartened even further as the teams came off the field, and Ty¡¯s grin was wider.

    Alfie, on the other hand, got around his teammates, trying to rile them back up and get them to look past what had already happened and focus on the rest of the game still ahead of them.

    When it was time for the Dons to attack, and when the Saints¡¯ defence made their way onto the field, the crowd came alive once more.

    They cheered loudly and began chanting, reaching the same feverish pitch as before. Ty glared back at the crowd, but at least it was easier to drown out when he didn¡¯t have to focus on playing. However, he still wanted to shut them up completely.

    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t let these dumbasses keep screaming like this. Just score already and shut them up for good.¡±

    He watched as the offence set up and the first play commenced.

    It wasn¡¯t a pretty sight.

    Whether the returning players were still rusty, or Jay was taking longer to get accustomed to their rhythms again, or the intensity of the crowd was throwing them off, or perhaps a bit of all three, they continued to struggle to get much of anything going.

    So Ty didn¡¯t get too long of a rest before he and the Dons¡¯ defence were trudging back out there, but now, his work to silence the crowd had been undone by the Saints¡¯ defensive stand, and once again their supporters were screaming.

    Ty sighed heavily. ¡®They just don¡¯t get it.¡¯ He¡¯d have to show them the difference between their levels and make sure everyone knew his touchdown wasn¡¯t a fluke.

    If he ever got the chance to prove that point. As things were going, it didn¡¯t look like he¡¯d get the opportunity for another pick.

    Once again, the Saints avoided his side of the field. They did try a few passes but this time they targeted Deshaun.

    Whilst they gained some yards this way and pushed further down the field, it wasn¡¯t long before Deshaun locked in and batted down an errant pass, halting their momentum and giving the crowd something to think about for a moment.

    They tried another run, but even that didn¡¯t get far before JJ wrestled the HB to the ground for a short gain.

    The QB looked at Alfie briefly. Alfie was eager and tried his best to encourage and ensure his teammate that everything would be alright if they threw his way, but the QB quickly looked away and that side of the field went back into a state of non-existence within the offence¡¯s eyes.

    Eventually, the Saints were stopped outside of field goal range, and it was the Dons'' turn with the ball once more, and that is how the game continued for a long while.

    Even after half-time, where there wasn¡¯t much comment from any coaching team regarding the stellar performances of either defence, just a few words of reassurance to either side, as much of the focus was put upon the two struggling offences and how they could turn things around in the second half.

    Even so, the second half started much the same way that the first had ended. Both offences still struggled to get another done, locked in a perpetual stalemate that was quite boring for those watching.

    Ty didn¡¯t mind boring as long as they were winning, and they were, still holding onto their 0¨C7 lead. It also meant that he was doing his job perfectly, not another pass had been thrown his way since his interception.

    The crowd was silent when the Saints'' offence was on the field as well, which was another benefit of this ¡°boring¡±, low-scoring game, however, they were still fired up whenever the Saints'' defence touched the turf. That was something Ty had to live with, it seemed, as the Dons¡¯ offence was hopeless this game.

    It just wasn¡¯t their day today. They might¡¯ve gotten over their rust, but that wasn¡¯t the only thing holding them back. For one, the Saints were GOOD defensively, and when you added outside factors like this crowd, and the frustrating start the Dons had gotten off to, the Saints had been able to dominate this game defensively and suffocate any hope for offence from the Dons.

    However, Jay kept the boat steady through this tumultuous sea. They hadn¡¯t turned the ball over once. So while they couldn''t add to their lead, they certainly weren¡¯t letting the Saints¡¯ defence close the margin.

    Going into the fourth quarter, the score was still 0¨C7 in the Dons¡¯ favour, but one player in particular, over on the Saints bench, was determined to change that.

    ¡®Come on, guys, we¡¯re not that far behind. It¡¯s only one touchdown, just one! We can get that back in one play, and then it¡¯ll be a tied game again, or we could even take the lead with a two-point conversion.¡¯

    ¡®But we can¡¯t run, and you can¡¯t get open at all, that 21 is all over you,¡¯ the QB said.

    ¡®Mark¡­ just... I WILL get open, believe me, okay? And what do we have to lose? We¡¯re already behind, if we don¡¯t try SOMETHING, we¡¯re just going to lose anyway, so what¡¯s the worst that could happen?¡¯

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    Mark looked away, frowning deeply. He didn¡¯t say anything else to Alfie, but as the team got into their formation, he kept looking over to the Receiver.

    As they lined up again, Ty saw the fire within Alfie¡¯s eyes. He snarled at the disrespect. ¡°How can you still think you can challenge me?¡±

    The ball was snapped and Mark¡¯s eyes darted about the field wildly before they fell upon Alfie.

    Alfie was charging ahead, struggling onward before he cut towards the boundary diagonally.

    Ty was right on top of him, hounding him all the way.

    Mark was out of time¡ªdefenders were closing in around him¡ªso he flung the ball out in Alfie¡¯s direction, but well above his and Ty¡¯s head where none of them had a chance to catch it.

    Ty laughed. ¡®You¡¯re really trying this again? He¡¯s never going to throw it anywhere you can catch it. Because if YOU can catch it, it means I can as well, and I¡¯ll ALWAYS beat you.¡¯

    Alfie stayed quiet as he jogged to the huddle and right to Mark. ¡®Mark, relax. Trust me, okay? I can do this. WE can do this.¡¯

    Again, Mark didn¡¯t address Alfie directly. The huddle broke away and soon the ball was snapped again.

    This time, Alfie cut inside on another short crossing route just beyond the line of scrimmage. Ty was right behind him, right on top of Alfie like he was a backpack.

    Mark threw the ball into the turf just out of reach of both Alfie¡¯s and Ty¡¯s hands.

    Alfie bit his tongue but clapped loudly. ¡®Nice try, nice try. We¡¯ll get the next one.¡¯

    Again he and Ty went at it with a one-on-one duel. This time Alfie cut directly to the outside, and then cut once more to head back upfield.

    Mark threw the pass, and it sailed just out of reach of Ty¡¯s outstretched hand as it flew over their heads.

    The Saints¡¯ drive was over.

    Still, the Dons couldn¡¯t capitalise and their woes continued as they were unable to extend the lead to a two-possession game. The Saints had another chance to tie soon enough, and Alfie implored them to keep trying.

    ¡®You just have to focus. Don¡¯t worry about the interception before. I¡¯ll catch the ball, you just have to throw me something I CAN catch.¡¯

    ¡®O-Okay,¡¯ Mark said, his head bobbing.

    Again and again, he¡¯d try to get the ball to Alfie, and while they were closer to the target this time, that only meant that Ty was swatting these passes aside instead of having them fall to the ground or sail out of bounds out of reach of anyone.

    Still, they kept at it throughout the fourth quarter, and as time was winding down, the ball was once again in the hands of the Saints, and the scores had remained unchanged.

    This would be their last chance to score, if not, the Dons would have the opportunity to run out the clock for the few minutes that remained.

    ¡®We can do this, just one catch, that¡¯s all we need, and then our comeback can begin. He¡¯s not invincible,¡¯ Alfie said.

    Mark nodded and lightly bumped the fist that Alfie held out.

    As Alfie lined up opposite Ty, he took a deep breath, staring into those dark, predatory eyes.

    Ty narrowed his eyes. ¡®You don¡¯t get it, do you? I hate thick-headed dumbasses like you¡ªit takes you way too long to understand you have no chance against me.¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s always a chance, even a fool has a chance.¡¯

    Ty scowled.

    At the snap of the ball, Alfie kicked into motion, pushing straight into Ty¡¯s chest like he was pushing him back for a block. Over with Mark, he had turned around, reaching out to the RB as if he was going to hand the ball over.

    It wasn¡¯t that Ty didn¡¯t buy the fake, as it was sold brilliantly by all involved, he just didn¡¯t care at this point, he wasn¡¯t going to leave Alfie even if he saw the RB with the ball.

    So when Mark kept the ball for himself and the run turned out to be a fake, Ty was still right where he needed to be, still right in front of Alfie.

    But, that was right where Alfie wanted him. He shoved Ty back further, and then whirled around. At the same time, Mark whirled around too and before Alfie had even made his move, Mark threw the ball.

    It was short, much shorter than where Alfie and Ty were, but that was the plan. Alfie dived with both hands outstretched. Ty was a bit slow to react, and therefore a bit slow to balance himself from the push. He was late to dive, and even when he did so, his hand didn¡¯t reach as far as Alfie¡¯s.

    Alfie came down with the ball, hands under it protectively to keep it off the ground as he secured the catch, and as he did so, Ty fell right on top of him.

    The play didn¡¯t go far, and the catch only resulted in a gain of a couple of yards, but it was still a catch nonetheless.

    Alfie quickly hopped up, grinning from ear to ear as he faced Ty. ¡®So much for your promise about me not getting a single catch for the entire game. Looks like you¡¯re beatable after all.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s eyes widened. As Alfie stared into them, he shivered. That piercing gaze wasn¡¯t burning with anger like he had expected. It was freezing cold.

    Ty stood up calmly and dusted himself off. He didn¡¯t say a word as he returned to his team¡¯s huddle, nor did he say anything once he and Alfie were face to face again.

    Again, the Saints went for play-action. Again, Alfie had barrelled straight into Ty¡¯s chest, driving him back, then he had turned back to the ball.

    Ty pounced, but it was only a fake this time. Alfie spun by him, and Mark held onto the ball for a moment longer.

    Ty spun on his heel and gave chase as Alfie streaked down the sideline and Mark finally let the ball go.

    Alfie and Ty both turned their heads back to find the ball in its flight.

    Ty leapt first and higher. Alfie might¡¯ve gotten by him, but Ty¡¯s speed was still greater over a longer distance. His vertical was greater, and his reach was MUCH greater.

    Alfie was helpless, he could only watch as Ty plucked the ball from the sky with one hand then came crashing down on top of him.

    The very air was sucked from the field as Ty came away with the ball, and the last hopes of the Saints were seemingly crushed.

    As Ty stood up, he dropped the ball onto Alfie¡¯s chest. ¡®You¡¯ll never beat me. Not in a million years.¡¯

    Alfie had no retort as Ty stalked away.

    The Dons had possession of the ball with under two minutes to go, and while the Saints still had all of their timeouts, it would only take one first down for the Dons to ice the game and be able to run out the rest of the clock.

    As both teams lined up in formation again, the crowd let loose with the last of their energy. They screamed and shouted until their throats were raw and their voices hoarse, desperate for their defence to make one last stand and keep their hopes alive for just a little bit longer.

    The Dons weren¡¯t taking any chances, and had sent JJ out onto the field with the offence. Everyone knew it¡¯d come down to a run, and it would be up to Chris and the O-Line whether or not the Dons could finish the game here and now.

    ¡®Let¡¯s end this, hermano,¡¯ JJ said then fist-bumped Chris.

    ¡®Those legs still feeling like rockets?¡¯ Jay asked.

    ¡®Hell yeah, I¡¯m ready.¡¯

    ¡®Alright ¡­ let¡¯s go home then.¡¯ With a smile, Jay got everyone into position. They seemed to stay that way for a full minute before the ball was snapped.

    It was given to Chris immediately. He charged up the middle behind JJ. He was hit early, well before the first down marker. The arms of the defender coiled around him tighter and tighter ¡­ but he kept his legs pumping. His feet pounded against the turf and he willed his way forward, pushing through the tackle and breaking free. He slipped away from another would-be tackler and as he got wrapped up by a third, he spun and stretched out his arm, reaching the ball out.

    As he slammed into the turf he kept his grip on the ball, his arm extended as far as it could and ¡­ he was across the marker. He had secured a first down just like that, and the Dons could kneel for the first of the game to waste time until the game was over.

    The crowd was finally silenced for good. Only after the final whistle blew had they shut up completely, but Ty couldn¡¯t be happier.

    He bowed for the crowd before making his way to the locker room, reigniting some boos. Once the full team was in the locker room, Coach Long addressed them all as usual.

    ¡®Offensively, that was sloppier than I would¡¯ve liked, but we got the win in the end and that¡¯s all that matters. Good job, boys. Defence, give yourselves a pat on the back, a complete shutout, it¡¯s not often that happens, you all played exceptionally. But, there¡¯s one player who set the standard for today, and we wouldn¡¯t have won without him. Tyrese.¡¯ Coach Long looked around for a moment before he found Ty and walked over, handing him the game ball.

    Ty took it, muttering his thanks as he clutched the ball tightly against his chest.

    ¡°Finally. Back where you belong. Back to where you deserve to be.¡±

    Ty was of course, satisfied with the win¡ªas was the entire team¡ªhowever, he couldn¡¯t help but look to the future. It still wasn¡¯t enough to quench his desire for victory. For no victory could ever be as sweet, as the victories he would claim over Marshall and Denzel.

 Chapter 86: A True Fight

    Jackson and Tommy were cruising in Tommy¡¯s car, heads bobbing to the music blaring from the radio as they made their way to the Titans¡¯ next games against Desert Sunrise.

    Jackson¡¯s mind drifted back to Eddie, Sachin, and Marcus¡¯s track meet from the day prior. Whilst none of them won their respective events, they were getting better. They were all getting faster and stronger, and right now, they were happy competing against themselves rather than worrying about outperforming anyone else.

    In the end, it was still a great day, and Jackson was glad that he could spend it with them, just like how things used to be, even if they didn¡¯t go and spend the rest of the afternoon playing video games afterwards.

    He was happy his relationship with his old friends was on the mend. He just wanted to put the last couple of months behind him completely and forget them altogether.

    At least he¡¯d met Jasmine since then¡ªthat was one positive.

    But now it was time to focus on the Titans¡¯ games.

    They pulled into the car park and Tommy shut the engine off. ¡®So how strong are these ¡­ Golden Hawks, was it?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, Golden Hawks.¡¯

    ¡®A bit excessive, don¡¯t you think? Could¡¯ve just called themselves the Hawks.¡¯

    Jackson shrugged. ¡®I guess, but uh, I don¡¯t know what they¡¯re like, we weren¡¯t here for this game¡­ they played us week one. ¡­ when I was in the hospital.¡¯

    ¡®Oh¡­¡¯ Jackson and Tommy got out of the car, silence hanging over them until Tommy spoke again and said: ¡®Well they can¡¯t have been that good. If they played against a team of only ten and didn¡¯t beat them by over one hundred, then they won¡¯t be a match for you guys now that you¡¯ve got a full squad again.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm, maybe.¡¯

    ¡®Aww c¡¯mon, lighten up. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be fine. You guys are playing great right now, I doubt there¡¯s anyone in the region who could stop you.¡¯

    Jackson nodded but didn¡¯t say anything else.

    As they took their seats, Jackson saw that none of the JV members for the Titans were smiling either. They were taking the warm-up very seriously, in near silence as they prepared for the game ahead.

    Revenge was on Kenny¡¯s mind, and the same went for the others¡ªoutside of Freddy. However, it wasn¡¯t the only thing on their minds. They were nervous too.

    Nervous because this would be the first real match against the Golden Hawks. Last time, they couldn¡¯t even put up a fight because they were a man down. Even without that fact, it had been their first game of the season and a lot of the Titans were still growing accustomed to the intense training at that time.

    But even though they¡¯d tried their hardest in that first-week matchup, it never even felt like they¡¯d pushed the Golden Hawks at all. They hadn¡¯t even seen them get serious and the Titans were still completely helpless last time.

    Coach Otsen looked across the team with the sternest expression of them all. ¡®Hmmm. That¡¯s enough! Back in the locker room.¡¯ He ushered the boys inside.

    Once in the room, he stalked through it, pacing back and forth in front of every boy. ¡®What¡¯s with all the dour expressions, huh? So what if they¡¯ve beaten us! Didn¡¯t we prove just last week that we can beat a team we¡¯ve already lost to?¡¯

    ¡®¡­Yes, Coach.¡¯ Was the muted reply.

    ¡®And this team didn¡¯t even beat us when we were a full team, did they?¡¯

    ¡®No, Coach.¡¯ The volume grew louder.

    ¡®And you¡¯ve grown stronger than the first week of the season. Or do you think these past two months have been worthless?¡¯

    ¡®No, Coach!¡¯

    ¡®So go out there, and show them the difference! Show them how much stronger you are. Show them the difference one player can make,¡¯ he stared down at Freddy, ¡®and clip those bastard birds¡¯ wings!¡¯

    ¡®YES, COACH!¡¯

    Inspired by Coach Otsen, the Titans burst out of the locker room, ready to take the Hawks by storm.

    Over in the home team¡¯s locker room, things were much quieter, much calmer. Their Head Coach¡ªCoach Fowler¡ªstrutted around the room, arms behind his back. He was a tall, thin man, with sharp eyes, but a cheerful face, even now he wore a disarming smile. His hairline was receding with a large widow¡¯s peak, and his large forehead would shine in the light.

    ¡®Did you see them today?¡¯ He kept moving as he spoke. Even though his tone was quiet, he attracted the entire team''s attention. ¡®How many did you see?¡¯

    ¡®Eleven, sir.¡¯

    Coach Fowler¡¯s eyes locked onto the boy who spoke, he was a tall and thin lad himself, almost a spitting image of the coach. ¡®Precisely. And do you know what that means?¡¯

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    ¡®Uhh, they don¡¯t have any subs?¡¯ Another boy said.

    ¡®Precisely. And not only that, but they¡¯ll all have to play every part of the game. Offence, defence, even special teams. None of them will ever get to rest.¡¯ He stopped and turned to face the majority of the team. ¡®And we will never give them even a chance to catch their breath. We will play fast today, as fast as we can. There will be no huddles on offence. We will win this game, through a battle of attrition.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s hot too, even better for us, they¡¯ll tire quicker under the blazing sun,¡¯ the coach¡¯s son said.

    Coach Fowler¡¯s smile grew. ¡®Precisely.¡¯ He looked his son in the eye. ¡®But that means a heavy burden will rest upon your shoulders, Junior. As the QB, you¡¯ll have to think on the fly and make adjustments without any huddle. The success of our offence relies entirely on you, can you handle that?¡¯

    ¡®Yes, sir.¡¯

    ¡®Goood.¡¯ Coach Fowler then turned to a pack of five boys who were the largest of the team. They were still quite lean, and had faces like those of wild, starving dogs. ¡®And, of course, that means there will be minimal breaks for you Linemen either. I do hope you can handle that.¡¯

    They answered with grunts and snorts. The boy in the centre of the pack nodded. ¡®Anything for the team, Coach.¡¯

    ¡®Excellent. Now. Go out there and show them how meaningless their struggle is. Eleven players or ten, it makes no difference on the outcome. Show them no mercy.¡¯

    The boys stood up and filed out of the room with a lack of passion. As they passed through the doorway they each muttered ¡°no mercy¡± before they began their journey through the tunnel that¡¯d lead back out onto the field.

    When they burst through the sunshine and onto the golden field, they all had big, friendly smiles. They waved to the mostly empty stands, but their eyes were solely fixed on the Titans.

    For the coin toss, Junior went to centre field, flanked by two of the Linemen. He met Kenny, Pete, and Lonnie there and everyone shook hands and cordially wished each other a good game.

    ¡®I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve found your last player this time,¡¯ Junior said. ¡®Hopefully, we can have a much better game.¡¯

    ¡®And hopefully we come away with the win this time, no offence,¡¯ Pete said.

    ¡®Hahaha, none taken.¡¯ Junior regarded Pete with a smile that didn¡¯t touch his eyes.

    ¡®Oh, we¡¯ll have Tails, please,¡¯ Lonnie said to the official. ¡®Tails never fails ¡­ right?¡¯

    The coin was flipped into the air, and it did indeed come up as Tails. Lonnie looked at Pete. ¡®We defer,¡¯ Pete said. ¡®Always defer.¡¯

    ¡®How considerate, we wanted the ball anyway,¡¯ Junior said.

    ¡®Uh-huh¡­¡¯ Petey stared back at him for a while before he and the other Titans moved away, jogging back to their bench. As the two trios parted ways, Petey shuddered. ¡®That guy gives me the creeps.¡¯

    ¡®At least they don¡¯t seem as mad as last time ¡­ that¡¯s nice, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Lonnie said.

    ¡®Yeah. I guess this means they won¡¯t be holding back as much now that we¡¯ve got a full team?¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®Bah, who cares. We¡¯ll still crush those pendejos.¡¯

    When the coaches heard about the result of the coin toss, both sides were pleased.

    Before the kickoff, Coach Fowler pulled aside their returner for a moment. ¡®Whatever you do, don¡¯t take a knee. Make them chase you, make them work.¡¯

    The boy nodded and then ran out to take his position.

    The kick was thumped high into the air, and while the return wasn¡¯t a long one¡ªonly reaching the 19-yard line¡ªthe returner had done his all to evade the Titans and make them work hard to bring him down.

    ¡®Go! Offence, don¡¯t give them long to recover.¡¯

    The Titans hurried into formation as Junior and the Golden Hawks¡¯ offence soared onto the field.

    Tommy sat forward in his seat. ¡®Did you hear what kind of team Desert Sunrise is?¡¯

    Jackson shook his head. ¡®No. I heard they didn¡¯t really need to try to beat us before¡­ because of me.¡¯

    ¡®Hey. We don¡¯t need that kind of attitude. And besides, your team is about to win and make up for that loss right now, yeah? And when you¡¯re back, you¡¯ll never lose to these guys again.¡¯ Tommy looked at Jackson sternly.

    ¡®R-Right, sorry, bro.¡¯

    ¡®Anyways, looks like they¡¯ll be showing their real hand this time at least. Hmm¡­ that O-Line, looks weird, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯

    Jackson looked across the field. They were tall, yes, but even at the high school level, he¡¯d never seen such a slim and lean set of Linemen before. ¡®They uh, don¡¯t really look like Linemen, do they.¡¯

    ¡®No, no they don¡¯t¡­ this¡¯ll be interesting.¡¯

    ¡®Hut!¡¯ Junior cried and the game burst into motion with the start of the first play. Junior dropped back, looking to throw. The Receivers burst away from their marks and sprinted downfield, however, it was all a ruse. Junior handed the ball to the RB at the last moment.

    The RB powered ahead as the Titans¡¯ defence scrambled back to defend the run, and thankfully, Pete was able to crash down and stop the run for a minimal gain.

    The Hawks picked themselves up quickly, helping their fallen comrades back to their feet, and then they hurried back into formation.

    ¡®Uhh ¡­ guys?¡¯ As the Titans had been heading back to their huddle, Lonnie turned their attention to the Hawks who were quickly getting into formation again.

    ¡®?Mierda! No huddle! Get back in position!¡¯ Petey shouted, shoving others aside and urging them back into formation.

    Coach Carson was screaming from the sidelines as well, urging the defence back to their spots. But before everyone could get set up again, the Hawks had snapped the ball again.

    Caught out of position, and caught off guard, it was easy for the Hawks to move the ball downfield on this pass play. Junior quickly scanned the field, and targeted the weakest point in the defence, which happened to be the zone the inexperienced Freddy was supposed to be covering.

    Freddy scrambled after his man, but it was Lonnie who made it over first, and although the catch had already been completed, Lonnie was able to shove the Receiver out of bounds before they could break away for a touchdown.

    Giving up a 20-yard play this early into the game was bad, but it was infinitely better than giving up a touchdown.

    ¡®Oh, crap. Sorry. But thanks Lonnie, you really saved my butt there,¡¯ Freddy said, panting a bit.

    ¡®No time. Get back.¡¯ Lonnie turned Freddy around, showing him that the Hawks were once again rushing into formation, even the Receiver raced by them and returned to his spot. The two defenders scrambled back into place as the rest of the Titans hurried to catch up with their opponents.

    Coach Otsen paced along the sideline, watching closely as his jaw was set tightly. ¡®So this is the game you¡¯re going to play. Hmph, we¡¯ll see which team cracks first. I know who I¡¯d put my money on.¡¯

 Chapter 87: No Huddle

    Even after the Titans realised the Golden Hawks¡¯ plan, adjusting to it was another thing altogether.

    There was hardly any time to listen to Coach Otsen¡¯s play calls and changes during the minuscule break between plays, let alone for Petey to relay that information to his teammates.

    Coach Carson would yell the orders from the sideline to give a second avenue of communication, but even then, the Titans were always scrambling to catch up, and the Golden Hawks kept chipping away at them, picking them apart bit by bit.

    If the Titans focused more on protecting against deep plays or throws down the sideline, then it¡¯d open them up to runs up the middle or short passes underneath.

    And the inverse was also true. It felt like no matter what adjustments they made on the fly, the Golden Hawks¡ªled by Junior¡ªwould find the perfect counter in minimal time.

    Coach Carson watched on, grinding her teeth. She stepped over to Coach Otsen and stood beside him. ¡®I know this isn¡¯t ideal, sir¡­ but perhaps it¡¯d be best if we took a timeout, just so the boys can get their legs back under them and we can stop this run.¡¯

    Coach Otsen stared across the field, watching the game unfold, watching his defence unfold as if it were made of string. That may have been what he was looking at currently, but he was still thinking about the bigger picture, observing the game as a whole.

    He glanced at Coach Carson just after the Golden Hawks ripped off another 10-yard gain. ¡®No. It¡¯s too early. That¡¯s what they want us to do. Our boys need to overcome this shock on their own, and if they can¡¯t it¡¯ll be a good learning experience at least. But as for our timeouts, we¡¯ll need them later.¡¯

    Coach Carson frowned deeply. The Golden Hawks were marching closer and closer to the endzone, and there didn¡¯t seem to be any stopping them. ¡®Sir, I¡ª¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s best if you think about what adjustments need to be made for the opponent¡¯s next drive, Coach Carson.¡¯

    ¡®Yes, sir.¡¯

    Coach Otsen¡¯s eyes found his counterpart on the opposite sideline. Coach Fowler looked as calm as ever. He was concentrated entirely on the game, his expression unreadable.

    The Titans were already panting. If they could just get one stop, one incomplete pass, that would stop the clock, then maybe they¡¯d get a small reprieve.

    Lonnie crept forward, taking up a stance closer to the line of scrimmage. The Golden Hawks were just outside of the red zone, already within field goal range, keeping them scoreless was off the table now unless they could force a turnover ¡­ however, Lonnie wasn¡¯t even thinking that optimistically, he just wanted a chance to catch his breath.

    The ball was snapped almost immediately after the Golden Hawks had taken up their usual positions. Lonnie stayed close over the middle, but started slowly drifting back further down the field. From the corner of his eye, he saw a Receiver from the outside make a break towards the centre of the field, heading right over the top of where he was now.

    He started backpedalling faster, then he turned and sprinted back as soon as he saw Junior¡¯s arm twitch and pull back for the pass.

    Lonnie made it just in time, his outstretched hand disrupted the catch and knocked the ball to the ground.

    Kenny was right there to help him back onto his feet after the incompletion, and then the rest of the team quickly got around Lonnie, patting him on the back and head enthusiastically.

    ¡®That¡¯s what we needed,¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®Uhh¡­ guys?¡¯ Lonnie pointed across to the Golden Hawks, who, after a brief pause to look at their coaches, had begun to rush back into formation.

    ¡®Mierda. Can¡¯t they give it a rest?!¡¯ Petey and the others ran back into position but were caught off-balance at the snap of the ball.

    Junior turned around to hand the ball off, Pete rushed forward, ready to crash into whatever hole opened up and stop the run.

    But it was just a fake.

    As Junior kept the ball, Pete skidded to a halt and tried to turn back around, but ended up falling on his ass instead.

    The pass went right over his head, hitting the Receiver in stride.

    Lonnie was there to stop him, standing his ground. But he never got the chance to make the tackle, another Hawk swooped in and slammed into him, shoving him back with a powerful block, and the Receiver with the ball glided behind them before diving in for the touchdown.

    The modest crowd gave a few hoots and hollers, and Pete cursed as he sat on the grass before being helped up by Freddy. ¡®We¡¯ll get them next time, it¡¯s okay,¡¯ Freddy said.

    The Titans didn¡¯t put much effort into stopping the kick for the extra point, and it sailed through the uprights without issue.

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    For the kickoff, Coach Fowler had some words of advice for his Kicker: ¡®Whatever you do, DON¡¯T hit it into the endzone. Drop it short, make them work.¡¯

    With a nod, the Kicker ran out onto the field and did as he was told.

    Kenny was the one to field the kick, and he had thoughts of letting it bounce to see if it¡¯d run out of the endzone, but he decided not to risk it, so he caught the kick on the full and then burst forward.

    He did at least get the ball out beyond the 30-yard line on his return, but again it was just another way for the Hawks to grind the Titans down.

    Coach Otsen called the team towards the sideline for a moment, as it was finally the Titans'' turn on offence. ¡®They¡¯re trying to tire you out, they don¡¯t care about the clock, they¡¯re going fast ONLY to wear you down. Take things slow now that the ball is in our control, use every second of the clock you can, and catch your breath now. This is what we¡¯ve been training for. They¡¯re going to be wearing themselves down by going so fast on offence too, but they don¡¯t work as hard as you do, don¡¯t fight as hard as you do, and you won¡¯t give up just because things are getting a little tough. Show them how bad you want it!¡¯

    ¡®Yeah!¡¯

    The Titans were re-energised. They came back out onto the field with their fires blazing passionately, and started things off with a run. As Isaac¡ªtheir RB¡ªcharged ahead for a gain of 5 yards, Coach Otsen watched on solemnly.

    Coach Knight stood beside him. ¡®We need to make every possession count,¡¯ Coach Otsen said.

    Coach Knight nodded.

    Coach Otsen chuckled. ¡®They don¡¯t feel it now, but the fourth quarter will be a different story¡­ though I tell you, if they even think of giving up and falling over, I¡¯ll show them what real hell is at the next session of practice.¡¯

    The Titans would pick themselves up from the run and amble back to their huddle, making the most of the downtime between plays to keep fresh and fan their flames as much as they could to keep their passion simmering away.

    They¡¯d slowly and methodically work their way downfield. And after every play, whether it was a run or a pass, a big, short, or even no gain at all, they¡¯d slowly and calmly huddle up and drain as much of the clock as they could before moving into their next play.

    It sucked the energy from Desert Sunrise¡¯s defence, as well as their small crowd which became almost lifeless. Coach Fowler wasn¡¯t worried, he was happy to let them waste as much time as they wanted as those who had played on offence for the Golden Hawks were able to rest during this time as well. However, it wasn¡¯t like he could stop the Titans from wasting time anyway, unless the defence got a complete stop.

    However, one Titan in particular was beginning to catch his eye.

    Kenny was working extra hard for the Titans. On every run he¡¯d give his all to block off his defender and create an impassable wall along the edge of the field, even if the run wasn¡¯t directed towards him.

    Then, on every pass he¡¯d be giving his all to get open, and was frequently able to do so, hauling in receptions one after the other.

    The Titans weren¡¯t moving quickly, but they were moving. Until the Golden Hawks¡¯ zone shifted over to cover Kenny¡¯s side of the field more heavily.

    There was less room for him to work with, less open space to find, and smaller windows for Pete to throw the ball into.

    Additionally, the Hawks brought a lot more pressure against the Titans once they crossed half field, as the defence could get plenty of rest as well thanks to all the time the Titans were wasting, it meant that the pass rush was always able to give it their all on every play.

    Eventually, the Titans would be stopped completely, and their drive would come to fourth down. Coach Otsen decided to settle for a field goal, as it¡¯d be a kick of 41 yards; they were still within range.

    But after holding onto the ball for twice as long as the Golden Hawks had, to only come away with a field goal was a bit of a disappointment for the Titans.

    At least it was better than nothing, and the kick was good, so they secured the 3 points in the end. Before the subsequent kickoff also, Coach Otsen had some more words with his team.

    ¡®It¡¯s alright, this is a marathon, not a sprint. We¡¯ll catch up to them and break through the defence next time. For now, if you really want a break from their no-huddle bullshit, then you¡¯re going to have to stop them yourselves and win the ball back. Don¡¯t get panicky, and don¡¯t freak out. We know what¡¯s coming now, and so they won¡¯t get us out of position before the ball is even snapped. If we¡¯re right on top of them at the start of the play, we can shut them down, I know you can do it. Don¡¯t overthink it, just go out there and do what you always do. Stick close, don¡¯t give your man any space, and Linemen, don¡¯t let them manipulate you, just hold your ground, block off any holes, they can¡¯t push you around, so don¡¯t fall for any of their traps.¡¯

    The Titans took the field with a determined gleam in their eyes. They wouldn¡¯t be caught off guard this time, they knew the Hawks would ALWAYS go without their huddle. So right after the kickoff, the Titans were already hurrying into their defensive positions.

    The first play, the Hawks tried a run, stretching to the outside, however, the Titans quickly swarmed around the ball carrier and stopped him for only a 2-yard gain.

    Next, the Hawks tried a pass, but anything underneath was covered as the D-Line formed a wall over the middle, each man raising a hand to block off any short pass attempt, and the DBs were able to stick close to their men, with Lonnie helping out over the top for Freddy.

    Junior couldn¡¯t find any opening and had to throw the ball away before the Pocket collapsed entirely.

    And just like that, the Golden Hawks were facing a three-and-out, and even with their no-huddle, Junior had to slow down for a moment and look to his father for guidance.

    To gain the first down, they tried a play-action pass. The fake handoff opened up some space within the middle of the field, and disrupted the stout wall of defenders at the line of scrimmage itself, giving Junior more room to work with.

    With Lonnie giving more assistance to Freddy, it meant the rest of the field was more vulnerable, and Kenny¡¯s man was running right into the opening left behind by Lonnie.

    Kenny was a step behind after the fake, but was pushing himself to catch back up when the ball was thrown.

    As the ball spiralled through the air, the pass hadn¡¯t led the Receiver enough, so he had to slow just a touch, and Kenny was able to regain the step he had lost before.

    Kenny dove, throwing himself wildly at the ball as he flew by the Receiver and smashed the ball down into the grass.

    A collective groan came from the crowd, but in contrast, two loud voices erupted with cheers at the outcome. The Titans on the field cheered loudly as well and quickly got around Kenny, helping him back up and patting him down.

    Over on the sideline, Coach Fowler scowled deeply, his eyes fixed on Kenny. Perhaps it would prove more difficult than he imagined to grind a Titan down.

 Chapter 88: Fly or Fall

    ¡®Great work, everyone,¡¯ Coach Otsen said. ¡®That¡¯s EXACTLY how we need to play if we want to succeed today. But even so, let¡¯s still take things slow on this drive, take your time, conserve your energy, and think of the bigger picture. Remember, marathon, not sprint.¡¯

    Tommy and Jackson were close enough, and the rest of the crowd was quiet enough, that they could hear Coach Otsen¡¯s words, and Jackson was slightly glad that he wasn¡¯t down there today¡ªhe¡¯d never liked the longer races during his middle school days.

    ¡®MAXIMUM energy conservation!¡¯ Coach Vasquez yelled.

    Coach Otsen chuckled dryly. ¡®Yes, so be the opposite of Coach Vasquez here.¡¯

    The players laughed quietly before being sent back out onto the field. Most of them were happy to nickel and dime their way downfield, however, they still had to overcome this new zone the Hawks were using against them.

    Forget a double team, Kenny felt like he was being triple-teamed. It was like he was stuck in the Bermuda Triangle, and no matter which way he went, a Hawk was waiting for him.

    For the first pass, it was all Kenny could do to break it up and stop a Hawk from intercepting it.

    When he got back to the huddle, he nudged Pete slightly. ¡®Hey, don¡¯t force it in there like that, if there isn¡¯t space don¡¯t worry about it. Giving them the ball right back is the last thing we need right now.¡¯

    ¡®I know! My bad, damn¡­¡¯ Pete grumbled, head down.

    ¡®It¡¯s all good. We¡¯re all here to help. Let¡¯s win this.¡¯ Lonnie cast a smile around the huddle.

    ¡®Yeah!¡¯ came the enthusiastic cries from the other team members.

    Again, they went for a pass on the next play, however, instead of looking Kenny¡¯s way again, Pete targeted Lonnie this time.

    On offence, Lonnie¡¯s tall stature made him a natural fit for the TE position, and he was much more careful and patient, more aligned with his sloth-like nature off the field. He was perfect for picking apart the weaknesses in a Zone defence and finding the empty gaps. Which is exactly what he did.

    He observed the defence, as he had been doing all game, and found the right moment to slip into the gap just as it opened. Pete found him and got the ball into him. Lonnie caught it securely on his chest, then whirled, showing off his surprising speed once more as he burst forward for a first down and an 11-yard gain.

    A round of applause came from the coaches on the Titans¡¯ sideline¡ªall bar Coach Knight, who hadn¡¯t even cracked a smile¡ªand the players took their time huddling back up and preparing for the next set of downs.

    They started this series off with a run¡ªa long, stretching run to the outside. It only resulted in 3 yards, but it was better than nothing and set up their next play beautifully.

    They went for the exact same thing, except Petey held onto the ball this time instead of giving it off to Isaac, and as he whirled around, his eyes scanned downfield, finding one Titan all on his lonesome¡ªit was Freddy.

    See, Freddy was always somewhat of a dark horse within these games, like he was the Titans'' secret weapon.

    On defence, he was just there to cover over the top for Nick as part of their zone defence, but even then, his zone was one of the smaller parts of their defence, and it was Lonnie who was forced to look after a large portion of that side of the field as well as the middle.

    Then, on offence, Freddy usually had even less of a role and impact. How he was used in most plays, was only as a block and distraction, someone there to take up a zone or a defender and keep them occupied, or apply an extra bit of protection when it came to the run.

    Even on passing plays he rarely ran a route, just so he could set up moments like these, where, for all intents and purposes, it had looked like a run in the beginning, so Freddy¡¯s man had left him behind completely, only for it to turn into a play-action pass, and once the CB realised that, Freddy was already well downfield.

    Petey fired the ball over to Freddy, finding him right where he needed to be 10 yards down, hugging the sideline closely. Most defenders didn¡¯t even notice he was there until the ball was in his hands, and then the chase was on.

    Of course, they were a step behind thanks to being caught off guard, so Freddy was able to scramble forward for an additional 10 yards and bring the play to a 20-yard gain overall before he stepped out of bounds, using the safety of the boundary line to avoid any hit from his opponents.

    Freddy darted out just in front of the Golden Hawks¡¯ bench and stopped only a couple of steps from Coach Fowler. He smiled awkwardly at the tall, thin man, feeling as if some kind of X-ray machine was inspecting him.

    ¡®Uhh¡­ h-hi,¡¯ Freddy said. Coach Fowler didn¡¯t answer.

    Freddy handed the ball to an official and then jogged back to the Titans¡¯ huddle, keeping his head down, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up after his encounter with the Golden Hawks¡¯ coach.

    Coach Fowler scowled as he watched Freddy go. It seemed there was another tricky little Titan that he needed to keep his eyes on.

    And after Freddy¡¯s big play, it gave the defence something else to think about during the rest of the drive. No longer could his man be so careless, or treat him as if he wasn¡¯t a threat on his own merit.

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    Now, even if they wouldn¡¯t use Freddy for the rest of the game as the primary target of a play, it made his role as a distracter, as an extra body, even more effective.

    And by now, with the extra time bought by his teammates, Kenny believed he had found a weakness within the defence being used to contain him.

    ¡®Hey, Petey, look for me, alright?¡¯ he said. ¡®I think I¡¯ve figured them out.¡¯

    ¡®You got it, amigo. Let¡¯s do this.¡¯

    They broke away from their huddle again, getting into position. Petey gave Kenny a nod, and then the ball was snapped.

    Kenny ambled forward at half-speed. He feinted to the outside, going full speed for a second before he slowed back down, and using Lonnie¡¯s earlier catch as an example, he slowly drifted right into the sweet spot between the zone defenders surrounding him, the only safe spot within that Bermuda Triangle.

    The window was small, but Petey saw it, and he trusted Kenny. He whipped his hips around and flung the ball over to Kenny. It barely zipped past outstretched hands, narrowly avoiding their fingertips before it found Kenny¡¯s stomach and he wrapped his arms tightly around it.

    Kenny backed into the defender that closed in on him, forcing his way through them for a couple of extra yards after the catch. It was a gain of 9 after he was brought down, but it was bigger than just that, he¡¯d figured them out, and more catches were on the way.

    The Titans began to work their way downfield steadily, still taking their time with every play, and eventually, they¡¯d make it to their opponent¡¯s 15-yard line before they were met with firmer resistance.

    Again, the Golden Hawks almost came away with an interception after they adjusted how their defenders marked Kenny.

    There were still three defenders in his general area, but now only two were working in Zones, and one was specifically tasked with matching him man-to-man.

    There was a Safety keeping watch over the top for any deep routes that Kenny would¡¯ve wanted to run, as well as another CB waiting lower down in the middle, so that the defender marking Kenny had inside help as well, and practically only had to worry about things underneath¡ªwhich he could sit on¡ªor stuff to the outside, which he could use the sideline to squeeze Kenny against, so there was no room for such passes.

    With Kenny locked down once more, the Titans couldn¡¯t break through that last line of defence in the condensed field, and were once again forced to settle for a field goal. Though, as long as they kept this up, they¡¯d take the lead eventually.

    The kick was booted through successfully, and the score ticked to 7¨C6 in the Golden Hawks¡¯ favour.

    ¡®They sure are marking Kenny closely. Looks like they did their homework, or found out something from that first meeting,¡¯ Tommy said, watching the Titans come over to the sideline for a quick breather.

    Jackson nodded.

    ¡®How do you think he should get around that defence?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    ¡®I¡­I don¡¯t know if he can by himself¡­ he needs someone else to run through and distract one or both of the help defenders, doesn¡¯t he?¡¯

    ¡®That might be the best way, but he still has to beat his own man then, and let¡¯s say for now, no one helps him, how would you do it by yourself?¡¯

    ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Jackson needed a moment to think about it.

    Whilst the Titans were taking their time to set up for the kickoff after their score, over on the other sideline, Coach Fowler called together his defence.

    ¡®You are doing well to hold them back to only small scores, but that is not good enough. We must stop them completely, and the first step, is to clip THAT one¡¯s wings,¡¯ he said, pointing across the field at Kenny.

    Kenny felt a chill run down his spine and almost choked on the Gatorade he was gulping down. He coughed and wiped his mouth, looking around.

    ¡®There isn¡¯t much you can do,¡¯ Jackson said. ¡®You need to target the outside, but it''s hard to do that when the defender is sitting on your outside shoulder the whole time because he knows he¡¯s got help inside.¡¯

    ¡®But you have to get out there,¡¯ Tommy said.

    They watched the kickoff, and once again the Golden Hawks ran it out and ran the Titans around for as long as they could before being tackled down at the 17-yard line.

    ¡®You just¡­ have to sell the inside route,¡¯ Jackson said, ¡®a real short, sharp one, like a slant or something, you have to sell it so good, that your defender can¡¯t help but jump out to stop it, and then you need to slip by him, over the top, but not TOO far over the top so the Safety can¡¯t get down in time to break it up.¡¯

    ¡®Hahaha, sounds pretty hard, doesn¡¯t it? But it¡¯s doable ¡­ you can always get out of any tricky situation as long as you¡¯re good enough, AND you trust your QB enough to make that throw. But that¡¯s only if your teammates can¡¯t help you out, which they should.¡¯

    Jackson nodded again, then watched as the Golden Hawks¡¯ rapid-fire offence took flight once again, determined not to fail this time and get back on the scoreboard after their last drive ended in failure.

    They came out, as expected, running through their plays quickly, and without any huddle. However, this time, they opened the gates with a play-action pass that was a Flea Flicker¡ªa play where the ball was actually handed to the RB, but before they reached the line of scrimmage, they¡¯d stop and turn back, ¡°flicking¡± the ball back to the QB so he could throw it forward instead.

    This brought them a gain of 12 yards, and they didn¡¯t stop there. Every play they ran for this drive was exclusively a trick play of some kind, even if those tricks were as simple as Draw plays, or regular Play-Action passes, all the way to things like Jet Sweep reversals where another Receiver from the opposite side of the first sweep would run across and get a second handoff from the initial runner, to plays out of the Wildcat formation, where Junior wouldn¡¯t even line up as QB, and the RB would receive the snap instead.

    Not only were the Golden Hawks attacking the Titans physically with their rapid pace and use of no-huddle, but now¡ªby using all these trick plays¡ªthey were putting a significant mental strain on them as well.

    However, these tricks were a double-edged sword, and while they worked in some instances, other times they backfired and failed completely, or even worse¡ªcost the Hawks precious yards.

    As such, whilst the Golden Hawks initially wormed their way downfield thanks to these tricks, once they¡¯d shown their hand, and the Titans had seen through them, their progress was halted.

    Still, the Hawks were able to kick through a field goal, and push their lead back out to a SLIGHTLY more comfortable margin of 4 points. At least another field goal wouldn¡¯t take the lead from them this time, and the Titans would need to score a touchdown if they wanted to shoot down these Hawks.

    As time wound down to the final five minutes of the first half, the Titans had the ball again, looking to build off of the success of their first two drives, starting this one at the 33-yard line, after another good kickoff return from Kenny.

    However, after nearly a half-hour of non-stop action, the drain of trying to keep up with the Golden Hawks¡¯ offence was taking its toll.

 Chapter 89: Perseverance

    To open the Titans¡¯ next offensive drive, they went with a run. Isaac hit the hole hard, but was met with an immovable wall of Hawks¡¯ defenders, and was brought down for only a gain of a single yard.

    Next, Petey tried to find Lonnie over the middle, but even as the tall TE stretched his hands up high, a Hawk came swooping in and knocked the ball out of his grasp before he could complete the catch; Lonnie was thankful the officials didn¡¯t rule it as a completed catch turned into a fumble, but he apologised for not holding onto the ball.

    Then it was up to Kenny to bail the Titans out of the tricky third down they found themselves in.

    Thankfully, he did so, with Freddy¡¯s help. The less experienced Receiver was moved to Kenny¡¯s side before the snap. Freddy¡¯s job was to occupy the Safety and keep them from interfering.

    So, when Freddy ran straight ahead, charging deep downfield, Kenny swept around further outside, closer to the sideline, and then burst ahead in Freddy¡¯s wake, sprinting right into the empty space Freddy left behind.

    Kenny kept the defender on his inside hip, their hands fighting as Kenny tried to keep him a step back, and the CB tried to keep Kenny grounded and close.

    When the ball was thrown, it was high and to the outside, right where it favoured Kenny. He turned his head, finding the ball in its flight. The defender did so just a fraction of a second later, but being behind any amount of time was a death sentence in this game.

    Kenny planted his feet and launched into the air, then, the defender launched with him. Kenny threw himself up and out towards the ball; the defender jumped straight up.

    Kenny¡¯s hands closed around the ball and he wrenched it tight against his chest, as the defender flailed in the air. Kenny¡¯s arms locked the ball in place as he crashed back down to earth, hitting butt first in bounds before he rolled out.

    The catch was good, and the Titans'' drive would continue for another set of downs. But this drive would still end in failure for them.

    They were running out of steam, even taking things slow, the grind of their defensive efforts against the Golden Hawks¡¯ no-huddle offence was wearing them down, and when the Hawks¡¯ defence was still full of energy, always getting plenty of rest, and even able to switch out players in between each play, they started to dominate the Titans.

    The Hawks were always a step ahead, a second faster. When a hole opened up in the line of scrimmage for Isaac to run through, a defender would reach it first and stop him before he could even get going.

    Lonnie could still find gaps underneath with his methodical, slow, slicing routes, but once he made the catch, he wouldn¡¯t have any time to run and gain extra yards afterwards.

    Then with the other Receivers¡ªNick and Freddy¡ªthey couldn¡¯t get open at all. Freddy was being watched much too closely, the Hawks no longer falling for his tricks or ignoring him now they realised the threat he could be. And Nick¡¯s leg speed was faltering, he no longer had the power to break away from his defender.

    Even Vincent and the rest of the O-Line had run out of gas. The holes for the run game were getting smaller and smaller, and they were getting beat more in pass protection as well, with Petey having less and less time to throw the ball.

    Kenny was the last flame still burning.

    Kenny and the others willed the ball across half-field barely, but then they were stopped completely, the Hawks using a couple of timeouts to make sure they¡¯d have enough time on the clock for a counterattack after the Titans were forced to punt the ball away.

    And that¡¯s exactly what they did. Nick managed to get a decent kick off, and send the ball careening out of bounds at the Hawks¡¯ 17-yard line, but the Titans wouldn¡¯t have any chance to catch their breath as that rapid, no-huddle offence retook the field.

    The timeouts had given the Titans a slight recovery, though they¡¯d have to make the most of it. They came out swinging for the first play of what would be the last drive of the half.

    Isaac was sent crashing down on a blitz with the four D-Linemen, but the Hawks had been expecting such an aggressive approach.

    Their RB slipped out of the backfield, and made a short curl of the middle of the field. Petey scrambled after him when the catch was made, but it still ended in a gain of 7 yards.

    The Titans picked themselves up and hurried back to their positions. The next play was a run, the RB getting the ball again. This time he cut a path to the left side of the field, looking to stretch it far to the outside.

    The entire Titans'' defence swarmed to that side of the field, moving like a surging wave. And then, the RB stopped on a dime and jump cut to the side, changing directions as he sped across the grain now, catching the defenders on the wrong foot as the Titans had to turn and give chase.

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    Despite all the running around, it was a short gain, but still enough to earn the Hawks a new set of downs.

    The Titans were being danced around like a bunch of puppets, Coach Fowler and his boys the ones pulling the strings.

    Coach Otsen watched with a stern frown, but held onto his timeouts for a little longer. Behind the Titans bench, a few rows back in the crowd, two hopeful voices tried to get a chant of ¡°De-fence¡± going, with little success.

    Time was winding down as the Hawks flew across the field and onto the Titans¡¯ half, but not quickly enough¡ªat their pace, they¡¯d glide right into the endzone before the clock had run out.

    To cross over into the red zone, Junior hit one of his Receivers close by the sideline, as they¡¯d barely managed to get the better of Kenny. They secured the catch before Kenny shoved them out of bounds after an 8-yard gain.

    Kenny had dived to the ground in the effort, lying face down as he tried to catch his breath. The Receiver had already gotten up and passed the ball back to an official as the Hawks were regrouping.

    A lot of Titans stood with their hands on heads, or hunched over holding their knees. Coach Otsen stepped up to one of the sideline officials and finally called for a timeout. The clock was stopped with under a minute to go in the half.

    The Titans dragged themselves to their bench and sat down, each player hanging their head back or down as they sucked up as much oxygen as they could.

    Coach Otsen stood before them, looking down at them all. ¡®I¡¯m not going to say much. You¡¯re all doing great out there. Just clear your heads, catch your breath, and make the most of this break.¡¯

    Heavy pants were the only answers he got.

    ¡®You¡¯re stronger, faster, and better than them, remember that. Don¡¯t let them push you around,¡¯ Coach Carson said.

    When the short break of the timeout was over, the dying embers of the Titans had been reignited.

    The first play out of the timeout the Hawks went for was a throw over the middle to their TE, but both Petey and Isaac were there to break it up before the catch could be made. Of course, the Hawks didn¡¯t stop there and went straight into another play, this one a run up the middle.

    Their RB weaved and carved his way forward for a few yards, and brought the Hawks within the final 10 yards to the endzone and a touchdown.

    Coach Otsen called another timeout.

    Again, he didn¡¯t have much to say to the boys, he just let them rest and recover.

    The Hawks came out with another pass after the timeout, this one targetting the back of the endzone, but Lonnie was there to bother the Receiver just enough that they bobbled the catch and fell out of bounds before they could reel it in completely.

    The Titans breathed a sigh of relief, their two biggest fans cheered loudly, and oddly enough, Coach Otsen called his final timeout right away, even though it was second down, and the clock had already stopped.

    ¡®Every play counts,¡¯ he told the boys. ¡®Keep them out of the endzone, that¡¯s the only thing that matters now, nothing else. Just keep them out of the endzone, even if it kills you.¡¯

    ¡®YES COACH!¡¯

    They took their positions on the field once more. They were all reinvigorated, their energy fully restored, perhaps because of the frequent breaks, or the adrenaline of the circumstances and making a goal-line stand, or maybe even the fact that halftime and a proper rest were less than thirty seconds away. Whatever it was, the Titans were at full strength.

    The Hawks felt that strength on their next play, trying to bull their way inside for the score, they brought in a beefy FB, one of their players that usually played as part of the D-Line. He carved open a path for the RB like a snowplough, but the Titans swiftly closed that opening.

    Everybody rushed in to get involved, Kenny, Lonnie, Petey, Isaac, and even Freddy had a helping hand keeping the RB out, protecting those final 2 yards of turf.

    The Hawks made some changes then. Their formation became much more compact, and another D-Linemen came out to replace the RB, so they had two players the size of fridges sitting behind Junior.

    There wasn¡¯t a single Receiver spread out wide, and almost every player on both sides was within arm''s reach of one another before the snap.

    Coach Otsen¡¯s eyes narrowed. He knew his boys were stronger, just looking at the size difference between the two Lines anyone could see that. ¡®It¡¯s a fake! Watch the pass!¡¯ he cried. Coach Carson echoed his message.

    Junior looked to the shouting, his hands shaking. A cold sweat ran down his face. He looked at his father on the other sideline. The clock was still running as he hesitated.

    Coach Fowler stared back coldly, those eyes piercing straight through Junior. Junior looked away. They knew it was a fake. Should he go through with it? What if they picked off the pass? Should he swap to a run then? Or were they trying to bluff and hoping for that?

    Expectant voices called to him, his teammates looking at him, confused about what was taking so long, urging him to make the call and start the play. He couldn¡¯t think with everyone shouting at him.

    The official¡¯s whistle drew him out of his spiralling panic. The Golden Hawks had used their last timeout; there were only two seconds left in the half.

    With slumped shoulders, he made his way over to the bench and stood before his father. ¡®I¡¯m sorry,¡¯ he said. ¡®I didn¡¯t know what to do.¡¯

    ¡®What do you mean? You don¡¯t need to know what to do, you just need to trust my decisions. It doesn¡¯t matter if they know we aren¡¯t going to run it. They can¡¯t stop us, we are the superior force. DON¡¯T forget that.¡¯

    ¡®Yes sir. Sorry sir.¡¯

    Junior turned to go back out on the field but an iron-like grip stopped him as Coach Fowler grabbed his wrist, it felt like talons were digging into his flesh. ¡®No. I won¡¯t put our success in YOUR hands now. Sit down. We¡¯ll have to kick a field goal now.¡¯

    ¡®Oh¡­¡¯ Junior nodded, keeping his eyes down. He sat down as the kicking unit took the field.

    ¡®You cost us those four points. Keep that in mind, boy.¡¯

    Junior bit his tongue.

    The field goal was successful, and that marked the end of the half. The Golden Hawks held onto a 7-point lead as they went into the major break, the score read: 13¨C6.

 Chapter 90: Fan the Fires

    ¡®Keep your heads up,¡¯ Coach Otsen said. ¡®Push the first half out of your mind and enjoy the break, build up as much of your energy as you can going into the second half, you¡¯ll need it.¡¯

    The Titans filed into the locker rooms, most wore strained expressions as they recovered from the high stress their bodies had been under during the first half.

    As the players found their seats and chugged their drinks, Coach Otsen and Coach Carson stepped aside, talking quickly and quietly as they planned their next defensive plan.

    Coach Vasquez and Coach Knight slowly moved past the seated players. ¡®Great work,¡¯ Coach Knight muttered.

    ¡®Mm! Keep it up in the second half, we have to keep attacking with MAXIMUM strength if we want to break through for a touchdown in the second half. Ken! You¡¯ll be the key, our super secret, MAXIMUM weapon.¡¯

    ¡®You can do it,¡¯ Coach Knight said.

    ¡®But! Everyone else must give their MAXIMUM support if we want to win.

    Kenny listened intently, nodding along. He could do this. With a little help from his teammates who could open the way for him, he¡¯d win this game.

    Lonnie patted him on the back lightly, offering a supportive smile.

    ¡®Listen up!¡¯ Coach Otsen¡¯s voice called the attention of the whole room. ¡®On defence, I know it¡¯s a tough ask, and you¡¯re already giving your all out there just to keep up, but I need MORE from you. We need to be a lot more aggressive in the second half if we want to make an impact on that end. But, think of it like this, the harder you work to stop them, the sooner we can move back to offence and you can catch your breath.¡¯

    All around the room the players took deep breaths, their expressions hardening as they prepared themselves for the arduous struggle they¡¯d undertake in the second half.

    ¡®Vincent.¡¯ Coach Otsen looked around and then made his way over to stand directly in front of the solid, chunky boy. Vincent looked away from that harsh gaze.

    Kenny looked over. Vincent was one of the larger boys, the key to their D-Line. When he was on the field, he was like a solid wall¡ªhard to move. Kenny wasn¡¯t sure if that was because of Vincent¡¯s size, his stubbornness, or simply, his laziness. Whilst Vincent couldn¡¯t get pushed back easily, he didn¡¯t really push forward and apply his own pressure either. Even in practice, Vincent¡ªdespite being one of the sophomores¡ªwas always at the back of the pack during team drills and exercises.

    ¡®I need a lot more effort out of you as well,¡¯ Coach Otsen said. ¡®The plan relies on you defensively. I need you to keep being that wall, that foundation of our D-Line, the stick in the mud that holds the line and stands strong no matter what. But I need more than that also. I need you to PUSH BACK, to drive them back and close the cage around those little birds.¡¯

    A bit of sweat ran down the back of Vincent¡¯s neck.

    Coach Otsen leaned down close to him. ¡®And if I think you¡¯re phoning it in and not giving it your all; if you don¡¯t end up on all fours, puking your guts out by the end of this game, I¡¯ll personally see to it that you¡¯re running laps all practice long for the rest of the season.¡¯

    Even Kenny, on the other side of the room, could hear Vincent¡¯s gulp. ¡®Y-Yes Coach,¡¯ Vincent said.

    ¡®That¡¯s a good lad.¡¯ Coach Otsen smacked Vincent on the shoulder and then moved away.

    Coach Carson was nearby, running through the new defensive game plan with the rest of the Linemen. ¡®They¡¯re taking real wide stances when it comes to pass protection. They want to send you deep outside, to make you spend more energy trying to get around them, and they¡¯re fast enough to make it work. But look how small they are, look how skinny they are, and look how massive, how STRONG you are.¡¯ She firmly smacked the chest pad of one boy. ¡®If they want to send you outside, that¡¯s fine, we can play their game, send their QB scurrying forward, give him nowhere to retreat, so he runs straight into Vincent¡¯s waiting arms. OR, you can bulldoze straight through those tiny Linemen. Aren¡¯t you pissed off that Desert Sunrise thinks they can hold you back with such a small wall? What have we been training for? Why have we been building up your bodies and turning you into wrecking balls if you¡¯re going to let such weak, little boys push you around!? Come on!¡¯

    The Linemen were fired up, another surge of energy rapidly filling them.

    Coach Otsen looked across at Petey. ¡®Pete. If it''s a run, I need you and Isaac to crash down hard. Understood?¡¯

    ¡®Yes Coach!¡¯

    Isaac reached a fist out to Petey.

    Petey knocked his fist against Isaac¡¯s outstretched hand.

    As things were heating up in the Titans¡¯ locker room, over in the Golden Hawks¡¯ room, things were much quieter, though they had their own sort of calm, still intensity. Coach Fowler stalked around the room like a predator looking for prey.

    ¡®Offence. Do not worry. They might¡¯ve been able to slow us down in the first half, but they will break in the second. Keep doing what you are doing for the most part, however, now we will implement more fakes. Keep them guessing, it will wear them down faster.¡¯ His head snapped towards Junior as he paused for a moment. ¡®Remember, it is THEY who should doubt themselves, not us.¡¯

    Junior looked away, taking another sip of his Gatorade.

    ¡®Defence, we cannot allow them any easy yards at all. They are trying to catch their breath on offence, they are taking things easy. You must not give them any room to breathe. Continue to wear them down, make them work, make them FEEL you. They are a passionate bunch, use that against them. Get them riled up, get them fired up, make them burn themselves out even more.¡¯

    A boy wearing Number 4 sat with his arms resting on his spread knees, his head lowered, blond hair falling in front of the left side of his face. He threw his head back, flicking his hair back as he stared, with eyes hardened beyond his years, at Coach Fowler. ¡®Understood, sir.¡¯

    ¡®Good. Now go out there and win this game. Prove why you are the best.¡¯

    Whilst the Titans had stormed out of the locker room, the Golden Hawks marched out with impassive confidence on their faces as Junior led them.

    The Titans would receive the ball to start the second half. And they¡¯d need to capitalise quickly if they wanted to take control of this game for the first time.

    In the stands, Jackson raised a hand to shield himself from the glaring sun; a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead. ¡®I should¡¯ve brought a hat, he groaned. I didn¡¯t think it¡¯d be this hot.¡¯

    ¡®A bit of sun won¡¯t kill us ¡­ at least not up here, it¡¯s a different story down there.¡¯ Tommy glanced skyward, the sun was approaching the horizon, but it was still a long time away from sunset. ¡®This¡¯ll be the most important quarter. If the Titans can¡¯t close the gap by the end of it, they won¡¯t be able to hold out.¡¯

    ¡®They can do it,¡¯ Jackson said. ¡®They¡¯ve gone through hell and back, this is nothing.¡¯

    The kickoff was blasted high into the sky, Kenny almost lost the ball in the sun for a moment before he scrambled over and caught it with a slight bobble, then he took off, bringing it out to the 28-yard line to get things started for the Titans first drive.

    ¡®Remember the plan!¡¯ Coach Otsen shouted.

    As Kenny took his position in the formation, he was surprised to see the development of the defence. Their formation had changed, which wasn¡¯t all that surprising, he was sure they¡¯d have their own adjustments to make after the first half, but what was surprising about it, was that things appeared more loose and open around him. There was only one defender within his vicinity now, a boy wearing the number 4.

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    He was standing quite close, as close as he legally could without coming offside. His thin lips were curled upward ever so slightly, and his blond, straight hair fell over his left eye, even under his helmet. His right eye was uncovered¡ªit was dark, and staring at Kenny as if it was trying to capture him. He wasn¡¯t much bigger than Kenny, but he was more solidly built, it was hard to gauge how old he was, but Kenny guessed that he was a junior.

    ¡®You guys are pretty dumb if you think you can win with only eleven players,¡¯ Number 4 said.

    Kenny laughed. ¡®We¡¯ve beaten teams before with only this many players. You won¡¯t be any different.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, no, you¡¯re very wrong there. We¡¯re MUCH different compared to the trash you¡¯ve played before. Don¡¯t think you only lost to us because you didn¡¯t have a full team last time. We weren¡¯t even taking you seriously then.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah? Doesn¡¯t sound like you¡¯re taking us too seriously now either. What¡¯s your name?¡¯

    Number 4 tilted his head. ¡®What¡¯s it matter to you?¡¯

    ¡®I just wanna know the name of the kid I¡¯m gonna put on a highlight reel.¡¯

    Number 4¡¯s smile grew. ¡®Call me Dexter. And you are?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m Kenny Murata, don¡¯t forget it! That¡¯s the name of the guy who¡¯s gonna be the best player in the nation.¡¯

    Dexter laughed. ¡®You¡¯re a funny one, Kenny.¡¯

    Kenny narrowed his eyes. Then, the ball was snapped.

    Dexter¡¯s hands shot out, trying to shove Kenny back. Kenny burst forward, swatting Dexter¡¯s hands aside as he pushed right into his chest and slipped aside to go around him. Dexter turned to keep up with Kenny, running side by side with him, and then suddenly Dexter was running alone.

    Kenny had slammed on the brakes and turned back around with a curl route. He caught the ball and then whirled around to run forward. He was confronted by Dexter and made to dart by him, sticking out a hand to stiff-arm the defender and keep him at bay so he could get around. Dexter sunk his talons into Kenny¡¯s arm and dragged him down forcefully, though not before Kenny secured a first down.

    The Titans were off to a good start with their first play.

    ¡®Ahh¡­ I see how it is. You¡¯re a slow one. You can¡¯t get by me, so you¡¯ll settle for scurrying around underneath, like a little mouse underfoot. Oh well, if I have nothing to fear over the top, then it¡¯ll be easy to snuff you out underneath too.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah? We¡¯ll see who the slow one is.¡¯

    The next play was another pass, and once again Dexter defended Kenny tightly, making him fight for every yard as he pushed through and then sped downfield. Though Dexter might¡¯ve been half a step slower, he kept with Kenny all the way, and this time, the pass never came their way, instead, it was directed into the space beneath them, that was now wide open after Kenny¡¯s departure.

    Nick streaked across the field and caught the pass in that little pocket of open space, being shoved out of bounds after a 9-yard gain.

    ¡®See? You¡¯re slow, you can¡¯t get away from me,¡¯ Dexter said.

    Kenny looked back, ignoring him for now. It certainly was tough, he could tell they were evenly matched, but he already felt like he could get the better of Dexter, it just wouldn¡¯t be as easy as outpacing him.

    Next was a draw play, building off the two previous plays, the Titans picked up the first down with Isaac on the ground, and continued their steady progress.

    Again there was another run, this one more towards the outside, and with how closely guarded the Receivers were, it meant Isaac had a good chunk of space to work with before the LBs closed in on him. He pulled off another gain of 6 yards.

    ¡®Have your little friends already lost faith in you beating me? Maybe they know that first one was just a fluke,¡¯ Dexter said to Kenny.

    ¡®Shut up birdbrain.¡¯ Kenny looked Dexter over, watching how he was standing now.

    ¡®He¡¯s got good inside leverage,¡¯ Jackson said, ¡®and he keeps playing up so close, he¡¯s begging Kenny to take him deep and outside,¡¯

    ¡®Good spot,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®But maybe that¡¯s exactly what he wants? He could know a Safety will drift over to help cover things over the top. If the defender¡¯s hovering inside so much, maybe it¡¯s because he knows he won¡¯t have much help there, almost as if the LBs could be pushed forward in fear of the run. ¡­ So what do you do here?¡¯

    Jackson thought about it for a moment. ¡®Well, it¡¯d be real easy to just run towards the sideline and keep going straight down the field, but if there¡¯s a second defender over the top then there¡¯s no chance that can work, and even if it¡¯s one-on-one, that¡¯s still a really tough throw. It might be harder, but I think you need to fight back into the middle and get the pass in the centre of the field.¡¯

    ¡®Heh, right, easier said than done, of course. Now, let¡¯s see what happens.¡¯ Tommy turned his attention back to the game right as the ball was snapped again.

    Kenny stuttered out of the gates and then shot out away from Dexter, streaking down the sideline as he pulled further away from Dexter who was right on his heels.

    There was no help from a Safety over the top, and while Petey did look Kenny¡¯s way, he pulled the ball back down and found a different target¡ªthis time it was Freddy who had moved into the open space Kenny left behind, and Petey found him for a 10 yard gain.

    Kenny stopped, panting a little as he turned around and returned to the huddle, clapping and cheering on his teammates. ¡®Good catch, Freddy. Yo, Petey, I¡¯m open, man, Throw it deep and I¡¯ll go get it.¡¯

    ¡®Uh, yeah, yeah, let¡¯s see if they give us the same look,¡¯ Petey said, the offence taking their time to set up again, still catching their breath between plays.

    Once again, Dexter lined up more on Kenny¡¯s inside shoulder, already shading him towards the outside with his hips opened up to the sideline.

    Kenny shook his head; it was a challenge he couldn¡¯t ignore. ¡®I¡¯ll show you who¡¯s faster. Don¡¯t worry.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯d like to see you try.¡¯

    Kenny narrowed his eyes. This time after the snap, he pushed straight into Dexter and shoved him to break away further outside. He drifted closer and closer to the sideline as he sprinted along it into the open grass ahead of him¡ªthere was still no extra defender over the top.

    Petey looked Kenny¡¯s way again on this play, and whilst the scenario was much the same as it had been on the play before, this time, he pulled the trigger and let loose with a long bomb of a pass.

    Petey was conscious of Dexter, who was still so close to Kenny, and how he could potentially disrupt¡ªor even worse¡ªintercept the pass, so he threw it LONG. Too long, unfortunately.

    Kenny drifted further out and then leapt into the air, and when he came crashing back down with the ball in his hands, he was a couple of yards out of bounds. The pass was incomplete.

    Dexter laughed as he offered Kenny a helping hand to get him back on his feet. ¡®Wow, great catch. You really showed me.¡¯

    Kenny smacked the hand aside, a foul look on his face as he pushed himself up and hurried back to the huddle. ¡®Hey Petey, the hell was that?¡¯

    ¡®Sorry amigo, I just didn¡¯t want it to get picked off. We¡¯d be fucked if that happened.¡¯

    ¡®Just put the ball somewhere where I can catch it, and it¡¯ll be okay. He won¡¯t pick off shit.¡¯

    ¡®Alright alright, I¡¯ll do better.¡¯

    Again the Titans lined up, and again Dexter had his stance favouring the inside of the field, still wanting to push Kenny to the sideline.

    Jackson chewed his bottom lip before he pushed himself up. ¡®INSIDE!¡¯ he shouted. ¡®Go through the middle! Don¡¯t let this chump push you around!¡¯

    Kenny glanced over to the stands, spotting Jackson on his feet. The crowd had filled out a bit more, but it was still sparse and quiet for the most part, the Titans supporters standing out clearly.

    He eyed Dexter again. ¡®Come on, slowpoke,¡¯ Dexter said.

    Kenny knew he could put him in speed, but they¡¯d have to realise that too, right? If they just let Petey throw bombs all day, they were sure to connect on one of them, and it¡¯d be a free touchdown.

    He looked at the Hawks¡¯ sideline. Would that calculating, robotic-looking coach let him do that for a third time?

    He shook his head and focused on the field in front of him.

    ¡®You might as well give up now,¡¯ Dexter said. ¡®Save yourself the embarrassment.¡¯

    Kenny said nothing, still keeping his focus.

    The ball was snapped. Kenny shot outside, sprinting forward. Dexter was right with him on his inside hip, drifting closer to the sideline with him. Kenny snapped towards the centre, leaving Dexter chasing after nothing as he stumbled forward a couple of paces more before scrambling to turn and keep after Kenny.

    This time, a Safety HAD been creeping over to Kenny¡¯s side of the field, and would¡¯ve been there to fly in from the side and intercept any deep pass.

    There was also a definite opening in the middle of the field between the LBs, and the Safeties who were spreading out wide.

    Petey fired the pass in, Kenny had to jump and stretch up to catch it above the outstretched hands of the LBs between him and Petey, but he landed and kept running in stride.

    A defender jumped out in front of his path to put a stop to him, but they were blindsided by Freddy who practically tackled them with a crunching block, pancaking them to the ground.

    Kenny turned upfield, there was just one defender between him and the endzone. Then it¡¯d be a footrace with all the rest.

    He charged head-on towards the Safety in front of him, the two locked in a personal game of chicken.

    Left or right? Left or right? Left or right? Left? Right? Left? Right? LEFT!

    A slight twitch sent the Safety guessing left, while Kenny cut right instead.

    He broke away as fast as he could, speeding down the field as he flew across the grass.

    30 yards out. He cast a quick glance across the field. The opposite Safety was desperately closing on him.

    20. He could hear Dexter¡¯s feet pounding into the turf right behind him.

    10. No one was catching him.

    5. He was home free.

    Touchdown.

    And just like that, the game was soon to be tied again.

 Chapter 91: Fight Until the End

    The extra point was successful, and the game was tied at 13 all. Nick received his share of praise for the successful kick as the Titans made their way over to the bench to rest up and prepare for the kickoff and their subsequent stint on defence.

    ¡®That catch was MAXIMUM amazing Kenny, great work!¡¯ Coach Vasquez slapped Kenny firmly on the back.

    ¡®Yes, and there was some great blocking from everyone else after the catch, that¡¯s what led to the amazing run in for the touchdown, don¡¯t forget it¡¯s a team effort. Now, sit down and catch your breath before you get back out there in a minute,¡¯ Coach Otsen said.

    Jackson sat back in his seat, still in awe of what he just witnessed. ¡®That was an awesome move.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, and you made the right call,¡¯ Tommy said, nudging his brother lightly. ¡®But yeah, that was some running. That¡¯s the kind of stuff that turns a good play into a game changer.¡¯

    ¡®I hope they can build off it and keep this momentum going. We just need to get a stop and then this game is ours.¡¯

    They sat back and watched as the kickoff was underway and the Golden Hawks did their usual schtick of focusing more on running around and evading tackles for as long as possible without much care about actually progressing the ball downfield.

    As such, the Hawks¡¯ would take over at their 20-yard line. And it was a now familiar face that lined up opposite Kenny.

    Kenny groaned but tried to act as if the boy in front of him was a stranger¡ªDexter wasn¡¯t about to let that happen.

    ¡®I¡¯ll have to pay you back for that touchdown. I¡¯ll admit, it was a good move, but that¡¯s the last time something like that will work again.¡¯

    ¡®Uh-huh. Yeah, maybe against someone who¡¯s actually good, but if YOU¡¯RE still guarding me next time? Nah, I¡¯ll be fine.¡¯

    Dexter chuckled and grinned. ¡®We¡¯ll see, won¡¯t we?¡¯

    Kenny looked away, checking out the rest of his team. They were all set. The Linemen looked pale already, clearly dreading the trial before them, but they were prepared to put their body on the line. And hopefully, if they stopped things early, it wouldn¡¯t be that bad.

    Junior snapped the ball then instantly turned and went to hand it off. The Titans¡¯ pass rush hesitated. As the RB and Junior passed by one another, it was Junior who came away with the ball¡ªit was a fake! But that hesitation had bought valuable time for the Hawks.

    The Titans¡¯ edge rushers charged again, though the Hawks¡¯ wall was in a good position, and sent them wide.

    Junior stepped up to avoid the defenders who had been forced too deep on their blitzes, but he found the pocket he was stepping into was a lot shallower than he expected.

    Vincent hadn¡¯t cared if it was a run or not, his job still would¡¯ve been the same¡ªcrash the line, break down the wall from the centre¡ªand he was doing a fine job of that, bulldozing through his man and forcing them back rapidly.

    Junior¡¯s eyes widened and then flicked back to his Receivers further downfield. Pete and the LBs had crept up slightly at the pass fake, and while they were still retreating to their zones, Junior stepped into a throw targeted over the middle.

    Of course, as he stepped into it, he stepped on the back of the foot of his Center thanks to Vincent shoving them all the way back into him, and Junior couldn¡¯t follow through on the throw completely.

    The ball wobbled through the air, drifting off course thanks to the disruption to the very foundations of the throw, and the intended Receiver could only get their fingertips to the errant pass before it bounced away and fell to the ground.

    The Titans quickly shrugged off their dismay from failing to intercept the tipped pass and hurried back into their positions for the next play, calling out and complimenting Vincent on his good work pressuring the QB.

    Dexter had drawn Kenny on a long chase far downfield on a route heading straight for the endzone. They jogged back towards the line of scrimmage together.

    ¡®Enjoying your marathon?¡¯ Dexter asked. ¡®Another twenty-five minutes of this, do you think you¡¯ll manage to stay standing for all of it?¡¯

    Kenny frowned but didn¡¯t say anything.

    Again, at the snap of the ball, Dexter darted forward and sent Kenny backpedalling after him as they raced down the sideline.

    However, this time, Junior dropped back as if to pass, but then handed the ball off for a Draw run.

    The wide blitzing paths of the D-Line had opened up plenty of holes for the RB to choose from and as they skipped ahead, Isaac rushed down to meet them.

    Isaac brought the RB down after a gain of 4 yards, and the Hawks were now facing a very swift third down.

    Even so, the Hawks quickly got back into formation and set up for their next play, showing no hesitation or doubt as they faced a do-or-die situation for their drive.

    Dexter looked Kenny over calmly, the rapid pace of the offence didn¡¯t give him much time to talk smack between plays, and this time his goose chase with Kenny hadn¡¯t been as long, as the previous play had finished faster.

    Kenny stood a few yards from Dexter¡ªCoach Otsen didn¡¯t want the defence exerting energy in a pointless effort to press their men tightly¡ªto deal with the repeated deep threats Dexter was using.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Dexter smiled just before the ball was snapped. Once more he broke into a sprint right away with his head down. It was exactly like the previous two plays where he¡¯d do his best to blow by Kenny and gain separation with pure speed alone.

    However, though his head was down, his eyes were fixed on Kenny, watching his hips at all times, and the moment Kenny started to turn those hips around so he could shift from backpedalling to straight out running alongside Dexter, Dexter slammed on the brakes.

    Just as Kenny had turned his back to the ball, it was thrown, and he had to stop instantly. He was a step behind Dexter, and having to fully turn back around put him even further behind. As Kenny was trying to find the ball, Dexter had already caught it.

    Kenny lunged forward, wrapping his arms around Dexter, and while Dexter made Kenny work for it, he was dragged down in a strong tackle after a gain of 9 yards.

    Kenny shoved Dexter further into the grass as he pushed himself up. He looked away, cursing under his breath.

    The Hawks had found their rhythm, and their drive continued with a fresh set of downs.

    Again, Kenny would constantly be led around, chasing after Dexter as the Receiver ran long, deep routes over and over, and even though the ball was rarely thrown their way, Kenny still felt like he was the defender giving the most effort.

    The Hawks continued to push their way across the field rapidly, soon approaching the halfway mark and there didn¡¯t seem to be any stopping them.

    It was first down once again, and the Titans didn¡¯t have an answer for the Hawks¡¯ various fakes, whether it was some Play-Action that bought time for a pass, or a Draw run that took advantage of the Titans¡¯ overaggressiveness, the Hawks were picking them apart.

    Or so they were until Isaac was called closer to the line with frantic shouting from Coach Carson. ¡®Don¡¯t let them push you around! Don¡¯t worry about anything else! Just push straight through and hit the QB!¡¯

    Isaac and one of the usual Linemen were in the middle of switching places when the ball was snapped. However, this meant Isaac had a running start as he charged straight ahead into the Offensive Linemen in front of him.

    Pushing with his thick, powerful legs, Isaac quickly built up a head of steam. Comparing their upper bodies, Isaac and the opposing Linemen weren¡¯t built all that differently, but it was the legs where all the difference came from.

    Whilst the Hawks¡¯ player was still long and wiry even in his lower half, Isaac was built like a pyramid, and when the two collided, it was like a car crash. The Hawks¡¯ Tackle was flattened instantly, and Isaac bulled ahead as if nothing had ever been in his way.

    Junior and the RB were Isaac¡¯s next targets as they met for what would be either another handoff, or another fake. But only they would know what it would¡¯ve been in the end, as Isaac hit them both before they could even pull away from each other, and he slammed them both into the ground.

    As all three hit the turf, so did the ball, bouncing away freely after the fumble.

    The crowd roared as the whole field was overtaken with excitement. Every player, no matter where they had been before the fumble, started to converge on the loose ball.

    Of course¡ªas their group was the closest¡ªthe Linemen reached the bouncing, rolling, tumbling ball first, and the Hawks¡¯ O-Line easily won that foot race.

    Two Hawks¡¯ players divebombed the ball and dove on top of it before a single Titan could even get close, though that Titan still jumped on top of the pile and added a third body to it. More players piled on and added to the growing, struggling mass as a tug-of-war broke out over the ball.

    The officials streamed forward, whistles blowing shrilly as they quickly got to the bottom of things, signalling that it was Desert Sunrise¡¯s ball before they¡¯d even dismantled the pile.

    After that brief flicker of hope with the fumble, to see the Hawks retain possession was like a punch to the gut to the Titans.

    And as the Titans were still recovering, the Golden Hawks hadn¡¯t missed a beat and were hurrying back to their formation. The Titans were caught off guard and out of position by the next play, and the Hawks capitalised with a 22-yard pass after the fumble.

    If the Hawks recovering the fumble was a body blow, the 20+ yard gain after it was an uppercut that rocked the Titans and had them pinned to the ropes.

    Coach Otsen thought of using another timeout, now that both teams had another three to use for this second half, but he knew it wouldn¡¯t be of much benefit energy recovery-wise right now, and he feared his boys would crash out later in the game if they didn¡¯t have the breaks when they needed them. He held his tongue and trusted they¡¯d be able to mentally recover fast enough to get back in the game and put a stop to this drive before it was too late.

    The next play, Dexter was sent in motion to cross behind Junior right at the snap for a Jet Sweep. Kenny mirrored him across the field, but the Sweep turned out to be a fake. Even so, Dexter still wheeled around and headed deep towards the endzone like usual.

    And though it turned out to be a run, a rather successful one for 7 yards, Kenny still had to sprint after Dexter all the way.

    Then, on the next passing play, fewer Receivers would run routes. The TE stayed back to give extra protection against the blitz, as did the RB who helped chip in with the blocking too.

    Dexter this time, ran parallel to the sideline, like usual, before breaking inwards and snapping off his deep route at a ninety-degree angle.

    Kenny was wrong-footed ever so slightly, and Dexter had just enough space to catch the pass and run ahead a few more yards before being tackled after a 13-yard gain.

    The Hawks were driving closer and closer to the endzone. The crowd was warming up and supporting the home team more fervently now.

    ¡®Don¡¯t forget I still owe you that touchdown. I reckon it¡¯ll come on this next play,¡¯ Dexter said as he and Kenny lined up again.

    Kenny huffed and shook his head. ¡®I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m not a defender, I¡¯m a Receiver. I¡¯ll get three times as many touchdowns as I¡¯ll give up.¡¯

    Dexter laughed. ¡®You¡¯re not getting another touchdown for the rest of this game. Just give up already.¡¯

    ¡®Never!¡¯ Kenny stared into Dexter¡¯s eyes defiantly. He was so focused on Dexter, and the game moved so quickly, that he didn¡¯t notice Nick and another Hawks Receiver had moved over to line up beside them before the snap.

    The ball was snapped just a moment after Nick and his Receiver had settled into their stances.

    Dexter moved forward, skipping ahead but then hesitating as he came close to Kenny. He feinted to the outside, then spun around for a Curl, hands raised for the ball.

    Kenny lunged forward and attached himself to Dexter¡¯s back.

    ¡®Ken!¡¯ Nick¡¯s voice cried out.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Kenny¡¯s world expanded. He remembered he and Dexter weren¡¯t the only ones on the field. He saw Nick running towards them, running right into them, and he saw a now unmarked Hawks Receiver streak by in front of Dexter.

    Kenny turned and ran after them, but there was no way he could catch up to someone already in full flight. They caught the ball, not even breaking stride to do so.

    Lonnie sprinted across from the middle of the field, hurrying over to try and cut off the free Receiver.

    Both boys stretched out, and Lonnie dived, shoving the Hawk hard. The Receiver held the ball in one hand, stretching their arm out as far as they could, and as they crashed out of bounds, the ball knocked over the short, rubber pylon at the front corner of the endzone.

    An official stepped forward and raised their arms, their whistle blowing loudly as they announced the touchdown.

    Kenny tore his eyes from the official and looked back at a grinning Dexter.

 Chapter 92: Final Flight

    Kenny¡¯s head was hung low as he returned to the huddle. He and his teammates had no time to sit on the bench.

    The successful extra-point attempt pushed the Golden Hawks¡¯ lead back out to a full touchdown, at 20¨C13, and the crowd was thrilled.

    Nick came over to Kenny, smacking him lightly on the back. ¡®Hey, keep your head up. Don¡¯t worry about that play, we¡¯ll get the points right back, yeah?¡¯

    Kenny nodded. ¡®Yeah, yeah of course. Let¡¯s get it, dude.¡¯

    The two bumped fists, then separated for the kickoff.

    Kenny¡¯s return got to the 33-yard line before he was stopped, and it was there that the Titans started their campaign to win back those points.

    Surprisingly, Kenny wasn¡¯t matched up against Dexter this time, the antagonistic boy wasn¡¯t anywhere on the field for the start of this drive.

    Looking around at the formation, Kenny saw the Hawks were back to using that defensive triangle against him. He frowned.

    ¡°Why would they go back to this? I know their one-on-one didn¡¯t work before, but, this wasn¡¯t really working either.¡±

    For the first play, they started conservatively, testing the waters with another run from Isaac.

    There was a decent surge, and with some determined running after the first bit of contact, and thanks to a strong effort from Vincent up front, Isaac was able to gain 5 yards on first down.

    Next up, the Titans would look to move the ball through the air.

    Kenny drifted forward, feeling for the soft spot in the defence, however, as he settled into what he thought was the open patch of grass within that Bermuda Triangle, one of the defenders broke out of the formation and moved to mark him personally, like he was playing Man Coverage instead.

    Petey looked all around for a target, but finding none open, his gaze returned to Kenny. He threw the ball into the grass intentionally, a yard or two in front of Kenny¡¯s feet; an uncatchable ball, for both the offence AND¡ªmost importantly¡ªthe defence.

    Kenny¡¯s frown had deepened when he returned to the huddle.

    Petey addressed the team briefly. ¡®Hey, they¡¯re still guarding Kenny mano-a-mano. Let¡¯s have him make some space and someone can drift into it for easy yards.¡¯

    The others were all in agreement, though as Kenny retook his position, he was still trying to understand what the Golden Hawks were up to and why they¡¯d changed their plans around like this.

    He looked at the defender that had marked him on the last play. They were number 37. They stood away from Kenny, acting as if they¡¯d be sinking back into a zone.

    ¡°Let¡¯s test your wheels then. If you¡¯re giving me so much space, you must be scared of my speed.¡±

    For this pass, Kenny came forward and then slanted towards the centre of the field, away from number 37 who stood more to the outside of the field.

    While he straightened up his route aiming to go straight down the middle of the field, Kenny was watching #37. That was when he ran directly into another Hawks defender.

    #37 hadn¡¯t moved in from his position nearer to the boundary, he hadn¡¯t even tried to chase Kenny into the middle of the field, instead, another point of the triangle had been the one to close in and pick Kenny up.

    Kenny stumbled after the bump, almost losing his footing. The new defender was right on his hip. Kenny was bewildered by the surprising strategy, but he shrugged it off. He wasn¡¯t the primary target of this play anyway.

    As Kenny was so tightly defended, Petey looked away from him, and instead looked to the area where Kenny had come from. He saw Nick drifting towards it. He was just about to throw the ball, when he noticed two defenders sitting on the pass, just waiting for it so they could pounce and pick it off.

    Petey pulled his arm back down, the ball almost spilling free as he readjusted his grip and held it against his chest. He was so focused on the Receivers downfield, that he never noticed the defender who slipped past the O-Line.

    Petey was completely blindsided. He was crunched in the tackle. It was a miracle he held onto the ball, helped in large part by him strengthening his grip after almost losing it on his own just moments before.

    Even so, the Titans were pushed back even further than where they had started this drive and were brought to fourth down.

    ¡®Hm. They¡¯re good,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®Desert Sunrise¡¯s coach has plenty of tricks up his sleeve, and I doubt we¡¯ve even seen half of them.¡¯

    Coach Otsen didn¡¯t have to think about it long before he settled on punting the ball away.

    Of course, the Titans didn¡¯t even give the Hawks a chance to return and run them around to try and further tire them out, as Nick just booted the ball out of bounds downfield.

    Again, Dexter was a no-show. Not that Kenny was complaining.

    But the Hawks weren¡¯t going to use their aerial might this time, instead, they punished the Titans on the ground.

    Their running game utilised their small, quick-footed O-Line as the Guards, the Tackles, and even the Center could pull away from their blocks and get out into the open to lead the charge for their RB on any given play.

    These pulling Linemen were always able to get in the way of the first Titan defender who came to make a play on the ball carrier, and off the back of these powerful runs, the Hawks marched downfield.

    Thankfully for the Titans, this strategy seemed to run out of steam as the Hawks neared the red zone¡ªthe fast pace even taking its toll on the Hawks themselves¡ªand with heightened efforts from Isaac and Petey, the Titans were able to put a stop to these runs.

    Though the Hawks were within field goal range, and after the kick, their lead extended to 10 points: 23¨C13.

    ¡®Your run game¡¯s strong too! Come on Titans! Don¡¯t give up yet!¡¯ Jackson cheered louder. The game was still in its third quarter, but time wasn¡¯t exactly on the Titans¡¯ side.

    After a short kickoff return, the Titans started their drive with a play-action pass, and while Kenny still struggled to get open, Freddy found some free space and caught the pass for a gain of 7 yards.

    Next, Isaac picked up JUST enough yards for the first down as he and Vincent bulldozed over the Hawks¡¯ D-Line together.

    Again, there was another pass on first down, and again, Kenny failed to get any separation. However, Petey did find Isaac slipping out of the backfield for a gain of another 3 yards at least.

    Kenny was getting frustrated. ¡®These guys are so weird. Like no matter where I go there¡¯s always someone in front of me.¡¯

    ¡®I guess it makes sense that a team named ¡°Golden Hawks¡± has good air defence,¡¯ Nick said.

    ¡®They¡¯re not the Legion of Boom, we can beat these putas,¡¯ Petey said.

    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    Lonnie slowly nodded. ¡®Yeah ¡­ let¡¯s keep trying, guys ¡­ even if that is a lot of effort.¡¯

    ¡®Come on, Kenny, you can do it,¡¯ Jackson said, his good leg bouncing rapidly.

    ¡®He must feel like he¡¯s surrounded every time they go for a pass,¡¯ Tommy said to Jackson. ¡®It¡¯s a sophisticated scheme they¡¯re running, I¡¯m shocked a JV team can even pull it off. Those three players zoning off that side of the field must have a lot of trust in one another and years of communicating. They probably played in middle school together too. It can look random, how a different one is seemingly leaving their position to play him man-to-man each play, but what they¡¯re doing is watching him, and whatever way he goes, whether it be outside, inside, or straight ahead, the closest defender is the one who covers him personally, while the others shift accordingly and cover the absent defender¡¯s zone as well.¡¯

    Just as Tommy was explaining it, Kenny once again failed to break away from the containment, and as no one else could get open either, the Titans¡¯ play resulted in 0 yards, as Petey had to throw the ball away.

    Kenny stood bent over in the next huddle, head down, hands on his knees as he mentally replayed the previous plays, looking for any hint at how to get past this new defence.

    He couldn¡¯t find anything as the memories sped past him, but his mind looked back to a previous practice session, when he was working with Shane.

    He took a deep breath and readied himself.

    At the snap of the ball, Kenny burst straight across towards the middle of the field in a very flat slant, then when the inside defender¡ªnumber 44¡ªcame down to confront him, he stopped and pushed away, heading back to the outside.

    His feet pounded along the turf as he wheeled around the outside and turned upfield, drifting back behind the outside defender #37, using him as a shield to get separation from #44. Both defenders looked confused, but both gave chase now. Kenny raised his hand, calling for the ball.

    Petey saw his chance, and threw the ball over. It was a bit behind Kenny, but he leapt into the air, twisting and turning as he stuck a hand out. Before he even had a chance to snag it, it was swatted out of the air as a backpedalling #37 slapped it aside.

    Kenny groaned loudly, hanging his head back. As he returned to the sideline to catch his breath before the team would take up their punting formation, Petey came over to him. ¡®Hey, sorry, amigo. I was a little off on that pass.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s alright. I thought I had them but I guess not. ¡­ Fuck.¡¯ Kenny shook his head.

    ¡®Listen. We¡¯re not giving up yet. Don¡¯t get excited, but we¡¯re faking the punt,¡¯ Coach Otsen said. ¡®Nick. I need you to trust yourself. It¡¯s just an open pass, like you¡¯re playing catch. The target won¡¯t have anyone near them, and you can trust in your teammates to make sure no one will be coming to tackle you either.¡¯

    Nick looked pale. ¡®Uhh¡­ o-okay?¡¯

    ¡®Frederick? You¡¯re catching the ball. Just ignore everything else and move out into the open. Then catch it and run like hell, got it?¡¯

    ¡®G-Got it!¡¯ Freddy squeaked.

    ¡®Good! Now get out there and act natural, dammit. They won¡¯t expect anything if you keep your mouths shut and your hands still.¡¯

    The Titans took their usual formation for a punt. Both Nick and Freddy, despite doing their best, failed to keep their hands from shaking as they stood, awaiting the snap of the ball. They hoped the Hawks didn¡¯t notice and suspect anything.

    When the ball was snapped and flung into Nick¡¯s hands, he instantly postured to throw, turning to find Freddy who had slipped away from the chaos of nearly twenty boys caught in a scrum in the middle of the field. Freddy was WIDE open, not a soul was anywhere around him.

    Nick lobbed the ball over gently. Freddy caught it and looked around¡ªhe was still in the open. He spun and sprinted downfield, as quick as his long, uncoordinated legs could carry him, and he got pretty far until the Hawk who had been perched far downfield, awaiting the punt, came in and tackled him.

    Still, the Titans had flipped their field position just like that, and now, instead of having to punt, they were in field goal range with a new set of downs to work with.

    The few Titans supporters in the crowd cheered loudly while Coach Fowler fumed on the sideline.

    The Titans didn¡¯t get very far after their clever trick. The Hawks¡¯ defence became MUCH more aggressive. Practically every defender on the field was sent blitzing after Petey when he dropped back to pass.

    He could only drop to the floor in surrender as multiple defenders swarmed over him.

    The Titans tried a draw play to counter the overaggressiveness, but Isaac couldn¡¯t find a way past the wall of bodies before him, and even he was dropped behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of a few yards.

    Time wound down in the third quarter and passed over into the fourth. Luckily, it had given time for the Titans to formulate a plan to reclaim the yards they had lost, put them back into field goal range, and potentially earn another first down.

    After the last break in the game, Petey took the opening snap of the final quarter and hurriedly flipped the ball out over the top to Lonnie.

    With long strides, he raced across the turf, but unfortunately, was brought down just before the first down marker.

    Down by 10 points, Coach Otsen put his trust in Nick¡¯s leg, and the Titans were able to cut the lead back down to just one touchdown.

    Despite not coming away with another touchdown of their own, the rest of the Titans still got around Freddy and Nick, praising them for turning a complete failure of a drive into a miraculous 3 points.

    On the kickoff afterwards, Nick even sent the ball flying over the back of the endzone completely with an absolutely thumping kick.

    Then, as the two teams lined up opposite one another, Kenny cringed to find Dexter back on the field.

    ¡®You guys must¡¯ve thought you were so slick with that fake punt, huh?¡¯

    ¡®And where have you been? Did your coach realise how worthless you were?¡¯

    Dexter smiled. ¡®Hah. No. Coach was just making sure I was more than well-rested for when he needed me to come in and finish off this game. You did well, struggling like the worms that you are. But smile, be happy that you can finally stop struggling and just give up.¡¯

    ¡®Touchdowns are still 1¨C0 in my favour. So talk all you want, you¡¯re still nothing but a detriment to your team.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll see about that.¡¯ Dexter kept smiling.

    Kenny was goaded into getting close and pressing Dexter at the snap of the ball.

    Dexter batted Kenny¡¯s hands down as the two pushed against one another and Dexter worked downfield. Then, Dexter gave a harder shove as he stopped and turned back.

    Kenny skidded but whirled around. He saw Dexter pass by in a blur, heading further inside. Kenny stopped again and turned inside, reaching out, trying to grab Dexter, but nobody was there.

    Dexter was gone, drifting closer towards the boundary as he streaked upfield towards the endzone.

    A pass with a rainbow-like arch fell directly into Dexter¡¯s hands. Lonnie raced to get across, and was ready to push Dexter out of bounds around half field, when Dexter suddenly cut back inside and left Lonnie in the dust.

    No one else was in Dexter¡¯s path, and nobody could catch him before he ran in for a touchdown.

    Just like that, the lead shot out to 14 points, (30¨C16) and it was all Kenny¡¯s fault.

    With the following kickoff, the Hawks also booted the ball out of the back of the endzone for a touchback.

    When the Titans huddled together to go over their offensive game plan, in desperate need of a touchdown if they were to have any hope of a comeback, Kenny saw Dexter looking over from the Hawks¡¯ huddle.

    ¡®Petey. Get me the ball. Trust me, I¡¯m going to get open. Look deep. I¡¯ll get those points right back, I promise.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, I believe in you. We all do, amigo.¡¯

    The others nodded.

    Kenny looked over to the Hawks again, then grabbed Petey by the shoulder and stared into his eyes. ¡®A fake sweep. I¡¯m faster than this guy. Everyone just needs to protect Petey and buy me time to get downfield.¡¯

    ¡®We can do that ¡­ right guys?¡¯ Lonnie looked around.

    ¡®We¡¯ve got your back. Go embarrass that fool,¡¯ Isaac said.

    The huddle broke apart, the Titans fired up for one last push.

    When Dexter and Kenny stood before one another, Dexter held up a finger on either hand, signalling 1¨C1.

    Kenny held up three fingers of his own, predicting a 2¨C1 outcome, and he made sure the ¡°1¡± was his middle finger.

    Dexter laughed before he hunkered down into his stance.

    Petey tapped his foot back and Kenny left his stance, running across behind the formation. Dexter was a bit caught off guard but took off and mirrored him. As Kenny passed by Petey, he broke into a sprint, and the ball was then snapped.

    Dexter raced after Kenny, and when Kenny hit full speed, he shot upfield. The two almost collided, Dexter had to pull back at the last moment so as not to give away a penalty, and when he recovered from his stumble, he was a few steps behind Kenny and the gap was widening.

    Petey saw the opening and heaved the ball as hard as he could.

    Kenny looked back, ready to catch the pass and run into an open touchdown of his own.

    But the game had taken its toll on both boys. After fifty minutes of intense football, with minimal breaks, Petey¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t all there. The ball was falling behind Kenny.

    Kenny lurched to a stop and tried to jump back for the catch, but his legs gave out and he stumbled to the ground.

    Dexter, who was lagging behind, turned his head and found the ball plummeting right towards him. With a grin so large it almost consumed his whole face, he turned and caught the ball right on his chest.

    He looked down at Kenny behind him, who desperately lunged forward. Dexter jumped away from the weak attempt at a tackle and sped away from the fallen Receiver. He was knocked down after a brief run of 15 yards, but it didn¡¯t matter, his interception had sealed the victory for the Golden Hawks.

 Chapter 93: Crash to Earth

    The Titans couldn¡¯t even pick themselves up and get organised as the Golden Hawks¡¯ offence moved onto the field. None of the Titans were in position, so Coach Otsen was forced to use a timeout.

    Even then, he couldn¡¯t stem the bleeding that had begun.

    In just two plays the game had flipped on its head. All it took was one chink in the Titans¡¯ resolve, a moment of hesitation, to let doubt creep in, then, so too did exhaustion.

    ¡®Oh come on¡­ please, don¡¯t give up now.¡¯ Jackson clenched his fists tightly.

    Tommy sat back with a sigh. ¡®They gave it a good shot, didn¡¯t they?¡¯

    Both brothers looked down at the Titans bench a few rows in front of them. Most players were hunched over in their seats, heads hanging as they panted like they¡¯d just finished a marathon.

    Petey had his head in his hands. Vincent lay on the turf, his big belly falling and rising greatly. Kenny rubbed his legs, trying to turn them back into a pair of rockets rather than the useless jelly they¡¯d become.

    Coach Otsen didn¡¯t say much¡ªhe knew they were too tired to listen. Coach Knight was the one who had the most poignant words. He simply said: ¡®You all played great.¡¯

    After the timeout was over, and the Titans were forced back onto the field, they no longer had the strength to resist the Hawks.

    The Hawks switched from their rapid offence to a much more dragged-out game plan as they ran all over the exhausted Titans.

    They put up another touchdown, extending the score to 37¨C16, where it¡¯d stay for the remainder of the game.

    The Titans shambled to their locker room after the final whistle blew. The crowd¡¯s cheers faded as they filed into the dark, depressing room. There was no celebrating for them tonight. There was only the uncomfortable quiet of a soul-shattering loss after they¡¯d given their all and still fell short.

    Coach Otsen looked around at everyone. A heavy silence hung in the air. It was Pete who broke it when he simply said: ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯

    ¡®No,¡¯ Ken said. ¡®I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault. If I could¡¯ve stopped him from scoring, and if I caught that pass.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m the one who underthrew it, I missed too many passes.¡¯

    ¡®Enough,¡¯ Coach Otsen said. The room fell quiet again. ¡®We are a team. We all share the glory of victory, and the fault in defeat. But winning and losing is not the end all, be all. Do you know what my job is as your coach?¡¯

    Many brows furrowed around the room before Freddy raised his hand. ¡®T-To ensure we¡¯re strong enough, and have the right game plan to win?¡¯

    ¡®Partially correct. Winning is important, of course. But it is not my primary objective as your coach. No, what¡¯s most important is that you are all given the tools to succeed in your careers. I am here to ensure you all realise your true potential. Your development is the most important thing. This game¡ªthis loss¡ªwill be more rewarding for your development than all of your wins this year combined.¡¯

    There were muted murmurs around the room as the players seemed confused by the speech.

    ¡®Even as I stand here now, you boys are already much greater players than you were before the start of the game. Learn from this experience. Your careers as high school athletes have only just begun. You¡¯re going to be so much stronger after this. Now, go home, get some rest. You¡¯ve earned it. I¡¯ll see you all at practice.¡¯

    Kenny bent down. He was sore all over as he fumbled with the laces of his cleats. Next to him, he heard Pete laugh. He looked over. ¡®What are you laughing about?¡¯

    ¡®Hm? Oh, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve just¡­ never seen the coach so calm after a loss. I guess that means we really did give it our all this time, and there just wasn¡¯t anything we could do.¡¯

    Kenny looked away. ¡®This time. This is the last time we lose to them, EVER.¡¯

    Eventually, Kenny gingerly exited the locker room and walked to the stands as the varsity teams were warming up. Jackson and Tommy waved at him from their seats and he waved back. He checked in with his parents, then walked to Jackson and Tommy and sat with them.

    ¡®You¡¯re cool to drive me home again, right?¡¯ he asked.

    ¡®Of course,¡¯ Tommy said. He waved at Kenny¡¯s parents; they soon left and went on their merry way home.

    Kenny slumped down in his seat, closing his eyes. He was glad the sun was finally setting, and hoped things would cool down quickly once it was gone.

    ¡®You guys¡­ you guys were amazing out there,¡¯ Jackson said.

    Kenny slowly opened his eyes and looked over. ¡®Thanks. Though, it still feels pretty shitty to have lost, especially after all that. I just ¡­ don¡¯t know what more I could¡¯ve done. If I could¡¯ve caught that pass maybe we¡¯d come back, but my legs ¡­ they just wouldn¡¯t, they wouldn¡¯t move.¡¯

    ¡®Sometimes you have games like that,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®Where no matter what you do it¡¯s never enough. You just have to learn from it, keep moving forward, and keep practising hard so that the next time you face them you¡¯re even stronger.¡¯

    ¡®When I get back, I promise they won¡¯t beat us,¡¯ Jackson said, his voice full of conviction.

    Kenny smiled and held a fist up. ¡®I¡¯ll hold you to that.¡¯

    Jackson grinned, enthusiastically bumping fists. ¡®Bet.¡¯

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    Kenny sighed. He sat up and settled in to watch the varsity game. ¡®You know, maybe if I was a bit better with my coverages and defensive play, we would¡¯ve won.¡¯

    ¡®Hm, yeah, it¡¯s tough though, having to do both, playing the full sixty minutes, especially when the other team isn¡¯t letting you even get breaks between plays.¡¯

    ¡®I can¡¯t believe I let that guy burn me like that, though. So lame.¡¯

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t worry about it too much,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®It happens, even to the best of us.¡¯

    ¡®Still. He¡¯s not that good I just¡­ I let him get in my head.¡¯

    Jackson looked away, biting the inside of his cheeks as he thought about the boogeyman plaguing his own mind. ¡®Well ¡­ you have to use them as motivation, and know that, next time you face them, you¡¯re not going to let the same thing happen.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Kenny nodded. ¡®Next time I¡¯ll show him.¡¯ Kenny remembered his personal score against Dexter¡ªone touchdown and one interception versus just one touchdown by itself. The interception was what set them apart. The interception was what ended the game.

    ¡®But hey, you can worry about that later, after you rest and your body has recovered enough for another training session. For now, just sit back and relax as we enjoy some good football,¡¯ Tommy said, smiling as the varsity game began.

    They all watched, Kenny¡¯s cheers for the varsity Titans were a lot quieter than Jackson¡¯s and Tommy¡¯s, and the stands were just about full now, further drowning out the minimal support for the away team.

    But that didn¡¯t seem to hinder the Titans at all, they played with their sole focus on the game on the ground, not caring what happened in the stands surrounding them.

    As the game progressed, at one point, Shane utilised the route he had been practising leading into this game to better combat double teams. The same route Kenny had tried; the same route the JV Hawks had stopped.

    When Shane performed it, however, it went off flawlessly and looked like a work of art. The play resulted in a touchdown for the Titans, securing them a lead they¡¯d never let go of.

    ¡®He makes it look so easy, doesn¡¯t he?¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®Yeah. He does,¡¯ Jackson said, still in awe.

    ¡®Man, I hope he¡¯s in a Cardinals jersey one day.¡¯ Tommy laughed and then looked at Kenny. ¡®Hey, didn¡¯t you run that same play too?¡¯

    Kenny rubbed the back of his head a little sheepishly. ¡®Yeah¡­ I might¡¯ve. Obviously didn¡¯t work out like that for me. I guess I¡¯ve still got some things to practice.¡¯

    ¡®I saw you struggled a bit with their zone defence. It looked pretty frustrating from up here, so I can¡¯t imagine what it was like to deal with on the turf.¡¯

    Kenny frowned. ¡®Frustrating doesn¡¯t even BEGIN to describe it.¡¯

    ¡®Something to work on before you meet them next. It¡¯s good to have goals like that, makes for the perfect motivation. Plus.¡¯ Tommy nudged Jackson. ¡®Next time you face them I bet you¡¯ll have this guy out there with you, so that¡¯ll make things easier. The defence won¡¯t be able to focus on you as much.¡¯

    ¡®Hah, yeah?¡¯ Kenny looked at Jackson.

    ¡®Uhh, well, y-yeah. I¡¯m trying my hardest to get back as soon as possible, just, doing what I can you know, to make sure my recovery is as smooth as can be. So, we¡¯ll see. Maybe I¡¯ll be there in time for Regionals.¡¯

    Kenny grinned. ¡®Hell yeah. We¡¯ll be unstoppable then.¡¯

    Jackson nodded.

    ¡®Then you guys will be called up to join the varsity team in no time. Nobody would be able to stand in your way, State would be yours for the taking,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®And after that, Nationals,¡¯ Kenny said.

    Jackson¡¯s mind drifted. The State tournament. Would HE be there? He hadn¡¯t seen HIM at all, so HE wasn¡¯t in this division. Maybe Regionals? Or maybe HE would be waiting in Nationals.

    Jackson had to be ready, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he could be.

    As the game went on, the Titans were in control from wire to wire. Their victory never looked in doubt, and after the final whistle blew, their winning streak was still alive and strong.

    Shane had a stellar performance on both sides of the ball, but offensively he was something else entirely. Even while double-teaming him the Hawks barely had an answer.

    The final score was 28¨C42 for a Titans victory, with Shane contributing to half of the Titans¡¯ touchdowns.

    ¡®Did I say how badly I wanna see Shane in a Cardinals Jersey yet?¡¯ Tommy asked while the trio was heading to his car.

    ¡®Yeah, I think only after every touchdown.¡¯ Jackson and Kenny laughed.

    ¡®But, dude. Forget how easy it is for just us two to tear up defences together, imagine when we¡¯re on the varsity team playing alongside him, and he¡¯s getting doubled every play. We¡¯ll both be so open; defences won¡¯t know WHAT to do. They won¡¯t have any answer; we¡¯ll be unstoppable.¡¯ Kenny was already a bit re-energised, just from seeing the varsity team play.

    ¡®Hahaha, oh I can¡¯t wait to see that,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®I¡¯ll be losing my voice cheering after every touchdown, watching as you score a hundred points a game.¡¯

    The car ride home was pretty cheerful, the misery of the JV game all but forgotten tonight after the excitement and the spectacle of the varsity team¡¯s win.

    The brothers dropped Kenny at home, before driving back to their own. On the way, Tommy said: ¡®I mean what I said.¡¯

    ¡®Hm?¡¯ Jackson looked at him.

    ¡®With you three playing together. Shane, Kenny, and you. It¡¯s gonna be awesome. I seriously believe you guys could win not only the State championship but that National title too.¡¯

    ¡®Oh, right. I mean, yeah, that¡¯s the goal, isn¡¯t it? That¡¯s what everyone¡¯s striving for.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, the difference is, no one in the nation would be able to stop you guys.¡¯

    Jackson leaned against the window. ¡°No one in the nation.¡± He held onto the thought.

    Hours later, whilst everyone was in bed, and the family home was perfectly quiet, Jackson lay awake, staring at the ceiling of his bedroom.

    He couldn¡¯t sleep. Dreams of a national championship wouldn¡¯t leave his head. ¡®Unstoppable¡­ the three of us.¡¯ He saw Shane and Kenny standing before him, helmets in hand, jerseys on as they stood proud and tall, their backs facing him. They were so far ahead of him.

    Jackson swung around to the edge of his bed. He sat there, his feet on the floor as he looked at his injured leg. He looked at his crutches leaning against the bed, but he ignored them.

    He stood on his own and then carefully shuffled out of his room. He was as quiet as he could be, using the walls for support as he sneakily made his way to the back door.

    He unlocked it and squeezed out into the cold night air. He stepped out further until his bare feet were buried in the cool, soft grass of their backyard. He stared up at the moon.

    Kenny and Shane were already giving it their all. He had to do his best too.

    He put more weight on his bad leg until he was standing flat and normally. He tested it out and grimaced. He pushed through. He took a step, and then another. He built into a gimpy jog, gritting his teeth through the pain.

    His speed increased until his jog turned into a run, then a sprint, still with one leg limping and dragging behind slightly.

    He reached the back fence and stopped, then turned and ran back to the house. Back and forth he ran until his form smoothed out into what it should be normally, and the pain faded. He turned and ran along the fence, sprinting along the boundary of the backyard, running freely as the pain was gone and adrenaline surged through his veins.

    He was running! He was free! He ran towards his hopes, his dreams. He chased after the backs of his teammates and blew by them. He ran towards the national tournament. He ran away from HIM.

    He was alive.

 Chapter 94: Motivation

    Ty woke up with a start the day after the Dons'' victory over the Saints. He sat on his bed, panting heavily. The memories of his dream were vanishing in a haze¡ªall he could recall was he had been on a football field.

    He looked around the darkened bedroom, no one else stirred, and the orange light of dawn was squeezing in around the edges of the curtains.

    He sat there for a few minutes, but his breathing wouldn¡¯t calm. His body tingled all over, like tiny flames were crawling across his skin. His hands trembled uncontrollably as if it was game day again.

    He threw himself out of bed and dropped to the floor. Quiet grunts escaped him as he sprinted through a set of push-ups.

    He counted them out in his head¡ª48, 49, 50. He was still overflowing with energy. He doubled his efforts¡ª98, 99, 100. He was panting a bit harder, but it wasn¡¯t enough.

    He stopped and stood up. He threw on some warm clothes and his shoes. He noticed his father passed out on the couch before sneaking out the front door.

    Winter was fast approaching, but you could hardly tell, even at this hour.

    Ty looked both ways along the quiet street. Some people were getting up, already starting their day. Ty watched a car pull out of a driveway and onto the road.

    He took a deep breath and started running.

    He forgot to bring his phone with him, so he didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d been running exactly, but by the time he thought to stop, the sun was well and truly risen, and so was the rest of the city as he¡¯d seen many more cars flock out onto the road.

    He was breathing harder now so he slowed to a stop. But his body was still burning, his fingers still shaking; it wasn¡¯t enough.

    He needed more.

    He turned back around and ran home, annoyed with himself for forgetting his phone, he raced home even faster and went straight to his room.

    The twins were up and about, of course, while his mother and sister tried to keep them occupied and under control; his father wasn¡¯t on the couch anymore, and his car wasn¡¯t in the drive; but there was still a large lump in Damien¡¯s bed.

    Ty snatched up his phone then paused in his contacts. He didn¡¯t need to work out, he needed to PLAY, but seeing as that wasn¡¯t an option, he decided to go for the next best thing. He scrolled back up from JJ¡¯s number and called Coach Hoang instead.

    It rang a few times before Luke picked up. ¡®Is everything alright, Tyrese?¡¯

    ¡®¡­It¡¯s weird when you use my first name, Coach.¡¯

    Coach Hoang sighed, instantly sounding more irritated. ¡®Okay, what is it, Samuels? ¡­Is that better?¡¯

    ¡®Oh yes that¡¯s a LOT better¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Look, I don¡¯t need to deal with your sh¡­ attitude on my Sunday morning. Why¡¯d you call me?¡¯

    ¡®Hm. Sorry. I was calling because, well, would you be able to come down to the field and do some training today?¡¯

    ¡®Seriously? You just had a game yesterday, you should be resting today.¡¯

    ¡®I can¡¯t. I¡¯ve already been for a run. But, I still feel like ¡­ like my body¡¯s filling up with steam and if I don¡¯t let it out, I¡¯ll explode, okay?¡¯

    There was silence from the other end for a little while. Coach Hoang sighed. ¡®Alright, give me an hour.¡¯

    ¡®Got it. Thanks, Coach.¡¯

    ¡®Samuels? You better be prepared to work hard, and don¡¯t forget you¡¯re the one who asked for this.¡¯

    ¡®Hah. You better give me your fucking worst, ¡®cause I know I can fucking take it.¡¯

    Coach Hoang laughed ¡®We¡¯ll see about that, won¡¯t we?¡¯

    Ty scarfed down some cereal, filled his water bottle, and chucked his cleats into his bag before he left again. While leaving, he shouted that he was just going off to train.

    After the door closed, he could hear his mother angry and confused about there being training on a Sunday, accusing him of lying. Meanwhile, Meg was calling out for him to have fun but not push himself too hard.

    He pulled his bag further over his shoulders and grabbed up his bike, heading out to the school field.

    He got there thirty minutes before Coach Hoang would. Of course, he took the time to stretch and warm up again with more running as he did laps around the field until Coach Hoang arrived.

    When the taxi pulled up, Ty finished his current lap and then got a drink, watching as the driver got the wheelchair from the boot then set it up by the passenger seat before Coach Hoang pulled himself onto it.

    Ty set his drink back down as Coach Hoang came over. ¡®Already been working hard, Samuels?¡¯

    Ty nodded.

    Coach Hoang looked him over. ¡®Hmm, you¡¯ve probably done enough running. Come help me with some equipment.¡¯ He turned aside and started towards the shed near the field which held most of the general equipment they needed for their team practices.

    Ty followed him, and when they got to the doors, Coach Hoang took the keys from his pockets. ¡®You know, you¡¯re lucky Coach Long trusted me with a pair of these.¡¯

    ¡®I doubt you¡¯d have offered this private training if you didn¡¯t have those keys.¡¯

    ¡®Hah, I guess you¡¯re smarter than you look.¡¯

    Ty frowned but pulled open the doors once Coach Hoang had unlocked them and moved aside. Coach Hoang went in first and switched on the light which flickered to life. He looked around. ¡®Hmmm¡­¡¯

    Ty stepped in behind Coach Hoang when he picked up a stack of cones. ¡®Samuels, can you bring out that throwing machine?¡¯

    Ty looked at the four-foot-tall contraption that was leaning against the wall. The legs of the tripod frame were folded together. On top of the frame was the ¡°head¡± of the machine which was made up of two circles, like tyres, hooked up to a small motor which could make them spin at incredible speeds. When the machine was set up, there was just enough space between these two ¡°tyres¡± for a football. The head could even be angled to adjust the arc of the ball¡¯s flight. Behind the head was a tube with a handle where you¡¯d place the ball, then feed it into the two spinning wheels to launch it into the air.

    ¡®Yeah, sure,¡¯ Ty said before he pulled the machine away from the wall. It was deceptively heavy and he grunted as he held the top against his body, lugging the machine from the shed as the legs dragged on the ground. ¡®Fucking thing needs a wheel or some shit.¡¯

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    As Ty did so, Coach Hoang had gotten a small net of balls, laying them on his lap along with the cones. ¡®I think the wheel for that one broke off a couple of years back. I guess we keep putting off replacing it.¡¯ Coach Hoang smiled as he led the way back out to the centre of the field.

    ¡®That¡¯s fucking great. What do we need this damn thing for anyway?¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯ll see. Just get it set up there.¡¯ Coach Hoang dumped the ball net then spread out the cones in a large square with 15 yards between each cone.

    Ty stood the machine by the discarded balls, spreading out the legs of the tripod and locking them in place before he planted it on the ground. He frowned as he watched Coach Hoang return.

    ¡®What¡¯s that look for? Already wanting to back out?¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    ¡®I didn¡¯t say that.¡¯

    ¡®Good. Now, line up at a cone. We¡¯re gonna work on your lateral quickness and backpedalling.¡¯

    Ty took his position by one of the cones then looked back at Coach Hoang.

    Coach Hoang explained that Ty would have to run from cone to cone around the outside of the square, either by running sideways, or backward depending on what Coach Hoang called out, and he could only stop when Coach Hoang said so.

    ¡®Sideways!¡¯

    Ty took off, launching sideways as far as he could as he darted from cone to cone, turning at each corner to continue his sideways run/shuffle.

    When he got to the third cone, Coach Hoang shouted: ¡®Backwards!¡¯

    Ty planted his foot and pivoted quickly. He continued on the same path, now running backwards.

    He went around the square fully, and then when he got to the next cone, Coach Hoang yelled: ¡®Reverse!¡¯

    Ty paused for a moment and looked over to Coach Hoang. Coach Hoang pointed from Ty¡¯s current cone, back to the one he¡¯d just come from. ¡®Reverse your direction.¡¯

    Ty groaned but spun around and started sprinting backwards in the opposite direction.

    ¡®Sideways!¡¯

    Ty jumped into his sideways sprint, then on the next cone he had to reverse direction again. As he ran around the circle, constantly listening to Coach Hoang¡¯s various orders, he watched the coach move around the field and set out more cones. These were aligned with the centre of the square, but touching either sideline.

    Coach Hoang rolled back over to the throwing machine. ¡®If I call out sideline, you stop what you¡¯re doing, get to that line of the cones there, and start running between the sidelines however you were running around the circle. If you¡¯re going side to side, make sure you¡¯re facing away from me. Now, sideline!¡¯

    Ty rushed to the centre of the square, made sure he was in line with the far cones, then started going back and forth across the field from sideline to sideline, his back to Coach Hoang and the throwing machine. As he was going, he heard the machine whir to life.

    ¡®Now, when you hear me yell out ¡°ball¡±, you need to turn around and get those hands up, cause a pass is coming your way. Hey, no looking back, keep your head forward.¡¯ Ty¡¯s head shot back around and he looked straight ahead. Coach Hoang continued, ¡®you need to stop this pass no matter what. Catch it, knock it back, whatever, but if it gets past you, that¡¯s a completion, and you fail. Got it?¡¯

    ¡®Yes Coach.¡¯

    ¡®Good. ¡­¡¯ Coach Hoang watched Ty closely. ¡®Ball!¡¯

    Ty spun around, hearing the ¡°chthunk¡± of the ball being fed into the machine and launched out at high speed. His eyes locked onto the ball during its flat flight, but he stood flat-footed as he watched it pass by three yards away from his left arm.

    The ball bounced away downfield, tumbling end over end as Ty watched it.

    ¡®What are you doing, Samuels? That¡¯s a touchdown you just gave up.¡¯

    ¡®It was all the way over there!¡¯ Ty gestured in frustration.

    ¡®The QB isn¡¯t passing the ball to YOU during the games.¡¯ Coach Hoang narrowed his eyes. ¡®Go do a lap of lunges, up and back across the field.

    Ty groaned and grumbled but went to one end of the field and began his punishment lap. When he was done he ran back to the square.

    ¡®Let¡¯s try this again,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®Sideline, backwards.¡¯

    Ty began running between the sidelines again. From the corner of his eye, he could see Coach Hoang and the machine flit back into vision as he crossed the middle of the field.

    ¡®Ball!¡¯

    Ty spun on his toes and, this time, threw himself out in the path of the ball, both hands extended as he tried to catch it. It bounced off his hands and tumbled behind him, landing on the grass.

    ¡®That¡¯s another reception for the Receiver. Go do some more lunges.¡¯

    ¡®Shit!¡¯ Ty ground his teeth together.

    The training would continue on and on. At random, Coach Hoang would direct Ty back to the square, then again, at random, he¡¯d tell him to run from sideline to sideline, and at any moment a ball could be flung in Ty¡¯s direction.

    The drill would continue for a while longer until Coach Hoang eventually permitted Ty a water break. As Ty gulped the water down, Coach Hoang sat beside him. Ty was breathing hard now, a thin coating of sweat dripping down his body.

    ¡®What¡¯s got you so fired up anyway?¡¯ Coach Hoang asked. ¡®We won yesterday.¡¯

    Ty wiped his mouth. He had to look inside himself for a moment to get the answer. ¡®Yesterday didn¡¯t matter; Of course we won, they were trash. Winning against them doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re still thinking about the Bears and Vikings? Hm. I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve got that kind of motivation for revenge, but you can¡¯t overlook the opponents in front of you, or else you¡¯ll get embarrassed by that ¡°trash¡± as you called them.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not overlooking anyone.¡¯ Ty stared into Coach Hoang¡¯s eyes. ¡®I won¡¯t lose ever again, no matter who stands before me. And it¡¯s not JUST about the Bears and the Vikings.¡¯ Ty clenched his fists tightly. ¡®I won¡¯t be satisfied until we¡¯re crowned National Champions.¡¯

    Coach Hoang laughed. ¡®You sure are one cocky brat, aren¡¯t you, Samuels?¡¯ He smiled. ¡®You¡¯ve got a long way to go if you want to reach Nationals. Hmmm. Get out of your cleats, I¡¯ve got something else for you now.¡¯

    Ty raised a brow but did as he was ordered and then followed Coach Hoang out to the street. His curiosity grew as they moved further away from the school.

    Eventually, they came to the foot of a hill, the footpath stretching high up to its peak. ¡®Here will do.¡¯ Coach Hoang stopped and looked back at Ty.

    ¡®Hill sprints?¡¯

    Coach Hoang grinned. ¡®Grab my handlebars. You¡¯re gonna push me to the top.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s brow furrowed.

    ¡®What? Is there a problem?¡¯ Coach Hoang snickered.

    ¡®Hnnnh.¡¯ Ty didn¡¯t say anything as he stepped forward and grabbed onto the wheelchair firmly.

    ¡®Go on, show me how badly you want to win.¡¯

    Ty pushed hard but the wheelchair didn¡¯t budge. They were at the start of the incline. He looked at Coach Hoang confused then strained further, pushing harder. Still, they didn¡¯t budge.

    ¡®What¡¯s the matter, Samuels? Is this all you can do? Is this as far as you can go? You won¡¯t even make it past Regionals if this is all the strength and drive you can muster.¡¯

    ¡®Shut up!¡¯ Ty lowered his posture, pushing harder against the chair. His body was angled almost parallel to the ground. His wirey muscles flexed all over, but still, they didn¡¯t move.

    ¡®Are you serious? If you can¡¯t even push one cripple up a hill, how the fuck can you expect to win anything?! You might as well give up and never play again.¡¯

    ¡®I said shut up!¡¯ With a last mighty heave, the chair lurched forward. Ty slipped and fell to a knee, leaning against the chair to hold it in place as he panted hard.

    Coach Hoang looked back surprised and then laughed.

    ¡®The fuck are you laughing at?¡¯ Ty growled as he stood back up.

    As his laughter slowly died down, Coach Hoang wiped his eye then disengaged the brakes on his wheels. The chair rolled back slightly to press into Ty more. ¡®I¡¯m surprised you got it to move.¡¯

    Ty blinked and looked down in disbelief. ¡®You son of a ¡­ ugh, fuck you.¡¯

    ¡®Haha, come on, put that energy to work. Get me to the top of that hill ¡­ and don¡¯t even think about letting me roll back down or I¡¯ll make sure to come back as a ghost and chop your legs off.¡¯

    Ty grunted but began hauling Coach Hoang up the hill.

    ¡®Put your back into it!¡¯

    Ty ground his teeth, increasing his speed as he moved at the equivalent of a light jog.

    Eventually, the pair made it to the top. Ty panted hard, hunching over slightly.

    ¡®Catch your breath on the way down, we¡¯re going again.¡¯

    ¡®Motherfucker¡­¡¯ Ty stayed put.

    ¡®Hey. Are you really happy with that effort? You want to be the National Champ, right? Hmph, forget about that, even getting past the Bears would be impossible. You remember their RB? Number 22? If you can¡¯t even push me up this hill, well he¡¯d be like a semi-truck, and you want to stop him?! That¡¯s just Regionals, you better believe there will be tougher opponents than him in the State tournament, let alone Nationals.¡¯

    Ty took a deep breath and turned Coach Hoang around, guiding him back down the hill so they could do it all over again. ¡®I¡¯m not going to lose to him again. I¡¯ll crush that stupid fucking king.¡¯

 Chapter 95: Gaining Strength

    When the next team practice session rolled around, Ty was definitely sore thanks to his private training. At the same time, his revenge-fueled fire was hardly more than a flickering flame instead of the firestorm it had been building into over the weekend.

    JJ and Rabbit¡ªlike always¡ªwere the other two early birds at practice. Rabbit waved Ty down and hurried to his side.

    ¡®Hey! Great game last weekend, you guys were awesome.¡¯

    Ty looked down his nose at Rabbit¡ªthe only person on the team he could do such a thing to¡ªas he walked past him. ¡®Hm, Thanks. I can¡¯t say the same for you.¡¯

    Rabbit bit his lip as the JV team¡¯s loss was brought up. He looked away, chewing his lip for a moment. ¡®Well ¡­ y-you can¡¯t win every game. B-But we¡¯re gonna win the next one! I-I promise.¡¯

    JJ came over and slapped Rabbit on the back. ¡®I¡¯m sure you will, hermano. Hey, Ty, let¡¯s keep that kind of play up and keep this new winning streak alive,¡¯ JJ said with a grin. ¡®Hopefully, this next game is even better for us as long as the others shake off that rust from the last game.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m s-sure they will. And I promise we¡¯ll win too.¡¯

    JJ chuckled and clasped Rabbit¡¯s shoulder firmly. ¡®You hermanitos on the JV team just keep doing your best. Win, lose, or draw, you¡¯re all getting better every game. It¡¯s a good thing too; you guys will have to take care of the team once me and the rest of the seniors are gone next season.¡¯

    Ty shuddered. JJ¡¯s words were like icicles stabbing into his brain, where they melted and showed him the nightmare of Rabbit and the rest of the JV team playing alongside him next year.

    Ty left the other two behind and moved away to warm up on his own.

    Soon, the coaches would appear and start to get things set up. Bella was with them, of course, though she stuck to the sidelines, watching the trio of players get in some extra exercise before practice began.

    Eventually, the rest of the team arrived without any absences, and overall, the mood was back to being optimistic and excited now that the whole team was back together, and the Dons were back to their winning ways.

    As the drills got underway, the coaches kept a close eye on the players, and whilst they appreciated the fact the boys were in a good mood, they made sure to keep them in line and focused.

    ¡®Hey, hey, hey. I¡¯m loving the energy today, let¡¯s just make sure we¡¯re keeping it all on the field, yeah? We have to put this energy into good use, guys.¡¯ Coach Long clapped his hands loudly.

    For today¡¯s practice, both JV and varsity squads were decked out in full pads, playing against one another, practising certain situations and plays with full contact. Only the QBs were excluded from that full contact, of course. And Chris was also an exception to that too, everybody else just having to tap those players.

    Chris wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of this, but Coach Norman explained they were taking extra precautions with him for another week just to be super safe. He also said they knew how elusive Chris was, and it was better to be working on the O-Line¡¯s blocking right now, along with their run schemes to see how far they could get before anyone touched Chris anyway.

    These reasons didn¡¯t exactly appease Chris, but it¡¯s not like he could argue with the coaches and get them to change their minds, so he bit his tongue on any further complaints he had.

    The varsity team¡¯s offence would be going against the JV team¡¯s defence throughout training, and the opposite was happening on the other half of the field.

    Whilst Ty was training, Bella watched him closely. Whenever he had a moment of rest between plays, he¡¯d look up and always find her nearby.

    When there was a drinks break for everyone, Ty took his water and sought out Bella. ¡®Is there a reason you¡¯re watching me so damn much today? I¡¯m finding it hard to focus with you trying to glare a hole through me.¡¯

    Bella scoffed. ¡®Funny. Why wouldn¡¯t I be watching the players? I¡¯m watching everyone.¡¯

    ¡®You ain¡¯t watching them like you¡¯re watching me.¡¯

    She glared at him. ¡®I¡¯m just watching you, is there a problem with me seeing how the best CB on the team plays? I need to show the JV players some of the techniques you use to keep your man locked down. You¡¯d be a good example to learn from ¡­ at least the way you play, obviously I don¡¯t want them picking up your shitty personality.¡¯

    ¡®Tch. Whatever.¡¯ Ty gulped from his bottle and then looked across at the JV team. ¡®They¡¯re not good enough to copy what I do. It¡¯s not as simple as stealing my techniques.¡¯

    ¡®God, you¡¯re such an arrogant asshole.¡¯ She stomped off, calling the JV defence together.

    Ty shook his head and returned to his bag, finding a certain brat waiting for him. He sighed loudly. ¡®What do you want?¡¯

    Ricky smirked. ¡®Are you ever in a good mood?¡¯

    ¡®Not when you¡¯re around.¡¯

    ¡®Aww come on. You know I¡¯ve helped you guys out.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯ve barely done anything. We¡¯d still win without your ¡°input¡± if you can even call it that.¡¯

    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    Ricky stood up with an exaggerated sigh. ¡®Well, if you¡¯re gonna be like that, I guess you don¡¯t want to hear what happened in the game between the Bears and Vikings.¡¯ Before he could walk away, Ty reached out and snatched his arm.

    Ty pulled him around, standing up again as he stared down at Ricky. ¡®Who won?¡¯

    Ricky struggled out of Ty¡¯s grasp, squirming free before he answered. He rubbed his wrist angrily. ¡®You know you could ask nicely for once, wouldn¡¯t kill you, unless you¡¯re some stupid ass monster that¡¯s allergic to saying please and smiling.

    ¡®Tell me or I¡¯m going to kick you through the fucking goalposts.¡¯

    Ricky stepped back. Ty had a look on his face that said he was being dead serious. Ricky gulped. ¡®U-Uh, well, it was a super close game. It went to overtime! (OT) But¡­But Warren won. 48¨C42.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s expression softened. ¡®The Bears won¡­¡¯ Ninety total points were scored throughout the game. Both teams were offensive powerhouses, he knew that already. But the Vikings had managed to push the Bears to overtime, even so, they fell to King Denzel in the end. ¡®Their defence couldn¡¯t stand up to the run game in OT.¡¯ Ty said it as if he¡¯d already accepted his assumption as fact.

    ¡®A-Actually, it was a walk-off touchdown reception,¡¯ Ricky said.

    ¡®Huh? Did they throw a screen? Or play-action?¡¯

    Ricky shook his head. ¡®Lemme show you.¡¯ He stepped closer to Ty again and stood beside him, getting out his phone. He brought up a short video from his scouting forum and played it.

    Noise exploded from the phone as the crowd was split 50/50, one side cheering for Warren, the other chanting ¡°de-fence¡±, encouraging the Vikings.

    ¡®Watch right here.¡¯ Ricky pointed out the Receiver and CB pair nearest to the camera.

    That rabid mutt, Isiah, was the Vikings¡¯ CB in the picture, his dirty, blond locs sticking out the back of his helmet.

    Meanwhile, the Bears¡¯ Receiver was none other than number 14 whom Ty had been matched up against during most of their game. For once, he didn¡¯t look tired or bored while on the field.

    ¡®Who is that? From the Bears, number 14,¡¯ Ty asked.

    Ricky looked at the footage closely. ¡®Uhhh¡­ I don¡¯t know?¡¯

    Ty glared at him and grumbled but quickly turned his attention back to the video. After the ball was snapped, the opposing chanting from the crowd became unintelligible noise as the play unfolded.

    Number 14 kept his focus and determination as he pushed forward and gained inside leverage against Isiah.

    ¡®Outside,¡¯ Ty mumbled as he watched. Ricky glanced at him but held the phone steady.

    A moment later, #14 shimmied then darted to the outside, it looked like the beginning of a stereotypical corner fade route that Ty¡ªand any fan of football¡ªhad seen countless times as the Receiver would aim for the back corner of the endzone, and it¡¯d come down to a contest between the Receiver and CB of whoever could catch the ball at its highest point.

    The results of which largely came down to whoever got the better position, and how well the pass was thrown.

    But Isiah was all over it, he¡¯d seen it plenty of times too, and it seemed like he¡¯d been expecting it. That was when #14 snapped to the inside instead and burst across the back of the endzone.

    Isiah was left behind. The ball was thrown high over the middle. #14 left his feet, caught the ball on his chest and came down with it inbounds for the game-ending touchdown.

    Ty watched in silence as half the crowd erupted, the field becoming obscured by the supporters in front of the camera jumping up with their hands raised. The video soon ended.

    He reached forward and held the phone steady as he scrolled the footage back to the moment just before #14 made his moves.

    ¡®Hey, what are you¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Shut it. Can this fucking thing play in slow-motion?¡¯

    ¡®N-No.¡¯

    Ty growled but slowly dragged the video forward, watching as #14 cut to the outside first. Even knowing the eventual outcome of the play, Ty swore that the route looked exactly like #14 was aiming for a fade to the outside¡ªif Ty was defending that play, he would¡¯ve jumped the outside route and given up the touchdown as well.

    Ty lowered his hands and stepped back. #14 hadn¡¯t played like that when he was defending them. He remembered the few catches he had allowed in his game against Warren. They¡¯d all come when he had been too focused on stopping Denzel and the run ¡­ at least that¡¯s what he¡¯d thought.

    ¡®How many touchdowns did that guy have?¡¯

    ¡®N-None. Uh, aside from that one. But¡­ that was his only catch.¡¯

    ¡®Well, what the hell was that?! Why haven¡¯t you told me about that guy before?¡¯

    ¡®¡¯Cause he doesn¡¯t do anything! Bro just sits there and doesn¡¯t even move half the time. That team barely even throws in any of their games, they just run with Denzel most of the time. He had five touchdowns that game.¡¯

    Ty frowned deeply. Was that guy supposed to be their secret weapon? Was he a better player than Denzel? But, why would he never get involved?

    ¡®The Bears lost in the State Championship last year, right?¡¯

    ¡®Y-Yeah.¡¯

    ¡®Was that guy playing?¡¯

    ¡®I-I don¡¯t think so. If he was, he didn¡¯t do anything. Denzel was a one-man army last year, that¡¯s why they got destroyed. Everyone else played like bums.¡¯

    Ty looked away, grinding his teeth. This shit didn¡¯t make any sense. He shook his head. ¡®What about Marshall and that other prick? How many did they score?¡¯

    ¡®Marshall had three. Isiah had two.¡¯

    ¡®One less touchdown reception, and he gave up the game-losing touchdown. Stupid bitch.¡¯ This news brought a small smile to Ty¡¯s face briefly. ¡®Hm, well, thanks for that ¡­ maybe you¡¯re not such a shitty brat after all.¡¯

    Ricky¡¯s eyes clouded with rage, even after showing Ty that video, Ty was still an ungrateful prick. ¡®Fuck you, dumbass!¡¯ He kicked Ty in the shin and then ran away. ¡®That¡¯s the last time I help you!¡¯

    ¡®Ah! You nasty little shit!¡¯ Ty was hobbled for a moment before he went to chase after Ricky.

    ¡®Samuels!¡¯ Coach Hoang shouted. ¡®Stop screwing around! Assistant Coach Long needs you.¡¯

    Ty ground his teeth loudly, watching Ricky disappear around the corner. He groaned but made his way over to Coach Hoang and Bella, glaring at them both. ¡®What is it?¡¯

    ¡®For the rest of practice you¡¯ll be participating with the JV team,¡¯ Bella said matter-of-factly.

    ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Ty said with a voice so cold it could stop the polar icecaps from melting.

    ¡®Don¡¯t waste your breath arguing about it,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®Just do as you¡¯re told. The DBs will benefit from seeing how you defend up close, and you¡¯ll get the benefit of defending the varsity Receivers.¡¯

    Ty narrowed his eyes and looked across the field to Stephen as he was grouped with the rest of the varsity offence, the giant was easy to pick out of a crowd. Maybe he¡¯d be a good replacement for Marshall right now. ¡®Fine.¡¯

    Ty stomped over to join the JV defenders, answering Rabbit¡¯s bright smile with a dark scowl. The fire within him¡ªblazing in the shape of a crown¡ªgrew hotter and larger as practice drew on.

    Once again Ty was fired up, but his thoughts were locked on his potential future meetings with Marshall, Denzel, and now, that dopey-looking bastard too.

 Chapter 96: Old Friends, New Struggles

    On Monday morning, Jackson was still quite sore, and even with his crutches, his stride was gimpier than usual.

    Whilst his mad dash around the back garden was freeing and exhilarating in the moment, turns out, it wasn¡¯t the smartest decision. Throughout the school day, he still felt the ill effects of said decision.

    No one seemed to notice, or if they did, they didn¡¯t say anything, and other than the faint throbbing pain in his leg, the day went by fairly normally.

    However, by the end of it, he left his final classroom and made his way towards the school¡¯s exit with Eddie, Marcus, and Sachin hanging back to stick with him.

    It was their day off from Track practice, and with their friendship recently renewed, they thought it was the perfect time to have an after-school gaming sesh at Jackson¡¯s. It had been almost two months since the last one, and they¡¯d been getting withdrawals.

    There was only one problem with that¡ªtheir bikes couldn¡¯t all fit in the back of Mrs Woods¡¯s car.

    Usually, when they did this in the past, they¡¯d all ride back to Jackson¡¯s or whoever¡¯s from school, and whilst Eddie, Marcus, and Sachin could still do that, Jackson couldn¡¯t, for obvious reasons.

    And even though Jackson¡¯s mom would¡¯ve been more than happy to drive them all, there was no way to fit their bikes as well.

    Eddie sighed heavily. ¡®Alright, how about instead of trying to fit all the bikes in, we just ¡­¡¯

    For a moment, Jackson¡¯s breath caught in his throat as he thought Eddie might cancel the whole thing and send everyone on their separate ways back to their own homes.

    ¡®¡­Ride there and catch up with you later?¡¯

    Jackson breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡®That might be for the best,¡¯ Mrs Woods said.

    The boys said they¡¯d see Jackson soon, and then the two groups split off and headed for Jackson¡¯s home.

    As Jackson sat in the car, he watched the others race to keep up with the car on their bikes.

    He wished he could¡¯ve been out there, flying along with them. Those thoughts brought his mind back to the last bike ride they¡¯d all shared. He shuddered and looked away; he still needed a new bike.

    With Jackson and his mom having to pick up his little sister, Chrissy, from school too, they eventually arrived home around the same time the three boys arrived on their bikes.

    As Mrs Woods let the boys into the house, she smiled warmly. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s so good to see you all again. It¡¯s been too long since we¡¯ve had you all around, I hope high school has been treating you right.¡¯

    The boys smiled and told her it was always great to be welcomed into her home, and that they were grateful for her hospitality and how she made them feel like a part of the family.

    As they went inside, Chrissy stared at Marcus. ¡®Hiii Marcus.¡¯ She grinned up at him.

    The other boys snickered and nudged Marcus. Marcus chuckled bashfully and looked away. ¡®Uhh, hey.¡¯

    Mom stepped in and took Chrissy by the shoulders, guiding her away from the boys. ¡®Now now, you let the boys play together, they¡¯re here to spend time with your brother, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be more than happy to play with you another time.¡¯

    ¡®But that¡¯s not fair! They ALWAYS play with him.¡¯ Chrissy whined.

    ¡®And that¡¯s because they¡¯re HIS friends, sweetie,¡¯ Mom said as she dragged Chrissy to the other room.

    ¡®Ah, thanks, Mrs Woods. And Chrissy, I promise we¡¯ll play next time,¡¯ Marcus said as he followed the others towards Jackson¡¯s room.

    ¡®Pinky promise?!¡¯ Chrissy shouted.

    ¡®Pinky promise!¡¯

    As they got further into the house, the other boys broke out into laughter, shoving and nudging Marcus playfully. ¡®Hey bro, I think she likes you,¡¯ Eddie said.

    ¡®Yeah, when are you inviting us to the wedding?¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Man, fuck you guys.¡¯ They stepped into Jackson¡¯s room, the others still laughing. ¡®Shit, I bet she¡¯d be hella pissed if she knew I had a girl already.¡¯

    Jackson blinked. ¡®You what?¡¯

    ¡®Yo, hold up, why haven¡¯t we heard about this? Who is this chick?¡¯ Sachin asked.

    ¡®Huh? Oh, I mean, it¡¯s only like, been a couple of weeks I guess. And she¡¯s someone from the track team, don¡¯t worry, you guys will meet her when she¡¯s ready, damn. Chill though, it ain¡¯t that big of a deal, man. What, you guys don¡¯t have girls?¡¯

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    There was an awkward silence.

    ¡®Oh, I guess I shouldn¡¯t expect much from you ugly motherfuckers.¡¯ Marcus was the only one with a shit-eating grin now.

    ¡®Bruh¡­¡¯

    Jackson looked around at Sachin and Eddie. ¡®You guys don¡¯t have secret girlfriend¡¯s too?¡¯

    They both shook their head, then all three boys stared inquisitively at Jackson. ¡®What about you?¡¯

    ¡®Or are you as lonely as these other losers?¡¯ Marcus¡¯s extra comment earned him a couple of whacks from Eddie and Sachin.

    ¡®Uhh¡­¡¯ Jackson blushed and looked away.

    ¡®No way¡­¡¯

    ¡®Bro, seriously?¡¯

    ¡®Nah, ain¡¯t no way, bruh.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s not like that! I mean, she¡¯s not my girlfriend or anything ¡­ I don¡¯t think.¡¯

    ¡®You don¡¯t think? Man either she is or she isn¡¯t, it ain¡¯t that hard.¡¯

    ¡®So there is a girl though, it¡¯s just, not official?¡¯ Eddie asked.

    ¡®There is a girl, but we¡¯re just friends ¡­ for now. I mean, I don¡¯t even know if she likes me like that.¡¯

    ¡®Yo! What¡¯s she like?¡¯

    ¡®Bro, who is she?¡¯

    ¡®Hey, is she hot?¡¯

    The others stared at Sachin.

    ¡®What?¡¯ he said.

    ¡®This why you ain¡¯t got a girl.¡¯

    ¡®Bruh!¡¯

    Though Jackson wasn¡¯t let off the hook that easily, and the questions kept coming in about this mysterious girl he liked, however, no matter how many questions they bombarded him with, he didn¡¯t give up any further details about Jasmine, not even telling the others her name.

    Eventually, the focus returned to Marcus¡¯s girlfriend, and while the others tried to figure out who exactly it was from the track team, Jackson set up their game of COD zombies.

    It was old-school, classic fun. The type of fun that brought them years into the past, spending all night crowded around the small screen of Tommy¡¯s TV, thankful that he was letting them play his game. Back then they¡¯d spend more time running scared, reviving each other, and laughing at one another than actually killing the zombies.

    Though now that they were a few years older, with four-person split-screen, it felt like they were all playing on a mobile with how small the screen was divided.

    Even with that downside, it didn¡¯t get in the way of their fun, and they were having a blast getting into the groove of things and smashing their highest-round record.

    They didn¡¯t even notice when Tommy arrived, only when he spoke up did they realise he was watching them from the doorway.

    ¡®Hah, this takes me back. At least you guys won¡¯t be keeping me up all night with your playing.¡¯

    ¡®Thomas the Tank Engine!¡¯ The game was paused as the other boys looked over at Tommy.

    Tommy shook his head. ¡®I still don¡¯t get that stupid nickname.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but laugh and smile, however. ¡®Hey, you guys mind if I borrow Jackson for a minute? I just have to talk with him with him about something.¡¯

    Jackson was surprised, but the others shrugged. ¡®Man, I forgot how nice it is to be able to pause these games.¡¯ Marcus stood up, stretching his legs. He¡¯d been one of the unlucky two stuck sitting on the floor, along with Eddie, whilst Sachin and Jackson, of course, got chairs.

    Sachin got up, excusing himself to the bathroom.

    ¡®Hey, get me a drink while you¡¯re at it,¡¯ Eddie said.

    ¡®Bruh, get your own drink, lazy ass.¡¯

    Eddie rolled his eyes, getting up and leaving the room as well.

    Seeing as he was the last one stopping the brothers from having their private moment, Marcus decided it was best for him to leave as well, so he stepped outside too.

    Tommy sat in the empty chair next to Jackson.

    ¡®What¡¯s up?¡¯ Jackson asked.

    ¡®How¡¯s your leg feeling? I noticed you were limping last night ¡­ and this morning too.¡¯

    Jackson looked down, scratching the back of his head. With more than a bit of embarrassment, he explained his backyard run from the other night and the repercussions he was still dealing with.

    Tommy smiled and patted Jackson¡¯s back. ¡®I¡¯m glad you¡¯re so eager to get back on your feet, though maybe we should go about it a bit smarter. Maybe we should visit the doc again and see what they think about your recovery so far?¡¯

    ¡®Uh, y-yeah, that¡¯d be good.¡¯ Jackson nodded.

    ¡®Cool, I¡¯ll set it up then. And, if that¡¯s all it is, there¡¯s no worries. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll stop hurting with a bit more rest, yeah?¡¯

    ¡®Y-Yeah.¡¯

    Tommy smiled. ¡®But it felt good in the moment, yeah? Running again?¡¯

    Jackson couldn¡¯t contain his grin. ¡®It felt amazing.¡¯

    Tommy chuckled. ¡®Heh, awesome. Alright, I¡¯ll let you know when the doc can see you.¡¯ He stood up, then leaned down and hugged Jackson. ¡®I love you, little bro.¡¯

    Jackson hugged back, burying his face against Tommy¡¯s shoulder. ¡®I love you too.¡¯

    With that, Tommy left the room, passing Marcus and Sachin in the hall. He apologised for interrupting, and wished them luck with the rest of their zombie hunting.

    Eddie soon returned with cans of soft drink for everyone, and while they resumed their zombie slaying, they didn¡¯t last much longer before they all went down.

    However, they transitioned into 1v1¡¯s in private lobbies of multiplayer, taking it in turns to face off against each other. Some rounds had no rules, other times they agreed that only snipers or sometimes knives could be used.

    With this competitive style of game, things got a bit more heated and animated as some accusations of ¡°screen-cheating¡± were thrown around due to the split-screen nature of the contests, and as the night dragged on, there were even attempts to find a bit of cardboard to stick in the middle of the screen to have a physical separator between the split-screens to prevent any cheating.

    But it was all in good fun, and nobody was truly upset over losing or the cheating accusations, whether they were warranted or not. Eventually, the night had to end, and when Mrs Woods asked if the boys would be staying for dinner, that¡¯s when they realised it was time to head back to their own homes.

    Jackson saw them all off in the driveway as they climbed back onto their bikes. They promised to do it again soon, and to make this a regular part of their routine like it used to be.

    Jackson¡¯s smile stretched from ear to ear as he watched them all disappear around corners on their different paths back home. He felt as if things were finally getting back on track, back to how they had used to be.

 Chapter 97: Climb the Ladder

    Thankfully, it didn¡¯t take Jackson long to get an appointment with the doctor, and a few days later, he was in the clinic, sitting on the sterile, blue-sheeted bed, explaining what he had done and why he and Tommy were seeing the good doctor that day.

    The doctor ran him through some quick, simple tests, having Jackson push, lift and stretch his leg in various ways.

    After the doctor finished these exercises, they sat in their chair, and stared at their computer, looking over Jackson¡¯s file.

    ¡®And how long did the pain last after you ran without the crutches?¡¯

    ¡®It was back to normal after a couple of days,¡¯ Jackson answered.

    Dr Saha spun around, facing Jackson. ¡®It wasn¡¯t good to aggravate things like that, though I¡¯m sure you realised that. It''s best if you continue to take things slow. You said you played football, yes?¡¯

    Jackson nodded.

    ¡®I know you might be anxious to play again, but if you rush things like this, you¡¯ll only be doing more damage to yourself in the long run. It could be best to put football out of your mind until you recover.¡¯

    Jackson sighed. ¡®Thank you, Doctor. I¡¯ll¡­ I won¡¯t do that again. I¡¯m sorry.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re perfectly fine to continue doing the exercises I assigned previously, but let¡¯s not go for any more night runs, or day runs either.¡¯

    Jackson nodded sheepishly, keeping his head down.

    ¡®Thanks, doc. I¡¯ll keep a closer eye on him and ease off on the mindset that he needs to recover as soon as possible,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll have a great recovery. He¡¯s lucky to have such a strong support system.¡¯

    The brothers left soon after, Dr Saha reminding them that they could call her at any time if they had further questions.

    During the drive home, Tommy lowered the volume of the radio as they sat at a red light. ¡®Maybe ¡­ I¡¯ve been pushing you a bit too much, trying to get you back into the game earlier than you should.¡¯

    ¡®But I want to get back out there and help.¡¯

    ¡®I know you do.¡¯ Tommy smiled at him, though there was a sadness to his smile. ¡®But, it¡¯s just one season, Jackie. Whether you miss it or make it back, it won¡¯t be the end of the world; you have to think of the bigger picture, your career as a whole.¡¯

    Jackson went quiet.

    ¡®A broken leg that bad is serious, and if you don¡¯t recover from it properly, it can mess you up forever. We can¡¯t rush these things. I¡¯m sorry that I haven¡¯t seen that until now. Let¡¯s just take things easy from here on out.¡¯

    ¡®O-Okay.¡¯ Jackson¡¯s hands picked at his pants and scratched at his legs. ¡®B-But we can keep doing the exercises right? The doctor said so, didn¡¯t she?¡¯

    ¡®She did.¡¯

    ¡®And I promise I won¡¯t run around the backyard anymore, not until I¡¯m ready. That was¡­ that was really stupid and ¡­ I wasn¡¯t thinking properly.¡¯

    Tommy reached out, placing a steadying hand on Jackson¡¯s shoulder. ¡®I know, little bro. We¡¯ll get through this together.¡¯

    The volume was dialled back up, and the two continued home.

    Friday rolled around, and with it, the last day of practice before the Titans¡¯ next game. Despite Dr Saha suggesting that Jackson put football out of his mind, there was just no way he could do such a thing, so of course, he was there to spectate the team¡¯s practice.

    During the drinks break about halfway through the session, Kenny sat with Jackson. The pair decided not to focus on the previous week¡¯s game, nor even the upcoming game, and instead looked further into the future.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to recover in time for Regionals,¡¯ Jackson said.

    Kenny swallowed his last mouthful and frowned. ¡®When is the first game of Regionals exactly?¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡®A little over three weeks away? Right at the start of November, I think.¡¯¡¯

    Kenny shook his head. ¡®Ah, it doesn¡¯t matter. You don¡¯t need to worry about that crap, just do your best and take all the time that you need. But, you shouldn¡¯t worry about Regionals for the JV team, instead, you should be looking towards the State tourney for the varsity team.¡¯

    Jackson blinked. ¡®For the varsity team?¡¯

    Kenny grinned. ¡®Yep. I mean, that¡¯s where I¡¯ll be, and you should be right there with me.¡¯

    Jackson looked around. Both squads were on break simultaneously, but even so, the JV and varsity players were mostly separated from one another in their own groups as they rested. ¡®What about the others?¡¯ he asked.

    ¡®What about them? If they¡¯re good enough, they¡¯ll be on the varsity team too, and the benchwarmers will move down to take their place on JV. But I¡¯m not worried about them, that¡¯s on them if they can move up or not, I¡¯m talking about you and me, man.¡¯

    Jackson fidgeted. ¡®I mean, I know varsity is the goal¡­ but don¡¯t you think you should be focused on the JV team? I mean, you¡¯re not even on the varsity team yet.¡¯

    ¡®But I should be!¡¯

    Jackson flinched, surprised by the heightened tone of voice. Kenny spoke with conviction, but also anger and resentment.

    ¡®I¡¯m better than the players over there. I should be a starting Receiver on the varsity team.¡¯

    Jackson chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment. ¡®But¡­¡¯

    ¡®But what?¡¯

    ¡®Well¡­ the varsity team is still undefeated. And, you know, you and the JV team just lost last week¡­ and don¡¯t we have a negative record?¡¯

    ¡®Okay, and what¡¯s your point? Just because they haven¡¯t lost and we have doesn¡¯t mean the individuals I¡¯m talking about are better than me, it just means they¡¯re part of a better team. I mean, look at what happens during the games. For the JV team¡ªand me in particular¡ªI¡¯m the focus of the opposition¡¯s defence. They always put the most resources into stopping me, they always have their best defender on me, or multiple at a time.¡¯

    Jackson couldn¡¯t dispute this. In fact, from what he¡¯d seen throughout the games he¡¯d watched, it was more like Kenny was the only TRUE Receiver on the team, and the others were just filling out those positions through necessity.

    ¡®Meanwhile, you have Shane getting double and triple-teamed during the varsity games, whilst the WRs are useless and can¡¯t even help or relieve any pressure. Even getting all that attention he¡¯s still leading all the receiving stats. If I was playing, that wouldn''t happen. Other teams wouldn¡¯t be able to double Shane or else I¡¯d always be open and scoring, they¡¯d have to choose which one of us scores. I KNOW I¡¯m better than them. I should be starting on that team.¡¯

    Jackson and Kenny stared at one another. Jackson saw that Kenny was deadly serious about what he was saying, and Jackson didn¡¯t have a way to dispute those claims. Kenny was being incredibly brash and arrogant, but what if he was right? What if he was better than every other WR on the varsity team? How could he tell when they played against two different levels of competition? Surely Coach Otsen or any of the others on the coaching staff would be able to see if it was true, right?

    But, maybe it was too hard to tell from practice alone because of how separated the two groups were, and how different their practice regimes were, with all members of the JV team having to perform a wider variety of drills since they covered a lot more positions than their contemporaries who got to focus on just one role, or two if they wanted to play both sides of the ball.

    ¡®Um¡­ what if you just, ask Coach Otsen to give you a chance on that team?¡¯

    The two turned to Freddy who was sitting nearby and had overheard Kenny¡¯s impassioned speech. Freddy squirmed now that the intense gaze was turned his way.

    Kenny frowned deeply and shook his head. ¡®He¡¯ll never allow it. He¡¯s got that stupid rule, remember? No freshmen allowed on the varsity team for whatever reason. Not even Shane played varsity during his freshman year apparently.¡¯ Kenny kicked at the grass. ¡®Stupid fucking rule. I¡¯m clearly ready, I¡¯m already the better player, so what does me being a freshman have to do with it?¡¯

    ¡®W-Well uhh¡­ and what if you could ¡­ I don¡¯t know, PROVE it to Coach Otsen that you¡¯re the better player and ready to be on that team? In a way that he can¡¯t possibly refute it.¡¯

    ¡®And how would I do that?¡¯

    Freddy lowered his gaze to the grass and massaged his temples with one hand. He stayed like this, silent in thought for a few moments before he looked at Kenny with reddened cheeks. ¡®I-I don¡¯t know.¡¯

    Kenny groaned but before he could say anything, Jackson interjected. ¡®What if you beat the other Receivers one-on-one?¡¯

    ¡®That¡­ could work.¡¯ Kenny grinned and slapped Jackson on the shoulder. ¡®If the coaches see me beat a starter from the varsity team, they¡¯ll HAVE to swap us. Heh, thanks Jackson.¡¯

    ¡®Y-Yeah, no worries.¡¯ Jackson chuckled nervously. ¡®I-I still don¡¯t think you should do this but uh¡­¡¯

    ¡®What? You don¡¯t think I¡¯m good enough to be on the varsity team?¡¯ Kenny narrowed his eyes.

    Stolen story; please report.

    ¡®Huh? N-No I didn¡¯t say that. It¡¯s just¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Just what?¡¯

    ¡®Um¡­ nothing, nothing. Forget I said anything.¡¯

    Kenny stood from the bench. ¡®Hmm. I¡¯ll challenge them after practice. Even if they don¡¯t wanna one v one, that¡¯ll prove enough of a point don¡¯t you think?¡¯

    Neither Freddy nor Jackson said anything. Kenny left as break time was over and practice would resume. As Freddy got up, he and Jackson exchanged worried glances.

    When practice finished an hour later, Kenny dumped his vest and made straight for a group of varsity Receivers. There were three of them together, grabbing their bags, notably, none were a part of the minority of varsity players that wore their weighted vests during practice.

    ¡®Hey!¡¯

    The trio turned upon hearing Kenny¡¯s voice.

    The one in the centre¡ªwhom Kenny recognised as a junior named Grant¡ªspoke up. ¡®Yeah? What do you want?¡¯ Grant was on the wrong side of six feet, and the best word to describe him was narrow. From head to toe, he just had a narrow look about him. Kenny had never seen him show up to practice without a folded, black and white bandana wrapped around his head, his hair shaved to a rough stubble.

    Kenny took some time finding his nerve and the right words to say now that he was before the larger, older boys. Even with Jackson and Freddy behind him, watching closely, he felt alone before the trio.

    ¡®Oh, I just wanted to congratulate you guys on staying undefeated this long. I mean, it¡¯s a miracle the team keeps winning even with such a shitty receiving core.¡¯

    Two of the boys laughed, shaking their heads. They dismissed Kenny as a jealous brat trying to get under their skin. ¡®C¡¯mon, Grant. This kid¡¯s a nobody. Just a jealous little JV dog, hating on us ¡®cause the grass is greener on the other side, you know how it is.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, especially with how the JV team just lost ¡­ AGAIN. Little dude can only dream of being undefeated.¡¯

    Though as they moved away, Grant stayed put, obviously taking offence to Kenny¡¯s words. ¡®Nah, what did you say? I¡¯m not gonna sit here and be disrespected by some small fry punk who doesn¡¯t know his place.¡¯ He stepped closer to Kenny.

    Kenny didn¡¯t back down. ¡®Oh, I know my place. I know exactly where I am, and I know exactly where I belong. And I can prove it too. I can beat you, and prove to even a bunch of dumbasses like you three just how much better I am than you all. ¡­ Unless you¡¯re scared to be beaten by a small fry like me?¡¯

    ¡®Ohh fuck, here we go.¡¯ One of the two that had been content to walk away turned back around.

    The other sighed loudly. ¡®I don¡¯t have time for this shiiit. I gotta study for an exam.¡¯

    ¡®Fuck your exam!¡¯ Grant snapped. He never took his eyes off Kenny. ¡®You¡¯re on. Stupid ass kids like you don¡¯t stop barking until you give them a good kick. Yo Wesley! We need a QB so I can clown this kid.¡¯

    Wesley lifted one side of his headphones off his ear then rolled his eyes, setting it back into place. ¡®Hell nah. Y¡¯all can go on with that, I ain¡¯t got time for it.¡¯ He kept walking away from the field.

    ¡®I¡¯ll do it.¡¯

    Heads turned towards Petey. Most of the other boys had overheard the commotion as things started to get more heated, even the coaches were looking over, though none moved to stop them yet.

    ¡®Nah.¡¯ Grant shook his head. ¡®I ain¡¯t fucking with that. You¡¯ll just throw nice passes for your little JV friend and screw me over so he wins.¡¯

    ¡®What about Oscar?¡¯ another of the varsity Receivers suggested.

    Grant looked over. ¡®Hey, Oscar! Get over here, we need a QB.¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Oscar¡ªa bespectacled boy who was short and plain¡ªlooked over.

    ¡®Just get your ass over here and throw the damn ball,¡¯ Grant said.

    ¡®And how do I know HE won¡¯t just favour YOU?¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®¡¯Cause we ain¡¯t friends, unlike you but buddies in JV.¡¯

    ¡®Fine! Whatever, fuck it, I don¡¯t care even if you do try to screw me, I¡¯ll still beat you.¡¯

    ¡®Pfft, whatever.¡¯

    ¡®What if Pete throws for Kenny, and uh, Oscar throws for Grant?¡¯ Jackson suggested.

    ¡®I don¡¯t care.¡¯ Kenny snapped. ¡®Let Oscar throw. I¡¯ll still win even if he screws me.¡¯

    Grant moved away to get into position and told Oscar what was happening.

    Pete sighed and walked with Kenny, following him onto the field. ¡®I know that guy, Oscar. He was a part of JV last year. Even if I personally don¡¯t like him, he¡¯s a good guy. You should be alright, I doubt he¡¯ll help that asshole cheat.¡¯

    Kenny didn¡¯t say anything, keeping quiet so he could focus.

    Freddy and Jackson, however, spoke almost simultaneously and said: ¡®Why don¡¯t you like him?¡¯

    Pete looked away, rubbing the back of his neck. ¡®It¡¯s just ¡­ it¡¯s stupid really. But, he was the starter for the JV team last year, and well, he¡¯s the one who got called up to be a backup for the varsity team this year, that¡¯s all. I swear, he¡¯s a good dude, he reminds me of Freddy honestly, and it¡¯s NOT just because of the glasses.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯ll be fine,¡¯ Kenny said, ¡®I doubt that asshole over there would even be satisfied after all this if he had to cheat to beat me anyway.¡¯

    He made his way over to Grant again. ¡®Hey, you can go first, little bitch,¡¯ Grant said. ¡®I¡¯ll let you embarrass yourself. Three chances each. You better go figure out what passes you want with your QB.¡¯

    Kenny walked to Oscar and leaned in, quietly telling him what route he wanted to run for the first pass. Then, he turned away and lined up in front of Grant.

    ¡®Hey, I don¡¯t even play defence. So it¡¯s gonna make this even worse when you can¡¯t make a single catch against ME,¡¯ Grant said.

    ¡®It¡¯ll be fun to watch you beg Coach to keep your spot after I beat you.¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, do I just say hut?¡¯ Oscar asked, holding the ball and awkwardly standing off to the side.

    ¡®Yes!¡¯ Both Kenny and Grant shouted at him then glared at one another.

    ¡®Uhh¡­ hut?¡¯

    Instantly, Kenny felt hands grab onto him, gripping his shirt right at his armpit as Grant pushed against him and shoved him back.

    Kenny struggled to wrench the hands off him and writhe out of Grant¡¯s grasp before he ran past the larger boy. For his first route, he was keeping things simple, he knew Grant would defend him aggressively, so he would beat him deep with a straight verticle route. He¡¯d trust in his speed to be superior.

    But as he sped off down the field, he realised Grant was right there with him. He couldn¡¯t get any separation. Oscar let the ball fly, and while it was a decent enough pass, Grant was all over it, and easily swatted it away.

    ¡®Get that shit outta here!¡¯

    Grant¡¯s two friends cheered him on as he got right in Kenny¡¯s face.

    ¡®C¡¯mon, bitch. You gotta do better than that.¡¯

    Kenny shoved by him, gritting his teeth as he returned to Oscar and went through the next step of the game plan.

    Kenny soon lined up opposite Grant again. ¡®Hey, if you call it quits now and beg forgiveness, I won¡¯t have to clown you more. We can just forget this shit ever happened, and you won¡¯t be the laughingstock of the team. ¡­ Not for long anyway.¡¯

    Kenny didn¡¯t say anything and soon Oscar signalled for the play to start.

    This time, Kenny was anticipating the rough hand-fighting, and quickly slapped aside Grant¡¯s arms before he burrowed into Grant¡¯s shoulder, securing inside leverage by using his smaller stature to his advantage before he shoved the bigger boy off and burst inside with a short slant route.

    Grant stumbled but recovered quickly, and as Oscar fired the ball inside, he dove across Kenny and spiked it into the ground before it hit Kenny¡¯s chest.

    Grant tumbled to the turf and then bounced onto his feet. ¡®Woo! You like that?¡¯

    His friends¡¯ cheering grew louder, and the faces of Kenny¡¯s supporters¡ªalmost the whole JV team¡ªgrew graver.

    Again, Kenny told Oscar the next route before lining up.

    ¡®You know, maybe WR just isn¡¯t for you. You might have to become a DB after this.¡¯

    Kenny remained silent.

    ¡®Hut.¡¯

    Kenny fought through Grant¡¯s tough press for the second time, heading straight forward. Grant kept with him every step of the way, and then Kenny stopped like was stuck in some mud. As suddenly as he had halted, Kenny took off again, but that hesitation was enough to freeze Grant long enough for Kenny to break free.

    Or at least he would¡¯ve if Grant hadn¡¯t pulled on Kenny¡¯s shirt.

    Kenny didn¡¯t let the obvious foul stop him, and he heard the fabric rip as he continued to run, tearing himself free as he raised a hand and Oscar threw the pass.

    Thanks to holding Kenny back, Grant recovered and was only a step behind him now, so it¡¯d come down to an even contest on this catch. However, the ball was thrown much farther ahead of them than the previous vertical route.

    Kenny dove, hands outstretched. The ball hit his fingertips, he bobbled it, then he got his palms to it and raked it in against his chest before he hit the ground hard. Grant crashed on top of him.

    Grant''s friends were silent, but now it was time for the JV team to cheer and shout.

    Lonnie strode over and helped Kenny to his feet after a disgruntled Grant got off him.

    ¡®Big fucking deal,¡¯ Grant said, brushing himself off. ¡®I told you I¡¯m not a CB, I¡¯m a WR. Now let me show you how it¡¯s done.¡¯

    Kenny quickly muttered his thanks to Lonnie for being helped up, but he was still focused on the task at hand. He knew he wasn¡¯t as skilled of a defender as he was a Receiver, but if he could just hold Grant to no catches, or even one, he¡¯d show that he was at least on the level of a varsity starter.

    Grant quickly told Oscar what to do, then hurried to his spot, no longer having anything to say to Kenny.

    The JV players were still cheering on Kenny as they watched closely.

    ¡®Hut.¡¯

    Grant forced his way forward, driving Kenny back. He reached the top of his route, stuttered, then swiftly turned back and used his body to seal out Kenny. As the pass was fired in quick and low, Grant kept Kenny behind him until the last moment when he lunged forward and snagged the ball just before it hit the ground.

    The air was sucked out of the field and all the cheers from the JV team turned to groans of disappointment.

    Grant moved quickly, handing the ball back to Oscar. Kenny was panting, but he picked himself up quickly and shook the failure off. He still could stop him, just two stops, that¡¯s all he needed.

    ¡®You can do it, Kenny!¡¯ Jackson cried. ¡®Come on! It¡¯s right there in front of you, everything you want, a spot on the varsity team. Grab it with your own hands!¡¯

    Kenny looked over and smiled at Jackson. He clenched his fist tightly; he hadn¡¯t given up.

    ¡®Hut.¡¯

    Kenny had taken a couple of steps back before the snap, no longer trying to jam or press Grant at the release of his route. He backpedalled, watching him closely as Grant went through nearly identical motions to his first route.

    He even stuttered at the same point in his sprint forward, however, this time, as Kenny moved forward, scared of another curl, Grant darted to the outside and continued forward.

    Kenny scrambled after him, doing his best to make up the distance as there were a few yards between them.

    ¡®Ball!¡¯ Jackson yelled.

    Kenny¡¯s head snapped around and he saw the ball floating towards them. He jumped up, hand outstretched, but the ball soared past him and into the clutches of Grant who had leapt into the air, twisting as he did so to catch the ball above his head.

    Even Kenny had to admit it was a beautiful, textbook catch.

    Grant shoved Kenny aside after they had both landed. ¡®Sit the fuck down, bitch.¡¯ With a flourish and a flick of the wrist, he spun the ball on its point along the ground, then marched off the field. ¡®I don¡¯t want to hear you ever compare yourself to me again! You won¡¯t EVER be better than me.¡¯

    Kenny put his hands on his head and looked skywards. He had been utterly defeated. He wasn¡¯t better than a varsity player. He had been well and truly put in his place, and he belonged there¡ªthe JV team.

    ¡®You did well.¡¯

    Kenny looked at Shane.

    Shane picked up the wobbling ball and held it out to Kenny. ¡®However, I hope you understand the gap between JV and varsity now. And I hope you can trust in Coach Otsen. He¡¯s not keeping you in JV to punish you, believe me. But, don¡¯t feel bad, now your goal should be all the more clear to you, that mountain top should be easier to visualise, and it should be easier to climb too. Don¡¯t stop working, and you¡¯ll reach the top, and I¡¯ll be right there by your side when you do.¡¯

    Kenny took the ball and held onto it tightly. Shane clasped him on the shoulder and then walked away. Kenny watched him go, staring at that broad back.

    Kenny knew he¡¯d have to chase after that back, but it filled him with hope to know that such a person was leading the way for him, that such a man was the goal he was aiming towards.

    And he knew he wouldn¡¯t stop chasing until he¡¯d overtaken Shane.

 Chapter 98: Game Day VIII

    ¡®You know, you don¡¯t have to come,¡¯ Ty said. He and Megan stood outside their home, waiting for Coach Long to pick them up for another road trip to the Dons¡¯ away game.

    ¡®I know but I want to. ¡­ Do you not want me to come?¡¯

    Ty looked back at the house. No one else was coming, of course. He gritted his teeth then faced Meg. ¡®I didn¡¯t say that.¡¯

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t deny it,¡± Meg thought.

    The car pulled up and the two piled into the backseat. Meg thanked Coach Long and the others on Ty¡¯s behalf, and they took off towards Salesian High School, the home of the Dons¡¯ next victim¡ªthe Mustangs.

    They arrived at the open little stadium, some decently sized stands surrounding the bright green field.

    Ty and Megan found seats behind the Dons bench and got comfortable. Coach Hoang turned back to Ty. ¡®Are you going to keep your mouth shut this time, or do you need to start running?¡¯

    ¡®Fuck you.¡¯ Ty lowered his head, staring at his shoes; the start of his game couldn¡¯t come fast enough.

    ¡®Maybe I should start bringing a book for you when we go to these games,¡¯ Meg said.

    ¡®Thanks. But I don¡¯t think I could concentrate on a book before a game.¡¯

    ¡®Just a suggestion ¡­ the offer still stands.¡¯ Meg buried her nose back in the pages of her book.

    Once again, as the JV players arrived bit by bit until the full team was there, Coach Long took a back seat for most of the coaching and let Bella hold the reins instead. Coach Hoang and Norman were still there to give support as well.

    When the game began, it was a back-and-forth affair. The Dons started with the ball after losing the toss, and failed to score during their first drive.

    The Mustangs then opened the scoring with a field goal, but thankfully the Dons were able to respond with one of their own, and with a couple more field goals by the end of the first quarter, the game was tied with a score of 6¨C6.

    The Mustangs¡¯ pass defence was stifling, and offensively, they had the Dons on the back foot, struggling to hold their passing attack in check, whilst the Mustangs were trying to utilise their size advantages to establish dominance.

    Fortunately, the Dons had managed to hold them back in the first quarter, and in the second, they were the ones who struck first when they scored the first touchdown.

    They did so on the ground, with a powerful, determined run up the gut from close range. And with that, they took their first lead of the day.

    However, the Mustangs wouldn¡¯t take that lying down, and came out angrily. They stormed back and answered the touchdown with one of their own, and before the half was up, they scored ANOTHER touchdown to take back the lead and push the score out to 20¨C13 as the game came to its major break.

    The Dons entered their locker room with a deficit, but high spirits also.

    ¡®Them Receivers are big, huh?¡¯ JJ said, taking a seat next to Ty.

    Meg looked up from her book, smiling. ¡®Hi, JJ.¡¯

    ¡®Hola, chica.¡¯

    Ty was leaning back in his seat, hands behind his head. ¡®Yeah, I guess they¡¯re a bit bigger than the others down there. Not like they¡¯re any good though, just big.¡¯

    ¡®Remind you of someone?¡¯ JJ asked with a grin.

    Ty smirked. ¡®What, someone big and dumb?¡¯

    ¡®I heard that,¡¯ Steven said, dumping his bag down by JJ and taking up a couple of seats.

    ¡®How¡¯d you know I was talking about you?¡¯

    ¡®You better watch your mouth before I smack you in front of your girl.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s my sister.¡¯

    Megan blushed deeply and covered her face with her book.

    ¡®Oh¡­ uhh¡­ well shut up before I beat your ass in front of your sister then.¡¯

    Meg stared daggers at Stephen from over the top of her book. Then she looked to the scoreboard and decided it was time to get the topic of conversation off her. She cleared her throat. ¡®Um, so, we¡¯re losing right now. Do you think they can still win?¡¯

    ¡®No,¡¯ Ty said.

    JJ thumped him on the shoulder. ¡®Always so negative.¡¯

    ¡®Why wouldn¡¯t he be? These freshies are always losing,¡¯ Stephen said.

    ¡®That¡¯s not true.¡¯

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡®Well, don¡¯t they have more wins than losses?¡¯ Stephen and Ty stared hard at JJ.

    ¡®Uhh¡­ well I wouldn¡¯t know off the top of my head, but, that¡¯s beside the point. You should have more faith in your hermanitos. They¡¯re going to take over after we¡¯re gone¡¯¡ªTy shuddered violently¡ª¡®we need to support them. And also, they¡¯re not all freshmen.¡¯

    ¡®That just makes it worse.¡¯

    Ty nodded in agreement, he couldn¡¯t imagine how embarrassing it would be to still be on the JV team after your freshman year.

    JJ sighed. ¡®You guys can be real pendejos, you know that?¡¯ He stood up. ¡®I¡¯m gonna go support my hermanitos, like a proper senior should.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah yeah¡ªow!¡¯ Stephen kicked at JJ in retaliation to the whack JJ had given him with his bag whilst going past.

    Ty snickered and Stephen scowled at him.

    Stephen looked over Ty and at Megan. He shuffled closer, taking JJ¡¯s seat. ¡®So, you¡¯re Ty¡¯s little sister? What was your name again?¡¯

    ¡®M-Megan.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m Stephen.¡¯ He extended a hand across Ty. Meg gently shook it.

    Ty¡¯s brow furrowed deeply as he stared at the handshake, then his eyes slowly traced along Stephen¡¯s arm to his face.

    Stephen just grinned at him.

    Meg lowered her hand and watched JJ follow the JV team into their locker room. ¡®Maybe it¡¯d be good if you went and offered some advice to the others too.¡¯

    ¡®Tch, as if. They wouldn¡¯t even get it.¡¯ Ty sat up more, trying to make himself a bigger wall between Stephen and Meg.

    JJ made his way to the Dons¡¯ locker room where Coach Long was addressing the boys and at the same time, Bella too.

    ¡®You¡¯re doing great out there. Don¡¯t fret about the scoreboard, there¡¯s still plenty of time to get those points back and take control of the game, it¡¯s just one touchdown, that¡¯s it. One play is all it takes to make the game even again. And I know they¡¯re bigger than us, but that¡¯s alright too, it¡¯s not nothing we can¡¯t overcome.¡¯

    JJ posted up by the doorway, listening to the tail end of the speech as Coach Long reminded the boys to keep playing to their strengths, to believe in themselves and each other, and that victory was assured if they continued to play as a team.

    As Coach Long raised his fist, the whole team came together. ¡®Remember, we¡¯re a family, right? Family on three. One, two, three¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Family!¡¯

    As the huddle dispersed and the team made their way back out of the locker room, Coach Long pulled Bella aside, giving her some personal words of encouragement with his arm around her.

    ¡®You¡¯re doing great sweetie, just keep it up, keep positive. You¡¯ll get them in the second half when they lose steam.¡¯

    JJ searched for a familiar face.

    He waited until that uniquely bad moustache came close enough to the door, then he grabbed Jamie¡¯s arm and began walking with him. ¡®Hola hemanito, how¡¯s it going?¡¯

    Jamie¡¯s role for the JV team was MLB, the same as what JJ did for the varsity team, though, of course, there were huge differences between their levels. ¡®Eh, you¡¯ve seen the scoreboard, haven¡¯t you?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, so what? Like Coach said, it¡¯s just one touchdown, one play. Even YOU could even up the score again.¡¯

    ¡®I guess¡­¡¯

    ¡®Anyway, I¡¯ve been watching, you guys aren¡¯t doing bad. I know they¡¯re big but, you guys can still win, they aren¡¯t impassable mountains.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah but how¡ª¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll tell you.¡¯ JJ put an arm over Jamie¡¯s shoulders. ¡®They like going over the middle, yeah? They use high passes, making the most out of their size. Well, that¡¯s a weakness too. You see how they catch it, they¡¯re always stretched out like this.¡¯ JJ stepped back and raised his hands above his head, acting like he was catching a pass high in the air.

    Jamie nodded.

    ¡®Do that for a second.¡¯ JJ nudged Jamie¡¯s arms up and Jamie took the same pose. ¡®Now, see how exposed you are. When they make that catch, all this is unprotected.¡¯ He patted Jamie¡¯s chest and stomach. ¡®So, when they come down with a pass like that, that¡¯s when you hit them right ¡­ here!¡¯ He lowered his shoulder and GENTLY thrust it into Jamie¡¯s midsection. ¡®Boom, either they drop the ball, or even if they do catch it, they¡¯ll have to think twice about coming through the middle. That¡¯s YOUR area, remember? You have to protect it with everything you¡¯ve got, whether you''re against a pass or run.¡¯

    ¡®G-Got it. Thanks.¡¯

    JJ clapped Jamie on the shoulder. ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it, just go out there and give them hell.¡¯

    Jamie nodded and grinned, hurrying over to the bench.

    JJ smiled and returned to his seat, finding Stephen chowing down on a hotdog whilst Ty watched him closely. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t be eating that crap before the game,¡¯ JJ said.

    Stephen scoffed through his mouthful, blowing out crumbs. ¡®Alright, DAD. It¡¯s just a damn hotdog.¡¯

    JJ shook his head but took his seat.

    As the second half unfolded, it didn¡¯t take long for JJ¡¯s advice to bear fruit. On the second play of the Mustangs¡¯ opening drive, they tried a pass over the middle, but Jamie was there to meet the Receiver, and after a bone-crunching tackle, the ball sprung free and bounced right into the hands of another Dons defender for an interception off the deflection.

    JJ jumped out of his seat excitedly. ¡®Woo! That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about! Just like that!¡¯

    Ty, ever the downer, wasn¡¯t impressed. ¡®Hmph¡­ shouldn¡¯t even let them catch it in the first place.¡¯

    But that was the turning point for the game, and the Dons continued their strong start to the second half. Thanks to the excellent starting position after the interception, they scored the first touchdown of the second half as Rabbit broke a run to the outside of the field and scampered into the end zone, tying things back up.

    After that, the Dons started to run away with the game¡ªquite literally¡ªas their rushing attack carved up the Mustangs¡¯ defence, whilst the renewed fierce defence, led by Jamie had the Mustangs¡¯ Receivers constantly looking around for the potential big hit that awaited them.

    The Dons kept their opponent scoreless in the second half, and ended up scoring another touchdown and a field goal to finish the game, giving them a ten-point victory with a final score of 20¨C30.

    ¡®Hahaha, I told you they¡¯d win, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ JJ punched Ty on the arm, grinning from ear to ear.

    ¡®Hmm, yeah, yeah. Everyone can get lucky once in a while.¡¯

    JJ shook his head. ¡®Luck didn¡¯t have anything to do with it. Ah, come on, we better get ready for our own game. Can¡¯t let the hermanitos down and make ourselves look bad by losing after their comeback win.¡¯

    ¡®Good luck, Ty, good luck, guys,¡¯ Meg said.

    Ty stood, muttering his thanks as he grabbed his bag. He started towards the locker room, following behind JJ. There was no way he would lose this game, especially after the JV team just won.

    He almost felt sorry for his enemies today ¡­ ALMOST.

 Chapter 99: Unwelcome Hurdles

    After the JV team finished their celebrations and cleared out, the varsity players took over the locker room in preparation for their game.

    Ty sat in front of the locker he had chosen, his helmet in his hands as he listened to Coach Long¡¯s pregame speech.

    Bella had stepped aside now that it came to the varsity game, her father back in control. She was there to offer support and assistance, all with a beaming smile, still overjoyed from the JV team¡¯s earlier victory.

    ¡®We¡¯ve bounced back with some good wins these past couple of weeks,¡¯ Coach Long said, ¡®but I don¡¯t want us to get complacent now, we need to keep this streak strong and keep playing our best. We can¡¯t underestimate any opponent, or take any game easy. We gotta treat every game like it could be our last. Get up here and bring it in like a family.¡¯

    Coach Long held his fist aloft and the team soon swarmed around him.

    ¡®Play as a family, win as a family,¡¯ JJ said.

    ¡®Couldn¡¯t have said it better myself, Julian. Family on three. One, two, three¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Family!¡¯

    ¡®Woo!¡¯

    The Dons rushed onto the field like a surging wave. Ty hadn¡¯t noticed earlier, but the crowd was electric now that the main event was about to start, and the little stadium was almost entirely packed.

    As he and the rest of the Dons made their lap around the otherwise empty field, they were showered with modest applause from their friends and families that had shown up and stuck around, and even some of the Mustangs¡¯ supporters gave them a few cheers as good sportsmanship.

    Ty¡¯s gaze quickly found Meg, sitting alone behind the Dons¡¯ bench. They waved to each other and then Ty looked away; of course, she was still alone.

    When the Mustangs emerged onto the field, the difference in cheers was gargantuan. The compact size of the arena only amplified the crowd¡¯s energy and the weight of their cheers.

    Granted, the noise couldn¡¯t compare to last week against the Saints but Ty would still relish the moment those excited, hopeful cheers turned to despairing, horrified silence.

    Ty looked his opponents over, it was his first chance to check them out properly. Again, nothing and no one exceptional stuck out to him. He hoped he wasn¡¯t good at noticing anyone ¡°special¡± otherwise it seemed like he was in for a boring night.

    After warming up with the rest of the team, Ty made his way to the bench whilst the representative captains from either team met at Centrefield for the coin toss.

    ¡®Coach Hoang, do we know their best Receiver?¡¯

    Coach Hoang turned from the gathering at Centrefield to Ty. ¡®You¡¯ll be handling number 87 this game.¡¯

    Ty leaned back on the bench, content with the answer. When JJ, Deshaun, and Jay returned, they informed the rest of the team that they¡¯d won the toss and the Dons had deferred the opening kickoff, meaning they¡¯d be defending the opening drive for the first half.

    Ty grinned. It was the perfect way to start the game, and it meant he didn¡¯t have to waste any time before he could shut this crowd up.

    The kick return didn¡¯t get very far, so the Mustangs would start their opening drive at only the 21-yard line.

    As Ty took the field, his eyes scanned the oncoming Mustangs until he found number 87. He hurried over to them, a grin on his face.

    Ty didn¡¯t initially think the boy who wore number 87 was anything special. They looked timid, and despite being bigger than Ty, they looked more child-like than him, even with the light fluff of facial hair they were struggling to grow.

    87 stuck a hand out towards Ty. ¡®Number 21 of the Dominguez Dons; Tyrese Samuels, right? I¡¯m Darby. Good luck today.¡¯

    Ty stared at the hand. He was puzzled, not by the fact that this boy was being so friendly, but because he knew who Ty was. He rejected the handshake. ¡®You¡¯re the one who¡¯ll need luck, but even that won¡¯t help you.¡¯

    ¡®Hah¡­ I suppose we¡¯ll have to wait and see. I¡¯m sure the best man will win.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m sure I will.¡¯ Ty settled into his stance, his smile returning. His body burned with excitement. And then the ball was finally snapped.

    The first play was a run. It was away from Ty¡¯s side of the field and a total buzzkill for the amped-up Ty.

    The Mustangs gained 4 yards from the play and then ambled back to their huddle.

    ¡°Opening with a run is expected. They¡¯re scared, timid, they want to play things safe. But now they¡¯ll go for a throw.¡± Ty sunk back into his stance and prepared himself for the next play.

    ¡®Hike!¡¯

    Darby feinted outside then dashed towards the middle of the field with a slant.

    Ty was all over him. He was practically connected to Darby¡¯s outside hip, and his long arms were more than capable of stretching around him to swat aside any pass that might¡¯ve come his way.

    But the pass never did, instead, it went to the other side of the field again, where another Mustangs Receiver dragged it in for the completion, and for a first down after a gain of 8 yards.

    ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Ty was apprehensive. He didn¡¯t like the way the game was starting. He slowly made his way back to the huddle.

    ¡®My bad,¡¯ Deshaun said. ¡®He ain¡¯t as fast as I thought. I got him next time, no problem.¡¯

    ¡®No problem at all,¡¯ JJ said. ¡®We got this, it¡¯s just one first down, it doesn¡¯t matter, we¡¯ll stop them this time.¡¯

    The huddle broke apart, and Ty lined up with Darby again.

    Still, the ball didn¡¯t come their way.

    This time it was a play-action pass, but again the Mustangs targeted Deshaun. However, Deshaun saw it coming, and had played his man much tighter. The play resulted in an incompletion after he swatted the ball away.

    On second down, the Mustangs tried another run, except this one was up the gut.

    Big mistake.

    JJ crushed the RB after a three-yard gain. Whilst it wasn¡¯t a horrible play for the Mustangs, it was something the RB would think twice about before doing again.

    On third and long, the Mustangs looked to the air once more. Darby tried a curl route against Ty, but there was no separation. When Darby turned back towards the ball, Ty jumped forward excitedly, he was in the perfect position for an interception, but even the QB could see that and the ball still didn¡¯t come their way.

    The ball never went anywhere, actually, and the QB was sacked for a loss of 4 yards which ended the Mustangs'' first drive.

    It was a positive result, and yet, Ty wasn¡¯t thrilled. ¡°What are they hiding?¡± he wondered as he trudged to the bench.

    Now that Chris had fully recovered from his concussion, he was back on return duties, which meant Ty didn¡¯t have to worry about them anymore, nor would Cameron be getting as many reps with the offence.

    Speaking of which, the Dons offence was back in full force. They had no injuries to worry about, and the rust that had troubled a couple of their stars was well and truly worn off.

    They moved the ball much more freely than the Mustangs had, but even so, they only managed a field goal from their first drive. They made it to the Mustangs¡¯ 25-yard line before they were stopped in their tracks and had to settle for 3 points.

    But 3 was better than 0, and the Dons took an early lead.

    After a kickoff return of 27 yards, the Mustangs had their second chance on offence. However, even on this drive that lasted a couple more plays than their first, Ty didn¡¯t see any action aside from getting involved to stop a run; no pass was thrown his way, and despite Darby¡¯s best efforts, he couldn¡¯t break free of Ty¡¯s tight coverage.

    Again, the Mustangs failed to score any points. And again, Ty went to the bench conflicted. He was still worried about some kind of scheme or trick they were hiding, some reason why they weren¡¯t challenging him yet.

    But, no trick would be revealed¡ªat least not in the first quarter¡ªas not a single pass was thrown Ty¡¯s way throughout the first 15 minutes of the game, and at the first break, the score was still 0¨C3 in the Dons favour.

    Yet, Ty¡¯s trepidation and annoyance had turned to joy throughout the opening quarter, and as he sat on the bench awaiting the resume of play, he had the biggest grin on his face.

    ¡®Why are you smiling so much, Samuels? I thought you¡¯d be pissed off seeing as you haven¡¯t been able to do anything.¡¯

    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡®Oh? Haven¡¯t I? How many points have they scored? How many catches does their best Receiver have? I haven¡¯t even needed to do anything, you¡¯re right¡­ but, isn¡¯t that wonderful? I mean, I¡¯ve never played these people before, yet, they¡¯re too scared to throw the ball my way. They know about me, they know how dangerous I am, they already fear me.¡¯ He stared into Coach Hoang¡¯s eyes. ¡®When we¡¯re national champions, this is what every game will be like.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm. Don¡¯t get comfortable. Just because they haven¡¯t thrown to you YET, doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll go the entire game without trying. Don¡¯t fall asleep and give up a big play.¡¯

    ¡®I won¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry, I know they¡¯ll get desperate eventually. If the rest of the defence can do their job and hold them down, if we keep winning, if they feel like they¡¯re slowly suffocating and the game is slipping away from them bit by bit, eventually they¡¯ll crack under the pressure, and they¡¯ll make the fatal mistake of challenging me. THAT¡¯S when I¡¯ll finish them off.¡¯

    ¡®As long as you stay focused I don¡¯t care what fantasy you tell yourself.¡¯ Coach Hoang moved away, and the game soon resumed at the beginning of the second quarter.

    For the Mustangs¡¯ first drive in the second quarter, Ty kept his grin as he met Darby. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me you guys are SCARED to throw the ball near me.¡¯

    ¡®Scared? If you¡¯re ever scared in football you might as well go home ¡®cause you¡¯ve already lost. That¡¯s what my dad always told me.¡¯

    ¡®Then if you¡¯re not scared, what is it? You might as well give up if you¡¯re already admitting defeat by never challenging me.¡¯

    Darby smiled. ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that, just, wouldn¡¯t it be stupid to try and throw the ball to me when I haven¡¯t ever been open?¡¯

    ¡®Ohh, so YOU¡¯RE the one letting your team down. Good to know.¡¯

    Darby frowned and looked away.

    Ty couldn¡¯t lower his guard. This team wasn¡¯t defeated yet. Sure, they weren¡¯t throwing at him, but that wasn¡¯t because he had taken their souls already, it was because they were waiting, waiting for him to slip up and give them an opening, waiting for him to lift his boot off their neck. He couldn¡¯t give them that chance; he had to choke the life out of them.

    No matter what Darby tried, it didn¡¯t work against Ty. A straight battle of speed? Ty was faster. Contest of strength? Ty was stronger and his longer reach gave him the leverage. Double and triple moves? Ty never bit on any of them. Quick releases and catches on one-step slants or screens? Ty never gave him any room to breathe even from the snap.

    It didn¡¯t seem like there was anything Darby could do. By the time the first half was over, he felt as if he¡¯d played two whole games, not quarters. He was exhausted and he had NOTHING to show for it.

    Despite their best Receiver being taken out of the game completely, the Mustangs hadn¡¯t been held scoreless for a full half. They managed a field goal of their own in the second quarter.

    The Dons had managed to answer back with another to keep their 3-point lead, and even extended it when Stephen caught the first touchdown of the game.

    The Dons held a 10-point lead during halftime, with a score of 3¨C13.

    And while Ty realised that the team was on track for a near-perfect night, he was still full of energy ¡­ and the crowd was still full of hope; they hadn¡¯t stopped cheering once during the first half.

    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll need to run home.¡± As for the problem of the cheers? He had no idea how to solve that if he couldn¡¯t get involved in the game.

    ¡®Get some rest boys, you deserve it,¡¯ Coach Long said as every filed into the locker room. ¡®Let¡¯s re-energise so we can keep up the good work in the second half, because if we played like this every game, we¡¯d be undefeated, you hear me?¡¯

    There weren¡¯t many adjustments to make or issues to address during this halftime break, the coaches were mainly worried about predicting the adjustments the Mustangs would make.

    Offensively, they reckoned Stephen could expect a bigger opponent to guard him, which would hopefully give Benny more of a mismatch. For the run game, they¡¯d give more attention to protecting the edges and blocking the outside off, which could open them up inside and maybe Cameron would see more play if power was needed instead of speed.

    Defensively, Coach Hoang worried that they would try and get Darby involved, no matter what they had to do to accomplish that, whether it was Jet Sweeps or Screens.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about that,¡¯ Ty said. ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter what they try, he won¡¯t go anywhere. I won¡¯t let him gain a single yard.¡¯ Ty spoke without any arrogance or showboating bravado, and Coach Hoang trusted that he¡¯d do everything in his power to stick true to his word.

    ¡®He hasn¡¯t had a single catch through the first half, Samuels. Try and keep that clean sheet for the rest of the game. Any less and it¡¯ll be counted as a failure on your part.¡¯

    ¡®Hahaha, of course!¡¯

    The Dons opened the second half receiving the ball, and with a kickoff return of 30 yards, they started in a good position to carry their momentum over and extend their lead.

    And in fact, that¡¯s exactly what they did.

    Stephen was being covered with a larger defender now, a LB instead of a CB was in charge of guarding him. Whilst it did free up Benny, it only slowed Stephen down instead of shutting him out, and he was still able to contribute to the offence as well.

    Rushing-wise, there were a few plays where both Cameron and Chris were lined up in the backfield, and the Mustangs didn¡¯t know whether to defend inside or outside until it was too late, and one of the two HBs had the ball in their hands, streaking away for a big gain.

    It was Chris who eventually walked into the end zone untouched for a touchdown. And after the first drive of the second half, the Mustangs were staring down the barrel of a 17-point deficit. Still, they and their crowd hadn¡¯t given up. But they were getting desperate.

    Their desperation wasn¡¯t helped when the first two plays of their drive immediately after the Dons¡¯ touchdown resulted in 0 yards, and then a loss of 1.

    Darby¡¯s eyes kept flicking to the scoreboard during the Mustangs¡¯ huddle. Overcoming a 17-point margin wasn¡¯t unheard of, especially with nearly a whole half remaining, but something drastic would have to change if the Mustangs wanted to pull a feat like that off.

    ¡®I think¡­ I think you should throw the ball to me.¡¯ He stared at his QB, a boy with tree trunks for arms and a dirty mullet that looked like someone had dyed a skunk¡¯s tail brown.

    ¡®Uhh, I mean if you can get open I can. But you can¡¯t get open, Darby.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t need to get open! Look, just, I¡¯ll get open enough, but you¡¯re gonna have to trust me. I¡¯ll beat this guy in the air, throw it my way, and I¡¯ll do the rest. Or do you guys want to not do anything and lose by 10 points rather than keep fighting and lose by 30?¡¯

    The QB looked around the huddle for any kind of support but found none, so he relented to Darby and promised to throw him the ball this play no matter what.

    Darby said nothing as he lined up opposite Ty, but Ty could tell something was different just by his demeanour. The way he stood, the way he stared at his QB, the way he anxiously fidgeted with his gloves.

    ¡®They¡¯re finally gonna throw it this way, huh?¡¯

    Darby didn¡¯t respond¡ªTy¡¯s smile grew.

    ¡®HIKE!¡¯

    Darby pushed forward through Ty¡¯s tight press. He shimmied right towards the inside, then brushed Ty aside and burst to the outside.

    Ty was right with him the whole way, glued to his hip. Darby stuttered and Ty did too. Ty¡¯s head turned back to the QB and he saw the ball get launched into the air. His eyes lit up as they followed it. The stadium¡¯s bright lights were like stars in them.

    Ty turned sideways and leapt into the air; it was as if Darby wasn¡¯t even there beside him. He eclipsed the Receiver, jumping higher than Darby ever could. His hands reached further than Darby¡¯s. He was the first one to lay his fingers upon the ball.

    He hauled it against his chest as he hit the ground running. Darby fell to the turf, flailing at Ty as he swiped at his jersey desperately and clung on, but Ty broke away and didn¡¯t stop running.

    He wheeled around, having the whole field before him. There were twenty bodies between him and his goal, and half of them were coming at him with killing intent. The Mustangs thought they could still win. As long as Ty was standing, they could cave his chest in and cause him to fumble, then they¡¯d simply recover and they¡¯d still be in the game.

    But Ty could snuff out that hope, if he could just get to the end zone over 50 yards and ten enemies away.

    He ran forward, and every Dons player instantly sought out the first Mustangs jersey they saw, smashing into them to stop them from getting to Ty. Though they tried their best, some Mustangs slipped through.

    A slow-footed Linemen lunged at Ty but he deftly dodged aside. He had 40 yards to go.

    The RB came charging forward and clawed at Ty, but Ty spun away. Only 30 yards left.

    He¡¯d sprinted to the outside and passed by the rest of the Linemen and now there was only 20 yards left and the QB. But they were playing the inside of the field, and Ty was running out of room. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d reach the end zone before they pushed him out of bounds ¡­ he¡¯d have to cut inside again.

    Just before he made his move, JJ roared past and slammed into the QB, taking them out of the play entirely, and clearing the path for Ty to run into the end zone.

    Touchdown Dons.

    There was a final, dejected gasp from the crowd, and then silence.

    Ty sighed as euphoria rushed through his body. He stretched his arms out wide and drank it all in.

    This game was over.

    If the Mustangs weren¡¯t fearful of him already, they surely were now.

    The kick was good, and after a touchback, the Mustangs¡¯ offence had to shamefully crawl back onto the field.

    However, they didn¡¯t last long. It was only a few plays into their next drive when they turned the ball over again, this turnover was a fumble thanks to a massive hit JJ gave the RB.

    Thanks to the fumble and the extra short field, the Dons were able to score another touchdown¡ªCameron ran this one in from the goal line.

    After that, the only score in the fourth quarter was a field goal from the Dons, and the game finished with a score of 3¨C37 for a Dons blowout victory.

    Whilst the crowd outside was dead, the Dons locker room more than made up for it with their celebration.

    Coach Long let the excitement run its course, but after a little while he called for attention. ¡®Alright, alright, let¡¯s settle it down for a minute.¡¯ It still took a minute for the locker room to reach absolute quiet. ¡®Yes, I know you all played better than I could¡¯ve asked for, give yourselves a pat on the back. It was a great TEAM effort, you ALL played exceptionally today, and I wish I could give you all tonight¡¯s spoils.¡¯ He held aloft the game ball.

    Ty stared at it. Even though the game was over, his desire to snatch that ball was as great as ever.

    ¡®But, unfortunately, I can only hand this out to one player, and tonight that player can be none other than ¡­ JJ. Julian, come over here, this is for you.¡¯

    JJ jogged over and claimed his prize. ¡®Ahh, I couldn¡¯t have done it without my hermanos. This goes out to all of you.¡¯

    Coach Long laughed and clapped him on the back. ¡®Ever the team player, isn¡¯t he? That¡¯s why it goes to him tonight, he was the anchor for that spectacular defensive performance, and without him, who knows how many points we would¡¯ve given up. But even outside of that, it¡¯s the little things that Julian does so well that you can all learn from. From that amazing forced fumble and the recovery, to the touchdown sealing block he had on Tyrese¡¯s runback, he always gives one hundred percent.¡¯

    Coach Hoang sat by Ty. ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Your praises might be unsung, but we couldn¡¯t have won this game without you. You did exactly what you promised. Number 87 didn¡¯t have a single catch or a single yard, and you even got a touchdown of your own on top of that. Congratulations, Samuels, you played a hell of a game.¡¯

    Ty only nodded in response. He didn¡¯t have anything to say. Sure, he felt he was the star player¡ªlike always¡ªas he had locked up their best Receiver all night, and the only time they threw the ball his way, he picked it off and returned it for a Dons touchdown instead. But he could understand why someone like JJ would get the game ball instead. He forced a turnover too, and he had been involved in a lot more plays. He even played a part in Ty¡¯s touchdown like Coach Long said, who knows if he would¡¯ve beaten the QB if JJ hadn¡¯t taken him out of the equation. Plus¡­ JJ had something. Ty knew JJ was the second-best player on the team¡ªonly behind Ty, of course¡ªand while he might not¡¯ve been ¡°special¡±, there was still something that made up for whatever he might¡¯ve lacked individually, something Ty didn¡¯t have¡ªJJ was a leader.

 Chapter 100: A Kickerâ€™s Chance

    Jackson and Tommy were at the Titans home field, bright and early before the start of the JV game that weekend, and Jackson was delighted when Jasmine arrived just before the opening kickoff.

    ¡®I¡¯m not late am I?¡¯ she said as she sat beside Jackson.

    ¡®Nah, you¡¯re right on time today,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®Uh, hi,¡¯ Jackson said.

    She smiled. ¡®Hey.¡¯

    Jackson blushed and turned away. He watched as the Titans kicked the ball to start the game, Nick launched it high into the air as it swirled around in the gentle breeze with plenty of hang time.

    The rest of the Titans swarmed around the Spartans¡¯ returner and brought him down at the 15-yard line.

    As the Spartans¡¯ offence came onto the field, the Titans were eager to avenge their earlier loss from the mid-point of the season, none more so than Freddy who had been targetted constantly during the first game.

    Both sides¡¯ coaches stood stern and silent as they waited to see how the first chess move in this game would play out.

    Jasmine tilted her head as she looked down at the two opposing teams. ¡®Hey, is there a reason we don¡¯t have any players? THEY¡¯RE not late, are they?¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, no that¡¯s um, that¡¯s just how many people we have on the JV team,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Huh? Why? Does nobody want to join the team?¡¯

    ¡®Something like that ¡­ I mean, you¡¯ve seen some of the practices, they¡¯re pretty intense and uh, I guess that just, scared a lot of people off when it came to JV.¡¯

    ¡®Good riddance, I say, if they weren¡¯t willing to put up with some tough practices, they wouldn¡¯t have belonged on the team anyway,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®Yeah!¡¯ Jasmine nodded. ¡®I¡¯ve seen them, and it can¡¯t be THAT bad right? Sounds like they were just cowards who didn¡¯t want to struggle. You don¡¯t need losers like that holding you back.¡¯

    Jackson didn¡¯t say anything as he sunk lower in his seat.

    Tommy patted him on the shoulder. ¡®But obviously, that isn¡¯t you, bro, this is just an obstacle you¡¯ll overcome, you haven¡¯t quit on anyone.¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, r-right, of course.¡¯

    ¡®Hm? Well, obviously, I don¡¯t mean you, it¡¯s not your fault that you got injured, that stuff happens, but everyone knows you¡¯d be out there giving it your all and helping them if you could.¡¯

    ¡®Ahh, about that, actually¡ª¡¯

    Jackson looked up at his brother with panic-stricken eyes.

    ¡®About what?¡¯ Jasmine prompted.

    Jackson pleaded with his brother without ever saying a word.

    ¡®Nothing, nothing, sorry, lost my train of thought.¡¯ Tommy frowned slightly but turned back to the game, as did Jasmine. Eventually, Jackson did too after breathing a sigh of relief.

    The game started slowly, with the first score coming from a Titans field goal, but the Spartans responded swiftly. Just before the end of the first quarter, they dropped in a long touchdown pass over the top of the Titans¡¯ defence after getting Lonnie to bite on a crossing route underneath.

    Though they missed the extra point, so the score leading into the quarter-time break was 6¨C3 the Spartans¡¯ way.

    ¡®Geez! How lucky was it they missed that kick? It¡¯s still so close. Come on Titans you¡¯ve got this!¡¯ Jasmine loudly cheered.

    ¡®Yeah, looks like this one will be close,¡¯ Tommy said, then stood. ¡®Hey, Jackson? Can you show me where the restrooms are around here?¡¯

    ¡®Oh uhh, yeah, sure.¡¯ Jackson got up and started hobbling down the steps.

    ¡®You sure I couldn¡¯t show you the way?¡¯ Jasmine asked, watching Jackson with some concern.

    ¡®Oh, no, thank you, but that¡¯s alright, doesn¡¯t sound like the task a lady should be doing anyway,¡¯ Tommy said.

    Jasmine frowned but stayed in her seat, watching the brothers leave.

    Jackson showed Tommy where the nearest toilets were, but Tommy didn¡¯t head in right away. He stood with his arms crossed, looking down at Jackson.

    ¡®Uhh¡­ e-everything okay, big bro?¡¯

    ¡®When are you gonna tell your girlfriend about what really happened with your leg?¡¯

    ¡®Wh-What?! Sh-She¡¯s not my g-girlfriend.¡¯ Jackson¡¯s face flushed.

    Tommy rolled his eyes but smirked. ¡®Okay, well she still deserves to know the truth, doesn¡¯t she? Especially if you¡¯re planning on making her your girlfriend eventually.¡¯

    Jackson¡¯s cheeks darkened further and he looked away. ¡®Y-Yeah, of course she does¡­ I just, I haven¡¯t found the right time to say anything.¡¯

    ¡®What about now?¡¯

    ¡®I can¡¯t take away from the game, that¡¯s what she came here to see, not hear some sob story about how I broke my leg on purpose.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s not a sob story ¡­ but fine, what about after the games?¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, maybe?¡¯

    Tommy raised a brow.

    ¡®O-Okay fine! ¡­ I¡¯ll tell her after.¡¯

    Tommy ruffled Jackson¡¯s hair. ¡®Good. Thanks for the chat, little bro. I¡¯m sorry if it seems like I¡¯m being harsh on you, but it¡¯s the right thing to do.¡¯

    ¡®I-I know. You¡¯re just looking out for me,¡¯ Jackson said, fixing his hair.

    With that, Tommy finally entered the restroom, and Jackson returned to the stands, sitting beside Jasmine just as the second quarter began.

    ¡®Everything alright?¡¯ she asked.

    ¡®Yep, yep, just fine.¡¯

    When Tommy returned, he was just in time to watch the Titans kick another field goal and tie the game again. And throughout the rest of the quarter, no touchdown would be scored, though the Spartans kicked a field goal of their own, regaining the lead.

    Jasmine cheered and booed as enthusiastically as anyone (though her boos were definitely the loudest in the whole stadium), whenever the Titans or the Spartans¡ªrespectively¡ªhad a successful play.

    As it came down to the final minutes of the half, the Spartans had the ball again and were looking to extend their lead before the break.

    However, as the crowd¡¯s energy rose, so did the Titans¡¯ as they mounted their defence and held the Spartans back.

    They made a stand at centrefield, stuffing the Spartans¡¯ passes thanks to exceptional coverage across the board. And they even held up a sneaky run play the Spartans tried as a last-ditch effort.

    The improved defensive performance was thanks in large part to Freddy¡¯s growth as a player, but also to Coach Otsen¡¯s increased trust in the boy. Now that they didn¡¯t have to try so hard to cover for Freddy, the rest of the defence was no longer compromised, and were able to shut down the Spartans¡¯ other Receivers a majority of the time.

    Coach Otsen used a timeout to stop the clock, and when the Spartans punted over the ball to the Titans, they had just under a minute to get to work and try to impact the scoreboard themselves.

    Pete marched the team downfield quickly at first, with rapid-fire throws out to Kenny, Lonnie, and even Nick and Freddie, but after they got past the halfway mark, things slowed up, and time was running out. They had to use their last time out with just under 10 seconds left in the half, and they were only at the Spartans¡¯ 35-yard line.

    As the players caught their breath amid the timeout, Coach Otsen and Knight strategised. Would they take another shot at the end zone and try to get a lucky touchdown? Or was Nick¡¯s leg strong enough to make the distance and stay on target with a field goal?

    Coach Knight was the one to approach Nick, and he simply said: ¡®Can you make it?¡¯

    Nick looked into those dark, stern eyes for a while and then nodded. ¡®If you give me the chance.¡¯

    Coach Knight turned to Coach Otsen and gave a thumbs up.

    ¡®Don¡¯t let us down, Nick. Get out there and do what you do best.¡¯

    The Titans set up their kicking formation. With how the goalposts were positioned at the back of the end zone, and Nick taking the kick from several yards behind the line of scrimmage to allow the others to form a protective wall in front of him, the distance he¡¯d need to kick it came out to 52 yards from their current position. He knew it¡¯d take his best, but he knew the team was relying on him, after all, all their points so far had come from his leg.

    ¡®Are they really going to kick it from all the way out there? It looks so far away,¡¯ Jasmine said.

    ¡®It¡¯s gonna be tough from that distance¡­ even NFL kickers can struggle past 50 yards. What do you think, Jack? Can he do it?¡¯

    ¡®He wouldn¡¯t be trying if he couldn¡¯t do it. If Nick believes, so do I.¡¯

    The crowd was silent as they awaited the kick, it was so quiet you would¡¯ve been able to hear a feather hit the ground.

    The ball was finally snapped. Pete caught it where he was crouched on the ground, and jammed it upright into the turf.

    Nick strode forward, eyes only on the ball, blocking out everything else around him. He slammed his boot into the ball and sent it flying.

    Stolen story; please report.

    All the air surrounding the field was sucked inwards as everyone held their breath, watching the ball soar through the sky.

    It started to fall, looking like it would come up just a yard short. It thumped off the crossbar and there was a loud gasp.

    The ball spun through the air as it bounced up, then it tumbled through the goalposts and the crowd erupted with cheers.

    The Titans celebrated the loudest, swarming around Nick. They went into the halftime break with their spirits at an all-time high after the successful kick. The game was tied at 9¨C9, and the Titans would start the second half with the ball hoping to gain their first lead.

    ¡®Oh my god! That was incredible!¡¯ Jasmine had leapt from her seat in excitement when the kick bounced through. ¡®It still counts even though it hit the bar, right? It¡¯s not less points or something? Is it worth more?¡¯

    Tommy laughed. ¡®No, no, it¡¯s still the same amount of points, and yes it does count.¡¯

    ¡®Amazing. I¡¯ve never seen that before.¡¯ She smiled wide, breathing a little heavily. ¡®I¡¯ll uh, I¡¯ll be right back, just gotta visit the restroom.¡¯

    She squeezed past the brothers and headed down the stairs.

    Tommy looked at Jackson.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Jackson asked.

    ¡®You could go tell her now.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not gonna follow her to the toilets like some kind of creep!¡¯

    ¡®Alright, alright, keep your voice down, it¡¯s not like you¡¯d be following her for anything weird.¡¯

    ¡®Following her at all would be weird. And I¡¯d still be taking away from the game to tell her now. I promise I¡¯ll tell her after.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll hold you to that,¡¯ Tommy said.

    Jackson sighed heavily as he slumped in his seat again.

    In the Titans¡¯ locker room, the coaches were trying to come up with a plan to get their offence flowing better so they could finally score a touchdown. They hoped the momentum from Nick¡¯s last-second field goal would help.

    Meanwhile, the Spartans¡¯ coaches were trying to come up with a way to get more consistent success, and how to stop the Titans from squeezing upfield just enough to seemingly always end up in field goal range.

    However, when the Titans came out to open the second half, things weren¡¯t clicking for them. The plans and play calls were good, but the execution was slightly off, and with their opening drive, they were shut down quickly, unable to put up any points.

    Even so, the crowd was still behind him, cheering enthusiastically, and at the beginning of the second half, more supporters had arrived for both sides.

    By the end of the third quarter, the Titans hadn¡¯t been able to break their curse of only scoring with field goals, though it was still better than nothing. Unfortunately, they had given up another touchdown¡ªthis one a short rushing touchdown as the Spartans powered through at the goal line¡ªwhich was successfully converted this time, and the Spartans took a 4-point lead into the final quarter with a score of 12¨C16.

    Opening the final quarter, the Spartans extended their lead with another field goal, and as time wound down, the Titans were held scoreless for what felt like ages as time dwindled until the final two-minute warning where the Titans had the ball, facing a 7-point deficit.

    ¡®Come on, Titans, you can do it.¡¯ Jasmine sat on the edge of her seat, hands clasped together before her face as if in prayer.

    Jackson bit the inside of his cheek, watching on silently, whilst Tommy rose to his feet and led the crowd on a chant of ¡°Let¡¯s go Titans¡±.

    Kenny hunched over within the Titans'' huddle as they prepared to overcome this last hurdle. He¡¯d barely been involved with the game before this drive, he¡¯d been held in check by the Spartans¡¯ defence, and worst of all, they hadn¡¯t even used multiple defenders to do so, so his teammates hadn¡¯t been freed up by him drawing extra attention either.

    He was letting everyone down. But that stopped now.

    He took his position in the formation and eyed the annoying shit who had been holding him back throughout most of this game. Not anymore.

    He took a deep breath, then rushed forward as the ball was snapped.

    As he fought to break through the tough press, it felt as if heavy, iron chains were holding him back, wrapped around his chest, crushing his ribs. He bit down harder on his mouthguard, eyes quickly glaring over at the nearby official who had been letting this go on for the whole game without ever calling a holding penalty.

    But he couldn¡¯t wait to be bailed out by a penalty that he knew would never come. He forced himself away from the CB¡¯s grip, then curled towards the outside. When the CB committed to blocking off this route, Kenny whipped back around and sprinted downfield again.

    Pete fired the ball over and Kenny leapt into the air. He was wrapped up and tackled before he even hit the ground again, but his hands were around the ball, and as he was slammed down, he maintained his grip and completed the catch for a big gain.

    The crowd cheered loudly, but the Titans didn¡¯t have any time to lose basking in the adulation. They rushed to the line of scrimmage and snapped the ball to get the next play underway.

    This time, Kenny batted away those rough, cold hands, and after feinting to the outside again, he darted inside with a quick slant and caught the ball for what was a shorter gain, but a gain nonetheless.

    The Titans kept the ball moving. Pete found Kenny repeatedly until they were just within the red zone, where they used their second of three timeouts. 42 seconds remained on the clock.

    Kenny was on fire, and he wasn¡¯t about to cool down now, even with the repeated timeouts bringing a pause to the action. It was up to him if the Titans were going to get their first touchdown. Everyone knew it.

    When Kenny lined up in formation again, he could barely contain his smile when he saw he was still left one-on-one with a single CB.

    At the snap of the ball, he pushed forward through the hard press, backing the defender up. He stepped inside. All the time through the drive he¡¯d been abusing the defence¡¯s desire to protect the outside of the field, and all his receptions had come over the middle of the field. Just to set this moment up.

    When the defender jumped inside, he shoved them by and broke away to the outside, leaking out to the back corner of the end zone as Pete lobbed the ball over.

    Kenny dashed over and planted his feet just within the boundary of the end zone, catching the ball on his chest before he was shoved out of bounds, but his feet had never left the ground until after he had caught the ball.

    An official raced over, whistle blaring. They raised their arms, signalling a Titans touchdown.

    ¡®Oh my god! He did it!¡¯ Jasmine burst to her feet again, jumping up and down and clapping loudly.

    The brothers exchanged a look, grinning as they both got to their feet and joined the chorus of cheers.

    ¡®Man, what a beautiful route,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®A perfect catch too,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®What do you think they¡¯ll do now, lil bro? Will they go for the tie? Or the win?¡¯

    Jackson sat back down, thinking it over. ¡®Well¡­ knowing Coach Otsen, I think he¡¯d go for the win.¡¯

    Jasmine sat down, looking confused. ¡®What do you mean? How can they win now, isn¡¯t it just going to be tied?¡¯

    ¡®Normally, yes. Most of the time you go for a kick after a touchdown, and that¡¯s worth one point, so that would be a tie, yes, but, you also have the option to go for another, uhh, normal play from the 2-yard line, which, if you can get the ball into the end zone again, nets you 2 extra points instead of just 1. That way they could try to win now.¡¯

    ¡®But, that way is a little bit harder, and if you mess up, then the game won¡¯t even be tied, the Titans¡¯ll just lose,¡¯ Tommy explained.

    ¡®Ohh. So, you think they¡¯ll go for the win? What happens if the scores are tied? Is it just a draw or is their overtime?¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s overtime, another ten minutes, though the first team to score a touchdown wins. Or, if you score a field goal and stop the opponent from scoring, then you win as well,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Geez, even a tie sounds risky then, I¡¯d definitely go for the win now, just do the same thing Kenny did before and score again that way.¡¯

    ¡®Hahaha, you make it sound simple,¡¯ Tommy said.

    However, to their surprise, Coach Otsen decided to go for the tie, and the Titans set up in their kicking formation.

    ¡®Hm¡­ a trick play?¡¯ Tommy wondered.

    ¡®Umm, I don¡¯t think Coach Otsen would do that,¡¯ Jackson said.

    And he didn¡¯t. There was no trick, no deception with this play, Nick booted the ball through for the extra point, and the game was tied with barely any time left.

    Tommy relaxed as the Titans lined up for kickoff. ¡®Now the defence just needs to make a final stand, and this game will go into overtime. Then who knows who¡¯ll win, it¡¯s practically a whole new game once you get to that point.¡¯

    ¡®Oh my god, please just win, I can¡¯t take this,¡¯ Jasmine said, still on the edge of her seat and now with her fingers crossed on either hand.

    As Nick prepared to do the honours of kickoff, he looked up from the ball and glanced over to Coach Otsen on the sideline.

    Coach Otsen gave a subtle nod.

    Nick took a deep breath and stepped forward, his eyes locked on the ball once again. At the last second, he twisted his hips as he kicked. He made a solid connection with the tip of the ball, and sent it bouncing along the ground, though in a diagonal line towards the sideline instead of straight down the middle of the field.

    The Spartans players were caught completely off guard, already with their backs turned to the Titans so they could sprint back and form their blocking walls in front of their returner, the ones on the right side of the front lines scrambled to get back around as the ball came tumbling towards them.

    The ball took a mad hop just before it reached the first Spartan and bounced over his head. He stretched out, swiping at the ball to no avail. As it passed him by, Kenny swooped in, plucking it out of the air with a graceful dive. When he hit the turf, he curled up around the ball.

    The crowd was in a state of shocked awe, leaving a couple moments of silence before they erupted in cheers again. Jasmine stared bewildered, the crowd¡¯s jubilation only adding to her confusion.

    ¡®What just happened, what just happened?!¡¯ She shook Jackson roughly.

    ¡®Th-That was an onside kick! The Titans have the ball again.¡¯

    ¡®WHAT?! HOW?!¡¯

    Tommy laughed loudly and Jackson went on to explain. ¡®When you kickoff like that, well, it¡¯s not any one team¡¯s ball yet until they claim it, so the first team to grab the ball earns possession of it. S-So there¡¯s this thing called an onside kick, where the kicking team will kick the ball in a way that gives them a chance to recover it. Now, they can¡¯t just tap the ball forward a bit and grab it themselves, it has to travel at least 10 yards, or have been touched by a player on the returning team before the kicking team can touch it. But it¡¯s really risky! If you try a short kick like that, and the returning team gets it, well, they¡¯re pretty much in field goal range already, so, that¡¯s why you don¡¯t see it until desperate times at the end of the game like this, or when you think it¡¯ll catch the other team off guard.¡¯

    Jasmine was still in shock as the Titans lined up in an offensive formation, now having the ball for one last drive in regulation, with less than 30 seconds remaining.

    ¡®Hahaha, and you said he wouldn¡¯t try a trick play. He went for the tie so they¡¯d think he was okay with going to overtime, and then he lined up like it was a normal kick until the last second. They never knew it was coming, that¡¯s why it worked. Now the Titans just need to get within field goal range and they¡¯ll have a chance to win!¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®And if they don¡¯t get the field goal, then the game¡¯s still tied and they¡¯ll go to overtime anyway, it¡¯s the best of both worlds¡­ Coach Otsen is amazing.¡¯

    The brothers were glued to the game as they watched the final drive commence.

    Kenny was still the man to watch, and this time, he bypassed the Spartans¡¯ tight press by jumping to the outside right away. He skirted along the sideline, sprinting full speed. He had only one goal in mind, and that was a deep bomb along the sideline.

    There was no need for feints or tricks, it would just come down to a straight contest between him and the CB, and how well Pete could throw.

    He looked back over his shoulder, watching the ball as it floated through the air. He and the CB tussled for prime position. Kenny held him at bay, giving himself just enough room to extend, diving backwards as he stuck a hand out. He snagged the ball from the air, and just before he hit the ground his second hand got to it, holding it firmly as he crashed.

    He rolled and sprung to his feet; the catch was successful, though he was ruled down by contact the moment he hit the ground as the CB had landed on top of him for a moment, but there was no time to celebrate. He flicked the ball over to an official and hurried back to his formation, the clock still ticking down as the Titans rushed to the line of scrimmage again.

    Coach Otsen didn¡¯t call timeout as he watched the seconds tick by, and when Pete snapped the ball, he didn¡¯t spike it into the turf to stop the clock either. Instead, he handed it off to Isaac who rushed ahead through the middle of the field. Once he was brought down, Coach Otsen FINALLY called timeout with only three seconds remaining.

    In just those two plays, the Titans had made it to the Spartans'' 29-yard line, and whilst they were closer than Nick¡¯s 50-yarder, it still wasn¡¯t a guarantee that this one would go through from this distance.

    Nick spent the timeout sitting in silence on the bench, taking deep breaths like he was trying to enter a meditative state.

    No one bothered him. He already knew what he had to do; he already knew the entire game rested on his leg.

    Coach Otsen addressed the other players, emphasising how important it was that they laid their bodies on the line for Nick on this upcoming play and gave him enough time to get the kick off. No matter what happened, they couldn¡¯t let the Spartans block the kick.

    When the Titans marched onto the field, the air was too electric to be silent. It crackled with anticipation, and the crowd couldn¡¯t contain their excitement and fears, a loud murmur filled the stadium, and Nick did his best to block it out.

    He took his stance on the field. He¡¯d done this thousands of times before. He told himself that this one was no different to any of the others. He took a brief look at the goalposts, then his eyes lowered to the spot on the field where he knew Pete would place the ball.

    He gave the okay, and Pete signalled for the snap.

    Pete caught the ball and planted it without a hitch, everything went smoothly. Nick stepped into the kick and thumped the ball as sweetly as he¡¯d ever kicked one before, and from the moment it left his boot he knew:

    He knew they had just won the game.

 Chapter 101: Confession

    As soon as the ball sailed through the uprights, Nick found himself at the bottom of a pile of Titans, the crowd¡¯s roar a distant sensation like the crashing of waves as his teammates¡¯ cheers smashed together.

    ¡®Wooo!¡¯ Jasmine jumped up again, though her celebrating stopped abruptly as she turned to Jackson and Tommy. ¡®They won right?¡¯

    The brothers laughed and confirmed the Titans had in fact won and her cheering resumed with renewed vigour.

    Eventually, the stadium calmed down, though the excitement still lingered in the air as the two teams below respectfully shook hands.

    As the Titans filed off the field and into their locker room, they were still whooping and hollering, their voices fading into the distance.

    ¡®Oh my god! That was the best!¡¯ Jasmine shouted. ¡®Is every game of theirs like that?¡¯

    ¡®Hah, not every game is that close or exciting, but it¡¯s really good, right?¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Hahah right? Geez, now I¡¯m upset I missed out the other week. If only I¡¯d come earlier. Huh, and now I¡¯m wondering what I missed out on last week.¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, well, it wasn¡¯t as happy for us, that¡¯s one thing,¡¯ Jackson said before explaining what happened with the Titans¡¯ games last weekend.

    ¡®Damn¡­ at least they tried their best? But it must be so devastating to come so close yet be crushed by the last obstacle like that ¡­¡¯ Jasmine watched as some of the Spartans were beginning to crawl out of their locker room.

    She imagined the Titans having the same defeated and downtrodden posture and expressions last week. ¡®But I bet that makes today¡¯s win even sweeter at least.¡¯

    ¡®It would,¡¯ Tommy said, ¡®but, for people who are so competitive, nothing can wash out that bitter taste of defeat, except beating the team who put it there in the first place.¡¯

    ¡®That makes sense ¡­ so this is just a bit of temporary relief until they can get their real revenge.¡¯

    Jackson frowned as he looked out across the field. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± he thought, ¡°the only way to get rid of that sickening feeling is to overcome the thing that made you feel like that in the first place.¡± His mind drifted to HIM.

    ¡®Speaking of taste, who¡¯s hungry?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    ¡®Mm, I wouldn¡¯t mind getting something to eat,¡¯ Jasmine said.

    ¡®Perfect. Jackson, you and Jasmine can go and grab some food for everyone.¡¯ Tommy held out some cash.

    ¡®Oh uh, yeah, of course.¡¯ Jackson took it and got out of his seat.

    ¡®You sure you don¡¯t want just me to get it?¡¯ Jasmine said.

    ¡®No no, it¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll come with you.¡¯

    Tommy looked over as the Titans were coming out of their locker room, Nick holding the game ball in front of himself, staring at it like it was an alien.

    ¡®You better get something for Kenny too, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be hungry after that.¡¯ Tommy stood, waving at Kenny.

    As Jasmine and Jackson went down to the hotdog stand, Tommy followed Kenny over to his parents to check in with them and make sure it was okay for him to drive Kenny home later. As they passed each other Kenny called out to Jasmine and Jackson, telling them to get him some french fries.

    As Jasmine and Jackson stood together in line she nudged him gently and smiled at him.

    Jackson blushed, confused for a second. ¡®Wh-What?¡¯

    ¡®I bet they would¡¯ve won last week if you were playing.¡¯

    Jackson looked away quickly. ¡®I¡¯m not sure about that¡­ I mean, i-it¡¯s a team game, one person doesn¡¯t have THAT much of an impact on the outcome.¡¯

    ¡®I think you¡¯re selling yourself short.¡¯

    ¡®You haven¡¯t even seen me play or train.¡¯

    She laughed. ¡®Yeah, but I¡¯ve heard how Kenny and the others talk, especially your brother, he thinks you¡¯re really good, and he seems like a pretty smart guy, so I trust them¡­ or are you calling them liars, huh?¡¯ She nudged him again.

    He blushed more, rubbing his arm, and she giggled.

    Soon they returned to their seats, Kenny and Tommy already back. Kenny had his french fries, whilst Jasmine had a chilli dog, Tommy had a hot dog with the lot, and Jackson had a rather simple hot dog topped with just ketchup and mustard.

    ¡®You played great, Kenny!¡¯ Jasmine beamed as she sat down again.

    ¡®Hm? Oh, yeah, thanks. Though I was pretty useless until the end.¡¯

    ¡®Ahh don¡¯t be like that, there¡¯s more to it than just touchdowns, and you guys played great defensively anyway,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®Thanks,¡¯ Kenny said before popping another fry into his mouth.

    ¡®They never would¡¯ve gotten that touchdown without you, and you¡¯re the one who recovered the onside kick,¡¯ Jackson said. ¡®Yeah, Nick was the one who kicked through almost all the points, but, they wouldn¡¯t have won without you either.¡¯

    ¡®I know, I know. I just, it shouldn¡¯t have taken me so long to get involved.¡¯

    ¡®Hahaha, always wanting to do better.¡¯ Tommy thumped Kenny on the back. ¡®You¡¯re definitely going places with that mindset, don¡¯t worry about that, Kenny.¡¯

    ¡°Not soon enough,¡± Kenny thought. He felt as if he was stuck in limbo. He knew he was good when it came to the level of competition he was currently playing at, yet he wasn¡¯t good enough to move up, and he had no idea how to bridge that gap. At least he didn¡¯t have any specific ideas. For now, he¡¯d just have to keep working hard and hope for the best.

    The group settled into their seats as the varsity game would soon get underway. The Titans came onto the field to a raucous reception and Shane wore a broad smile.

    ¡®It¡¯s always good when the JV team has such an inspiring performance. The crowd¡¯s already fired up, you can feel their cheers stoking your fire, can¡¯t you?¡¯ He turned to his teammates. ¡®After being shown something so incredible, and having our juniors fight their hearts out like that, how can we let them down? There¡¯s no way we can play poorly after something like that, we NEED to play our best now. Let¡¯s go out there and win.¡¯

    Further back in the herd, Wesley sighed. ¡®It¡¯s only like this ¡®cause they almost lost. They never should¡¯ve been in a position where a comeback was necessary.¡¯

    ¡®What was that?¡¯ Shane looked over.

    Wesley flashed a disingenuous smile. ¡®Nothing. Just saying that we should go out there and be a shining example for our juniors.¡¯

    Shane smiled, content with that answer; he saw no reason to distrust or second-guess his teammate.

    The Titans finished their lap around the field, and after winning the coin toss, the game soon began.

    Coach Otsen thought it was best to capitalise on the energy surrounding the field right away, so the Titans would receive the opening kickoff and send their offence out first.

    His decision and intuition proved to be correct as the Titans scored a touchdown on their opening drive, the crowd becoming electric once more as it looked like the hometown heroes would continue their winning ways.

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    After that first drive, however, the game slowed down considerably and aside from a Titans field goal, there wasn¡¯t another score for the rest of the first half.

    The crowd was still happy, though a lot less excited as the teams went into the major break with the score reading 10¨C0.

    While the Titans¡¯ defence was firing on all cylinders, their offence¡ªnamely Wesley¡ªwas struggling.

    ¡®Geez, we¡¯re winning, but I feel like we could be winning by more, right? Or is that just me? Jasmine said during the break.

    ¡®No, you¡¯re right, the Titans could definitely be up by more, but ¡­ there isn¡¯t really any other way of putting it, the QB is having a bad game, he¡¯s missed a few passes he should¡¯ve made, and because of that, they¡¯ve lost out on more than a few points,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®Hmph, not like his Receivers are giving him much help, outside of Shane, of course.¡¯ Kenny said with a frown. Watching this game made it seem like Grant wasn¡¯t even trying. His performance here versus when he and Kenny had their one-on-one was like night and day ¡­ which only meant Kenny couldn¡¯t possibly be close to the level of a varsity defender. It was infuriating, to say the least.

    ¡®These kind of games happen,¡¯ Jackson said. ¡®I¡¯m sure Coach Otsen will iron out the problems, and they¡¯re still winning for now, so that¡¯s the important thing.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, but it¡¯s still frustrating, god, I can¡¯t imagine how it must feel to be a player during this kind of thing,¡¯ Jasmine said.

    In the Titans¡¯ locker room, Coach Knight stood before Wesley who was looking away nonchalantly.

    Coach Knight only said: ¡®Are you okay?¡¯

    Wesley shrugged, still not looking up at him. ¡®Yeah, I feel fine.¡¯

    Coach Knight nodded and then walked away without saying anything else.

    Coach Otsen cleared his throat as he stood in the middle of the room. ¡®Defence, perfect, I can¡¯t ask for anything more than what you¡¯ve been doing, keep it up.¡¯

    A few players around the room quietly congratulated each other and exchanged fist bumps.

    Coach Otsen¡¯s eyes scanned the room, then fell on Wesley. ¡®Wesley. Do you have anything to say for yourself?¡¯

    Wesley sat up as all eyes turned to him. ¡®Well, I don¡¯t know, I¡¯ve got one passing touchdown and the other QB doesn¡¯t have any. I think we¡¯re doing fine.¡¯ (Shane was the recipient of this touchdown.)

    ¡®Really? Don¡¯t see any problems with your performance?¡¯

    ¡®Nope.¡¯

    ¡®Interesting. Well, if that¡¯s the case¡ªif you can¡¯t even see what you¡¯re doing wrong¡ªthen you might as well sit out the rest of this game, Oscar, you¡¯ll be playing in the second half.¡¯

    Oscar seemed as shocked as anyone. But Wesley wasn¡¯t exactly shocked, outraged would fit better. ¡®WHAT?!¡¯ He burst to his feet.

    ¡®Is something the matter?¡¯ Coach Otsen said calmly.

    ¡®Hell yeah it is, ain¡¯t no fucking way he¡¯s playing over me.¡¯ He angrily pointed a finger at Oscar who was now wishing he had never been dragged into this situation.

    Coach Otsen stepped forward, looking down at Wesley sternly. ¡®Then are you going to cut the shit and start playing properly?¡¯

    ¡®I am playing properly. Shit, I can¡¯t have a bad game once in a while? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m trying to fuck up.¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s nothing wrong with having a bad game, everyone¡¯s entitled to that. But, I¡¯m entitled to bench you if you¡¯re having a bad game.¡¯

    ¡®What? It¡¯s not even that bad! I have a touchdown, we¡¯re WINNING, and I haven¡¯t even thrown an interception.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re LUCKY you haven¡¯t thrown a pick yet. But while you might not have turned the ball over on paper, the sacks you¡¯ve taken have ruined some drives tonight and even pushed us out of field goal range on one occasion. If you keep having such poor decision-making, and accuracy, I¡¯ll have no choice but to give Oscar a chance to command this offence. Do you have a problem with that?¡¯

    Wesley wilted, looking away. ¡®¡­ No.¡¯

    ¡®No, what?¡¯

    ¡®No sir.¡¯

    ¡®Good.¡¯ Coach Otsen turned towards the rest of the team. ¡®Get out there and play some football you can all be proud of.¡¯

    As the teams emerged from their respective locker rooms, and play resumed with the beginning of the second half, Tommy turned to Jasmine. ¡®Hey, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, but, do you need us to drop you off tonight?¡¯

    ¡®Oh, well, I don¡¯t want to be a burden on you guys, you¡¯ve already gotta take Kenny home, right?¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s no problem. It¡¯d be easier for us to do it than having your folks or whoever come out here just to pick you up.¡¯

    ¡®You sure?¡¯

    ¡®Positive.¡¯ Tommy smiled, whilst Jackson stayed quiet.

    ¡®Well, I can check with my parents, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine.¡¯

    ¡®Great.¡¯ Tommy¡¯s smile remained as Jasmine got confirmation that it¡¯d be okay for them to drop her home.

    As the second half of the game played out, Coach Otsen¡¯s warning seemed to have been enough of a wake-up call. Wesley was no longer making the same mistakes, however, there wasn¡¯t a great change in the Titans¡¯ offensive production, as the Spartans¡¯ defence had managed to tighten up.

    On the other side of the ball, the Titans were still just as dominant and continued their shutout of the Spartans for the rest of the game.

    Meanwhile, the Titans managed two more touchdowns of their own, another passing touchdown¡ªcaught again by Shane¡ªand a rushing touchdown which was run in by Wesley.

    The result was an unsurprising victory for the Titans with a final score of 24¨C0, and though the stadium was once again filled with the crowd¡¯s joyous cheers, they never once neared the volume of the celebration for the JV team¡¯s victory.

    As the Titans left the field, Mickey groaned, rubbing at his shoulder. ¡®Another day, another 150 yards without any touchdowns to show for it.¡¯ He glanced at Wesley.

    ¡®Don¡¯t look at me. They were all over your ass,¡¯ Wesley said in reference to the play that resulted in his rushing touchdown, which was a Read Option involving him and Mickey. ¡®Probably because you had so many yards already.¡¯

    ¡®Uh-huh, sure.¡¯ Mickey dropped the topic there, though they both knew there was no world where Wesley would¡¯ve ever given up that touchdown.

    As the spectators all slowly made their way out of the stands, Jasmine smiled wide and walked with a pep in her step. ¡®That one wasn¡¯t even close. Does that team ever lose?¡¯

    ¡®Nah,¡¯ said all three guys at the same time.

    ¡®Hm, doesn¡¯t it ever get boring then?¡¯

    The guys laughed though Tommy stopped first and cleared his throat. ¡®Just because they usually win, doesn¡¯t mean the games aren¡¯t close sometimes. But, no, a winner never gets tired of winning. Not real winners anyway.¡¯

    Jasmine nodded, following the others to Tommy¡¯s car. As Jackson got into the front seat, he noticed Tommy staring at him. ¡®What?¡¯

    Tommy glanced back to Jasmine as she buckled up in the back seat, Kenny on the opposite side. ¡®Nothing, nothing.¡¯

    As Tommy started up the car and connected his phone to the aux, a grin spread across Jasmine¡¯s face. Her head already bobbing along to the metal music blaring out of the speakers.

    ¡®Hahah, you really are into this stuff, huh? Never met a girl that¡¯s a bigger metalhead than me. Sorry I don¡¯t have a better sound system though, I¡¯m trying to save up for some proper speakers.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t you need a job to be saving up?¡¯

    Tommy glared across at Jackson and Jasmine laughed openly while Kenny held back his snickers.

    ¡®You¡¯re one to talk,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®I¡¯m too young, I can¡¯t get a job yet even if I wanted.¡¯

    ¡®Nuh-uh, you can work when you¡¯re fourteen.¡¯

    ¡®Uhh¡­ but my leg.¡¯ Jackson held up his crutches to further emphasise his point.

    ¡®Uh-huh, so you¡¯ll get one as soon as that¡¯s healed?¡¯

    ¡®Uhhh¡­¡¯ Jackson looked away and the others behind him laughed more.

    ¡®What about you guys?¡¯ Tommy turned to face the back seat.

    ¡®This past summer I had a job working retail,¡¯ Jasmine said.

    ¡®I help out at my parents¡¯ store if that counts,¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®Hm, good on you both. You¡¯re already more experienced than the both of us, though I guess we¡¯ve had too much football on the brain to think about a job.¡¯ They pulled out of the car park and drove in the direction of Kenny¡¯s house first.

    They dropped him off, saying their goodbyes and that they¡¯d see him again at school, then Jasmine moved over to the middle seat and gave directions to her place.

    They spent the drive vibing to Tommy¡¯s favourite songs, then they soon arrived at Jasmine¡¯s home, pulling into the long, gravel drive of a simple, decent-sized one-storey home with a large garage and an expansive yard, the garden full of flowers ranging from roses and lilies to lavender and daisies.

    ¡®Thanks again, guys. I¡¯ll see you at school, Jackson.¡¯ Jasmine slid out.

    Tommy looked at Jackson and then gestured to Jasmine, his eyes moving about wildly, his head nodding frantically.

    ¡®Okay, okay.¡¯ Jackson hurried out as well. ¡®Uh, Jasmine, wait up. I¡¯ll uh, walk you to your door.¡¯

    Jasmine stopped, already halfway there, though, with a smile, she walked back to Jackson¡¯s side. ¡®Alright.¡¯

    They walked (and hobbled) together in silence aside from the crunch of the pebbles under their feet and crutches. With each step, Jackson felt as if his tongue was getting heavier and fatter inside his mouth.

    When they reached the door they stopped, and Jasmine expectantly turned to Jackson. Jackson gulped and after a few more moments of silence, he spoke.

    ¡®Uh, J-Jasmine? I have something I need to tell you.¡¯

    ¡®Yes?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t contain her smile, her excitement evident in her bright eyes.

    Jackson wasn¡¯t sure what she was expecting at that moment, but he knew it absolutely wasn¡¯t what he was about to say. With a heavy heart, he told her the truth about his ¡°accident¡± and how he broke his leg.

    Throughout his story, Jasmine stayed silent; her face slowly dropped further and further. By the end of it, she was looking at the ground.

    ¡®So uh, yeah, that¡¯s why I¡¯ve been seeing Ms Cotton at school.¡¯ Jackson rubbed the back of his head.

    ¡®Oh. ¡­ I see. ¡­ Thank you for telling me, Jackson. Goodnight.¡¯

    ¡®Good¡ª¡¯ the door slammed in his face. ¡®¡ªnight¡­¡¯

    Jackson didn¡¯t know what reaction he had been expecting from her, but it wasn¡¯t that. He returned to the car with the unshakable, dreadful feeling that he¡¯d just done something terrible.

 Chapter 102: A True Captain

    After school on Monday, Ty was with JJ once again at the gym, following JJ¡¯s chest routine. When Ty started this journey, he hadn¡¯t even imagined it¡¯d lead to him spending an entire day training nothing but his chest.

    He racked his barbell and sat up from the inclined bench before swapping places with JJ. As Ty took his position as spotter he rubbed his pecs. He looked in the mirror.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to change your diet for VISUAL development with your body.¡± JJ¡¯s words echoed through his head.

    It was easier said than done, it¡¯s not like Ty had much of a choice in what was on offer at home.

    But even if he couldn¡¯t see much change in himself, he could feel it, and he saw it in the results. He was already lifting heavier weights than when he started, and for longer too. He still felt sore for a bit afterwards, but JJ told him that was the sweet spot; it meant you were pushing yourself to grow stronger.

    Still, he wasn¡¯t anywhere close to JJ¡¯s level yet, and he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d ever reach that point. Not like that was the goal¡ªhe needed to be stronger, not switch positions entirely.

    The weights clanged loudly as JJ set the bar back onto the rack and sat up. ¡®Good set, hermano. Let¡¯s have a break.¡¯

    Ty nodded and picked up his water bottle, his body thankful for the rest and refreshments. JJ wiped the bnech down with his towel before getting his own drink.

    ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve said thank you enough for helping me out here, I¡¯d be lost otherwise,¡¯ Ty said.

    ¡®Hm? Hey, don¡¯t mention it, what else would I be good for if I didn¡¯t help mis hermanitos?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, but, you¡¯re always helping someone. I rarely see it the other way around, and it¡¯s not like the others are as eager to help as you.¡¯

    ¡®Eh, I¡¯m sure they do in their own way, and hey, you guys have helped me plenty too.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah but, why are you so focused on helping everyone else? Don¡¯t you want to focus on yourself sometimes?¡¯

    JJ sat back down. ¡®When you say it like that you make it sound like they can¡¯t both be happening at the same time. What do you think is going on here? Yeah, I¡¯m helping you, but I¡¯m still getting my workout in too.¡¯

    ¡®Maybe, but I¡¯m holding you back, aren¡¯t I?¡¯

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t put it like that, having someone with me motivates me. It pushes me to work harder, so don¡¯t worry about it. ¡­ What¡¯s got you thinking about this anyway?¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s just ¡­ I don¡¯t know, you¡¯re always so close to everyone. Sometimes during practice, it¡¯s like you¡¯re another coach.¡¯

    JJ laughed. ¡®Is that a bad thing?¡¯

    ¡®Not really, but I can¡¯t see how looking out for everyone else doesn¡¯t take away from your own growth.¡¯

    JJ shook his head. ¡®I think it¡¯s the opposite. We¡¯ve got different roles, you and I, Tyrese. Even outside of our positions. You¡¯re young, just a freshman, it¡¯s your first season with the team. I, on the other hand, am in my last. As a captain of the team, it¡¯s my responsibility to help guide and nurture the next generation so they¡¯re ready to take over when I and the other seniors are gone.¡¯

    ¡®Ugh, don¡¯t remind me of that shit¡­ it¡¯s bad enough now some of the time, I don¡¯t want to think about what the team¡¯s going to look like next season.¡¯

    JJ laughed again, slapping Ty on the shoulder. ¡®Come on, don¡¯t be so hard on your teammates. And don¡¯t worry about that too much, I¡¯ve seen dozens of people come and go throughout my time on the team, but there has always been someone else ready to step up and fill in their shoes, someone like you.¡¯

    Ty looked away. ¡®¡­I can¡¯t fill in for you.¡¯

    ¡®Mm. That¡¯s a big responsibility for a sophomore, but, a year is a long time, I think you¡¯ll be ready by then. Besides, it¡¯s not like you¡¯ll have to play my position Haha, no, I think ¡­ Donte might do that. It¡¯ll be his junior year next season, that¡¯s a pretty good time to have a captain¡¯s badge. And he¡¯s a good kid, one of those quiet leaders, like Jay¡ªhis game sets the example.¡¯

    Ty couldn¡¯t recall ever speaking with Donte, but from what he¡¯d seen during practice, he was as humble and carefree as they came, but when it was game time, he was a ferocious beast you wouldn¡¯t want to get in the way of. As good of an OLB that they could ask for.

    ¡®But you shouldn¡¯t let it worry you, we¡¯re not leaving tomorrow, we¡¯ve still got plenty of the season left, then Regionals to worry about after that. And from there, we¡¯ll see how far we can take it.¡¯

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    ¡®Nationals. I promise.¡¯

    JJ grinned. ¡®And I believe you, hermano. We¡¯ll all go to Nationals together, and winning it will be the perfect send-off, and the perfect start to your career with the Dons.¡¯ JJ took Ty¡¯s hand firmly.

    Ty was confused but didn¡¯t pull away.

    ¡®And when I hand you that national trophy, it¡¯ll be the perfect moment to represent the Dons becoming YOUR team. I know I said not to worry, but that¡¯s also because I know you¡¯ll be ready, and if I¡¯m honest with you, even now it kinda feels like this is your team. Hah, you¡¯re already the best player, even I can see that.¡¯

    ¡®But I¡¯m not¡­ I¡¯m not a leader, I can¡¯t help and support everyone like you do, I don''t even WANT to do that.¡¯ Ty gritted his teeth and pulled away from JJ¡¯s grasp. ¡®I don¡¯t care about nurturing others, I need to keep getting better.¡¯

    JJ looked at him sternly. ¡®If that¡¯s how you really feel, then that¡¯s fine, you can lead by example. But I think you¡¯re lying, not to me, but to yourself. I¡¯ve seen you, you care about others, and whilst you might not use the friendliest words when talking to your teammates, you care about seeing them get better, you just prefer to use tough love.¡¯ JJ chuckled but Ty wasn¡¯t laughing.

    ¡®That¡¯s not¡ª¡¯

    ¡®It is true. I¡¯m not lying to you, I never lie to mi familia. You want everyone to be better, you just want them to be as good as you right away, that¡¯s your problem.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t¡­ Hmm.¡¯ Ty looked away again.

    ¡®Look, everything¡¯s going to be okay. Everyone¡¯s doing their best to get as strong as they can for the next game, every week we all work together so we can come out of the next game as winners. Everyone, you, me, the coaches, even slackers like Jay, he cares too, there¡¯s a reason he¡¯s a captain too and it¡¯s not just ¡®cause he¡¯s the QB. And that¡¯s not going to change next season.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah but, the team¡¯s still going to be worse without you.¡¯

    ¡®And you¡¯re going to be stronger, so will everyone who remains, and who knows if you get another superstar rookie to join the ranks, huh? One that makes me and the rest of the seniors look like chumps in comparison. Remind you of anyone.¡¯ He nudged Ty. ¡®But we¡¯re getting ahead of ourselves, thinking about next year.¡¯

    ¡®Right, we need to worry about getting revenge on the Bears and Vikings first.¡¯

    ¡®Hahaha, no, we need to focus on the game this weekend. Always look at what¡¯s right in front of you.¡¯

    ¡®Ugh, you sound like Coach Hoang.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll take that as a compliment.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not overlooking them ¡­ they¡¯re obstacles to be destroyed on the path of revenge.¡¯

    ¡®Hahaha, oh man, you¡¯re a character, Ty. You should let the other guys see you like this, instead of always picking fights with them, then I bet they¡¯d be your friends too.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m being serious!¡¯ Ty watched with embarrassed confusion as JJ laughed more, doubling over as he clutched his stomach.

    ¡®I know! That¡¯s what makes it funnier.¡¯ JJ struggled to get his laughter under control once it had started. Though once he was back on his feet he cleared his throat. ¡®Anyway, I think that¡¯s enough of a break ¡­ and we¡¯re supposed to be doing chest today, not abs,¡¯ he said with a cheesy grin. ¡®Let¡¯s get back to work.¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, yeah, sorry.¡¯ Ty''s brow furrowed in thought as he followed after JJ, his mind racing. JJ had called him a friend. Despite their working out together, it hadn¡¯t occurred to him that they were friends.

    Then, JJ had said that the others on the team didn¡¯t see Ty as a friend though. Ty frowned, but shook the thought from his head. He didn¡¯t need friends, it didn¡¯t change anything. Friends or teammates, there wasn¡¯t any difference.

    The pair continued their workout for another hour, though just before it started getting dark outside, JJ called an end to their session. They made their way outside, to JJ¡¯s car, and where Ty had left his bike.

    JJ stared down at the bike and let out a frustrated grumble. ¡®Ah, I should really see about getting a truck from work so I can fit your bike in the bed.¡¯

    ¡®Or I could stop riding my bike to school. Anyways, I¡¯ll just ride back home, it¡¯s not that bad when we¡¯re not doing legs.¡¯

    ¡®Hah, I guess you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll see you at school, and remember to eat something good when you get home, lots of protein.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, yeah I¡¯ll remember.¡¯

    JJ got into his car, rolling the window down. ¡®And don¡¯t forget the stuff I told you today, I want you to think about it, I know you¡¯ll make a great captain one day.¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, right, I will. See ya.¡¯ Ty waved as JJ peeled out of the car park. Ty climbed onto his bike once JJ had driven out of view. He¡¯d have plenty to think about on the ride home.

    ¡°Me, a captain¡­¡±

    He thought back to his days playing football in middle school, or even further back to Pee Wee Football. Yes, he was always the best on the field, but that didn¡¯t make him a captain. Maybe he had been in middle school, but one in name only.

    He couldn¡¯t recall ever giving any speeches before the game or during half time, he never uplifted his teammates or inspired them with anything other than his prowess. He couldn¡¯t even remember their names or faces; he didn¡¯t have a single friend from any of his previous teams.

    But, his teams had never needed a rousing speech or a flame to ignite the spark of a comeback. They¡¯d never struggled before. HE had never struggled before high school.

    Not only did he never lose in middle school, but the games had rarely been close. He would¡¯ve been able to count the amount of times the final margin was within single digits on his fingers.

    He didn¡¯t need to say anything, he let his game do the talking for him, and his team fell in line behind him, or he dragged them across the finish line singlehandedly.

    But, high school was different. Could he even replicate the type of leadership he¡¯d seen JJ present? It seemed like an impossible task. He couldn¡¯t just parrot the words he¡¯d heard, each situation was different and needed a unique approach. And they¡¯d know he wasn¡¯t being genuine.

    But why wouldn¡¯t those words feel genuine from him?

    He sped through the streets, the wind whipping his face as he raced the sun to see if it¡¯d reach the horizon, or if he¡¯d reach home first.

    The other pressing concern he had was that he wasn¡¯t strong enough to carry a team to victory by himself anymore, not at this level of competition.

    He bared his teeth. ¡°Not yet. But I will be.¡±

 Chapter 103: Troubles of the Heart

    Shortly after Jackson knocked on the door, Ms Cotton¡¯s cool voice answered from within. ¡®Come in.¡¯

    He entered, found her sitting at her desk, and took his place on her small couch without needing to be told, resting his crutches against the couch.

    She smiled across at him. ¡®It¡¯s good to see you again, Jackson.¡¯ She pulled a notebook from her drawer and flicked through several pages. Folding the book in two, she placed it before her. ¡®How have you been since I last saw you?¡¯

    ¡®Good. ¡­ I mean, mostly good.¡¯ He picked at part of the couch, his eyes looking everywhere in the office except Ms Cotton¡¯s face.

    ¡®That¡¯s better, right? I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re working in the right direction, but it seems there are still some issues as well, maybe something specific you wanted to talk about today, outside of the usual check-up?¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, yeah, I guess you could say that¡­¡¯ Jackson scrunched up his hands. He took a few deep breaths before relaxing. ¡®You see, there¡¯s this girl I¡¯ve been talking to.¡¯

    He looked up at the sound of Ms Cotton¡¯s pen scratching across the surface of the notebook, a coy smile on her face. ¡®Go on,¡¯ she urged.

    ¡®I-I only met her this year, after the acci¡­ after my injury. She¡¯s in the grade above me, and uh, her name¡¯s Jasmine.¡¯

    ¡®Hm.¡¯ Ms Cotton¡¯s pen paused for a moment before it continued scratching. ¡®And tell me, what¡¯s the relationship between you and Jasmine, friends? Or is there something romantic?¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯re just friends!¡¯ Jackson blurted. ¡®Uh, f-for now, I mean.¡¯

    ¡®Is that all there is to it? Or do you wish for more?¡¯

    ¡®Well I¡­I mean of course I¡­ she¡¯s beautiful so who wouldn¡¯t want to date her but¡­¡¯

    ¡®But?...¡¯

    ¡®But, I think I ruined things.¡¯ Jackson glared down at his feet as if they were the cause of all his problems.

    ¡®Ruin is a strong word. Why do you say that? What happened?¡¯

    ¡®I¡­I told her about what happened with me, and my¡­my injury. How I did it to myself.¡¯

    ¡®And she didn¡¯t have the reaction you were expecting?¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t know what reaction I was expecting, but, anything other than what happened would¡¯ve been better. I don¡¯t know, maybe I¡¯m overreacting.¡¯

    ¡®Can you tell me how she reacted after you explained the story to her?¡¯

    ¡®She didn¡¯t have much of a reaction, maybe that¡¯s the problem. She didn¡¯t get upset, or angry, she wasn¡¯t supportive or positive either, she just sort of, shut down.¡¯

    ¡®And when did this happen?¡¯

    ¡®Last weekend. I haven¡¯t heard from her since, not even a text or anything.¡¯

    Ms Cotton sat back in her chair. ¡®I¡¯m sure she just needs a bit of time and space to figure out her own emotions, and I think it could do you both some good. It would¡¯ve been a lot of information for her to process, and a story like that, it comes with a lot of emotions that people need to deal with before they¡¯re ready to confront that person again. If she really cares for you as a friend, or even something more, then she¡¯ll understand and see that you¡¯ve already moved past that dark time in your life and are on the path of recovery.¡¯

    Jackson sunk into the couch more. He thought of Eddie, and how he reacted to the whole ordeal. How fractured their relationship had been in the aftermath. He didn¡¯t want that with Jasmine. But then, he thought of how he and Eddie were now, and how they were getting back to how things used to be. It wasn¡¯t quite like Jackson¡¯s stupid mistake never happened, but they were still close.

    However, Jasmine was different. Her reaction had been different. Eddie was mad; mad at Jackson, and mad at himself. And he and Jackson had known each other before the incident. Jasmine on the other hand, Jackson couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how she might be feeling, and he had only known her after he was already hurt, did she think her whole experience of knowing him was a lie?

    ¡®I¡¯m just, scared that things won¡¯t be the same after this. We¡¯ve hardly known each other, and now, it¡¯s like the whole foundation of our friendship was a lie.¡¯

    ¡®What did you tell her about your leg before this?¡¯

    ¡®I-I told her it was a bike accident but¡­¡¯

    ¡®And now you¡¯ve cleared the air on the exact details of that accident. You didn¡¯t lie, think of it more as a¡­ misunderstanding. One that you¡¯ve rectified, and if this Jasmine is as wonderful a person as you think, someone who you¡¯d like date, and even someone you might love¡ª¡¯

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    Jackson¡¯s cheeks flared red.

    ¡®¡ªthen I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be understanding, and after some time has passed, she¡¯ll open up to you about how she feels and you¡¯ll be able to work through this. Your friendship may take a step back, but it won¡¯t be anything you can¡¯t get past.¡¯

    Jackson thought long and hard, staying quiet as he did so. Eventually, he looked up at Ms Cotton and met her gaze for the first time that session. ¡®You really think so?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m sure of it.¡¯

    He nodded, a look of relief on his face. ¡®Thank you, Ms Cotton.¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s no need to thank me, Jackson, that¡¯s what I¡¯m here for. Now, was that all you wanted to talk about today?¡¯

    He nodded again and pushed himself up onto his crutches. Ms Cotton stood from her desk and moved over to the door. ¡®I do hope you¡¯ll get rid of those crutches soon.¡¯

    ¡®Me too. Should be soon though, just another week or two, I reckon.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m happy to hear that.¡¯ Ms Cotton opened the door, and just outside it, stood Jasmine, one fist raised in the air about to knock on the door that was just pulled away from her reach.

    Jackson froze, staring at her.

    Jasmine looked at him, though it was as if her gaze pierced right through him, as if he wasn¡¯t even there. She lowered her fist but kept it clenched by her side. She looked at Ms Cotton and said: ¡®If now¡¯s not a good time, I can come back later.¡¯

    ¡®No, no, now is fine. Jackson was just leaving, weren¡¯t you?¡¯

    Jackson nodded. His tongue felt like a fat toad in his mouth, taking away his ability to speak.

    ¡®How about we see each other in two weeks, same day and time, is that good for you?¡¯

    Jackson nodded once more, then carefully moved past the two women in the doorway, making sure not to brush up against Jasmine¡ªwhich was quite an awkward task thanks to his crutches.

    Jasmine didn¡¯t look at him or acknowledge him in any way, though once he was removed from Ms Cotton¡¯s office, she stepped inside.

    ¡®Enjoy the rest of your day, Jackson.¡¯

    Jackson weakly smiled back at Ms Cotton then put his head down and hurried on his way. When Ms Cotton shut the door and returned to her desk, Jasmine was already sitting on the couch, right where Jackson had been moments prior.

    ¡®I think I might already have an understanding of why you¡¯re seeing me today,¡¯ Ms Cotton said as she exchanged the notebook on her desk from another within her various drawers. ¡®But why don¡¯t you go ahead and explain it to me anyway.¡¯

    ¡®I know it¡¯s inappropriate to ask what you two talked about, so I¡¯ll do my best to push that out of my mind.¡¯ Jasmine huffed. ¡®But yes, I am here to talk about Jackson and ¡­ boy troubles, as embarrassing as that is.¡¯

    ¡®Nothing that happens in here should be embarrassing, this is a safe space, you know that. So why don¡¯t you tell me what brought you here, and don¡¯t leave out any details from YOUR story.¡¯

    Jasmine¡¯s shoulders heaved and sagged as she inhaled deeply. Then she opened her mouth to speak.

    Later that day, Jackson was at the football field, moments before the Titans¡¯ practice would begin. Freddy and Kenny sat with him on the bleachers, watching as the field was being prepared.

    ¡®I think I messed up.¡¯ Seeing Jasmine again, and that cold, almost vacant look she had given him, had undone all the confidence and optimism Ms Cotton had instilled in him.

    ¡®With that?¡¯ Kenny asked.

    ¡®Did you hurt your leg again?¡¯ Freddy said.

    ¡®No, no I¡­ with Jasmine.¡¯

    ¡®Oh ¡­¡¯ Kenny frowned, looking away.

    ¡®Jasmine? Oh, that uh, that girl you were with at practice before?¡¯

    ¡®Yes, her.¡¯

    ¡®What did you do?¡¯ Freddy asked.

    ¡®Did she reject you?¡¯

    ¡®No, God, no I didn¡¯t¡­ it¡¯s probably worse than that. I don¡¯t think she even wants to be my friend anymore.¡¯

    ¡®What the hell happened? You guys were fine when you dropped me off the other night.¡¯

    Freddy¡¯s brow furrowed in confusion.

    ¡®Well, I told her about what really happened with my leg and how I broke it.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, and what? Why wouldn¡¯t she want to be your friend after that?¡¯ Kenny¡¯s tone grew angrier.

    ¡®I don¡¯t know but she just seems, she hasn¡¯t said anything to me after I told her, I¡¯m worried.¡¯

    ¡®If that¡¯s all it takes for her not to be your friend anymore then fu¡­ then she can piss off. You don¡¯t need fake friends like that.¡¯

    ¡®Um¡­ while I wouldn¡¯t exactly say it like that¡­ maybe Kenny is right? Everyone makes mistakes, right, and, if she can¡¯t look past that, maybe she isn¡¯t that good of a friend¡­ unfortunately. I don¡¯t know her that well, but she seemed nice.¡¯

    ¡®She IS nice, that¡¯s the problem. This isn¡¯t like her.¡¯

    ¡®How do you know this isn¡¯t like her? This is the first ¡°problem¡± you guys have ever faced, and this is how she reacts? Maybe this is who she really is,¡¯ Kenny scoffed. ¡®You don¡¯t need a girl anyway, they¡¯re just distractions right now. Don¡¯t worry about her, Jackson, just worry about yourself. Once that legs healed, we¡¯ll be taking over the state, and then the nation, we won¡¯t even have any time to worry about girls.¡¯

    ¡®She¡¯s not my girl she¡¯s just a friend¡­¡¯ Jackson mumbled.

    ¡®And you don¡¯t need friends like that, either. If they¡¯re not there to support you, they¡¯re not much of a friend.¡¯

    ¡®I-I guess, but¡ª¡¯

    ¡®No buts! That¡¯s just how it is.¡¯ Kenny stood, leaving the conversation as he moved onto the field to get warmed up before practice began.

    Freddy remained with Jackson a little bit longer. Eventually, he patted Jackson on the back and then stood up. ¡®Maybe Kenny is right. If she really is your friend, she¡¯ll understand and things will be okay, and if not, then uh, maybe she wasn¡¯t a good friend to have in the first place?¡¯

    Jackson didn''t say anything as he watched Freddy turn away and join Kenny in warming up.

    Maybe Jasmine just needed space. Ms Cotton seemed to be on his side, and Jasmine would¡¯ve talked to her after he left, Ms Cotton probably helped clear things up, then they¡¯d go back to normal. That¡¯s what he hoped for, at least.

 Chapter 104: Call of the Coyote

    Jackson sat on the sidelines, ruminating over the advice given to him by Ms Cotton, as well as his friends, Kenny and Freddy, whilst also looking inward at his feelings about the whole matter with Jasmine.

    As he did this, the Titans practice began, and this far into the season, the JV squad was able to at least keep up with the varsity team during the warmup exercises, so both teams participated together as one big squad.

    It allowed Kenny to speak with Grant, as there usually weren¡¯t other chances for the separate teams to interact during practice, outside of breaks.

    ¡®Hey, nice job getting carried again,¡¯ Kenny said.

    Grant groaned but then looked over with a sneer. He pushed his shoulders back and raised his head higher as he jogged, his body unburdened by a weighted vest, and he revelled in that freedom.

    Kenny glared at him, not with jealousy as Grant might¡¯ve hoped, but with contempt for the weakness and cowardice Grant showed in his choice to give in and throw away the vest.

    Grant frowned when he saw Kenny wasn¡¯t having the intended reaction. ¡®What do you want?¡¯

    ¡®Nothing, just reminding you that you¡¯d probably be winless without Shane.¡¯

    ¡®I guess we¡¯ll never know. At least I¡¯m not the one who needs a fucking KICKER to save my ass, barely scraping out wins in your kiddy JV league.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, you got a problem, cabron?¡¯ Pete moved his way through the ranks to Kenny¡¯s side.

    ¡®I ain¡¯t got no problem with any of you JV rats, you¡¯re not important enough for that.¡¯ Grant grinned, and his two friends behind him cackled like hyenas.

    Kenny gritted his teeth then shoved Grant, sending him careening into his friends. The three tripped over one another and caused a pile-up as others tried to veer out of the way or leap over the crash.

    The whole herd of Titans slowed and turned back to look at the commotion of those who had gotten caught up in the mess.

    One of the players who had tripped over Grant and co, was none other than Wesley. ¡®The fuck do y¡¯all think you¡¯re doing?¡¯ he snarled as he pulled himself from the tangle, shoving Grant and the others back down.

    ¡®Don¡¯t look at me, it was that little shit¡¯s fault!¡¯ Grant angrily gestured to Kenny.

    Pete was trying to pull Kenny away from the crash to follow after the rest of the herd that was still slowly moving away. But Kenny stayed right where he was, staring down Grant.

    ¡®The fuck is your problem?¡¯ Wesley said, scowling at Kenny. ¡®You lucky you on JV, otherwise I¡¯d whoop your worthless ass, you little bitch.¡¯

    ¡®Hey fuck you too. I wouldn¡¯t even wanna play for a selfish QB like you.¡¯

    Wesley laughed as he started to jog away. ¡®Like I¡¯d pass the ball to a little bitch like you in the first place.¡¯

    ¡®Wesley! What¡¯s the hold-up?!¡¯ Coach Otsen yelled.

    ¡®Some dumbasses tripped me.¡¯

    ¡®Keep moving and shut up!¡¯ Coach Otsen looked past Wesley and to the group that was still standing around. Pete let Kenny go and tried to sneak away. ¡®Pete! Ken! Grant! Sonny! And Xavier! What¡¯s the problem?¡¯

    Pete flinched and froze. ¡®Uhh, there¡¯s no problem, Coach, Sir, we just got a little tangled up.¡¯

    Everyone continued to glare at each other whilst Coach Otsen scrutinised them all. ¡®Coach Vasquez.¡¯

    ¡®Sir, yes, Sir!¡¯ Coach Vasquez appeared beside Coach Otsen like he¡¯d just sprouted up from the ground.

    ¡®Seems you¡¯ve got some problems within your ranks, go and sort them out.¡¯

    ¡®Yes, Sir!¡¯ Coach Vasquez bolted towards the group of miscreants.

    ¡®Everyone else, keep moving!¡¯ The others turned away from the drama and continued chasing after Shane who was at the head of the pack like always.

    Coach Vasquez bounded to a stop before Kenny and the others, grinning at them. ¡®What¡¯s the matter guys, c¡¯mon! You have to be maximum warmed up to have a maximum training.¡¯

    ¡®There ain¡¯t no problem,¡¯ Grant said.

    ¡®Yeah, they just tripped, and we just got caught up laughing at them,¡¯ Kenny said with a smirk.

    ¡®Fuck you, bitch,¡¯ Sonny¡ªthe shorter of Grant¡¯s friends¡ªsaid.

    ¡®Hey, c¡¯mon, that¡¯s no way to speak to your fellow teammates.¡¯

    ¡®We ain¡¯t teammates with a bunch of losers like them,¡¯ Grant, Sonny, and Xavier said in unison.

    ¡®Nonsense, you¡¯re all teammates, whether or not you¡¯re actually on the SAME team. You¡¯re all TITANS, and during practice, you all push each other to the MAXIMUM so you can get the maximum out of your training.¡¯

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    The boys grumbled, still glowering at one another.

    Coach Vasquez¡¯s face screwed up in a frown, but before he could go on another rambling speech, he felt a bear-like hand clap him on the shoulder. He looked up at Coach Knight¡¯s stern expression, then stepped back a bit to let Coach Knight have a go at setting the boys right.

    Coach Knight didn¡¯t say anything as he looked at the boys. When they looked at him, they saw a hardened, disappointed gaze that¡¯d win a staring contest against a boulder.

    The boys shifted uneasily under the intense pressure of the stare. They looked anywhere but back into those dark, unblinking eyes, but they couldn¡¯t avoid the stare no matter where their eyes fell, they could constantly feel it melting through them.

    After about a minute of silence, Coach Knight finally spoke. ¡®Say sorry,¡¯ was all he said.

    ¡®Sorry,¡¯ the boys mumbled to one another and themselves, kicking at the grass and shifting from one foot to the other.

    Coach Knight mulled over the responses for a few moments. ¡®Good. Laps, all of you.¡¯

    There was no arguing with Coach Knight, the boys accepted their fate, keeping their complaints to themselves.

    ¡®Don¡¯t forget to give MAXIMUM effort, and also make sure to space out between yourselves so there are no more ¡°tripping¡± incidents,¡¯ Coach Vasquez said.

    Though they were unhappy, the boys all spread out and went about finishing their first lap before getting stuck into their extra punishment laps. By the time they were done and able to return to their respective teams, they were a drill or two behind the rest of the team.

    When it came to the drinks break, Kenny had done all that he could to get through his drills as quick as possible and make it back up to where the rest of the JV team were.

    He slammed down onto the bench beside Jackson, too breathless to even get a drink.

    ¡®What was all that about?¡¯

    As Kenny caught his breath to answer, Freddy sat beside them. ¡®I just¡­ fuck, I hate that guy, seeing his damn face makes me want to punch him!¡¯

    ¡®What did he even do?¡¯ Freddy asked. ¡®Is this still about what happened last week?¡¯ Freddy asked.

    ¡®No ¡­ yes. Fuck, I don¡¯t know, it¡¯s a lot of things, I¡¯m just, I¡¯m frustrated.¡¯ Kenny slumped in his seat.

    Pete soon crawled over, dragging himself onto a seat, gasping for breath.

    ¡®Having fun there, Petey?¡¯ Jackson said, smiling.

    ¡®Vete ¡­ a la ¡­ mierda ¡­¡¯ He slowly sat up and looked across at Kenny. ¡®That¡¯s the last time I help you out when you¡¯re picking a fight.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, sorry I got you caught up in that, man. You didn¡¯t even do anything wrong and you¡¯re getting punished all the same ¡®cause of me.¡¯

    Pete chuckled. ¡®Nah, I¡¯m just kidding, what else is a friend gonna do except take the fall with you when you¡¯re in trouble?¡¯

    ¡®Hah, I owe you one.¡¯ They reached out and bumped fists with one another.

    ¡®What do you guys think Nick is getting chewed out for?¡¯ Freddy said before taking another sip from his drink.

    The others looked over and saw Coach Otsen talking with Nick far enough away that they were out of earshot.

    ¡®Uh, I don¡¯t know, but, it doesn¡¯t look like he¡¯s Coach is mad,¡¯ Jackson pointed out.

    ¡®He¡¯s probably getting praised again for winning us the game last week,¡¯ Pete said.

    ¡®Saved by a Kicker¡­ I scored a touchdown too,¡¯ Kenny grumbled.

    Pete patted him on the back. ¡®Don¡¯t let that cabron get to you.¡¯

    They watched as Coach Otsen gave Nick a pat on the shoulder before leaving him for the rest of the break, then, as the teams were ready to resume their practice, Coach Otsen left the varsity team in the hands of Coach Carson, and called the JV team together.

    ¡®Listen up, boys. This weekend, we¡¯re facing the Coyotes again.¡¯

    Disgruntled murmurs spread throughout the gathered huddle as the team thought back to one of their closer, grittier games. It was definitely the DIRTIEST so far.

    ¡®Settle down and shut up when I¡¯m talking. I know what happened last time we faced them, and I know there are some issues there, but I need you boys to put that shit out of mind and focus on yourselves. Focus on playing the way you always do. Let me worry about anything dirty, and I¡¯ll be the one to get the officials involved and get on their ass if I don¡¯t think they¡¯re doing a good enough job.¡¯

    Kenny kept quiet. He was conflicted about the upcoming game. Part of him wasn¡¯t looking forward to it, because of having to deal with those cheating bastards. It was like a whole team of Grants. No, they were worse. Grant might¡¯ve been an asshole, but he hadn¡¯t cheated during their one-on-one. These Coyotes were MUCH worse.

    But, on the other hand, he looked forward to beating their asses again and embarrassing those mutts.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want you getting swept up into their bullshit, the last thing we need is to stoop to their level and try to fight them at their own dirty game. Leave the underhanded tactics to them, just make sure you let the officials see it whenever they break the rules, that¡¯ll be the best way to stop them. And be prepared for it to be even worse than the first time they played against you. We won¡¯t have home-field advantage this time, it¡¯ll be on THEIR turf this weekend, which means the crowd is going to be against you no matter how dirty things get ¡­ and, unfortunately, the refs might let them get away with even more bullshit. Still, the important thing is to not let it get to you under any circumstances. Keep a cool head, and I promise you we¡¯ll win.¡¯

    Kenny looked around the huddle. Everyone was pissed, even the usual carefree Lonnie looked annoyed. Freddy was staring at the ground. Kenny moved closer and put an arm around his shoulders, he remembered how harshly the Coyotes had targeted Freddy when he was more inexperienced; it had only been his second-ever game.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t let them hurt you,¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®I¡¯m not worried about getting hurt ¡­ well, okay maybe I am, but not because of me, because of you guys. There¡¯s no one to fill in if I¡¯m hurt.¡¯

    Kenny looked around again. They only had eleven players, it was true. It was a fact they had had to deal with all season, and it had noticeably cost them in two games, maybe more. If the Coyotes wanted, they could try to injure any one of the Titans, and they¡¯d be without a replacement for the rest of the game and who knows how long after that until the player recovered.

    ¡®There¡¯s a target on all our backs, one hundred percent,¡¯ Pete said. ¡®We¡¯re just going to have to look out for one another.¡¯

    ¡®Bring it in, boys,¡¯ Coach Otsen said, pushing a fist into the middle of the huddle. The boys converged around it. ¡®Train like Titans, win like Titans.¡¯

    ¡®Train like Titans, win like Titans,¡¯ the boys echoed then broke apart to continue their training.

    Kenny¡¯s mind was firmly fixed on the upcoming game. Anger and determination were at the forefront. There was no way he could lose to such disgusting, filthy cheaters. But at the back of his mind, there was a gnawing worry¡ªhow far those depraved Coyotes would sink to try to break the Titans and win a game?

 Chapter 105: Dreams of Revenge

    Tyrese sat in the crowded History classroom, his hands against his forehead as he looked down at his desk, staring at the open textbook spread across it. Even though he was looking right at it, he didn¡¯t see any of the words on the pages.

    His mind was elsewhere, drifting into another reality, where he was on the football field, and the Vikings¡¯ star Receiver stood across from him.

    There had to be a way to stop Marshall and his bullshit fingertip catches, Ty thought. And he also thought he¡¯d found the perfect method to shut him down.

    All he had to do was stay right in front of Marshall. This was a lot easier said than done, of course, but if Ty couldn¡¯t do it, he didn¡¯t deserve to call himself the best.

    He thought he knew exactly how it would go, like he was running a simulation inside his head.

    The ball would be snapped, Marshall would come forward, pushing through Ty¡¯s press arrogantly, not backing down from the challenge. Marshall would feint this way, then go that way instead. Ty would be right there.

    He¡¯d stay in front of Marshall, never allowing him a free run or jump at the ball, and when it was thrown towards them, Ty would be in the better position, and with his long arms he could swat the ball away before Marshall got his fingers to it.

    The ball would roll to a stop ¡­ and then a yellow flag blanketed it.

    Too much contact. It was no good.

    Ty tried again, his brow furrowing in concentration. He could do the same thing, but instead of physically impeding Marshall, he¡¯d occupy the space in front of him. He wouldn¡¯t touch him, but he still wouldn¡¯t give him any space to move freely.

    The play happened again, this time Ty hadn¡¯t been bumping Marshall all the way. The ball spiralled towards them.

    ¡®¡­rese ¡­ Tyrese Samuels!¡¯

    The teacher¡¯s voice snapped Ty out of his daydream. He lowered his hands and looked towards the front of the class.

    ¡®I asked you if you could recite what I had just said, or were you not paying attention?¡¯

    The teacher¡¯s¡ªwhose name Ty couldn¡¯t recall for the life of him¡ªdroning voice, along with the murmur of the classroom had melted into the buzz of the crowd in Ty¡¯s dream field. He had no idea what the teacher had said.

    Ty told him as much.

    ¡®Hmph. You can stay behind after class, Tyrese. I need to speak with you.¡¯

    There were some snickers from the other kids but Ty looked away, doing his best to ignore them.

    The teacher didn¡¯t want anything important, he only urged Ty to do better and pay more attention in class, giving him some spiel that he was only hurting himself by not paying attention.

    Ty promised to do better. The teacher threatened him with detention then sent him on his way.

    When the final bell rang, Ty waltzed out into the halls, and started towards the practice field, his mind once again elsewhere.

    This time, ¡°King¡± Denzel was the opponent of his daydreams. It was just Denzel and Ty, on a wide field alone, and it was up to Ty to stop the runaway freight train that was Denzel in the open field.

    But Ty could only envision himself being run over. He might as well have been trying to stand against a speeding truck. Every which way he tried to tackle Denzel ended with him splatting against the turf like road kill.

    And then Ty ran into a REAL brick wall.

    He stumbled back, suddenly in the real world again, laughter ringing out all around him. He¡¯d walked face-first into the wall right beside the school¡¯s back exit.

    Ty ground his teeth. He would¡¯ve liked to say that he didn¡¯t hear the laughter at all, but he did. However, as he ducked through the door and out of the main building, he didn¡¯t look back. He didn¡¯t need to see the laughing faces to know they weren¡¯t important.

    Like clockwork, JJ and Rabbit arrived at the field around the same time as Ty did. As Ty was stretching, he looked over at the other two. JJ, the mass of muscle that he was, was a similar size and build to Denzel.

    ¡°Maybe ¡­¡± Ty shook the thought away and stood up, continuing to warm up in lonely silence.

    As practice officially got underway, Ty couldn¡¯t help but focus on the LBs as they went through their drills. Of course, every defensive player went through tackling drills in every practice, but never with the intensity that the LBs did.

    Ty watched them closely. They moved like they were hunting; like predators stalking their prey, and they waited for that perfect moment before they went in for the kill and pounced.

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    But how did they spot that moment of vulnerability? And did Denzel even have any openings?

    ¡®Samuels! You gonna participate? Or just sit there looking stupid?¡¯ Coach Hoang shouted.

    Ty blinked, he was suddenly at the front of the line. It was his turn to go through the drill. Currently, the DBs had to sprint forward to a cone five yards ahead of them, then they¡¯d stop and turn around, and dive to either the left or right, whichever way the QB had thrown the ball, to swat it out of the air.

    Ty watched the ball bounce along the ground after his failed attempt to pluck it from the air.

    ¡®Oh, and go ahead and run a lap while you¡¯re at it, Samuels. Maybe next time you¡¯ll pay more attention.¡¯

    Ty huffed but didn¡¯t say anything as he turned away and got started with his lap, running through it quickly. There was one thing he was sure of now¡ªhe needed stronger legs. Still.

    During one of the drinks breaks, Ty sought out Coach Hoang.

    ¡®Come to complain, Samuels?¡¯

    Ty shook his head. ¡®Actually, this was about our personal training. It¡¯d be good if we could focus on my jumping and leg strength during it.¡¯

    Coach Hoang looked up at him. ¡®What¡¯s brought this about?¡¯

    Ty shrugged. ¡®It¡¯s always good to have stronger legs.¡¯

    Coach Hoang stared at him silently, wanting more of an explanation.

    Ty frowned. ¡®And what¡¯s wrong with being faster? I won¡¯t have to worry about deep threats as much. If I can jump higher I can make up for the size differences easier. And, it helps my tackling too if it ever comes down to that.¡¯

    ¡®Tackling, huh? I thought it was better to stop them from getting the ball at all?¡¯

    ¡®Sometimes you can¡¯t,¡¯ Ty said. ¡®Sometimes you need to help stop their rushing attack.¡¯

    ¡®So you want legs strong enough to wrestle a bear?¡¯

    Ty cleared his throat. ¡®¡­Maybe. Either that, or strong enough so I don¡¯t die trying.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll keep that in mind. And I¡¯m glad you¡¯re taking the initiative to think of your faults and the things you want to work on. But for now, focus on the rest of the practice in front of you, no more distractions.¡¯

    Ty nodded and went back to get a drink, though found another distraction waiting for him.

    ¡®¡¯Sup,¡¯ Ricky said.

    Ty scowled down at him. ¡®What do you want?¡¯

    ¡®I see you didn¡¯t get a lot of action last week.¡¯

    ¡®Because they were scared. Strange to be scared by a seventy-five, don¡¯t you think?¡¯

    ¡®Hey, I did say you were looking more like an eighty, now. But¡­ no, why wouldn¡¯t a bunch of loser fifties be scared of someone like you? Anyway, don¡¯t you want to hear about the next team?¡¯

    ¡®No.¡¯ Ty sat down, grabbing his water bottle. He didn¡¯t care about whatever small fry team was put before him this week.

    ¡®Uhh, well, I mean, you probably won¡¯t get much action again this week, um, whether they¡¯re scared or not. They¡¯re another run-heavy team.¡¯

    Ty grunted in response, then set his bottle down. ¡®Have you found out more info about #14 from the Bears?¡¯

    Ricky gulped and shook his head, already inching away from Ty.

    ¡®Well hurry up!¡¯

    ¡®Hey! Fuck you, asshole! I¡¯m not your damn slave!¡¯ Ricky jumped aside as Ty swiped at him. He flipped Ty off and ran away.

    Ty watched him go, frustrations simmering. That dopey-headed fuck #14 was still an enigma, but he didn¡¯t have time to worry about the unknown. Nor did he care about whoever would be put before him this weekend¡ªafter he crushed them, they¡¯d just be another stepping stone to propel him closer to his revenge.

    Ty finished the rest of practice without any further disturbances or distractions. After it was over¡ªthere wasn¡¯t any team weight training in the school gym that day¡ªhe found JJ getting ready to leave, a few others surrounding him.

    ¡®Hey, JJ,¡¯ Ty said, cutting through the current conversation, which caused Deshaun and Stephen to glare at him more harshly than usual.

    ¡®What¡¯s up, Tyrese?¡¯

    ¡®We going to the gym after this?¡¯

    ¡®Ahh, sorry, I can¡¯t.¡¯

    ¡®Huh? Not like you to turn down a session at the gym, you¡¯re a junkie for that shit,¡¯ Deshaun said.

    JJ laughed. ¡®I got something else to do today, sorry. Promised mi chica I¡¯d take her on a date.¡¯

    There was a moment of silence throughout the group. Even Jay, who had been taking his customary after-training nap on a bench nearby, lifted his hat off his face to look over.

    Stephen was the first to break the silence. ¡®Your what?¡¯

    ¡®You mean, Monica?¡¯ Deshaun asked.

    JJ shook his head. ¡®Nah, nah, you guys wouldn¡¯t know her. She goes to a different school.¡¯

    ¡®Hah! Yeah, sure bro, and I¡¯m going out with a supermodel,¡¯ Deshaun said.

    Stephen snickered.

    ¡®What? It¡¯s true. I met her through work, she¡¯s my supervisor''s daughter.¡¯

    ¡®Hahaha, shit, I hope you weren¡¯t too attached to that job then,¡¯ Stephen laughed.

    ¡®Ah, screw you guys.¡¯ JJ waved them off dismissively. ¡®But, sorry Ty, I can¡¯t make it. I¡¯m busy today¡­ though, maybe you can take Max along, I¡¯ve been meaning to show him the ropes.¡¯

    Ty looked over at Rabbit sitting nearby, who quickly found the most interesting blade of grass to stare at.

    ¡®Uhh, no thanks. I¡¯ll just head home.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm¡­ eh, probably for the best. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re ready to show a newbie around yet, and I should be there for Max¡¯s first time.¡¯

    ¡®Right. Sorry, forget I asked. Have fun with your date or whatever.¡¯ Ty turned away.

    Rabbit bit his cheeks, keeping quiet as Ty wandered off.

    ¡°Talk about distractions,¡± Ty thought. ¡°What good is a girl when we¡¯re trying to conquer the nation?¡±

    However, instead of leaving for home, Ty veered towards Coach Hoang, who was still helping clean up.

    ¡®Could we do some extra training tonight?¡¯

    Coach Hoang stopped what he was doing and turned around. ¡®It¡¯s late, Samuels. You should get some rest, rest is just as important as any actual training you do.¡¯

    Ty clenched a fist by his side. ¡®But¡ª¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t want to hear it. Go home. Run for all I care.¡¯ Coach Hoang turned away again.

    Ty grumbled but didn¡¯t push it any further. His chest tightened with every step he took away from the field. The season was coming to an end, which meant his showdown with the Bears and/or Vikings was drawing nearer ¡­ and he didn¡¯t know if he was ready yet. He hoped the upcoming game would be a better test.

 Chapter 106: Game Day IX

    Coach Hoang looked through the rearview mirror and into the back seat of Coach Long¡¯s car, his eyes resting on Ty¡¯s reflection.

    ¡®I hear the Falcons are more of a run-heavy team.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah. I heard that too,¡¯ Ty said without looking away from the window. ¡®Do you know who their best Receiver is?¡¯

    ¡®Their top target is their starting TE. Do you think you can handle that kind of assignment?¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s the difference?¡¯ Megan asked.

    ¡®Don¡¯t you know anything?¡¯ Bella snapped, staring at the other girl like she was a dog that couldn¡¯t understand the command ¡°sit¡±.

    Megan huffed and turned away from Bella, looking to her big brother for help. ¡®Big brother?¡¯

    ¡®There isn¡¯t any,¡¯ he said. ¡®It just means they¡¯ll be a bit bigger than normal, probably slower though. And sometimes they¡¯ll be blocking instead of trying to catch a pass.¡¯

    ¡®And it means you¡¯ll be more involved with run defence if we decide to let you cover that TE,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®There¡¯s a lot of differences. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve had to cover a TE since the first week and well¡­ you had some struggles with that.¡¯

    Ty shot Coach Hoang a dirty look.

    ¡®But we¡¯re still thinking ¡®bout it. Besides, we¡¯ve got the JV game to worry ¡®bout first and foremost,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®Ain¡¯t that right, sweetie?¡¯ His eyes briefly met his daughter¡¯s in the mirror before he focused on the road again.

    ¡®Yeah, we¡¯ll win this one too,¡¯ Bella said.

    The car fell back into silence, and as Ty stared out the window at the oncoming arena, he felt today would be a good day to test how he¡¯d deal with a RB like Denzel.

    As Ty and Meg found their seats in the stands, they had their choice of the best seat in the house as the place was almost empty. Sure, they usually got to these away games pretty early when coming along with Coach Long, but still, it was emptier than usual.

    Ty settled into his selected seat. He felt calm and focused today, there was no boundless energy inside him that he needed to expunge by running all over the place. His mind was set on the game before him¡ªhe could bring one-half of his simulations to life today.

    Even if he didn¡¯t expect this RB to be anywhere close to Denzel¡¯s level, it¡¯d still be good practice.

    ¡®Ty?¡¯

    He looked at Meg sitting beside him. ¡®Hm?¡¯

    ¡®Would you ¡­ like me to read to you? While we wait?¡¯

    He looked at the cover of the book she held up and read the title: ¡°Of Mice and Men¡±. He thought about her offer for a moment. It¡¯s not like he had anything better to be doing. ¡®Sure.¡¯

    Her face brightened with a smile and she shuffled closer to him, almost edging over into his seat. She quickly flicked back to the start of the book and held the pages up before him so he could follow along, then she began to read aloud, her voice just quiet enough so only he would hear.

    Eventually, the members of both JV teams arrived, and both teams ducked into their respective locker rooms to prepare.

    Without interrupting Meg¡¯s reading, Ty had watched the players arrive, though he wasn¡¯t sure why he did¡ªthere was no one interesting to see from the JV teams.

    As the players arrived, so did more spectators, though it was still a relatively sparse crowd that was there for the beginning of the JV game.

    Just before the game started, Meg stopped reading and slipped a bookmark into the page they had gotten up to.

    Ty told her that she could continue reading if she wanted, but she said she didn¡¯t want to distract him from the game.

    ¡®Hah, I¡¯m sure there won¡¯t be anything I¡¯ll regret missing,¡¯ he said, earning him a couple of glares from Coach Hoang and Bella alike.

    Bella quickly pushed Ty¡¯s comment and his entire existence out of mind, focusing on the game as it began.

    It was a close and competitive one from beginning to end. It was so close that it even went into overtime after the Dons scored a field goal in the final minute of regulation to tie the game.

    It didn¡¯t get any less competitive throughout overtime, as even then it came down to the wire. With five seconds left in overtime, and the scores still tied at 30 at piece, the Falcons had the final play of the game, and one last opportunity to win it.

    They were going for a field goal. The kick would be a length of 39 yards, certainly gettable, but not guaranteed. (Hell, no kick is ever guaranteed to make it through the uprights, blocked or not, no matter how close it is.)

    The small stadium had filled out to half capacity by now, and nearly every spectator was holding their breath at the moment, awaiting the final kick that¡¯d decide the fate of the game.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    JJ was seated near Ty and Meg, and Ty could hear him frantically mumbling in Spanish. From the cadence and pleading sound, Ty suspected it was some kind of prayer.

    Meg sat next to him still, her hands partially covering her face, fingers crossed on both of them.

    Ty¡¯s jaw was set tightly as he sat with arms crossed over his chest. ¡°Hurry up and get this over with,¡± he thought. It was bad enough the game had gone into overtime and prolonged the start of his own, but to have dragged out all the way to the final seconds was incredibly frustrating.

    Even after the snap of the ball, the stadium was still almost silent, the sounds from the field amplified greatly as the players rammed into one another. The Dons did their best to disrupt the kick and block it, while the Falcons fought tooth and nail to hold them back.

    The Falcons¡¯ Kicker got his boot to ball cleanly, and as it flew off the ground, it soared into the air undisturbed, no Dons player able to get even a finger to it.

    For Ty, it all happened rather quickly, though just about anyone else who watched would¡¯ve said it was as if time slowed down to a snail¡¯s pace while the ball floated through the air. Then suddenly, the ball smashed into the right goalpost and bounced out, and the world sped back up.

    The Kicker looked as if he¡¯d just watched his childhood dog get run over. The crowd let out a dejected gasp, and then a small portion of the stadium burst into cheers as the few Dons supporters and members celebrated the miss.

    The game ended in a draw, and whilst Bella didn¡¯t keep her promise to continue winning, it was better than another loss on the JV team¡¯s record.

    Ty was just glad it was over, and before the teams had even gotten off the field, he was already heading towards the away team locker room.

    ¡°Why are they happy with a draw? How embarrassing. I¡¯d rather lose.¡±

    JJ joined him in the locker room as they waited for the JV team to arrive and then clear out their stuff so the varsity team could take over.

    ¡®Hell of a game, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡¯ JJ said.

    Ty shrugged. ¡®It was only close because of how sloppy both teams were.¡¯

    ¡®Hahah, maybe, but what else can you expect? Besides, it was still entertaining, and that¡¯s the important thing, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    Ty looked at him as if he had just said the sky was green. ¡®What?¡¯

    ¡®Well, okay maybe not the most important, but they all would¡¯ve had fun, and it was fun to watch, plus, close games like that are always a great learning experience. And a draw isn¡¯t as heartbreaking as a loss, right?¡¯

    Ty looked away. He thought back to the two losses he¡¯d suffered earlier this season and how wretched they¡¯d made him feel. ¡­But, he had no draws to compare them against. ¡®I¡¯ve never drawn before,¡¯ he told JJ.

    ¡®What? Really?¡¯

    ¡®You have?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, yeah, it was¡­ back in my freshman year, hah, feels like a lifetime ago. We were behind, just like the Dons this game. And yeah, it¡¯s pretty miserable that we JUST couldn¡¯t get past them, but it¡¯s better than nothing. Like, imagine carrying a boulder all the way up to what you think is the mountaintop, then, when you finally get there, you realise you¡¯re only halfway, but it''s over, you can¡¯t go any further. That¡¯s the kind of feeling, whereas a loss is like, getting halfway up, and then you trip and fall all the way back down.¡¯

    ¡®But you don¡¯t reach the top, you still fail,¡¯ Ty said.

    JJ laughed. ¡®If that¡¯s how you want to see it, sure.¡¯

    JJ and Ty went quiet as the JV team started to file into the locker room. As the exhausted boys sat down to rest and pull off their equipment, Coach Long and Bella stood before them.

    ¡®I¡¯m really proud of the work you guys all put in today,¡¯ Bella said.

    ¡®The way you boys clawed yourselves back into the game was inspiring. Don¡¯t feel too bad about not being able to get over that final hump. See this game as a loss that your hard work turned into a draw, that¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of,¡¯ Coach Long said.

    ¡®What are you two crowding around here for?¡¯ Coach Hoang had stopped at the door, addressing Ty and JJ.

    ¡®Are we a little overeager to play our game?¡¯ JJ said.

    ¡®Maybe a little. It¡¯s not too late to go for a run and burn off that extra energy if you need to, Samuels.¡¯

    ¡®Fuc¡­ no thanks.¡¯

    Coach Hoang chuckled.

    It wasn¡¯t long until the JV boys were spilling back out of the locker room, and as they went by, JJ made sure to congratulate every one of them, giving them a pat on the back as they passed him.

    Rabbit stopped and looked up at them, exhaustion evident on his face, though it didn¡¯t dampen his smile. ¡®Good luck you guys.¡¯

    Ty grunted in response. After the last of the JV players had left, he went further into the room and picked out his spot, dumping his bag down.

    ¡®Ready to give it your best, Tyrese?¡¯ Coach Long looked down at him.

    ¡®I¡¯m ready to win,¡¯ Ty said.

    Coach Long laughed. ¡®Good. I think we¡¯ll be starting soon, seeing as the first game went long.¡¯

    ¡®Can¡¯t start soon enough.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s the spirit.¡¯ Coach Long then stepped out and went to bring the rest of the varsity team into the locker room.

    Ty was geared up and ready for his upcoming battle before the rest of the team had even made it to the locker room.

    Coach Long kept his pregame speech short and sweet, and it wasn¡¯t long before the teams were out on the field, warming up across from one another.

    Ty looked across the field at the Falcons. Number 89 stood head and shoulders above the rest. ¡°That¡¯s the one. That¡¯s my prey.¡±

    Though he wasn¡¯t as big as Stephen or the ¡°Ogre¡± Ty faced in his first game with the Dons, wondered what kind of trouble the Falcons¡¯ large TE would give him ¡­ if they threw his way at all today. A smile crept across his lips as he thought of the Falcons giving him the same respect the Mustangs had.

    Ty would have to wait to find out, however, as the Dons lost the coin toss, and were made to receive the opening kick.

    Coach Long gathered the offence into a huddle. ¡®Let¡¯s capitalise on this chance and take the lead, boys. Go out there and set the tone for the game, take the lead and never look back. Family on three. One, two, three¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Family!¡¯ The huddle surged away from Coach Long and streamed onto the field.

    Despite the hostile crowd, which wasn¡¯t too raucous today, the Dons went out and on their opening drive did exactly what was asked of them.

    However, whilst Coach Long and the offence would¡¯ve been hoping for a touchdown to start the game, they had to settle for a field goal. It was still points on the board at least, and straight away they¡¯d taken the lead.

    It was up to JJ, Ty, and the rest of the Dons¡¯ defence if they kept that lead now.

    The Dons¡¯ kickoff resulted in a touchback, after which, Ty jogged onto the field, eager to come face-to-face with number 89 for the first time and see if he could add anything giant slayed to his r¨¦sum¨¦.

 Chapter 107: Stop the Run

    As Ty stopped in front of him, Number 89 reached a fist out towards Ty. ¡®Good luck to you and your team.¡¯

    Ty looked at the extended fist, then raised his own, however, instead of bumping the gentle giant¡¯s fist, Ty hammered his down on top of 89¡¯s ¡­ but 89¡¯s hand didn¡¯t budge.

    89 smiled, slowly retracting his hand. ¡®I was only wishing you luck ¡®cause you¡¯ll need it.¡¯

    Ty stepped back, chewing on his mouthguard.

    The game soon started, and the first play was a run. 89 burst forward, having an explosive first step for someone his size.

    Ty prepared to brush 89 aside, standing his ground as he turned his gaze to the Falcons¡¯ RB. Suddenly Ty found himself on his back, staring at the darkening sky.

    A stampede passed over Ty as the run continued past him, and was put to an end when the RB ran into JJ after a pick up of 5 yards.

    A hand thrust out in front of Ty¡¯s face. Ty followed the arm back to Donte, one of the team¡¯s OLBs, who looked down at him with pity.

    ¡®You alright, lil bro?¡¯ Donte asked.

    Ty smacked the hand aside and pushed himself onto his feet. ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯ He stomped back to the huddle without another word from him or Donte.

    On the way, he passed by a group of Falcons, congratulating the RB, who in turn applauded 89. ¡®Great block back there, Big E!¡¯

    89¡ªBig E¡ªlooked at Ty as they passed each other, his smirk told Ty that he should¡¯ve accepted the fist bump. Ty only scowled in return.

    The next time Ty lined up before ¡°Big E¡±, he stayed back a few extra steps, giving Big E more space.

    The next play was another run, and this time, Ty was the aggressor rushing towards Big E. Ty didn¡¯t worry about using any techniques or trying to brush off Big E¡¯s block, instead, he focused on avoiding the block altogether with his speed as he dashed to the outside. However, as he did so, he ran right into Donte, and the RB squeezed past through the opening on the inside of both defenders. As Ty and Donte took each other out, Big E could move forward and laid a block against JJ this time, the run gained 9 yards and a new first down for the Falcons.

    Donte forcibly pulled Ty to his feet now. ¡®Yo, what the hell was that? You gotta know your lane, and stay in it. If you¡¯re gonna loop around outside, let me know beforehand.¡¯

    Ty shrugged him off again. ¡®Fuck this, I shouldn¡¯t have to deal with this shit. I¡¯m not a LB or a Linemen, I¡¯m a fucking CB.¡¯

    ¡®Tell the coaches that, if you don¡¯t wanna deal with this shit and wanna go back to covering a WR, say that, and I¡¯ll take that big fucker, number 89.¡¯

    ¡®I didn¡¯t say any shit like that. 89 is MINE. I¡¯m not backing down from a challenge I¡¯ve already accepted.¡¯

    ¡®Then stop complaining and stay in your lane.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, hey, hey.¡¯ JJ moved over to break the two apart. ¡®We¡¯re all on the same team, we¡¯re all hermanos. We¡¯re all trying to win, so save that fighting for the other team.¡¯

    With a fresh set of downs, it looked like the Falcons would stick to the ground. As the QB turned to hand the ball off, Big E came forward to block Ty. However, when Ty dove towards the inside to get by Big E, Big E didn¡¯t even try to stop him.

    It was Play-Action, the QB kept the ball and looked to throw.

    Donte bumped into Big E as the TE sped by to the outside and then turned upfield. Ty scrambled after him. The QB floated the ball towards Big E. Without turning his head back, Ty leapt into the air, watching the position of Big E¡¯s hands as he prepared to catch the ball, Ty guessed the trajectory and swiped at the air above his head, knocking the ball out of its flight.

    Ty landed on the turf at the same time the ball did, staring at Big E. ¡®Keep running; The air belongs to me.¡¯

    Big E flashed a smile that was more of a grimace and returned to his huddle.

    It wasn¡¯t like they took Ty¡¯s advice to heart, but the Falcons weren¡¯t about to stop doing what was working. They kept running, and this time, whilst Ty initially skirted around Big E to confront the RB, just before he could lay the tackle, Big E sideswiped him and knocked him out of the way. However, that meant RB ran into Donte¡¯s path, and Donte pulled him down after a gain of 3 yards.

    The Falcons kept the ball rolling, and despite staring down the barrel of a 3rd down¡ªand Ty¡¯s warning¡ªthey returned to the air. Big E wasn¡¯t the target this time, instead, they hit a Receiver on the opposite side of the field for a gain of 7 yards and another first down.

    As the Dons huddled together afterwards, JJ said. ¡®It¡¯s alright, keep at it, don¡¯t let them get to you, we just need to stop them three times, that¡¯s all. We¡¯ve got this.¡¯

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    The short speech inspired the Dons to stuff the Falcons'' next play¡ªa Draw that only netted them 2 yards but taught them a valuable lesson: they can¡¯t run up the middle. Not only was JJ the closest to the middle and always willing to crash down and smash apart anything up the gut, but even the DTs were formidable obstacles.

    On their next run, the Falcons targetted Ty and Big E¡¯s side, and again, right as Ty was going to make the tackle, Big E hit him from the side and pushed him out of the contest; the RB gained 5 yards on the play.

    On 3rd down, the Falcons were headed towards Ty¡¯s side again. Whilst they weren¡¯t racing away down the field this way, they were getting consistent gains, and when all they needed were 3 more yards, it was as safe a bet as any.

    That¡¯s why the Dons committed so heavily to stopping the run on that side, and that¡¯s why, when the RB stopped in his tracks and cut back to the opposite side of the field, running against the grain of his blocking, it worked so well.

    He ripped off a 15-yard run before he was finally pushed out of bounds and right into the waiting arms of his bench.

    ¡®Dat¡¯s what I¡¯m talkin¡¯ ¡®bout Alejandro!¡¯ the coach cheered.

    Alejandro flipped the ball to the nearest official, and trotted back to the huddle with a smug grin.

    ¡®Yo, lil bro.¡¯ Donte came towards Ty, but Ty waved him off.

    ¡®Worry about your shit, I got this.¡¯

    Ty took his stance a little closer to the line again. The Center snapped the ball, and again, Ty initially avoided Big E¡¯s block. The added wrinkle was, that just before he¡¯d meet the RB, Ty suddenly lunged towards Big E before he could get him from the side. One of Ty¡¯s long arms struck as quick as a snake and hit Big E square in the chest, held him at bay long enough, then Ty used him as a springboard and pushed off towards the RB to wrap him up in a strong tackle and held him to a gain of only 2 yards.

    Big E rubbed his chest, surprised by the sudden assault, then helped Alejandro up and over to the huddle.

    The Falcons tried another Counter run, though this time they were stuffed for a loss of 1 yard as the Dons were more aware and cautious of the cutback, and the following pass, whilst avoiding Ty again, only netted them 8 yards and left them only a single yard short of another first down.

    But the Dons¡¯ celebrations were cut short as they realised the Falcons¡¯ offence was staying on the field. They weren¡¯t sending out their kicking unit despite being well within range; they weren¡¯t going for the tie, they wanted the lead.

    The Dons hurried to their positions, though as Ty lined up, Donte nudged him and muttered. ¡®Outside.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s brow furrowed, but he ignored Donte and focused on Big E. With how close the Falcons were to a first down, he knew the ball would be in Alejandro¡¯s hands, though he didn¡¯t know whether or not they¡¯d try another run up the middle.

    After the snap, Donte cut inside in front of Ty and engaged Big E as he tried to force his way towards the middle, cutting off the inner lane.

    Ty had no choice but to dart around the outside; he came face to face with Alejandro. Ty finally had a good look at the boy, and realised he wouldn¡¯t have been much older than him, a year at most, if Alejandro wasn¡¯t also a freshman. Nor was Alejandro much bigger than Ty, maybe there was a couple of inches of height difference, and a few extra pounds of muscle mass, but Alejandro looked bulkier, having a stouter, more compact build rather than Ty¡¯s slim, long-limbed frame.

    Alejandro shifted towards the inside and Ty jumped to cut it off, but it was just a feint. Alejandro juked to the outside, Ty stretched out and got his hands on him. Alejandro swatted one aside, but the other clung onto his jersey. As Ty stumbled towards the ground, he tried to pull Alejandro with him, but he felt the stretching Jersey slipping from his grasp.

    Alejandro was breaking free and would cross the chains to earn another first down ¡­ then he ran into a brick wall named JJ.

    Alejandro crumpled to the turf, and though he held onto the ball, it didn¡¯t matter, he hadn¡¯t earned any yards, the Dons would be rewarded with the ball on a turnover of downs seeing as the Flacons had failed to gain 10 yards in their four attempts.

    The small section of Dons supporters cheered, their volume more than making up for their lack of numbers as the Dons offence took over, congratulating JJ for his big hit as they passed him.

    The praising of JJ didn¡¯t stop when he sat on the bench, the coaches made sure he knew just how important that big hit and stop was for the state of the game. But as this happened, Donte sat beside Ty.

    ¡®What do you want?¡¯ Ty said.

    ¡®Yo, what¡¯s with the hostility? I¡¯m just tryin¡¯ to help. Look, I¡¯m gonna sit on your inside now, and every play, no matter what, I¡¯ll bump that TE. Now, if it''s a run, he¡¯s gonna bump me back and start blocking me, but, if it''s a pass, he¡¯ll run right by me and be all yours. Still, you¡¯ll be in a better position if it is a pass, and he¡¯ll be a second behind on his route, right? Then if it¡¯s a run, you¡¯re free to get past on the outside and cut off the RB like you did just before.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s a great plan,¡¯ JJ¡ªwho stood nearby¡ªsaid, then resumed chugging his Gatorade.

    Ty didn¡¯t say anything, he didn¡¯t have anything to argue with. It sounded like a solid plan, so he deferred to the experience of the two LBs who knew more about this sort of situation.

    He wondered if this was the kind of shit that Slot corners (The Slot refers to the innermost Wide Receiver and Cornerback) had to deal with regularly, and was glad he didn¡¯t have to worry about things like this when he was playing on the outside.

    Back on the field, the Dons were marching down it, thanks in large part to Benny and Cole rather than Stephen and Chris.

    The Falcons'' defence was quite experienced with stopping the run, and Chris was struggling to break through for any major gains, likewise, thanks to practising against Big E, they weren¡¯t too bothered by Stephen¡¯s size¡ªdespite him having a couple of inches on the Falcons¡¯ giant.

    But on this drive, Cole and Benny picked up the slack and carved through the Falcons'' defence together. Soon the Dons were knocking on the door of the endzone.

    That was when JJ was called out to join the offence and took up his position as a fullback, and Cameron came on to replace Chris as he was better suited for these goalline situations where power was more valuable than agility.

    Following JJ¡¯s lead block, Cameron charged in for the final yard and put the first touchdown of the game on the board.

    The extra point was good, and the Dons were in high spirits as their defence returned to the field after the Falcons'' short kick return had them starting at the 21-yard line.

    Ty was eager to enact the new plan Donte had come up with, and see how things would play out after implementing it.

    Yes, they had stopped the Falcons from scoring on their first drive, but that was only because the Falcons were greedy and didn¡¯t settle for the field goal; Ty couldn¡¯t let them get that close again.

 Chapter 108: No Manâ€™s Land

    The opening play of the Falcons¡¯ second drive was another run, and it went exactly as Donte had planned. Big E stayed back to deal with Donte and prevent him from getting a free run at Alejandro, so that meant Ty was the one who caught Alejandro one-on-one.

    This time, Ty stuck to the outside, making sure Alejandro couldn¡¯t get past him that way, and when Alejandro tried to squeeze by the fighting Big E and Donte, Ty pounced and brought him down for only a yard.

    ¡®Yes! See what I mean!?¡¯ Donte laughed loudly as he yoinked Ty off Alejandro and onto his feet. ¡®Keep doin¡¯ that and they¡¯ll never run over here again.¡¯

    ¡®Uhh, right.¡¯ Ty cleared his throat and dusted himself off. A little embarrassed to be manhandled so easily, even if it was by his teammate. ¡®Then maybe I¡¯ll show them why they can¡¯t throw the ball either.¡¯

    Donte smacked Ty¡¯s helmet. ¡®Hell yeah, lil bro.¡¯

    Ty pushed his helmet back up and glared at Donte as they returned to the huddle.

    On 2nd down, the Falcons already took flight and returned to the air, though they still sought out a target other than Big E. The pass still ended in an incompletion as Deshaun batted the ball away from the intended Receiver.

    ¡®Get that shit outta my face!¡¯ Deshaun said, taunting the Falcons as the teams returned to their huddles.

    The Falcons were back on 3rd down, and still with 9 yards to go before they earned another 1st¡ªthey were in dire straights, so of course, they went back to the run.

    Big E stayed in to block Donte again, but as Ty sped past to confront Alejandro, Alejandro came away empty-handed from his meeting with the QB. Ty realised too late that it was a pass, as Big E let Donte by and slipped out behind him into the open.

    Ty turned to pursue him once again, however, the QB was already motioning to flip the ball over Ty¡¯s head. Ty stopped, and from a standing base, launched himself into the air, arms outstretched.

    He saw the ball floating towards him, it was as if everything was drifting through space, moving silently in slow motion. He knew he wouldn¡¯t reach the ball, so he twisted in mid-air, stretching further with just one hand. As the ball passed by, his fingertip brushed against it, disrupting its flight.

    The ball tumbled to the ground behind Ty. He turned in time to see Donte dive in. His hands extended, they cradled the ball and dragged it in against his chest as he crashed against the turf.

    An official signalled the interception, and Big E blanketed Donte, preventing him from getting up and stopping his interception return before it could even begin.

    The Dons¡¯ fans exploded with excitement, though none screamed louder than Donte himself. ¡®WOOOOOO!¡¯ He held the ball high like it was the greatest treasure in the world, and the team swarmed around him, sharing in his joy.

    All except Ty. Ty was kicking himself that he couldn¡¯t reach the interception. He knew it would¡¯ve been a touchdown if only he could¡¯ve jumped that little bit higher, or reached an inch further. He was the only Don in a bad mood when he reached the bench.

    ¡®I guess your growth spurt can¡¯t come quick enough, huh, Samuels?¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®No wonder you want to focus on increasing your vertical.¡¯

    Ty grumbled at him but didn¡¯t say anything.

    Soon enough, the first quarter ended, and the Dons took a 10-point lead into the second quarter.

    To open the second quarter, the Dons couldn¡¯t fully capitalise on the extremely favourable starting field position the interception had bought them and only achieved a field goal.

    But the Falcons were still struggling themselves. They soon found themselves on 3rd down again, looking at another three-and-out, after an incomplete pass and a short run that only gained 4 yards.

    They looked to Big E to bail them out. There was no trickery or play-action this time, just a straight-up pass, following a straight-up route.

    Ty¡¯s eyes lit up when it happened, and he welcomed the challenge. He stuck with Big E all the way, not falling for the feint inside, and rode the giant¡¯s hip as they raced towards the sideline.

    The QB threw the ball high, making use of Big E¡¯s height advantage. Ty was frustrated, even as he was able to get a hand to it and knock it free from Big E¡¯s grasp; he was annoyed he didn¡¯t intercept it.

    Another pick-six missed, he thought, all because he couldn¡¯t jump high enough.

    But the Falcons remained scoreless, punting the ball away for the first time that game. The Dons also failed to score on their next drive, and neither team impacted the scoreboard for the rest of the first half.

    They went into the major break with the score reading 0¨C13 in the Dons¡¯ favour.

    The Dons¡¯ coaches were happy with the effort and results so far, though if anything, the offence was lacking, and their main worry during halftime was trying to find ways to get Stephen and Chris more involved.

    Ty had something on his mind. It wasn¡¯t just his jumping power he needed to improve, he realised. So what if he was only getting one hand to the ball, wasn¡¯t Marshall only getting his fingertips to the bullshit catches he pulled off?

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    As the team sat around, catching their breath and resting before the second half, Ty approached JJ with a question in mind.

    ¡®Is there a way to improve your grip strength?¡¯ he asked while sitting next to JJ. ¡®I mean at the gym, any workouts for that?¡¯

    ¡®Haha, of course, hermano, but what¡¯s this about?¡¯

    ¡®I just, think that if I have a stronger grip, I can pull in one-handed catches easier.¡¯

    ¡®You sure are worried about catches for a defensive player.¡¯

    ¡®Interceptions are important.¡¯

    ¡®Haha, I know, I know, I¡¯m just messing with you. Hmm, weren¡¯t you worried about your legs before? I mean, I¡¯m glad you want to work on yourself so much, but you can¡¯t have everything at once, all this stuff takes time and hard work. Try not to overload your plate.¡¯

    ¡®I won¡¯t forget about the other parts of my body I need to improve, and I won¡¯t overwork myself.¡¯

    JJ thought he saw a spark in Ty¡¯s eye. ¡®Mm, I¡¯m not so sure about that last part, but alright, next time we work out together, I¡¯ll show you some stuff that can help with that.¡¯

    Ty exhaled and visibly relaxed. ¡®Thanks, JJ.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t mention it, Ty, that¡¯s what friends and teammates are for, right?¡¯

    ¡®Right.¡¯ Ty nodded. With that burning question put to rest, he could focus on the second half, and continuing the shutout.

    The Falcons received the kickoff to open the second half. A slippery DB, quite slim and small but with feet like lightning, brought the ball out to the 29-yard line before being stopped.

    For the Falcons¡¯ first play of the new half, they went back to their strengths in the running game, but even with their adjustments, they couldn¡¯t get anything going.

    Now, instead of Big E engaging Donte¡ªas he and Ty were still using the same strategy¡ªBig E would pass him off to the RT and move up to block Ty, but that didn¡¯t work. Donte was too quick, and Big E hadn¡¯t given him enough of a bump to slow him down to the point where the RT could get in front of him and stop him, Donte rumbled right by and tackled Alejandro in the backfield for a loss of 2 yards.

    Even when the Falcons tried the other side of the field with a run, they only got 3 yards and found themselves in another 3rd and long situation.

    It came down to another pass, though the Dons¡¯ defenders did a great job of covering all Receivers, the QB was left with only Big E to throw to over the middle this time. Even if Ty was right there, the height difference was big enough that the QB felt if he could just get the ball that little bit higher, then Ty wouldn¡¯t be able to reach and Big E could still come down with a reception.

    As the ball was in flight, Ty had somewhat of an epiphany, another one after his idea of grip strength came to him, but this one was inspired by Donte instead of Marshall.

    He thought back to Donte¡¯s interception earlier in the game, how he had caught the ball off of Ty¡¯s deflection, and that was where Ty¡¯s idea came from¡ªif he couldn¡¯t catch it in one grab, he¡¯d tap the ball to himself.

    He leapt and stretched again, and got his fingers to the ball once more, this time he pushed the ball upwards higher into the air, and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he sprung back up.

    Big E saw what Ty was doing, and jumped back for the bobbled ball as well. He was taller, and didn¡¯t have as far to go, but Ty had more explosiveness in his second jump. Ty¡¯s long arms propelled his hands to the ball first, and he snatched it away from Big E before the giant could claim it for his own.

    There was no chance of a return, as Big E grabbed Ty immediately and the two tumbled to the turf, but Ty didn¡¯t care at that point, from the middle of the field, it was unlikely he¡¯d get a touchdown on the return anyway. He had his interception, and that was the important thing.

    He laughed as he stood up from under Big E, turning to grin at the TE. ¡®I told you not to pass, I warned you. This is YOUR fault.¡¯ He shoved the ball into Big E¡¯s gut and pranced over to the Dons¡¯ sideline.

    The Falcons were caught in no man¡¯s land with their wings clipped. A stout, impenetrable wall towered all around them, impossible to break through on the ground, and if they dared try to fly over it, a madman was waiting to swat them from the sky. Things were looking bleak.

    And they didn¡¯t get any more hopeful for the Falcons or their crowd after the Dons¡¯ next drive. This time they managed to capitalise on the interception the defence had gifted them with, and quickly as well. It didn¡¯t take long for them to score the next touchdown of the game.

    It was Stephen who scored this time. Whilst the Falcons'' Zone defence could collapse on a tall Receiver and stop them from dominating close and mid-range passes¡ªlike how Big E preferred to work in the passing game¡ªthey still struggled trying to deal with such a big body when it came to deep threats, which Stephen and the Dons could exploit.

    The scoring play was a long one, a pass down the sideline of over 30 yards, and the Dons¡¯ kicking game remained perfect as the extra point was good, and the lead ballooned out to 20 points.

    The game was still early in the second half, and whilst hard, a comeback wouldn¡¯t be impossible for the Falcons, but they didn¡¯t even try; hope had been sucked out of them, and they were outmatched.

    The Dons continued their shutout and held the Falcons scoreless for the remainder of the game. Before the game was said and done, Chris got involved with the scoring as well, now more involved in the passing game rather than trying to do damage on the ground¡ªrun defence was the one bright spot for the Falcons this game¡ªhe caught a touchdown reception of his own, albeit much shorter than Stephen¡¯s at only 8 yards.

    But that was the last score of the game, so it ended with a 0¨C27 victory for the Dons.

    The celebrations in the locker room after the game were loud and energetic, but also brief. Coach Long addressed his boys as always.

    ¡®I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better game today, I¡¯m really impressed with how you boys have played these past couple of weeks. You all deserve to celebrate, but I know you all deserve to get home and enjoy your rest as well, so I¡¯ll keep things brief tonight. I wish I could give all of you the game ball tonight, though if there was a second most deserving recipient, that would have to be Jay. I know our run game struggled tonight, and the Falcons did a great job of shutting down anything on the ground, but thanks to Jay¡¯s guidance and cool head, our offence still had a hell of a game through his arm and the passing attack. With that said, I gotta give over tonight¡¯s game ball and MVP to the leader of the shutout, and a player who stepped up big time despite having a slightly different role tonight, Tyrese. This one¡¯s for you, buddy.¡¯

    All was right with the world¡ªTy was getting the acknowledgement and reward he justly deserved. He stood up, his head held high and chest puffed out, and strode over to accept the game ball from Coach Long with a quiet utterance of thanks.

    The ride home was a peaceful one. Ty clutched the ball tight against his chest and stared out the window, watching the stars fly past.

    The game was over, yet his job wasn¡¯t finished. He knew he still had to get much, MUCH stronger.

 Chapter 109: Into the Coyotesâ€™ Den

    ¡®You okay?¡¯ Tommy asked Jackson, who was in the passenger seat.

    ¡®Hm? I¡¯m fine ¡­ why?¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯re just, quieter than usual, that¡¯s all.¡¯

    Jackson frowned. He had a lot on his mind. He was worried about the upcoming game.

    The Coyotes¡¯ home field came into view. It was a compact place, hemmed in with trees that seemed small against the back of the towering stands, the car park across the street looked full.

    ¡®You worried about your teammates?¡¯ Tommy asked. ¡®These guys were assholes last time you played, right?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, and that was before we pissed them off.¡¯

    ¡®I wouldn¡¯t worry about it so much. Even jackasses like these wouldn¡¯t do anything to get them suspended. The whole school could get fined if too many of their players do something dumb like that.¡¯

    Jackson wasn¡¯t so sure. He thought Tommy was seriously underestimating just how stupid jackasses like the Coyotes could be.

    It took them a couple minutes to find a park, and when they stepped out of the car, the air was thick with tension even without stepping foot on the field.

    They crossed the street and entered the field. The stands were already almost full, and the air only became thicker and hotter as they stood in the midst of them.

    As Tommy and Jackson climbed the steps to find a seat behind the Titans¡¯ bench, they could FEEL the hostility in the air. There was such animosity in the environment, Jackson imagined only the middle of a desert could compare to the hot and oppressive presence in the air that day, like it was waiting with glee for the moment someone keeled over.

    When they sat down, both teams were still down in their locker rooms, and the crowd was growing restless.

    In the Titans¡¯ room, Coach Otsen stood before his players. ¡®I know you can all feel it. There¡¯s nothing more those vultures in the stands would like to see than for you to all walk out of here defeated. Not just beaten on the field, but mentally broken too. Are you going to give them that satisfaction?¡¯

    There was a quiet but firm response from the boys: ¡®No.¡¯

    ¡®Good. Now, if you¡¯re going to win, I need you all to keep a cool head, at the same time, that doesn¡¯t mean you can let those bastards walk all over you. Make sure the officials see their bullshit, anytime they¡¯re fouling you or cheating, don¡¯t retaliate, just make it clear. And you stick up for one another, if they¡¯re pushing us around, we need to band together and show them that we won¡¯t be their punching bags. But DON¡¯T do anything stupid. Keep it clean, don¡¯t do anything I wouldn¡¯t.¡¯

    Some of the boys exchanged looks, wondering just how far the fearsome Coach Otsen would push things to stand against the Coyotes if HE was out there playing.

    ¡®And most importantly, show them that Titans won¡¯t ever break.¡¯

    Kenny looked at Freddy with a flash of worry.

    Within the Coyotes¡¯ room, they had a similarly quiet, focused atmosphere.

    ¡®They¡¯re more fragile than they think,¡¯ Coach Kelly said, ¡®today, we teach them that important lesson. Not just physically, but mentally too. They can¡¯t handle the pressure of OUR house. This won¡¯t be like the last time we faced them. Today, we CRUSH them. Remember, there is strength in numbers, everything is done for the good of the pack. Go out there and make them understand.¡¯

    He watched as the Coyotes stalked out of the room. There was no final huddle for them, no warcry that gave them a burst of adrenaline as they leapt into the fire of battle. They were going out to hunt, and they went to meet their prey with cold, calculated savagery.

    The Titans emerged from their room first and were greeted with a loud drone of boos.

    Tommy scoffed. ¡®What a crazy atmosphere for a JV game ¡­ you¡¯d think WE¡¯RE the bad guys, here.¡¯

    ¡®Even the bad guys think they¡¯re the heroes, right?¡¯ Jackson looked around. ¡®To them, we really are the villains.¡¯

    The boos eventually faded into that restless buzz of anticipation, which evolved into a deafening thunder as the Coyotes finally marched onto the field. The stands shook as the home crowd stamped their feet wildly. Howls blared from speakers all around the field, and even some of the more rowdy supporters joined the call.

    The Titans mimicked their coaches and stood as stoic as mountains under the barrage of noise, staring down their opponents.

    Kenny, Lonnie, and Pete went to centrefield for the coin toss, meeting with the Coyotes¡¯ captains.

    The Coyotes¡¯ QB, with the spider-like eyes, and long, thin arms, sneered at Kenny. ¡®Long time no see. I hope you didn¡¯t forget our little promise.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll beat you so bad you¡¯ll go crying home to your mama, if that puta is even around still.¡¯

    The scar-faced MLB stepped forward, grunting like a rhino. ¡®Watch it, amigo. When I¡¯m done with you, you¡¯re gonna wish your family of rats had been deported back to where you belong.¡¯

    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡®The fuck you say? Don¡¯t talk about my family or I¡¯ll¡ª¡¯

    Kenny held Pete back from attacking Scar-Face and an official stepped in.

    ¡®That¡¯s enough, Arcadia. That¡¯s your last warning, don¡¯t make me disqualify you from the toss.¡¯

    ¡®But he¡ª!¡¯

    Lonnie stepped in this time, pushing Pete back. ¡®We¡¯ll take tails, sir,¡¯ he said to the official, staring deadpan at the Coyotes.

    The Coyotes snickered more like hyenas. The coin spun in the air and landed heads up.

    ¡®We defer the opening kick,¡¯ Spider said.

    ¡®Fine,¡¯ Lonnie said, already turning to walk back to the huddle, Kenny still dragging Pete away.

    ¡®Break a leg!¡¯ The Coyotes Safety shouted.

    Kenny glared back at him, the villain¡¯s tackle¡ªand what he thought of as attempted murder¡ªon Freddy replaying in his mind.

    When Coach Otsen heard the results of the coin toss, he pulled Kenny aside. ¡®Don¡¯t let them start shit, they want to make a statement on this kickoff, but we can stimey them right away. Take the touchback, don¡¯t bring the ball out.¡¯

    Kenny nodded. He had full intentions to follow Coach Otsen¡¯s advice, but when the kickoff happened, the ball was 10 yards short of the end zone, and Kenny was forced to take off running.

    He brought it back out to the 31-yard line before he was taken down, but then, when he was already on the ground, another Coyotes player jumped on top of him to ¡°finish the tackle¡±.

    The crowd cheered like the bloodthirsty mob they were, and no flag was thrown on the play. Tommy glared around at his and Jackson¡¯s neighbours.

    Kenny was eventually helped up from under the pile of Coyotes, his teammates dusting him off. ¡®You good, Kenny?¡¯

    ¡®Ngh, yeah, I¡¯m fine.¡¯ He gave the Coyotes a dirty look. ¡®Fucking assholes.¡¯

    ¡®Let¡¯s show those motherfuckers who they¡¯re messing with,¡¯ Isaac said.

    Before the Coyotes¡¯ defence took the field, Coach Kelly pulled the captains aside. He looked at The MLB first. ¡®Trent.¡¯ His eyes turned to the CB who looked as ghoulish as ever. ¡®Edgar,¡¯ and finally he looked at the sadistic Safety. ¡®Tyreek. You all know your mission; you know who their weak links are. Do you want them to embarrass you, AGAIN, in front of your families this time?¡¯

    ¡®No!¡¯ the three captains snarled.

    ¡®Then go break them!¡¯

    ¡®Break them!¡¯ Trent echoed as the three turned away and prowled onto the field.

    The Titans broke away from their huddle and Kenny once again found himself standing opposite the most punchable face he¡¯d ever seen.

    ¡®Hello~¡¯ Edgar said. His was the kind of grin that would¡¯ve been more appropriate on a Halloween mask.

    ¡®You fuckers are gonna regret ever messing with us,¡¯ Kenny said.

    The Titans snapped the ball.

    Kenny thrust aside Edgar¡¯s hands and burst to the outside of the field, streaking down the sideline. He had the step, punishing Edgar¡¯s overaggressiveness. He was open, just like the Titans had expected him to be. Pete flung the ball over.

    Kenny leapt and stretched out towards the ball, but as he did so, Edgar latched onto the collar of his pads and kept him chained to the ground. Edgar jumped into the air, using Kenny to propel himself higher, he swatted the ball away and the two fell to the ground, Edgar making sure to yank Kenny down further so he crashed hard.

    Kenny rolled to a stop then pushed himself up, looking around for a flag, but there was none. His eyes locked on the nearest official. ¡®What the fuck was that? Are you even looking?!¡¯

    The official acted as if he hadn¡¯t heard Kenny.

    ¡®Stop bitching and play, pussy,¡¯ Edgar said, shoving Kenny in the back.

    Kenny whirled around and ran up to Edgar, shoving him in retaliation. Edgar laughed as he fell on his ass. He looked up at the official, spreading his arms in a silent plea.

    A whistle blew and a yellow flag fluttered to the ground between the two boys. Kenny stared at the official in disbelief.

    ¡®Unsportsmanlike conduct! Offence: number 13.¡¯

    The crowd hollered as if they¡¯d just scored when the head official addressed them and announced the personal foul which pushed the Titans back 15 yards.

    ¡®Is this game rigged or what?¡¯ Jackson whispered to Tommy.

    ¡®Maybe ¡­ talk about a home-field advantage. They aren¡¯t good enough to win on their own so they have to cheat,¡¯ Tommy said, a little too loudly for Jackson¡¯s liking.

    Another whistle blew, this time from the sideline as an official signalled a timeout for the Titans.

    Kenny sighed heavily, shoulders sagging as he trudged back to the bench, wilting under Coach Otsen¡¯s intense glare.

    When the whole team stood around the bench, there was over ten seconds of silence before Coach Otsen finally addressed them. ¡®Why am I upset?¡¯ he asked.

    ¡®Because I got dragged into their shit and stooped to their level, but they fouled me! Anyone with eyes could see that, and the umpire didn¡¯t do a damn thing even though he was standing right there. They even pushed me first!¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want to hear any excuses. Are you going to let them win by getting under your skin so easily? So what they pushed you? So what they missed one foul call? Are you going to throw a fit every time you don¡¯t get a flag you want? You¡¯re better off hanging up your cleats right now if that¡¯s the case.¡¯

    Kenny looked away, biting his tongue.

    ¡®Stay here,¡¯ Coach Otsen said before he stormed off to the huddle of officials. Though that didn¡¯t let the boys off the hook, they were still under the disappointed¡ªand harsher¡ªgaze of Coach Knight.

    The officials turned their attention to Coach Otsen as he stood beside them. ¡®Well, are we going to have a fair game? Or should my players and I go home right now if you¡¯re just going to hand the Coyotes the win?¡¯

    ¡®Now now, Coach Otsen. It¡¯s YOUR boys, who are the only ones breaking the rules at this point.¡¯

    ¡®Cut the shit,¡¯ Coach Otsen snapped. ¡®I just need you old boys to do your jobs and keep things safe and fair for EVERYONE involved. Besides, I¡¯d hate to have to tell the board about this game and have them investigate the officiating.¡¯

    The officials looked at one another and then gave Coach Otsen some rather forced smiles.

    Satisfied, Coach Otsen turned away and returned to the sideline. ¡®One last thing before you guys head onto the field. If any of you lay a hand on a Coyote when the play¡¯s already dead, you¡¯ll be doing ten push-ups at the next practice. ¡­ with JUST that hand.¡¯

    The Titans jogged onto the field with revived focus. ¡®Sorry for the fuck up, guys,¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it, amigo. We¡¯ve got your back, let¡¯s show these motherless pendajos why they can¡¯t fuck with us.¡¯

    Even though it was 2nd down with 25 yards to go for another first, the Titans were as determined as ever while they stared their opponents down.

 Chapter 110: First Blood

    Pete dropped back to pass, but at the last moment handed the ball over to Isaac for a Draw play.

    Isaac spotted a gap up the middle and darted for it. Just as he squeezed through, someone kicked his shin and he tumbled to the ground. He was marked down after a gain of only a yard, and when he didn¡¯t spot a flag for the trip, he threw the ball away in frustration.

    His teammates helped him to his feet, reminding him not to worry about it. ¡®This is bullshit,¡¯ he said.

    In the stands, his sentiment was shared by a fraction of the crowd.

    ¡®It¡¯s bullshit,¡¯ Jackson grumbled.

    ¡®Yeah ¡­ and the bullshit has only just begun,¡¯ Tommy said.

    Back on the field, the Titans tested the air again on 3rd down; they had to seeing as they still had over 20 yards to go for a first down. The Coyotes knew this and were all playing far back, not allowing many openings unless it was for something short.

    The pressure closed in around Pete, the defence started to force their way around his O-Line¡¯s blocks; he had to get the ball out.

    Lonnie was the best target available, and whilst he caught the ball, he was soon swarmed by a pack of Coyotes. They didn¡¯t take him to the ground immediately, but he wasn¡¯t going anywhere even as he tried his best to force his way downfield yard by yard.

    As the pack of Coyotes kept Lonnie standing, they pressed close. Fists and elbows rained down on his arms, side, and chest as he curled around the ball and protected it. Though the Coyotes didn¡¯t seem to be aiming for the ball, just making it look like they were trying to force it out of his hands, while their real goal was inflicting as much pain and punishment onto Lonnie as they could before the officials blew the play dead ¡­ and those officials must¡¯ve swallowed their whistles because they let the Coyotes maul Lonnie for a good while before another Titan crashed the party and brought the whole pack to the turf.

    When the pile dispersed, Lonnie still had the ball in his battered arms. He was nowhere near the first down marker¡ªthe Titans would have to punt.

    Nick¡¯s punt spiralled the ball out of bounds at the Coyote¡¯s 36-yard line, and the Titans had their first attempt at defence for the day.

    Spider swept his tongue across his lips as he led his pack onto the field for the first time. His eyes fell upon Freddy positioned downfield, and he gleamed with hunger.

    But the Coyotes would learn on their first play that Freddy wasn¡¯t the same, timid boy from their last encounter. He wasn¡¯t a weakness that they needed to hide.

    Spider tugged his trusty TE close and grinned at the tank of a man. ¡®Go deep, Terry,¡¯ was all Spider said in the huddle.

    Terry grunted in acknowledgement.

    Of course, Terry¡¯s deep route led him straight into the path of Freddy, as they were TRYING to throw it right at Freddy instead of away from him like they would any other defender.

    Freddy charged fearlessly at the ball and launched into the air, knowing Terry was headed right for him, but he didn¡¯t care. He tapped the ball aside with one hand and used the other arm to protect himself as best he could as Terry smashed right through him.

    Lonnie rushed over and knocked Terry away from Freddy, before helping Freddy up. ¡®Hey¡­you okay?¡¯

    Freddy nodded and flashed a grin. ¡®I stopped him, right?¡¯

    Lonnie grinned back. ¡®Yeah¡­you did.¡¯

    The Coyotes sulked back to their huddle, eyes glinting as they watched Freddy, annoyed with the outcome of their ploy.

    That wasn¡¯t the only dirty tactic the Coyotes used on offence, the Titans¡¯ D-Line was neutralised thanks to the amount of holding the officials were letting the Coyotes get away with, and even the DBs had a hard time covering their men. Every Receiver would always give their opponent''s facemask a good shove to build separation.

    Even so, the Titans were relentless in their defensive pursuit, and whilst the Coyotes earned a first down during this drive, they never made it past half field, and soon had to punt the ball right back to the Titans.

    ¡®Even with their cheating, this game looks like it¡¯s going to be a slog,¡¯ Jackson said. ¡®Real gritty and low-scoring I bet.¡¯

    ¡®Gritty is one way of putting it,¡¯ Tommy said.

    For the punt return, Kenny signalled for a Fair Catch, but even so, a Coyotes player ran into him, bumping past him as they pulled out of the tackle a moment too late.

    Kenny maintained possession of the ball, and glared at the official who looked the other way.

    Perhaps due to frustration, or the Coyotes underhanded tactics, or most likely a mixture of the two, the Titans struggled to get anything going offensively, though defensively they were able to unload those frustrations on the Coyotes. Both teams went into quarter-time scoreless.

    The Coyotes, despite all their dirty play and rule-breaking, were yet to be punished for any of it, however, since that first play, the Titans hadn¡¯t been goaded into committing a penalty either.

    ¡®I tell you, Jack, your teammates? They must¡¯ve been monks in a past life or something, or maybe it¡¯s something that coach of yours is putting in their water. All the bullshit is bad enough up here, I would¡¯ve blown a gasket if I was playing.¡¯

    Jackson couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡®That¡¯s Coach Otsen for you. When he says something, you listen. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he could get somebody to fly just by telling them they can.¡¯ He looked down at the bench, where Coach Otsen was currently addressing the team as they rested between quarters.

    ¡®You¡¯re doing fine out there, don¡¯t get too worked up about not scoring anything. They haven¡¯t scored either. It¡¯s a mental game now, it¡¯s going to come down to who breaks first; who makes the first mistake. DON¡¯T play their game, keep doing what you¡¯re doing, and you¡¯ll be alright. The longer you go without giving them the response they want, the more frustrated they¡¯ll get, and they¡¯ll mess up and do something so blatant the officials CAN¡¯T ignore it. That¡¯s when we¡¯ll strike and make this game ours.¡¯

    ¡®Mm! I¡¯m proud of you boys! You¡¯re all showing MAXIMUM discipline!¡¯ Coach Vasquez grinned at them.

    ¡®Exactly. Remember, we¡¯re starting this second quarter on defence. Keep up the shut-out. Don¡¯t worry about anything else, just do what you do best and play some great goddamn football.¡¯

    The Titans charged onto the field, fired up by Coach Otsen¡¯s words. And as they faced off with the Coyotes'' offence, they continued to shut them down every step of the way, until the Coyotes were on 3rd down.

    Spider catapulted the ball far downfield, attacking Kenny along the sideline. Kenny and Coyotes Receiver, number 14, jumped high into the air, bumping one another as they reached for the ball. Kenny rose that little bit higher and got his hand to the ball first, knocking it aside to the dismay of the crowd.

    That dismay turned to elation when a yellow flag was thrown into the air and the official penalised Kenny for Defensive Pass Interference, awarding the Coyotes a new set of downs, and progressing them down the field to the spot where the foul occurred, despite Kenny¡¯s complaints and arguments for why he was innocent.

    Jackson couldn¡¯t believe it. Anyone could¡¯ve seen that was a clean break-up. Kenny barely even brushed the guy, and the ball was right there anyway. A bit of contact was fine if the ball was there. ¡®Are you bl¡ª¡¯

    ¡®THAT WAS A LOAD OF SHIT!¡¯ Jackson almost fell out of his seat due to Tommy¡¯s outburst. ¡®WHY DON¡¯T YOU JUST GIVE THEM THE TOUCHDOWN, UMP?!¡¯

    Tommy sat back down, face red with fury. ¡®Sorry,¡¯ he said to Jackson in a much quieter tone.

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    Jackson was stunned, staring at Tommy dumbly. He knew he wasn¡¯t the only person staring at Tommy, most of the crowd around them had turned their attention to the pair and were staring daggers at them.

    With that, the momentum turned, and the Coyotes took advantage as the Titans were still reeling from the terrible call. They moved the ball downfield rapidly, and even when the Titans recovered and started to slow them down, another favourable call bailed the Coyotes out on 3rd down.

    This time, it was Nick who copped a holding penalty, which, whilst only moving the ball 5 yards, automatically gave the Coyotes a fresh set of downs to work with.

    The Coyotes were at the goal line now, and it was here that they handed things over to their RB who bulldozed ahead, leading with his helmet, and bashed his way into the end zone for the game¡¯s first score.

    ¡®What a crock of shit.¡¯ Tommy threw his hands down, his complaints washed away by the waves of noise from the roaring crowd as the Coyotes celebrated the opening touchdown.

    ¡®It¡¯s okay,¡¯ Jackson said, ¡®they¡¯re still going to lose. The game¡¯s just getting started.¡¯

    Jackson wasn¡¯t the only one with that mindset. After the kickoff return, which Kenny brought out to the 35-yard line, the Titans were determined to even up the score and win back the points the Coyotes had stolen.

    To start the drive, Kenny grabbed a reception for 12 yards. When the Coyotes came to double him on the next play, Freddy showcased that he hadn¡¯t only improved defensively but offensively as well when he caught a reception off a quick slant for 7 yards, making sure to slide down before any Coyote could lay into him with a big¡ªand likely dirty¡ªhit.

    The Titans marched past the halfway mark and didn¡¯t look like anything would be stopping them soon.

    They kept to the air, and this time Pete looked Nick¡¯s way, targetting him on a short Out route.

    The ball was heavily contested in the air as both Nick and Tyreek jumped at it, and unfortunately for the Titans, it was knocked aside. However, that wasn¡¯t the worst of it. When the players came down, Tyreek landed heavily on Nick¡¯s leg.

    Nick yelped with pain as his ankle rolled under Tyreek¡¯s boot and he crumpled to the floor, clutching his leg.

    Players from both sides surged to the area, pushing and shoving as a fight threatened to break out. The officials ran in, struggling to keep things under control or separate the boys.

    Freddy squeezed through the crush of bodies and pulled Nick away from it, helping him back up. ¡®Oh my god, are you okay?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯ Air hissed through Nick¡¯s gritted teeth as he gingerly put weight on his crushed foot. ¡®Just need to walk it off. It was an accident.¡¯

    Freddy believed that¡¯s what Nick believed, though he didn¡¯t believe it was the truth. Either way he kept his mouth shut and helped Nick back to where the Titans huddle would be, and eventually the mass of players broke off and each team returned to their sides of the field.

    Nick signalled to the sideline that he was okay and good to continue, still rolling his ankle around. ¡®I¡¯ll be alright,¡¯ he assured his teammates. ¡®Just twisted it for a second, it¡¯ll be fine.¡¯

    ¡®You got this man, you¡¯re a beast.¡¯ Pete and Nick bumped fists, and the Titans took their positions.

    Isaac got the call for the next play and ploughed ahead. As he burst through the gap he avoided a tangle of arms and legs, and dove ahead for a gain of five yards. Then, it was back to the passing game.

    Pete didn¡¯t want to target Nick, it¡¯s not that he thought Nick was lying about being fine, but he just wanted to give Nick some rest for a few plays or maybe even the rest of the drive¡ªit was at a time like this that Jackson regretted not being able to help the team, even if that only meant giving someone else the chance to sit on the bench and recover¡ªbut no one else was open. It was as if the Coyotes were intentionally leaving Nick open. Again the pressure closed in, and it was either throw the ball or take a sack.

    Pete threw the ball.

    Nick completed the catch in the open this time. He turned and ran, not quite at full speed, but he got about 14 yards downfield before he was tackled and brought down.

    Tyreek was headed towards Nick just before Nick got brought down. He went to hurdle over the two players on the ground, but as he did so, he ¡°accidentally¡± landed on Nick¡¯s already bruised ankle.

    ¡®ARGHH FUCK!¡¯ Nick rolled away quickly, once again clutching his leg and trying to massage it.

    ¡®Oops, sor¡ª¡¯

    As Tyreek turned around he was floored by Kenny. A shoulder to the chest knocked all the air out of Tyreek¡¯s lungs and he crashed to the ground, coughing loudly.

    Edgar hammered Kenny from behind and sent Kenny sprawling as whistles shrieked and the officials hurried to stop things from escalating.

    Though Coach Otsen would be damned if HE didn¡¯t escalate the situation. ¡®WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!?!¡¯ His headset shattered as he threw it to the ground, charging towards the head official like a raging bull, though thankfully, for the official, he stopped just short.

    ¡®Please return to your team¡¯s bench, Coach Otsen we¡¯ve got things under control¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Under control, my ass! Did you not see that? Or is your head so far up YOUR ass you can¡¯t see anything but shit?! I SWEAR if you don¡¯t start doing your job and PROTECTING these boys, I will make damn sure you never umpire another game. You won¡¯t even be able to get a job at Pee Wee football. They¡¯re trying to INJURE my players, and if you don¡¯t do anything about it, fuck this game AND the varsity game, me and my players will walk. My biggest concern is those boys¡¯ safety. I couldn¡¯t give two shits about forfeiting if it means none of my players will get hurt.¡¯

    ¡®Do I hear crying? What¡¯s all the fuss about?¡¯ Coach Kelly sauntered towards Coach Otsen and the officials.

    Coach Otsen spun towards him with all the ferocity of a hurricane. ¡®Don¡¯t even start with your bullshit, I won¡¯t hear it. You¡¯re a disgrace to the sport, and if YOU don¡¯t start disciplining those animals on your team ¡­ boy you sure as hell won¡¯t like it if I¡¯M the one who has to do it.¡¯

    ¡®Are you threatening my kids, Coach Otsen? Am I hearing this right?¡¯ He looked to the officials.

    Coach Otsen stepped in front of his vision. ¡®Don¡¯t fucking test me. And trust me on this. When I threaten you, you¡¯ll know.¡¯

    Coach Kelly swallowed the gum he was chewing.

    ¡®Gentlemen, gentlemen, please.¡¯ The head official stepped between them, sweat as thick as gravy coating his double chins, Adam¡¯s apple bobbing like mad as he held a shaky hand out between the coaches. ¡®Just go back to your benches, please. This¡¯ll all be sorted out, we just, we¡¯re gonna penalise the Coyotes, then let¡¯s all calm down and have a good game of football, that¡¯s what we¡¯re all here for, ain¡¯t it?¡¯

    Coach Otsen stomped away from the confrontation and back to his bench.

    ¡®Penalise us? For what? An accident? They¡¯re the ones starting a fight with my boys after the fact.¡¯

    ¡®Back to your bench, Coach Kelly.¡¯ The head official turned away, wiping down his drenched forehead.

    In the meantime, Coach Knight had carried Nick back to the bench, and along with the team doctor, was looking at his ankle. However, Nick wasn¡¯t being the most cooperative patient. Blood was showing through his sock, but even so, he was still being stubborn.

    ¡®I¡¯ll just take your boot off to see if there¡¯s swel¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t!¡¯ Nick jerked his foot away. ¡®Please don¡¯t. I¡¯m fine, I promise.¡¯ Nick panted heavily, staring down at the doctor, avoiding Coach Knight¡¯s stone-like gaze. ¡®I just need to rest it a bit, but I¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯ll only get worse if we take my boot off, right? I can keep playing.¡¯

    ¡®If you¡¯re hurt, you should sit out. It¡¯s alright, Nick, your health is more important than a game,¡¯ Coach Otsen said, standing over the doctor.

    Nick looked up at him. It was like staring into the sun, but he didn¡¯t back down or turn his eyes away. ¡®¡­ I said I¡¯m fine.¡¯

    ¡®Then he¡¯s fine. He¡¯ll keep playing¡­ as long as he really is fine. But if I see anything wrong with you, I¡¯m pulling you from the game.¡¯

    Nick nodded, happy and surprised by the compromise.

    After talking it over with the other officials, the head official addressed the teams and crowd. ¡®After deliberation, the action carried out by number 37 of the Coyotes has been deemed as unnecessary roughness, outside the bounds of the game, and as a result, number 37 of the Coyotes will be ejected from the game.¡¯

    ¡®WHAT?!¡¯ Tyreek had to be held back from charging the field and taking out his anger on the umpires. Instead, he thrashed his helmet against the bench and threw it down so hard it bounced into the first row of spectators who, along with the majority of the crowd, were busy showering the umpires with boos for their decision.

    Play resumed with the Titans being awarded an additional 15 yards on top of what they gained from Nick¡¯s reception.

    Even so, the Titans had been drained of energy seemingly, and the Coyotes came out ferociously after the stoppage.

    The Titans soon found themselves on fourth down, but they were well within field goal range.

    As Nick was preparing to kick, trying to get in the right headspace and block everything out, he heard his name amidst the near-deafening chorus of boos.

    He looked to the sideline and saw the coaches beckoning him over. He heard Coach Otsen¡¯s distinct voice cut through the wave of noise.

    ¡®NICK!¡¯

    He told his teammates to wait and rushed over to the sideline. ¡®Yeah?¡¯

    ¡®Are you okay to kick?¡¯

    He didn¡¯t have long to think so answered quickly, staring into Coach Otsen¡¯s eyes, he said: ¡®There¡¯s only one way to find out.¡¯

    Coach Otsen closed his eyes. When he opened them, he slapped Nick on the shoulder. ¡®Give it your all.¡¯ He sent Nick back out to the others.

    ¡®Everything okay?¡¯ Pete asked.

    ¡®All good. Let¡¯s do this!¡¯

    ¡®?A huevo!¡¯

    They snapped the ball and Pete caught it without issue, planting it upright on the turf, laces out. Nick stepped in, winced and wobbled, but swung his leg hard and slammed his boot into the ball.

    It shanked off the side of his boot and sailed well wide of the goalposts. The crowd erupted in cheers and Nick almost fell to the ground under the weight of disappointment.

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry,¡¯ he said.

    The Titans got around him, patting him where they could. ¡®It¡¯s alright,¡¯ they said, though internally, they all wondered if they were back down to ten players for the rest of the game.

 Chapter 111: Titanic Resolve

    It was clear Nick still needed some time to rest, though as the ball swapped over to be in the Coyotes¡¯ possession, they weren¡¯t about to give him any. So Coach Otsen was forced to call a timeout.

    Nick stared at the ground as he shuffled to the bench. ¡®I¡¯m sorry,¡¯ he said after sitting down. ¡®Please let me keep playing.¡¯

    Coach Otsen fought to keep the smile off his face. He grabbed Nick¡¯s shoulder. ¡®You don¡¯t have to push beyond your breaking point.¡¯

    Nick shook his head. ¡®I know I can¡¯t kick anymore, but I can still play, I can still help the team. I¡¯ll block, play defence, I¡¯ll do anything to help us win. Just, please let me play, Sir.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m pulling you out if I think you¡¯re making it worse. Get out there and play some defence. All of you. We¡¯ve got a fucking game to win. I¡¯ll be damned if we let these mutts beat us.¡¯

    The Titans rallied around Nick, surging back onto the field.

    Nick shook his bad leg, and tested his ankle as he stood far back from his assigned Receiver.

    Nearly every Coyote was staring at him like how a lion stares at an injured gazelle. Spider smirked and snapped the ball. He was targeting Nick the whole way.

    Nick backpedalled, his man charging forward. The Receiver turned back for a curl. Nick lunged forward. The Receiver blew right by him¡ªthe curl had been a feint. Nick turned and gave chase, but he couldn¡¯t reach his top speed no matter how hard he pushed.

    Lonnie raced across, trying to cut off the Receiver, but Spider unfurled a bomb, launching the ball 50 yards deep that went over the head of even Lonnie. The Receiver only had to veer into the ball¡¯s path and catch it in full stride before walking in for a touchdown.

    The crowd howled again, and the Titans¡ªNick especially¡ªtook another hefty blow to their morale.

    After the extra point was successful, Nick couldn¡¯t face Coach Otsen as he slunk back to the bench. Who knows if the empathetic look he would¡¯ve found would¡¯ve been more damaging than the scolding he expected.

    ¡®Just say the word and you can rest that ankle, Nick. It¡¯s alright, no one will blame you, it¡¯s my fault for not protecting you from these thugs.¡¯

    Nick punched the bench, then scrunched his fists up on top of his lap. He stomped his bad leg and stared into Coach Otsen¡¯s eyes, on the verge of tears.

    ¡®I can still play! I don¡¯t care what I have to do, just keep me on the field. I didn¡¯t¡­ I didn¡¯t train this hard just to be a burden.¡¯

    ¡®Y-You¡¯re not a burden,¡¯ Freddy said.

    ¡®Freddy¡¯s right. Let¡¯s just focus on beating those putas.¡¯

    Coach Otsen put his arms around his boys, unable to keep the smile off his face this time. ¡®Whatever happens today, I¡¯m proud of you all, you¡¯re true Titans.¡¯

    During the kickoff return, the Coyotes were penalised for unnecessary roughness when one of them intentionally sought out Nick and blindsided him. The officials were quick to step in and issue a warning to the offending player before things could escalate. So, when Kenny was brought down at the 33-yard line, another 15 yards were added onto the play, letting the Titans start their drive from near half field.

    They wouldn¡¯t have much time, so they were thankful for the extra yards. As Isaac burst across the halfway mark, eventually wrestled down by Trent, time stopped at the two-minute warning.

    Without Tyreek things were easier for the Titans. The Coyotes played back, forcing the Titans into only short gains underneath the defence. Whether it was Kenny, Lonnie, Freddy, or even Isaac getting involved with the passing game, they could only grab a few yards at a time, and with only one timeout¡ªwhich Coach Otsen was saving¡ªthe clock continued to tick down.

    Pete, feeling a bit desperate, sank deep in the pocket. Kenny flew across the field, easily blowing past Tyreek¡¯s replacement. He was going for it all. Pete spiralled the ball towards the endzone. Kenny ran under it, hand extended, but the ball dropped just out of reach of his fingertips even as he lunged out for it.

    Kenny punched the ground before hurrying back to the huddle. ¡®Sorry, man. I couldn¡¯t get there.¡¯

    ¡®Nah, that¡¯s my bad, amigo. I overthrew you, we¡¯ll get the next one.¡¯

    Kenny and Pete bumped fists and the huddle broke away.

    Pete dropped back again, eyes on Kenny as he raced towards the middle of the field on another deep route. Pete was so honed in on Kenny, and with the route needing so much time to develop, he never saw the LOLB break through the O-Line.

    Pete felt was sideswiped by a semi-trailer, but miraculously, he held onto the ball. A timeout was called after the sack, and the Coyote who laid the hit was quickly shoved off Pete before multiple helping hands pulled Pete back onto his feet.

    ¡®You fuckers are gonna die today,¡¯ the Coyote said before spitting on the ground.

    Pete saw that it was the tatted-up asshole who had been ejected in their first meeting. ¡®Doesn¡¯t that super senior have a prison sentence to serve or something?¡¯ Pete¡¯s ribs still felt a little tender as he took his spot on the bench.

    ¡®We don¡¯t have a lot of time left,¡¯ Coach Otsen said, ¡®but that¡¯s alright. Use the sideline, it¡¯s our friend now, and don¡¯t worry about getting all the yards in one go, we¡¯re in fourth down territory here.

    Nick mumbled an apology; without his leg, the Titans didn¡¯t have much choice about whether to go for it on fourth down or not.

    ¡®The comeback starts here,¡¯ Coach Otsen said. ¡®A touchdown now is as good as a gut punch. Snatch back the momentum before halftime and give them something to feel shit about.¡¯

    ¡®C¡¯mon Titans!¡¯ Jackson and Tommy cheered as the teams lined up after the timeout. Right now, Jackson didn¡¯t care about the dirty looks they got from the Coyotes fans surrounding them.

    Kenny was the target once again, and this time he and Pete connected for an 11-yard gain on an Out route that stopped the clock, but failed to earn a first down due to the earlier sack.

    There were only ten seconds left in the first half. Even with a new set of downs, the Titans would only get one or two more chances.

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    Kenny was doubled on fourth down, unable to fight through Edgar¡¯s clawing hands with another body hemming him in. Pete¡¯s eyes snapped to Lonnie, there wasn¡¯t time, he just had to throw. He heaved the ball high.

    Lonnie stretched up, getting his hands on the ball at the peak of his jump, but he was bumped forward in midair. Trent was all over Lonnie, and when the pair hit the turf, Lonnie was a yard shy of the first down marker¡ªCoyotes¡¯ ball.

    The Coyotes were too far from the endzone to try anything, especially with how deep the Titans set up their defence. So the Coyotes knelt for the final play, and went into halftime with a 14¨C0 lead over their rivals.

    In the Titans¡¯ locker room, a doctor was examining Nick¡¯s ankle, whilst Coach Knight, Vasquez, and Carson watched on.

    Nick winced from the doctor''s prodding. His ankle was red, sore, and swollen. ¡®Fortunately. It doesn¡¯t look like a break. I suggest some rest to let it heal. And some ice would do more than a little good,¡¯ the doctor said.

    Nick nodded, and Coach Vasquez hurried to get an ice pack.

    ¡®If it were up to me, I¡¯d pull you from the game¡­ though, unless another accident happens¡ª¡¯

    Coach Knight and Carson exchanged a look.

    ¡®¡ªyou won¡¯t do further damage. But this won¡¯t heal if you don¡¯t rest it.¡¯

    ¡®As soon as the game¡¯s over I won¡¯t even stand on it, let alone run around. Promise.¡¯

    ¡®Best of luck to you, young man.¡¯ The doctor took his leave as Coach Vasquez applied the icepack to Nick¡¯s ankle with ¡°maximum coverage¡±.

    Coach Carson pulled up a chair in front of Nick. ¡®Nick. I¡¯m changing your role on defence. I need you to play a deep zone. I know you¡¯re hurting on that leg, so I won¡¯t ask much of you, I just need you to make sure nothing gets over the top. I don¡¯t care if you have to play 20 yards off the line, just keep everything in front of you. Don¡¯t worry about anything underneath, your team will cover that for you. That¡¯s what teammates do¡ªcover for each other. Got it?¡¯

    ¡®I understand, Coach.¡¯

    ¡®Atta boy.¡¯

    Elsewhere, Coach Otsen stood over a table in the officials¡¯ break room. ¡®I know I need to get my kids to be a little less reactionary, but you need to stop penalising them for standing up for themselves, and get the ones who are initiating it. The Coyotes are the ones trying to INJURE my kids, and if you allow them to keep doing that, it should be bloody criminal.¡¯

    ¡®Coach Otsen, we understand how you feel, but we¡¯re just doing our best to keep the game fair and honest. Both sides are very hostile and aggressive, it¡¯s up to the coaches to keep their players under control and disciplined.¡¯

    Coach Otsen¡¯s glare could¡¯ve melted the ice caps. ¡®Then you¡¯d best have a chat with Coach Kelly, and remind him to keep his ¡­ players under control.¡¯

    The air was so tense, the officials couldn¡¯t breathe until Coach Otsen left the room.

    Coach Otsen stormed into the locker room. ¡®Sit down and shut up. We need to play better in the second half, plain and simple. I don¡¯t want to hear any excuses, you can¡¯t let them get in your head, and drag you down to their level, we¡¯ll never beat them that way. Rise above. You¡¯re better than them and they know it, that¡¯s why they have to resort to this dirty shit, it¡¯s the only chance they have. Just play YOUR football, and we¡¯ll beat them.¡¯ He turned to Nick. ¡®You give up another touchdown and I¡¯m pulling you from the game.¡¯

    ¡®I won¡¯t. I promise.¡¯

    Coach Otsen grunted and looked around. ¡®The hell are you sitting around for? Get out there and kick some ass!¡¯

    The Coyotes started the second half with the ball and to open their drive, they tested Nick again. But they couldn¡¯t get over the top of him. Spider¡¯s pass fell harmlessly to the turf.

    However, Nick was giving up a lot of space to the inside, and the Coyotes exploited this for easy yards, moving swiftly downfield. Before the Titans could recover, and shift over their zone, the Coyotes were already in field goal range.

    But the switch from Man to Zone made things harder as the Titans clogged up the air space with more bodies. They stretched themselves to the limits to cover for Nick, and in the end, stopped the Coyotes before they could break through for another touchdown.

    The Coyotes did still come away with a field goal, pushing their lead out to 17¨C0. Then it was the Titans'' turn on offence again.

    Though they were practically down a player, the Titans didn¡¯t give up. Nick was brought closer to the OL, almost acting as an extra Linemen as he was used for blocking only.

    Because of this, the middle of the field was more clogged, making it harder to run the ball up the gut. It was hard for Lonnie to operate in his preferred area too. Also, with the Titans down a Receiver, it meant the Coyotes were free to put more attention on Kenny. He had a constant double-team now, and at some points, it even felt like he was being triple-teamed.

    Freddy had grown as a player, that was true, but not enough to carry the brunt of the offence. As the rest of the team struggled with their new formation, and the schemes the Coyotes had to defend it, the Titans failed to get anything going and quickly handed the ball right back to the Coyotes.

    When it came time to punt, there was a bit of confusion amongst the Titans. Nick was their Kicker AND Punter, but now that he was out of commission, they were unsure of what to do.

    Coach Otsen, regrettably, had to call a timeout. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, this one¡¯s on me,¡¯ he said after the team gathered around him. ¡®I was too preoccupied with other things, I forgot to address this during the break. He looked around at the players, searching through them. ¡®Clayton, you¡¯re punting.¡¯

    Clayton, one of the more rotund Linemen, stared dumbly at Coach Otsen. ¡®Me? I¡¯ve never done that before.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s easy¡ªjust boot the fucking thing as hard as you can. As long as it goes forward, I don¡¯t care about how long or how straight.¡¯

    Clayton didn¡¯t look too convinced, worry and doubt were stricken all over his pudgy face, but he nodded meekly.

    ¡®Just don¡¯t drop the ball,¡¯ Coach Otsen added before sending the team back onto the field.

    Clayton looked mighty nervous standing behind the line. He kept wiping his hands on his pants, but the sweat wouldn¡¯t go away.

    ¡®H-Hut?¡¯ he said.

    He bobbled the catch, but didn¡¯t drop it, pointed himself downfield, then slammed the ball onto his huge boot with a resounding THUMP.

    It careened into the stands. Laughter and jeers came from the crowd. The punt certainly had power, but the accuracy could use some work. It at least went 10 yards downfield before the sideline umpire ruled it had gone out.

    ¡®Just what they need,¡¯ Tommy muttered. ¡®It¡¯s bad enough having an injured player out there on defence and offence, but now they¡¯re without a Kicker or Punter. An already hard game just became even harder.¡¯

    The Titans weren¡¯t about to feel sorry for themselves, nor were they going to roll over and die just because the Coyotes had a favourable starting position for their drive.

    The new Zone defence was frustrating the Coyotes. Nick had shut down deep passes along one sideline, Lonnie was still patrolling the middle, ready to swoop in on anything, and Freddy covered the other sideline. These three took away the Coyotes¡¯ favourite plays and Spider¡¯s speciality¡ªthe deep ball.

    Then, if the Coyotes tried anything underneath, Isaac, Pete, and Kenny were ready to pounce on everything. They moved as a cohesive unit, and if the Coyotes did complete any short pass, the three swarmed the Receiver and brought them down quickly.

    The five Linemen had more than enough stopping power to keep the Coyotes¡¯ run game in check as well, and their swatting hands even brought another obstacle to short, shallow passes if Spider wasn¡¯t careful.

    The game entered another lull period, where it was a battle of two stout, seemingly impenetrable defences for the majority of the third quarter after the opening drive.

    Neither team was able to score until the last drive of the quarter. The Titans¡ªunfortunately¡ªwere not the team that scored.

    A myriad of unfortunate events resulted in the Coyotes finally breaking the stalemate.

    First, the Coyotes didn¡¯t have to go far to get into scoring range thanks to another short punt from Clayton. Second, the Titans Zone¡ªwhilst exceptional at covering the deep threats¡ªdid still give up the occasional play to something underneath. And finally, the Linemen tired enough before the end of the quarter to give up a run of over 20 yards, which wasn¡¯t helped by the fact that Pete was also flagged for a late hit when he shoved the RB out of bounds at the end of the run.

    Despite Pete and Coach Otsen¡¯s¡ªand the few Titans¡¯ supporters¡ªclaims that the call was bullshit, the officials were deaf to the arguments.

    However, the Titans¡ªperhaps reinvigorated by the horrible call¡ªwere able to crack down again, and the Coyotes didn¡¯t move an inch further down the field after that play. They still were able to finish off the third quarter with another successful field goal, and in doing so, went into the final term with a 20¨C0 lead.

    A comeback looked unlikely.

 Chapter 112: Until the Last

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 Chapter 141: Trading Blows

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 Chapter 142: Running Man

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 Chapter 143: Ups and Downs

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 Chapter 144: Halfway: To victory? Or Defeat?

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 Chapter 145: A Catâ€™s Claws

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 Chapter 146: The Last Quarter

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 Chapter 147: The Victors

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 Chapter 148: Titans vs Sentinels

    The Woods family filled their SUV. Chrissy, despite being squished in between her brothers in the backseat, was giddy throughout the drive to Seton Catholic Prep. The Titans would have to break through the Sentinels, today, and they¡¯d have to do so without Jackson.

    Jackson stared up at the ceiling of the car. Mom turned back in the passenger seat, her expression shifting to worry as she looked at Jackson. ¡®I bet it¡¯s going to be a good game,¡¯ she said.

    ¡®Reckon they¡¯ll win, Jack?¡¯ Dad said.

    ¡®I hope so,¡¯ Jackson mumbled.

    ¡®They¡¯ll win by a hundred points!¡¯ Chrissy exclaimed. ¡®Jackie¡¯s team is the best!¡¯

    Jackson sighed, his eyes not leaving the ceiling. Tommy glanced across. ¡®It¡¯s stupid that they wouldn¡¯t even let you suit up, even if you only sat on the bench¡­ what happens if someone gets injured or ejected? You¡¯re ready! Why can¡¯t your coach see that?¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Jackson turned away from the others, his gaze lowering to the window, staring out of it. He remembered what Coach Otsen had told him, the reasoning he had given for not taking Jackson off the Injured Reserve (IR)¡ªthe others didn¡¯t need the ¡°distraction¡± from him sitting on the bench.

    Mom tried blasting some music and singing along, and while Dad and Chrissy joined in, the boys weren¡¯t very responsive, even when their favourites came on. Chrissy even tried cheering up Jackson with some games of Spotto and I Spy, but neither worked.

    Eventually, the field came into sight, and Dad found a parking spot. Getting out of the car and walking closer, they saw that three of the four stands surrounding the bright green field were already filling up with Sentinels supporters. Only one stand had been reserved for family members and fans of the Titans, thought it was currently less populated than any of the others.

    The family found seats near the Titans¡¯ bench, just behind the varsity team. The bench itself was empty, and so was the Sentinels¡¯ across the field. The field was empty too; both sides had already gone to their locker rooms.

    Jackson hunched down in his seat, staring at the tunnel leading to the locker rooms. Tommy sat next to him, and Chrissy was on Jackson¡¯s other side, with their parents past her.

    Dad didn¡¯t take his seat just yet, instead asking if anyone needed something to eat. Mom politely declined, and Chrissy excitedly asked for popcorn. Jackson didn¡¯t answer, his eyes not leaving the tunnel. Tommy shook his head. ¡®We¡¯re fine, Dad, thanks,¡¯ he said.

    Jackson was in no mood to eat, he didn¡¯t think he could stomach it. He just wanted to be down there, inside the room with them. He wanted to be part of the team again.

    Kenny double-checked the tightness of his laces. This was his chance, perhaps his final chance that year. Even if the team lost, if he could just prove he was worthy, if he could perform well enough, maybe he¡¯d earn his way onto the varsity team.

    It was going to be a hard task, the Sentinels looked like the most legitimate team they¡¯d faced yet. They were big, bigger than just about everyone on the Titans. Maybe he was looking at the wrong team, surely they weren¡¯t the JV team, right?

    Pete looked over. He looked around the room. It was too quiet, too tense. It was like they were preparing for a funeral¡ªtheir own¡ªrather than readying themselves for war. He stood on his bench.

    ¡®Hey! This might be our last shot, and it WILL be if you¡¯re already giving up. But I¡¯m not going to let those pendejos walk all over me. I¡¯m gonna go down fighting, IF we go down at all. Heh, even if we lose, I¡¯m not about to give up and play like shit, I¡¯m gonna prove that I deserve to be varsity, and that it¡¯s you putas holding me back.¡¯ He sneered.

    He was booed and jeered, with some water thrown at him, but he laughed and so did the rest of the team. ¡®You can go! We don¡¯t need your sorry ass,¡¯ Vincent said.

    ¡®C¡¯mon, Vince,¡¯ Owen said, nudging him. ¡®Think of how much nicer practice will be without the vest.¡¯

    Realisation washed over Vincent¡¯s face, and when it passed, determination remained. More laughter filled the room.

    Rudy scoffed. ¡®If anyone¡¯s being held back, it¡¯s me. Even if I can¡¯t win because of you losers, I¡¯m still going to prove I never should¡¯ve been cut in the first place.¡¯

    Kenny glared across at him, but before he could retort, Coach Otsen¡¯s harsh voice cut through the noise of the locker room. ¡®Enough of that bullshit! I don¡¯t want to hear anything more about proving you¡¯re too good for this team. That¡¯s what you sound like, like you think you¡¯re too good to be sharing a field with the player next to you.¡¯

    Players mumbled as they looked at one another, then down at the floor.

    ¡®That¡¯s not true. You¡¯re all incredible, you all have talent, and you all have skill. Believe in yourselves. I don¡¯t want to hear any more shit about promoting to varsity, that¡¯s a goal of the self. You¡¯re not individuals on that field, you¡¯re a TEAM. I need you all worrying about the goals of the team, and the only goal the team has is to WIN.¡¯

    Agreement spread throughout the room. Coach Knight stood as still as a statue by the door, his eyes seemingly looking at no one AND everyone at the same time. Coach Carson paced back and forth behind Coach Otsen, her cold glare seeking out any doubters, anyone who was still thinking about benefiting themselves over the team.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Coach Vasquez punched the air. ¡®Maximum effort for maximum victory!¡¯

    The whole room turned to face him. Silence reigned as everyone stared, he grinned back at them all. Coach Otsen cracked a smile. ¡®If you play to your best, you can win, no one can stop you. If you commit, and play with maximum effort, like Coach Vasquez so eloquently put, if you play like a TEAM you¡¯re strong enough to win not just this game, but State. I believe that. It¡¯s time you boys started believing too.¡¯

    Lonnie slowly rose and lumbered to the door, reaching it in a few strides. He looked back, a smile just curling the edges of his lips. ¡®Let¡¯s show them what Titans are made of.¡¯

    The other boys hopped up from their benches, Owen followed Lonnie, rumbling after him, and Kenny hurried through the doors and out into the tunnel as well. The rest surged after them and thunder sounded throughout the tunnel, leaking out over the field and reaching the stands, as the Titans sprinted onto the field.

    Jackson perked up when he spotted them. Maybe he was stressing over nothing, maybe he was being selfish, AGAIN. He just needed to trust Coach Otsen, trust his teammates. ¡°They can win.¡±

    ¡®They¡¯re fired up. Let¡¯s hope that translates onto the field,¡¯ Tommy said.

    Dad returned with a small bucket of popcorn for Chrissy, and a corndog for himself. Like he always said, ¡°You always have to check the opposing team¡¯s dogs¡±.

    When he was back in his seat, his voice led the cheers for the Titans as they rounded the field on their warm-up lap. The whole family cried for them, even Jackson added his voice, cheeks turning red at the ear-piercing shrieks coming from Mom and Chrissy.

    The varsity team, led by Shane, cheered loudly too, and whilst their numbers were few, the Titans¡¯ fans managed to scream like they were a full arena.

    Kenny looked over, and pointed up at Jackson. The two nodded at each other. Looking at Jackson, Kenny knew he had to win this game. He couldn¡¯t be selfish, he couldn¡¯t think about looking good and trying to earn a varsity spot. He had to win so Jackson could play in the next game.

    ¡®Hi, Kenny!¡¯ Chrissy waved wildly. Mom and Dad laughed, still cheering.

    More players looked over, Jackson slumped down in his seat, sure that everyone was looking to see who that crazy family belonged to and why they were screaming like that.

    The Titans settled into their warm-ups, and the cheering faded away, the field still abuzz with excitement. One side because they were anxious to see how their team could perform in this hostile environment, the majority because they were awaiting their team.

    Footsteps echoed from the tunnel once more. This time much more deliberate and forceful. The Sentinels marched towards the field, their hammering, unified footsteps booming across the field, silencing all other noise.

    Two columns emerged from the dark tunnel. At the head, there were ten girls, dressed in striped skirts of red and gold, wearing flashy smiles, and carrying faux spears and shields. They marched onto the field with high knees, then stopped, and turned to one another. They thrust their spears into the air and formed arches.

    The Sentinels emerged from the tunnel and the crowd erupted. Already the ground was shaking from the cheers and rumbling march. Jackson couldn¡¯t remember experiencing another similar at this level before. It was so different, not just in volume, but in the way they cheered, it wasn¡¯t like a usual crowd¡¯s hopeful cheers for success, more like a crowd welcoming heroes home.

    One by one, the golden-coated Sentinels burst through the arches of spears and jogged to centrefield. There they stood at attention, and were slowly joined by their brothers-in-arms. They stared ahead, unfazed by the atmosphere around them.

    Once the full team was aligned in three rows, they turned, all moving in unison as they faced the Titans. The cheerleaders hurried over in front of them, and knocked their spears against the ground. The fans rose from their seats.

    The cheerleaders looked at one another and nodded. They tapped their spears against their shields, then shortly thrust their spears into the air again. In unison, the Sentinels¡ªand even their fans¡ªpumped their fists into the air, once, twice, thrice. They let out a war cry as they did so, and it burst out from speakers flanking every stand as well.

    The Sentinels turned, and began to warm up in their half of the field, remaining perfectly disciplined as they went about their business.

    The Titans watched them, always glancing over even as progressed through their own drills. Tommy noticed more than a few shoulders slump as the Titans witnessed the display of might from their opponents.

    ¡®Oh my, I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before,¡¯ Mom said, chuckling.

    ¡®It¡¯s a good show, I¡¯ll give them that much, don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll help them win,¡¯ Dad said.

    Chrissy pouted. ¡®Bunch of show-offs. Nobody likes a show-off.¡¯

    Tommy watched Jackson. Jackson said nothing. His eyes studied the Sentinels, and his mouth was set in a frown.

    Eventually, it came time for the coin toss. Lonnie, Pete, and Kenny went out for the Titans, and they were met by three imposing Sentinels: Number zero, number ninety-nine, and number sixty-four.

    All three of the sentinels sported the same haircut: a buzzcut shaved down to almost their scalp.

    Number zero was tall, with broad shoulders and a square chin. His blue eyes had the kind of sparkle that would¡¯ve been more in place on a model than a football star. He looked like he¡¯d been plucked from a poster for the army.

    Ninety-nine was the shortest of the bunch, but still a couple of inches taller than Kenny¡ªhe would¡¯ve been eye-to-eye with Jackson¡ªand he looked like Steve Rogers before the serum.

    Number sixty-four was a big boy, but there wasn¡¯t much flab on his hefty frame. While the other Sentinels looked at the three Titans like they weren¡¯t a threat, all smiles and rainbows, sixty-four stared through Kenny, Pete, and Lonnie like they were already dead and he was trying to figure out where to hide the bodies.

    Overall, the Sentinels¡¯ captains could¡¯ve been brothers ¡­ even sixty-four, though he must¡¯ve come from a different daddy to explain his darker skin.

    Zero reached out to the Titans. Pete accepted the handshake, staring back at him impassively. ¡®Let¡¯s have a great game,¡¯ Zero said.

    ¡®We will, pendejo, we will.¡¯

    The head official stepped forward. ¡®Arcadia, you¡¯re the away team, you get to choose, heads or tails?¡¯

    Lonnie leaned over. ¡®Tails.¡¯

    The official tossed the coin into the air, and it landed on tails. Pete had to stop himself from blurting out his instinctual answer. Years of football had built up the habit of deferring first, but he remembered the message Coach Otsen had given them before they ventured out to centrefield.

    ¡®We need the ball first. We¡¯re strongest on offence with Rudy in the line-up, and we need to make a statement right away. Get the ball, score a touchdown, set the tone. DON¡¯T defer.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll receive,¡¯ Pete said, turning away.

    The Sentinels were unbothered. ¡®We¡¯ll kick north,¡¯ Rogers said.

    After one more pep-talk, the Titans set up for the kick-off. Kenny and Rudy stood at the edge of the endzone awaiting the kick. They¡¯d split the field into two sides, and depending on which side the ball was kicked to, chose who would return the kick.

    More warcries thundered out of the speakers to countdown the kick-off. The Titans stood firm under the audio barrage. They were determined not to crack first.

    Neither Rudy nor Kenny would get an opportunity at a return to start the game, as the kick resulted in a touchback. Rudy grunted with disinterest, but he didn¡¯t linger on the annoyance as the Titans'' formation shifted to their offence, and they prepared for their first play of Regionals.

 Chapter 149: Strike First

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 Chapter 150: Testing the Waters

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 Chapter 151: True Power

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 Chapter 152: Fourth Down

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 Chapter 153: Counter Attack

    With a turnover on downs, the Sentinels took over where 64 crushed Pete. The air changed as the Sentinels lined up in formation. Ash was back behind the Poster Boy, Zane, but now every Sentinel seemed as relaxed.

    As Zane handed Ash the ball, maybe most of them knew they weren¡¯t directly involved in the play, and that¡¯s why they were relaxed, but the Sentinels didn¡¯t seem the type of team that would get so complacent.

    Ash took the ball and cut towards the left side of the Sentinels¡¯ O-Line, running right behind 64, who forced Owen back off his feet.

    Following 64¡¯s lead, Ash rammed the ball down the Titans¡¯ throat. The first run went 6 yards. The next play they did the same thing, and that run went for 5 yards. The run after that¡ªstill pounding down the left side¡ªwent for 8 yards.

    64 picked Ash up after the latest run. Ash smacked him on the ass. ¡®Good shit, Bryce.¡¯

    Bryce only grunted in response as they returned to the huddle.

    Coach Carson was just about ready to tear her hair out. ¡®Move over! Don¡¯t just let them get away with the same shit!¡¯

    Vincent shifted over, groaning. He was on Bryce¡¯s inside shoulder, whilst Owen was on his outside. Isaac shifted closer to the Line.

    The Sentinels didn¡¯t seem to care. They snapped the ball and Zane gave it right to Ash like he had for the three previous plays. Still following the script of the last three plays, Ash rushed towards Bryce. Bryce burst towards Owen, ignoring Vincent as the Guard lunged towards Vincent instead, the Sentinels¡¯ entire O-Line shifting towards the left.

    Isaac scrambled down, racing towards the expanding left edge to get around it before it was too late.

    As the whole field shifted to the left (to the right for the Titans), Ash cut in the opposite direction, snapping his momentum into reverse as he sprinted against the flow.

    The Counter caught the Titans completely off guard, and Ash scrambled into the open. Firm blocks held Freddy and Kenny in place as Ash flew downfield. Lonnie rushed over, eventually knocking Ash out of bounds, though only after a gain of 18 yards.

    The Sentinels were flying towards the end zone. The Titans huddled together, dejected. Their fans worried. ¡®Come on, Titans. Get it together, stop the run,¡¯ Jackson mumbled.

    The Sentinels were nearing field goal range, and they weren¡¯t slowing down, not yet. It looked like Ash was getting the ball yet again, like they were going to run him ragged, but as he and Zane passed one another, Zane finally held onto the ball.

    Again, the Titans were wrong-footed. This time they weren''t over-committing to one side, but the Sentinels'' fake lured them all in.

    Kenny, antsy to get around Rogers¡¯s block so he could affect the next run that came his way, had edged further towards the middle of the field, making it easy for Rogers to push away from him to the outside.

    Kenny chased after him, but the gap had already opened, and he couldn¡¯t close it.

    Rogers broke free down the sideline. Lonnie spun back and started pursuing Rogers too, but with how the Play-Action had drawn him in, he needed to take a long angle of pursuit just to keep up with the racing Receiver.

    Zane lobbed the ball over, a perfect rainbow as it fell into Rogers¡¯s outstretched arms. Lonnie stretched out and dove, pushing Rogers out of bounds just before he got away.

    The pass was still good for 25 yards and brought the Sentinels well within scoring range. However, instead of continuing to run, they dropped back with more passes, looking Neanderthal¡¯s way.

    Rudy stood a little over a yard away from Neanderthal before the snap, but immediately jumped back. Neanderthal pressed forward calmly. He feinted outside, then snapped into a Slant.

    Rudy was still leaning towards the outside and was a step behind, which was all the opening Zane needed. He whipped the ball to Neanderthal, and Neanderthal completed the catch.

    Rudy was right on Neanderthal¡¯s heels, and they soon ran into Isaac. The two Titans dragged Neanderthal down after a run of 6 yards.

    ¡®Shade towards the middle!¡¯ Coach Carson shouted. ¡®Don¡¯t let him get inside, but stay back.¡¯

    Rudy barely heard the advice¡ªmore like an order¡ªover the crowd. When he lined up opposite Neanderthal next, he shifted more towards the middle of the field.

    The Sentinels kept attacking Rudy. Neanderthal feinted inside this time, but Rudy was all over it. Neanderthal shot towards the outside then, and it turned into a race down the sideline.

    Zane lobbed the ball high, where both boys could jump for it. The Titans¡¯ fans and coaches cried out, announcing the ball was in the air and up for grabs.

    Rudy¡¯s head whipped around. Neanderthal¡¯s arm sat on top of his, subtly holding him down. Rudy batted him aside and leaped. They both jumped, the contest going aerial. They both grabbed the ball and, as they fell to the ground, the ball tumbled from their grasps.

    The incompletion pushed the Sentinels to third down. They remained calm. Resurgent hope filled the Titans. If they could just hold the Sentinels to a field goal, maybe they¡¯d even miss.

    Zane took the snap. Ash left the backfield and went to the flat. Zane only had eyes for Neanderthal, however. Neanderthal didn¡¯t use any feints or stutters, he just tried to brute force his way past Rudy to the inside.

    Rudy didn¡¯t exactly smother him, but there was less than a yard¡¯s distance between them. Rudy was right on top of Neanderthal as they streaked across the field to the opposite sideline. Zane didn¡¯t like the look of it, and finally dragged his eyes from Neanderthal and down to Ash.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    He flipped the ball over as Ash drifted further away from Pete, who chased him relentlessly. When Ash caught the ball, he tried to cut back towards the middle of the field but ran right into Pete instead. Pete took him down for no gain at all.

    Coach Otsen looked at the clock. Time had already slipped away so much, the half was almost over. The Titans needed to regroup and go over their game plan drastically, so he decided against calling timeout.

    The Sentinels set up for a field goal. Despite the Titans¡¯ fierce attempt to impact it, and the fans¡¯ prayers for it to miss, the kick went through the uprights and the Sentinels took their first lead: 10¨C7.

    ¡®They could¡¯ve pushed for a touchdown,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®Right, Jack?¡¯ Tommy looked at his brother, but Jackson didn¡¯t respond. He focused intently on the game and the problem before the Titans, that large, imposing problem named Seton Catholic Sentinels.

    It really seemed like they had settled, but why? What were they afraid of, if they were afraid of anything at all? Was it something the Titans were doing? Or were they conserving themselves, trying to hide their full hand from their next opponent? ¡°If you looking past us, you¡¯re in for a harsh reality check when we beat you ¡­¡± He knew they could do it. ¡®Please win,¡¯ he said.

    The following kick-off landed short of the end zone, but Coach Otsen had been adamant about taking a touchback. Rudy showed immense restraint when he let the ball bounce into the end zone before he downed it.

    After that, the Titans ran out what little remained of the clock, allowing the game to roll into the second half. Coach Otsen marched straight to the locker room, and the rest of the team followed behind, as close and dark as a shadow.

    ¡®Mm, that Seton team, they really started playing well in the second quarter, didn¡¯t they? It¡¯s like they were still waking up when the game started,¡¯ Dad said.

    ¡®What if the Titans fell asleep at quarter time?¡¯ Mom asked. ¡®I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll wake up again in the second half and kick their butts.¡¯

    ¡®Kick their butts, Titans!¡¯ Chrissy screamed.

    Jackson struggled internally. He wanted to go down into the room and check on the team, try to raise their morale, but he worried if that would be too distracting. ¡°They don¡¯t need to be reminded of me, right? They shouldn¡¯t be worrying about me, just the game in front of them.¡± Ultimately, he stayed where he was.

    Tommy saw Jackson struggling with his conflict, the worry painted on his face. But Jackson said nothing, and didn¡¯t move, so Tommy didn¡¯t push it.

    ¡®Ah, it¡¯s no good worrying about what¡¯ll happen next. We¡¯ll just have to wait and see when the game resumes,¡¯ Dad said. ¡®What we CAN do, however, is get up and give our legs a good stretch. Come on, it¡¯s no good sitting around all day.¡¯

    Jackson sighed and stood. The family filed out of their row and down the steps. Chrissy tugged on Mom¡¯s hand and said: ¡®How long do we have to wait?¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯ll only be fifteen minutes, sweetie, over in a flash, I promise.¡¯

    Coach Otsen hoped fifteen minutes would be long enough to get his players back in the right head space. They were fighting an uphill battle, much greater than what the scoreboard showed. ¡°If I just took the points, we¡¯d be tied right now. It¡¯d be so fucking easy to get through to them. I should¡¯ve known our limits.¡±

    He stood before the team, wasting crucial time in silence, but he needed to find the right words. ¡®We¡¯ve got a lot to work on in the next half. Don¡¯t get discouraged, it¡¯s a good thing, means we can play that much better. Besides, they¡¯re only a field goal away from us, even with all the fuck ups.¡¯

    The players muttered amongst themselves. It wasn¡¯t the best start to his speech, but life didn¡¯t give you re-dos.

    ¡®Life doesn¡¯t give you re-dos. You only get one chance. It¡¯s unfortunate, cause I would¡¯ve had us kick that field goal instead of going for it. But we can¡¯t get bogged down with what we should¡¯ve done in the past, and have to focus on what we should do in the future. They¡¯re a strong team. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve lost yet this season. That¡¯s their weakness. Nobodies pushed or tested them. We¡¯ve gone through plenty of adversity this year and each time we¡¯ve come out the other side of the flames, stronger. When push comes to shove, we know we can fight back. When we get knocked down, we know we can get back up. When they get punched in the gut, they won¡¯t know what do to. We just have to land that first punch, wipe that smug veneer off their faces, and crack their perfect shell. They might look flawless on the outside, but they¡¯re just another team. Crack them open and they¡¯re full of filthy worms, squabbling in the mud, trying to stand on top of the messy pile. But they¡¯ve always been at the top. They¡¯ve never had to fight for anything, not like us. Once we drag them down to our level, they¡¯ll be in big trouble, they¡¯ll shit themselves, they¡¯ll be that scared. They might be the bigger, more efficient army, but you¡¯re stronger warriors. Go out there and show me why you¡¯re Titans!¡¯

    Freddy rose first and stormed out of the room. There was no huddle¡ªthey didn¡¯t need it. The others followed Freddy¡¯s determined march, and the Titans thundered out onto the field, ready for the kick-off.

    As Rudy left the room, he pulled Pete aside. ¡®Hey, get me the ball. We ain¡¯t scoring shit without me. And I¡¯m not about to lose here. I¡¯ll show those motherfuckers that they can¡¯t guard me.¡¯

    Pete sighed. ¡®If you¡¯re open, I¡¯ll find you, so GET OPEN.¡¯ He pulled away from Rudy and joined the march.

    The stand for the Titans was full, and the fans made themselves heard as the Titans reemerged.

    The Sentinels¡¯ march was much more controlled than the Titans¡¯ had been, but their fans were much more wild. It sounded like a crowd five times the size.

    The Titans¡¯ passionate flames, which Coach Otsen¡¯s rousing speech had stoked into a blazing inferno, reinforced their defence first, as the Sentinels received the kick-off to start the second half. Surprisingly, Ash didn¡¯t rush out to meet the short kick, and instead let the ball roll and bounce into the end zone for a touchback.

    When the Sentinels took their formation, a sense of unease spread through the Titans¡¯ coaching staff.

    ¡®Whoa, that¡¯s new,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®What are they doing?¡¯ Jackson said. He stared at Concrete who was now in the backfield, taking Ash¡¯s place. Ash was still on the field, only now he was positioned out wide to the near side of the field. Neanderthal and Rogers occupied the opposite side, Rudy and Kenny once again standing side by side.

    Rudy stared ahead, whilst Kenny flashed a worried glance his way. Kenny and Rudy mirrored the positioning of Rogers and Neanderthal, with Kenny on the outside and Rudy on the inside.

    The Titans pushed their worry to the wayside when the Sentinels snapped the ball. Concrete stepped forward, another blocker protecting Zane. Bryce shoved Owen WIDE around the pocket as he desperately tried to break through.

    Both Neanderthal and Rogers skipped forward in unison, though Neanderthal¡¯s larger frame carried him an extra half yard forward. Simultaneously, Neanderthal burst up and to the outside, whilst Rogers burst inside.

    Kenny tried to cut through the swathe as Neanderthal and Rudy blocked his path. He squeezed through, but Rogers had already straightened, leaving Kenny behind.

    Neanderthal dragged Rudy deep down the sideline. On the opposite side, Ash had sprinted past Freddy before turning into a deep Out, attracting Lonnie¡¯s attention.

    The middle of the field was wide open, and with the extra space granted from the initial rub, Rogers was wide open, too. When he cut across on his Post route, Zane fired the ball over the middle, just above Pete¡¯s outstretched hand.

    Rogers skipped in his stride, caught the ball on his chest, and straightened again. Kenny lowered his head, pushing harder. His legs burned, but he pushed further. He needed to be faster; he needed to catch Rogers! It was down to him. Kenny looked up and saw the gap hadn¡¯t decreased at all.

    With a single play, Rogers raced into the end zone. The Sentinels had scored just seconds after the half began. The fans stomped and trumpeted like a herd of elephants, and the Titans reeled, trying to pull themselves back together after what felt like the killshot.

 Chapter 154: Killshot

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 Chapter 155: Titan Fall

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    Coach Vasquez slumped against the bench. His feverish cheering finally ended only when the game was officially over.

 Chapter 156: The Climb Back

    The Sentinels were extremely respectful to those who stuck around and shook hands. There was no showboating, gloating, or antagonising. The only sentiment the Sentinels voiced was that they were thankful for the game and hoped to fight again next year.

    The Titans muttered¡ªif anything¡ªtheir agreement and that they looked forward to the next match. Otherwise, they kept their heads down and mouths shut.

    The Titans¡¯ locker room was a sombre place. The players rushed to it after the handshakes, but it was as welcoming as a cemetery.

    Coach Otsen observed the silence as the players dumped their pads and cleats. The only sounds were the shuffling of feet and thudding of gear. He didn¡¯t break their silence; he joined it. They needed to wallow in it for a while longer. They needed to remember.

    No one questioned Rudy¡¯s absence. Most were too absorbed with their own misery to worry about the man next to them, let alone someone that wasn¡¯t there. Only Freddy, Lonnie, and Owen looked around the room.

    When they began to leave, Coach Otsen blocked the door. The varsity team was waiting just outside, ready to take over and prepare for their own game, but they could wait a touch longer.

    ¡®We¡¯re all feeling like shit. I won¡¯t pretend like we aren¡¯t. Losing never feels good, especially when it¡¯s a loss that ends your season. Just remember, this is only a setback. There¡¯s more football ahead. We WILL overcome this.¡¯

    Only a few answered him with a ¡°yes coach¡±, most stayed silent. He didn¡¯t push them. He stepped aside, letting them through.

    ¡®The season isn¡¯t over whilst the varsity team is still going strong. I¡¯ll see you all next practice.¡¯

    Coach Otsen watched them leave. Coach Carson paced back and forth, but outside of the click-clack of her heels, she was as silent as Coach Knight. Coach Vasquez tried cheering others up.

    ¡®We¡¯ll train for next year. Next year will be even better, I promise. Next year we¡¯ll give it MAXIMUM effort and we¡¯ll get MAXIMUM success!¡¯

    Some players apologised as they exited. Coach Otsen answered each one with his own apology.

    Kenny was one of those who uttered an apology. He subconsciously deflected Coach Otsen¡¯s apology; Kenny HAD to take the blame.

    The varsity team lined the wall opposite the locker room. Mick Redd and Shane were at the forefront, greeting Kenny and all the other JV players before and after him with sympathetic smiles. Each player after that held disinterest or scorn, like the JV¡¯s failure disparaged the varsity team through association alone.

    Kenny shambled through the hall, then out into the stands. His parents had made the trip out to watch the game. They¡¯d come all that way just for him to disappoint them. He climbed to their seats and apologised for his failure, bowing his head low.

    A whack on the top of his head stung him. He winced, standing back up. His father looked angry with him, mother angry with her husband, as it was clear he was the one to deliver the smack.

    Before Kenny could offer a greater apology, his father spoke. ¡®Only apologise if you don¡¯t intend to correct your mistake and have given up. Have you given up?¡¯

    ¡®N-No, Dad.¡¯

    ¡®Hm. Then you don¡¯t apologise. You work harder.¡¯

    Kenny nodded.

    Jackson had watched Kenny walked by, now he watched, twisted around in his seat, the interaction between Kenny and Kenny¡¯s parents. He wondered if Kenny would come down and join them for the varsity game, like he usually did, but Kenny sat with his parents. He had a vacant look, as if he wasn¡¯t fully aware of where he was.

    Tommy glanced back. ¡®Should we go say hello?¡¯

    ¡®Should we?¡¯ Jackson looked at him, unsure.

    ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ Tommy stood, and the two climbed to the row Kenny and his parents occupied. As they approached, the three were talking quietly in Japanese.

    When the parents noticed Tommy¡¯s approach, they stopped and smiled at him. ¡®Ahh, Thomas-chan,¡¯ Mrs Murata said.

    Tommy bowed his head, they bowed back.

    ¡®I hope we didn¡¯t interrupt,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®No. My ot¨­san and ok¨¡san were just wondering if they needed to sit through the next game as well,¡¯ Kenny explained.

    Tommy looked down to where the rest of the Woods family sat. ¡®Usually we¡¯d be able to drive Kenny home, but the car¡¯s full today. The team bus should still take him back. You won¡¯t have to stay, but the next game¡¯s going to be a real good watch.¡¯

    ¡®We just here for support Ken, other game not interesting,¡¯ Mr Murata said.

    ¡®Baseball¡¯s the only American sport Ot¨­san likes.¡¯Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    ¡®Baseball!¡¯ Mr Murata¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡®You believe Ken not like baseball?¡¯

    Tommy chuckled nervously. ¡®It can be a bit long for people.¡¯

    ¡®Baah.¡¯

    Mrs Murata patted her husband''s thigh. ¡®Ken-chan like football. We support Ken-chan.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, Thomas-san, you know why everyone so upset?¡¯ Mr Murata asked. ¡®Boys lose before. Boys pick selves up again.¡¯

    ¡®Uhhh, they will. Unfortunately, there won¡¯t be a next time. Not for another year at least.¡¯

    The revelation dumbfounded Kenny¡¯s parents. ¡®Already? Not been going long and it over already?¡¯

    ¡®Kenny and the rest had to win today if they wanted to keep playing. Because they lost, they¡¯re out of the championship.¡¯

    Mr Murata exclaimed in Japanese. Jackson and Tommy didn¡¯t need to speak the language to understand that it wasn¡¯t something nice¡ªMrs Murata¡¯s expression said as much. Kenny hung his head.

    ¡®Baah. There always next year. Just because there no more games don¡¯t mean you take easy, Ken. You work hard so next year you win championship, okay?¡¯

    ¡®Yes, Ot¨­san.¡¯

    ¡®Kenny, you wanna sit with us for the next game, or you heading home?¡¯ Jackson asked.

    Kenny looked down at the field, then at his parents. He had to work hard to get better, so that next season wouldn¡¯t end in failure. Heading back early and hiding away in his room wouldn¡¯t change anything.

    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯ll stay. I¡¯ll get the bus back with the team.¡¯

    They relayed the plan to his parents, who agreed. They wandered back down the steps. Kenny¡¯s parents stopped briefly at the row where the Woods were sitting, but Mom, Dad, and Chrissy weren¡¯t there. Tommy explained they were probably just stretching their legs with a walk. The Muratas nodded. They said their goodbyes to Kenny, then left.

    Kenny, Jackson, and Tommy took their seats, awaiting the start of the varsity game.

    Without the rest of the family around, it was a silent, long wait. There was a buzz in the air from the rest of the crowd. All the moving and shaking of the people as they went to and fro, whether it was going to the restroom during the break, getting food and drinks, or stretching their legs. The constant hum didn¡¯t help the awkwardness settling over the three boys, however.

    Jackson broke the silence hanging over them, but not the awkwardness. ¡®I¡¯m sorry for not being there today.¡¯

    ¡®What? Don¡¯t be stupid.¡¯ Kenny shook his head. ¡®I¡¯m sorry for letting you down. We all did. We lost before you could even make it.¡¯

    Jackson was about to double down on his apology, but the rest of the family returned then. Idle pleasantries distracted the boys for a moment as Kenny greeted everyone, then informed Mr and Mrs Woods that his parents were doing well, but they¡¯d already left.

    They were thankful for the distraction, and it wasn¡¯t much longer before the varsity Titans took to the field for their warm-ups.

    Kenny watched them, and an unpleasant thought bubbled up to his head. A tiny part of him wanted them to lose, just so the JV team wouldn¡¯t be alone in their failure.

    He quickly stuffed that thought deep inside and buried it. Such selfish vindictiveness wouldn¡¯t help anybody. Besides, another little voice piped up, this one still selfish, but in a much more ¡­ positive way, he thought.

    If the varsity team won and kept marching towards a State Championship, then Kenny could still earn a spot on the team. Jackson too. It was a hopeful thought, maybe even an outlandish dream¡ªseeing as Kenny had just been thoroughly outplayed in a JV game¡ªbut he clung onto it desperately.

    The Sentinels came out next, with much the same fanfare as the JV team had entered with, only dialled up to eleven.

    The sound of the crowd¡¯s war-cry was enough to shake the field. Chrissy clasped her hands over her ears, pouting at the raucous cheering.

    The Sentinels varsity team was big too, but the size discrepancy between them and the varsity Titans wasn¡¯t as large. They were still polished and impressive, but the Titans seemed impervious. They were REAL Titans, Kenny thought.

    The Titans lost the toss this time around, which gave them the same outcome as the earlier toss¡ªthe Titans started with the ball.

    Like the first game, the Titans'' first drive was successful. Wesley hit his targets. Whether it was to Grant¡ªunfortunately¡ªor Shane, the Sentinels had a hard time covering anyone through the air.

    Likewise, they didn¡¯t seem to have an answer for the Option between Wesley and Mick Redd.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the Titans to open the scoring, Wesley running in the first touchdown of the game, and soon the score stood 0¨C7.

    ¡®They always make it look so effortless, especially Shane. He glides along the grass, and everyone else follows in his wake,¡¯ Kenny said.

    Jackson noticed the twinge of jealousy in Kenny¡¯s voice. He felt it too. The varsity¡¯s offence was just so smooth. ¡®Hey, that¡¯ll be us one day. We¡¯ll keep working until we make that happen.¡¯

    Kenny wasn¡¯t convinced.

    ¡®You guys were pretty smooth to start the game, too,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®Everything after that was the problem.¡¯

    Kenny bit his tongue. He hoped the varsity game wouldn¡¯t follow the same pattern.

    The Sentinels had the ball next, and they threw a barrage at the middle of the field. They attacked with runs and passes, but under the leadership of Shane, the Titans stood tall and held them off. The Sentinels ended their first drive scoreless.

    On the Titans'' second drive, they broke the script the JV game laid out. But, they didn¡¯t score another touchdown. The Sentinels¡¯ aerial defence tightened around everyone NOT named Shane Spearhead. The Sentinels stopped the Titans short of the goal-line, and the Titans settled for a field goal.

    Nick booted it through calmly and pushed the game out to 0¨C10. Already the varsity team had scored more than their JV counterparts, a fact Kenny unfortunately noticed and couldn¡¯t push out of his mind.

    The Sentinels then attacked the edges of the Titans¡¯ defence. They found success on the outside and opened their scoring with a touchdown as well.

    However, after bringing the lead down to only 3 points, that¡¯s the closest they got to challenging the Titans for the rest of the game.

    The Titans defence spread out further, leaving Shane with the daunting task to cover the inside alone, and while it didn¡¯t work too well for the first drive, Shane quickly grew into his role and became an immovable obstacle the Sentinels couldn¡¯t get through.

    The Titans had no qualms offensively. With the one-two punch of Micky on the ground, and Shane through the air, the Sentinels didn¡¯t have an answer for either of them at the same time.

    In the end, it was a comfortable win for the Titans, with a final score of 27¨C17.

    Kenny cheered halfheartedly, clapping his hands but not leaving his seat. Jackson was the only member of the Woods family to have a similar muted reaction. Most of the crowd groaned in despair when time ran out, though there were already decent chunks of empty spaces where people had left early.

    Jackson nudged Kenny. ¡®That¡¯ll be us down there next year. We¡¯ll be on that varsity team, on our way to State, unstoppable. And there¡¯s gonna be other JV freshmen sitting in the stands, watching US, wondering how Ken Murata and Jackson Woods make the game look so easy.¡¯

    ¡®I like the sound of that. But why wait until next year? That could be us next week. We just have to show out at practice and earn our way onto the varsity squad before State.¡¯

    Jackson thought it was overly ambitious. Even he knew there was a lot of work ahead of them to make it to varsity with a whole YEAR of training. But he wasn¡¯t about to discourage Kenny. They had to push each other, and if Kenny¡¯s goal was to make it onto varsity THIS season, Jackson was going to push him all the way.

 Chapter 157: A Destined Rematch

    As the bus came to a stop, Ty slowly rose from his sleep. He looked out of the window. Night had taken hold of the city and they were back in the Dom¨ªnguez High parking lot. Still drowsy, it took him a moment to feel the weight of another body against his side.

    Bella occupied the seat next to him, her head occupied his shoulder. He shrugged her off, and she snapped awake, almost falling out of her seat.

    ¡®Hngk¡ªHey! The hell ya do that for?¡¯

    Ty looked at his shoulder, wiping off his sleeve. ¡®At least you didn¡¯t drool on me.¡¯

    She thumped his arm, crushing his fingers against his bony shoulder. He winced, pulled back against the window, and shook his hand off.

    She huffed, then said: ¡®Asshole. I don¡¯t drool.¡¯ Though she wiped her chin and mouth just in case. ¡®I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll offer you a ride home now.¡¯

    ¡®Like it¡¯s up to you. Don¡¯t bother, my bike¡¯s here.¡¯

    ¡®You shouldn¡¯t be biking home after the game ¡­ but it¡¯s your dumbass decision to make.¡¯

    ¡®Whatever. Can you get out? You¡¯re blocking the way.¡¯

    ¡®Are you calling me fat?¡¯ She looked at him with a dangerous glint in her eye.

    An instinctive sense of danger alerted Ty. He¡¯d heard and seen deadly dances involving the word ¡°fat¡± and women plenty of times with his mother and older sisters before. He stayed his tongue for once in his life and looked to the exit. He could squeeze past her, but before he got out of his seat, he thought better of the idea; what if she took his squeezing by as an admission of her being so fat that he had to squeeze past her?

    ¡®No,¡¯ he finally said.

    Her eyes narrowed in response to the lengthy pause before his eventual answer, but she accepted it, scooting into the aisle and letting him leave.

    Being at the front, Ty didn¡¯t have to wait for anyone else to get out of the way, not that any of the other boys were in a rush to get off. They were still in high spirits; he could hear them laughing and joking behind him.

    As Ty thudded down the stairs, Bella followed. ¡®By next practice, we¡¯ll know who we¡¯re facing, so ¡­ we¡¯ll let you know.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks,¡¯ he muttered.

    At the bottom of the stairs, now on the JV level of the double-decker, there was a hold-up at the door. Though here, the boys were eager to get out, eager to get home and leave the painful loss behind them.

    Coach Long waited outside of the bus, greeting each boy with a smile and sending them off with a pat on the back. ¡®Great game today, Tyrese. You need a ride home?¡¯

    ¡®No thanks,¡¯ Ty said, heading right past the coach without pausing.

    Coach Long didn¡¯t take issue with this answer, nor did he think anything of it; there were several cars¡ªseveral parents¡ªalready waiting to pick up their boys. If Ty turned him down, he probably already had a ride.

    ¡®Try not to get run over!¡¯ Bella shouted, drawing a strange look from her dad.

    Ty flipped her off without looking. He picked up his bike and rolled it out of the lot before hopping on and pedalling home.

    He thought ahead to the next practice and the announcement that awaited them all. Ty didn¡¯t need someone to tell him who they were facing next. He remembered what the bracket for Regionals looked like and knew the Vikings would win their first game too¡ªthey had to. His destined revenge was a week away.

    He¡¯d face them in the next round, and he¡¯d CRUSH them.

    That fantasy revenge game consumed his thoughts as he returned home.

    He stopped in the driveway, walked the bike down the side of the house into the backyard, rested it against the fence, then he walked back to the front door and entered.

    The house was cold and dark. The flashing light of the TV spilled out of the living room, and at the noise of the front door opening and closing, Megan came from the back of the house, hurrying to greet Ty.

    ¡®Welcome home! How¡¯d the game go?¡¯ Despite the excitement in her voice, she kept it low; she must¡¯ve already put the twins down for bed.

    ¡®It went as expected.¡¯ He retrieved the game ball from his bag and spun it on his finger for a moment.

    Meg giggled and hugged him. Ty secured the ball like he was being tackled.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡®Ah, you should¡¯ve messaged me you were back. I saved you some dinner. It could¡¯ve been warm and waiting for you. I¡¯ll go heat it up now.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, thanks.¡¯

    As Meg went to the kitchen, Ty headed towards the living room. Father was in his seat, a beer in hand, another bottle already empty at his feet. A six-pack lay within reach, two-thirds of it remaining.

    The game was on: UCLA and USC¡ªBruins vs Trojans. Ty took one look at the scores and scoffed. The defences might¡¯ve been worse than the JV team. ¡°None of those DBs are better than me.¡± His attention turned back to his father.

    ¡®Hey. I¡¯m back from my game.¡¯

    Father gulped noisily, then asked: ¡®You win?¡¯

    Ty smiled and strode to a sparse bookshelf. Looking around the room, he was running out of space for his trophies. He set the game ball down in an empty but prominent spot, then turned back to his father. ¡®Of course.¡¯

    A grunt answered him.

    Ty¡¯s smile dropped. Thankfully, Meg and the ding of the microwave called him away.

    ¡°Nobody cares. I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll even care when I drop a Super Bowl ring in their lap.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ll care about the money you get.¡±

    Ty snarled. That tiny voice was annoying, but it was right.

    ¡®Ty? You okay?¡¯ Meg asked.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine. Thanks for the food.¡¯ He took the hot plate of lasagne and headed straight for his room.

    ¡®Oh¡­ you¡¯re welcome.¡¯ Even if she¡¯d already ate, Meg wanted to sit with him at the table, to ask him about the game, but she understood he needed rest.

    Ty took the food to his bed. When he entered, he heard the twins stifle giggles, two mounds in their beds as they hid under their blankets. He ignored them other than to say ¡°go to sleep¡±. Two heads poked out from the blankets, like fat caterpillars. They blew raspberries at him and complained he was no fun.

    Exclamations about a scary monster in the room, followed by more giggles, met his attempt at an authoritative look. It was only when Meg called out through the door and warned them to quiet down that their giggles became more muted and they once again disappeared under their blankets.

    Ty ignored them and ate, scrolling through highlights on his phone. ¡°I¡¯m better than all of them,¡± he thought, even when clips from college and NFL games came on his feed.

    As he ate, his mind drifted back to the game. They came away with the win¡ªlike he knew they would¡ªbut it had been too close.

    ¡°If that was Warren or Downey, we could¡¯ve lost. We¡ªI¡ªhave to do better.¡± Vance was a stronger foe than he¡¯d expected, even from the tape. He¡¯d gone into the game thinking Kaiser were a balanced team, maybe a little run-heavy. So he thought that if he shut down their prime target, they¡¯d crumble.

    In the end, he wasn¡¯t exactly wrong, but it¡¯d been much harder done than said. Watching film on Vance and how he manipulated his defenders to where he wanted them, and then dealing with it yourself on the field, were two vastly different experiences.

    ¡°How can I use that?¡± Ty mulled over the question as he polished off his plate. He was lucky Mother hadn¡¯t been home to cook. Meg¡¯s food was always better.

    Focusing back on Vance, plays from the game flashed through his mind. He pushed aside his disruptions and his interceptions. Those wouldn¡¯t help him right now, other than inflating his ego and confidence. He needed to focus on the few times Vance actually got the better of him.

    Vance was definitely physical. He utilised his size to the utmost. That wouldn¡¯t be any benefit to Ty. He chuckled to himself. Father wasn¡¯t tall, but he wasn¡¯t short either. Six foot at least, and Mother wasn¡¯t small for a woman either. Both were above average height, yet Ty¡¯s growth spurt still eluded him.

    Whoever was in charge of this game, they knew Ty had to be nerfed to give everyone else a chance. Nevertheless, whenever Ty stepped onto the field, it was unfair for whoever he was up against. If he was the same size as the other boys, it¡¯d be straight up overkill.

    So using his larger frame to gain an advantage¡ªlike Vance did¡ªwas out of the equation, but maximising the advantages from his height and girth wasn¡¯t all Vance did. He had great body control too, and his foot placement was sneaky. The way he used his legs to cut off Ty¡¯s path, and keep Ty where he¡¯d wanted, was the real trick.

    He got in Ty¡¯s way frequently, always trying to be at the front, and he never relented that position once he¡¯d won it. Even when Ty kept in front of Vance, he always looked to flip the route and positioning.

    Ty grumbled. Vance also liked to hold his ground and prevent his defender from getting around him, trying to force them to run into or through him. Vance knew the refs were on his side, and that he could get away with that kind of stuff. Ty knew they wouldn¡¯t be as lenient with a CB.

    ¡®Fucking bastards,¡¯ he mumbled. The twins giggled some more, both whispering to one another that they¡¯d just heard a naughty word.

    Ty always had to fight whilst being outnumbered. That was just the life of a defender in football; not only were you against your opponent, but the refs too. If he tried even half of the shit Vance had got away with, they¡¯d throw him in prison just cause his number was 21 instead of 87 and he was on defence instead of offence.

    But he knew that. He¡¯d known that since pee wee football. It was just another limiter to make things ¡°fair¡± for everyone else. They had to make things interesting, right? No one would compete if they knew they had no chance against him.

    It didn¡¯t mean Ty couldn¡¯t bend the rules a little. Every play, everyone¡ªno matter the position¡ªalways grabbed their opponent. You just have to be sneaky. Holding in football wasn¡¯t illegal, getting caught was the problem.

    ¡°My feet. If I can disrupt their stride with my feet without tripping them ¡­ or at least without making it LOOK like I¡¯m tripping.¡± That was something Vance liked to do as well. He¡¯d plant his foot right between yours, he¡¯d enter your space and claim it as his own, like an in-fighting boxer. Maybe Ty could do that.

    He turned over, curling up. He didn¡¯t know if that little trick would be enough to close the gap¡ªthe gap his teammates created by being worse than the Vikings last time, Ty was clearly better than Marshall¡ªbut he had to take any little advantage he could if he was going to be the greatest.

    His arms. That was his strength, his equaliser. They couldn¡¯t take all his length. He was shorter than he liked, but his wingspan was over half a foot longer than his height. With these arms, he could reach the heavens.

    He rolled onto his back and held a hand up to the ceiling. He could reach anything. In their previous match-up, Marshall had reached balls that shouldn¡¯t have been catchable¡ªeven Ty hadn¡¯t reached them.

    Ty studied his fingers. ¡°Just a fingertip¡­ that¡¯s all it takes.¡± His arm flopped down on the mattress.

    With that thought in mind, and the memories of Marshall¡¯s bullshit catches replaying in his head, Ty drifted to sleep, hoping to find the answer to his Viking conundrum in his dreams.

 Chapter 158: Preparing for the Raid

    Even in the morning, no one cared that Ty and the Dons had made it past their first hurdle in Regionals.

    Father was already gone. Victoria only cared about others using up too much time in the bathroom¡ªwhen, of course, she always spent twice as long in there as everyone else. Devon was back from wherever he had been, but he was sleeping in, inevitably going to be late to school. Mother was too busy worrying about herself and wrangling the twins.

    No matter how much he changed things, they always stayed the same.

    Eventually Monday came around, a day all others dreaded, but Ty relished. He rode to school headphones on, blocking out the world. Mr Morale and the Big Steppers were always there for him, at least.

    At school, he weaved through the halls like a shadow. No one took notice of him yet. They would soon, but not yet. Contrary to home, he wanted to blend in here. Although he didn''t fear the day they understood he was the greatest thing to come out of this shit heap of a school, he wasn''t looking forward to being swarmed by the masses.

    He slid into his classroom. His headphones came off, he slumped in his seat, and tuned out the noise. The first bell rang. He eyed the clock. Seven hours of purgatory lay between him and heaven¡ªpractice.

    Maybe such time could¡¯ve moved faster if Ty opened himself to the few teammates he had in class. Maybe it wouldn¡¯t feel like purgatory if he talked to them. Instead, like always, he walked past Zayden, Bella, and Rabbit as if he hadn¡¯t seen them.

    None of them were about to walk through all his warning signs to approach him, either.

    Eventually, after what felt like seven days rather than hours, Ty was back on the practice field, back where he belonged.

    Thoughts of Marshall and the Vikings had filled Ty¡¯s head along with his studies for the day, but now that the final bell had come and gone, he was free to focus on his upcoming rematch with Downey.

    His mind drifted as he stretched and warmed up. If he could control where Marshall went, then maybe he could eliminate the spectacular catches that had given him such trouble in their first meeting.

    Even with the methods he¡¯d learned from their previous encounter, and his recent battle with Vance, that probably wouldn¡¯t stop Marshall from trying his bullshit. ¡°And what if he gets away with it?¡±

    The thought rang through his head. Just a fingertip. That¡¯s what the game could come down to. Success and failure hung on a nail¡¯s edge.

    Just when he finished stretching, he realised he¡¯d needed to stretch further and began the routine all over again.

    There was a thud beside Ty. He looked up, and the sight of Deshaun surprised him. The older DB had dropped next to him and was stretching as well. For once, Deshaun wasn¡¯t only on time, but actually early. Early enough to arrive before JJ, Rabbit, or any of the coaches.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Deshaun snapped when he caught Ty staring.

    ¡®Does this mean you¡¯ll finally start pulling your weight around here?¡¯

    ¡®Shut the fuck up, freshy.¡¯

    ¡®There¡¯s an entire field you could¡¯ve gone to, but you sat next to me.¡¯

    ¡®And if ya make me get up, ya gonna have a fuckin¡¯ problem.¡¯

    Deshaun¡¯s deadly gaze slowly turned away from Ty. His locked-in focus was clear on his face; you didn''t need to know this was his first early arrival to see it. He knew better than anyone that he¡¯d played a role in their previous loss, and even if nobody had announced they were facing Downey yet, he knew a meeting with them was inevitable.

    JJ and Rabbit weren¡¯t too far behind Deshaun. Then came the coaches, along with Bella. After them, it wasn¡¯t long before the whole team arrived. Even Ricky showed up before training began.

    Ty, already with a light sweat, broke away from the field and approached Ricky, needing a little chat with him before training began.

    Ricky, thinking there could never be a good reason Tyrese sought you out, tried to veer away from him and seek the safety of Coach Hoang¡¯s presence. Ty stopped him, his hand like a manacle around Ricky¡¯s arm.

    ¡®Where are you running off to?¡¯

    ¡®Running? Who me? Nah, I wasn¡¯t running. Were you running? I didn¡¯t even see you there.¡¯

    His rambling didn¡¯t interest Ty. ¡®Did the Vikings win their game?¡¯

    Ricky smiled, relieved that was all Ty wanted. ¡®Y-Yeah, sure did. Got some footage of it right here.¡¯ He patted his pocket with his free hand. ¡®But I uh¡­ gotta hand it to your coach, y-you¡¯ll see it later.¡¯

    ¡®Hm.¡¯ Ty nodded and let him go. The footage interested him little, but it still interested him. Maybe there were more insights he could gain from seeing someone else battle against Marshall, even if they performed worse. He knew the film from their own game would be more helpful, but every little thing added up.

    Ricky hurried away and handed the film over to Coach Hoang just before practice officially began.

    It was only when Coach Long called the team together that Ty and Rabbit noticed a lot of the JV players weren¡¯t present. Coach Long¡¯s disappointment was clear even before he let out a heavy sigh.

    Coach Norman mirrored the disappointment and echoed Coach Long with his own sigh. Whilst anger dripped off of Coach Hoang¡¯s expression.

    ¡®They¡¯ll be running for miles if they even make it through tryouts next season,¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    ¡®It¡¯s sad to see. But I appreciate those of you who DID show up. Your absent brothers are only letting themselves down. Just because you¡¯ve been knocked down doesn¡¯t mean you have to give up. That¡¯s what they¡¯ve done. Let¡¯s not waste any more time on them and focus on ourselves. We¡¯ve got a lot to get through today.¡¯This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Even with that said, Ty didn¡¯t think this training session was anything special. It started as any other did, then transitioned into a focus on run defence. The back-ups and the JV offence were the tackling dummies for today.

    Tackling the ball carrier wasn¡¯t the only focus, however, blocking and block-shedding was another priority to begin the day.

    They set up a drill using ropes to define a narrow corridor. The runner and the tackler started on opposite ends, and between them was a single blocker helping the runner. If you could get around the blocker and tackle the runner, or force them out of bounds, you won; if you couldn¡¯t and they got past you, you failed. Simple.

    After each battle, the runner, tackler, and blocker switched out to the next group.

    Ty stood back, letting most everyone go ahead of him. Such drills never excited him, and especially today, in the lead up to his battle against Marshall and the Vikings, they were a distraction he didn¡¯t think he could afford.

    ¡°Think of it as an early preparation for the Bears.¡± That¡¯s right. Even if he couldn¡¯t overlook the Vikings, he still couldn¡¯t forget about the next challenge after that. Denzel and the Bears. They were a more daunting challenge simply because of what position their best player was. ¡°I have to stop Denzel if we¡¯re going to beat the Bears. This is practice for that.¡±

    With that thought in mind, he could fully invest in the drill. He initially struggled with getting around the blocker. Receivers weren¡¯t protecting the ball-carrier, but actual Linemen. It felt unfair compared to what Ty usually dealt with in an actual game, but if it wasn¡¯t unfair, how else was he going to improve?

    After his first failure, he watched others more closely, specifically how the prospective tacklers got around¡ªor at least attempted to get around¡ªtheir blockers.

    JJ had the most success, of course. From what Ty saw, JJ set a powerful base at first, held his ground, then when the runner came close he waited to see what direction they went and exploded after them. Power in controlled bursts. Obviously that wouldn¡¯t help Ty. ¡°Maybe it could against weaker Receivers. ¡­ that sleepy fucker number fourteen doesn¡¯t look that strong.¡±

    Unfortunately, his next opponent was much stronger, and Ty went nowhere. Rabbit rushed right by him and he couldn¡¯t do anything.

    That infuriated Ty more than anything. RABBIT of all people had got by him. But Rabbit got by most people. Getting through the block didn¡¯t guarantee you were going to succeed. More often than not, Rabbit could skip and hop away from clumsy tackles and duck under outstretched hands.

    He and Cameron were the strongest runners in the drill, though for opposite reasons. Whilst Rabbit was evasive, Cameron was a raging bull who relished in the head-on collisions that the tight corridor promoted, and he could smash his way through just about anyone.

    Ty knew he could tackle¡ªhis long arms were good for wrapping people up¡ªbut if power couldn¡¯t get him past the block, he had to find another method.

    He watched Deshaun, someone who was closer in stature to him¡ªthough just about anyone was closer to Ty than JJ was. Deshaun didn¡¯t use power, he didn¡¯t even engage the blocker if he could avoid it. Speed and feints were his game. Spins too. He was successful as well ¡­ at first, but there were only so many times you could spin one way, or fake the other, before the blockers figured it out and started going at you rather than letting you run circles around them.

    Ty found success with this method as well, at least the first time, the second time around, not so much. Maybe it could be good for a play or two, but after that, he¡¯d need something else.

    Ty would have to wait for the opportunity to test more methods as the team moved on to the next drill and practice continued.

    On the other side of the ball, the offence tried more passes and Stretches. There was a heavy focus on quick passes, Slants, shallow Crosses, and Screens too.

    It was a short day on the field before the team moved into the gym. Ty went straight for legs. If his battles against Marshall were going to come down to who had the greater reach, he needed to dive and jump higher.

    The coaches made sure everyone worked legs, however. Legs were the most important, Coach Long said¡ªthough he always glanced at Coach Hoang after he said it, only for an instant, but those observant listeners noticed¡ªlegs were the key to everything. Blocking, block-shedding, tackling, avoiding tackles, receiving, defending passes, even passing itself. It all started from the legs.

    The team revolved around JJ during their time in the gym, just like always, and once everyone¡¯s legs were nice and wobbly, the coaches said that was enough. Here, they dismissed the JV team, though they could continue if they wanted. It was time for film study, and so Coach Long brought the team through to the projection room.

    Everyone slumped into their seats with relieved groans, happy to be off their aching feet. Once everyone settled, they played the first film, courtesy of their little secret scout, Ricky. It was here when Coach Long finally announced who they would face next and confirmed what Ty and Deshaun already knew¡ªthey¡¯d be playing the Vikings.

    Ty learned little from the film of the Vikings¡¯ most recent game. He couldn''t even bother to remember their opponent.

    Nobody pushed Marshall during that game. He rarely had to leave his feet, let alone dive for anything. He supposed it was better for learning tendencies regarding the Vikings as a whole than anything related to his one-on-one with Marshall.

    When it turned over to looking at what the Vikings¡¯ did in that game, Ty didn¡¯t exactly tune it out, but you probably would¡¯ve thought he was sleeping through that section of study if you looked at him.

    It transitioned from that, into the Dons¡¯ own game against the Vikings, though stuck with the Vikings¡¯ defence.

    The offence had plenty of their own problems to deal with, namely the Vikings¡¯ imposing DT, Mike who had the middle of the field locked down, especially for the run game, and the other twin terror, Isiah, who¡¯d kept Stephen in check last time. They hoped the recent battle against the Cats and their strong secondary had sharpened Stephen enough to give him the edge he needed this time around.

    If that wasn¡¯t the case, then they hoped the Stretches and quick passes they worked on today would ease some of the burden. Mike definitely clogged the middle of the line, but Chris''s speed could exploit the edges, and if Stephen failed, Benny and Cole could pick up the slack.

    Ty perked up when Coach Long announced they were finally going to talk about the Vikings¡¯ offence and how to shut them down.

    His mood soured when the first clip shown was himself getting beaten for a touchdown. ¡®Did that wake you up, Samuels?¡¯ Coach Hoang commented, drawing a few laughs.

    Ty frowned but didn¡¯t answer. Watching the game back on film, from a different perspective, highlighted just how far the gap between him and Marshall had really been. He felt like he was only a fingertip away on the field, but it was much more than that.

    A little over a hand length, that¡¯s how much higher¡ªhow much further¡ªMarshall reached.

    Coach Long stepped aside and let Coach Hoang take the floor. ¡®Their main threat is their pass game, with two great Receivers, probably two of the best in the state. But what we can¡¯t overlook is how good their Quarterback is too. Threading the needle isn¡¯t an exaggeration with this offence. As much as I¡¯d like to give some help to our outside Defensive Backs, with the way they pass the ball, we can¡¯t leave any openings. It might just come down to who¡¯s better¡ªour backs, or theirs.¡¯

    Coach Hoang¡¯s gaze landed on Ty and lingered. Ty was fine with that assessment. He¡¯d win, needle precise passes, and one-handed grabs be damned. He wouldn¡¯t lose again.

    ¡®Of course, that doesn¡¯t mean the rest of you are going to be sitting on your ass. If we can¡¯t double the Receivers and help that way, there are other ways we can. Burns?¡¯

    Donte raised a hand.

    ¡®You and the four up front have a big job. If the Quarterback feels pressure, those throws won¡¯t be as accurate. You can help your Defensive Backs out that way.¡¯

    ¡®You got it, Coach!¡¯

    Coach Hoang smiled and rolled aside. He let the remaining film speak for itself.

    When it was over, Coach Otsen shut the projection down. ¡®Good practice today. I know we lost to these boys once before, but that¡¯s okay. I know you can win this time. You¡¯re a lot stronger than you were all those weeks ago. Make sure you show them that strength. Come get your copy of the film from Bella up the front here, study it throughout the week, then go home and get some rest.¡¯

    Ty stood with the rest of the herd. He was already burning the film into his memory, but he knew he¡¯d go home and watch it on repeat until he fell asleep. Even in his dreams, he doubted he¡¯d escape it.

    ¡°I can¡¯t lose. I can¡¯t let him think he¡¯s better than me. My arms can reach ANYTHING.¡± He burned the resolve into his heart, taking his copy from Bella before leaving without a word.

 Chapter 159: Downtrodden Don

    Bella watched Ty leave, pouting. ¡®You could say thanks ¡­ asshole.¡¯

    ¡®Yo.¡¯

    She flinched, almost throwing the next copy away. When she saw it was just Deshaun she relaxed. ¡®Jesus, Dee.¡¯

    ¡®Something wrong with the freshy?¡¯ He held his hand out.

    She gave him his copy and laughed. ¡®Something¡¯s always wrong with him.¡¯

    Deshaun sneered, though it quickly faded. ¡®Thanks.¡¯ He smiled ducking out of the room. His smile vanished.

    He saw Ty up ahead. He ambled through the hall, zoned out. ¡®The freshies are always so fuckin¡¯ weird.¡¯ He bumped past Ty. When Ty didn¡¯t react, he looked back. Ty was in a different place. Physically, he was present, but he was already running the simulations, trying to find the best way to beat Marshall.

    ¡°He gonna get killed walkin¡¯ home like that. Gonna step out into the street and fuckin¡¯ pancaked.¡± Deshaun kept walking, speeding up when he saw the next boy come out of the room. He didn¡¯t have the time to give Ty a ride ¡­ not like he¡¯d give that ungrateful freshy a ride, anyway.

    ¡°Had I ever been like that?¡± He wondered as he exited the building. It was hard thinking back to a time when football had made him so starry-eyed.

    Middle school might¡¯ve been the only time. But he felt like every middle school kid dreamed of stardom. It was the perfect age for it, right when you could really imagine being in the NFL and everything that actually meant, when ANYONE could feel special during any game.

    ¡°If a freshy¡¯s still actin¡¯ like that, they a retard, or arrogant as fuck. Or both.¡± He reached his car, a 2010 Ford Focus. It had a few bumps and dings, and had seen plenty of miles, but it still got the job done. Deshaun dumped his bag in the back seat, then got into the driver¡¯s. ¡°Was Ty different?¡±

    He spat out the window, failing to remove the awful taste the thought left in his mouth. No matter how much he wanted to convince himself Ty was just lucky, it¡¯d been eleven games¡ªeven one where Deshaun didn¡¯t show¡ªand Ty was still balling out.

    ¡°He ain¡¯t better than me.¡± But, like an addict reaching for the crack pipe even though they know it¡¯s going to do more harm to them than good, Deshaun went to his phone. No college offers greeted him, neither in his texts, or his email.

    He threw his phone into the passenger seat and peeled out of the parking lot with squealing tyres, almost hitting Ty on his way out, as Ty walked his bike out of the lot.

    ¡®Fuck!¡¯ Deshaun punched the horn. Though Ty didn¡¯t acknowledge him, and still had that absent look, he¡¯d stopped before stepping out into the car¡¯s path.

    Deshaun sped down the road, though calmed and slowed once the school shrunk out of existence in his rear-view mirror. His hands shook against the steering wheel. He told himself to relax and pulled into the nearest parking lot. He switched the car off and sat back.

    ¡®Relax, dumbass motherfucker.¡¯ He took a deep breath; his hands continued shaking. His eyes fell on his glove compartment. Reaching over, he popped it open and snatched a small bag from it. It could¡¯ve been called a purse, but calling it such came with a broken nose courtesy of Deshaun.

    From it, he retrieved a few things. Papers, a lighter, and most importantly, a half-full zip-lock bag of the devil¡¯s lettuce, as his mama called it. He began rolling a joint with the quickness and precision of years of practice.

    He knew smoking wasn¡¯t helping his athletic prowess, but it was this, or drive home with shaky hands, dreading every second he got closer to his destination. It was this or lay awake at night, replaying every painful loss until the sun was up.

    The lighter sparked to life. His eyes zeroed in on the flame, the joint hanging between his lips. He lit the end and took a deep drag. He sunk against the seat, closed his eyes, and relaxed.

    Smoke wasn¡¯t the only thing he exhaled. All the nerves, the worry, it was all expelled. Unfortunately, he didn''t expel the thoughts about the upcoming game against Downey and Isiah, but he could now focus on them clearly.

    Isiah was a freshy too. Deshaun laughed before taking another drag. He wondered what kind of luck he had to catch the tail end of a generation of monsters that was coming in. He tried not to think that if he was the same age as them all, he probably wouldn¡¯t even hit varsity.

    The flame crept slowly along the length of the joint. When Deshaun¡¯s phone buzzed on the seat beside him, he put it on silent without looking at it. He knew it wouldn¡¯t be an offer, and he knew there weren¡¯t any envelopes waiting for him at home, either. Two angry parents maybe, but not an offer.

    After finishing the joint, he tossed the butt from the window. In his earlier, more foolish days, he¡¯d tried smoking in the school parking lot, but even on days like this when he¡¯d stayed back so late, he¡¯d still get caught. The two-week suspension was nothing, but the whooping he got from his parents after the school called them, he never wanted to repeat.

    Thinking of home, it was about time to get back. Showing up this late, ignoring those calls, he would¡¯ve been liable for another whooping in the past, but it was a lot harder to whoop an eighteen-year-old.

    No, now you just got a lecture about how you¡¯re a man now and it¡¯s time to start acting like it or you¡¯ll get thrown out. He sighed, the engine sputtered to life, and he was on his way again.

    Fifteen minutes later, he was pulling into the alley next to their home. It was two stories, but thin, squished in between a laundromat and a thrift store. It was a dump, and unfortunately, it was Deshaun¡¯s dump.

    He squeezed the car through to the small backyard that was home to a garden bed full of dead plants, a small clothesline, and his dad¡¯s Chevy.

    He parked next to the Chevrolet, popped some gum in his mouth, sprayed himself down with deodorant, then went in through the backdoor and into the kitchen.

    ¡®Where the fuck you been, boy?¡¯

    ¡°Hey, to you too, dad.¡± He didn¡¯t meet the man¡¯s scowl.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Deshaun Banks Senior was a big, grumpy man. His arms were big, his legs big, and his belly so big it almost bumped the edge of the fryer he hunched over. Sweat glistened on the skin of his head that poked through his tightly rolled cornrows, and salty patches sprinkled throughout his pepper-black goatee. His brow, deeply wrinkled even at the best of times, now formed a deep, mountainous region across most of his face.

    Deshaun Junior focused on the bubbling fryer. ¡®I told ya practice was gonna run late.¡¯

    ¡®Practice.¡¯ He said the word like he was coughing up phlegm. ¡®You still trying that football bullshit? It ain¡¯t gon do nothin¡¯ for you. I need your help here, where you can actually do something with your life. You know how backed up we are cause you ain¡¯t here?¡¯

    Junior looked around the little kitchen. Despite its size, his dad had squeezed everything he needed into it. In one corner, a fridge stretched almost to the ceiling. The freezer was in the basement, under the stairs. There were two sets of deep fryers which Deshaun Sr. stood in front of now. A decent sized grill, plenty of counter space with an overhead heat lamp bathing half of it in a deep orange glow, chicken sandwiches and fries were already piling up under it.

    ¡®Is Junior back?¡¯ A woman pushed through the swinging door from the front house into the kitchen.

    Junior¡¯s mama, Sharon, was a couple of years younger than her husband, though neither had hit forty yet. Her brown eyes still sparkled with youth. Lush, wavy brown hair fell to her shoulders, and she went to great lengths to keep it gorgeous with weekly salon visits. Her full cheeks always lifted into a smile at the sight of her baby boy, though she frequently had to wrangle them back down and give him a stern look, as she did now. Junior had no idea how his fat old man snagged such a beautiful woman.

    ¡®Where were you, young man?¡¯ she asked, fists on her hips.

    ¡®Football practice,¡¯ Deshaun Sr. answered for his son. ¡®You hear that? He was at football practice instead of here at home helping his family.¡¯

    She frowned, her eyes darted between her husband and son. ¡®Well, that¡¯s gonna happen sometimes, but, ain¡¯t it ¡®bout time that football ended?¡¯

    Junior bit his cheek to stop from snapping. ¡®If we lose, we¡¯re done. We¡¯re playin¡¯ good this year, we might win State.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s great, Jun¡ª¡¯

    Deshaun Sr. guffawed. ¡®Yeah, and the A¡¯s might win the World Series too.¡¯

    ¡®Cook ya damn chicken.¡¯ Sharon whacked her husband¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡®Our defence is the best in Cali,¡¯ Junior said, leaving out the fact it was mostly thanks to JJ and Ty. ¡®Ya¡¯d know if ya came to my games for once.¡¯

    ¡®Maybe that¡¯s fine for you to keep playing at being a football star with all ya little friends, but a real man¡¯s gotta work, and you gonna have to start working seriously, too, boy.¡¯

    Sharon groaned. She pulled Junior into the side dining room, it was a narrow place made even more claustrophobic with the noisy wallpaper. Even with only a small table and a few chairs, the room felt cramped.

    ¡®Junior, things are gettin¡¯ busier. I know ya really like this football stuff, but, if it¡¯s not goin¡¯ nowhere, maybe it¡¯s time ya started takin¡¯ on more responsibility here.¡¯

    Junior¡¯s shoulders slumped. He expected such dismissiveness from his dad, but it hurt twice as much hearing it from his mama. He kept his mouth shut and didn¡¯t argue.

    ¡®Just go on out there and get started on them deliveries, alright? I¡¯ll see about convincin¡¯ that stubborn bastard out there to take a night off and see your next game.¡¯

    ¡®Okay, Mama,¡¯ he mumbled. He started for the door, then stopped. He shouldn¡¯t ask, but he needed to. Hope glimmered faintly in his eyes as he looked. ¡®No mail came for me today, did it, mama?¡¯

    She wanted to lie, but she couldn¡¯t, not to her baby. Even if it was going to snuff out that glimmer, she had to be honest. She shook her head.

    Junior quickly turned away, went back into the kitchen, packaged the meals, listened to the addresses his dad barked at him, marked them down, then took the food back out to his car, all without saying a word.

    Checking his list, he knew it was going to be a long night. The business was growing too big for the three of them. Apparently, they weren¡¯t making enough to bring in another employee or find a better house to live in than their current shit hole. That¡¯s what happened when you cut into your profit margins to compete with how cheap the big chains were.

    Back and forth he went, making multiple deliveries at a time before racing back home just in time for the next batch. Most of the time, he was lucky enough just to get enough tips to cover the gas.

    It wasn¡¯t until midnight when he finally flopped into bed. The upstairs bedroom was narrow as well, he¡¯d hit his head more than once on the slanted roof when waking up from a nightmare or particularly loud alarm¡ªusually a shout from his mama because the alarm hadn¡¯t woken him despite its ringing being heard throughout the house¡ªand it could only fit a single bed, but it was his place. He was free in his room. His parents respected him that much, at least.

    He closed his eyes, trying to sleep, but his mind had other ideas. Surprisingly, it wasn¡¯t thoughts of the next meeting with the Vikings, or memories of the recent game that kept him awake.

    He went back much further, to his freshman year. He had been starry-eyed back then, at least in the beginning. It didn¡¯t take long for those eyes to become dull.

    Learning that he¡¯d only made it to JV wasn¡¯t that bad. It was to be expected, only the REALLY special players went straight to varsity in their freshman years. Either way, his goal hadn¡¯t changed, he was going to win State, and he didn¡¯t mind letting everyone know every damn practice.

    ¡°I shoulda kept my dumbass freshy mouth shut.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t just his JV teammates that had to hear it. The seniors caught wind of it too, more like they couldn¡¯t escape it. So they decided to shut him up.

    He¡¯d almost forgotten the memory. It lay in the back of his mind, buried under four years of dust, but it had always been there, waiting to remind him ¡­ maybe it always was reminding him. He might not¡¯ve thought of the specific day, but the message imparted to him that day always came to the forefront of his mind every time he checked for an offer that was never coming¡ªhe wasn¡¯t shit.

    Four of the seniors, all captains, had waited for him after one practice¡ªhe stayed back for another few laps in those days. When he went for his bike, they were waiting for him.

    They said little, just that they were sick and tired of hearing his voice. Freshies should know their place. He wasn¡¯t winning State. And most importantly, the message that their fists and feet drilled into his head¡ªhe wasn¡¯t shit.

    The beat down was bad, but he could stand back up. He didn¡¯t take it lying down either; he swung back even though they outnumbered him. One wild swing caught one of them on the jaw, another in the balls. It only made things worse, but at least he wasn¡¯t taking it like a bitch.

    He didn¡¯t know whether it was the shot to the jaw or the crotch (probably both) that gave the seniors the idea of trashing his bike. That was taking it too far. He needed that bike, not only for getting to and from school¡ªor wherever else he wanted¡ªbut he made deliveries with that bike.

    Two of them held him back and kept beating on him. They made him watch as the others drove over his bike and crushed it. If they couldn¡¯t crush him or his dreams, they crushed his bike instead.

    His dad was irate after that, and Junior had earned himself another whooping. Deshaun Sr. said Junior had to have done SOMETHING to provoke the other boys to such lengths, and in a way, Junior believed him.

    His mama wanted to press charges, not just for the bike but for the beating too. Deshaun Sr. wasn¡¯t averse to getting compensated for the destroyed bike, seeing as it was a part of his business, but Junior never told them which boys did it. That¡¯d just make things worse for him. Even if they were only going to be around for another year, he doubted they¡¯d leave him in a state where he¡¯d ever be able to play football again.

    With this memory flooding back, he recalled another. All those captains had gone D1 at the end of the season. They hadn¡¯t won Regionals, but they were damn close. Deshaun remembered they had a proper star freshman back then too, a young JJ who was more of a captain as a freshman than any of those seniors would ever be.

    Deshaun¡¯s season didn¡¯t go quite as well. The beating might¡¯ve crushed him physically, but his dreams were still alive. ¡­ For a month, anyway. The JV team started 0¨C5, they didn¡¯t even make Regionals. Deshaun¡¯s dreams of State died then.

    Those seniors, his dad now, they were right. He wasn¡¯t shit. He punched the slanted ceiling. ¡®I¡¯ll prove ¡®em wrong. I¡¯ll prove ¡®em all fuckin¡¯ wrong!¡¯

    Deshaun''s passion and dreams ignited again, but he and the Dons weren''t the only ones dreaming of championships. They weren¡¯t the only ones yearning for revenge against Warren. And those seniors from Deshaun¡¯s freshman season, and his dad, weren¡¯t the only ones who thought Deshaun wasn¡¯t shit.

 Chapter 160: The Vikings Are Coming

    The Vikings¡¯ practice had finished almost an hour ago, yet Isiah and Marshall were still in the bleachers. They were the only Vikings left at the practice field, but their focus wasn¡¯t on football, not at the moment. Instead, they were locked onto the girls¡¯ Track and Field practice still ongoing.

    ¡®I¡¯m tellin¡¯ ya, nigga, that snowbunny¡¯s a squirta,¡¯ Isiah said. A wolfish grin distorted his features. His lecherous eyes were locked on the behind of a senior he¡¯d describe as ¡°thiccer than yo mama¡±.

    ¡®Bullshit. Yo balls ain¡¯t even dropped yet, nigga. Ain¡¯t no senior bitch know yo name,¡¯ Marshall said.

    ¡®Then why she was screamin¡¯ it last weekend? Hah, screamin¡¯ and creamin¡¯, that¡¯s that Jet special, baby.¡¯

    ¡®Fuck off.¡¯ Marshall crushed his empty Red Bull and pelted it at Isiah¡¯s head.

    Isiah ducked out of the way, laughing.

    ¡®Yo jet ain¡¯t ever took off,¡¯ Marshall said.

    ¡®Hah! Like ya any different.¡¯

    ¡®I ain¡¯t ever bringing my girl ¡®round a freaky nigga like yo ass.¡¯

    ¡®Quit actin¡¯ like ya got a bitch.¡¯ Isiah jabbed Marshall with his foot.

    Marshall took the kick with a smirk. He stood from his seat and started down the steps. He¡¯d met a girl just the other week, at a party one of the juniors on the team threw to celebrate the end of the regular season.

    Though he wasn¡¯t about to let Isiah in on that info, not like it was even official yet. She was just a side bitch. Never mind the fact you needed to have a main chick to even have a side piece to that in the first place, Marshall wasn¡¯t worried about that right now.

    As Marshall thudded down the steps, Isiah got up and followed him. As both boys finally left the field¡ªthe trash of their after-practice snacks and drinks a clear indicator that they¡¯d been there¡ªthey both took one last longing look at the girls on the other side of the field.

    The two stomped off school grounds and through the streets. They weren¡¯t the only two young teens who thought they were hot shit in that town, but they had some of the best cases for thinking the little patch of California around Downey High was their personal stomping ground.

    And they didn¡¯t give two shits about anyone else in it.

    On the sidewalks, They never moved out of the way for other pedestrians. God help you if you bumped into either of them or stepped on Isiah¡¯s J¡¯s.

    They ¡°flirted¡± with any ¡°sexy bitch¡± they came across, at least that¡¯s what they called it, harassment would be a more fitting word to describe it.

    They flirted with death more. When Marshall stepped out onto the road, he didn¡¯t look for a crosswalk telling him where and when to do so, and he never even glanced in either direction for cars.

    Isiah didn¡¯t either. Both boys had different reasons. Neither were TRYING to get themselves killed, even though they were lucky such an outcome hadn¡¯t happened yet.

    Marshall did it because deep down he believed he was too important. Life had a bigger role for him to play, and he wasn¡¯t going to get killed crossing the road on some random school day. In short, he¡ªlike other kids his age¡ªbelieved he was immortal. (Though other kids only act that way because they simply don¡¯t think death holds any relevance to them. Usually one brush with it is enough to make them realise they¡¯re just as mortal as any other person.)

    Isiah, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t thinking about life or death, nor did he think it impossible for something bad to happen to HIM. IN fact, it was the opposite. Each time he recklessly stepped off the pavement and into the road, he was HOPING someone tried to kill him, just so he¡¯d have an excuse to fuck them up in return.

    So when tyres inevitably squealed and a horn blared at them that day, Isiah stepped towards the wall of noise and slammed a hand on the trunk of the offending car.

    ¡®DO IT YA FUCKIN¡¯ PUSSY!¡¯

    The balding, weaselly man behind the wheel stared at Isiah, slack-jawed, eyes as massive as dinner plates behind the thick rim of his glasses.

    Isiah laughed and kicked the car. ¡®Stay in ya fuckin¡¯ car. Pussy ass nigga!¡¯

    ¡®Yeah okay, you made him piss his pants. Get yo psycho ass out of the road.¡¯ Marshall pulled him away from the car, and once Isiah was clear of the car, it took off leaving smoke in the air and tyre marks on the road.

    Isiah laughed, watching the car vanish around the corner.

    Marshall shook his head. ¡®Yo ass gonna get flattened one of these days.¡¯

    ¡®Like ya any different.¡¯

    Marshall was different. At least in his own mind. He was important. Special. Isiah on the other hand. He was talented, but that was it. There were plenty of talented athletes around, and still plenty more tragedies that befell those talented individuals.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    Marshall dragged Isiah off the road and the two continued down the opposite pavement now.

    ¡®You been like a rabid dog ever since we lost,¡¯ Marshall said.

    ¡®Why the fuck ya bringin¡¯ that shit up? It was a fuckin¡¯ fluke, nigga. Damn.¡¯

    ¡°It was a fluke yo ass got burnt on the last play?¡± But Marshall kept the words to himself. It was true Isiah had cost them the game against Warren, but what was the point of pissing off his best teammate? Isiah was an important tool, and until he wasn¡¯t, Marshall needed him.

    ¡®Yeah well, you can prove it¡¯s a fluke in a couple weeks.¡¯

    Isiah punted a rock into a parked car ahead of them, chipping one of the taillights and setting off the alarm. ¡®Why the fuck we gotta wait? We the best team in the region, erryone knows it, why we gotta beat these other worthless teams again?¡¯

    ¡®I bet the Bears think the same and are asking why they can¡¯t go straight to State. It don¡¯t fucking matter, we¡¯re gonna face them again, doesn¡¯t matter how many shitty teams we have to beat first.¡¯

    Isiah grumbled but accepted the answer. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. The two didn¡¯t run away from the alarm, they didn¡¯t even acknowledge it, but both their strides coincidentally got longer and faster until the alarm faded out of earshot.

    Isiah fumed in the silence for a while. Losing was bad enough on its own, but to lose to that dopey motherfucker. The same motherfucker who was even more arrogant than Marshall. He couldn¡¯t stand it. He needed to smack that smug motherfucker in his dumbass face.

    But he knew beating him would hurt him more than punching his teeth down his throat.

    ¡®Who the fuck¡¯s standin¡¯ in our way this week?¡¯ Isiah asked.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t coach say it was ¡­ who? Those bum ass Dongs or what?¡¯

    ¡®Dongs¡­ Dons¡­ shit, the old mutts?¡¯

    Marshall¡¯s stride hitched for a moment, which caused Isiah to step on the back of his shoe, which caused a further stumble. Marshall recovered by whirling around and shoving Isiah.

    ¡®Don¡¯t shove me, nigga!¡¯ Isiah shoved back.

    ¡®Don¡¯t step on my shoes then, retard!¡¯

    There was more needless posturing but no further shoving.

    ¡®Don¡¯t have such big ass feet then, nigga.¡¯

    Marshall cracked a smile. ¡®You know what they say about niggas with big feet, right?¡¯

    Isiah smiled as well, then both boys cracked up in laughter. But at the back of Marshall¡¯s mind, a pesky little thought had resurfaced. The Dons had one annoying little mutt. A mutt that had almost got the better of him and stolen the game from him.

    Marshall knew he was special. One mutt wasn¡¯t going to change that. But still, a little part of him doubted, and there couldn¡¯t be ANY doubt about their victory. Thankfully, more than one mutt made up that sorry excuse for a team that were the Dominguez Dons.

    He turned to Isiah. ¡®You remember the Dons right? That old nigga that couldn¡¯t guard shit, yeah?¡¯

    A vague image of Deshaun appeared in Isiah¡¯s mind, no matter how hard he crunched his brain he couldn¡¯t paint a clearer picture. It wasn¡¯t his fault, it was hard to remember someone¡¯s face if they were always lagging behind you.

    He chuckled. He sure remembered torching that sorry mutt. ¡®Yeah, but I think they woulda put that old nigga down after last game.¡¯

    ¡®Nah, didn¡¯t you peep that badge on his chest? Nigga was a captain, shit¡¯s embarrassing.¡¯

    Isiah had a look on his face like he¡¯d just stepped in shit barefoot. ¡®I¡¯d fuckin¡¯ kill myself if I was on a team so shit, that THAT mutt was captain.¡¯

    ¡®So you ain¡¯t gonna lost to him, right?¡¯

    ¡®The fuck?¡¯ Isiah stopped. He was staring at Marshall like Marshall was the weaselly little pussy who chickened out from running them over.

    ¡®He¡¯s there weak link. But he¡¯s gonna be guarding YOU. You gotta take that old nigga out back, and put him down. Beat him so bad he ain¡¯t ever gonna play football again.¡¯

    ¡®Of fuckin¡¯ course I will. Ya ain¡¯t gotta tell me, nigga. Why ya actin¡¯ like that old mutt could EVER beat me?¡¯

    ¡®Nah. You just need to remember this is your warm up for the Bears. Beat that old nigga¡¯s ass, then you¡¯ll get your revenge.¡¯

    Isiah wet his lips. He remembered that old dog barked too much. He couldn¡¯t wait to hear it whine when he put his knee on its neck and squeezed the life out of it.

    Marshall shook his head and hurried ahead. He liked Isiah, even if he wouldn¡¯t admit it. Isiah was a baller, and someone he could connect with but sometimes, sometimes he got this look in his eye that reminded Marshall of¡ª

    ¡ªMyles.

    Speak of the devil¡ªthink in this case¡ªand he will appear. Standing at the crest of the bridge just a block before Marshall¡¯s house, was Myles, standing on the railing, staring down into the water below. It was thirty feet down to the gently running river. He didn¡¯t notice them approach.

    ¡®Yo, Myles. The fuck are ya doin¡¯, nigga?¡¯

    He only looked away from the water when Isiah spoke. ¡®Oh, hey, friends.¡¯ He dropped from the railing to the safety of solid ground.

    ¡®Weird ass nigga,¡¯ Isiah muttered.

    Marshall didn¡¯t like Myles¡¯s eyes. For one, they were purple; what kind of freak had purple eyes? They were just like that little Don freaks weird teeth. Second, they never seemed present, like he was always looking at something BEYOND what he was facing.

    But he couldn¡¯t help looking at them, he didn¡¯t know if he should maintain, or avoid eye contact. Myles reminded Marshall of a crack addict, and crack fiends were like animals. Marshall just didn¡¯t know whether they were the kind you were supposed to stare at or not. Either way, he decided to stare, and he hadn¡¯t been stabbed yet so he liked his choice.

    ¡®The fuck were ya doin¡¯ nigga?¡¯ Isiah asked.

    ¡®Every year, five bodies are dumped in this river. I was looking for one.¡¯

    Even Isiah was stunned for a moment. Both boys understood they needed to smuggle knives with them, or maybe even a gun, whenever they went to school. Else they could end up as one of Myles¡¯s bodies floating in the river.

    ¡®What were you doing?¡¯ Myles asked, suddenly a step closer.

    ¡®We were just headin¡¯ to Marshall¡¯s house to play some Madden,¡¯ Isiah blurted.

    Marshall slowly turned to him with a look that was more deadly than their perceived notion of Myles. Isiah was ignorant to his mistake.

    ¡®Cool! ¡­ Cool. I¡¯ve heard that¡¯s fun. Can I join? You don¡¯t mind right?¡¯

    ¡®Not at all,¡¯ Marshall cut in before Isiah could tell Myles to fuck off. He didn¡¯t want to get on this psycho¡¯s bad side.

    Myles grinned and linked his arms over the taller boys¡¯ shoulders, following them across the rest of the bridge. ¡®You guys looking forward to the game this weekend?¡¯

    ¡®I can¡¯t wait ¡®til we face a real team. Imma fuck those Bears up,¡¯ Isiah said.

    ¡®Bears? We¡¯re playing the Dons first.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, but nobody gives a shit about the Dons,¡¯ Marshall said.

    ¡®Aww, really? But they were so much fun last time.¡¯ Myles¡¯s grin widened.

    Marshall thought back to the fight that Myles sparked last time they faced the Dons. He¡¯d taken out two players for the price of one, another helpful tool, probably the only reason anyone on the team tolerated him.

    ¡®Try not to get ejected and suspended this time, Myles,¡¯ Marshall said.

    Myles laughed, the kind of laugh you have when you remember a cherished memory from a long forgotten past. ¡®I hope they don¡¯t break as easy again.¡¯

    Both Isiah and Marshall shuddered. As they entered Marshall¡¯s home¡ªhe couldn¡¯t come up with an excuse as to why they suddenly couldn¡¯t come over, so as to keep his address a secret from Myles¡ªthey were glad they were on the same team as the mad man.

    They even felt a little bad for what the Dons were going to have to deal with. ¡­ Only a little.

 Chapter 161: Pick Yourselves Up

    Jackson came into school on Monday, sore. He and Kenny didn¡¯t wallow in regret and pity. The day after the disastrous game that knocked the Titans¡¯ JV squad out of Regionals, they were both competing and training.

    They raced each other¡ªJackson kept the sprints close and won the first few, but was hopeless on the mile.

    They challenged each other to see who could do the most pushups¡ªKenny won 112¨C101.

    The next challenge was squats¡ªKenny won 173¨C148.

    Later in the day, Jackson even called up Sachin and¡ªhomie that he is¡ªSachin came out to play a little QB for them as the pair competed in a series of one-on-ones. Here Kenny dominated.

    All the other contests had been close, but in the fifty-odd battles they had, no matter who was guarding who, and who was the Receiver, Kenny got the better of Jackson 40 times.

    When Jackson walked through the wide, double doors of Arcadia High on that chilly Monday morning before the Arizona sun had baked the ground, he still didn¡¯t know whether he had lost so badly because he was rusty, he¡¯d let himself go during his time injured, or Kenny was just THAT much better than him.

    He slumped into his seat, still thinking it over. Whatever the issue was, he needed to keep practising hard if he was going to catch up, especially with Kenny¡¯s plan to make it to varsity before the season was over.

    ¡®Yo, you good, man? You look like shit,¡¯ Marcus asked. He leaned halfway out of his seat. The bell hadn¡¯t rung yet, so the teacher was allowing the students who had already arrived to talk freely.

    ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m good. Just been practising. Guess I¡¯m not used to hard work now that my leg¡¯s healed,¡¯ Jackson said.

    Eddie sat in front of Jackson, though he sat backwards, facing Marcus and Jackson. ¡®You sure you¡¯re good, bro?¡¯

    ¡®He¡¯s not capping,¡¯ Sachin interjected. He was sitting beside Eddie, in front of Marcus. ¡®I was with him yesterday.¡¯

    Marcus and Eddie looked at him strangely.

    ¡®Bruh. Don¡¯t look at me like that. I didn¡¯t have a meet this weekend. He just needed someone to throw some balls.¡¯

    ¡®PAUSE,¡¯ Marcus said, sparking laughter from everyone but Sachin.

    ¡®Fuck you guys. You know what I meant, Jackson.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, but you made it sound weird.¡¯ Jackson wiped tears from his eyes.

    ¡®Fuck all of ya.¡¯ Sachin turned away. The others laughed again.

    Jackson had missed this. His friends had lifted his spirits so easily. Laughter was the greatest cure after all, and as the day dragged on, he¡¯d almost forgotten the heartache of the Titans being eliminated and what that meant for him.

    ¡­ Almost. Then he spotted Jasmine. He didn¡¯t run into her, nor she to him. He saw her across a crowded hall by a stairwell. She didn¡¯t see him. He didn¡¯t shout to her, or veer in her direction. He kept his head down and ducked away without interacting with her.

    After finally mending things with her, he didn¡¯t want to burden them again by dropping more bad news on her. He felt like he was always dropping heavy shit on her. It¡¯d be better if he waited until he had something good to tell her.

    On his way to the next class, he had to remind himself constantly that he wasn¡¯t avoiding her. He just had to get to his next class. She didn¡¯t need to worry about him, about how he might react now that his season was ripped away right when he thought he might finally grab hold of it.

    ¡°That¡¯s not true, anyway. Kenny and I are making varsity.¡± No matter how many times Jackson told himself that, it felt like a lie. He knew he had a lot more work to do to make his varsity dream a reality.

    Thinking about how to improve so quickly in such a brief span of time consumed most of his thoughts for the rest of the day. His mind wandered out of the classroom and on to the practice field long before his body did.

    He was one of the first to arrive at the practice field. He¡¯d gone straight there when the final bell rang. Coach Otsen was already there setting out cones, dummies, and other tools.

    ¡®Warm up, Jackson,¡¯ he shouted.

    ¡®Yes, Coach!¡¯ And Jackson did just that.

    As he was stretching, Coach Otsen approached. ¡®How¡¯s that leg feeling today?¡¯

    ¡®Good, Coach.¡¯

    ¡®Good! It¡¯s gonna get a real workout today.¡¯ Coach Otsen walked away, going back to setting up the final preparations. As Jackson finished his stretches, he watched Coach Otsen work, trying to predict just what hellish punishment the sadistic coach had in mind for the team who had already got themselves eliminated.

    Kenny¡¯s arrival pulled him from his thoughts. ¡®Sup?¡¯

    Jackson flashed a grin. ¡®Hey.¡¯

    ¡®The first step of making varsity starts today. Ready to blow some minds?¡¯ Kenny offered a fist bump.

    Jackson looked at the extended fist. They were well past the first step. The journey would¡¯ve started long before either of them knew it. He smiled and bumped fists all the same. ¡®Yeah, let¡¯s kick some ass.¡¯

    ¡®Hell yeah.¡¯

    Kenny¡ªeager to catch up with Jackson¡ªsettled in with his stretches as Jackson started running laps at Coach Otsen¡¯s behest.

    Shane arrived not long after Kenny, then the floodgates opened and more players and coaches turned up one after the other until the entire staff and varsity team were present. Yet Kenny and Jackson were the only members of the JV team who had shown up.

    While the players warmed up, Coach Otsen checked his watch. There were less than five minutes before practice officially started¡ªmeaning those who hadn¡¯t arrived yet were already late¡ªand the clock was ticking.

    Jackson¡¯s eyes darted around. Despite the JV team being eliminated, Coach Otsen had ordered all of them to attend the next practice, even he had got that memo. He didn¡¯t want to even THINK about what Coach Otsen would do to someone who no-showed practice.

    He wouldn¡¯t find out that day, as little by little the JV members trickled in. Rudy was the first of the latecomers to show. The others followed soon enough. All but Freddy, who waited until the last minute¡ªCoach Otsen watched every second on his watch¡ªbefore finally showing up, dragging his feet the whole way.

    Coach Otsen looked at them expectantly, though none were brave enough to say something first.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Coach Otsen asked, ¡®Do you have nothing to say for yourselves?¡¯ after they had all put on their vests.

    There were a few mumbled apologies, but those didn¡¯t lessen Coach Otsen¡¯s fury. His eyes fell on Rudy.

    Rudy shrugged. ¡®Ain¡¯t shit to say. A teacher held me up. Don''t know why anyone else was late.¡¯

    ¡®I-I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d want m-me here, Coach!¡¯ Freddy said. All eyes turned to him.

    Coach Otsen didn¡¯t prod him to continue, he didn¡¯t need to, his fierce gaze practically pulled the words straight from Freddy¡¯s mouth.

    ¡®I-I-I was never really part of this team to begin with. I-I was just filling in. A-And now that the season¡¯s o-over because ¡­ because w-we l-lost¡­ I-I thought you wouldn¡¯t want m-me back.¡¯

    Silence blanketed the field after Freddy¡¯s stuttering ramble ended. All eyes were still on him, while his were on his feet.

    Finally, after an excruciatingly long wait, Coach Otsen broke the silence. ¡®That¡¯s the dumbest shit I¡¯ve heard. Nobody steps foot on my field without being part of the team, and you¡¯re no exception to that, Frederick. But if you don¡¯t WANT to be on this team, then you¡¯re free to go. All of you.¡¯ He turned his harsh gaze upon the rest of the players. ¡®Anyone who doesn¡¯t want to be here, there¡¯s no fucking door. There¡¯s nothing stopping you. Leave.¡¯

    No one moved.

    ¡®I-I want to be on the team,¡¯ Freddy said. It was quiet, as if spoken to himself, but his words carried across the field.

    ¡®Don¡¯t let any doubts hold you back, then. If you really want to be a part of this team, you¡¯ll give it your all. Even if you thought I didn¡¯t want you, you¡¯d do your best to prove me wrong and show me why you deserve to be on this team. Think of these upcoming practices as your tryouts for next season. Show your worth and earn your spot back¡­ maybe you¡¯ll even earn yourself a promotion.¡¯

    Kenny¡¯s eyes brightened. Coach Otsen was looking for someone to step up, someone to make that leap and claim a varsity spot. Kenny wouldn¡¯t let anyone take that spot from him, even Jackson.

    ¡®With that said, it seems there¡¯s a problem with effort throughout the JV team this year. Hell, it¡¯d stretch back to last year at least. It¡¯s about damn time I rectified that.¡¯

    Jackson didn¡¯t like the sound of that. No one did. At least no one on the JV team. Kenny was indifferent, willing to do anything to prove he was good enough for varsity. A few varsity players, mainly Grant and his jackals, snickered as they watched Coach Otsen dole out his discipline.

    ¡®Back of the end-zone. On the line.¡¯

    The players groaned. Some hung their heads back, but they all followed Kenny to the line. They knew what came next.

    Grant laughed louder. Coach Otsen¡¯s head snapped around to him. ¡®Coach Knight, get the varsity team started on their practice.¡¯

    Grant¡¯s grin evaporated. As he stalked away, he kept his eyes on the JV team.

    Everyone lined up. Bunched together, they occupied less than half the end-zone''s back line. Jackson shifted how his vest sat on his shoulders. The weight was already dragging him down just thinking about the sprint they had to do.

    Coach Otsen stood beside them, stopwatch in hand.

    ¡®Up and back. Get down and touch the line. You¡¯ve got thirty-five seconds.¡¯

    ¡®Thirty¡­ Coach!¡¯ Vincent caught himself on Owen, almost fainting.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want no excuses. You run, you touch that line, and you make it back here in thirty-five seconds. You don¡¯t want to know what happens if just one of you fucks up one of those things. Coach Vasquez is down there, he¡¯ll make sure you really touch that line.¡¯

    Down at the other end of the field, Coach Vasquez waved and jumped around frantically.

    ¡®But Coach¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Ready. Get set. Go!¡¯ Coach Otsen clicked the starter on the stopwatch. The boys could hear the seconds falling away. It sounded more like machine-gun fire than a ticking clock.

    They rushed forward, a stampede. Kenny darted ahead of the pack first with the best start. At half field, Jackson caught up.

    By the time they reached the back of the opposite end-zone, Jackson was ahead by a length. Rudy, Lonnie, and Kenny were all neck and neck.

    ¡®KEEP GOING! MAXIMUM EFFORT!¡¯ Coach Vasquez cheered.

    Jackson tapped the line and whirled around. He stumbled when he pushed off. Vincent and some of the other Linemen were lagging far behind. You didn¡¯t need a clock of your own to tell they wouldn¡¯t make it, and that knowledge caused Jackson to lose focus for a second.

    He regained his footing. Kenny, who had the best turnaround, caught up with him. Jackson shook all thoughts of others from his head and continued his sprint, only the finish line in his sight and mind.

    Lonnie struggled at the turn, which let Rudy charge ahead of him. Isaac led the chasers behind the leading group, Pete close on his heels. Then there was Freddy. After him, there was a gap before Owen led the Linemen, who all lumbered after him after another small gap.

    Jackson couldn¡¯t pull away from Kenny, and the two finished together. Jackson slowed to a jog. Kenny stopped more abruptly.

    Jackson wheeled around, transitioning to walking. He was panting hard. ¡®You shouldn¡¯t stop so fast,¡¯ he told Kenny. ¡®Better to ease back down.¡¯

    Kenny panted as well. He said nothing, but nodded in acknowledgement. They looked at Coach Otsen, though they couldn¡¯t read if they¡¯d failed from his stern face. Then they watched the rest of the team cross over the finish line.

    Lonnie had caught up with Rudy, Isaac pulled further away from Pete and Freddy, but they were still in the same order as they had been at the halfway point.

    Coach Otsen looked up after Vincent crossed the line last. ¡®On the line, and get your hands off your knees.¡¯

    More groans echoed his command. The players trudged back to the line.

    ¡®Can¡¯t we take the vests off?¡¯ Rudy asked. Coach Otsen looked at him as if he¡¯d uttered blasphemy. ¡®We won¡¯t make it otherwise.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯ll run until you make it or you¡¯ll run all day.¡¯

    ¡®I need water,¡¯ Vincent said.

    ¡®What you need is to get on the fucking line!¡¯

    They lined up again. Coach Otsen counted them down, then they took off. Once more, they failed to beat the clock. This time was slower than the first.

    After the second failure, Coach Otsen allowed them a quick drink, but then it was back to the line.

    Coach Otsen wasn¡¯t anything if not a man of his word. He had them running all day, though they didn¡¯t get any quicker.

    Throughout, Jackson was so tired, and pushing himself so hard, that he couldn¡¯t even take a second to look at what the varsity team was doing. He was sure a large contingent was laughing, but he was more concerned with what drills they were doing while laughing at his and the others¡¯ misery.

    After what felt like hours of failed sprints, Coach Otsen gave them a longer break. The bleachers looked like the aftermath of a massacre, with bodies laid out all over the bottom rows. Mercifully, Coach Otsen allowed them to dump their vests during the break as well.

    Kenny was the only one of the JV team who forced himself to sit upright whilst the others lay down. He also was the only one who kept his vest on.

    Jackson¡¯s leg ached deep in his shin. His chest was on fire, and a growing knot stretched across his side. But his leg was killing him. He sat up, massaging his leg. He¡¯d seen it done so much and done it himself enough times that he felt like he could massage the aches away even in his sleep.

    Today, it helped dull the pain, but it didn¡¯t go away fully.

    Jackson was so tired, hurting so much, that he hadn¡¯t noticed a spectator in the stands. She¡¯d been there since practice started, and she¡¯d been watching the whole time. Even now, he didn¡¯t notice she¡¯d moved right behind him until she spoke up.

    ¡®Is your leg okay?¡¯ Jasmine asked.

    Jackson jumped, almost falling off the bench. He looked at Jasmine like a deer caught in the headlights, breathless again, but for an entirely different reason.

    She giggled, though her eyes still held concern. ¡®Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to spook ya.¡¯ As she shifted down to his row, sitting beside him, her eyes darted down to his leg, then back to his face, silently repeating her question.

    ¡®N-No, s-sorry. I-I didn¡¯t see you there. I uh, my leg¡¯s fine. It¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m okay. Are you, why are you here? I mean, uh, not that you can¡¯t be here, but it¡¯s just, I didn¡¯t expect it, and um ¡­¡¯ He decided it was best if he just shut his mouth.

    ¡®Well, I wanted to talk with you, see how the game went. But uh, this training seems a lot more brutal than I remember. I don¡¯t think last time had as much running, either. What¡¯d you guys do to piss your coach off? Someone shit in his cornflakes?¡¯

    ¡®Uh¡­¡¯ Jackson blushed but shook his head. Processing more than Jasmine¡¯s last question, he frowned and looked away. ¡®Ugh, no. It¡¯s nothing like ¡­ this is happening because we lost, and because Coach thinks we don¡¯t care enough.¡¯

    ¡®Seems a little excessive for one loss.¡¯

    Jackson''s eyes lowered. He hugged his leg to his chest. Suddenly, it didn¡¯t hurt anymore, nor was he out of breath or aching all over. The knot was still growing, but it wasn¡¯t a stitch in his side anymore, more like a lump of lead in his stomach.

    ¡®Our season¡¯s over. We lost and now we¡¯re out of Regionals, so there¡¯s no more football for the JV team.¡¯

    ¡®Oh¡­ shit. Sorry, I didn¡¯t know.¡¯

    ¡®No, there¡¯s nothing to be sorry about. It¡¯s our own fault. That¡¯s why we¡¯re doing this, so we¡¯ll do better next time.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, but you guys gave your all, right? I mean, sometimes you just lose, even the best teams lose, eventually.¡¯ She saw Jackson¡¯s expression sour. ¡®Did you at least get to play?¡¯

    He winced. The knot turned into a ball of needles, stabbing him from the inside. Thankfully, the break was over, and he was called back to the line. It didn¡¯t seem as dreadful, at least not as daunting as finishing this conversation.

    ¡®Sorry, I gotta go,¡¯ he mumbled before heading off.

    Jasmine watched him, staying where she sat. She opened her mouth to say something, but swallowed her words. She kept her cheers silent as she watched the rest of the practice play out.

 Chapter 162: Extracurricular Training

    Coach Otsen ran the JV Titans ragged that week. They still couldn¡¯t reach that thirty-five second threshold, not all of them. Kenny and Jackson had. Lonnie and Rudy too¡ªLonnie thanks to his high top speed, and Rudy because he was the one least slowed down by the vests.

    Freddy, Isaac, and Pete were closing in on the time from Kenny¡¯s estimations, but the Linemen, even Owen, who was the fastest of them, were all lagging behind greatly.

    Kenny¡¯s frustrations grew. Running alone wouldn''t earn him a varsity spot or prove he deserved a chance.

    But Coach Otsen was a stubborn bastard, and even if it meant they had to run every day of the off-season to reach the goal he set, he¡¯d make sure they ran.

    So Kenny had to look for another way to vent his frustrations. That¡¯s why he and Jackson were at the park, for some extra training that wouldn¡¯t be just running.

    Of course, there was still some running, as it was an essential part of the sport they both loved, but it wasn¡¯t their focus. At least not increasing their straight-line speed or stamina wasn¡¯t.

    Kenny stood next to Jackson, explaining his idea as they looked out at an empty patch of grass in the park. ¡®Alright, so, you jog forward, then I¡¯ll call something out like, left, or right, whatever, and you cut that way, then continue in that direction until I call something else out. You get me?¡¯

    Jackson nodded. ¡®Yeah, I think I got it.¡¯

    ¡®Focus on that explosion of speed.¡¯ Kenny patted him on the back, then stepped aside.

    Jackson gave a thumbs up and jogged forward. He¡¯d cut and twist and turn, digging small divots and depressions into the grass as he pushed off powerfully. It felt good putting some trust in his leg again, feeling that explosive force rush through it from his toes all the way up to his hips.

    Kenny eventually directed him back to where he¡¯d begun. Then it was Kenny¡¯s turn for the drill. He was a blur through his cuts. Jackson, watching after taking some step backs, and having some experience trying to guard Kenny, now knew why it was so hard to keep him in front of you. It wasn¡¯t so bad when they were going straight. He could catch up with straight speed, but Kenny was so quick to change direction. It was a thing of beauty watching him work.

    His movements were short and sharp. He planted his feet quickly and shifted his weight even quicker. Like the snap of your fingers. Jackson had to be quicker.

    He watched closely, Kenny running through the drill longer than Jackson had, though neither complained about it.

    Jackson saw what he thought might be Kenny¡¯s secret to his rapid cuts; Kenny didn¡¯t plant his whole foot before he cut, just his toes. He was like a spring, one that came pre-loaded.

    Eventually, Kenny jogged back. Jackson was so caught up in watching the action closely and trying to find that secret, he would¡¯ve watched Kenny all day.

    ¡®Phew, alright. That¡¯s some good stuff, yeah?¡¯ Kenny asked.

    Jackson nodded.

    ¡®Great. I think we need to pick up the speed though, maybe ¡­ focus on going from sixty down to zero. Stop on a dime and all that shit.¡¯ Kenny looked around. The park wasn¡¯t crowded, thankfully, and the space they¡¯d found was more than suitably long.

    ¡®I reckon, run until I say stop, then turn back as quick as you can and run back to me. Like a curl, yeah?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Jackson nodded again and got set in his mark like he was lining up before the snap.

    On Kenny¡¯s mark, Jackson took off. He sprinted ahead without hesitation, listening for Kenny¡¯s call. When it sounded, he stamped his foot down and spun around on it.

    Pain twinged deep inside his shin. He winced and stumbled a bit, but completed his spin and pushed back into a sprint, running back to Kenny.

    ¡®You good?¡¯ Kenny asked.

    ¡®Yeah, fine. Not as easy without cleats.¡¯

    ¡®Maybe we should¡¯ve brought them, but I don¡¯t know if the park would like us tearing up the grass like THAT.¡¯

    Jackson looked back at the clearing. Even without cleats, it was already obvious that they¡¯d been running on it aggressively. Dirt had been kicked up in places, some softer parts of the ground had been dug in. It would¡¯ve looked like a minefield if they¡¯d been wearing cleats.

    ¡®Ain¡¯t this kinda what we¡¯ve been doing with the sprints at training?¡¯

    ¡®Hmm¡­ I guess, but this is more focused on that turn. We only do that once at training, then we¡¯re running for ninety-nine percent of the time.¡¯This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡®I guess so.¡¯

    Jackson caught his breath and let whatever remnants of the pain melt away as Kenny went next. Jackson didn¡¯t wait as long to call for Kenny to turn back.

    Kenny stamped his feet as well. This time he couldn¡¯t just kick off with his toes now that he was stopping and turning, but he was still quick.

    They swapped turns, and Kenny almost made Jackson trip up again by calling for him to turn back near immediately after he started. It was a clever little reaction test and made him focus on several quick bursts of speed. Jackson liked it, and it meant he was back to watching Kenny and learning from him even faster.

    After a couple of seconds, he called Kenny back, and he watched intently, eyes locked on Kenny¡¯s lower half. He noticed Kenny was already twisting to turn back even as he planted his feet to stop.

    Whereas Jackson stopped, THEN turned. Kenny tried to do both at once. While it was faster, Jackson thought it was riskier, seeing it as increasing the chance of an injury with that sudden planting and jerking motion. His leg ached just thinking about it.

    Nevertheless, he tried it on his next attempt, but it wasn¡¯t something he was used to, and he stumbled ahead while trying to stop before eventually turning around.

    They each went through it a few more times. Jackson broke his attempts into two parts: stopping and restarting. While he wasn¡¯t concerned with connecting the two movements smoothly and quickly at first, he still did each individual part as quickly as he could.

    When he heard Kenny, he¡¯d instantly slam his foot down, already turned sideways, ready to push back off the other way. But when he was firmly planted, he¡¯d wait a second before giving that final twist and thrust to kick back and finish his curl.

    Kenny watched him curiously, but said nothing until they were ready to move on to the next idea. ¡®Hey, how¡¯s your leg feeling?¡¯ he asked.

    ¡®It¡¯s fine,¡¯ Jackson answered. A half lie, if that. It was fine, really. But it was beginning to ache. The pain was dull for the time being, but each exercise caused that dullness to sharpen. He could tell the focus of today¡¯s extra training would remain on legs. After all, he¡¯d say they were the most important parts of a Receiver¡¯s body outside of his hands.

    ¡®You let me know if it¡¯s hurting too bad, we can¡¯t have you getting injured again.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks, Kenny, I know you¡¯ve got my back. I¡¯m not gonna push myself to snapping it again, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll say something if it¡¯s bothering me.¡¯

    ¡®Promise?¡¯

    ¡®Promise.¡¯

    The two bumped fists. Kenny explained his third idea. Still focusing on explosiveness, now he wanted them to test, and compete against, each other.

    They¡¯d stand together, facing one another, then lean on each other. With their hands under the other person¡¯s armpit, they¡¯d relax. After a countdown, they¡¯d push against each other, only for a few seconds at most.

    It¡¯d be like some kind of sumo contest. ¡®But if sumo ain¡¯t explosive, what is?¡¯ Kenny laughed.

    ¡®Huh. I guess that makes sense. I¡¯d never that about that. Hey, maybe Vincent and that could learn a thing or two from sumo.¡¯

    ¡®They probably could. Though sumo doesn¡¯t have any rules against holding.¡¯

    ¡®Talk about a wedgie¡­ sheesh.¡¯ Jackson shuddered.

    ¡®Haha, c¡¯mon, man, are we giving it a shot or nah?¡¯

    ¡®Alright, alright.¡¯

    They positioned themselves against one another, relaxing, taking deep breaths. ¡®Use your legs more than your arms,¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®We can use our arms to beat a Press. This¡¯d be good practice for that.¡¯

    ¡®Oh. Yeah, you¡¯re right. Good thinking, man. Okay, use your arms too. Just push hard, only for a couple of seconds or until someone gets knocked over.¡¯

    Jackson nodded. They leaned on one another. Kenny¡¯s breath echoed in his ear as Kenny counted down from three. On ¡°go¡± they both shoved into each other.

    Jackson¡¯s leg strained and creaked, but he got the better of Kenny first, knocking him back a few steps. He stopped immediately after that.

    Kenny brushed himself off, smiling. ¡®Good stuff! Just like that, how¡¯d that feel?¡¯

    ¡®Good! Go again?¡¯

    ¡®Hell yeah.¡¯

    They went for another round. Jackson won again, and the next, but his leg ached. It wasn¡¯t just power pushing up from his toes, pain shot through his leg, too. Each successive time, the stab of pain got stronger, and it was on the fifth round Kenny won¡ªthe fourth being a tie.

    Kenny won each contest after that until they both needed a break. Jackson wouldn¡¯t ask for a break first, he could push through it. Just no break, he told himself over and over.

    As they cooled off, Kenny walked over to the tree they¡¯d left their ball leaning against, nestled in the roots. After retrieving it, he jogged back.

    ¡®Some catching practice now. We can combine it with those first cutting drills. Just gotta catch the ball when you make your cut.¡¯

    ¡®Got it. I¡¯ll uh, I¡¯ll throw first,¡¯ Jackson suggested.

    ¡®Oh, yeah, sure.¡¯ Kenny was happy to go first. He didn¡¯t even think Jackson might have other motives for resting longer.

    Jackson kept as much pressure off his leg as he could while he threw, but, relying on arm strength alone, his passes were soft, slow lollipops, arcing higher than they needed. He even missed the first one, throwing it behind Kenny, who still reached back and caught it.

    After the third lob, Kenny held onto the ball. ¡®Hey, I know neither of us are Quarterbacks, but you think you can get it lower and harder?¡¯

    ¡®Ah, sorry. You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll do better. It¡¯s no good practicing with passes so sloppy you¡¯d never see them in a real game.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s all good. Just do your best.¡¯

    Jackson nodded. He couldn¡¯t let his leg hold not just himself back, but Kenny too. He stepped into his throws, still keeping light on his toes and leaning heavily on his good leg. The arc lowered, and speed increased to a respectable enough degree while keeping the pain to a minimum.

    Then it was his turn to catch. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. ¡°You¡¯ve got this.¡± He took his mark, then set off.

    He cut left, springing off his toes like he¡¯d seen Kenny do. He got almost no power from the rapid cut, stumbling again. His hands whipped up, and as he fell over, he thankfully caught the ball.

    Kenny ran over. ¡®Shit, you good?¡¯ He helped Jackson up.

    ¡®Yeah! Yeah, I¡¯m good¡­ shit, uh, my leg it¡¯s just¡­ it¡¯s playing up. Maybe I should rest it for a bit.¡¯

    ¡®Ah, fuck. Yeah, that¡¯s a good idea, uhh, you sit down, get in the shade. I¡¯ll just, I¡¯ll just do the jump cuts and stuff. Don¡¯t worry about throwing me the ball.¡¯

    Jackson nodded. He went over to the shade where their drink bottles lay. He sat down, leaning back against the tree. His leg throbbed. Would that ache ever go away? He began his massages.

    The pain didn¡¯t need to vanish entirely; he wasn¡¯t sure it ever would. It just needed to stay away long enough so he could catch up. Or at least keep up. Otherwise, Kenny would charge ahead and leave him behind.

    He stared down at his leg. ¡°Will you hold me back forever?¡± He contemplated if one dumb decision in his darkest moment had robbed him of his future.

    ¡°No. Not yet. I¡¯m still here. I¡¯m still standing. And even if one¡¯s broken, I¡¯ve still got two legs. I¡¯ll still be the greatest.¡±

 Chapter 163: The Vikings Come at Night

    Only one more day of school stood between Ty and his revenge. He wouldn¡¯t even have to wait twenty-four hours.

    As he sat at the thin, wooden dining table of the Samuels family that Friday morning, slowly shovelling spoonfuls of cereal into his mouth¡ªmore a force of habit than any hunger¡ªhis mind was already hours into the future when he¡¯d face against the Vikings that night.

    His bag lay under his chair. Meg sat opposite him, the twins on either side of her. Ty hadn¡¯t responded to her greeting. He hadn¡¯t even flinched when Josh had thrown a piece of Froot Loops at him, for which Josh was quickly scolded.

    Meg wasn¡¯t offended Ty ignored her, nor worried that he was so vacant. He hadn¡¯t heard her, and therefore couldn¡¯t respond, because he was focused. She actually admired him for that, wishing she could focus so intently while studying.

    Their mother came into the room, jostling her bulging handbag over her shoulder, still applying the finishing touches to her makeup. She picked the twins up, even as they complained, and kept moving towards the door.

    ¡®You¡¯ll be late for kinder, should¡¯ve ate instead of playing with it.¡¯

    She looked back at the two at the table and blew them kisses. ¡®Bye kids, love you.¡¯

    Ty snapped to attention, his head whipping around. His mouth dropped open, but the door slammed shut before he could get the words out. ¡°She would¡¯ve said no anyway,¡± he told himself.

    He got up, dumped his empty bowl into the sink. ¡®I¡¯m going,¡¯ he told Meg. ¡®My game¡¯s tonight; I¡¯ll be home late.¡¯

    ¡®Tonight? Playing under the bright lights, that¡¯s exciting. Where is it?¡¯ Meg smiled, despite all the dishes that she knew she¡¯d have to clean up. She¡¯d be on time if she hurried ¡­ she hoped.

    ¡®Don¡¯t know. We¡¯re taking the team bus again. Probably over an hour away.¡¯

    Her smile dropped. ¡®Oh¡­ r-right. I don¡¯t think I can make it.¡¯

    ¡®No. Doubt our mother or father would take you. You can ask if you see them again.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah.¡¯ Neither of them sounded hopeful. ¡®G-Good luck though. I know you¡¯ll win, so I¡¯ll come see your next one.¡¯

    ¡®Thanks.¡¯ He smiled at her. It was good knowing he could always count on her. And she was right. He WOULD win.

    He left through the same door his mother had dragged the twins out of, closing it much more gently. A short bike ride later, and he was at school.

    The day passed in a blur after he sat down. Some part of him was listening, reading, and filling out his work, maybe his subconscious, because Ty sure as hell only had enough room in his mind for the Vikings and Marshall.

    When the last bell tolled, Ty looked up. It felt like no time at all had passed since he¡¯d first sat down, but suddenly he was in a different classroom, with a different teacher droning on, and the sun was much lower in the window.

    He grabbed his things, ducked out of the classroom, and headed for the parking lot.

    The bus¡ªonly a single-decker this time¡ªstood out like a beacon. Already the team gathered around it, only the varsity members present this time.

    Closer around the door were the coaches, organising the players and counting heads, double-checking everyone had their gear.

    As Ty approached, he noticed everyone was a lot quieter than they had been last week. It wasn¡¯t just because of the lesser numbers, either. The air was tenser around the team.

    A few jokes and laughs were sprinkled throughout, but they were all short and muted. They never beat back the intense, stern expressions for long.

    The door opened and Coach Long motioned for everyone to get on board. ¡®Single file, no pushing. There¡¯s seats for everybody.¡¯

    ¡®Let¡¯s get this show on the road!¡¯ Coach Norman helped shepherd everyone on, whilst Coach Hoang stayed out of the way, waiting until the last student was on.

    Ty stepped on, heading down the narrow aisle for the back of the bus. Someone tugged his arm and pulled him back. Stephen shoved by, looking down at him. ¡®Seniors at the back, freshies at the front.¡¯

    Ty opened his mouth to spit out a response, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him. He locked eyes with Deshaun, who also shuffled past, squeezing through rather than shoving Ty out of the way like Stephen had.

    Deshaun stopped before continuing further, the two still looking at one another. ¡®We need you to play good today. We¡¯ve got this shit.¡¯ He thought about offering a fist bump, but lowered his hand and turned away.

    ¡®Maybe if you don¡¯t hold us back this time.¡¯Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

    Deshaun started to turn back, then stopped. He shook his head and swallowed his retort.

    Ty huffed, but slid into the nearest available seat. He didn¡¯t want to sit near those obnoxious assholes, anyway.

    As Ty settled into his seat, Zayden glared at him, the two touching elbows. The back of the bus didn¡¯t seem so bad anymore, but Ty didn¡¯t get up.

    The coaches filed in after the players, most sitting in the row ahead of Ty and Zayden, with Coach Hoang just in front of that.

    Zayden¡¯s glare softened. He sighed and shifted over in his seat, closer towards the window. ¡®I¡¯ve got your back today,¡¯ he said.

    ¡®I don¡¯t need your help. Worry about Deshaun and what¡¯ll happen on his side.¡¯

    ¡®Just take the fucking¡­ whatever.¡¯ Zayden shook his head and slipped his headphones on. Ty looked away and did the same, putting in his earbuds.

    Once everyone was settled into their seats, their bags secured in the undercarriage, the bus pulled out of the parking lot and they hit the road.

    Though the drive had begun, the mood didn¡¯t pick up. Even through Ty¡¯s music, he could tell the bus was quiet. He glanced around. Everyone was concentrating, looking more like a test hall.

    He saw it on their faces. Everyone knew how important the game was. Everyone knew they had a mountain to climb if they wanted to win.

    Stephen¡¯s stamping foot rattled the back of the bus, even after repeated complaints from Cole and Benny sitting closest to him.

    Deshaun¡¯s face was sullen, looking as if he was preparing for a funeral. He had a lot to prove. Even if some thought he was an old dog, he still had plenty of new tricks to learn, and he wasn¡¯t about to be upstaged by some puppy bitches; Isiah wasn¡¯t the only young pup he couldn¡¯t let get the better of him.

    Chris¡¯s knuckles turned white from the death grip he had on the headrest of the seat in front of him. He remembered little from the previous meeting with the Vikings. He knew he¡¯d gotten knocked out, and he knew who hit him. That was unforgettable. If there was one thing he remembered from the game, it was those wild, purple eyes.

    Part way through the journey, Bella turned back in her seat, her eyes peering over the top of her headrest at Ty. They scanned the length of the bus, then went back to Ty. He didn¡¯t notice her gaze.

    She sat back straight, and shortly after, Coach Long stood from beside her and approached Ty¡¯s seat, tapping him on the shoulder.

    Ty switched his music off and pulled a bud from his ear.

    Coach Long held a banana out to him. ¡®You got something to eat, son?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m good, Coach. Thanks.¡¯

    Coach Long didn¡¯t move the banana away. ¡®It¡¯s important to eat. I wouldn¡¯t want you playing on an empty stomach, Tyrese.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t mind. I can focus better without it. Thank you,¡¯ Ty said more firmly.

    The banana was unmoving. He heard a crunch beside him. Zayden bit into an apple. He still had his headphones on, looking out of the window. When Ty turned back to Coach Long, he was still there, and so was the banana.

    ¡®Alright, you don¡¯t have to eat it if you don¡¯t want to. But you hold onto it. It¡¯ll be there if you change your mind.¡¯

    Ty reluctantly took it. He knew Coach Long wouldn¡¯t go away otherwise. ¡°You¡¯re as stubborn as my sister.¡±

    Satisfied, Coach Long returned to his seat. Ty pocketed the banana, and as he put his earbud back in, he could¡¯ve sworn he heard a frustrated sigh.

    Eventually, the bus came to a stop. Roughly an hour and a half after their journey had begun back at Dominguez High, it stopped in streets that were unfamiliar to Ty.

    The location wasn¡¯t important; as long as there was a field, he¡¯d play on the moon if he had to. But this at least meant that it was neutral ground again. The stands surrounding the field were small, but they were even.

    The bus eased into the parking lot, and bit by bit, the Dons filed off it. Coach Hoang came first, then it emptied front to back. Coach Long oversaw everyone coming out, whilst Coach Norman and Bella helped with the gear.

    As Ty grabbed his bag from Coach Norman, thanking him for it, a second bus pulled into the lot.

    Ty stepped aside, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he watched the second bus park. Then the Vikings spilled out one by one. Like a little trail of ants, that¡¯s how Ty saw them, even if the Dons were doing the same.

    The massive frame of Mike Ironbark lumbered down the steps and onto the pavement. He grinned at the Dons waiting around their own bus, then hollered back to his teammates.

    Nathan came next, then Marshall after him. Ty didn¡¯t notice who else came after that.

    Players grabbed their gear from their respective buses, then instead of moving on, they stood and stared across the parking lot at the team mirroring them.

    Chris¡¯s knuckles turned sheet-white again, this time around the strap of his bag, as he locked eyes with Myles. The wild boy flashed his sharp teeth, grinning as he waved at Chris, his memories of their prior contest much fonder.

    Stephen stepped up beside Chris. ¡®The fuck are you staring at?!¡¯

    Each player from either team bristled, preparing for the worst. Maybe their differences on the field would have to wait, and their problems would be hashed out right there in the parking lot.

    Myles laughed, still waving. ¡®I haven¡¯t forgotten about you either, big guy!¡¯ He wiped his nose, a memory of pain sparking at the touch. ¡®No. We¡¯ll have plenty of time to play more, too.¡¯

    ¡®Day! That¡¯s enough. Get moving. Or do you wanna go kiss him?¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    Stephen tore his eyes away from Myles and started towards the field. ¡®I can think of a better word that has four letters and starts with ¡°K¡± for what I want to do to him.¡¯

    The coaches on both sides stepped in and broke up the rest of the staring contest, waving the boys away and herding them towards opposite ends of the field before things escalated.

    ¡®Enjoy your last game of football, nigga!¡¯ Isiah laughed, eyes locked with Deshaun.

    Deshaun clenched a fist. Stephen wasn¡¯t the only one who thought it¡¯d be more cathartic to solve things off the field. But Deshaun kept moving, flipping Isiah off as the two drifted further away.

    Isiah¡¯s laughter continued until he was out of earshot, his cackling slowly fading.

    With both sides leaving the parking lot, only two players remained at the buses, standing motionless even as everyone moved around them, like two rocks within a raging river.

    Fifty yards stood between Marshall and Ty, but they felt face-to-face. Neither blinked, neither backed down. They both knew something the others didn¡¯t¡ªthe game would come down to them. Others would play a role, of course, but in their hearts that¡¯s how they both felt. The last man standing between the two of them would be the victor.

    ¡®Yo, Ty.¡¯ JJ came back, taking Ty by the arm. He looked across at Marshall. ¡®Don¡¯t worry about that cabron, you¡¯ll see him plenty on the field. Come on.¡¯

    Ty said nothing, but turned and followed JJ, catching back up with the others.

    Marshall, meanwhile, was still alone. He watched Ty go, then looked to his team. None had even looked back at him. He stalked after them without a word.

    As both teams marched towards their locker rooms, the sun dipped ever closer to the horizon. When it set, the game would begin.

 Chapter 164: Game Day XII

    Each Don found a locker and sat in front of it, gearing up for the coming game. The clatter of cleats, helmets, and pads was better than the tense quiet they¡¯d driven in. It meant the game was close at hand.

    Coach Long came into the middle of the room once everyone was ready. He looked around slowly.

    ¡®It¡¯s just another bump in the road,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®It¡¯s up to you if it knocks us off. We¡¯ve been training hard for this. Don¡¯t let that all go to waste. We¡¯ve lost to these guys before, but that¡¯s the past. Show them what your future holds. This game will define this team¡ªdo we let our mistakes define us? Or can we overcome them and use them as a springboard for something greater? I know what I prefer.¡¯

    Nods answered him. He hadn¡¯t seen the boys like this before. He worried slightly, not because he thought it was fright paralysing their tongues. Something told him they weren¡¯t silent because of fear. No, losing again didn''t scare them. They were just that focused. His fear came from the fact that rage might¡¯ve been holding their tongues. The feeling in the locker room was like the calm before the storm.

    ¡®I know you can beat them. Prove it today. But you prove it ON the field. Prove it IN the game. There might be some bad blood from what happened last time we met these boys, but that¡¯s behind us as well. We can¡¯t let it distract us from what we have to do tonight. Don¡¯t fall for any of their taunts. That¡¯s all they are, taunts.¡¯

    Chris shuddered, but held his peace. He didn¡¯t think they were just taunts. Myles¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t the eyes of someone who was only speaking big. Those were the eyes of someone who really wanted to hurt others.

    Coach Norman stepped over to the offence. ¡®Don¡¯t let them get in your head. They¡¯re trying to rile you up. They know they can¡¯t beat you otherwise.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Coach. ¡­ We¡¯re allll chill here,¡¯ Jay said.

    Stephen grunted in response. Chris fiddled with his helmet.

    Coach Norman patted Chris on the shoulder¡ªChris flinched. ¡®Protect each other out there.¡¯

    The spotlight fell on Chris; he frowned and pulled his helmet on tightly.

    On the other side of the room, Coach Hoang was with the defence. ¡®Watch out for their passes. We¡¯ve been over it a hundred times this week. You know what to do, and I know you can beat them.¡¯

    He looked them over. His gaze lingered on Ty and Deshaun.

    ¡®Whether we win or lose comes down to whether or not you can stop them. We won¡¯t win a shoot out with them. That¡¯s never been our style, but especially not against these Vikings.¡¯

    ¡®We gotchu, Coach.¡¯ Deshaun stood and pulled on his helmet. ¡®I ain¡¯t losing to them fuckers again.¡¯

    ¡®Get out there and back up all that shit you talk then, Banks.¡¯

    The Dons came together in the middle around Coach Long, Chris, Deshaun, and JJ¡¯s fists all came together around his.

    ¡®You¡¯re family. Always remember that. No matter what happens, they can¡¯t take that from you. Three, two, one¡ª¡¯

    ¡®FAMILY!¡¯

    When the Dons marched onto the field, the sky had darkened. The lights flicked on with heavy, hollow clicks. Eight bright stars¡ªone from every side and edge¡ªall shone upon the field.

    Ty thought it was the perfect way to set the stage for the upcoming battle. Finally, a fitting spotlight was on him. The question remained whether the Dons would wither or thrive under those lights.

    A warm welcome awaited the Dons as they stepped onto the field. The crowd was a healthy size already. And when they showered the Vikings with similar cheers, it was a fairly even crowd, too.

    As the Dons warmed up, Ty scanned all sides of the crowd. But, just as he expected, he didn¡¯t spot any familiar faces amidst the walls of supporters.

    He turned away from the stands, cold even underneath all those bright lights, and finished the rest of the warmup without wasting another thought on the crowd.

    Before the coin toss, Coach Long gathered the senior members together. He looked them over, as they looked back at him with some confusion, and sometimes stole glances at the three Vikings walking out to centerfield.

    Coach Long nudged JJ and Jay towards the field. ¡®You two go, and¡­ Benny.¡¯ No one looked more surprised than Benny.

    ¡®What?¡¯ Stephen said. ¡®Why Benny?¡¯

    ¡®Because I said so.¡¯ The look he gave Stephen told him not to argue. The chosen three went ahead while the others stayed on the bench.

    Coach Long didn¡¯t feel the need to tell them the real reason, that he thought the others were too wound up to have a cordial meeting with the Vikings. A fight would¡¯ve broken out if he sent Chris, Deshaun, or Stephen, he just knew it.

    Mike, Nathan, and Isiah waited for JJ, Benny, and Jay. Isiah frowned when he saw who came to represent the Dons.

    ¡®Aww, there¡¯s no one fun here. What¡¯s the matter? We scare all those sorry niggas off?¡¯

    ¡®Watch your language, young man,¡¯ the official said with a scowl. ¡®Keep your mouth shut if you have nothing good to say.¡¯This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Isiah snickered. Mike extended a massive hand to the Dons¡¯ captains. JJ accepted it and squeezed it firmly, even as the larger hand enveloped his. Mike looked surprised, but squeezed back.

    Jay couldn''t be bothered to get his hands out of the little hand-warmer around his waist, but Benny accepted the handshake and then quickly let go. No other Viking offered a handshake.

    ¡®Downey, the choice is yours. Heads or tails?¡¯ the official asked.

    ¡®Tails,¡¯ Nathan said.

    The coin flipped through the air, landed on the turf, and read tails.

    ¡®We defer,¡¯ Nathan said.

    ¡®Tell that big fucker I¡¯ll see him soon,¡¯ Isiah said.

    JJ pulled his teammates back. ¡®We¡¯ll go that way.¡¯ He pointed out the north end of the field, already turning and heading back to the Dons¡¯ bench.

    ¡®We always lose the toss,¡¯ Ty said when he heard the results.

    ¡®I know,¡¯ Jay groaned, hanging his head down. ¡®It¡¯s the worst.¡¯

    Half the team was happy with the outcome, half the team was upset by it. Jay was one of the only offensive players upset about being on the field first. At least he had a short sit whilst the kickoff happened.

    Chris took the field for the kickoff. As he made his way to his position, a voice called out to him from the other side of the field, ¡®Hey!¡¯ Myles waved at him.

    Chris shuddered and sped up, not answering or waving back.

    Myles laughed. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, little buddy! I won¡¯t leave you alone down there for long. I¡¯ll see you soon.¡¯

    Chris was more than happy that over half the field, and ten of his teammates, stood between Myles and himself.

    Once everyone was in position, the head official blew his whistle. The Vikings booted the ball high into the air. It tumbled end over end to Chris, and was going to drop just short of the end-zone.

    He readied to catch it, then Myles¡¯s purple eyes flashed through his mind, and his promise echoed through his ears.

    Chris weaved out of the way of the ball at the last second and let it bounce into the end-zone. Panting, he hurried over and downed it for a touchback.

    Myles, disappointed but amused, slunk off the field and went right to his coach. ¡®Let me start!¡¯ He demanded rather than pleaded.

    ¡®Then get your dumb ass back on the field!¡¯

    Myles¡¯s eyes lit up. He turned back to the field, but the coach reached out and snagged the collar of his pads. ¡®Don¡¯t do anything dumb. I need you to finish this game for once.¡¯

    ¡®Hahahah, hell yeah!¡¯ Myles tore away from the coach and ran out onto the field, laughing. The coach wasn¡¯t sure Myles had heard him.

    The Dons offence marched onto the field; loud cheers and applause greeted both teams as they lined up for the first snap.

    Myles greeted the Dons loudest of all with the biggest of grins. ¡®Hey buddies!¡¯

    ¡®What a fucking freak,¡¯ Stephen said before spitting onto the grass.

    ¡®I feel like I need a restraining order against this asshole,¡¯ Chris said.

    The Dons lined up. Chris in the backfield, staring past all the bodies before him, into Myles¡¯s purple eyes that looked back at him, his helmet shrouding them in darkness, but they were still vibrant and almost glowing.

    Isiah stood before Stephen, grinning. ¡®Oh man, I¡¯m so glad I can retire your pathetic asses.¡¯

    ¡®Shut the fuck up, stick bug looking ass.¡¯

    ¡®Goofy ass nigga,¡¯ Isiah snarled.

    Jay took the snap and turned to Chris. They opened with a run, Coach Long wanting to make a statement with it.

    Chris¡¯s eyes lowered from Myles and to the Linemen as he cradled the ball tight against his chest. He darted out wide to the outside and turned the corner. Where he came face-to-face with Myles again.

    Chris scrambled towards the sideline like a spooked deer. He raced away from Myles, trying to get as far outside as possible before turning upfield, trying to make the utmost of his speed.

    It was to no avail as Myles didn¡¯t lose a step, and chased him all the way to the sideline before shoving him across it, right into the Dons¡¯ bench.

    ¡®Where ya running, buddy?¡¯

    The Dons¡¯ bench stood, stepping forward in case Myles tried anything.

    ¡®Get back to your huddle, monstruo,¡¯ JJ said, keeping Chris up.

    Myles laughed and skipped back to his huddle.

    ¡®Thanks,¡¯ Chris said before shrugging off JJ and heading back onto the field.

    ¡®You got the next one!¡¯ JJ cried.

    The run had only gained two yards, and they were lucky for those two.

    Next, they went with a pass. At the snap, Stephen rushed forward, but Isiah backed off, not trying to press, not letting Stephen get a hand on him to use his strength.

    Stephen grunted but continued ahead, then cut sharply towards the middle. He flattened his route and extended for the ball as Jay fired it in.

    Isiah was right with him, however. Running by his hip, Isiah lunged forward as the ball neared, stretching around Stephen to slap the ball away from his hands and down to the turf.

    The two bumped into one another and veered away, Stephen running into Myles, who shoved him back. ¡®Eager to play again?¡¯

    ¡®Fuck off me, freak.¡¯

    ¡®Fuck outta here, old ass nigga,¡¯ Isiah said. ¡®Keep that weak shit out of my airspace. No. Fly. Zone!¡¯

    Stephen scrunched his face up, nose flaring, but he held back for now and stomped back to the Dons¡¯ huddle.

    Already they were facing a third down, just one play away from sitting on the bench. And even as much as Jay enjoyed sitting back and kicking up his feet, he knew it was too soon for that. They couldn¡¯t walk off with no points.

    Another pass was the only way they were going to get the first down. However, when he dropped back again, Isiah was still all over Stephen. Never quite close enough to let Stephen get a body on him and push him around, but close enough that he could easily pounce and disrupt the pass.

    He looked over just in time for Cole¡¯s break as he snapped back on a Comeback curl and lost his man. Jay slung the ball over.

    Cole dragged his feet as he neared the sideline, and made the catch as he slid out of bounds, kicking up grass and dirt behind him.

    The catch was successful, and the Dons picked up the first down thanks to the 9-yard reception.

    The Dons get around Cole, slapping him on the helmet as they returned to the huddle.

    With a fresh set of downs, they went back to the ground, this time testing Mike and seeing how a Power run up the gut worked.

    Even with one Guard lunging to the middle to pincer Mike, and another Pulling to get out in front of Chris and lead him up the field, Mike smashed through the wall erected around him, and snagged Chris¡¯s jersey, dragging him down after a gain 3 yards.

    Running wasn¡¯t working, but they could still pass the ball. Whilst Isiah¡¯s coverage against Stephen was still tight, Cole and Benny continued to find openings. Thanks to them, the Dons worked the ball downfield slowly.

    However, the Vikings wouldn¡¯t let them get away with it forever. With Isiah winning the battle against Stephen, and the run game held in check, they focused on shutting down the other receiving options, and eventually put a stop to both Cole and Benny.

    Without extra support from the ground, no matter if it were Chris or Cameron rushing, and with Stephen unable to relieve any pressure, the drive stalled out on the Vikings¡¯ 30-yard line.

    At least the Dons were still in field goal range, and though it was a long one, the kick squeaked in just over the crossbar.

    The Dons¡¯ supporters claimed the first raucous celebration, as the Dons opened the scoring and took a 3¨C0 lead.

    It wasn¡¯t a touchdown, but Jay was relieved to see the kick go through the uprights. He¡¯d done his job on the first drive at least, and now it was up to the defence to protect the lead.

    Ty wasn¡¯t about to let go of that lead. Even if it was the only time the Dons scored, he¡¯d hold onto those 3 points and the victory they meant until the end of the game if he had to.

 Chapter 165: Dogfight

    Marshall returned the kickoff out to the 27-yard line, where the Vikings would start their first drive.

    Isiah and Deshaun marched up to one another as the teams formed their ranks. Isiah grinned widely.

    ¡®Another old ass nigga to be put down,¡¯ he said.

    ¡®Talkin¡¯ shit ¡®cause yo ass just got scored on?¡¯

    ¡®Bullshit. That other nigga didn¡¯t even get a single catch.¡¯

    Deshaun laughed and pointed at the scoreboard. It was all the talking he needed to do.

    ¡®Yeah, yeah. Take a long hard look, nigga. Only lead ya gonna have.¡¯

    The two sunk into their stances, barely a foot apart. Animosity hung heavy in the air between them.

    Ty and Marshall stood together on the opposite side of the field. They both looked much more relaxed than the pair at the other end of the formations, but the same animosity and tension filled the space between them.

    ¡®I¡¯m not losing that lead,¡¯ Ty said.

    ¡®It¡¯s not yours until you protect it. But you¡¯re too weak to protect anything.¡¯

    Ty shook his head. He wasn¡¯t weak. Marshall didn¡¯t even know what strength was.

    The Vikings snapped the ball. Isiah and Deshaun shot forward, smashing into one another, neither giving an inch.

    Ty feinted with his right hand, but stayed back. Marshall hesitated before leaning into Ty and engaging him.

    It was a run. Even if Nathan had dropped back for a pass at first, the play quickly turned into a run when he handed the ball off to the RB on a Draw.

    The Vikings had seen the opening in the Dons¡¯ starting formation, which was sagging back too much, focused only on the pass. So the Vikings had to remind them they could still run the ball.

    The play earned 7 yards. It took an official getting between Isiah and Deshaun to separate them and send them back to their respective huddles with a warning each.

    When the teams lined up again, the Vikings still thought the Dons were too far back, so they ran the Draw again, this time only picking up 5 yards. But that still earned them a first down. Isiah and Deshaun backed off just before the official came forward.

    ¡®Are you pussies just gonna keep runnin¡¯?¡¯ Deshaun asked, eyes locked on Isiah as they both stalked to their huddles.

    ¡®You¡¯ll see! Then we¡¯ll see who the real pussy is!¡¯

    JJ finally came forward before the snap. The Vikings¡¯ plan had worked; the Dons respected their run game. Which the Vikings hoped would buy Isiah and Marshall more space to work one-on-one outside.

    When Nathan dropped back for the next play, he kept the ball.

    Isiah shoved Deshaun back, then shot to the inside. Deshaun skidded slightly before springing after him. Isiah had half a step when he straightened and shot upfield, keeping Deshaun behind him.

    As Deshaun chased, Isiah stuttered. Left, right¡ªhe burst left towards the middle of the field. Deshaun hesitated for a moment, and that¡¯s what cost him.

    Isiah broke free, and Nathan whipped the ball over JJ¡¯s hand, right to Isiah¡¯s chest. Isiah caught the ball in stride, then cut upfield again, running straight into Zayden. He pushed through the tackle, earning another few yards before Zayden dragged him down.

    The reception was good for 14 yards. Isiah shoved Zayden back down as he stood. ¡®Fuck off me, ugly ass, fake ass, nigga.¡¯

    Isiah dusted himself off, then pointed towards the end-zone, celebrating his first down. JJ helped Zayden up, both of them scowling at the back of Isiah¡¯s helmet, but JJ pulled Zayden away before he could retaliate.

    Already the Vikings had passed half-field. When Isiah stood opposite Deshaun next, his flashy grin was back. ¡®Don¡¯t be asking for help now, pussy. You wanted this shit, right?¡¯

    Deshaun clapped for him. ¡®Good one, you got a catch against me. Best thing you ever did in your sorry life?¡¯

    ¡®Hahaha, like I wasn¡¯t torching your sorry ass last time. How many touchdowns did I get? Shit, too many to keep track of. But I PROMISE you, imma get twice as many today.¡¯

    Deshaun set his jaw and hunkered down. Across the field, Ty was watching the interaction. ¡°Deshaun¡¯ll get it together. He HAS to. I won¡¯t lose because of HIM.¡±

    ¡®You got more important shit to be worrying about in front of you,¡¯ Marshall said.

    ¡®Even if I was sleeping, I could still cover you.¡¯

    ¡®True. You could only guard me in your dreams.¡¯

    Ty rolled his eyes, head slowly turning back to Marshall.

    At the snap, Marshall burst forward and Ty dropped back; it was another pass. Still, the focus was on the other side of the field.

    Isiah skipped forward. He stuttered again, right, left, RIGHT! He burst outside. Deshaun swiped at him as Isiah brushed by and raced up the sideline.

    Deshaun chased after him, but the gap was widening. Zayden hurried over, but the ball was already in the air.

    Isiah twisted, hands raised. Deshaun threw a hand up, using Isiah¡¯s hands to guess where the ball was. He felt a rush of air as the ball passed just over his fingertips and into Isiah¡¯s clutches.

    Isiah tumbled to the ground, landing heavy on his rear, somersaulting backwards. Deshaun rushed by, downing Isiah, head hung back. ¡®Fuck!¡¯Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    Isiah laughed, celebrating and posing again after he popped back up. This catch was good for 15 yards, and the Vikings continued their march towards the end-zone.

    ¡®You better drag your old ass back to the bench and get someone who ain¡¯t slow as shit to guard me,¡¯ Isiah said.

    Deshaun scoffed, waving him off as he turned away. He had to stop falling for Isiah¡¯s bullshit. ¡°I can guard this guy! C¡¯mon, Dee. Lock the fuck in!¡±

    The Vikings mixed in more runs just to keep the defence honest, then used a Screen to Isiah, which brought them to First and Goal, after Zayden knocked Isiah out of bounds at the 8-yard line.

    Isiah¡¯s grin had only grown. ¡®Here it comes? You ready for it? My first touchdown. First of¡­ let¡¯s say five? I¡¯ll be gentle today, hahaha. Don¡¯t wanna beat you too badly in your last game ever, right?¡¯

    Deshaun scowled, but he didn¡¯t respond to Isiah¡¯s taunts. He kept his eyes locked on the middle of the field, watching Nathan.

    When Mike snapped the ball back to Nathan, Deshaun¡¯s eyes snapped to Isiah. Isiah skirted by the outside, rushing towards the back corner of the end-zone. As he crossed the plain, he stuttered again, feet fluttering against the ground.

    Deshaun watched him. He was shielding the inside, forcing Isiah out. ¡°He¡¯s gonna cut in!¡± He jumped towards the middle, just as Isiah stopped and spun back, curling to the pylon at the edge of the end-zone.

    Deshaun stumbled. He¡¯d guessed wrong. Nathan fired the ball over, and Isiah planted his feet, leaning over as he made the catch right at the pylon, toes just barely within the painted grass of the end-zone as he secured the ball, then slowly fell out of bounds.

    Deshaun smacked his helmet, turning to the bench. He waded through the rushing wave of Vikings as they surged past him to congratulate Isiah, who hopped up and launched the ball into the stands.

    JJ rushed over and pulled Deshaun close, an arm around his shoulders. ¡®It¡¯s all good, Dee. Don¡¯t even worry about it. We¡¯ll get the next one.¡¯

    Zayden¡¯s shoulders sagged as he watched their lead evaporate, and a deficit take its place. Ty appeared beside him. ¡®I told you, you needed to worry about Deshaun instead of me.¡¯

    Zayden shook his head, not deigning to respond as the Dons trudged to the bench. Deshaun kicked the bench, shaking its foundation, then slammed his helmet onto it before he sat down.

    He glared out at the field, watching as the Vikings succeed on their extra point. The score stretched out to 3¨C7. ¡®Sorry. I let everyone down. I¡¯ll do better.¡¯

    ¡®Banks. Come with me for a second.¡¯

    Coach Hoang rolled past. Deshaun sighed. ¡°So this is how my last game ends? Getting benched after the first drive.¡± He got up and followed Coach Hoang until they were out of earshot to the others.

    Ty watched their discussion. Based on Deshaun¡¯s reaction, it wasn¡¯t a benching, but Ty didn¡¯t know what else it could¡¯ve been. If Deshaun didn¡¯t get his shit straight, did they have a chance of winning? ¡°I can¡¯t lose.¡±

    Their lead was gone, so it was up to the offence to earn it back. Coach Long pulled the boys aside before the kickoff. First, he looked at Stephen.

    ¡®That boy, number eighty-eight. He¡¯s playing both sides of the ball. He did it last time, too. We can¡¯t let him get away with it. If he thinks he can play every snap of the game, we¡¯re gonna make him WORK. Run him hard, and he¡¯ll run out of gas.¡¯

    Stephen frowned, but nodded. He didn¡¯t think he needed to wait for Isiah to gas out. He could beat him right now, he just had to work harder himself.

    Coach Long turned to Chris, which Chris was dreading would happen. ¡®Chris. I need you to be more aggressive. I know I told everyone I didn¡¯t want you fighting or getting thrown out, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t be aggressive while you play. Just keep it clean, keep it safe, but between those whistles, play HARD. Can you do that for me?¡¯

    Chris inhaled deeply. He tried to push those purple eyes from his mind, then nodded. ¡®I¡¯ll do it. Sorry, Coach.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s okay, but you can¡¯t be worried about what happened last time.¡¯

    ¡®I know. ¡­ I know.¡¯

    ¡®I know you guys can do this. Go out there and get a touchdown this time.¡¯

    Chris headed onto the field for the kickoff, though still needed more time to steel himself, and took another touchback.

    The Dons¡¯ offence came out for their second drive, their backs against the wall. A field goal wouldn¡¯t cut it this time, they¡¯d only take the lead with a touchdown, nothing else would suffice.

    They started with Play-Action. Chris ambled to the edge of the line, and of course Myles was there to meet him, but Myles''s grin vanished when he saw Chris¡¯s hands were empty.

    ¡®Next time,¡¯ he muttered before running off. Benny caught the pass out in the flat, but Isiah spun around Stephen¡¯s block and forced Benny out after a 6-yard gain.

    Stephen helped Benny up and back to the huddle, apologising for his poor block. Benny didn¡¯t blame him, and apologised for not getting past Isiah. He wasn¡¯t used to a DB being as large as him and actually being able to push him around.

    Chris actually got the ball on the next play. He rushed outside and was ready when Myles came around the corner. He tried a spin move, but Myles lunged out and got a hand on him.

    That hand was like a claw stabbing into Chris. It was unshakeable, and while Chris stretched out, he wasn¡¯t going much further. He fell down, but had just reached the first down marker.

    He breathed a sigh of relief. He laughed at himself as his teammates helped him up. After all that worrying, the first Myles tackle wasn¡¯t even that bad. ¡°Of course he didn¡¯t hurt me. Last game was a freak accident. It can happen to anyone on any play.¡±

    He told himself he¡¯d been overreacting, but even with his worries eased, they weren¡¯t completely gone.

    The next run was only half as successful. Myles went lower, wrapping Chris¡¯s legs up and stopping him for only 2 yards.

    A pass came next. Stephen rushed forward, and again Isiah backed away. Stephen thought he could use that. He sprinted hard, then dug his feet into the turf, and cut back and to the inside on a Curl.

    He stretched out for the ball, but as it reached his hands, Isiah slammed into him and chopped his wrists. The ball bounced off Stephen¡¯s chest and to the ground.

    ¡®You ain¡¯t catchin¡¯ shit. I told you.¡¯ Isiah pushed Stephen away, snickering as he ran back to his huddle.

    Stephen clenched his fists. Isiah sure was a little shit, but he couldn¡¯t worry about that. Beating him would be the best way to wipe the smirk off his face. But how did he go about beating him? Isiah¡¯s defence was a puzzle Stephen just couldn¡¯t figure out. It was like he was missing half the pieces.

    Benny caught another pass on a Cross, and earned another first down for the Dons, but the drive didn¡¯t get much further.

    They only reached half-field before stalling out this time. On Third and Two, they tried another run.

    Chris scrambled to the outside on a Counter this time, hoping to surprise the defence and earn just enough space for the first down with it, but Myles wasn¡¯t fooled.

    Both rushed towards one another. Chris couldn¡¯t run away to the outside. He knew he couldn¡¯t get around Myles like that, and they NEEDED that first down. They needed to score and keep up with the Vikings.

    He cut to the inside instead, but Myles followed. He lunged forward and speared right into Chris, taking him off his feet and slamming him down into the grass. The ball popped free after the impact, but Chris was already downed and the officials quickly whistled the play dead.

    Myles laughed hysterically as he bounced back to his feet. ¡®Caught you that time!¡¯ His grin wavered as Chris picked himself up, wincing, but standing strong. Then Myles¡¯s grin returned in full force. If he hadn¡¯t broken Chris yet, he could keep playing with him.

    But, for now, playtime was over. The Dons¡¯ offence walked off the field like dogs with their tails between their legs. They¡¯d failed to retake the lead, and now it came down to the defence to get a stop just to keep the game close.

    Ty rose from the bench, shaking his arms and legs, loosening up as the punting team took the field, knowing he¡¯d be back out there in less than a minute.

    He looked across to Deshaun, who was still sitting on the bench. Deshaun had taken his seat after his talk with Coach Hoang, and he hadn¡¯t moved since.

    He didn¡¯t look checked out of the game. He still seemed focused at least, but other than that, Ty couldn¡¯t read his expression at all.

    ¡°If you can¡¯t stop your man, I¡¯m useless. So wake up and stop that fucking bitch already.¡±

    He kept his thoughts to himself, knowing Deshaun was too fragile to hear such a truth. He hoped Coach Hoang had delivered the message with kinder words.

    Ty felt as if this next drive controlled the game. If the Dons couldn¡¯t keep it within one score, how could they win? He didn¡¯t think he was likely to get TWO pick-sixes in this game, and with the offence¡¯s early failures, he couldn¡¯t rely on them to get the job done either.

    As much as he didn¡¯t want to admit it, the game rested on Deshaun¡¯s shoulders.

 Chapter 166: Resurgence

    The punt, and its subsequent 6 yard return, brought an end to the first quarter. The break blew by in record time; it felt like Deshaun blinked and the second quarter began.

    As he jogged out, Coach Hoang¡¯s message rung in his head.

    Isiah met him, a spring in his step, that same grin plastered across his ugly face. ¡®Four more to go, bitch,¡¯ he said.

    ¡®You ain¡¯t gettin¡¯ another one. I promise you that.¡¯

    ¡®Like you can stop me.¡¯

    Deshaun smiled. Such a knowing, self-assured smile caused Isiah¡¯s grin to waver for a moment. A modicum of doubt crept in, but he quickly stomped it down and kicked it out. There was no way he could lose.

    He hopped forward after the snap. Deshaun swiped at him, but he slapped the weak press away. He jogged forward, then got to his break.

    Left, right¡ªDeshaun dove in just as Isiah broke left. Both Deshaun and the ball arrived at the same point simultaneously, with Isiah sandwiched between them.

    Deshaun poked the ball away from Isiah¡¯s grasp, and slammed into him, knocking him to the ground.

    Isiah tumbled, then stared at Deshaun in confusion. He didn¡¯t know what had happened. Every other time he¡¯d left Deshaun in the dust. He thought it impossible that Deshaun clamped him.

    His confusion quickly turned to anger. He sprung up with the help of his teammates, glaring at Deshaun who laughed and mimed buckling a seatbelt.

    ¡®You think you funny, nigga? Just ¡®cause yo ass got lucky.¡¯

    The Vikings pulled Isiah back to their huddle before he could start a fight. Deshaun was still laughing as he returned to the Dons.

    It was just a fluke, that¡¯s what Isiah told himself throughout the huddle and when he lined back up against Deshaun.

    ¡®It was just a fucking fluke,¡¯ he said, more to himself than Deshaun.

    ¡®Fluke? Nah. I just figured out your weakness is all. My coach let me in on your little secret.¡¯

    ¡®Weakness? The fuck are you talking about?¡¯

    Deshaun laughed before shushing Isiah.

    Isiah¡¯s mind raced. He tried to figure out what the hell Deshaun was talking about. ¡°Weakness? I don¡¯t have a weakness! There¡¯s no secret.¡± He had no clue what Deshaun meant, not even an idea of any flaw in his own game. He couldn¡¯t see anything wrong with himself, he was PERFECT.

    Because of seeing himself this way, he concluded Deshaun was simply talking shit and trying to psyche him out with bullshit. He wasn¡¯t about to let that happen. He was going to put this old dog down for good.

    Isiah came forward much more aggressively on his next route. He pushed through Deshaun¡¯s press forcefully. Deshaun hopped back as Isiah shoved him, then he watched Isiah closely.

    Isiah stuttered, feinting. Right, left, right, left¡ªRIGHT!

    Isiah cut to the outside, twisting around, already reaching for the ball before he¡¯d even found it with his eyes. The pass was already on the way, and though it was a little behind him, he could reach back and turn more. He¡¯d still grab it, because that¡¯s just how great he was. He didn¡¯t need a perfect pass.

    And then something inconceivable happened. Something moved between him and the ball. A hand, and then another, and then Deshaun¡¯s body shielded the ball from Isiah¡¯s view.

    Isiah stumbled and latched onto Deshaun. Deshaun snatched the ball, hugging it tight against his chest, even as Isiah pulled him down.

    They crashed to the turf as half the crowd screamed for joy, and the other half screamed in despair.

    Deshaun rolled away from Isiah, the ball still cradled in his arms. Isiah stared, slack-jawed, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

    The Dons rushed past him like a stampede, parting around him as they swarmed to Deshaun, helping him up and celebrating with him. The ground rumbled as they jumped around like they¡¯d already won.

    Isiah popped up. ¡®WHAT THE FUCK?!¡¯ He turned to his own team, specifically Nathan. ¡®What the fuck was that?¡¯

    Nathan looked like Isiah had just punched him. ¡®The fuck you looking at me for? You¡¯re the one who needed to come back to the ball.¡¯

    ¡®If you threw the ball in front of me, I wouldn¡¯t need to come back at all, you fucking dumbass.¡¯

    Deshaun trotted over, shaking the ball in their faces. ¡®Hey, hey, hey. No need to start cryin¡¯ ¡®bout it. You little bitches just got outplayed. Take that shit like a man.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll show you who¡¯s a bitch!¡¯ Isiah lunged for Deshaun but a thick arm as solid as steel wrapped around him and held him back. Mike didn¡¯t release Isiah until Deshaun was on the sideline.

    Deshaun¡¯s grin split his face in two. He bounced across the field like he was walking on clouds all the way over to Coach Hoang. ¡®Shit, Coach, I think this is for you.¡¯ He handed the ball over. ¡®You were spot on about that motherfucker always going the same way he first feinted.¡¯

    ¡®You¡¯d have spotted it yourself if you were really paying attention to the film. It¡¯s obvious when you watch his routes, his feints are always an even number, which means if he feints right first, he¡¯s going right.¡¯If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    ¡®Yeah, yeah¡­ but why do I need to do that when I got you to watch film for me, Coach? Besides, some of us are busy, you know. We got exams and jobs and shit.¡¯

    ¡®What¡¯s next? You gonna ask me to guard your man for you too, Banks?¡¯

    Deshaun laughed, shaking his head. ¡®You too funny sometimes, Coach.¡¯

    The Dons offence was already on the field after the interception, starting with the best field position they could ask for.

    Stephen came straight over to Isiah, who was still scowling. ¡®I¡¯m surprised they didn¡¯t bench your ass after that,¡¯ Stephen said. ¡®Shit was embarrassing.¡¯

    ¡®Shut yo ass up!¡¯ Isiah snapped. ¡®Don¡¯t think this means I won¡¯t lock yo ass up, again.¡¯

    ¡®Hah, yeah, your ass knows all about getting locked up, huh?¡¯

    ¡®FUCK you, nigga.¡¯

    The ball was snapped, and Isiah didn¡¯t back down this time. He lunged right for Stephen. Stephen welcomed the contest and charged forward, bowling Isiah over as ran right over the flattened Viking.

    Jay was surprised by how fast Stephen got open, but didn¡¯t miss a beat and fired the ball over immediately.

    Stephen caught it in stride, then it was a mad dash between him and the Safety to see who could get to the end-zone first.

    Stephen rumbled ahead like a freight train, and though the Safety closed the distance enough to knock him aside, he¡¯d already reached his goal, and easily extended the ball across the end-zone as he was pushed out.

    The officials signalled touchdown, and once again Isiah had to watch from his knees as the Dons swarmed the player that had just embarrassed him.

    He got up slowly this time. There was no one else to blame but himself. No one else for his anger to be directed towards but himself. No one else for his fiery rage to consume but himself.

    The extra point was successful, and the Dons took the lead again, the score now reading 10¨C7.

    The Dons were still celebrating on the sideline, hyping up their supporters as the kickoff restarted the game. Marshall watched this one land deep in the end-zone, electing to take the touchback and have a clean restart for their next drive.

    Suddenly, in what felt like a manner of seconds, the momentum had swung fully from being completely behind the Vikings, to now being on the Dons¡¯ side. It felt like they¡¯d run away with the game with another stop.

    Isiah remained in the game, but he no longer grinned when he met Deshaun. Instead, Deshaun was the one who wore the grin. ¡®Hey. I gotta hand it to you. It takes some real talent to single-handedly lose the game for your team.¡¯

    Isiah only snarled in response, looking more like a rabid dog than ever.

    On the other side of the field, Marshall was calm, a serenity coming from him. Marshall''s demeanour and the game''s sudden reversal bewildered Ty; he hadn''t even done anything yet.

    ¡°Deshaun did his job. Finally.¡± Relief spread through him. ¡°Now it¡¯s down to me.¡± He eyed Marshall. ¡®You almost look happy. Why?¡¯

    ¡®Do I?¡¯ Marshall shrugged. ¡®I guess I am. Maybe it¡¯s because I know that the game¡¯s finally in my hands now. Well, it¡¯s always been in my hands. OUR hands, don¡¯t you agree? But now we can stop pretending otherwise.¡¯

    Ty grinned. ¡°He¡¯s right. It¡¯s always been about us. Now everyone else has realised that. I can end the game right here.¡± Acknowledging that, he also knew that Marshall held the same power, maybe not to the same degree. The game wouldn¡¯t be over if the Vikings scored a touchdown, though he believed if he came away with a pick-six in the upcoming plays, a Dons¡¯ victory was assured.

    Deshaun had done his job, and in doing so had passed on the responsibility of the game to Ty. Victory and defeat, both options were in his hands now.

    At the snap, Marshall raced forward, going hard at Ty. Ty kept close even as he backed away.

    Marshall weaved, and Ty weaved with him. A frown creased Marshall¡¯s brow as he stared down at Ty. It was his turn to solve a puzzle, but whilst he didn¡¯t feel like he was missing any pieces, they were all a jumbled mess.

    He cut to the inside, sharp, and fast, but Ty was just as fast. He was still in front of him, not close enough to trip Marshall up and be called for interference, but Marshall couldn¡¯t get into stride with Ty¡¯s proximity.

    Nathan never even looked Isiah¡¯s way on this pass attempt, and whilst Ty covered Marshall closely, he still tried to find the sweet spot. He flung the ball high, too high and wide. It sailed over both Ty and Marshall, who couldn¡¯t get a proper jump at the ball.

    Fortunately¡ªfor the Vikings¡ªthe ball sailed over Zayden¡¯s head too and fell harmlessly into the turf rather than his waiting hands for another interception.

    ¡®Fuck!¡¯ Nathan looked at Marshall, exasperated, gesturing for him to dive. ¡®You can catch that shit, man. Come on.¡¯

    Marshall returned to the huddle, not saying anything to his teammates. He was thinking. Ty was too close. He couldn¡¯t run and dive like he wanted, but if Ty was trying so hard to stay in front of him, maybe he could exploit that.

    When they next came face-to-face, Ty could see Marshall thinking, putting the puzzle together. He didn¡¯t like that. ¡®You guys get a new QB or something? He throws like shit now.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t need a good QB to beat you.¡¯

    Ty chuckled. When the ball was snapped, Marshall came out much like he did the first play of this drive. However, instead of cutting to the inside, he whipped around on a Curl.

    If Ty was going to be in front of him, he thought the best way to combat that was to go backwards. But Ty undercut the route and jumped ahead of him again.

    Nathan dragged the ball back to his chest just before he released it. He was staring straight into Ty¡¯s eyes. That would¡¯ve been another pick if he¡¯d thrown it, and he didn¡¯t doubt Ty would¡¯ve taken it to the house.

    He looked to the opposite side of the field, but Deshaun smothered Isiah. Even when Isiah tried to cut away from the pressure, he slipped and crashed to the turf.

    ¡®The fuck are you doing, idiot?¡¯ Nathan muttered.

    His eyes darted around the field, looking for ANY target, but he saw none. He didn¡¯t even see the pressure in his face.

    Donte wrapped his arms around Nathan¡¯s, then slung him to the ground for a sack. The crowd roared again and Donte roared with them, banging on his chest, his heart already thumping like a drum.

    ¡®Good shit, hermano!¡¯ JJ chest-bumped Donte and the two ran back to the huddle, grinning.

    The Vikings found themselves deep in a hole facing a Third and Long. The Dons¡¯ energy continued to rise. Nathan picked himself up, hands shaking. He knew the blitz was coming again, but with 15 yards to go for a first down, he couldn¡¯t afford to get the ball out quickly.

    ¡®We got you,¡¯ Mike said before clapping him on the back. ¡®That¡¯s our mistake, won¡¯t happen again.¡¯

    Nathan calmed a bit. He¡¯d have to trust in his O-Line, but standing behind Mike always settled his nerves. You could take on the universe with someone like Mike on your side.

    Marshall was getting annoyed, but he still had time to figure Ty out. If Ty wanted to stay in front of him, he¡¯d test that. ¡°Good luck keeping up, you little midget.¡±

    Again he shot forward like a sprinter out springing out of their blocks. Ty backpedalled, but Marshall lowered his head and single-mindedly ran forward. It wasn¡¯t long before Ty had to twist around and run alongside him.

    Marshall looked back, raising a hand, calling for the deep ball. Nathan obliged. He stepped up into a clean pocket behind Mike, avoiding the pressure as Donte flew deep around the edge, then Nathan lobbed the ball towards Marshall in a tight spiral.

    Marshall turned and launched into the air, hands outstretched. Ty looked back and spotted the ball. He planted his feet and jumped into the air, twisting around mid-flight. He stretched up, teeth piercing his mouth guard.

    Ty wouldn¡¯t reach with both hands. Realising this, he shifted to just one, bending to further his extension.

    Just before the ball fell into Marshall¡¯s grasp, Ty got his fingers to it, and slapped it away and break up the pass.

    Both boys landed on their feet beside each other, Ty staring up at Marshall defiantly. ¡®Get that shit outta here.¡¯

    The Dons¡¯ bench stepped forward. Stephen wrapped an arm around Ty¡¯s shoulders, shaking him as the others cheered. ¡®Woooo!¡¯

    Throughout, Marshall and Ty never broke eye contact. Ty had won the first battle, but he knew there was more to come. And whilst it felt like the Dons were firmly in control of the game, Marshall knew he could flip the tide again with another touchdown.

 Chapter 167: Field of Monsters

    The Vikings¡¯ punt boomed through the air and fell deep into the Dons¡¯ territory before bouncing out at the 9-yard line.

    ¡®Take control of the game!¡¯ Coach Long yelled.

    Coach Norman had a different message as the offence marched off the bench. ¡®Put them away for good!¡¯

    Chris kept his head down, fiddling with his gloves as he walked to his spot at the back of the formation. He slapped his thighs before hunching into his stance, hands on his knees. He just had to keep running.

    The rest of the team got into position. The Vikings across from them looked so tense they¡¯d explode any second. Of course, Stephen and Isiah were talking trash the whole time.

    Myles¡¯s eyes darted from Chris over to Isiah. ¡®Shut the hell up!¡¯

    Isiah straightened up, and turned his head to Myles, looking at him as if he¡¯d just realised how crazy Myles was.

    The Dons snapped the ball. Jay dropped back, looking to pass, before he calmly handed the ball over to Chris.

    The delayed run had bought time for the middle to open up a bit more. Even with Mike¡¯s girth filling most of the space there, a gap had opened up to the left of him.

    Myles was distracted, still staring at Isiah when the ball was snapped. As such, he sprung into action a second too slow. Chris scampered away from a head on collision with him, but Myles dove and ankle-tapped him.

    Chris stumbled and fell to the turf after a 7 yard run. Myles growled as he bounced back up, slapping his helmet. He brooded in the huddle. The others gave him so much space he was almost in his own huddle.

    Isiah glared at him. It wasn¡¯t long before the Vikings broke apart and returned to their formation, awaiting the Dons.

    Stephen¡¯s smirk made Isiah want to slap him in the face.

    The Dons snapped the ball again. It looked like another pass. Stephen rushed forward. Jay kept the ball. Isiah backed off, not allowing Stephen to push him around again.

    Then Stephen stopped instantaneously. Isiah almost slipped in his hurry to match him. His eyes darted to Jay, who was loading up for a pass. Isiah burst forward, and that was when Stephen slipped by him.

    It wasn¡¯t a Curl, it had been a Stop and Go, and Isiah had fallen for it perfectly. It was going to be a touchdown if Stephen got around him, so he did the only thing he could, and latched onto Stephen, dragging him back.

    Jay cocked the ball again, and this time released it, lobbing it over to Stephen ¡­ or at least where Stephen should¡¯ve been, had Isiah not disrupted his run.

    As the ball flew, so did a flag, and while the pass was an incompletion, it was obviously DPI which had caused such.

    Myles stomped over to Isiah, shoving him so hard Isiah nearly landed on his ass. Isiah stumbled back, then got up in Myles¡¯s face, shoving him back. ¡®The fuck is your problem, freak?¡¯

    ¡®Guard your man or get the fuck off the field. We¡¯re supposed to destroy them! Not lose.¡¯

    ¡®Then do your fucking job, nigga! Destroy THEM, not me. You fucking retard.¡¯ Isiah shoved past Myles and back to the huddle.

    Myles turned his gaze upon the Dons, his fists clenched so tight they were shaking. Stephen wasn¡¯t hard to find amongst the huddle, and Myles fixated on him.

    The Dons prepared for the next play with a fresh set of downs after the penalty. They went back to the air. Stephen cut to the inside instead of faking a Curl, and while Isiah wasn¡¯t as out of position, Jay still saw room to squeeze the pass in.

    As Stephen crossed the middle of the field, Jay fired the pass in up high where he could reach it. Stephen extended his stride, lunging out. His hands found the ball at the same time Myles slammed into his chest.

    Isiah spun away from the collision as Myles lifted Stephen off his feet and speared him into the ground, Myles¡¯s shoulder trying to drive through his sternum.

    Even as stars flashed across Stephen¡¯s vision, the lights surrounding the field brightening and widening; he held onto the ball. The reception was good for 9 yards, and Myles hit was legal as he hadn¡¯t led with his own helmet, or hit Stephen¡¯s head.

    The Dons hurried over, helping Stephen to his feet, asking if he was okay.

    ¡®I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m fine,¡¯ he answered. Though when they took a step back and he tried walking on his own, he stumbled to a knee. His chest was on fire and he couldn¡¯t breathe.

    The officials called an injury timeout to the game, and Stephen¡¯s teammates helped him to the bench.

    ¡®Stephen? You alright?¡¯ Coach Long asked, looking him over. The team doctor was right there as well.

    Stephen thumped down onto the bench, holding his chest. The doctor quickly replaced Stephen¡¯s hand with their own, checking for any pain. Stephen shook his head. ¡®I...just...need...air!¡¯

    Stephen sucked in as much oxygen as he could, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Thankfully, there were no breaks or fractures; the heavy hit had just winded him.

    Across the field, on the opposite bench, Myles sat on the Vikings¡¯ bench, never taking his eyes off Stephen. His grin spread wider throughout the break. Finally, the game was getting exciting.

    After the timeout finished, Stephen sat out the next play, and so did Chris as Cameron came in.

    JJ took the field too, replacing Stephen as the Dons moved to a heavy run package instead with JJ at FB. He paved the way through the middle for Cameron, occupying Mike and widening the gap just enough for Cameron to wiggle through and pick up the first down.

    Then he came to Myles. Myles reared back, fist clenched. Cameron curled over the ball, turning his head away as he lowered his shoulder and tried to ram right through Myles.

    Myles¡¯s fist crashed down on Cameron¡¯s arm and grazed the ball, rocking it in Cameron¡¯s grasp. The two thudded into one another and Cameron tripped, tumbling over Myles as he re-secured the ball. His run ended after 6 yards.

    After that play, Stephen convinced Coach Long he was good to return, and the doctor cleared him as well. He and Chris returned to the field as Cameron and JJ went back to the bench, Cameron still shaking out his arm.

    JJ stopped Stephen as the two passed each other. ¡®Stay strong, hermano.¡¯

    Stephen nodded and continued on his way. He was still feeling the effects of Myles¡¯s hit, still sucking in deep breaths, and he suffered for it on the next play. He couldn¡¯t get away from Isiah, and across the field, Benny nor Cole found openings, either.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Myles scanned the field and saw the Receivers struggling to get open, so he dropped from his zone and came with a late blitz against Jay.

    Jay didn¡¯t panic. He went through his progressions, checked in on every target, even as Myles came bearing down on him. He found his outlet, Chris, and dumped the ball off into the flat just as Myles smashed into him.

    Chris caught the ball as Jay and Myles hit the turf. He turned upfield and darted ahead for another 8 yards before a DB pushed him out.

    The Dons were moving steadily. Even if they met resistance, they were overcoming the Vikings¡¯ tough defence.

    Chris got the ball again on the next play on another run to the outside. Once again, Myles chased after him. Chris fearlessly cut back inside instead of running out.

    He caught Myles off guard, but with animal instinct and beast-like reflexes, Myles lunged out, his fingers poking through Chris¡¯s facemask as he tore Chris down to the ground so harshly that he almost ripped the helmet right off his head.

    Whistles shrieked, and flags flew. Chris rolled on the ground, Stephen sprinted past him and shoved Myles who cackled, staring past Stephen and even Chris, staring at nothing. It was a feral look, and the grin only added to his wildness.

    ¡®You wanna go another round? Come on, hit me!¡¯

    JJ and even Chris came to Stephen¡¯s side, pulling him away from Myles before things devolved into another fight. Officials also separated the two, and the rest of the players as everyone had been pulled into Myles¡¯s orbit.

    The game continued with only more warnings delivered to either side, and specifically to both Stephen and Myles.

    The Dons went back to the air. This time, Jay tried to find Stephen on a Slant, but Isiah was draped all over him and reached over his shoulder to knock the ball away.

    Stephen looked around for a flag for more interference, but his complaints fell on deaf ears as the officials walked right by him like he didn¡¯t even exist.

    On second down, Chris took another Draw, and broke this one to the outside between the Tackle and Guard. He avoided Mike with this angle, but ran straight into Myles who cracked him good with a shoulder to the head.

    Chris crumpled to the turf, but bounced right back up, shaking the hit off, glaring at Myles. Myles laughed in his face, still grinning. ¡®Come back for more! I¡¯ll be here all night. Can¡¯t leave my favourite punching bag alone.¡¯

    Chris turned away, not giving Myles the response or the attention he so desperately craved.

    The Dons were on third down, still with 7 yards to go for another first down. Of course, they resorted to the passing game again.

    With how much Myles crept up to the line to prepare for runs, the Dons saw space beyond him, which Stephen tried to exploit with a Post route.

    However, as he made his break towards the post and streaked across the middle of the field, one Safety quickly dropped down and helped Isiah cover him.

    Cole¡¯s Out route was covered closely too, and whilst Benny¡¯s Cross had given Myles something else to preoccupy him after it was obvious the Dons weren¡¯t running, he wasn¡¯t open either.

    The Vikings defence had shifted right underneath the Dons¡¯ nose without them even realising. Jay could only dump the ball off to Chris again, but the Vikings swarmed him before he could reach the first down marker.

    It was fourth down, but the silver lining was that the Dons were once again in field goal range. And at least they came away with points rather than nothing.

    Those two field goals stood between the Dons and the Vikings as the score read 13¨C7.

    The tension on the field was so thick the following kickoff almost hung in the air before plummeting like it¡¯d hit a net wall. But the Dons fans were cheering loudly, stomping their feet, and celebrating, even as Marshall brought the ball out to the 31-yard line on his return.

    Ty strode onto the field, eyeing the scoreboard. 6 points was a great cushion than 3, but that lead was still one mistake from crumbling away, either from him OR Deshaun. He looked across to Deshaun, hoping he¡¯d continue to play well and hold Isiah on a short leash.

    Marshall had a calm demeanour as he stood before Ty, tall and laid back. Ty took a deep breath, pushing all others from his mind as he focused on Marshall.

    He wouldn¡¯t have much to worry about on the first play, as the Vikings got their RB more involved with a slashing run up the middle. Mike helped carve open a hole through the gut, but JJ was quick to come and plug it, meeting the RB head on and slamming them down after 4 yards.

    The Vikings stuck with their RB, but in the passing game on the next play. They went with a screen, and with how preoccupied Deshaun was with Isiah, it worked pretty well before the rest of the Dons scrambled over and broke through the wall of blockers to bring the RB down after 11 yards.

    They stuck with passing after that. Marshall feinted towards the outside, though Ty kept favouring the inside, as if enticing Marshall to go outside. Marshall still tried to cut through to the middle, but Ty kept in front of him, blocking him off.

    Over on the other side of the field, Isiah rushed up to his mark in a straight line, then jammed his feet down. Deshaun stayed close to Isiah until Isiah stopped, then Isiah shoved him away half a yard before curling back.

    Isiah caught the pass, but Deshaun recovered quick enough to tackle him. The catch was good enough for 8 yards. As Deshaun got up, he complained to the nearest official about Isiah shoving him, but the official wasn¡¯t interested.

    ¡®Stop complaining, nigga,¡¯ Isiah said as he walked by. ¡®You old niggas always bitching. Play the fucking game!¡¯

    Deshaun glared at Isiah, but returned to the Dons¡¯ huddle. ¡®It¡¯s fuckin¡¯ bullshit.¡¯

    Ty knew the struggle, but that was the life of a CB. They¡¯d chosen to be on the wrong side of the umpires as soon as they picked defence.

    The Vikings tried to pick up the first down on the ground, but the Dons had been expecting as much. They crashed down on the inside, and forced their way through Mike, stopping the run for only a yard.

    Still, another run like that¡ªfor just a single yard¡ªand the Vikings would pick up another first. Would the Vikings risk it?

    There was a long pause during that third down. Ty and Marshall stared at one another throughout, Ty trying to figure out if they¡¯d pass or run. Which was riskier? The Vikings were a pass-centric team, but the Dons¡¯ defence had held up against most of their attempts so far.

    Marshall was pondering something as well. Ty saw it on his face. It was troubling, but at least he hadn¡¯t figured it out yet. That was the one saving grace.

    Though Marshall would have more time to piece his puzzle together, as the Vikings returned to the ground, and even with the Dons clogging the middle of the field, Mike grit his teeth and forced his way forward.

    The RB squirted ahead behind Mike, and gave him an extra push, before the scrum collapsed 3 yards downfield with the Vikings picking up the first down.

    With the new set of downs, the Vikings tried another run, which went outside the Tackles. But that was a mistake. Donte wasn¡¯t just a threat during passes with how he blitzed, he was also a solid wall on the edge against runs, and the Vikings didn¡¯t even get a yard against him.

    On Second and Long, the Vikings felt backed into a corner already, and returned to the air.

    Marshall came forward tentatively. He went through his motions rapidly, but he was still testing the waters. He shimmied inside, and Ty responded quickly, hopping out in front of his potential path. The outside was open and waiting, but the sideline was another enemy working with Ty to keep him corralled.

    Isiah staggered out of the blocks, trying to put Deshaun on the back foot, but Deshaun was wary of his tricks and kept with him as he cut to the inside on a route that was closer to a Post than Slant.

    Nathan fired the ball in, aiming for a narrow gap within the coverage, but Deshaun bumped Isiah off his mark and got a hand on the ball, knocking it away.

    It was Isiah¡¯s turn to complain to the officials and look for a flag that wouldn¡¯t come.

    ¡®Stop fuckin¡¯ complainin¡¯ and play the game,¡¯ Deshaun said with a sneer.

    ¡®Fuck you, nigga.¡¯ The two glared at one another, but turned away and backed off on their own accord.

    Third down, 10 yards to go. The Vikings were desperate. Ty knew it. And when they were desperate, they¡¯d come back to Marshall. Even if he¡¯d failed them so far that night, they¡¯d have faith he¡¯d come through for them in the end.

    Ty had to kill that faith, and this was the perfect opportunity to do so. He could even win the game while he¡¯s at it. ¡°Intercept this, take it back for a touchdown, and the game¡¯s over.¡± He shook with anticipation.

    Ty thrust a hand out when Marshall lunged forward, but Marshall slapped the spear away and it brushed off him rather than pierce him. Ty hurried back, and Marshall kept coming. Then he stopped, twisting back.

    A curl! Ty started forward, eyes darting over to Nathan, looking for the ball. This was an easy pick-six. At the back of his mind, he knew they wouldn¡¯t gift him with such an easy interception.

    It was a trap. Nathan wasn¡¯t even looking to pass yet. Marshall kicked off and started forward again. Ty stopped, turned, and bolted after him all in one motion.

    He was playing catch up, Marshall already a couple of yards ahead, but he knew he could reach him soon.

    However, time was something he wouldn¡¯t get. Already, Marshall turned his head, locating the ball. Ty didn¡¯t have time to do the same. He dove, a hand stretching over Marshall¡¯s shoulder just as the ball plummeted into his peripheral vision.

    The ball hit their hands just as Ty tackled Marshall. Marshall couldn¡¯t latch onto the ball with Ty¡¯s hand in the way, and instead the ball bounced off them and to the ground. They crashed hard, skidding to a stop after another few yards.

    The pass fell incomplete, and no penalty was called. Ty had won another battle, and the Dons had stopped the Vikings once more.

 Chapter 168: A Break in the Chaos

    The game continued as a dogfight with neither side giving an inch. The Dons maintained their slim control. But as the two-minute warning came and went for the first half, nobody scored.

    The Vikings sulked off to their locker room, snarls and grimaces marring their expressions.

    The Dons marched off the field, heads held high. Steam wavered from them as they glanced at the scoreboard before entering the tunnel. A 13¨C7 lead was small, and could be gone in an instant, but it was a source of pride for them all.

    They could beat the Vikings. They WERE beating the Vikings. Even so, they weren¡¯t perfect and Coach Long still saw issues.

    ¡®You¡¯re all doing great. You¡¯ve earned that lead, and we need to hold onto it in the second half. We can¡¯t let them take it.¡¯

    The boys were quiet. Their focus unbroken as they sat before their lockers. Even Deshaun and Stephen said nothing.

    Coach Long moved over to Cole and Benny. He placed a hand on their shoulders. ¡®I know you boys are trying, and you¡¯ve done well to get us this lead, but I need you. The team needs you to step up if we¡¯re going to win this game.¡¯

    ¡®I will, Coach. We¡¯re not losing this game,¡¯ Cole said. Benny nodded.

    Coach Long smiled. ¡®It¡¯s not just you. The whole offence needs to keep pushing. We¡¯ve let them dominate the middle, and we can¡¯t even run to the outside with those Linebackers roaming. Stephen¡¯s drawing some more attention in the passing game now. That¡¯s why you two will have more responsibility in the second half.¡¯

    He patted their shoulders, then moved away. Benny and Cole looked at one another, then bumped fists. They were locked in. They wouldn¡¯t be the reason the Dons lost.

    Coach Hoang had little to say about the defence. ¡®Banks, watch that guy closely. Be careful if he catches on and mixes things up.¡¯

    ¡®He¡¯s too dumb for that,¡¯ Deshaun said, ¡®¡­but I gotchu.¡¯

    Coach Hoang nodded, then turned to Ty. ¡®You¡¯ve been dominating your match-up. Can you keep it up, Samuels?¡¯

    Ty scoffed. ¡®He¡¯s not catching shit.¡¯

    Coach Hoang¡¯s focused lingered on Ty. ¡®He¡¯s gonna come at you harder, stronger, and faster than he ever has. Be prepared.¡¯

    ¡°I am,¡± Ty thought, but kept his mouth shut.

    Coach Hoang turned to the group. ¡®Be conscious of them running, but don¡¯t worry about it. Their run game only exists to amplify their passing. If they resort to beating us on the ground, we¡¯ve already won.¡¯

    Bella approached Ty, standing by his side. Whilst everyone was concentrating and still had a determined look, Ty¡¯s¡ªusually the most arrogant and assured¡ªhad a sour tinge.

    ¡®Is everything alright?¡¯

    ¡®Huh? Of course it is.¡¯ He frowned at her.

    ¡®You¡¯ll keep beating Eighty-Seven, right?¡¯

    ¡®You don¡¯t even have to ask.¡¯ His frown turned into a cocky sneer. But she saw, when he looked away, his expression dropped back into one of focus.

    She was glad he wasn¡¯t taking things easy, but worried about what was going through his mind. Something was troubling him.

    That something was trying to predict the adjustments Marshall would make.

    ¡°He¡¯s up to something. He¡¯ll do something different when they come out of the drive. ¡­ but what? Egh, it doesn¡¯t matter what he tries, I¡¯ll still shut him down. I¡¯ll prove I¡¯m the best right here.¡±

    ¡®Bring it in, Dons.¡¯ Coach Long stood in the middle of the room, one fist raised high.

    The Dons got up from their spots, and moved over to swarm around Coach Long, their fists joining him.

    ¡®You know the drill,¡¯ he said. ¡®Just know I¡¯m proud of you all, always will be. Three, two, one¡ª¡¯

    ¡®FAMILY!¡¯

    Over with the Vikings, they¡¯d liked the adjustments the defence had made to finish the half. The message was to keep squeezing and choke them out in the second half.

    Their one concern, defensively, was Myles. They worried if he could control himself for the rest of the game. Already he¡¯d played his most snaps in one game ever.

    Myles had laughed, grinning as he assuaged their worries. He¡¯d said it was too much fun playing with them, and he promised to finish the game.

    Regarding his actual play, they had no pointers. He¡¯d been playing exactly how they wanted. His attitude was the only concern they had with the defence, otherwise, they were happy.

    Offensively, it was a different story. The focus was on Marshall, and how he needed to elevate if they were going to win. If he really saw himself as the best Wide Receiver in the state, he had to overcome the tiny freshman guarding him.

    It was now or never. They were both in the same class, and if he couldn¡¯t beat Ty now, he never would.

    Conversely, they ignored Isiah. Isiah sat alone in a corner of the room, left to stew in his own thoughts while the coaches fussed over Marshall.

    Isiah glared around the room, tense enough that he might explode into a rage if someone dared meet his gaze.

    He sat brooding and worked himself into a silent rage. Stephen caught stray shots of his anger, but the focus on his stormy mind was none other than Deshaun.

    Before the Vikings left their locker room, Marshall promised they¡¯d win. He had Ty figured out, and knew just how to beat the midget, as he referred to him.

    Time would tell if he was just talking big, or if he really had found the key to beating Ty.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Marshall wouldn¡¯t have to wait long to put his hypothesis to the test, as the Vikings started the second half with the ball.

    Both teams took the field. The crowd''s cheers battled each other like two waves crashing into one another. It was back to equal footing. The Dons¡¯ side cheered with confidence of their victory based on their lead. Whilst their desire amplified the voices of the Vikings¡¯ supporters, who hoped for a comeback.

    Marshall let the kickoff bounce out of the end-zone, content with beating the Dons¡ªand Ty¡ªthrough actual plays rather than a kick return.

    The first meeting of the Dons¡¯ defence and the Vikings¡¯ offence in the second half was the tensest yet. Nathan¡¯s eyes darted around the field. He spotted Donte and shouted for extra focus to be put on him from the O-Line. Then he looked wider, first at Isiah, and then Marshall, regarding them both with a scowl. He couldn¡¯t do shit if his Receivers couldn¡¯t get open.

    Deshaun approached Isiah, standing close as he clapped in his face. ¡®The little doggy didn¡¯t run off like a bitch,¡¯ Deshaun said. ¡®You grow some balls? Or you just stupid?¡¯

    ¡®Shut the fuck up. You gon kill yourself after I embarrass you. Yo ass ¡®bout to go viral.¡¯

    ¡®You talkin¡¯ mad shit for someone that¡¯s never gonna be nothing after this game.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s you, nigga. You ain¡¯t shit now, and you ain¡¯t never gon be shit. Just a victim.¡¯

    The two scowled at one another, the hatred palpable between them.

    Marshall and Ty were quieter, but the tension was just as intense. It was Marshall who broke the silence.

    ¡®I¡¯m gonna show you the differences between us,¡¯ he said. ¡®You ain¡¯t on my level.¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s right. I¡¯m not. I¡¯m so far above you, you can¡¯t even see my level.¡¯

    ¡®You ain¡¯t special. You¡¯re just a no name li¡¯l bitch. Playing for a shitty, worthless school.¡¯

    Ty growled. ¡®I AM special. You¡¯re not. You¡¯re just like every other Receiver I¡¯ve faced. Arrogant, naive. You think you have the world in the palm of your hand. You can¡¯t feel it slipping through your fingers. You¡¯re not special. You¡¯re just another name for me to destroy. Another stepping stone on my path to the top.¡¯

    Marshall¡¯s glare darkened as he listened to Ty drone on. ¡®I¡¯m the baddest motherfucker you¡¯ll ever face. You ain¡¯t gonna win shit while I exist.¡¯

    After what felt like an eternity of anticipation, the ball was snapped, and the first play of the second half began.

    Isiah shimmied, then tried to squeeze by the inside, but Deshaun was on top of him and practically had him in a chokehold. He wasn¡¯t going anywhere.

    Marshall slipped away from Ty¡¯s attempted press, one long arm glancing across his shoulder pad as he ducked inside. Ty jumped in front of him to cut off the slant, then Marshall cut to the outside.

    It was sharp and explosive, and put Ty on the back foot. He couldn¡¯t recover to get in front of Marshall, and the Vikings exploited that opening.

    Nathan threw the ball towards the sideline as Marshall faded that way. Marshall jumped without turning and caught the ball. He dragged his feet as he landed, then Ty shoved him out.

    The reception was good for 8 yards, and it was Marshall¡¯s first of the game. He stared Ty down before passing him.

    Ty shook it off. It was just one catch. A fluke. Marshall had caught him slipping right at the start of the second half. It wouldn¡¯t happen again.

    The Vikings picked up the first down with a run that resulted in 4 yards. Isiah and Deshaun¡¯s shoving match continued after the whistle and only ended after intervention from an official.

    The Dons would live with the Vikings running, just as Coach Hoang had said. Even after the first down, they still focused on stopping the Vikings¡¯ passes, and hadn¡¯t dropped lower to combat the run.

    Even after a second consecutive run, again for 4 yards, the Dons held strong. The Vikings tried a third consecutive run, but the Dons stopped them after only 2 yards. As the running back hit the hole up the middle, a D-lineman grabbed his arm and held him until reinforcements arrived.

    On third down, the Vikings returned to the air. Isiah burst forward, and without any fancy footwork, he cut to the outside, giving Deshaun another push that he would complain about fruitlessly.

    Even though Deshaun had found a small opening, Nathan wasn¡¯t looking his way. His focus was solely on Marshall.

    Marshall pushed through Ty¡¯s press, overpowering it. Ty rushed back, keeping up with Marshall¡¯s sprint. They raced past the first down marker, Ty still running backwards.

    Just as Ty thought of shifting his hips and turning to a sprint, Marshall made his move, cutting towards the middle.

    A fraction of a second slower than he wanted, Ty jumped forward, over-committing in his attempt to make up for the ¡°slow¡± reaction.

    Only after Ty had committed to stopping the inside Cross, did Marshall whirl back around and switch the route into an Out instead.

    The rapid switch left Ty clawing at Marshall¡¯s shirt. Marshall¡¯s shirt stretched out obviously, and a flag flew. But Marshall didn¡¯t stop. He extended as the pass came in, and got one set of fingers to it, reeling it in as he dragged his feet and stumbled out.

    The catch was successful, so the Vikings declined the DPI penalty. Marshall turned to face Ty again, this time dropping the ball before his feet, then pointing towards the end-zone.

    Anger flared inside Ty as he stared at Marshall¡¯s irritating smirk. He stormed off to the Dons¡¯ huddle. Zayden looked at him with concern, but Deshaun¡¯s eyes never left the ground. He was breathing hard.

    Ty wasn¡¯t dumb enough to still think Marshall was just getting lucky. He HAD figured something out. Ty was the one who had to rack his brain now and find a way to stop this drive before it got out of control.

    The Vikings continued pushing closer to the end-zone, thanks to Marshall. They mixed in some runs, but they weren¡¯t overly successful, nor did the Dons care much about them, no matter how many times they picked up a first down from a short yardage situation.

    Deshaun kept Isiah in check, though both boys were growing more aggressive in their antics, not only after the whistle, but during the play as well. Once, Deshaun got called for a holding penalty when he tried to stop Isiah pushing off.

    Explaining his case, and why he HAD to hold, didn¡¯t garner any sympathy from the officials. Though, on a play not long after that, Isiah was called for OPI. His shoving during the routes ended after that.

    He never caught a pass, and Deshaun wasn¡¯t penalised again during that drive.

    But the problem was Marshall. Whenever the Vikings were in a hole, or needed a first down, he was there, and he¡¯d get open.

    Ty struggled to contain him, struggled to come up with a plan on how to stop him. The strategy he¡¯d been using throughout the first half had been neutralised.

    Even if he waited out the feint and didn¡¯t over-commit to one side of the field, he couldn¡¯t stop Marshall. Because they weren¡¯t just feints, they were an actual route.

    If Marshall cut to the inside, and Ty didn¡¯t instantly jump in to cut him off, but waited for him to reverse and go to the outside, well, that outside reversal never came. Marshall would continue on his first route, and Ty couldn¡¯t stop the inevitable pass that came. Even if he got close, it¡¯d just turn into one of those bullshit dives and fingertip catches that had pissed him off so badly in the first game.

    With this, the Vikings were soon at the goal-line, just a few yards away from a touchdown and tying the game, before potentially taking the lead with the following extra point.

    Ty panted. He could still make his stand. The entire team could. Even if there was only an inch to go before the end-zone, they could still stop the Vikings and at least hold them to a field goal.

    ¡°Or I could get an interception. How deflating. You come all this way, work so hard to get close enough to sniff the end-zone, only to get stopped right at the goal-line. They might just give up if I take it back for a pick-six too.¡±

    He grinned up at Marshall.

    Marshall hated that grin. It was disrespectful and downright creepy. It was too much like Myles¡¯s grin. A sadistic grin that only existed because the person behind it was thinking about someone else¡¯s misery. At least with Myles, that misery didn¡¯t belong to HIM.

    He wanted to kick Ty¡¯s teeth down his throat and put an end to that grin forever. But he couldn¡¯t. He settled for putting that freak in his place instead.

    The ball was snapped. Marshall and Ty shoved each other back. Ty held his ground, and Marshall darted inside on a Slant.

    Ty hesitated, unsure if he should jump in front or trail along Marshall¡¯s hip. That hesitation was only a split second, but it cost him.

    Nathan ripped the ball towards Marshall, who put his body between the pass and Ty. Ty lunged, diving as he reached around Marshall and snagged his arm just as the ball arrived.

    Ty tried to rip Marshall¡¯s arm off and pull the ball free, and whilst he dislodged one hand from the ball, Marshall¡¯s other hand clenched it and raised it above his head as he and Ty tumbled to the ground.

    Marshall popped up to his feet as the officials signalled touchdown. The Vikings fans, who had waited so long, finally had something more to cheer about.

    Marshall glared down at Ty, who still lay prone on the painted grass of the end-zone, spun the ball on its top right beside him, then stepped over him to join his teammates in celebration.

    One of Ty¡¯s eyes twitched as he stared up at the night sky. The bright lights shone down on him, highlighting his humiliation.

 Chapter 169: Gauntlet Thrown Down

    It was only a tied game, that was what Ty told himself as he retreated to the bench.

    When the extra point was successful, and the Vikings took the lead, 13¨C14. Ty told himself it was only 1 point, practically meaningless. ¡­ But that point still stood between him and victory. If the game ended then, the Vikings would win, no matter how small their lead was.

    It was a good thing the second half had only just begun. There was plenty of time for the Dons to take back the lead, whether through the efforts of their offence or defence.

    A small, annoying voice¡ªTy thought sounded like Ricky¡¯s¡ªpestered Ty with the fact that the Vikings also had plenty of time to extend their lead.

    After another touchback, the Dons¡¯ offence stormed onto the field, ready to reclaim their lead. Cole had taken Coach Long¡¯s plea to heart, and came out with explosive energy, zigging and zagging away from his defender before getting open on a Post route for 11 yards.

    Chris''s run to the outside, gaining only 2 yards, instantly reversed the good start and any momentum Cole¡¯s reception had given the Dons.

    Myles and his LBs were still too fast on the outside. They were content with Mike plugging the middle. They started wide and stayed wide.

    The Dons were forced to pass. There, Stephen struggled with a more aggressive Isiah, who was pressing constantly and sticking in Stephen¡¯s grill. Even if Stephen could nudge him out of the way, another Viking was there to help.

    Benny struggled as well. The LBs were quick, and not just when covering the run. If the Dons weren¡¯t running, the LBs dropped back into their zones. They were like an impenetrable wall guarding the space from sideline to sideline almost, and Benny had no room to operate unless he went under them.

    Which he did on a quick Stick concept. When Stephen wasn¡¯t open, Jay found Benny on his little hook Curl, but the LBs quickly collapsed, and the catch was only good for 3 yards.

    Still needing another pass, Cole was the Dons¡¯ saving grace. Before the LBs could spread out wide and help the DB defending him, Cole broke loose on a quick Out, caught the pass, and extended forward to cross over the threshold for another first down.

    Cole caught the next pass as well, a quick Slant good for 6 yards.

    The Dons¡ªstubbornly¡ªtried another run up the middle, which was completely stuffed for no gain at all. There were no gaps for Chris to squeeze through, and the O-Line almost collapsed right on top of him before Mike brought him down.

    Cole seemed to be their ONLY hope. As he favoured quick, short routes with sharp cuts, his defender had squeezed up on him with a press.

    Cole burst by and raced them down the sideline. He had the step on them, but the window was closing fast.

    Jay lobbed the ball high towards the sideline. Cole looked over his shoulder and drifted outside more. He fell forward as he caught it over his shoulder, the Vikings defender shoving him down.

    Cole¡¯s knee impacted with the white turf marking the boundary around the field. The Side Judge closed in on him and ruled him out of bounds and the catch incomplete.

    A yellow flag lay strewn across the green grass on the other side of the field. Isiah had bailed the Dons out. When Stephen had rushed downfield and shimmied in and out, Isiah had bumped into him and then been flagged for Illegal Contact. The result was a 5-yard penalty, and an automatic first down for the Dons.

    Cole couldn¡¯t waste this second chance, and he didn¡¯t. He went all out¡ªa necessity to hit the gaps on time¡ªon every play. He made catch after catch for short yardage, but the yards piled up.

    Play after play, the Dons nickel-and-dimed their way towards the end-zone.

    They crossed half-field, then not long after, Cole ran out of steam. No one else had lessened the burden on him. And when the Dons lost their Cole engine, the drive stalled.

    They were just within range of a field goal, though it¡¯d be a long attempt of 51 yards. They sent the kicking team out there all the same.

    Cole¡¯s efforts hadn¡¯t been in vain. He¡¯d given his team this opportunity. The offence had done their job, and the Dons could retake the lead with this field goal. If they had to beat the Vikings with field goals, they would.

    Not even Ty cared how they won as long as they won. Again, a 2 point lead was enough for him to defend, and he wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake of letting Marshall score. He¡¯d defend those two points with his life.

    The Dons¡¯ supporters watched with bated breath, while the Vikings¡¯ side screamed and prayed for a miss or a block.

    The ball was snapped back to the holder. The kicker lunged forward. When they thumped the ball, the world went silent.

    Ty watched the ball, as if it was flying in slow-motion. He watched as it drew closer. Then he watched as it shaved past the outside of the right goalpost.

    They¡¯d missed. The Vikings still held the lead.

    The Vikings took over from where the Dons had missed the kick. Already half-field was within reach.

    They started their drive with another run, though like the Dons, they still struggled and only gained a couple of yards; Mike could open a path, but the Dons filled it quickly.

    Both teams¡¯ run defence were strong. They had to be if they wanted any chance against the team awaiting them next week.

    This game would come down to which team had more firepower through the air, or which secondary cracked first.

    For now, the Dons¡¯ secondary held strong. Isiah still couldn¡¯t shake Deshaun. The brief relief from switching sides and holding Stephen melted away as Isiah''s frustration mounted.

    The situation worsened when Nathan threw a pass beyond Isiah''s reach after Isiah finally broke free. (Again by shoving off if one were to take Deshaun¡¯s side).

    ¡®Gimme something I can fucking catch!¡¯ Isiah said, exasperated. ¡®Damn, nigga.¡¯

    Nathan shook his head. He didn¡¯t deign responding to Isiah, even if he had a good one. Something told him that mentioning how Marshall would¡¯ve caught that pass wouldn¡¯t help Isiah or the team perform better, so Nathan¡ªand Marshall¡ªkept the thought to themselves.

    Over with Marshall, Ty had a revelation. It was instinctual, something that dawned on him whilst trying to guard Marshall, something his body had done on its own. It was moments like that which let Ty know just how special he was.

    There was a reason Nathan had to look Isiah¡¯s way. Not to feed Isiah¡¯s ego, but because he was more open than Marshall.

    Marshall had run a late Slant, of course, he was setting up an Out, but if Ty gave him the Slant, he¡¯d take it. Then, he had sworn Ty jumped in front of the Slant. Marshall turned the instant he saw Ty start towards the inside, but somehow, when he cut to the outside, Ty was waiting on it.

    In truth, Ty had only feinted to the inside¡ªmuch like a Receiver did¡ªbefore jumping outside. The roles had been reversed. With Marshall¡¯s Option routes, he was the one reacting to Ty now, not the other way around. Ty could use that, Ty could control him.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Again, on third down, the same story played out with Marshall and Ty. Marshall started outside, this time, and when Ty feinted, he bought it and immediately switched to the inside, where Ty was waiting for him.

    Isiah couldn''t shove off this time. With no one open, Nathan held onto the ball too long and Donte sacked him again.

    Nathan sprung up, spiking the ball down after the play as he stomped towards Marshall. ¡®What the fuck, man? You said you had that little shit figured out!¡¯

    ¡®I did. And I got us the lead. Get the fuck out of my face.¡¯ Marshall shoved him aside. They stormed off the field as the punting unit came on.

    Isiah watched on. He hadn¡¯t been the outlet for Nathan¡¯s anger. Even Isiah pieced together what that meant¡ªNathan no longer expected him to beat Deshaun. An inferno erupted within Isiah and threatened to spill over.

    Again, the Dons had to start a drive from deep in their own territory after a Vikings punt.

    And again, their offence struggled to produce. The quick three-and-out from the Vikings meant the Dons¡¯ offence¡ªnamely Cole¡ªgot little rest.

    Even when the Dons put JJ out on the field as a FB, and had Cameron replace Chris, they still couldn¡¯t crack through the middle of the Vikings tough defence.

    Isiah was more aggressive than ever in his defence, and the officials seemed blind to it. He was bumping and grabbing Stephen constantly on every play, even if it was a run, and Stephen was getting fed up with it.

    He ran forward on a third down passing play, reached the first down marker, then snapped back on a Curl. He thrust Isiah aside. ¡®Get the fuck off me!¡¯

    Isiah fell back, tumbling over. Stephen made the catch, and rumbled ahead a few yards past the first down, but a yellow flag was left in his wake.

    His OPI negated the play, pushing the Dons further back and forcing a replay of third down.

    On their second attempt at third down, they didn¡¯t convert for a first. Time ran out into the fourth quarter, and the last break left the Dons dejected.

    ¡®Keep those heads up,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®This game isn¡¯t over yet. It¡¯s just one point. Are you really going to let one point stand between you and your dreams?¡¯

    ¡®Fuck no,¡¯ Stephen grumbled.

    ¡®I like that energy, but watch that language, Stephen. Come on, one good drive is all it takes for us to get back in control.¡¯

    ¡®None of that happens if you don¡¯t get a stop,¡¯ Coach Hoang said, looking at the scoreboard rather than his defence.

    Bella watched the players¡¯ faces. They eyed the scoreboard. She saw thirteen and fourteen reflected in their eyes. 1 point. It was all the difference. The smallest lead possible. So why did it feel so insurmountable?

    When play resumed, the Dons punted, which didn¡¯t help their spirits. The Vikings were the ones to have the first offensive possession in the last quarter, and with it, they were determined to put the game to rest.

    Marshall even put them in great field position with a quick return of 9 yards before stepping out at the 38.

    However, Isiah was determined that HE would be the one to finish the Dons. He didn¡¯t need any fancy tricks to beat Deshaun, he¡¯d just beat him straight up.

    Run game be damned, the Vikings came out swinging. Nathan dropped back deep, then stepped up as Donte went zooming past. He peered Marshall¡¯s way, and while he saw an opening, something pulled his vision towards the opposite side of the field.

    Isiah sprinted right at Deshaun, then right around him with a Vertical. Deshaun, expecting a feint or cut¡ªlike most plays that day¡ªwas surprised and a step too slow to turn and chase Isiah.

    He started one step behind as they raced along the sideline. Then two, then three. Isiah kept getting further and further away from him, no matter how hard he pushed.

    Nathan lobbed the ball deep. Zayden broke into a sprint, but he wouldn¡¯t reach it in time. No one but Isiah would.

    Isiah stretched out and caught the ball, stumbling as he did so, which allowed Zayden to sideswipe him and shove him out of bounds. The reception was a success, however, and resulted in a gain of 23 yards.

    Instantly, the Vikings jumped across half-field and were threatening to extend their lead.

    Deshaun backed off after that, but even that Isiah exploited. With the threat of another deep ball looming, Deshaun gave him too much space and opened up an easy Curl for a much shorter gain, but another reception nonetheless. Isiah was back in his groove.

    Zayden pulled Deshaun aside in the next huddle. ¡®Keep playing the way you were, Dee. I got you over the top. Don¡¯t worry ¡®bout it.¡¯

    Deshaun nodded. ¡®Fucker just got lucky. My bad though. Shit won¡¯t happen again.¡¯

    ¡®It won¡¯t. We got this.¡¯ Zayden¡¯s eyes flicked to Ty. Ty tried not to have an ¡°I told you so¡± look on his face, but nodded approval.

    ¡®We got this,¡¯ JJ parroted. ¡®One stop at a time.¡¯

    With that message in mind, the Dons renewed their struggle to hold the Vikings back.

    Deshaun was back in Isiah¡¯s face. The arrogance of which almost made Isiah punch him. ¡®How many times do I have to teach you this lesson, old man?¡¯

    ¡®You ain¡¯t teachin¡¯ shit, bitch.¡¯

    Isiah pushed off aggressively when the ball was snapped. He rushed right by Deshaun, who stuck with him this time, though was slowly losing ground. But instead of the space beyond Deshaun being open, Zayden lingered in Isiah¡¯s path.

    Isiah had run right into their trap and was taken out of the play.

    Ty and Marshall continued their duel as well. And when Ty feinted at Marshall¡¯s first cut, Marshall didn¡¯t react. Ty jumped the opposite way, leaving a wide gap between them.

    Marshall caught a simple pass, then cut upfield for another 15 yards before defenders tackled him.

    If Ty was going to fake him out, he wouldn¡¯t fall for it anymore. He¡¯d wait until Ty committed. Ty was on the back foot again, and time was no longer his friend. The clock continuously ticked towards zero, and the Vikings marched closer to another touchdown.

    He couldn¡¯t jump in front of Marshall¡¯s route, nor could he feint doing so. And he couldn¡¯t just sit back and do nothing.

    ¡°Fuck it! What am I running from? I don¡¯t need a gimmick. I don¡¯t need to stop his routes early. If he wants to run and jump, if he wants to dive and stretch and try that BULLSHIT again, I¡¯ll show him he can¡¯t. I¡¯ll show him how much I¡¯ve grown.¡±

    The gloves were off. Ty wouldn¡¯t hide behind mind games anymore. Wouldn¡¯t let Marshall hide behind them, either. Watch, react, defend. That¡¯s what he¡¯d do, like he always did. Marshall wasn¡¯t special, so he didn¡¯t need to do anything special to stop him.

    Marshall lined up, meeting Ty¡¯s relentless glare with one of his own. Staring into those dark eyes was like looking into an abyss, but Marshall didn¡¯t blink.

    The ball was snapped. Marshall rushed forward. He staggered, shimmied left. Ty shifted but didn¡¯t jump ahead of the route. Marshall staggered again, truly this time as the sudden change in attitude and Ty¡¯s plan shocked him. But he recovered and pushed off strong to the inside.

    Ty was right with him, glued to his hip, closer than any CB had been. The two ran as one. Marshall sneered. ¡®If that¡¯s what you want.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t about to back down from the challenge, either. He signalled Nathan.

    Nathan had seen this countless times before. He knew just what do to. He ripped a pass, high over the middle, nice and wide from Marshall. To the casual observer, it looked much too wide. Like it would sail over into Zayden¡¯s grasp instead.

    It almost looked too low, like JJ would swat it down before it even reached Marshall¡¯s level. But he didn¡¯t. It just barely whistled past his fingers.

    Marshall leapt. It was a graceful dive. Ty dove with him, reaching forward for the ball. If he could just STRETCH!

    Marshall¡¯s hand eclipsed Ty¡¯s, and just before the ball scraped by them both, Marshall got his fingers to it and snagged it from the air. Like a trap closing shut on its prey, once the ball was in his grasp, Marshall snapped it to his chest, just before he crashed to the turf alongside Ty.

    The reception was good for another 11 yards. But more importantly¡ªin Marshall¡¯s eyes¡ªhe¡¯d proven Ty still wasn¡¯t on his level.

    The Vikings were well within the red zone. They could almost smell the paint of the end-zone. A touchdown. Salvation. Victory. They were within grasp. They just had to reach out and take it.

    The teams reset. Isiah and Deshaun were quiet for once, both staring at one another like dogs preparing to bite.

    ¡®Do you understand now, li¡¯l bitch?¡¯ Marshall asked Ty.

    ¡®You¡¯re still going to lose. You¡¯ll never beat me. I¡¯m better than you. I¡¯m better than you, and by the time this game¡¯s over, EVERYONE will know it.¡¯

    The ball was snapped, and Marshall and Ty slammed into one another. If Ty could stop Marshall at the line, he¡¯d never have to deal with bullshit.

    But the focus wasn¡¯t on them.

    Deshaun was still playing Isiah closely. Too close, especially with how little room there was to work with. There was less time for Zayden to shift over. Only after Nathan lobbed the ball towards them did he notice the fatal mistake.

    Isiah had the step; it was all he needed. Zayden wouldn¡¯t reach them in time to disrupt this short lob. So Deshaun did what he had to and tackled Isiah before the ball even arrived.

    It was clear-cut DPI, and there was no arguing from Deshaun. Isiah kicked Deshaun off and jumped to his feet, laughing. ¡®I KNEW you couldn¡¯t guard me! You¡¯ll NEVER be better than me! Just fucking give up already, you worthless old bitch!¡¯

    Zayden got between the two, as did an official, but Deshaun turned away, biting his tongue. Maybe Isiah was right. But maybe he wasn¡¯t. The game wasn¡¯t over, and whilst the penalty had placed the Vikings right at the goal-line, they hadn¡¯t scored. The Dons could still stop them.

    They all knew that, and that¡¯s all they focused on. No one made a comment about Deshaun¡¯s penalty or what had put him in the position where such an outcome was the best result. They all looked ahead to the next play and the goal-line stand they¡¯d have to make if they wanted to win this game.

    Deshaun stood across from Isiah, who kept muttering about how he was going to beat Deshaun. ¡®Gonna beat you. I¡¯ll always beat you, nigga. You can¡¯t touch me. I¡¯ll beat you. Beat you. Beat you.¡¯

    Ty and Marshall stared at one another, fingers twitching like they were cowboys in a stand-off.

    Nathan stood directly behind Mike, under Center. JJ was just a couple of yards ahead of them, staring straight into Nathan¡¯s soul.

    ¡®Set ¡­ HUT!¡¯

    There was an explosion of movement. It was all over so fast. JJ rushed forward and slammed right into the back of his teammate, who fell on top of him.

    Mike crashed forward, falling on top of the poor soul in front of him, which started the dominoes toppling and landed on JJ. Behind that, Nathan kept the ball and dove across Mike¡¯s back, sneaking into the end-zone.

    The Vikings had scored another touchdown.

 Chapter 170: TWO

    The Dons picked themselves up slowly. JJ, though he started near the bottom of the pile, was the one pulling his brothers up and setting them right.

    ¡®Hey, there¡¯s still time. It¡¯s still our game. We can still win this!¡¯ he told them.

    Deshaun grit his teeth and walked over, helping the last few back to their feet. The game was slipping away from them, and it seemed the harder he clung onto it, the faster it went.

    Ty looked to the scoreboard: 13¨C20. His heart pounded so hard it was beating on his skull. There WAS time, it WAS only one score ¡­ but they¡¯d have to reverse their fate, going from getting scored on, to returning an interception or a fumble for a touchdown of their own.

    ¡°Then what? It¡¯s going to be a tie and we have to do it again or hope our offence can score one more time?¡±

    The Dons were about to leave the field when shouting voices broke through their melancholy.

    ¡®TWO! TWO! TWO!¡¯

    The shouts came from both benches. The Vikings hadn¡¯t moved; their kicking team remained on the bench, and their offence remained on the field. They were going for the two point conversion.

    The Dons rushed back into place as the Vikings lined up.

    Instead of settling for the extra point¡ªwhich was almost guaranteed to give them an 8 point lead, which would require the Dons to get a touchdown and a 2 point conversion of their own¡ªthey were risking it to go for a two possession lead.

    Deshaun settled back into place in front of Isiah, and the rest of the Dons crowded the middle of the field, three of them almost nose-to-nose with Mike. They wouldn¡¯t allow another sneak or dive up the middle.

    The outsides of the field were empty save for the pairs of Deshaun and Isiah on one side, and Marshall and Ty on the other. Marshall looked across, and it felt like a galaxy lay between him and his teammates.

    Ty stood across from him. They were a planet and a moon in an empty solar system. Not even the star remained. The lights shone only on them, the rest of the field faded, yet it was so cold. Marshall¡¯s breath came in short, rapid intervals, and he swore he saw it fogging up before him.

    Ty stood motionless, straight and as tall as he could be, long arms hanging by his sides. His dark eyes watched Marshall, stared at him, stared THROUGH him.

    The ball was snapped.

    Nathan faked a hand-off.

    Deshaun jammed up against Isiah, and Isiah tried to push through to the outside, aiming for the back corner of the end-zone. Deshaun was right with him.

    Marshall had the same idea. Ty kept him at arm¡¯s length as they faded towards the corner.

    Nathan cocked his arm back, ready to throw, and Marshall broke towards the middle.

    Ty planted his foot and pushed off. Marshall was already diving. The ball came in low, everyone was in the middle of the field, there was no one else to throw over or worry about at the sidelines. Ty dove as well.

    Marshall watched the ball. It was a wobbly pass, but that helped him see. Everything was still so dark. It was like the ball was wobbling through water¡ªhe was sinking deeper too¡ªa slow shadow that eventually grew bigger and clearer as it approached.

    Then Ty¡¯s hand faded into his vision. A great looming shadow coming across his face. But it was fine. He could still see the ball; he¡¯d still reach it first.

    He stretched out as far as he could. But that shadow just kept coming. The ball approached faster, but only grew darker as the shadow across his face blocked all light from the world.

    Ty¡¯s hand eclipsed his own and smashed the ball aside before it could reach him.

    Time sped up, like a whiplash effect, as everything zoomed by in a blur to make up for the last few seconds taking an eternity.

    Marshall crashed to the ground, crunching against the turf, and Ty tumbled over him.

    The crowd¡¯s noise was an incomprehensible mess of cheers and cries. The Dons¡¯ roars of triumph washed all other noise away.

    Marshall stared up at a world that was suddenly all too bright, as the Dons swarmed around Ty and hoisted him to his feet. Deshaun cut through the pack and slammed a fist on Ty¡¯s chest.

    ¡®That¡¯s what I¡¯m fuckin¡¯ talkin¡¯ ¡®bout, Freshy!¡¯

    Ty stared down at Marshall. Even amid his teammates¡¯ celebration, as they all revolved around him, he never took his eyes off Marshall.

    Marshall stared back. Ty seemed like a different person. His eyes were empty, thoughtless, but it felt like he was omnipresent.

    Marshall still couldn¡¯t understand what had happened, but it wasn¡¯t for him to comprehend, he would never understand.

    In moments like these, those who were special rose to the top.

    The Vikings still led, but now only by 7 points, and somehow, the tides had turned.

    Chris¡¯s kickoff return took the ball to the 31-yard line, where the Dons would start their drive to win back the game.

    It would be a slow and steady comeback, but one that felt inevitable. Cole was rejuvenated, but not only that, every Don felt fired up from Ty¡¯s stand and what that meant. A 9-point difference would¡¯ve been unreachable in such a tight, hard-fought, and low-scoring game. But 7 points? All they needed was one touchdown.

    Chris was fearless. They couldn¡¯t work the middle of the field, but he still attacked the outside, slashing ahead for 3 or 4 yards a carry. Nothing amazing, but it was enough to get the ball rolling and keep up their momentum.

    Benny, too, could squeeze in a short catch here and there for 5 more yards when they needed it. Cole wasn¡¯t the only one who could penetrate this defence.

    Even Stephen was getting back into the swing of things, not as regularly as the others. Isiah was still close, still aggressive without usually extending into the territory of a foul. But occasionally, his focus would slip. His ire would move from Stephen and towards his fellow defenders, or even towards Marshall on the bench, who he saw as the cause for this struggle continuing.

    Then Stephen would bounce and reel in a catch for 10 plus yards at a time.

    With this group effort, the Dons marched downfield, drawing more time out of the clock as their touchdown seemed inevitable.

    Whilst Isiah¡¯s frustration and anger only grew, Myles was euphoric. He was glad the game wasn¡¯t over; the Dons weren¡¯t hopeless yet. It meant he could be the one to end their hope.

    But they¡¯d been resilient, annoying little cockroaches today. He hadn¡¯t worked this hard to break someone before. Maybe Chris couldn¡¯t be broken a second time, but it felt like Stephen had been replaced by a monk since last time.

    It¡¯d be a boring end if he couldn¡¯t spark a little excitement. His purple, hungry eyes fell on Cole. The engine that had been driving the Dons¡¯ offence in the second half. He¡¯d found his new target, and not a moment too soon as the Dons pushed into the red zone.

    A shiver ran down Cole¡¯s spine, but he chalked it up to the intensity of the moment, unaware such predatory eyes had him in their sights. The Dons¡¯ season hinged on this drive, and they were drawing ever closer to glory. They couldn¡¯t stop now.

    The ball was snapped, and he jumped forward. A step outside gave him the best platform to jump back into the middle with a sharp Slant. He was open, and Jay found him.

    Jay was reliable like that. You just had to get open for him and he¡¯d find you more often than not. Cole caught the pass and turned upfield, but before he could take another step, he was blindsided by what felt like a truck.

    As Myles smashed Cole into the turf, two things popped into the air. One of them was Cole¡¯s helmet, the other¡ªmore concerningly¡ªwas the ball.

    The ball fell to the ground, and the Vikings dove on it as officials rushed in, whistles blowing. Benny tried to dig through the pile and extract the ball but it was hopeless.

    Myles popped up, laughing and grinning. Cole struggled over to his hands and knees, panting hard. Myles thought he looked like a dog. He also thought such an appearance fit Cole and the Dons perfectly.

    The officials signalled it was the Vikings ball. Cole tried to wave them off. He wanted to argue that it was just an incompletion, that he hadn¡¯t had time to secure the catch before Myles hit him. But he couldn¡¯t find his voice. None of the officials paid him any mind.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    The Vikings had control of the ball AND the game.

    The Dons helped Cole from the field. Cole hung his head low. Over and over he muttered: ¡®I fucked up,¡¯ and ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯

    JJ met him at the sideline. Cole looked up when he felt the hand on his shoulder. JJ grinned at him. ¡®It¡¯s okay. We haven¡¯t lost yet.¡¯

    They hadn¡¯t, not yet. And that simple reminder kept the embers of the Dons¡¯ hope alight.

    Deshaun looked at Ty as they both got off the bench. Ty wasn¡¯t upset or angry. He was surprisingly calm. But why wouldn¡¯t he be? The game was still in his hands.

    The Dons¡¯ defence took the field, their backs against the wall, but their confidence burned brighter by the second.

    The Vikings offence stepped onto the turf, knowing they had a chance to finish the game. With under five minutes to go, they could run out the clock and never let the Dons have the ball again if they played their cards right.

    But the Dons weren¡¯t about to roll over and die.

    With this idea of running out the clock, the Vikings started with a hand-off. But their ever reliable wall, Polar Bear Mike Ironbark, crumbled, and the Dons swarmed into the backfield like the first soldiers swarming over a castle¡¯s walls, and crunched the RB for a loss of 2 yards.

    Suddenly, the Dons weren¡¯t the ones with their backs against the wall, but the Vikings instead.

    Just like usual, when they were backed into a corner, they went to the air.

    Marshall still felt alone, isolated almost a world away from the rest of his team. The feeling wasn¡¯t as intense this time, but still Ty was draped all over him, no matter which way he shook or cut.

    Nathan held the ball back, the memory of his and Marshall¡¯s last attempt at their diving connection flashing through his head. Ty was looming, waiting on the pass again. Instead, Nathan looked towards Isiah.

    Deshaun was still guarding him closely, jamming him up. Isiah burst by, the two running alongside each other at great speed. Then Isiah stopped, and turned back, giving Deshaun a helpful little push in the back¡ªdiscreet and uncalled.

    Nathan whipped the ball across, and Isiah got his hands to it. So did Deshaun. He¡¯d dived straight back after the shove, and turned mid-flight. He and Isiah struggled for the ball, but it popped free from both their grasps just before they tumbled to the ground.

    It was only an incompletion, but Deshaun had been THAT close to winning the ball back and giving the Dons another chance.

    Isiah stormed back to the Vikings¡¯ huddle. ¡®What the fuck was that? Throw the ball on time!¡¯

    Marshall pushed him aside, not even looking at him. He stared down Nathan. ¡®Throw the ball properly this time.¡¯

    Nathan stared up at him, speechless. Isiah wasn¡¯t a fan of being pushed around, but to him, it sounded like Marshall was championing his cause. Nathan knew he wasn¡¯t, Nathan knew he was talking about himself.

    The huddles broke apart, and Marshall took his spot on the island so far away from everyone else, where only he and Ty existed.

    Ty hadn¡¯t said anything since the two point conversion. He stood perfectly still, more calm and composed than ever. Marshall wanted to say something, but didn¡¯t know if anything he said could pierce the void between them.

    Again, the world darkened. Marshall thought the lights were faulty at this shitty field. Why couldn¡¯t they be playing on the Vikings¡¯ home turf?

    Again his breath fogged up in front of his face, coming in shallow, wheezing gasps. It was strange. Sometimes, even Ty felt miles away. A heartbeat later, he felt so close he was choking Marshall.

    He tried to push these thoughts and feelings out of his mind, tried to push them under the rising water and drown them, but he couldn¡¯t, because he was already drowning.

    The snap snapped Marshall out of his dream. He rushed forward. Ty thrust his hand out. It felt like a battering ram crashed into Marshall¡¯s chest, further suffocating him. He pushed through.

    Ty favoured the inside, and Marshall drifted into him until he reached the first down marker. He cut outside and dove, looking back for the ball. Again, it was drifting so slowly. Not underwater this time, but like it was floating through space. He was too; gravity didn¡¯t exist anymore.

    Everything was dark, all except the ball. It was his one beacon of light. It was coming straight towards his hand. Slowly, inevitably, like an asteroid coming straight for Earth.

    Then Ty blocked out Marshall¡¯s light. Again, Ty¡¯s hand eclipsed him. Marshall¡¯s teeth dug into his mouth guard as he tried to stretch further. His light came back, he saw the ball. He saw it diverge.

    Marshall stretched further than Ty. The ball should¡¯ve been his. But that¡¯s not what happened. It was like magic. Unbelievable. A trick of the eyes, surely. Marshall had to have just misjudged the flight path, but if you asked him, he¡¯d have told you it MOVED.

    Ty didn¡¯t reach as far as Marshall, but he didn¡¯t need to. The ball came to him, as if he had a magnet in his hand. His hand sucked it in, and as soon as it touched his fingers, just like Marshall had done, his hand clamped around it and snapped it into the crook of his arm, then his chest.

    Gravity kicked back in tenfold, and the two slammed into the ground.

    Ty curled around the ball, then stood as the whistles blew. They were the only sound that pierced the night sky as the crowd stood in silence, shocked at the display they¡¯d just seen.

    Time stood still for a lifetime as Ty stood over Marshall, ball in his hands. Marshall hadn¡¯t understood previously, but now he had an inkling of knowledge. Some voice deep down inside, he didn¡¯t want to listen to, told him he was staring at something unreachable, something special.

    Then the world erupted. It was a cacophony of noise, as even the Vikings¡¯ side of the stands couldn¡¯t help but cry out in amazement.

    Again the Dons swarmed Ty, jumping over him, pushing him around. Staring at him with sparkling eyes as if he¡¯d just won. And he had. He¡¯d beaten Marshall.

    Marshall shot up to his feet, breaking through the Dons¡¯ pack to get in Ty¡¯s face. ¡®You haven¡¯t won s-shit!¡¯ he screamed, his voice shaky. He pointed to the scoreboard, trembling. ¡®You haven¡¯t won shit.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s eyes flashed. They probably just caught the light weird for a moment, but Marshall saw something more sinister within them. He backed off, though Ty hadn¡¯t uttered a word.

    And Ty didn¡¯t, not to Marshall at least. He turned away, barely even acknowledging his defeated foe. He carried the ball over to Jay, who stood in bewilderment on the sideline.

    He slammed the ball into Jay¡¯s gut and stared up at him. He stared a long while before his eyes turned to take in the entire offence. Then he said one word:

    ¡®WIN.¡¯

    Jay took the ball and nodded. The offence marched onto the field, Ty¡¯s message held in their hearts.

    Stephen shook his head, smirking. ¡®Arrogant pipsqueak, ain¡¯t he?¡¯

    The Dons smiled, but no one laughed. The air was still too heavy for that.

    Isiah struggled to contain himself as he lined up against Stephen. How dare that fucker Marshall talk so much shit, hold himself so fucking high, and always look down on everyone when he couldn¡¯t beat one tiny little freak?

    He had all that attitude, just to dump his responsibilities onto Isiah and hide on the bench instead of playing defence as well. It was bullshit, unfair bullshit, and Isiah wouldn¡¯t stand for it!

    The Dons snapped the ball while Isiah was still raging against Marshall. He was a step behind right away and clung to Stephen as he rushed by.

    Stephen slapped Isiah¡¯s hands away, ignoring the flag that came after them. He sprinted ahead, keeping Isiah behind, attacking before the help could arrive.

    He cut to the outside, and Isiah went sprawling forward, falling over as Stephen planted his feet at the sideline, and caught the pass falling out right at the 3-yard line.

    Isiah popped up quickly, like it¡¯d make people forget he fell in the first place. He glared all around the crowd, picking out the phones and cameras. His heart raced. It was BULLSHIT! He didn¡¯t fall; he was tripped! That freak¡¯s legs had tripped him.

    Stephen laughed, drawing Isiah¡¯s attention. ¡®Why you look like you just got dropped ¡­ nigga?¡¯

    Isiah¡¯s entire body tensed like a string just before it snapped. Before he snapped, Mike dragged him away. A grim expression replaced Mike¡¯s usual cheery grin. ¡®Do you need to sit on the bench?¡¯

    ¡®I! ¡­¡¯ Isiah couldn¡¯t speak. His world was falling to pieces, and his rage went with it. Despair filled in the cracks left behind. He shambled back to his position and Mike let him go.

    The Dons declined the holding penalty in favour of the results of Stephen¡¯s reception. They lined up at the goal-line, bringing JJ and Cole back in. Their formation screamed ¡°run¡±, and the Vikings second-guessed themselves, barricading the middle with more bodies as they readied to support Mike in the trench war.

    Jay took the snap. However, he never even looked to hand the ball off. His eyes flicked to Benny, who slipped away from his opponent without blocking, and immediately turned back to the ball. He caught the simple flip pass and backed towards the end-zone.

    He backed right into Myles. Benny planted his feet, Myles drove him forward, away from the end-zone. They both pushed against one another in a stalemate. JJ broke it.

    He rammed into Benny, hugging him and the ball, and the three of them toppled into the end-zone for the touchdown.

    Myles was buried under the pile as more Dons dove on top, celebrating the touchdown. They¡¯d done it! They were just an extra point away from tying the game.

    As Coach Long was calling for the kicking team to go get that extra point, Coach Hoang stopped him, grabbing his arm.

    ¡®Coach. We should go for two,¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    Coach Long stared down at him, frowning. The game was yet to go into the two-minute warning, even if the Dons took the lead now, they weren¡¯t guaranteed to hold onto it until the end. The extra point was safer, he told Coach Hoang as much and added: ¡®don¡¯t you trust our defence to hold the draw?¡¯

    Coach Hoang smiled. ¡®It¡¯s BECAUSE I trust our defence that we should go for the win now. We might not get another chance, and anything can happen in overtime. But I know that our defence won¡¯t let them score another point before that clock runs out.¡¯

    Coach long¡¯s frown remained. Going for two wasn¡¯t the Don way.

    Coach Hoang saw he was unconvinced. ¡®If you don¡¯t want to believe in me, believe in your boys. They won¡¯t fail. Look at Chris.¡¯

    Coach Long turned his attention to Chris, who sat on the edge of his seat, staring at the field. His fists were clenched hard over his legs. He was shaking, not with fear or anxiety, but with excitement.

    ¡®Coach Hoang might be speaking out of his station, being the DEFENSIVE coordinator after all,¡¯ Coach Norman said, ¡®but I¡¯ve gotta say I agree with him on this, as impractical as it might seem. It just ¡­ feels right.¡¯

    Coach Long smiled. ¡®Alright. Chris?¡¯

    Chris looked up like he¡¯d only just heard the conversation. He hurried over to Coach Long. ¡®Yeah, Coach?¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯re going for two. So I need you to go out there and take us home. Can you do that for me?¡¯

    Chris took a deep breath. As he stared at Coach Long¡¯s eyes, they turned purple. He saw Marshall staring back. Without blinking, he nodded. ¡®I will.¡¯

    ¡®Atta boy.¡¯

    Chris marched out with his orders, replacing Cole. The two passed one another and bumped fists on the way. Chris told the others what was happening.

    The Vikings looked shocked, appalled, and insulted by the Dons¡¯ decision to go for two. It was a slap in the face, like the Dons were trying to show them how it¡¯s supposed to be done.

    Chris stared down Myles the whole time he was relaying Coach Long¡¯s orders. Myles grinned. This game was turning out to be the best yet, and he had the perfect way to end it.

    The teams lined up, a mountain of tension between them, though the Linemen were barely inches apart. Still, Myles and Chris stared at one another.

    The ball was snapped. Jay turned instantly, extending towards Chris as JJ sprinted past like he was shot out of a gun.

    Mike barrelled through the Dons¡¯ O-Line, roaring. JJ slammed right into the Polar Bear, fearless. He smashed open a hole, and Chris took the ball, aiming right for it.

    Myles filled the gap first. Chris didn¡¯t hesitate, he didn¡¯t swerve around him or juke him. Their eyes remained locked, even as Chris lowered his shoulder.

    Myles¡¯s eyes widened, his grin split his face. He welcomed the challenge and lowered into it happily.

    Chris and Myles slammed into one another with a thunderclap. Their bodies were lost in the mess of the trenches made by the Linemen. They surged against one another.

    When the dust settled, Myles was on his ass, and Chris lay past him, the ball stretched out in one hand, extended past the threshold of the end-zone.

    The two-point conversion was good. The Dons had taken the lead 21¨C20.

 Chapter 171: Implode

    The momentum was fully behind the Dons¡ªa miasma that covered the field and made the Vikings sluggish, whilst the Dons breezed through as if it was pushing them along.

    Marshall found this out the hard way on his kick return. The Dons were in his face much faster than he expected, and even with his best efforts to avoid them, he only brought the ball out to the 21-yard line.

    Twenty-one. He felt like he was going crazy. That number was inescapable. It was there when he looked at the scoreboard, and it was there when that little shit Ty came over to gloat. Mocking him. Always mocking him.

    He¡¯d bury Ty, the Dons, and that stupid fucking number and win this game. There was still time, but it was running out, and this was going to be the Vikings¡¯ last shot. They only needed ANYTHING.

    Ty said nothing. He didn¡¯t need to. The game, the score, even the crowd said it all for him.

    However, Deshaun still had words for Isiah. ¡®Ain¡¯t so cocky now, are ya, bitch?¡¯

    ¡®SHUT THE FUCK UP!¡¯ A thick line of spittle flung from Isiah¡¯s mouth. His chest heaved with every breath.

    Deshaun scoffed. ¡®Fuckin¡¯ psycho.¡¯

    The Vikings wasted little time before snapping the ball. Running wasn¡¯t an option, so both Isiah and Marshall rushed forward. They both cut inside, too.

    Isiah with a flat Cross, and Marshall with a shallow Post. The thinking being that the Dons would expect the Vikings to attack the outside to conserve time, so the middle should be more open for them.

    Ty hadn¡¯t given that any thought. He wasn¡¯t giving Marshall any leeway to any side. Marshall would¡¯ve had a better chance shaking off his shadow.

    Deshaun had favoured the outside, sure, but even so he recovered quickly and when the pass came towards him and Isiah, he slapped it away.

    A deafening roar shook the field as the Dons got a stop and came one step closer to victory. The pressure only mounted on the Vikings.

    Isiah turned to Nathan, pointing at him accusingly. ¡®Why are you throwing like shit today?!¡¯ That HAD to be the reason they were losing. Isiah couldn¡¯t accept Deshaun simply beating him. It HAD to be all Nathan¡¯s fault.

    ¡®Nobody¡¯s getting open! I threw it right at you, but if you can¡¯t get away from your man, don¡¯t fucking blame me!¡¯

    Mike got between the two, cutting their argument short. ¡®We don¡¯t have time for this!¡¯ he growled. Even with the game clock stopped, the play clock still ran down. The Vikings had to focus on their next play for this comeback to succeed.

    The teams lined up again. Again, Marshall and Ty were silent, a staring contest that Marshall lost as he turned his head to Nathan.

    Deshaun kept chirping. ¡®You gettin¡¯ locked up for the rest of the game. You been gettin¡¯ locked up ALL game.¡¯

    ¡®Shutupshutupshutupshutup!¡¯

    Deshaun laughed. If he could push Isiah to the point of actually hitting him, the Dons¡¯ victory was assured. But Isiah didn¡¯t throw a punch, not then at least.

    The ball was snapped, Isiah sped past Deshaun, but Zayden was already there.

    ¡®You cheating, pussy-ass niggas!¡¯ Isiah yelled in frustration as his route was smothered.

    Marshall, seeing as Ty wasn¡¯t worrying about the sideline, tried to attack it this time. Ty still covered his Out route perfectly, but Nathan threw the ball, anyway. He skied it, however, that was for the best as Ty was waiting for a chance to pick the pass off.

    Marshall walked back to the huddle, head lowered. ¡®Nathan?¡¯ He spoke calmly, breath fogging up again. He was so cold, whilst the others were drenched in sweat.

    All attention turned to Marshall in the huddle, but Nathan didn¡¯t speak.

    ¡®If you don¡¯t throw a good pass, we¡¯re gonna lose. YOU are gonna make us lose against these worthless bitches. If that happens.¡¯ Marshall looked at Nathan, his eyes bright within the darkness of his helmet. ¡®You gonna need a new team next year.¡¯

    Marshall left the huddle before anyone could respond. Nathan felt a little of Marshall¡¯s coldness. Mike whacked him on the back, almost knocking him off his feet.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about these dumbasses,¡¯ Mike said. ¡®Play your game. We¡¯ll win.¡¯

    ¡®If you throw to me, we¡¯ll fucking win,¡¯ Isiah mumbled. He lined up in formation. ¡®I¡¯ll beat both these niggas.¡¯

    ¡®You ain¡¯t beatin¡¯ shit, bitch,¡¯ Deshaun said, smirking.

    Nathan took the snap and dropped back. His eyes darted across the field. Ty was still blanketing Marshall, and Isiah had run into double coverage again, challenging both Deshaun and Zayden. ¡­ But they hadn¡¯t tried beating the double team yet.

    Nathan knew Marshall wasn¡¯t beating Ty, not at the moment, anyway. And while that double-team looked tough, and everything he knew about football screamed at him to avoid it, desperate times called for desperate measures.

    He heaved the ball towards Isiah. Zayden was in the perfect position. He leapt up, and just as he got his hands to the ball, Isiah yanked him down. He slammed into the ground, the ball no longer in his grasp.

    Deshaun smashed into Isiah, knocking him over Zayden and sending him tumbling away. Officials quickly rushed in, making sure nothing further happened.

    Deshaun helped Zayden up. ¡®You good, Freshy?¡¯

    Zayden grunted but nodded. ¡®Yeah, I¡¯m good. That nigga ain¡¯t shit.¡¯

    As the two headed back to the Dons¡¯ huddle, Deshaun slapped Zayden over the back of his helmet. ¡®Don¡¯t use that word. He a worthless bitch. But we don¡¯t use that word.¡¯

    ¡®You one of those ni¡­ brothers?¡¯

    ¡®Just don¡¯t let me catch you using that word again, Freshy.¡¯

    In the Vikings¡¯ huddle, all eyes were on Nathan. They usually were, but this time they weren¡¯t just waiting for his orders as the QB. They were looking at him like he was the enemy.

    He stood in the middle of the huddle, silent, shaking. ¡°This shit ain¡¯t fair. It¡¯s not my fucking fault!¡±

    Nobody said anything, but the glares didn¡¯t lessen, even after Nathan relayed the next play. The huddle took a while to dissolve, some players still looking at him for a while longer before they turned away and took their position. Nathan walked to his spot, muttering under his breath.

    Even though the Vikings were on fourth down, there had been no question about what they were going to do. They had timeouts, yes. Still, this was their last shot. If the Dons had the lead when they got the ball next, the game was over. So, of course, they went for it.

    The spotlight was on Marshall and Ty. Marshall didn¡¯t feel so cold anymore, nor was his team THAT far away when he looked at them. The distance was still distorted, longer than it should¡¯ve been, but they weren¡¯t light-years away anymore.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    But Ty¡¯s presence was still oppressive. It was like a rain cloud that only followed him, like it those old-timey cartoons. Marshall knew that even if he went indoors, that rain would follow him.

    If that was the case, all he had to do was make a catch in the rain. He hadn¡¯t lost yet, he WOULDN¡¯T lose. Not here, never again.

    The ball was snapped, and again he charged forward to meet Ty. He pushed through the press, gritting his teeth against his mouth guard.

    Left or right, no matter which way he jabbed or feinted, Ty just wasn¡¯t buying it anymore. It was like trying to juke a mirror. But that was fine. If he couldn¡¯t beat him with speed or agility, he¡¯d beat him with leaping ability and size.

    They raced down the sideline, Ty turning to keep up with Marshall, stuck to his hip.

    Nathan lobbed the ball over. It had to be high, he had to keep it away from Ty and somewhere only Marshall could reach it.

    Such a place didn¡¯t exist. Not anymore.

    Both Ty and Marshall leapt, turning back to the ball as they floated through the air. Nathan¡¯s pass had gone exactly where he wanted it, just scraping past Ty¡¯s fingertips. And for a moment, Ty¡¯s heart froze as the ball passed him.

    Then it spiked into the ground behind him and Marshall both.

    While it had gone over Ty¡¯s reach¡ªwhich is what Nathan was aiming for¡ªit passed Marshall too, who had once again been eclipsed by Ty.

    The Vikings¡¯ fourth down was a failure as well, and the ball was turned over to the Dons. Knowing a Dons¡¯ victory was imminent, the crowd went wild.

    The Dons¡¯ defence were welcomed back to the bench like heroes returning home from war.

    Ty sat on the bench, still locked onto the game. He¡¯d done what he could. Now it was up to the offence. All they had to do was not completely fuck the game by giving up a pick-six or a scoop-and-score on a fumble. Unlikely outcomes, but he wouldn¡¯t take his eyes away from the action until the clock finally hit zero.

    Try as the Vikings¡¯ defence might, they couldn¡¯t stop the Dons. Even with the Dons running mostly, they still couldn¡¯t stop them. They just always eked out enough yards to keep the drive alive and keep the clock running, even with the Vikings using their timeouts.

    The Dons kept control of the game, and though they were right on the goal-line, they never tried to hammer the ball home for another touchdown. Instead, they ran the clock out.

    After the final whistle blew, the score still read 21¨C20. The Dons lived to see another week, another game.

    The celebration was huge, the players more ecstatic about the victory than the fans, cheering louder and stomping harder. The Vikings¡¯ anguish contrasted their jubilation.

    The Vikings were as silent as a funeral, which was fitting, as their season was now dead and buried.

    Myles lurched over to Isiah. Isiah slammed his helmet onto the bench and didn¡¯t even turn to face Myles fully, just scowled at him. Myles was the only one brave¡ªor deranged¡ªenough to approach him. ¡®The fuck you want, nigga?¡¯

    Myles answered with his fist rather than his mouth, cracking Isiah across the jaw. Isiah fell against the bench, and Myles didn¡¯t let up. He pulled Isiah around and got on top of him, rearing back for another punch, even as Isiah ripped Myles¡¯s helmet off.

    It was pandemonium on the Vikings¡¯ sideline, with coaches and players rushing in to break up the fight, their shouting drowned out by the Dons¡¯ ongoing celebration.

    Someone pulled Myles away before he could land his second punch, and just before Isiah could retaliate by bashing Myles over the head with his own helmet. Someone grabbed Isiah too and wrenched the helmet from his grasp.

    The two were pulled away down opposite directions of the sideline. The head coach ordered everyone else to shut up and forget about it. During the chaos, no one noticed as Marshall headed for the locker room early.

    Mike was a voice of reason from the Vikings¡¯ players and helped the coaches get things back under control. It was he who led the team out to shake hands with the Dons. Even Nathan followed along, although reluctantly.

    The missing Vikings didn¡¯t escape the Dons¡¯ attention, though they didn¡¯t ask about them.

    After proper etiquette and sportsmanship had been seen to, the Dons¡¯ celebration resumed, and they danced to their locker room.

    The celebrations didn¡¯t stop once they got inside either, only intensified.

    Amidst the noise and partying, Deshaun found Ty at his locker. ¡®Yo, Freshy.¡¯

    Ty looked up at him.

    Deshaun laughed. ¡®We won, Freshy. Liven up a bit. No need to look like you¡¯re at church or some shit.¡¯

    ¡®Did you want something?¡¯

    ¡®Man¡­ you always gotta be unbearable, don¡¯t you?¡¯

    Ty¡¯s expression turned to an actual frown rather than his resting bitch face.

    ¡®Look, I just came over to say¡­¡¯ Deshaun¡¯s shoulders heaved with a sigh. ¡®You played good, Freshy. Couldn¡¯t have done it without you today.¡¯

    Ty was silent for a moment, though just as Deshaun was about to escape the awkwardness and turn away, he said: ¡®Thanks. You too. You played good. I¡­ We wouldn¡¯t have won without that.¡¯

    ¡®That so hard to say, Freshy?¡¯ Deshaun ruffled Ty¡¯s braids, then walked away, laughing.

    A smile flickered across Ty¡¯s face before he turned away.

    ¡®Alright boys, settle down for a second,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®Cut that music off, thank you. You can listen to your young boy and thug later.¡¯

    There were a few laughs around the room, but more people groaned and cringed. The room did quiet, however, and all focus went to Coach Long.

    ¡®This game is an incredible accomplishment. I want you to realise that. It shows how much you¡¯ve grown, and how much you can still grow. I couldn¡¯t ask for much better. I could give this game ball to many of you.¡¯ He held the ball aloft. ¡®But there¡¯s one person who deserves it most.¡¯

    There was a bit of chatter as speculation arose. Ty knew it wouldn¡¯t be him, even if he deserved it most¡ªwhich he thought he always did.

    Coach Long turned to Deshaun and lowered the ball towards him. ¡®Deshaun, this belongs to you.¡¯

    As Deshaun stood and stepped over to accept his trophy, the cheering started again. He was showered in applause and praise as the room rumbled with stamping feet. He clutched the ball against his chest and kept his head down, hiding the smile that consumed his face.

    ¡®We couldn¡¯t have won without you, Dee,¡¯ Coach Long said.

    The boys got up, crowding around Deshaun, jostling him as the celebration resumed in full force.

    Coach Hoang moved over to Ty¡¯s side, who had stayed at his locker. ¡®You know, it¡¯s great how much everyone¡¯s grown. This game¡¯s proof of it. The Vikings didn¡¯t play worse, if anything they played better, but that¡¯s just how far you¡¯ve all come since last time.¡¯

    Ty nodded, but didn¡¯t respond.

    Coach Hoang looked at him. ¡®You¡¯re responsible for that, Samuels. You led the charge, you¡¯ve grown the most, and because of that, you pulled everyone along behind you.¡¯

    Ty stopped packing and looked at Coach Hoang. Had he really done that? He¡¯d just been focusing on himself. But it made sense that if one player was constantly challenging themselves, then the team would grow around them as well.

    ¡®Thanks,¡¯ he said, smiling. Though he quickly resumed packing.

    ¡®Geez, it¡¯s not gonna kill you to celebrate a bit, Samuels. What¡¯s the matter? You that salty over not getting the game ball?¡¯

    Ty shook his head.

    ¡®Then what is it?¡¯

    ¡®You know what it is.¡¯

    Coach Hoang had an inkling, though he waited for Ty to spell it out for him.

    ¡®We¡¯re not finished. This was a good test, but if we really have grown, the proof will be next week, when we face the Bears.¡¯

    ¡®And what¡¯ll happen if we don¡¯t end up facing the Bears but some other team that beat them?¡¯

    Ty stared at him, dark eyes swimming with fire. ¡®That won¡¯t happen. I know it¡¯ll be the Bears. You know it too.¡¯

    Coach Hoang sat back, contemplating if fate was real. It certainly felt like it at the moment. But were the Dons fated to overcome their past failures again? Or were they doomed to fall to the Bears yet again? Coach Hoang didn¡¯t know. Nor did Ty, as much as he convinced himself that he¡¯d never lose again.

    The celebration continued for a while longer, but eventually the Dons made their way back to their team bus. The Vikings hadn¡¯t stuck around, and their bus was already missing from the car park.

    As Ty trudged along, Bella moved up to his side and nudged him. ¡®After all that, it doesn¡¯t kill you to praise your teammates, huh?¡¯

    He looked at her as if he didn¡¯t know what she was talking about.

    She gestured to Deshaun. ¡®I saw you two. And I¡¯m glad you idiots got over whatever petty fighting you¡¯d had in the past.¡¯

    He scoffed. ¡®It¡¯s not like I¡¯m mean to them or putting them down. And when they actually DO help and play good¡ªlike Deshaun did today¡ªI¡¯ll happily praise them.¡¯

    ¡®Oh my god, you always have to make everything so hard. You¡¯re such a dick.¡¯ But she was laughing and smiling.

    ¡®What? It¡¯s true. I¡¯m happy we won, and I¡¯m glad Deshaun helped. We needed him. The offence did their best to make us lose.¡¯

    Her smile dropped. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ She rolled her eyes and walked off. Ty blinked, watching her go, wondering why the truth always upset her.

    On the bus, he ended up at the front again, with Zayden sitting beside him for another long ride home.

    Zayden didn¡¯t have a scowl on his face this time. He looked Ty over, then held a fist out to him.

    Ty looked at it in confusion for a moment and hesitated before bumping his own fist against Zayden¡¯s.

    Zayden nodded, the fist bump saying everything he needed to¡ªthey¡¯d played well, and he was grateful for the win.

    The trip back lasted much longer without the anxiety and anticipation that helped the first speed by, but it was a quiet one as everyone came down from their highs and the exhaustion after the long day and hard battle settled in.

    Even Ty¡¯s bike ride home from the school was quiet. A peaceful reprieve. He sped along, wanting to tell everyone the great news. When he reached home, he saw the light of the front room slitting through the blinds.

    After dumping his bike, he walked in through the front door. The house was quiet, and though this light was on, it seemed to be the only one in the house. Meg sat at the table, slumped over it. Her head rested on an open textbook, others lay strewn about her.

    Of course, no one else cared. Just Meg. A smile touched his lips as he quietly approached. He tussled her hair lightly.

    At least she¡¯d always be there for him, and maybe that¡¯s all that mattered.

 Chapter 172: Reach for the Stars

    Another Titans¡¯ practice ended. The last before their next game of Regionals, and though it was another gruelling session of mostly running for the JV participants, Kenny kept his head high and marched over to Coach Otsen.

    Jackson followed, slower and a bit more hunched over, but he still supported Kenny.

    Coach Otsen turned around, acknowledging the boys with a nod. Kenny steadied his breathing, then said: ¡®Coach. You think there¡¯s gonna be any room on the varsity team this weekend? Maybe like two new openings?¡¯

    Coach Otsen raised a brow and looked both boys over. Kenny stared back, jaw set, whilst Jackson turned his head away. ¡®Can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised. That¡¯s why you¡¯ve been training so hard?¡¯

    Kenny nodded, a smile forming on his lips. If Coach Otsen had noticed they¡¯d been working harder than the others, surely that was a good sign.

    ¡®I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve got such a goal in mind, and that it¡¯s helping push you. But when you don¡¯t reach that goal as quickly as you like, don¡¯t lose that motivation. The only way a goal becomes unattainable is if you stop working towards it.¡¯ Coach Otsen started walking away.

    Kenny started after him. ¡®Coach? What about those roster spots? Coach?¡¯

    Coach Otsen said nothing of any openings in the varsity team.

    Jackson stood by Kenny¡¯s side. ¡®Something tells me we haven¡¯t made the team,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Shit! ¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡¯

    ¡®For what? We were never gonna make the cut after one or two weeks of trying a little harder. Doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re gonna stop trying.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah. So what if we haven¡¯t made it yet? There¡¯s always next week.¡¯

    ¡®If the team wins this weekend.¡¯

    ¡®Pfft, you kidding? Of course they¡¯re gonna win¡ªthey¡¯re undefeated.¡¯

    Jackson smiled, but every team had to lose, eventually. ¡®Speaking of the game, you coming to this one?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, of course.¡¯ Kenny dumped his vest back onto the rack. ¡®Can your brother pick me up?¡¯

    ¡®Sure thing. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡¯

    The two bumped fists and parted ways. Even if Jackson wasn¡¯t certain the Titans would win like Kenny was, he still saw it as a ninety percent chance. Only time would tell if the Glendale Cardinals would be the first to beat the varsity Titans this season.

    Kenny and Jackson sat on opposite ends of the backseat in Tommy¡¯s car. They were heading for a practice field at a local community college, where today¡¯s game would be held.

    The drive was smooth and short with little traffic. The smooth sounds of Bring Me the Horizon flowed from Tommy¡¯s speakers, though he kept the volume low.

    Kenny¡¯s dissatisfaction with Coach Otsen¡¯s decision to keep him and Jackson off the team was visible through his expression and posture.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll still be a great game,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®These usually are.¡¯

    ¡®I know, but it¡¯s just frustrating,¡¯ Kenny said. ¡®Why can¡¯t I make it? What am I missing? I know I¡¯m good enough¡ªWE are good enough.¡¯ He looked at Jackson. Jackson offered a supportive smile. ¡®If Rudy was good enough for the team, then so am I. ¡­ Coach better not be sitting us just cause we¡¯re freshmen.¡¯

    ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®Coach Otsen has his reasons,¡¯ Jackson added. ¡®Let¡¯s use today¡¯s game to figure out what they are.¡¯

    ¡®Good idea, Jack.¡¯

    This satisfied Kenny for now, and the trio soon pulled into the carpark just outside of the open, scarce field. Both teams had arrived for the afternoon game, but as there was still some time before the opening kickoff, the two stands flanking either side of the field were yet to fill.

    However, Tommy spotted one familiar face near the Titans¡¯ bench. ¡®Hey isn¡¯t that one of your teammates? The new one. What was his name? Rudy, right?¡¯

    Both boys looked over, their faces dropping at Tommy¡¯s last words. He said them just as their eyes found Rudy, sitting alone a couple of rows back from the bench.

    Before either Kenny or Jackson could direct Tommy to a different spot further away from Rudy, he was already walking right up to him, a pep in his step.

    Jackson winced and mouthed an apology to Kenny, then followed his big brother. Kenny¡¯s expression soured. Exasperated, he had to follow as well, and soon the three of them stood beside Rudy.

    ¡®Hey, you¡¯re Rudy right? Do you mind if we sit here?¡¯ Tommy asked cordially.

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Rudy looked up at the stranger, confused. Then his eyes fell on Jackson and Kenny. ¡®The hell?¡¯ He grimaced, cheeks darkening. ¡®What do YOU want?¡¯

    ¡®To watch the game,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®To get away from you,¡¯ Kenny said.

    Rudy looked at him coldly, and Kenny matched that frosty stare.

    ¡®Like my little bro said, we¡¯re just here to watch the game, same as you. I¡¯m Tommy by the way.¡¯ Tommy still had a smile on his face. He squeezed by Rudy, then sat on the other side of him.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Jackson groaned. Now there was no getting away from it. Tommy had decided this was where they were sitting for the afternoon. However, as he tried to follow Tommy and squeeze past Rudy, Tommy stuck a foot up and blocked the path.

    Jackson¡¯s eyes widened. He looked down at Tommy like Tommy had just kicked him. He pleaded with him silently, but Tommy didn¡¯t lower his blockade.

    ¡®Can you get out of my face and sit down already?¡¯ Rudy grumbled.

    Jackson thumped down into the chair next to Rudy. Rudy¡¯s icy gaze turned to him. Jackson didn¡¯t even glance in his direction.

    Kenny sat next to Jackson, and an icy silence spread over the group. Even under the Arizona sun¡ªstill hot despite winter being right around the corner¡ªgoosebumps covered Jackson¡¯s arms as he sat wedged between Kenny and Rudy.

    Things stayed quiet and icy as the on-field warmups concluded and the teams returned to their locker rooms for their final preparations.

    ¡®I¡¯m really looking forward to this game,¡¯ Tommy said, though his words rebounded off the ice without so much as chipping it.

    The silence dragged on, but at least the rest of the stands were filling with more cheery supporters, their pregame chatter a gentle buzz which kept the awkwardness away from deadly levels.

    Eventually, the teams returned to the field for the coin toss. The Cardinals won, deferring.

    ¡®You know, it¡¯s awesome we found you here, Rudy,¡¯ Tommy once again attempted to break the ice. ¡®It¡¯ll be great to have some insights from someone who was actually on the team.¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ The sudden statement took longer for Rudy to process.

    ¡®Yeah, I reckon the boys can learn a lot from you this game.¡¯

    Kenny scoffed. ¡®Yeah right. Like there¡¯s anything to learn from someone who rode the bench every game.¡¯

    Rudy turned to Kenny. If looks could kill, Jackson would¡¯ve been gunned down in the crossfire. He tried to make himself as small as possible in his seat.

    ¡®What¡¯s it mean that you¡¯re not even good enough for a spot on the bench? You can¡¯t even get on to ride it, and you¡¯re playing the team¡¯s weakest position.¡¯

    ¡®Someone¡¯s gotta sit on the bench,¡¯ Tommy added. ¡®I bet you¡¯d call me a benchwarmer if you saw me ¡°play¡±,¡¯ he chuckled.

    Rudy turned back, his head whipping back and forth as he was stuck in the middle of a conversation happening from two ends. ¡®Where do you play?¡¯

    ¡®Arizona State. I¡¯m a freshman. Tight End. I¡¯m either on the bench, or coming in to block on jumbo sets at the goal-line,¡¯ Tommy answered. Something Rudy said had stuck with him. ¡®Hey, what did you mean when you said Kenny¡¯s playing the team¡¯s weakest position? I mean, Shane leads a strong aerial attack, and the offence is good.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, but Shane¡¯s a Tight End like you.¡¯

    ¡®Probably coming for my job in a couple of years,¡¯ Tommy joked, though there was the slightest bit of concern in his voice.

    ¡®Hah, maybe. But as good as Shane is?¡ªand even with how much of the defence¡¯s attention he draws¡ªthe Wide Receivers are shit and can¡¯t do much. It¡¯s kinda like me and the JV team, yeah?¡¯

    ¡®Oh fuck off,¡¯ Kenny said. ¡®You¡¯re not better than us. You¡¯re not even the number one option.¡¯

    ¡®Bullshit. Like you are? I could run circles around you.¡¯

    ¡®Guys, let¡¯s just calm down and watch the game. Come on, you¡¯re gonna miss it,¡¯ Jackson pleaded.

    ¡®Jack¡¯s right,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®We¡¯re all on the same team here. Let¡¯s just enjoy the game.¡¯

    Rudy and Kenny settled into their seats, turning their attention away from one another and to the game as the opening kickoff started things.

    As the Titans¡¯ offence marched onto the field, Jackson studied the game, paying extra attention to the Receivers outside of Shane.

    The group fell back into a silence as the game progressed, but the awkwardness and tension was gone, their focus lifted from one another and solely on the game.

    As the first quarter came to a close, the score read 3¨C10 in favour of the Titans. Shane had the lone touchdown: a 7-yard receiving touchdown off of a Fade.

    Nick also nailed a 33-yard field goal in response to the Cardinals¡¯ successful kick.

    A happy buzz was in the air, and Jackson sat back, smiling. It was good the Titans were winning, but he¡¯d been watching; they should¡¯ve been winning by more.

    ¡®Hey, Rudy? Do you know the names of those two who hang around Grant?¡¯ Jackson asked.

    ¡®Huh? Oh, yeah, what is it, Daniel and Demetrius, I think? Assholes. They just cling to Grant, following him wherever he goes, surviving off his scraps. They¡¯re shit.¡¯

    ¡®Is Daniel the one with the ugly face, and Demetrius has the ugli-ER face.¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®Yeah, something like that,¡¯ Rudy chuckled.

    ¡®I noticed they looked bad out there,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Hey, they¡¯re going against other varsity players, and this is Regionals, so keep that in mind,¡¯ Tommy said.

    ¡®I know, I know, but I never paid much attention to them before; why would you when Shane¡¯s out there? He really makes up for how useless they seem. But, bad as they might be, Rudy got dropped instead. ¡­ And we know how good Rudy is so that must mean they¡¯re still kinda good even if¡­¡¯ He trailed off, wilting under Rudy¡¯s intense gaze.

    ¡®What¡¯s the deal with that? Even you¡¯re better than those shitters, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ Kenny said.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want to talk about it,¡¯ Rudy muttered.

    Jackson shifted back to the game as it resumed and the second quarter began. The Cardinals went on the attack, but the group¡¯s focus was still on the Titans¡¯ receiving core.

    ¡®You¡¯ve been closer to them all, Rudy,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®It¡¯s clear Shane¡¯s the best target, but why do you think the others struggle so much?¡¯

    ¡®Ain¡¯t it obvious? They just can¡¯t create for themselves,¡¯ Rudy answered.

    Jackson mulled this over. As the game drew on, he watched Grant. Some plays were smoother than others, but overall, he struggled to break away from his man. That was the biggest thing that stood out to Jackson.

    ¡®He can¡¯t beat Man coverage?¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Yeah, no one can, only Shane,¡¯ Rudy said. ¡®And if he can¡¯t pull the defence into Zone by himself, the rest are screwed.¡¯

    Even with two defenders, Shane could break free, whilst the others struggled with one. But if the defence settled into Zone to put more focus on Shane whilst still spreading their coverage across the rest of the field, that¡¯s when Grant took advantage of them.

    It reminded Jackson of a hyena that waited for the lion to make the kill, then picked up whatever scraps remained after the hunter fed. Grant benefitted off of Shane¡¯s gravity and sliced through whatever holes opened up in the defence because of it.

    Daniel and Demetrius played similarly, but with less polish. They couldn¡¯t recognise those holes as fast, and sometimes they missed out on opportunities Grant wouldn¡¯t have.

    With that said, if Shane didn¡¯t draw that extra attention, then not even Grant got much done to ease the pressure from him.

    As the first half came to a close, just in the two-minute warning before the break, Wesley ran in a 12-yard touchdown. Which was much needed as the following extra point tied the game at 17¨C17.

    The score remained that way into the major break.

    In the second quarter, the Titans¡¯ defence had let in two touchdowns. One resulted from a great drive by the Cardinals, capped off with a 3-yard receiving touchdown with a Slant.

    The other, however, was a crucial and costly mistake when poor tackling led to a 44-yard rushing touchdown. When that had happened, Jackson thought Coach Otsen was going to pop a blood vessel with the way he screamed and cursed at the defence.

    The game was tense, and heading into the second half, even Kenny¡¯s confidence in the Titans wavered.

    Whether they¡¯d break away and win remained to be seen, but Jackson looked forward to the second half. He wanted to see how the team adapted and if the rest of the receivers could elevate.

 Chapter 173: Fate of the Titans

    As both teams ventured into their locker rooms for the half-time break, Rudy got up from his seat. Tommy followed suit, stretching. Rudy tried to go past Tommy, found the way blocked, then hurriedly shimmied by Jackson and Kenny.

    He looked back. ¡®You idiots coming?¡¯

    Kenny didn¡¯t respond to the insulting question.

    ¡®Where?¡¯ Jackson asked.

    Rudy looked at him like he was stupid. ¡®To the locker room.¡¯

    ¡®Uhh¡­¡¯ Jackson tried to figure out if that was allowed, but Tommy pat him on the shoulder.

    ¡®That¡¯s a great idea. Go see what adjustments the coaches are gonna make and how well they think the first half went.¡¯

    They got up. Rudy wasn¡¯t waiting for them, so both boys had to run down the stairs.

    ¡®You guys want anything when you get back?¡¯ Tommy called.

    Jackson looked back, shaking his head. ¡®No thanks, bro!¡¯

    The others didn¡¯t answer as they fell in with Coach Vasquez, who welcomed them excitedly, and lead them through to the locker room trailing the varsity team.

    When the three entered the locker room, their presence didn¡¯t go unnoticed. Grant and his buddies, Daniel and Demetrius, looked over. ¡®The hell do you losers want?¡¯ Grant said.

    The boys ignored Grant, but his comment drew Wesley¡¯s attention to them. ¡®Hey, I left my drink out there. One of you run and get it. Another one can get me a fresh towel.¡¯

    ¡®Fuck off, Wesley,¡¯ Rudy muttered.

    ¡®What did you sa¡­ ohh, Rudy.¡¯ A big, false smile spread over Wesley¡¯s face for a moment before dropping into a look of contempt. ¡®Why are you here? Didn¡¯t we dump your useless ass?¡¯

    Grant and his goons laughed, snickering about how Rudy¡¯s probably used to being dumped.

    ¡®Alright, lay off the kids, will ya?¡¯ Mickey said. He sat before his locker, unlacing his boots to give his aching feet some air to breathe.

    ¡®I¡¯m sure they have their reasons for being here,¡¯ Shane said, walking over to the three outsiders. ¡®Let¡¯s welcome them but not lose focus on what we need to be doing.¡¯

    ¡®Shane¡¯s right,¡¯ Coach Otsen said. ¡®You all have too much to be worrying about before you have any time for some extra spectators.¡¯

    Grant and the others grumbled, still side-eyeing Rudy, Kenny, and Jackson, as they came further into the room and lurked in a corner.

    Coach Otsen turned his attention to the defence, his face stern enough to make a boulder blink. Coach Carson was by his side, backing him up.

    ¡®That was one of the worst performances I¡¯ve seen all year from you boys,¡¯ he said.

    Jackson, Kenny, and Rudy listened in closely.

    ¡®I thought we¡¯d trained you better than that. I guess I thought wrong. That was extremely disappointing,¡¯ Coach Carson said.

    ¡®If you don¡¯t step it up in the second half, we¡¯re going to lose, and if we lose because you refuse to tackle, then I¡¯ll have you running and tackling for the rest of the year. I¡¯ll follow you all on your Christmas holidays and I¡¯ll STILL make you run and tackle.¡¯

    The defence nodded. They looked like scolded dogs as they listened to Coach Otsen¡¯s reprimands.

    ¡®I KNOW you can do better. Don¡¯t let your season end early because you didn¡¯t play as good as you could¡¯ve.¡¯

    With that final message, he turned away. Coach Knight was over with the offence, his stoic gaze saying everything his words couldn¡¯t, whilst Coach Vasquez squatted in front of the Receivers.

    ¡®C¡¯mon guys! We can do better in the second half! I want MAXIMUM catches from EVERYONE! I know you haven¡¯t shown them your all yet.¡¯

    Coach Otsen stepped over, nodding. ¡®You boys need to lift as well. Seventeen points is good, but you can do better. I need more urgency from our Receivers. Some of you look like you¡¯re sleepwalking out there.¡¯

    Rudy snickered. Grant shot him a filthy look. Rudy answered with a smug grin.

    ¡®That said,¡¯ Coach Otsen continued, ¡®the RPO has been working, so we might try more of that. Just remember that ¡°P¡± stands for Pass, I need everyone to keep that in mind going forward.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, yeah.¡¯ Wesley nodded, sitting back, hands behind his head.Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    As Coach Otsen left, Grant got up and walked right up to Wesley. Daniel and Demetrius followed. Wesley¡¯s easygoing smile faded as he looked the three jackals over. ¡®The fuck you niggas want?¡¯

    ¡®What do I want? Maybe I want you to throw the ball where we can catch it,¡¯ Grant said.

    ¡®Ha ha! Even if I smacked you right in your thick head, you wouldn¡¯t catch shit. Be thankful I even LOOK your way. I control how many touches you get.¡¯

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t count as a drop when I can only get fingertips to your shit passes, retard.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, and how can we drop something if you never throw to us?¡¯ Daniel added.

    Demetrius grunted in agreement.

    Wesley stood up, not backing down from the three-on-one confrontation. ¡®None of you worthless asses get open. Why would I pass to that shit?¡¯

    Shane stepped in, a vice-like hand on Wesley and Grant¡¯s shoulders. ¡®We¡¯re all on the same team, guys. Let¡¯s keep playing and do our best to win in the second half.¡¯

    The Disney-tier pep-talk disgusted those it was aimed at, but there wasn¡¯t any arguing with Shane¡¯s crushing grip. Both sides agreed to end things there, and Shane even got them to bump fists.

    The team left the locker room shortly after that, led out by Shane and the coaches. Jackson, Kenny, and Rudy came up the rear, the latter two still giggling about the way Shane had shut down Grant and Wesley. Being flies on the wall had more than paid off.

    Jackson wasn¡¯t as thrilled by what he saw, and as the three returned to their seats, he voiced his concerns. ¡®Isn¡¯t it bad to have a Receiver and Quarterback fighting like that? Don¡¯t they need good chemistry?¡¯

    ¡®Ehh, chemistry is different for everybody,¡¯ Rudy said. ¡®It depends on the players. With Grant and Wesley, they actually work better the more pissed off they are, at least with each other.¡¯

    ¡®You telling me Grants gonna start doing stuff in the second half? That¡¯s shit,¡¯ Kenny said.

    Jackson frowned at that. As much as they didn¡¯t like Grant, they were still rooting for the Titans to win.

    ¡®Yeah, just watch. After they challenge each other like that, those two start playing better.¡¯

    When they got back to their seats, Tommy was waiting for them. He asked how things went down in the locker room.

    Rudy didn¡¯t answer.

    Kenny said: ¡®Oh man, you should¡¯ve seen it. Shit was hilarious.¡¯

    Tommy raised a brow, finding the answer odd.

    ¡®Uhh¡­ it was very ¡­ informative,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Uh-huh¡­¡¯ The answers were strange, but as the game resumed, Tommy didn¡¯t push further.

    Based on the opening drive of the second half, the Titans¡¯ defence had taken Coach Otsen¡¯s and Coach Carson¡¯s words to heart. It didn¡¯t take them long to stuff the Cardinals¡¯ attack and force them to punt.

    After which, when the Titans¡¯ offence got their first chance in the second half, Wesley and Grant quickly proved Rudy correct.

    The Titans broke the game open in the third quarter and took control with a 14-point lead (17¨C31) after scoring two touchdowns and holding the Cardinals scoreless heading into the last break.

    One of those touchdowns came when Grant slipped into a large hole within the Cardinals¡¯ Zone and scored on a 23-yard reception.

    The second came through the ground, with Wesley once again running in during an Option.

    During the break, the boys sat back. ¡®What did I tell you?¡¯ Rudy said.

    ¡®What DID you guys see in that locker room?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    ¡®Ah, Wesley and Grant got into an argument. The QB and that asshole who scored that quarter,¡¯ Rudy explained. ¡®They always play better after fighting, then when Grant does better, so do those two hanging off him.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s like Grant can see where the openings will come,¡¯ Jackson said. ¡®He slides right into the defence¡¯s blind-spot just as it opens.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, and when Wesley¡¯s pissed off at someone, he really lays into them. Those passes are fast and angry, and that¡¯s good because otherwise they wouldn¡¯t make it through those tight gaps. ¡®Cause Grants pissed too, he¡¯s not gonna drop it or complain no matter how hard Wesley throws it, if he did that, he¡¯d be bitching out. Neither of those assholes wanna lose to each other, so they¡¯ll keep pushing each other.¡¯

    ¡®They can¡¯t be that hard to catch,¡¯ Kenny said. ¡®They don¡¯t look that fast.¡¯

    ¡®Trust me, they¡¯re a lot faster when you¡¯re down there on the field and they¡¯re coming right at you.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah? And how would YOU know that?¡¯

    Frost spread across the stands again as Kenny and Rudy glared at one another.

    Jackson shivered. ¡®C-Come on, guys. The game¡¯s starting again. And whether it¡¯s during a game, or at practice, I¡¯m sure Rudy has a lot of experience catching Wesley¡¯s passes.¡¯

    Warmth returned as Jackson¡¯s words defused both Rudy and Kenny. As the last quarter began and focus returned to the game, Jackson wondered if Rudy and Kenny worked like Wesley and Grant, where their animosity pushed them to play better. It was such a foreign concept that went against Jackson¡¯s beliefs and everything he was taught, but this game was evidence that it worked for the right people.

    The last quarter turned out to be the slowest, with only a single touchdown as the Titans cruised to a comfortable 21-point victory. (17¨C38.)

    Since Grant could carve through the defence, it pulled some of the focus away from Shane, which led to him scoring another touchdown on a 17-yard sprint down the sideline.

    The defence remained steadfast as well and continued to shut out the Cardinals through the second half.

    It was a dominating performance throughout the second half, though one that was bittersweet for Rudy. The team hadn¡¯t changed without him. They were still on track for another Regional Championship. He shook his head clear. It didn¡¯t matter if the team and Grant had an outstanding performance; he didn¡¯t have to replace Grant to get back on the team and into the starting lineup.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t I say it was going to be a great game?¡¯ Tommy said, standing. ¡®Always is when you come watch the Arcadia Titans, no matter if it¡¯s the JV game or varsity.¡¯

    The boys stood as well, nodding and muttering their agreement.

    Tommy turned to Rudy. ¡®Do you need a ride home?¡¯

    ¡®Huh? Oh, no, I¡¯m good. Thanks though.¡¯

    ¡®Alright then, good meeting you, Rudy.¡¯ Tommy shook his hand.

    ¡®You too.¡¯ Rudy squeezed tightly.

    As Kenny and Jackson left, they told Rudy they¡¯d see him at training. However, Kenny stopped on the stairs and looked back. ¡®And next week you can sit back and enjoy watching us play in the championship game.¡¯

    ¡®Bullshit.¡¯ Rudy laughed. ¡®If ANYONE is getting called up to varsity, it¡¯ll be me.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll see about that. When I get on varsity before you, you¡¯ll have to admit I¡¯m the better Receiver.¡¯

    ¡®Same goes for you, Kenny. And I¡¯ll tell you one thing right now, you¡¯ll NEVER be better than me.¡¯

    Despite the challenges, both boys had smiles on their faces. Jackson had his back to them, but he, too, wore a smile. Sure, they were all racing for a varsity spot that didn¡¯t exist at the moment, but if they were all pushing each other, they would reach farther than they could alone.

    Eventually, one of them would have to get called up, and Jackson vowed that he¡¯d be the first.

 Chapter 174: Fight For Survival

    Jackson strode through the school halls. Eddie, Sachin, and Marcus surrounded him, and together the group carved a path through the busy after-bell rush hour.

    ¡®He¡¯s seriously been making you do nothing but run all week? Bruh, that¡¯s messed up,¡¯ Sachin said.

    ¡®I told you Coach is brutal,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Man¡­ I don¡¯t think brutal covers it. Even we ain¡¯t running that much and we¡¯re the ones doing track,¡¯ Marcus said.

    Jackson laughed. ¡®At least it¡¯s been testing my leg.¡¯

    ¡®How is that leg holding up, bro?¡¯ Eddie asked.

    ¡®Eh, it gets sore after practice, and it hurt that first day, but it¡¯s been getting better.¡¯

    ¡®Ayy, good shit. You¡¯ll be back to kicking ass in no time, bro.¡¯

    Jackson smiled. The group made their way out to the practice field. The others needed to check out one of these brutal running sessions in person, and as they didn¡¯t have practice themselves that day, it was the perfect opportunity.

    As the team warmed-up, Sachin, Eddie, and Marcus sat on the sideline, cracking jokes amongst themselves, though they looked a little bewildered at the vests the JV team¡ªand some from the varsity members¡ªwore.

    Today, the JV team was still running, yet to all break through the threshold, though now they were just waiting on the Linemen.

    As they lined up at the back of one end-zone, Sachin and Marcus had some advice for everyone. The same advice they¡¯d heard before. ¡®Hey! Make sure you get those knees up.¡¯

    ¡®You gotta push through every step!¡¯

    ¡®Come on, where are your stances? What¡¯s all this standing around for? Get those hands on the ground, explode off your start!¡¯

    They laughed with one another, though fell silent when Coach Knight¡¯s stony gaze turned towards them. Eddie snickered as they wilted under the stare, so they turned and punched his arms.

    Coach Otsen and Carson were with the varsity team, whilst Coach Vasquez was helping Coach Knight manage the JV¡¯s torment.

    Jackson took his place on the line, sandwiched between Kenny and Rudy. When Coach Knight¡¯s whistle blew, he burst into the lead and never looked back.

    He reached the far end of the field, slammed his foot on the line, and twisted around to sprint back the way he came. Most of the others weren¡¯t far behind, but the Linemen were trailing Owen, who trailed Freddy.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Jackson thought. As good as all this running seemed to be for his leg, even he was getting fed up with it.

    He dashed back and finished strong. He wheeled around, panting hard as he watched the others race towards the finish line. His friends along the sideline cheered loudly.

    Rudy was right behind Jackson, neck and neck with Kenny. Lonnie and Isaac weren¡¯t far behind, then Pete, then Freddy. Owen and the Linemen rumbled towards the finish, and even Jackson started cheering. So did the rest of the JV Titans¡ªall bar Rudy¡ªeven those who were yet to catch their breath.

    Vincent threw himself across the finish line and soon after fell onto his face. He rolled onto his back, his great belly heaving with every ragged breath.

    The others looked expectantly at Coach Knight, who stared down at his stopwatch. He looked at the boys, his face as expressionless as ever ¡­ then the stone cracked into a smile. He turned the stopwatch around. Vincent had made it with less than a second to spare.

    ¡®YEAAAAH!¡¯ The team cheered almost as hard as they did whenever they won a game. Coach Knight kept his smile as he walked away towards Coach Otsen.

    Coach Vasquez bolted down the field, whooping as he joined in the celebrations. ¡®That was MAXIMUM amazing!¡¯

    As the celebrating and cheering died down, Coach Knight beckoned the team over to join with the varsity players who were taking a quick break.

    Coach Vasquez followed the JV team over, talking about maximum speed and maximum coolness and other maximum nonsense. Coach Otsen greeted the boys with a simple smile and nod, though both contained maximum respect, as Coach Vasquez would put it.

    ¡®We¡¯ve got a little something special today,¡¯ Coach Otsen said, addressing both teams. ¡®Seeing as some members of the JV squad think they¡¯re more than good enough for a spot on the varsity roster, we¡¯re going to test that today. They¡¯ll be joining you in your drills today.¡¯ He looked at the JV team, his smile taking a more sinister edge. ¡®Try to keep up, boys.¡¯

    A buzz of mostly excitement mixed with some trepidation arose from the JV squad, whilst on the varsity side there was mainly indifference interspersed with sounds of annoyance.

    Freddy¡¯s hand shot into the air. Coach Otsen looked at it and sighed. ¡®Yes, Frederick?¡¯

    All eyes turned to him as the JV group parted to reveal him. Under all that pressure, he almost forgot his question. ¡®¡­ W-We usually play both sides, and train both sides ¡­ what do we do today? Should we train offence or defence?¡¯

    ¡®Good question, Freddy, but the only one who knows the answer to that is YOU.¡¯

    ¡®Me?¡¯ This burden horrified Freddy.

    ¡®ALL of you.¡¯ Coach Otsen gestured to the JV team. ¡®It¡¯s up to you to decide which you prefer. Whatever position feels more natural to you, that¡¯s the one you should train today.¡¯

    Freddy was somewhat relieved, though now a new quandary troubled him. No part of football felt ¡°natural¡± to someone like him.

    Another hand filled the air after Freddy¡¯s question had been answered. ¡®Yes, Vincent?¡¯ Coach Otsen asked in a gruffer tone.

    ¡®If we¡¯re joining the varsity practice, can we take off the vests?¡¯

    ¡®HAHAHAHA ¡­ no. Everyone back to work!¡¯ Coach Otsen¡¯s whistle killed any further questions before they could be raised.

    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    As the varsity team split off into groups, JV members joined them.

    Pete followed Wesley and the other QBs, earning a dirty look from Wesley himself.

    Isaac jogged over to Mickey¡¯s side, where he received a much warmer welcome with the RBs.

    Freddy watched Lonnie trudge over to join the DBs, whilst Jackson, Kenny, and Rudy rushed to the group of Receivers. Freddy was stuck in the middle, but eventually turned and slunk over to Lonnie¡¯s side.

    With the Receivers, Shane welcomed the three JV players with open arms, fist-bumping each of them. He wished Jackson and Kenny good luck, then came Rudy. ¡®Good to have you back, Rudy.¡¯

    Rudy muttered his thanks. Grant scoffed. ¡®Yeah, so nice to have you worming your way back into the team. Not like it¡¯s gonna happen, not for ANY of you, so don¡¯t get used to this. You¡¯ll be back over to your shitty kiddy training tomorrow.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not taking that shit from somebody who can¡¯t even handle wearing a little vest,¡¯ Kenny said.

    Grant¡¯s lip curled up. He turned to Kenny, poking him in the shoulder, pushing on the strap of his vest. ¡®You think this is helping you? All it¡¯s doing is holding you back. You might be the only dumbass on your team who isn¡¯t fiending to dump this useless shit.¡¯

    ¡®You sound scared, Grant,¡¯ Rudy said.

    ¡®Huh? Scared? The fuck am I scared about? YOU? You ain¡¯t scaring shit.¡¯

    ¡®I mean, yeah, YOU shouldn¡¯t be scared. It¡¯s not really your spot I¡¯m coming from ¡­ but your boys.¡¯ Rudy pointed out Daniel and then Demetrius, smiling. ¡®They should be scared. There¡¯s only so many spots in varsity, and they can¡¯t hide behind you forever.¡¯

    Shane stepped in, a hand on Rudy¡¯s shoulder, a disarming smile on his face. ¡®I¡¯m glad there¡¯s so much competition between you all. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll make you all work that much harder. But why don¡¯t we let our game do the talking now, okay? You can see just who deserves a spot during our drills.¡¯ Shane patted Rudy¡¯s shoulder, then walked away. His tone of voice left no room for argument.

    The others fell in line, though Grant got the last word in. ¡®Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re wearing the vest by choice, Rudy. You¡¯ve got no one to blame but yourself for getting dropped.¡¯

    As the groups fully formed, Owen was the only Linemen who went with the varsity team¡¯s OL, whilst Vincent and the rest of the Linemen joined the DL.

    The training was tough; the drills weren¡¯t much harder than what the JV players were used to, just more focused and honed in on individual aspects of each position¡¯s key attributes. But it was the speed and intensity with which the biggest differences appeared.

    It was especially difficult to keep up whilst a lot of the varsity players they were following were vestless.

    Over with Jackson, Rudy, and Kenny, they felt this too. Keeping up with Grant and his goons would¡¯ve been a challenge on a level playing field, but was downright impossible whilst they were bogged down with the extra weight from the vests, and Grant and the others were free as birds.

    The first drill they came to was all about their releases and how fast they could get off the line and beat a DB¡¯s press.

    They were lined up in front of a large inflatable dummy, not much more than a massive cone that was weighted at the bottom to allow it to sway and bend, but always stay upright and come back to its standing position.

    Coach Vasquez was on the other side of the dummy, several yards away. When one boy was in position, he¡¯d call out the instructions. Shane was up first.

    ¡®Speed!¡¯

    Shane burst out of his stance, dipping his shoulder as he went left around the dummy to what would be the outside in a proper game. He passed by as close as possible without actually touching the dummy and continued forward until he passed Coach Vasquez, then stopped.

    ¡®MAXIMUM perfection. Just like that everyone. Maximum dip your shoulder and get past without touching the dummy.¡¯

    Grant followed, passing through cleanly as well. So did everyone, though Kenny and Jackson went slower than the others, judging the distance more closely and getting a feel for how much they had to dip to avoid the dummy.

    After Jackson, it was back to Shane. Coach Vasquez called out: ¡®Stick!¡¯

    Shane burst forward again, though this time he angled towards the inside. He slammed his front foot down and, with another burst, pushed back to the outside.

    Again, the line went through the drill one after the other. Even after Jackson and Kenny pushed through with greater confidence and speed, Coach Vasquez still urged them to go even faster.

    ¡®Remember, MAXIMUM speed!¡¯

    The drill progressed from single stick to a double that sent you inside after feinting both ways, and even a triple to the outside again.

    It was on the triple that Rudy brushed against the dummy. Coach Vasquez¡¯s whistle split the air with a shrill screech. ¡®Maximum effort! Go do a lap with maximum quickness, Rudy!¡¯

    Kenny and Jackson watched Rudy hang his head, then speed after to the sideline where he began a lap of the field.

    They ended up following him, both of them scraping the dummy as well.

    The drill continued, and it took Kenny and Jackson another two tries before they pulled off the triple without touching the dummy, which meant one more punishment lap for them both. By the time they moved on, they were sweating and panting profusely.

    Grant and his jackals took great pleasure in watching them run around. Meanwhile, they were unburdened, and had barely broken a sweat.

    The next drill came. This time the Receivers had to sprint up to a cone 5 yards away, then cut outside before making a toe-tap catch along the sideline.

    Any drop, or catch made with a foot out of bounds or on the line, meant more laps. Already, Kenny and Jackson were slowing compared to the others, Rudy as well, though not as much.

    Rudy needed another punishment lap, but even Demetrius stumbled and failed to catch a pass in bounds and had to run his own lap. Kenny needed two, and Jackson three when he dragged his leg and a shot of pain caused him to drop one pass. Grant never ran a lap.

    However, Shane was powering through, still ahead of Grant and the rest of the varsity members, even with a vest. No one¡¯s cuts were crisper or faster, no one¡¯s deceleration was as smooth, and no one¡¯s catches as clean as his, vest be damned.

    That was Jackson¡¯s motivation. Shane proved it could be done, and following that broad back helped him persevere and finish practice with his head held high.

    He was exhausted by the end¡ªall the JV members were, but they¡¯d survived. Still, Jackson didn¡¯t like any of their cases for a spot on the varsity team. He wasn¡¯t sure how it¡¯d went for the others, but even Rudy couldn¡¯t keep up with the varsity players in their group.

    That didn¡¯t stop Kenny from approaching Coach Otsen after practice ended. Rudy was nearby, watching. Jackson dragged himself over to support Kenny, who cleared his throat before saying: ¡®Coach?¡¯

    Coach Otsen turned to him with an amused smile. ¡®Yes, Ken?¡¯

    ¡®Do you think there¡¯ll be a spot open on the varsity team this weekend?¡¯

    ¡®Trust me, Kenny. You¡¯ll know when it¡¯s your time.¡¯

    ¡®But I¡¯m¡­ WE¡¯re ready now.¡¯ Kenny looked at Jackson, then saw Rudy too.

    Coach Otsen laughed. ¡®Thinking like that proves the opposite.¡¯ He looked at Kenny harshly, then Jackson. His eyes lingered, and Jackson thought his look softened ¡­ but Coach Otsen was so hard to read. His gaze finally turned to Rudy, who quickly looked away, acting as if he wasn¡¯t listening.

    ¡®You boys did good today. I¡¯ll see you all at the next practice.¡¯ With that, Coach Otsen turned away, once again never outright confirming or denying Kenny¡¯s hopes. Either way, Jackson wasn¡¯t holding his breath.

    Rudy wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯d caught wind of Kenny¡¯s proposal. Grant laughed loudly. ¡®Embarrassing. You still think you deserve a spot after that shit-fest today? You can¡¯t even keep up in practice. What makes you think you can keep up in a game?¡¯

    ¡®Pretty easy to stay ahead when you don¡¯t have to wear a vest,¡¯ Rudy said, stepping in for Kenny.

    Demetrius and Daniel stepped up behind Grant, the two trios staring one another down. ¡®Like you did any better when you weren¡¯t wearing a vest, bitch.¡¯

    ¡®The only bitches I see are you three,¡¯ Kenny said.

    Neither side backed down. Jackson, feeling a punch was imminent, prepared for the worst. But Grant and his jackals backed down, their eyes averting to a new threat that came in behind Jackson.

    Jackson looked back and saw Eddie, Marcus, and Sachin. ¡®Yo, bro, you got a problem with these guys?¡¯ Eddie asked.

    Jackson smiled and shook his head. ¡®Nah, I don¡¯t think they want a problem anymore.¡¯ He dapped his friends up.

    ¡®You fit right in with those JV losers, Rudy. I¡¯m happy you found a new home with ¡®em,¡¯ Grant said, he and his goons retreating.

    Rudy watched him go, not wasting anymore words on that asshole. Though Sachin and Marcus had plenty left to say. ¡®Fuck off, asshole!¡¯

    ¡®Go blow each other, ya pussies!¡¯

    Kenny turned to Rudy. ¡®Thanks for having my back.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, don¡¯t mention it.¡¯ Rudy looked at the offered fist, then bumped his own against it. ¡®Still plenty of time to earn that spot. One of us is bound to get it sooner or later.¡¯

    ¡®Soon,¡¯ Kenny said, grinning. ¡®And it¡¯ll be all three of us. Just you watch.¡¯

 Chapter 175: An Old Friend

    The Dons gathered around Coach Long on the practice field. Most of the JV players were still skipping out now their season was over, but a few more had shown up.

    Everyone wore their pads, ready for the full-contact session ahead of them.

    ¡®You¡¯re doing great,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®Only one more week to go, then we¡¯ve made State. We¡¯ve just got one last hurdle.¡¯

    Ty listened, though he already knew who Coach Long was going to announce. It was obvious; everyone knew.

    ¡®This time we¡¯re going up against the Bears again.¡¯

    Even though it was just confirming what he already knew, adrenaline surged through Ty¡¯s veins.

    ¡®It¡¯s great we just overcame the Vikings. We¡¯ve avenged one loss, now it''s time to avenge the other. It¡¯s going to be tough, but we¡¯ve already proved we can do it. So, we¡¯ve got a lot to focus on. Let¡¯s get this show on the road. Defence and offence split up. Junior varsity members? I need you with the defence.¡¯

    The team split up and spread apart as Coach Long ordered. Then Coach Hoang ordered the defence to stretch wide along the field, paired up with a JV member where they could be, otherwise a second-stringer from the offence had to fill in.

    Everyone had their own 3 yard wide space between two cones, like a corridor, though there was nothing marking how LONG the corridors were. The defender stood in the middle of this corridor, their partner at one end with a ball in their arms. There was only 6 yards between them.

    ¡®We¡¯re going up against Warren this week. You¡¯re all familiar with their game plan¡ªthey¡¯re gonna run the ball down our throats. We need to stop that. So of course, we¡¯re gonna do A LOT of tackling. If you can¡¯t bring down their bull of a Running Back, we won¡¯t win, simple as that.¡¯

    Ty stared ahead into the eyes of the JV member opposite him. Rabbit stared back. He trembled from head to toe, but he didn¡¯t blink.

    Ty had been training for his rematch with Warren since he¡¯d lost. Of course, Downey had been a distraction during that, shifting his focus away from stopping Denzel, to stopping Marshall ¡­ Ty was sure he¡¯d prepared enough for Denzel.

    Ty wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯d been waiting for this game. JJ had been right there with him, getting stronger in order to take down the king.

    JJ didn¡¯t feel he¡¯d done enough, not yet, but there was still just a little under a week left for him to close that final gap and reach Denzel¡¯s level.

    ¡®You¡¯re all familiar with this drill,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®Tacklers, stop your man¡ªthey get past you, you lose. Runners, get past the defender¡ªstep out of bounds, or hit the ground, you lose.¡¯

    He blew his whistle. Players rushed forward. Some runners burst ahead, fearless. Others hopped forward tentatively, watching for a reaction. Others stood still, bouncing on the spot.

    Some defenders did the same, planted to their spot, waiting for their prey to come to them. Others took a step forward, closing the already small distance further. Then there were those who charged at their runner.

    Most of the defenders came out on top, though some¡ªlike Zayden¡ªlost. JJ wrapped his opponent in an inescapable hug and gently lowered them to the ground before helping them back up.

    Meanwhile, Ty forced Rabbit out of their narrow space and claimed victory that way, though he didn¡¯t have to push Rabbit far to get him out, something which didn¡¯t sit right with him.

    ¡®Don¡¯t run away,¡¯ he snapped. ¡®You can¡¯t in this drill. You¡¯re gonna get hit, so don¡¯t be scared!¡¯

    ¡®I-I¡¯m not,¡¯ Rabbit responded, not making eye contact anymore.

    Coach Hoang blew his whistle again once every duel had ended. ¡®Alright, reset. Everybody back up and to your positions.¡¯

    They ran through the drill again with the same matchups. Some results differed, most stayed the same even with different options being taken.

    Rabbit, proving his fearlessness, lowered his shoulder into Ty''s chest. The challenge caught Ty off-guard, and sent him back a step, before he dug his cleats into the turf and wrestled Rabbit down.

    ¡®That¡¯s better,¡¯ Ty said, ¡®but you aren¡¯t Denzel, so don¡¯t think you can run through people.¡¯ He pushed Rabbit down to push himself up.

    Rabbit risked a glare. The look stayed as he got up and dusted himself off. ¡®Then what do you want me to do?!¡¯

    ¡®Figure it out. You¡¯re not challenging enough, so you better get your shit together or this is all a waste of time.¡¯

    Coach Hoang¡¯s whistle pierced the air again. Everyone reset, and the drill continued. After the third round, Coach Hoang ordered the runners to swap around, and then it began once more. Rabbit didn¡¯t best Ty the third time either, though it was the closest he got.

    Over and over, they ran through the same drill so that by the time it was over, each defender had gone through several runners.

    When it was all said and done, only three defenders could say they had won every round: JJ¡ªof course¡ªDonte, and Ty. Rabbit was Deshaun¡¯s last challenger, and had beaten him twice.

    ¡®Alright, pick yourselves up and go get a drink,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®It¡¯s just a quick break, so don¡¯t get comfortable.¡¯

    Ty went straight to the bench along the sideline, though he saw a man he didn¡¯t recognise standing on the edge of the field. As Ty reached his bag, he saw Coach Haong go over and greet the man.

    As the others came off the field, their focus was drawn to the man as well, the sideline abuzz with excited chatter as recognition flickered across the faces of the more senior members.

    Ty frowned. The stranger reminded him of Ricky, whom was yet to show his face today. Ty hoped it¡¯d stay that way.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    A few minutes later, Coach Hoang called the defence over. The stranger¡ªat least to Ty¡ªwas still by his side.

    The man wore a warm smile. His eyes glittered with nostalgia as he looked at the field and the familiar faces. Soft, rosy cheeks gave him a boyish look along with his curly hair. His hard, muscled body contrasted, proof alone that he was a man despite his otherwise youthful appearance.

    The excited chatter grew louder as the players crowded around Coach Hoang and this man.

    ¡®Calm down. There¡¯ll be time for catching up after training. Most of you already know, Jake. For those fresh faces that don¡¯t recognise him, you might¡¯ve seen him if you pay attention to college football; he¡¯s a Running Back for the UCLA Bruins. But not that long ago he was a Don.¡¯

    Jake stepped up to those he didn¡¯t recognise, offering them a handshake. He eventually came to Ty and gripped his hand strongly. ¡®Hey, nice to meet you, brother.¡¯

    Ty nodded and shook his hand. Jake¡¯s grip reminded him of JJ, strong, but kind enough not to crush you.

    He looked Jake over now that they were closer. It was hard to tell just how old he was, what with the difference between face and body, but physically he looked NFL ready ¡­ and yet, Denzel had been bigger. Just barely.

    ¡®Jake here has been kind enough to give us some of his time and help us with our preparation for the upcoming game,¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    ¡®Coach Hoang tells me you boys are coming up against another big power runner. Said he was like me, which if that¡¯s the case, good luck guys,¡¯ Jake laughed, but no one laughed with him.

    ¡®Anyway,¡¯ Coach Hoang said, ¡®that¡¯s why Jake¡¯s here. He¡¯ll give us some real practice that¡¯ll be as close to the real thing as we can get. Let¡¯s line back up at the cones.¡¯

    The team all crowded around one set of cones this time. Just one corridor. Jake stood at one end and was given a ball and a spare helmet. He and Coach Hoang looked around at the wall of Dons.

    ¡®Who¡¯s stepping up first?¡¯ Coach Hoang asked.

    Donte came forward, grinning. ¡®Yo, I¡¯m Donte. I didn¡¯t have the pleasure of playing with you, but I¡¯ll be the first to take you down.¡¯

    Jake laughed. ¡®I like that confidence, Donte.¡¯

    ¡®Uhh¡­ d-doesn¡¯t he need p-pads?¡¯ Rabbit said.

    ¡®I think Donte¡¯s got enough protection,¡¯ Jake said.

    Others laughed at this¡ªDonte didn¡¯t. He hunched down in his stance, and Jake did the same.

    ¡®You think the Bruins will cut you after you get beat by a high school sophomore?¡¯ Donte asked.

    Jake smirked. Coach Hoang blew his whistle. Both competitors charged forward. Donte lunged, and his arms wrapped around air. Jake spun around him like water rolling off a duck¡¯s back, and Donte crashed to the ground.

    The surrounding players erupted in cheers as some pressed closer to Jake, congratulating him and hyping him up, whilst others moved to Donte, helping him up but reminding him just how badly he got beaten.

    ¡®Shit, he just snatched your ankles, YO,¡¯ Deshaun laughed. ¡®That¡¯s why you don¡¯t talk shit like a freshy, little Dee.¡¯

    Donte¡¯s cheeks darkened. ¡®Yo, don¡¯t call me that! Come on¡­¡¯

    ¡®Can you do better, Dee?¡¯ Jake asked. ¡®Oh, am I supposed to call you big Dee, now? We know that ain¡¯t right.¡¯

    ¡®Ohhhh!¡¯

    The crowd ooo¡¯d and ahh¡¯d again. Grins turned towards Deshaun this time.

    He scowled at Jake. ¡®You gonna regret that, motherfucker.¡¯

    ¡®Clear out, give them some space,¡¯ Coach Hoang ordered.

    The other players backed off to the perimeter of the drill. The cones weren¡¯t necessary anymore. The spectators marked the boundary.

    The air was heavy with anticipation as Deshaun and Jake got into their stances. Everyone awaited the whistle.

    It blew, and Jake sprung forward. Deshaun went low, going for his legs, and Jake hurdled right over him.

    Deshaun ate grass just like Donte had, and the spectators laughed and cheered hysterically.

    Hands came out to offer Deshaun help up, but Deshaun ignored them and helped himself to his feet, brushing dirt and grass off aggressively.

    ¡®Nice try, Dee. But you gotta be less predictable,¡¯ Jake said. Deshaun only grumbled in response.

    Ty watched silently. He wanted to step forward, to challenge Jake and shut his gaggle of fanboys up. Just because he was in college didn¡¯t mean shit. Before he stepped forward, summer memories came back to him, and he thought better of it. He stayed where he was, content to watch and learn from others¡¯ attempts.

    Nobody else took Jake down either, no matter what they tried. If they shepherded him towards one edge of the narrow space, he¡¯d juke them out of their boots and pass by along the other side.

    If they went low, he¡¯d hurdle over them like he had Deshaun, or he could spin away from them like Donte. If they met him head on, he¡¯d barrel right through them or stiff-arm them into the dirt.

    Then there was only Ty and JJ left to challenge him. Ty stepped forward first. He¡¯d seen enough, and JJ wasn¡¯t moving an inch. You had to save the best for last, after all.

    ¡®Freshman or sophomore?¡¯ Jake asked.

    ¡®That¡¯s a freshy,¡¯ Deshaun said. ¡®A real prick, too. Don¡¯t hold back.¡¯

    Others chuckled, but Jake smiled. ¡®You got a name, freshy?¡¯

    ¡®Tyrese Samuels.¡¯

    Recognition passed across Jake¡¯s face and his smile widened. ¡®Let¡¯s see what you got, Ty.¡¯

    Ty readied himself. Jake settled down. The whistle blew and Jake raced forward. Ty stepped up to meet him.

    Ty had picked up some things from everyone¡¯s attempts. Jake was good, real good, that was obvious. But he was smart, disciplined. He always tried to do what was best in any situation, and while that meant he was flexible and had few tendencies to exploit, it might he could be predictable and guided into things.

    Ty shifted towards the left. Jake started towards the opposite side of the corridor. When Ty over-corrected to his right, Jake pounced and went for the gap, just like Ty wanted. Ty sprung off his back foot and lunged for Jake, but his eyes weren¡¯t watching Jake¡¯s hips or chest, he was watching Jake¡¯s arm.

    Now the arm would come into play, and at this angle, Jake would try to stiff-arm Ty and get by that way. Jake¡¯s hand hammered Ty¡¯s chest and beat him back, but Ty¡¯s arms snatched it. He pulled Jake with him, holding on tight.

    That was when Jake surprised him. Instead of wrenching away from Ty¡¯s grip, Jake leaned into it. His hand came back to Ty¡¯s chest, but now there was a forearm and elbow behind it, and a shoulder behind them.

    He shoved Ty down forcefully. Ty let go of the arm and tried to latch onto Jake¡¯s body now that it was closer, but the blowback from the shove was too strong, and Jake was already exploding away. Ty could only reach his leg.

    He latched onto Jake¡¯s ankle like his life depended on it. Jake¡¯s legs kept pumping. He yanked himself free of Ty¡¯s grasp and rushed through the back of the crowd. More applause and cheers followed.

    Ty turned over and punched the ground. A hand came in front of his face; it was JJ¡¯s. Ty took it and JJ pulled him to his feet. ¡®You did good, hermanito, better than anyone else.¡¯

    It didn¡¯t feel like Ty had down well. He grumbled but thanked JJ, then moved to the crowd, rubbing at his back. Trying to tackle Jake might not¡¯ve felt like trying to tackle a bull, but it was pretty damn close.

    Then there was one. Only JJ was left to challenge Jake. It was the matchup everyone had been waiting for. It coincided with the break for the offence, and even they gathered around to watch.

    Not a breath was had as they watched the two line up.

    Jake was serious. He didn¡¯t have any words of encouragement or playful taunts. He shut up and got ready. JJ did the same.

    Silence blanketed the practice field as all eyes focused on JJ and Jake. Coach Hoang¡¯s whistle was like a gunshot.

    Both JJ and Jake rushed forward, two freight trains on the same track. A collision was inevitable.

    Jake shimmied left, then darted right¡ªJJ jumped in front of him. He was unavoidable.

    The two slammed into each other like a couple of sumo wrestlers. JJ¡¯s burly arms wrapped around Jake, and Jake drove his shoulder against JJ¡¯s. Jake¡¯s legs stamped at the ground, driving ever forward, but JJ held his ground and jerked Jake around.

    Jake¡¯s legs kept pumping. Then one of them missed the ground and kicked through the air as JJ tilted him to the side. Jake tried to right himself, balancing on one leg, the other still kicking fruitlessly.

    Then Jake was hopping, and then he was tumbling into the crowd, JJ carrying him off his feet and into the wall of bodies.

    It had all happened so fast, Coach Hoang¡¯s whistle was still echoing across the field. There was stunned silence for a second longer. Then there was a celebration worthy of a coronation.

 Chapter 176: How to Kill a King

    Jake popped up and joined in the celebrations, thumping JJ on the back, grinning.

    JJ returned the grin.

    ¡®You¡¯re strong, brother. I¡¯m glad the team¡¯s still in good hands.¡¯

    JJ blushed and pulled Jake into a hug. ¡®That means a lot, hermano. I promise we¡¯re getting that State championship this year.¡¯

    Jake hugged back, laughing. ¡®Worry about getting past Warren first.¡¯

    The cheering settled down, and Coach Hoang let the players have another break. Jake joined them on the sideline.

    ¡®Speaking of Warren,¡¯ Jake said. ¡®I want to give you guys some advice on taking down a runner, especially one that¡¯s bigger and stronger than you.¡¯

    The players, even those from the offence sat close, all centred around Jake.

    ¡®JJ just showed a good way to use leverage to win, but that¡¯s more for battles that are fought with equal strength. Based on what Coach Hoang told me about this Bears Running Back, I¡¯m not sure how helpful that example is. But you guys might already know the advice I¡¯m going to give you. Ty was pretty much spot on with what you should do.¡¯

    Others looked at Ty, murmuring. ¡®How¡¯d he know?¡¯ ¡®Didn¡¯t he eat dirt too?¡¯

    Ty pushed the words to the back of his mind and buried them there. His eyes swiped across the crowd and the murmurs faded.

    ¡®When you come up against a powerhouse, whether it¡¯s a Tight End or a Halfback, Fullback, Quarterback, whatever it is, grab ANYTHING¡ªanything that isn¡¯t illegal. If you can¡¯t get their hips, latch onto any limb, their arms, their legs, whatever. They get their power from their core, but they can only utilise it fully when they can put it all together through their legs, hips, chest, and arms. So grab a hold of something, isolate it, and drag them down. Don¡¯t give up if you don¡¯t get their hips.¡¯

    ¡®Excellent advice, Jake,¡¯ Coach Long said.

    ¡®Coach!¡¯ Jake jumped up, his grin returned as he hugged Coach Long.

    Coach Long pat his back. ¡®Good to see you again, my boy.¡¯

    ¡®Hey, Coach Short¡¯s here too.¡¯ Jake ruffled her hair, ignoring the filthy look she gave him. She couldn¡¯t keep her smile at bay for long, anyway.

    ¡®Thanks for helping us out, Jake. Though, if it isn¡¯t too much to ask, would you want to join the boys in the gym? I¡¯m sure they¡¯d appreciate it.¡¯

    ¡®Ohh, hitting the weight room? Is that still as popular as ever?¡¯ Listening to the groans that came from some players, Jake got his answer.

    The team followed the coaches and Jake off the field and into the school¡¯s weight room.

    The training heavily emphasised leg and core muscles. ¡®You can¡¯t lay a tackle if you don¡¯t have the power in your legs to do it,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®And you can¡¯t use that power without a strong core.¡¯

    People filled the squat racks and the leg press machines; others performed dumbbell-assisted lunges up and down the floor.

    Then you had people laid out in rows performing the ever dreaded plank, or pairs throwing a medicine ball back and forth during their sit-ups, and others using a barbell for roll outs.

    The coaches oversaw it all, and with Jake there as well, JJ stepped back from his semi-mentor role he usually took during these weight training sessions, and focused solely on his own workout. As solely as such a selfless guy could, anyway.

    ¡®This¡¯ll all be worth it when you see how explosive you become,¡¯ Coach Long said.

    ¡®Pain is temporary, glory is forever, that¡¯s what they say, isn¡¯t it? Push through that pain, Samuels,¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    Ty gritted his teeth and hissed through them as he pushed up from a deep squat, his eyes narrow slits as he looked down at Coach Hoang¡¯s smug grin.

    ¡®Why don¡¯t you show me how to do it, Coach?¡¯

    ¡®I could probably still squat more than you, Samuels.¡¯

    ¡®Haha, very ¡­ funny!¡¯

    ¡®You say that, but I hear Coach Hoang was a beast back in his day,¡¯ Jake said. ¡®I heard he could squat two Linemen at once.¡¯

    ¡®Bullshit. When was this? When dinosaurs were around?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m not even twice your age, Samuels. You wanna run a lap with that weight on your back?¡¯

    Ty shut his mouth and finished his set before dropping the two-hundred pounds he was carrying back into the rack.

    Throughout the Dons¡¯ time in the gym, Jake saw to everyone whether he was coaching them on their form or just spotting them. He stopped in for a little chat with everyone.

    When their time was up, and the workout was over, Jake went around saying his goodbyes. He stuck with JJ and the other seniors the longest, though still saw everyone personally.

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    Eventually, it was Ty¡¯s turn. Jake took his hand in another firm handshake. ¡®It was great meeting you, Ty. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here. With freshmen like you, I know the Dons¡¯ are in good hands.¡¯

    The words and recognition they carried stunned Ty. Why weren¡¯t more people like Jake? In just one training session, he¡¯d already seen how great Ty was.

    ¡®Thanks. It was good meeting you. ¡­ Did you play with Coach Hoang?¡¯

    Jake shook his head. ¡®No. His accident happened the season before my freshman year, if I remember right. But when my sophomore year started, and I earned my spot on the varsity team, that was his first year as a coach. He¡¯s one of the best I¡¯ve ever had, let me tell you. Even if I wasn¡¯t really part of his side of the ball, he was still more than happy to help and give advice to everyone. You listen to him and he¡¯ll get you far.¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡¯ Ty said. Coach Hoang was good, and he seemed to recognise Ty¡¯s greatness, or at least saw potential in Ty, but Ty knew he¡¯d go far with or without anyone¡¯s help.

    After Jake left, Coach Long stepped up. ¡®Don¡¯t be in a rush to follow Jake,¡¯ he said. ¡®We¡¯ve still got a load of film to comb through. Those of you from JV, you¡¯re free to go.¡¯

    There were a few more groans from some of the varsity players. For Ty, it was another burst of excitement. Whilst such a long practice session followed up by film study wasn¡¯t everyone¡¯s cup of tea, it was perfect for Ty.

    The players followed the coaches through to the media room and took their seats, getting comfortable for what they were sure was a long session. After all, they were studying the supposed best team in the Region. Though, Warren would only be second best if you asked some Dons.

    For the Dons¡¯ offence, there wasn¡¯t too much to go over. The focus was on the Bears¡¯ hefty D-Line, and their duo of OLBs, all of which were a part of their formidable O-Line.

    Mainly, they were disruptors to the run game, however, their pass rush was still good and the Dons would have to cut back on long-developing plays because of it.

    It would also be hard to pass with how the rest of the defence could sag off after putting so much trust in the five at the front to stop the run.

    ¡®How much pressure we can alleviate from our passing attack, with a few well-timed runs, will be the key to how much we can score,¡¯ Coach Long said. As he spoke, videos showcasing the Bears blowing up runs early played. Plays where they sacked a QB that held onto the ball too long came after, followed by some well-schemed runs using misdirection to get by the D-Line for big gains.

    ¡®But, we see one weakness in their pass defence we could exploit,¡¯ Coach Norman added. He circled Denzel, who often played MLB as well.

    ¡®Number twenty-two, the Bears¡¯ biggest weapon offensively. He¡¯s another bonus to their run defence. Using his personal knowledge of running lanes and what a Running Back wants to do, he can anticipate a lot of the opposing Running Back¡¯s moves. However, he can be too eager to go after the run.¡¯

    The players of the Don¡¯s offence, even Jay, were locked in, hanging off of Coach Norman¡¯s words. In the background, footage played of Denzel putting a stop to runs that somehow got past the D-Line. Then it swapped to him losing track of his Zone or a Receiver, and giving up a catch behind him.

    Coach Long took over. ¡®Which means he¡¯s susceptible to Play-Action. But not only that, he seems to be easily distracted overall, often running after the first Receiver that comes across him when he drops back in coverage. He¡¯s their key offensively, but he¡¯ll be the key to our offence, too.¡¯

    The Bears¡¯ secondary wasn¡¯t given much attention, and then it was time to worry about the Bears¡¯ offence, and how the Dons¡¯ defence could stop them. The footage was concerning.

    A lot of it was Denzel running over people, or even multiple defenders at once. It didn¡¯t matter how people tried to take him down; he was too big and too strong. And he was fast, too. There were more than a few plays where he raced around the edge, out-speeding everyone. Then, once he was in the open field, he was gone. There wasn¡¯t anyone capable of catching him.

    Even the footage from their own game against the Bears that season didn¡¯t look much better. Ty stared at the images of Denzel crushing him. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the arms of his chair.

    ¡®He¡¯s a force to be reckoned with,¡¯ Coach Long said.

    ¡®But Kingston isn¡¯t unstoppable,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®The Vikings¡ªwho we just beat¡ªhad the best showing against Kingston and the Bears. They showed us that the key to stopping their runs was getting early pressure from the D-Line.¡¯

    A few plays showed Polar Bear Mike Ironbark breaking through the Bears¡¯ sturdy O-Line and disrupting Denzel before he could build up a head of steam. Other Vikings collapsed through the hole Mike opened up, and swarmed Denzel.

    ¡®We don¡¯t have someone as big as the boy the Vikings have upfront, so that might be hard for us to replicate,¡¯ Coach Long said.

    Donte frowned. He¡¯d struggled with the Bears¡¯ O-Line. Of course, he was an edge rusher and mainly focused on blitzing the opposing team¡¯s QB, but sealing the edge was going to be important¡ªand hard¡ªagainst the Bears.

    ¡®Still, you don¡¯t have to smash through and take Kingston down yourself,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. ¡®If you can just hold him up, slow him down, then help can come. It¡¯ll need a team effort to stop their run game.¡¯

    ¡®But it¡¯s something we can do,¡¯ Coach Long said. Footage came on from the Dons¡¯ previous meeting with the Vikings, footage of them tackling Denzel and stopping him for short gains. Mainly thanks to JJ.

    Unfortunately, such footage was rather short and ended quickly, leaving an awkward silence in its wake.

    ¡®My advice¡ªget as low as you can, and don¡¯t be scared,¡¯ Coach Hoang said.

    Coach Long changed the footage again, and Ty leaned forward in his seat. Now this was intriguing. They were on to the Bears¡¯ passing attack.

    ¡®We can¡¯t forget they can pass, too,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®They don¡¯t do it much, but it¡¯s there, and forgetting about it can make it as deadly as their run game. Play-Action is their main weapon. Keep it in the back of your mind, always.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s eyes lit up as footage from late in the Vikings vs Bears game came on. Number 14¡ªthat sleepy shit¡ªwas on screen. It was that same touchdown, the one Ty still couldn¡¯t figure out. It still looked like he was going left, even though Ty already knew the outcome.

    Then there was footage from other games, all receptions.

    Number 14 got open on nearly every play, even the ones where the ball didn¡¯t end up in his hands. Ty never took his eyes off 14, even if he was only on the edge of the screen. ¡°How¡¯s he doing it?¡±

    Though Ty watched closely, he struggled to see what made 14 so deadly and how he was getting open. It looked like he was just exploiting the defence¡¯s habit of falling for Play-Action, but it was more than that.

    14 was smooth. His routes had no hitch, no hesitation. He was good. Quick, and deceptively strong ¡­ but there was more. Ty couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, but he could feel it just beneath the surface.

    ¡®It starts on the ground,¡¯ Coach Long said. ¡®In the trenches, that¡¯s where we¡¯ll win this game. If we can stop their run and force them to pass, we¡¯ll find out why they don¡¯t like to do that much. That¡¯s how we win. Offensively, we just need to pick our spots and be patient, don¡¯t make any mistakes, and don¡¯t let them run away with the game.¡¯

    The images faded from the screen as the projector shut off. Ty sat there, still staring at where he¡¯d seen number 14 last. Whatever his secret was, Ty had to work it out before the game. He still had five days, but time was already ticking.

 Chapter 177: A Prince King

    Before dawn, in a house just like any other, along a street where the people you see every day live, there was a boy who was both a king and a prince.

    Denzel never knew why anyone needed an alarm clock. He¡¯d never used one, because he had his father. And every morning, his father woke him at five in the morning without fail.

    ¡®RISE AND SHINE, ZEL!¡¯

    Denzel jolted awake, flinging his covers off. Even though this was a daily occurrence, he hadn¡¯t gotten used to it, and after years of experience, he wasn¡¯t sure he ever would.

    He hopped out of bed, wearing a thin singlet and a pair of boxers, and stood at attention. His father loomed in the doorway.

    Jameis Kingston Jr was an imposing man. He wore a form-fitting t-shirt, basketball shorts, and tightly laced Adidas running shoes. A pair of dog tags hung from his wide neck. He still had his buzz cut, which he maintained carefully, but he¡¯d allowed himself a full, trimmed beard now that he was back home.

    Even though he was an inch or two shorter than Denzel¡ªthe gap growing each year¡ªhe still LOOMED over Denzel. Maybe it was because he was so large, despite the slight discrepancy in stature. His arms were enormous, legs as hard and thick as telephone poles. He had a bit of a belly, but it wasn¡¯t beer that caused it, it was a barrel of muscle instead.

    ¡®Good morning, Sir!¡¯ Denzel shouted.

    ¡®Did you have sweet dreams, Zel?¡¯

    ¡®Sir, yes, Sir. Dreaming of championships, Sir!¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s the only place you can win championships, isn¡¯t it, Zel?¡¯

    Jameis¡¯s words cut Denzel deeper than anything, but his face was as impassive as stone. ¡®No, Sir!¡¯

    ¡®No?¡¯ Jameis¡¯s lips curved down, further down than they naturally were. He turned and walked out of the room. Denzel knew to march after him.

    Jameis led Denzel to the guest room, which they¡¯d transformed into a trophy room. Cabinets were full of past achievements from them both. Jameis¡¯s side of the room was fuller, though he had nineteen extra years to fill it.

    Jameis had trophies and medals of his excellence from childhood across basketball, football, and baseball. Up to middle school this continued, then Denzel¡¯s grandfather had told Jameis to make a choice in high school. From there, only basketball continued.

    They went up to college, where the only missing spaces were for the player of the year in his conference and NCAA, and a National Championship.

    Opposite the door, with a wall all to itself, hung in a display case, was a silver star medal from the marines. Jameis¡¯s most prized possession, sometimes Denzel thought it was more important to his father than he was.

    Over in Denzel¡¯s display case, there were plenty of medallions and trophies from his earlier years, a couple of races¡ªonly first place was worth keeping and putting on display¡ªbut mainly they were baseball and football-related, a few basketball trophies but that had stopped before middle school. Most recently there was another Divisional trophy, small, inconsequential, expected. Biggest of all was last year¡¯s Regional championship. But there was a space missing for the State championship.

    ¡®Where¡¯s your State championship, Denzel?¡¯ Jameis asked. ¡®Or did you forget you failed last year?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, Sir. It won¡¯t happen again. Five weeks, Sir.¡¯

    ¡®Five weeks?¡¯

    ¡®That¡¯s when you¡¯ll get your State championship.¡¯ Denzel stared at him with conviction.

    Jameis nodded. ¡®Five more weeks. You¡¯ve been training every moment for nearly a year. I hope you don¡¯t make the same mistake, Denzel.¡¯

    Denzel¡¯s conviction hardened. ¡®I won¡¯t.¡¯

    He wouldn¡¯t.

    Breakfast¡ªat least their first¡ªcomprised five raw eggs and nothing else. Nothing to mask the taste. Nothing more filling. That was all the protein they needed to start the day, Jameis said.

    After Denzel gulped it down and forced it to stay in his stomach¡ªanother thing he¡¯d never get used to was the taste and consistency of raw eggs¡ªhe went and got dressed in a comfortable pair of shorts and a thicker t-shirt.

    He met his father outside the front door. Jameis was looking at his watch when Denzel stepped out, but he didn¡¯t say if the time it took for Denzel to get dressed was unsatisfactory or not.

    ¡®Do your stretches,¡¯ Jameis said.

    Denzel breathed deeply, warming up with his stretches. Most of the world outside their door had yet to wake up, the sun one of those still sleeping.

    When Jameis told Denzel he was done warming up, he clicked a button on his watch, and took off running. Denzel followed, pushing to catch up and fall in line beside his father.

    Their pace was quick but steady. The good thing about getting out so early was that there was no one else to get in their way.

    They didn¡¯t adjust their pace until they had reached the end of their route. The last stretch was a sprint up a set of steps along a hillside that were over two-hundred long.

    Jameis breathed steadily and deeply as he stopped his watch and checked the time. He nodded, satisfied.

    Denzel mimicked his father¡¯s breathing pattern. In between breaths he found the time and air to ask: ¡®Time, Sir?¡¯

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    ¡®Thirty-five twelve, getting better. You¡¯ll be sub-thirty-five soon.¡¯

    Denzel nodded.

    Jameis watched him. He didn¡¯t look at the view their vantage point offered atop this snake-like stairway. ¡®Are you tired, Zel?¡¯ he asked.

    Denzel shook his head emphatically. ¡®Sir, no, Sir!¡¯

    ¡®Are you ready?¡¯ Jameis shifted down into what was almost a D-Lineman¡¯s stance.

    Denzel lowered, hands on his knees. If he had his pads on, you would¡¯ve thought he was in the backfield ready to break through a defence for a touchdown.

    No one said ¡°go¡± or anything like that. Jameis simply lunged forward and Denzel met him with a powerful burst.

    The two slammed into each other like a couple of grizzly bears. Both of their feet skidded in the dirt as they leaned against one another, grabbing hold wherever they could as they dug their feet in and kept pushing.

    They were a couple of sumo wrestlers, only without the layer of fat on top of their muscles, and with much more clothes.

    ¡®Push, Denzel, push! I¡¯m holding you back from your dreams. You gotta get through me to get to that State Championship, so PUSH GOD DAMMIT!¡¯

    Denzel grit his teeth. He would¡¯ve imposed a face over his father¡¯s, maybe Ty¡¯s, JJ¡¯s, or one of the many bastards that stopped him in the State championship last year, but none of them would¡¯ve motivated him more than beating his father.

    Veins bulged along his body. Their skin became steel. Neither of them budged an inch, though they trembled from their efforts. But Jameis had better leverage, and Denzel started to tip over.

    Denzel slipped towards the stairs, tilting further. Jameis roared and pushed harder. ¡®DO YOU THINK BEING A FAILURE WILL BRING YOUR MOTHER BACK!¡¯

    Jameis threw his son to the ground, almost throwing him down the stairs. He would¡¯ve if Denzel hadn¡¯t clawed the ground, holding himself at the top of the stairs. He¡¯d only slipped down a few of them, but he¡¯d seen himself plummeting down all two-hundred plus.

    Denzel panted harder than he had after their run. His heart raced faster too, pounding at his ribcage like it was trying to break free.

    Jameis panted too, his mighty chest heaving. Father and son locked eyes. Jameis caught his breath, wiped some sweat from his brow, then offered a hand to his son.

    Denzel took it after the slightest hesitation, then Jameis pulled him to his feet. He dusted Denzel off, then put a hand on his watch.

    He clicked the button in and they started back down the stairs, jogging this time.

    They were silent as they ran. They had been during the first run too, but this was different, like they weren¡¯t silent simply because there wasn¡¯t anything they had to say, but that they were avoiding saying anything.

    When they reached home, Jameis told Denzel to get in the shower while he fried up some more eggs. After Denzel was clean, they had a proper breakfast with some reheated chicken, rice, and an egg on top.

    They ate in the same silence they¡¯d ran home in. Denzel was thankful when his father flicked the TV on and found an EuroLeague basketball game to watch. Even if Denzel didn¡¯t pay attention, the background noise was better than the silence.

    Not much longer after they¡¯d finished eating, it was time for school. Jameis watched from the doorstep as Denzel wheeled his bicycle out into the street. Denzel glanced at his Impala sitting in the garage, it was never used much when his father was around. No, instead he had to bike everywhere. ¡°MJ biked everywhere and look where it got him,¡± his father would say.

    ¡®You better pay attention today,¡¯ Jameis said.

    Denzel paused and looked at him. He wanted to say ¡°I always do¡±, but what he ended up saying was: ¡®Sir, yes, Sir.¡¯

    He always paid attention in class. Jameis expected nothing less than Straight A¡¯s, so that¡¯s what Denzel got. He¡¯s sure his friends would¡¯ve clowned him for it, or at least thought about doing so before he shut them down, but he never told them.

    Denzel was thankful his friends were in every class with him. Not because they provided relief of any kind, but because Connor, Zee, Mack, and Derrick¡¯s antics were always a great test for his focus. You think it¡¯s hard enough taking a test? Try doing it with four idiots cracking jokes and giggling around you.

    Of course, the teachers did nothing about the four clowns. How could they? Who were they to discipline the stars who were taking the football team to a State championship?

    Nothing could break Denzel¡¯s focus. Even if there was an alarm, he¡¯d only notice something wrong when the entire class got up.

    The day passed quickly, though there was no team practice to look forward to that day. Instead, the group of friends headed straight for Denzel¡¯s, complaining that he hadn¡¯t brought his car along the way.

    Someone mentioned their next opponent on their way back, though the group laughed it off.

    ¡®It¡¯s just the bum ass Dons, right? Remember how Connor was shitting himself about them?¡¯ Zee said.

    ¡®Fuck you, Zee,¡¯ Connor replied, glaring at him.

    ¡®And they were a worthless bunch of bitches like we knew they would be,¡¯ Derrick said.

    ¡®Didn¡¯t they beat the Vikings, though?¡¯ Mack asked.

    The others went quiet. The Vikings had almost snapped the Bears¡¯ winning streak. Worse than that, the Bears had needed to rely on passing to beat them. Their gazes turned to Denzel. If the Dons beat the Vikings, were they stronger now? Or was it simply a bad matchup for the Vikings and had the Dons done them a favour?

    ¡®You think they¡¯re stronger now?¡¯ Connor asked.

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re stronger,¡¯ Denzel said. The hum of the wheels turning was the only other sound as Denzel spoke. ¡®We crushed them before and we¡¯ll crush them again.¡¯

    An arrogant, annoying stick-figure came to Denzel¡¯s mind. He¡¯d have fun crushing that one again. The Dons¡¯ MLB on the other hand ¡­ that one was annoyingly persistent.

    He shook his head. The Dons didn¡¯t matter. They were just a distraction from his real goal. The Dons weren¡¯t the only ones with revenge on their mind; damn near every football team had a target of revenge. For Denzel and the Bears, it was Sierra Canyon.

    He¡¯d make the State championship and crush them too. They were the goal. The Dons and everyone else in his way were just obstacles.

    When the boys arrived at Denzel¡¯s home gym, Jameis was waiting for them. He nodded to them in greeting. ¡®Boys.¡¯

    ¡®Hey,¡¯ Zee said.

    Connor nodded back. It was easier. Sometimes Jameis¡¯s intense presence made him stumble over his words.

    ¡®Hello,¡¯ said Derrick.

    ¡®Good afternoon, Sir!¡¯ Mack saluted. Denzel whacked his gut, making him drop his salute.

    ¡®Afternoon, Sir. Here to oversee our training?¡¯ Denzel said.

    ¡®Damn right. Let¡¯s see how strong you¡¯ve all gotten.¡¯

    An awkward smile flickered across each boy¡¯s face.

    The workout sessions always went from chill times that were more of a hangout, to more intense than anything their coaches put them through when Jameis was around. The other boys thankfully got through it by letting more of the focus fall on Denzel¡¯s shoulders.

    But today, even that was different. There was a fire in Denzel¡¯s eyes, and Jameis was acting more like a drill sergeant than ever.

    ¡®C¡¯mon, Zel! Is that all you got?!¡¯ He was merely inches away from Denzel¡¯s sweat-drenched face, following him up and down as he squatted. The weight almost overburdened the metal bar, sagging and bending it as it lay across Denzel¡¯s shoulders.

    Jameis slapped Denzel¡¯s chest hard enough to knock a normal man over, but Denzel didn¡¯t budge. ¡®Are you a fucking lion or not?! What¡¯s the point of this tattoo if this is all you¡¯ll give me? You ain¡¯t no lion!¡¯

    Denzel grit his teeth and pushed harder, springing up faster as the weights rattled and the bar wobbled.

    ¡®What¡¯s all this gold for, huh?!¡¯ Jameis flapped the gold chain around Denzel¡¯s neck. ¡®You can¡¯t win real gold, so you have to buy this shit? Does that make you feel better about losing State?!¡¯

    ¡®NO, SIR!¡¯ Denzel roared, his feet almost coming off the ground as he burst up onto his toes.

    The others stared, pinned to the spot by the intensity, by amazement and even a touch of fear. They were glad it wasn¡¯t them Jameis was shouting at ¡­ but they¡¯d never seen Denzel so mad, never seen him throw such weight around with ease.

    It was times like those Denzel¡¯s friends were grateful he was on their team. If he was that fired up, nothing could stand in their way without getting destroyed.

    Some of them even felt a little sorry for the Dons.

 Chapter 178: For Past, Present, and Future

    Denzel wasn¡¯t the only one reaching new limits in the lead-up to the Regional championship. Ty and JJ were back at the gym, and Ty watched as JJ powered through his squats.

    Seeing Jake again had lit a fire under JJ, and regular practice wasn¡¯t cutting it. Ty and JJ had been going to the gym every day since then, and Ty had never seen JJ so intense.

    It was the last stretch before the big game. There wasn¡¯t any time to get better or stronger, but JJ was sure as hell trying.

    Even though he was dripping with sweat, JJ hadn¡¯t slowed since they began. It was eye opening for Ty, seeing how much weight JJ was hauling around with ease. Even if two of Tyrese sat on the barbell, it still wouldn¡¯t have eclipsed the actual weight JJ was squatting at that moment.

    Ty¡¯s strength had improved throughout the season thanks to JJ¡¯s help and guidance in the gym, but he could still barely do half of what JJ did.

    ¡°That¡¯s how far away I am? How can I even compete? ¡­ You better be stronger than him, JJ.¡± Ty wasn¡¯t even in the same realm as those monsters¡ªJJ and Denzel¡ªstrength wise. He wondered if Jake¡¯s advice would help against Denzel, but he wasn¡¯t hopeful.

    JJ finished his set, the weights clanking heavily onto the rack as he set the bar down. Even though he was panting heavily, he still carefully removed the weights and placed them back where they belonged as he lightened the load for Ty.

    ¡®You¡¯re up, Ty,¡¯ he said. He stayed in the rack''s frame, standing in front of Ty to spot him as Ty got into position.

    Ty looked JJ up and down. He was trembling, veins still flaring visibly against his skin even though he was now resting. ¡®You good?¡¯ Ty asked.

    ¡®Of course, hermano. You?¡¯

    Ty nodded and settled under the weight before lifting it from the rack. Maybe he should¡¯ve added more. He didn¡¯t feel like he was straining as JJ had, but he couldn¡¯t imagine trying to get even an extra five pounds through his set.

    Ty got through his set quickly. JJ was always ready to help him in case he struggled, but he wasn¡¯t necessary then.

    Ty set the weight down, then said: ¡®Let¡¯s take a break.¡¯

    JJ was reaching for his extra weight, but stopped. He looked up at Ty. Ty¡¯s face wasn¡¯t the kind you argued with. He nodded. ¡®Alright, a break¡¯s good.¡¯

    They sat down on a nearby bench, grabbing their drinks. JJ¡¯s legs were still shaking.

    ¡®You¡¯re really pumped up for this next game,¡¯ Ty said. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen you push yourself this hard before.¡¯

    ¡®Huh. Well, it¡¯s win or go home, right? We all have to push ourselves this hard.¡¯

    ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Ty nodded. JJ was right. Still¡­ ¡®Won¡¯t do us any good if we get hurt before the game.¡¯

    JJ shook his head. ¡®I won¡¯t get hurt.¡¯

    Ty raised a brow.

    ¡®I can¡¯t. Everyone¡¯s relying on me.¡¯

    Ty stayed silent. JJ spoke the truth, and he wasn¡¯t about to interrupt.

    ¡®¡­Everyone. This next game¡ªevery game we play now¡ªit¡¯s not just the season that depends on it, but our family. For a lot of our hermanos, me included, it¡¯ll be our last high school game if we lose.¡¯

    It was no secret there was a large portion of seniors on the Dons. It was their last chance. The next loss would be their last as Dons. But neither Ty nor JJ intended to lose again.

    ¡®All of them, they¡¯re relying on me. And it¡¯s not just them either, but it¡¯s everyone on the team. Even the coaches. Even the players¡ªthe hermanos¡ªthat came before. They left the team in MY hands. It¡¯s my responsibility to take care of it, to take care of all the hermanitos like you and make sure we¡¯re all successful. To uphold the legacy of the Dons and show that everything everyone¡¯s taught me hasn¡¯t been worthless.¡¯

    Their next game, a showdown with the Bears. A showdown with King Denzel. JJ was the only one on the team that could match him. Ty knew that¡ªeveryone did.

    Ty placed a hand on JJ¡¯s back. ¡®You can do it.¡¯ He HAD to. If JJ couldn¡¯t stop Denzel, and force the Bears away from his running, and force them to rely on passing, they¡¯d never bring out their secret weapon¡ªnumber 14. If they couldn¡¯t force the Bears to pass, then Ty won¡¯t have an impact. As long as the game wasn¡¯t in Ty¡¯s hands, the Dons would lose. He knew that ¡­ but he didn¡¯t mention it to JJ.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡®It¡¯s funny, you know,¡¯ JJ said. ¡®Normally, winning isn¡¯t this big of a deal. I haven¡¯t really cared whether we win or lose before. Of course, I want to win State, who doesn¡¯t? But it¡¯s never been the important thing. Playing with you, and all my hermanos, big or small, THAT¡¯S what was important. But now, that¡¯s over. We NEED to keep winning if we want to keep playing.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s brow furrowed. The whole line of thinking was backwards to him. Of course, winning was the most important factor. Why else would you play if not to win? But JJ went on.

    ¡®I don¡¯t even care if I can never play again after this season. We NEED to win State. I¡¯d give up football if it meant playing with you all a little longer.¡¯

    Ty stood up. ¡®That¡¯s crazy! How can you possibly say that? How can playing with us be more important than playing football? What about college, or the NFL? Hell, any pro league would be better than not playing at all, wouldn¡¯t it?!¡¯

    His outburst drew a few looks from the other gym-goers, but JJ smiled up at him. ¡®I¡¯m sure that, because of how exceptional you are, Ty, you¡¯ve maybe never had that connection before. Your team hasn¡¯t been a family before. It¡¯s only your first season with us, and I know you don¡¯t get along great with a lot of the others, but I know you care about us. You might care about winning a bit more right now, but trust me, the more you play together, the deeper your bond will get. You¡¯ll understand, when you¡¯re a senior, and it¡¯s your final year playing with them all, Zay and Rabbit, whatever hermanitos you have, you¡¯ll understand.¡¯

    ¡®But¡ª¡¯

    JJ stood. His hand on Ty¡¯s shoulder cut him off. He was still smiling, but there was sadness in his eyes.

    ¡®Those moments in training¡ªthe jokes and laughter, watching everyone grow like I have with Deshaun, Stephen, Jay, Benny, Chris, Cole, Cameron, and all my other hermanos, moments like beating Jake, all of that stuff, is so much more important than winning, Ty. The only reason winning is important, the only thing that gives it value, is the fact that you win together with all your hermanos, that you get to share that moment. So I¡¯d give it all up¡ªmy D1 offers, a shot at the NFL, even football itself, if it meant I could play with my family more.¡¯

    Ty stared into JJ¡¯s eyes. It hurt. Why did it hurt? He looked away, shaking his head. ¡®I¡­I don¡¯t get it. Winning¡­Winning is everything.¡¯

    JJ patted his shoulders. ¡®I promise you¡¯ll understand. One day.¡¯

    None of it made sense. So why was JJ so convincing? He was talking nonsense. How could playing with your ¡°family¡± be more important than winning? How could anything be more important than winning? ¡­ Why did Ty want to believe?

    JJ laughed. ¡®Now there¡¯s another reason why we have to keep winning.¡¯

    ¡®Huh?¡¯ Ty looked at him, still confused.

    JJ grinned. ¡®Now we have to keep winning so we can teach you how important family is, and how fun it is to play with your hermanos.¡¯

    Ty frowned, confusion still etched into his face.

    ¡®Hahaha. Come on, I know it can¡¯t be THAT bad playing with Deshaun and Stephen, right?¡¯

    Ty cracked a smile. ¡®Oh, it is. They¡¯re insufferable. But see, that¡¯s how important winning is. I¡¯m willing to win, even if it means having to put up with those assholes for a little while longer.¡¯

    ¡®Oh man, you a disrespectful little shit aren¡¯t you? Come on, you¡¯re not getting off easy after talking bad about your hermanos mayores like that. We¡¯re not stopping until you can¡¯t even walk out of here.¡¯

    Ty scoffed. ¡®Bring it.¡¯

    JJ kept grinning, though Ty saw a concerning glint in his eyes, one he¡¯d never seen before.

    The two wouldn¡¯t leave the gym until hours later, after they¡¯d gone through sets of leg extensions, weighted lunges, calf raises, another round on the leg press machine, and even some Bulgarian split squats which were killers that was damn near sadistic for JJ to leave until the final exercise.

    But in the end, Ty still walked out on his own two feet. Sure, his legs wouldn¡¯t stop wobbling, and he wasn¡¯t sure how well he¡¯d get through the next day, but he¡¯d made it.

    JJ clapped him on the back, almost knocking him over. ¡®Great stuff, today, Ty. Let¡¯s keep winning. For the Dons.¡¯

    Ty nodded. Whether or not it was for the Dons, he wasn¡¯t planning on losing any time soon.

    Deshaun arrived home after another Dons¡¯ practice. The last before their game against Warren. Maybe the last Dons practice they¡¯d ever have.

    Just as he was about to push football from his mind and switch over to work mode, his mother came up to him. She wrung her hands in front of her, an almost scared smile on her face.

    Deshaun frowned. ¡®Is everything alright, mama?¡¯

    She nodded rapidly. ¡®There¡¯s an envelope waiting for you upstairs.¡¯ Her voice was so soft; she sounded scared of spooking the envelope if she spoke too loudly.

    Deshaun¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his head, but he reined them back in and kept his outward appearance calm and neutral. ¡®Oh,¡¯ was all he said. Inside, his heart was doing flips.

    She watched him climb the steps slowly, one by one. It felt like he was climbing K2. Each step brought him closer to the top, becoming tougher than the last.

    He opened his door. The envelope was there, sure as anything, like it was the centre of the universe. It sat on a neat bed, which his mama must¡¯ve made because it wasn¡¯t neat when he¡¯d left it that morning.

    Deshaun¡¯s heart was going to explode. The few steps it took to travel across his room and to the bed were even tougher than the climb up the stairs.

    He contemplated leaving the envelope on his bed, reading it another day. Even as he thought this, his shaking hand was reaching for it.

    He took it, and carefully tore it open, not wanting to damage what he hoped and dreamed was waiting inside.

    The shaking only got worse as he retrieved the letter. He had to read it a few times just to make sure his eyes weren¡¯t playing tricks, that he hadn¡¯t misread it, and that he wasn¡¯t dreaming.

    It was from California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. It was on the other side of Cali, and whilst not the most prestigious or well-known football school, they still had a D2 program. More importantly, it was an offer for a scholarship.

    Deshaun had his offer. He¡¯d made it. He was so happy he could faint, and he almost did.

 Chapter 179: Titans of Their Region

    It was another game day weekend, and that meant Jackson and Kenny were once again spread out along the back seat of Tommy¡¯s car, heading to the game.

    This time they were driving towards Arizona City¡ªit was the near perfect middle ground between Arcadia High and Walden Grove High, for the Titans¡¯ meeting with the Red Wolves.

    The pain of Jackson and Kenny¡¯s loss wasn¡¯t as fresh, so the music was louder and the mood a bit more uplifted. However, Kenny was still a little ticked off.

    ¡®Coach left us off the team, AGAIN. I don¡¯t get it. What more do we need to do?¡¯ he asked to no one in particular.

    Jackson frowned, looking him over. Kenny was annoyed but his shoulders sagged with acceptance. ¡®We didn¡¯t do great at training. Next week,¡¯ Jackson promised, extending a fist.

    Kenny smiled at him, then bumped his fist. ¡®Next week, for sure.¡¯

    They both settled back into their seats. Tommy¡¯s smirk turned towards the road from the rear-view mirror.

    ¡®Hey,¡¯ Kenny said, ¡®have you asked Jasmine to one of these games yet?¡¯

    Tommy scanned through his memory for when he¡¯d heard that name before, then a knowing grin spread across his face. His gaze drifted back to the rear-view mirror, one eyebrow raised.

    ¡®I haven¡¯t,¡¯ Jackson mumbled. ¡®Why?¡¯

    ¡®Aww come on, little bro, you shouldn¡¯t be scared to ask your girlfriend out to the game.¡¯

    Jackson blushed. ¡®Wh-What? She¡¯s not ¡­ she¡¯s not my girlfriend.¡¯

    ¡®So, you don¡¯t like her?¡¯ Tommy wasn¡¯t letting up.

    Jackson¡¯s cheeks darkened. He looked away, stammering, and then he saw salvation. ¡®L-Look! We¡¯re here.¡¯

    Thankfully, they arrived at the field and Jackson could escape from the car and the questions.

    Snickering, Kenny and Tommy followed him out, then strode towards the stands. ¡®Let¡¯s see if Rudy¡¯s here,¡¯ Tommy said.

    Kenny frowned, but helped in the search. Rudy wasn¡¯t THAT bad. At least not compared to some of the other varsity members.

    Coach Otsen stood amongst the Titans in their locker room. Focused, determined faces stared back at him. ¡®Don¡¯t take this game for granted,¡¯ Coach Otsen said. ¡®We can¡¯t afford to have such a shit first half like last week¡ªthe Wolves will eat us alive if we play like that.¡¯ His eyes lingered on the defence, then on Grant and the Receivers. Discontent grumbles answered him.

    ¡®Offensively, we¡¯re gonna focus on the run game. There¡¯s gonna be a bigger burden on you this time, Mickey, but we need your legs if we¡¯re going to win.¡¯

    Mickey smiled. ¡®You can count on me, Coach.¡¯

    Coach Otsen nodded, his attention turning to Wesley. ¡®When they crack down on the run, you need to beat them with your arm and find the openings we¡¯ve made.¡¯

    ¡®Easy.¡¯ Wesley was the most laid back in the room, a cool air of smugness about him.

    Coach Otsen turned back to the defence. ¡®I need you guys to watch out for big plays. We know the Wolves like grinding their opponents down. They¡¯re gonna chip away at us, but don¡¯t get sucked in by all the short stuff; they¡¯re ALWAYS looking for the big shot.¡¯

    Murmurs of agreement and mumbled acknowledgement spread across the defensive players. Coach Otsen got up in their faces, squatting down with his hands on his knees.

    ¡®DON¡¯T GET SUCKED IN!¡¯

    Rudy wasn¡¯t hard to find. Again, he was near the Titans¡¯ bench. When he saw Jackson and the others approach, he smirked, eyes locked on Kenny. ¡®Hey, I thought you were gonna be down there with the rest of the varsity team this week, yeah? What happened?¡¯

    ¡®Fuck off.¡¯

    Rudy laughed, almost falling back out of his seat. The Titans weren¡¯t down in their locker room for much longer, and soon they marched onto the field.

    ¡®Good afternoon, Rudy,¡¯ Tommy said.

    Rudy smiled at him, happier to see Tommy, someone he could actually look up to, and someone who gave him the respect he deserved. Though he was a little surprised. ¡®Didn¡¯t expect you two weeks in a row.¡¯

    ¡®I guess I¡¯m lucky. My schedule works really well with the Titans.¡¯

    Again, Tommy took the far seat next to Rudy, forcing Jackson and Kenny to sit next to him as well. Rudy and Jackson said little to each other, just a mutual nod.

    As Jackson settled into his seat and watched the Titans warm up, he said: ¡®I hope they win.¡¯

    Rudy scoffed. ¡®Of course they will.¡¯

    ¡®They¡¯ll win. They have to,¡¯ Kenny said. ¡®Another win means they survive another week; means we have another shot to earn that varsity spot.¡¯

    ¡®As long as one of us gets a spot, that¡¯d be a win in my books,¡¯ Jackson said. Kenny and Rudy didn¡¯t feel the same way. They both thought it had to be them. Kenny at least wanted Jackson to come along if a second spot opened.

    ¡®Who¡¯ll get dropped for one of you to move up, though?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    As the teams prepared for the start of the game¡ªthe Titans won the toss, though curiously elected to receive the opening kick¡ªthe group looked over the Titans.

    An obvious choice would¡¯ve been the freshly promoted player who took Rudy¡¯s spot. Rudy said as much, however, whilst Nick wasn¡¯t getting any reps as a Receiver he was still an integral part of the team, being the Kicker.

    ¡®Okay, so not Nick, but who was the Kicker before that?¡¯ Tommy asked.

    Jackson gave him a dirty look, and Rudy let out an exasperated sigh. ¡®One question at a time, yeah?¡¯

    Tommy laughed. ¡®Sorry, sorry.¡¯

    ¡®Anyway, the previous Kicker is still our Punter, I think his name was Jerry? Uhh, I think he¡¯s also supposed to be a Safety, though I¡¯ve never seen him play a snap on defence.¡¯

    Maybe Jerry could get dropped. Nick had done the punting for the JV Titans too, but ¡­ would that really open a spot for a Receiver?

    ¡®The guy we¡¯re looking to replace is probably Dion,¡¯ Rudy said. The name was unfamiliar to his three listeners. Rudy pointed out a boy on the bench. His back was to them, so they didn¡¯t get a look at his face. He kept his curly hair cut short against his head, and while it was clear even from a distance he was large, he sat self-consciously. He hunched together, almost curling up on himself, like he didn¡¯t want to get in anyone¡¯s way.

    ¡®He doesn¡¯t play much,¡¯ Rudy continued. ¡®Super quiet guy, too. Like REALLY quiet. I¡¯m pretty sure he¡¯s a junior, and in the two years I¡¯ve been with the team, I could count the amount of times I¡¯ve heard him speak with my fingers.¡¯

    The others watched as the Titans¡¯ offence took to the field after the opening kickoff. Dion didn¡¯t see a snap on the first drive, but he didn¡¯t need to. The offence marched down the field, and Mickey hammered home a rushing touchdown from the 4 yard line.

    Nick came on for the extra point, and he was as automatic as ever. The Titans had taken an early 7¨C0 lead.

    ¡®Woo!¡¯ Jackson and Tommy were on their feet, cheering for the Titans.

    Rudy waited until they sat back down to continue his explanation of why Dion would be the most likely to get dropped.

    ¡®You see what I mean about him not getting any snaps though? I mean, we don¡¯t even play with three Wideouts all the time. And a four wide set? Forget about it, we¡¯re more likely to play with two Tight Ends or two Running Backs. Coach Otsen knows the offence¡¯s weakest position is Wide Receiver. That¡¯s why he plays into our other strengths instead.¡¯

    Kenny and Jackson frowned. Kenny remembered how, even when Rudy was on the team last, he was mainly sitting on the bench. Would that be the fate of whichever one of them got called up next?

    ¡®You¡¯re basically saying that, even if we get called up, our fight still won¡¯t stop,¡¯ Jackson said. ¡®We have to become a starter to get playing time.¡¯

    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

    ¡®The second option at that,¡¯ Rudy said with a nod.

    ¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. Earning a spot is the first step. It¡¯ll be that much easier to prove I¡¯m a starter when I¡¯m already on the team,¡¯ Kenny said.

    After that opening drive, the rest of the quarter was slow. The Wolves¡¯ defence adjusted quickly, and the game became more of a feeling out process.

    By the end of the first, the score was only 7¨C3, still in the Titans¡¯ favour.

    Going into the second quarter, the Titans were still running heavily. It was a good time to study the run game. See, the Titans were a strange team, despite their star player being their Tight End, who worked best as a Receiver and aerial threat, they were still a run-focused team most of the time, which caught a lot of opponents off guard.

    Shane was the most flashy, the one who stood out more, and he naturally drew a lot of attention. Not only did this help his other Receivers get better looks, but it opened up avenues for the run game as well.

    You add a dual-threat QB like Wesley¡ªmore a threat with his legs than his arm if we¡¯re being honest¡ªand you get a lethal running attack.

    It was an interesting contrast to the JV team, which was much more pass-centric in their offence. Unfortunately for our prospective Receivers, it meant getting called up was hard simply because they didn¡¯t fit the varsity team¡¯s system as well as they did the JV team¡¯s.

    But the varsity Titans could still throw, and often won games off the back of their Receivers¡ªmainly Shane¡ªand their connection with Wesley as a passer.

    As the second quarter dragged on, and both teams scored a touchdown¡ªthe Titans thanks to a powerful 17 yard catch and run by Shane, and the Wolves off of a 2 yard scramble from their QB¡ªRudy offered some insight into what it was like having Wesley as a QB.

    ¡®Yeah, so, he¡¯s got a cannon of an arm. He really whips those passes in FAST. ¡­ But they¡¯re not always on the money. You combine his inaccuracy with his power and you get some pretty hard to catch balls.¡¯

    ¡®I could catch them,¡¯ Kenny muttered.

    Rudy side-eyed him but kept going. ¡®Yeah, anyway, you can see how that wouldn¡¯t really help our lacklustre Receivers play any better, yeah? Thankfully, we¡¯ve got Mickey. Offensively, he¡¯s our second best player, by far. Him and Shane are the one-two punch.¡¯

    ¡®And Wesley¡¯s pretty athletic for a Quarterback,¡¯ Tommy pointed out. ¡®That read-option is tough to stop.¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, he¡¯s got his legs, at least. Relies on them too much though,¡¯ Rudy said, bitterness dripping from his voice.

    ¡®When he has some more Receivers he can trust, like me and Jackson, then maybe he¡¯ll be more comfortable throwing the ball,¡¯ Kenny said.

    Rudy glared at him fully this time. Kenny glared back.

    Jackson frowned. ¡®I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that. Sometimes he has people open, he just doesn¡¯t throw it. I don¡¯t know what it is ¡­ but I don¡¯t think he wants to be upstaged by his Receivers. Even with Mickey and their option, you can see it at the goal-line, Wesley takes it more. He wants the touchdown; he wants to be the reason the Titans are winning.¡¯

    Tommy laughed, reaching over to ruffle Jackson¡¯s hair. ¡®That¡¯s my little bro. You¡¯re gonna be a hell of a coach when you¡¯re done with being the greatest Wide Receiver of all time.¡¯

    Rudy rolled his eyes.

    The Wolves¡¯ defence cracked down again, and despite Mickey being a beautiful blend of speed and power, strength and agility, he was shut down for the rest of the half. Even Shane couldn¡¯t get much going, and the Titans only scored another field goal before the end of the second quarter.

    Unfortunately, just before the half ended, the Titans¡¯ defence let up another big play and gave away a 56 yard touchdown to a deep ball over the top.

    Despite Coach Otsen¡¯s repeated warnings, the defence forgot the key message of ¡°don¡¯t get sucked in¡± during the Wolves¡¯ two-minute drill.

    At half-time, the scores were even at 17¨C17. Despite this, one team went into the break with broad smiles and all the momentum, whilst the other trudged off the field with lowered heads and a furious demon at their backs.

    Rudy, Kenny, and Jackson weren¡¯t far behind the Titans as they went to their locker room. The trio slunk in after the players, barely making it inside before Coach Otsen slammed the door closed.

    Coach Otsen was fuming. For good reason, too. ¡®What did I tell you?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t even given the players time to get settled at their lockers before his tirade started. ¡®I told you over and over not to get sucked in. Even when it¡¯s the two-minute warning, I don¡¯t care if they¡¯re attacking the sidelines with short, quick passes¡ªthey¡¯re ALWAYS looking for the touchdown.¡¯ He sighed, rubbing at his temples.

    Jackson and friends stood in the corner, Jackson and Kenny silent as they tried to shrink away from Coach Otsen. Even without his anger being directed at them it was still fierce. Meanwhile, Rudy was holding back laughter as the defence got grilled.

    The anger came from all sides against the defence. Even most of the offence was glaring at them, their hateful, burning gazes adding fuel to Coach Otsen¡¯s fire.

    ¡®DON¡¯T let that happen again. Use this as a lesson. You need to be better in the second half, or our season will end here.¡¯ He took a deep breath. ¡®Offensively, we¡¯re doing okay. We just need to be patient and trust our run game. We¡¯ll grind them down first. But, that said, I still need some help from my Receivers; Shane can¡¯t be the only target getting open.¡¯

    Grant grumbled, ¡®Shane, Shane. Always fucking Shane.¡¯

    Coach Otsen whipped around to him. ¡®You got something to share, Grant?¡¯

    ¡®No ¡­ Sir.¡¯

    Coach Otsen stared at him for a few seconds more. ¡®Alright, bring it in.¡¯

    The three JV boys watched the team collapse in on Coach Otsen, fists together. They threw them in the air in unison and shouted at the heavens, promising to win. The team thundered past out of the locker room, then the coaches ushered the three boys from the room as well.

    When they returned, Tommy asked how it went.

    ¡®It was pretty fun,¡¯ both Kenny and Rudy answered. They looked at each other funny then settled into their seats, faces like they just smelled something sour.

    ¡®They¡¯re sticking with the run game. Mostly it sounded like Coach was just going over the same messages he¡¯s been giving them since before the game,¡¯ Jackson explained.

    ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Tommy frowned. ¡®Anyone else worried that the Titans will lose?¡¯

    ¡®No,¡¯ Kenny and Rudy answered together, again. Their expressions soured further.

    Jackson shook his head. ¡®No way. The Titans, as long as Shane¡¯s leading them, are unstoppable.¡¯ He stared down at the field as the Titans came out for the kickoff. His statement hadn¡¯t been made through arrogance but conviction.

    He watched the Titans like he was watching his favourite hero fighting their arch nemesis, and he knew the hero was going to get back up.

    The Titans¡ªas if to prove Jackson¡¯s point¡ªcame out with a passionate fire. The defence held the Wolves scoreless and didn¡¯t even let them get past half-field to start the second half.

    Then came the offence and Shane, perhaps the personification of Jackson¡¯s hero he so wholeheartedly believed in.

    He led their counter drive and marched the Titans downfield, despite Coach Otsen¡¯s insistence they were still going to rely on the run. When someone¡¯s hand was this hot, you fed them.

    They were at the goal-line in no time. However, the drive stalled there. First, Wesley missed a wild pass over Grant¡¯s head. Then, Mickey brought them to the one-yard line, but was crushed there. Last, on third down, Wesley held onto the ball during the read-option when Mickey had a free lane. Wesley, on the other hand, was tackled for a loss.

    Coach Otsen was so furious he used one of their timeouts, despite being less than halfway through the third quarter.

    ¡®That was some of the WORST football I¡¯ve seen. What the fuck?¡¯ He glared around at the offence. Only Mickey and Shane met his eyes.

    ¡®I¡¯m NOT settling for a field goal. Not now. We didn¡¯t come all that way just to settle for three points. Look, this play, we CAN¡¯T fuck up. You listening, Wesley? All you need to do is hit Shane with a shovel pass, got it? Goal-line shovel. You all remember how to do that, don¡¯t you?¡¯

    Heads nodded, and affirmations were mumbled.

    ¡®Good! Now get out there and score a fucking touchdown. Quit playing like you WANT to lose.¡¯

    After Coach Long¡¯s furious speech, the play worked to perfection. From Shotgun, Wesley flipped the ball over to Shane, who then burrowed in against the O-Line and together they forced their way into the end-zone.

    Unfortunately, that was where the positives ended for the Titans that quarter. The defence was pushed back progressively more, letting in a field goal, and then another goal-line push for a touchdown, whilst the offence failed repeatedly.

    The Wolves held the lead 24¨C27 going into the last quarter.

    That¡¯s when Coach Otsen made a change, and instead of using their two TE formation, they went back to three Receivers, and more than that, Dion was put into play.

    He didn¡¯t look impressive at first, slow, plodding, but he could use his body well and he secured a nice catch on a little Out route for a first down.

    Tommy watched him closely. ¡®Why don¡¯t they move Dion to Tight End? A big boy like that. Seems like he¡¯d fit better, wouldn¡¯t he?¡¯

    ¡®Yeah, he¡¯s not really fast enough to be a Wideout,¡¯ Kenny added.

    ¡®Easy,¡¯ Rudy said, ¡®he can¡¯t block shit. I don''t even think he knows how to block on snapchat.¡¯

    ¡®Blocking can¡¯t be that hard,¡¯ Jackson said.

    ¡®Oh yeah, that¡¯s what you Wide Receivers always think. Then you play a couple of snaps at Tight End, let in a few sacks, don¡¯t seal the edge for your Running Back, and THEN you change your tune real quick,¡¯ Tommy said.

    Jackson chuckled. ¡®Well, maybe I think it¡¯s easy because you always make it look easy, big bro.¡¯

    Tommy grinned, and they laughed together.

    Despite Dion¡¯s flaws, he didn¡¯t try anything beyond his means, and Coach Otsen knew his limitations well and didn¡¯t force him into any situation he was unsuited for. As such, it wasn¡¯t long before he snagged an incredible grab on a back shoulder throw, and brought the Titans right to the goal-line after a 22-yard reception.

    Tommy whistled. ¡®Talk about a rainbow.¡¯

    ¡®But that catch! Did you see it? I can¡¯t believe he was in. How¡¯d he do it?¡¯ Kenny still wasn¡¯t sure if his eyes had seen right.

    ¡®It was both of them,¡¯ Jackson said. ¡®I mean, that catch was amazing. We all saw it. He wasn¡¯t even looking, but he still knew exactly where to drag his feet.¡¯ Jackson thought back to their previous practice with the varsity team. He hadn¡¯t been paying attention, but Dion was up there with Shane and Grant as the only ones to go through the foot drag catches without messing up once.

    ¡®And even with the defender right there,¡¯ Jackson continued, ¡®he still ripped it away from him and didn¡¯t even bobble it as they fell out of bounds.¡¯

    Tommy chuckled. ¡®Probably the best catch of the day. Yet that was probably the best pass too.¡¯

    ¡®The pass was a fluke, yeah,¡¯ Rudy said, almost spitting the words out. ¡®It was pure luck Wesley actually threw it in the right spot.¡¯

    ¡®Nah, to even be ¡°lucky¡± like that takes skill,¡¯ Tommy said. ¡®He can throw a good ball. Sounds like he just needs to work on his touch.¡¯

    Luck or not, the catch stood, and it set Mickey up for a rushing touchdown only a couple of plays later. The Titans were back in business, and back in the lead to start the last quarter.

    Jackson looked down at the bench as Nick booted the extra point through. Everyone was excited and celebrating ¡­ all except one player. Demetrius¡ªwho had been benched in favour of Dion¡ªmust¡¯ve been having the same thought Jackson was at the moment. Maybe it was him who was really in trouble of being cut.

    Dion¡¯s catch and Mickey¡¯s lead-taking touchdown seemed to light a fire under the Dons. The defence held strong after that. They barely budged no matter what the Wolves tried, and they smothered everything deep, too.

    It was Shane who hammered the final nail into the coffin. He put the game to bed with another touchdown, ending with a hat-trick as his last came off a deep post that went all the way for 38 yards.

    At the end of the game, the score read 38¨C27 for a Titans victory. The crowd was thunderous, and the celebrations unleashed. The players didn¡¯t have to hold back. Their hard work over another year had culminated in another Regional championship. They were moving onto State.

    Coach Otsen was the only one who held back and had a muted celebration. His focus was on the future. He knew the State championship was the true goal, and another Regional trophy had simply been expected, just like the trophy they got for leading their division.

    ¡®I guess there really wasn¡¯t anything to worry about, huh?¡¯ Tommy jostled Jackson as the group stood and started down the steps.

    Jackson looked back at him with a grin. ¡®I told you.¡¯

    To those three JV Receivers, the win had meant more than just a Regional championship. It meant another week where they could prove their mettle and earn their way into a roster spot on the varsity team.

    However, after Dion¡¯s gutsy performance, it dawned on them that such an accomplishment was going to be harder than they had expected.

 Chapter 180: Game Day XIII

    It was game time for the Dons. Every time game day rolled around for Ty nowadays, it felt like the most important game of his life so far; this one certainly was.

    Yet the rest of the world turned as if it were just another Saturday.

    He said goodbye to Meg. Again, she was sorry she couldn¡¯t come, but promised to ask their parents for a lift. Again, Ty was doubtful they¡¯d listen to her request, let alone grant it.

    Mother wasn¡¯t even home¡ªshe hadn¡¯t been since the previous night. Father was passed out in his chair¡ªeven when he woke, he¡¯d have a hell of a hangover to battle.

    Both their older siblings were missing as well. Ty told himself he didn¡¯t care. Meg already had her hands full with the twins, and she knew better, both Devon and Victoria would show up after the weekend, and get in a yelling match with either of their parents about where they¡¯d been, yet even at the end, no one would be any closer to the answer.

    Ty left and didn¡¯t look back. He arrived at the school parking lot in record time, one of the first players to show up, even beating Coach Norman there.

    After handing over his bag, he climbed onto the bus. He had it all to himself for a moment, but still sat at the front, thumping down heavily. Sitting at the back wasn¡¯t worth the trouble. They were all the same, anyway.

    He stared out the window, though he wasn¡¯t watching the world, he was lost in his own. He was too absorbed to notice as the others piled onto the bus.

    But when someone sat next to him, he was pulled from his thoughts. It was Bella. His brow knitted together, asking the question for him: ¡°What do you want?¡±

    She smiled. ¡®You ready?¡¯

    He turned back to the window. The question was so dumb he didn¡¯t even want to answer it, but he eventually did, looking at Bella¡¯s reflection in the window. ¡®Of course.¡¯

    ¡®Great!¡¯ Her smile widened, and she settled into her seat. Ty frowned and looked at her. She didn¡¯t move. The bus jerked into motion and turned onto the road, beginning its journey towards Chino Hills, the neutral destination for the day¡¯s game. Bella was still next to him.

    He tried to figure out why, then concluded: ¡®You¡¯re worried about the game,¡¯ he said it more like a statement rather than the question it was.

    ¡®Worried? Why would I be worried? You told me you¡¯re ready and you¡¯re going to win. You wouldn¡¯t let me down, would you?¡¯

    ¡®Let YOU down?¡¯ And people called Ty arrogant. ¡®Why would I be letting YOU down when I¡¯m the one who¡¯s been working towards this all year? Me and everyone else on the team.¡¯

    ¡®Am I not a part of the team?¡¯

    ¡®Are you? Do you even have an actual position within the staff, or are you just here as the coach¡¯s daughter? You¡¯re not the one pouring your blood, sweat, and tears into this. ¡­ Maybe you have cried like the others, but that¡¯s not the point.¡¯

    Her smile only grew. It was shocking and disarming. Ty couldn¡¯t understand it. He couldn¡¯t understand HER.

    ¡®I¡¯m glad you¡¯re so fired up, Ty. This way I know we¡¯re going to win.¡¯

    Ty shook his head. At least football was never that confusing. You always knew where you stood on a football field, especially with the way he played. People were so much easier to read out there on the grass.

    At the back of the bus, Deshaun was still riding the high of his scholarship offer. And despite the Dons heading towards their greatest challenge yet, he was the most carefree he¡¯d been all season.

    ¡®Damn, someone¡¯s happy, huh? You finally get laid, Dee?¡¯ Stephen said. A few others around them laughed.

    ¡®Haha! Good one, big guy. But, let me know when you actually get a girlfriend. I still think the Cowboys have a better chance of winnin¡¯ a ring than that happening.¡¯

    Only two of the seniors crowded at the back of the bus didn¡¯t join in with the laughter¡ªeven Jay, who was pretending to sleep, laughed¡ªone was Chris, whose knuckles were white as bone as he gripped the headrest in front of him. The other was JJ.

    ¡®Knock it off, guys,¡¯ JJ said. ¡®This ain¡¯t the time for jokes.¡¯

    The others quietened but gave him a few concerned looks. Jay tipped his hat up, eyes bright and alert. ¡®Everything alright, El Capitan?¡¯

    ¡®I¡¯m fine. We just need to focus.¡¯ He sat, staring ahead, one leg bouncing rapidly.

    Jay looked across at Stephen and Deshaun, Deshaun looked at Benny, who looked at Cole and Cameron, who looked at Chris. Chris was too focused on his own issues to notice the look or what was going on with JJ. The others, however, knew JJ to be a truthful and honest man, but they also knew the burden that was on him in this game. He always carried the greatest burden each game, but this one was different. This time, he was going up against Denzel, someone he and they hadn¡¯t bested for years.

    There were a few Dons who had similar jitters, and Ty was one of them. Bella noticed his hands shaking. They had been since she sat down, and they didn¡¯t stop throughout the entire trip, short as it was. It felt twice as long with those quiet, shaking time bombs at either end of the bus.

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    Elsewhere, the Bears were on the march as well. The King sat at the front of his huge, long chariot, eyes forward as he charged towards the battlefield in the hills to meet the Dons. He was unblinking, staring towards his goal.

    The front of the bus was quiet and hot, a simmering fire waiting to erupt. Not even Denzel¡¯s friends dared speak lest they sparked the fire into an inferno. Chatter and laughter filled the middle, but at the far end, it was quiet again, quiet and isolated.

    Number 14 sat alone, without his number. His broad shoulders were perfectly still, his head tilted back against the seat. He barely even breathed as he slept. And with the chill that seemed to radiate off him, one could¡¯ve mistaken him for a frozen statue. It was a mystery if such a slumber produced dreams.

    The drive was a little longer for the Bears, but was over in a flash. They had nothing to be nervous about; they were going to crush the Dons. Nothing would get in their way of a State championship.

    The Dons arrived at a nearly empty parking lot. No other bus arrived with them, and as they alighted from their own, still no other bus came.

    After Coach Norman handed Ty his bag, Ty waited, watching the far entrance of the parking lot. No matter how long he stared and waited, no bus appeared on the horizon.

    ¡®Get moving, Samuels. You can have a stare down with your boyfriend for the day later,¡¯ Coach Hoang said, speaking jovially rather than harshly.

    ¡®Huh?¡­¡¯ Ty looked at him as if he¡¯d spoken in Vietnamese. ¡®¡­Boyfriend?¡¯

    Coach Hoang laughed. ¡®You heard me, so what are you confused about? You¡¯re actually probably MORE intimate and obsessed with your opponents than people are with their partners.¡¯

    Ty tried to blink the clarification into reality, but it just wouldn¡¯t compute in his mind. ¡®That doesn¡¯t make sense¡­ of course I need to be focused on my opponents.¡¯ His confusion turned to anger as he gnashed his teeth.

    ¡®See, that¡¯s the difference between Corners and Safeties. You don¡¯t have a man, you just watch the field and the ball and you react. But Corners, we have to get INSIDE our opponent¡¯s head and know what move they¡¯re going to make before they even think of it.¡¯

    Coach Hoang¡¯s smile flipped as Ty took the joke for a personal attack. Misunderstanding or not, he wouldn¡¯t take that kind of smack from one of his players ¡®Alright Samuels, you have fun figuring it out whilst you go run some laps for me.¡¯

    Ty was about to say that, of course, Coach Hoang needed others to run laps for him, but he bit his tongue and held the venomous words at bay.

    Still, as if Coach Hoang could read his mind, his eyes narrowed. ¡®You know what, make it five laps.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s nostrils flared, but he took a deep breath and turned away. He dumped his bags on the bench, then set off on the first of his laps.

    By the time he was finished, the Bears had arrived.

    Denzel was at the head of the column, before even the coaches. He strode along the field with his massive shoulders pushed back, chest puffed out, his gold chain glittering in the afternoon sun. He looked even bigger than he had during their last encounter.

    His buddies were right behind him, mean-mugging the Dons, who stopped and stared at their foes.

    Denzel looked across the Dons, but his gaze rarely lingered. He glossed over them all, as if they were insignificant ¡­ all but one. His gaze stopped on JJ. His eyes hardened, and he snarled, gold tooth catching the light as well.

    JJ didn¡¯t blink. He stared back at Denzel, watching him the entire way. The fire Denzel saw in JJ¡¯s eyes infuriated him. How dare a peasant look at their king in such a way. Before the game was over, he promised he¡¯d stamp that fire out and scatter the ashes so far it¡¯d never burn again.

    Number 14 was at the tail end of the Bears¡¯ procession. He ambled along, arms behind his head, eyes closed. He didn¡¯t make eye contact with any of the Dons, though Ty was the only one watching him. Even so, Ty could¡¯ve sworn he saw those lips twitch into a smirk.

    Coach Hoang saw the way Ty looked at number 14 and muttered to himself. ¡®Need to find me a girl who looks at me like that.¡¯

    Only one other person watched the Bears with as much intensity. Their penetrating gaze made the hairs on the back of the boys¡¯ necks stand up. Denzel looked towards the sparse crowd. The stands were yet to fill, and only a few people were finding their seats. Jameis Kingston stood out like a black sheep in an empty field.

    He stood in the middle of the stands, hands on his hips, eyes locked on only Denzel.

    Denzel nodded towards his father, but Jameis didn¡¯t react. Under that ever-watchful eye, Denzel always played his best. Today would be no different.

    The Bears soon began their warm-ups, and noticing the way the new arrivals distracted his team, Coach Long called the Dons together, then ushered the boys to the Locker room. ¡®Everybody get ready. Time to lock in.¡¯

    The Dons marched off the field, staring at the Bears as they walked by. Only a few of the Bears stared back, Denzel chief among them. He and JJ locked eyes until JJ stepped into the tunnel leading to the locker room.

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about that lil bitch, Zel,¡¯ Derrick said. He came up behind Denzel, massaging his shoulders.

    Denzel shrugged him off. ¡®I ain¡¯t worried. I¡¯m gonna crush ALL those bugs.¡¯

    The others laughed and sneered at the Dons, watching them leave the field.

    Deshaun came up to JJ, arm around his shoulders, hand on the back of his neck. ¡®We gonna beat the smug look off of all those assholes¡¯ stupid faces,¡¯ he said.

    JJ nodded. ¡®The ¡°King¡± will be the one kneeling today.¡¯

    Ty captured Denzel¡¯s eyes next, but Denzel¡¯s scowl turned into a sneer at that. Ty¡¯s hands stopped shaking for the first time since he¡¯d gotten on the bus, then curled into fists.

    Their biggest test yet, the last thing holding them back from State, was staring them right in the face. But Ty knew they were ready, and he was gonna rip that sneer right off of Denzel¡¯s face along with his heart.

    Number 14 watched the Dons leave, saw Ty and Denzel¡¯s stare down, and grinned. A spark of excitement shot through him. Maybe this game wouldn¡¯t be as boring as their first battle.

    Coach Long watched his boys gear up for war. It could be their last¡ªevery battle could be their last now¡ªbut he knew this one wouldn¡¯t be. He felt it in the air. They were scared, but they were determined. The jokes had stopped, not because of their fear, no, they would¡¯ve been laughing to suppress the fear. They were locked in, perhaps before he even told them to.

    He had no words for the moment, there weren¡¯t any words needed. They all knew what was at stake, they knew what to do; they were ready.

    He raised his fist; they joined him. No countdown was needed. In perfect unison, they cried out: ¡°Family!¡±, then they marched back out to the field, ready for war.

 Chapter 181: The King Rides Again

    As the Dons returned to the field, muted cheers welcomed them. No player heard them, however. The Bears held their full focus.

    The Bears were just exiting the field and heading to their locker room. There were roughly 15 yards between the teams, close enough with such intense staring to feel like they were standing face-to-face.

    The Dons didn¡¯t blink, not this time. They fearlessly eyed their opponents up and down. The Bears sneered back, jeering and taunting, but the Dons were silent.

    Denzel ground his teeth together. The fire had spread to every eye in every Don. Infuriating. He looked forward to quenching them all.

    As the Dons began their final warm-ups and preparations for the game, time flew by and suddenly the officials were calling for team representatives to participate in the coin toss.

    Coach Long looked the team over, then picked out JJ, of course, as well as Chris, and finally¡­

    ¡®Tyrese. You¡¯re up.¡¯

    Brows raised, but Ty didn¡¯t complain. He stood, blank-faced, and joined the two captains as they walked out to the centre of the field.

    Denzel¡ªalong with his two most aggressive lackeys, Derrick and Zee¡ªmet them. Denzel had eyes for JJ only. His backup snickered, looking the Dons over with derision.

    ¡®We gonna crush you today,¡¯ Denzel said. ¡®I can promise you that. You ain¡¯t even gonna score a point. And YOU¡¯¡ªhe pointed at Chris¡ª¡®you ain¡¯t even gonna run for a yard.¡¯

    Chris frowned, his attention more on the two behind Denzel. He knew how formidable the Bears¡¯ D-Line was. Denzel¡¯s threat wasn¡¯t even much of an exaggeration, that probably was their goal for today.

    JJ stepped in front of Chris, jaw set, eyes locked on Denzel. ¡®We¡¯re not the ones losing today. We CAN¡¯T lose. Not anymore.¡¯

    Denzel laughed, the others laughing after him. ¡®YOU can¡¯t lose? That¡¯s us. You can¡¯t beat us. We ain¡¯t losin¡¯ EVER. We¡¯re runnin¡¯ through you, and everyone in our way to the State championship. And after that? I¡¯m takin¡¯ this team to the National championship, and we winnin¡¯ that too.¡¯

    Ty scoffed. Denzel looked at him for the first time. ¡®That¡¯s my line. I¡¯m never losing again. I¡¯m the one who¡¯ll drag my team all the way to Nationals. That trophy belongs to the best, so you already know it has my name on it.¡¯

    The head official moved between them. ¡®Leave it for the game, boys. Let¡¯s get this over with.¡¯ He turned to the Dons. ¡®Heads or tails?¡¯

    ¡®Tails,¡¯ Ty answered, not taking his eyes off Denzel.

    The coin flipped through the air between them, and landed at their feet; only the official watched it. ¡®Tails it is,¡¯ he said.

    Ty spoke first. ¡®We defer.¡¯

    ¡®We¡¯ll go that way,¡¯ Denzel said, pointing without looking. He went to leave, but Ty spoke again.

    ¡®Hey, I got a message you can deliver for me.¡¯

    Denzel scowled at him. Who did this bitch think he was treating The King like he was some delivery boy?

    ¡®Tell that dumb fuck number fourteen that he¡¯ll be targeted a lot today, but he won¡¯t catch shit.¡¯

    Denzel snarled, but the officials stepped in before anything else could happen. ¡®I told you to leave it for the game. Get back to your teams.¡¯

    Ty turned away from the meeting, leading the Dons back to the bench as both teams were separated.

    The game soon began with the Bears receiving the opening kickoff. Sleepy was back there to return it. Ty leaned forward in his seat, watching closely, but even after the ball was kicked, number 14 didn¡¯t move a muscle.

    The ball bounced through the end-zone and out the back of it for a touchback, and the Bears started the game at their 25-yard line.

    The teams lined up opposite one another, the Dons¡¯ defence staring down the Bears¡¯ offence. Opposing Linemen were close enough that their breath washed over their opponent¡¯s face. Already the air was heavy with tension, the expectant, full crowd silent with anticipation.

    Sleepy was very relaxed in his ¡°stance¡±, though really he was just standing there, sighing. Ty couldn¡¯t relax; it could¡¯ve just been bait, even if he knew the Bears wouldn¡¯t pass first.

    Everyone knew a run was coming. The real question was, could the Dons stop it?

    The Bears snapped the ball and immediately handed it to Denzel. He headed up the middle, with Derrick leading the charge. The line parted for them.

    Donte jumped across from the edge and met Derrick, each of them taking the other out of the equation.

    It was only the first actual play of the game, yet already there was a one-on-one confrontation between JJ and Denzel.

    Neither man backed down. They lowered their shoulders and rammed into one another, each looking to make a statement, each looking to take control of the game.

    JJ lowered his grip, taking Denzel around the waist, clinging to his hips as he tried to lift him and force him back. But it was JJ who slipped back, then fell.

    The sky came into view as Denzel ran onwards, hammering through JJ who clung on. He desperately held onto Denzel¡¯s drilling legs as they tore through the turf. Denzel dragged him forward a few further yards, but then Zayden speared into Denzel, and the three crashed.

    Still, the run was good for 7 yards, and Denzel was the one who came away feeling like he made a statement.

    He stood up on his own, shrugging his shoulders like he was shrugging off the Dons¡¯ entire defence. He grinned down at JJ, gold gleaming right in the middle of his smile. ¡®By the end of the game, you¡¯ll be kneeling at my feet. Either by choice, or by force after I break your fucking legs.¡¯

    Denzel stomped off. JJ wasn¡¯t fazed. He stood with the help of his teammates, then checked on Zayden, thanking him for his help. He rallied the team for the next down. It didn¡¯t matter they hadn¡¯t fully stopped Denzel, they¡¯d try again, as many times as it took.

    Of course, the Bears ran again, this time to the outside, away from Ty. Whilst Deshaun got around his block, Derrick was out fast and met him head on, holding him off.

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    But that left Donte free after he got around his block on the edge and sealed it off. He was the first to meet Denzel this time. And he got crushed.

    His arms swiped at the air as Denzel¡¯s heavy hand slapped into his helmet and shoved him over, slamming his head to the ground as Denzel turned upfield.

    Donte still clawed and grabbed at Denzel, however he could, even as he bounced off the turf. He bought enough time for JJ to rush over before Denzel could fully get around the edge and into the open field.

    JJ wrapped up Denzel¡¯s legs and wrestled him down. The run only gained 5 yards this time, but it was still too many, and it was more than enough for a first down.

    Ty watched warily, his eyes on Denzel even as he lined up directly opposite Sleepy. Ty knew he couldn¡¯t over-commit to the run. When it was all the way over on the other side of the field, or even up the middle, he felt useless¡­ but he couldn¡¯t leave Sleepy alone, he couldn¡¯t get burnt by Play-Action.

    Sleepy yawned. ¡®Ugh¡­ I¡¯m dying of boredom out here ¡­ I thought you guys were better. I HOPED you were.¡¯

    Ty turned his frustrated, feral sights to Sleepy.

    ¡®How¡¯d you beat the Vikings if you¡¯re still not strong enough to stop that arrogant asshole over there? I mean, it looks like he¡¯ll run you over all by himself, just the way he likes it ¡­ and I won¡¯t even have to do anything. Watch.¡¯

    The Vikings snapped the ball. Sleepy¡¯s drawling speech had trapped Ty¡¯s attention long enough for him to miss the snap. But the play was another run, of course, and it was heading their way.

    Ty burst forward, and Sleepy made no move to block him until he was already away. Even then it was a pitiful attempt, only meant to look like he had tried.

    Denzel rounded the edge of the Line, and Ty pounced. A hand like a frying pan smashed into his chest, and even with the protective gear on, it felt like a small car ramming into him.

    Jake¡¯s words reverberated in Ty¡¯s ears, telling him to grab hold of any limb and pull, so that¡¯s what he did. He snatched Denzel¡¯s arm as he tumbled back, trying to pull the King with him.

    Donte was in pursuit from the opposite edge as well, and he lunged at a slowed Denzel as Ty still had a hold of him. He wrapped up Denzel¡¯s legs, but still The King charged forward, dragging both boys with him.

    He was stopped only when JJ made it past the lead blockers and flattened Denzel, leveling him with a huge but fair hit.

    JJ never tried to hurt his opponents, yet this hit would¡¯ve put a lesser man out for a week or two. Denzel, however, shrugged it off and was the first one back to his feet.

    It had taken three Dons to stop him. Still, he¡¯d picked up a yard for each Don.

    When Ty lined back up in his usual position, Sleepy wasn¡¯t impressed. Number 14 sighed over dramatically. ¡®OKAY. I guess I¡¯ll have to block you, but still, where¡¯s the fun in that, huh? Can¡¯t you guys stop him?¡¯

    ¡®Shut the fuck up,¡¯ Ty snapped, still rubbing his chest.

    Sleepy smirked, but quieted. Even though the Bears had had diminishing results from their runs so far, they still kept the ball on the ground, going back up the middle.

    It went much like the first play, with the Line parting perfectly for Denzel despite the Dons¡¯ best efforts, then came the head-on collision with JJ.

    And much like the first play, JJ got ran over, though held onto Denzel and dragged him down alone this time. The result was still a gain of 5 yards, but importantly, it had stopped the Bears from picking up the first down.

    The teams huddled up. Over with the Bears, the play came in. The QB repeated it. ¡®We¡¯ve got RF Big Stick Flick and Go.¡¯

    He¡¯d only just finished relaying the orders when Denzel grabbed his shoulder in a painfully tight grip and yanked him forward. ¡®You¡¯re giving me the ball. No one¡¯s stopping me. I don¡¯t give a shit if those pussies put their whole team at the Line.¡¯

    The QB squirmed in Denzel¡¯s grip, a bead of sweat running down his face. He was a meek kid named John. He had been ecstatic to learn he earned the starting job in just his sophomore year ¡­ but throughout the season he¡¯d realised why the others had quit¡ªbeing Denzel¡¯s QB was being The King¡¯s head butler.

    ¡®B-But Coach said ¡­ he¡¯ll be upset if we change it,¡¯ John said.

    Denzel eased off. He smoothed John¡¯s uniform over his shoulder pad and pat it down. A good king needed to know when to rule with kindness, or an iron fist. ¡®Coach won¡¯t be upset because we¡¯ll still get the first down. Besides, you¡¯ll look like a genius for calling an audible and getting the first down. So give. Me. The. Ball.¡¯

    John wet his dry lips, then nodded rapidly. As the Bears lined up, the play was switched from the Play-Action pass it was supposed to be to another Dive up the middle.

    The Dons expected the run, hinged on it. JJ was positioned more as a DT than a LB, and then Zayden had crept down so much he¡¯d taken JJ¡¯s old spot.

    Denzel was given the ball once more, and he didn¡¯t care who was in his way, he was getting that first down. He bulled his way forward, smashing through whoever was in his path. He and Derrick shoved past JJ, the other two falling to the wayside as Denzel charged onward.

    Even Zayden wasn¡¯t saved from the King¡¯s warpath. He crumbled in his attempt to tackle Denzel. More reinforcements swarmed and eventually brought down Denzel, but he¡¯d easily gained enough to secure the first down.

    That was the story of the Bears¡¯ first drive. They marched down the field, their run, Denzel, unstoppable. Passing was unnecessary. They reached the goal-line with nothing but rushes, and the first quarter was already halfway over.

    Coach Long grumbled on the sideline. ¡®They sure eat up a lot of clock.¡¯

    Coach Hoang sighed. ¡®Yes, it¡¯s another strength of their offence, and another problem we¡¯ll have to overcome. Their relentless running assault doesn¡¯t just grind the other team down, but the clock, too. Once you fall behind, they don¡¯t leave you with much time for a comeback.¡¯

    ¡®But the same applies if things go the other way,¡¯ Coach Norman interjected. ¡®It¡¯s a double-edged sword. If we take the lead, they¡¯ll only be hurting themselves by using so much time.¡¯

    ¡®Hah! We¡¯d need to stop them first to get a lead,¡¯ Coach Hoang laughed.

    Coach Long slapped him on the shoulder, smiling. Reassurance beamed from the Head Coach. ¡®I know our boys can do it.¡¯

    Coach Hoang didn¡¯t share the same faith, not as strong anyway. He looked towards the field, watching the teams line up. ¡®Let¡¯s see if they can prove it right here. Even though this is just the first drive, this goal-line stand is so important for the game.¡¯

    Behind them, Bella had her hands clasped together as she hunched forward on the bench. She whispered to herself. ¡®Please. I know you can do it. Stop them here. You HAVE to.¡¯

    Those on the field understood the gravity of the situation. Ty, chief among them, could already feel the game slipping away. It was worse than it slipping through his fingers, that made it sound like he had a chance to grab hold and stop it, but so far, he hadn¡¯t even had that opportunity.

    He looked at JJ. For some reason, it pained him to think that maybe he¡¯d been wrong about JJ, and he couldn¡¯t beat Denzel. Ty shook his head and turned back to number 14.

    ¡®Are you too pussy to throw? Is that it? You just going to run the whole game?¡¯

    Sleepy¡¯s shoulders would¡¯ve slumped further, if that was possible. He looked even more disappointed than Ty, but such petty insults wouldn¡¯t garner a rise out of him. ¡®Of course we will. If you guys can¡¯t stop it, why would we stop doing it? This isn¡¯t some throwaway game like before; we won¡¯t test you guys. This is life or death. We¡¯ll do whatever it takes to win, no matter how¡¯¡ªhe yawned¡ª¡®boring that is.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s teeth ground together like gears in a machine. He looked towards the large clump of bodies around the middle of the field. The Bears were only 5 yards away from the end-zone. JJ was back in his Lineman-like position. Almost everyone, barring Ty himself and Deshaun, were crowding around the Linemen.

    ¡®For both our sakes,¡¯ Sleepy said, ¡®I hope you guys stop Denzel. I really might die of boredom if you can¡¯t.¡¯

    The Bears snapped the ball. Ty rushed from his spot, racing to the middle of the field. Predictably, Denzel took the ball. The run came up the middle. The Don wall held strong for once, leaving no openings as they stood their ground and dug their cleats in. Even JJ blocked Derrick.

    Denzel didn¡¯t hesitate, didn¡¯t change course, and stubbornly bashed his way through, driving forward and pushing the wall of bodies with him. He didn¡¯t get far, but he inched forward a few yards. However, the Dons kept him out of the end-zone for one more play.

    Despite Ty¡¯s efforts, the play was over too quickly for him to do anything, and there were too many bodies around the ball for him to get involved, anyway.

    The teams lined up again in identical formations. Everyone knew what the Bears were going to do. Stopping it was still a near-impossible task.

    Denzel took the ball and charged forward again. The Dons dug their cleats in again, but they couldn¡¯t hold against the repeated barrage. They slipped further back.

    JJ shrugged off Derrick and met Denzel, but even he caved and fell back. Denzel swarming over him, stretching out as they fell, and reaching into the end-zone.

    Once again, it was over too quick for Ty to do anything from his position. He could only watch as the officials came in and signalled a touchdown.

    The Bears opened the scoring, and their cheers were a growling roar that shook the field. Denzel pushed himself up, staring down at JJ as he stood amidst the wave of celebrations.

    ¡®I won¡¯t tell you again: kneel, or crumble.¡¯

 Chapter 182: Kneel or Crumble

    As kicking teams from both sides took to the field, the defence and the offence shuffled over to their respective benches, the Dons already much more bruised than when they began.

    ¡®Keep your heads up, boys,¡¯ Coach Long said, welcoming each Don back personally. ¡®It¡¯s just the start of the game, there¡¯s still plenty of time left.¡¯

    ¡®It¡¯s only one score,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. He locked eyes with Ty, saw the anger simmering beneath the surface, and turned to the rest of the defence. ¡®You¡¯ll do better next time.¡¯

    The extra point was successful and pushed the score out to an early Bears¡¯ lead of 7¨C0.

    But after that, it was the Dons¡¯ turn on offence. Or at least for them to receive the kickoff.

    Chris knew how hard it¡¯d be for him to affect the game the way he usually did on the ground. The Bears¡¯ run defence was possibly the strongest he¡¯d ever faced. For good reason, seeing as they constantly practiced against Denzel.

    Maybe Chris could involve himself in the passing game some more, but another way he could still influence the game was through his returns. It was this that gave him a little extra motivation.

    Weaving his way through the Bears¡¯ kicking team, getting a feel for them and how the turf felt under his cleats, he returned the ball to the 31-yard line, where the Dons would start their first drive of the day.

    Up first for the Dons, was a Curl over the middle to Benny. The pass was successful, skating by just over Denzel¡¯s head, and earned them 8 yards.

    Then the Bears reinforced just how formidable their run-stopping D-Line really was on the next play. Chris had nowhere to go, and in fact, LOST a yard instead of gaining anything.

    The Dons were pushed back to third down, with 3 yards to go. However, they weren¡¯t panicking. They still had their plan; they knew what to do.

    Even without a plan, Stephen was strong enough to find an opening on a quick Slant. Jay wasn¡¯t under pressure. He could¡¯ve let the play develop further for something grander down the field, but he took what the defence was giving him, and hit Stephen in stride.

    Stephen ran straight into Denzel after 6 yards, but he held onto the ball and secured the first down for the Dons.

    The celebrations were miniature, but every win was meaningful, even if it was just a first down. While the Dons were feeling hopeful, the Bears weren¡¯t threatened, not yet.

    The Dons worked themselves into a groove, following their game plan. They kept giving the ball over to Chris on a handoff on either first or second down, even if he was stopped for no gain, or only one yard repeatedly.

    But while the runs weren¡¯t working, their willingness to keep trying led credence to their Play-Action, and helped suck the defence further in to open their passing lanes.

    Whilst the Bears¡¯ D-Line was formidable and possibly the best in the state at stopping the run, their pass rush was almost the opposite. They were content with containing Jay, holding to their run defence and blocking off gaps. Rarely was Jay under pressure, and with good clean pockets, he could pick the defence apart.

    Of course, they constantly targeted the middle of the field, going after the crown and the King who wore it like they¡¯d get bonus points for it. The runs, the Play-Action, even sending Chris out on a Wheel or Angle route, or just having him drift over to the flat as the outlet, was good enough to distract Denzel. That meant there were plenty of openings to exploit in the space he left behind in the middle.

    With this method of attack, the Dons marched downfield, closer to the end-zone. It frustrated the hell out of the supposedly infallible King.

    But even when an attack was varied, if it kept coming back to the same spot repeatedly, eventually it got predictable.

    The Dons tried Play-Action after a lacklustre run of only 1 yard on the previous play, and while it drew Denzel slightly out of position, he recovered quickly, and pounced at the pass intended for Cole on his Cross route.

    He slapped the ball out of the air, pushing the Dons to third down once more. They had to pass again, and knowing that, Denzel would sit on anything over the middle. Everyone knew they¡¯d have to pass on third and nine ¡­ so that¡¯s why they did the opposite.

    It was the perfect time for their first Draw play. The Bears¡¯ D-Line finally got the green light to abandon their run lanes, and blitz the QB, however, it came at the worst time for them and the best time for the Dons.

    When Jay dropped back, Bears went screaming around the edge of the Line, circling to the back of the Pocket. So when he handed the ball over to Chris, the middle of the field was clear and Chris had all the space he needed.

    Chris rushed ahead. The Bears were late to realise what had happened even with their fans and their sideline screaming ¡°Draw¡±, warning them the Dons were running.

    Denzel had his back turned, chasing after another Cross. When he whipped around to find Chris, Chris spun away around his back and continued his mad dash.

    Eventually, after 17 yards, Chris was forced out of bounds, but not before he¡¯d dragged the Dons into the red zone. During this brilliant run, time expired in the first quarter.

    After such a run¡ªhis first going for over 3 yards, let alone 10 or more¡ªand such a resilient effort throughout the drive, Chris was given a break even after the second quarter began, as Cameron took his place.

    Chris was welcomed on the bench like a hero. Deshaun threw an arm around his shoulders, dragging him to the bench.

    ¡®Did you motherfuckers see that shit? He had that dumbass out there turnin¡¯ ¡®round like he a bitch chasin¡¯ his own goddamn tail!¡¯

    Laughter consumed the bench. Deshaun was the loudest, laughing at his own joke. Chris grinned bashfully.

    ¡®I think all the steroids are going to that guy¡¯s brain,¡¯ Zayden said. ¡®A bitch is right. He looks like a dog chasing cars on a highway; he never knows which one to choose.¡¯

    More laughter floated over the sideline, though JJ cut it short when he smacked Zayden¡¯s shoulder. ¡®Hey, we don¡¯t need to say shit like that. He might be a puta but we don¡¯t need to disrespect his hard work by accusing him of cheating.¡¯

    Zayden apologised as others murmured.

    Coach Hoang rolled towards the group. ¡®Besides,¡¯ he said, ¡®it¡¯ll be all the sweeter when you beat him, knowing that your hard work and determination were greater than his.¡¯

    JJ nodded in agreement, and the others settled. Attention turned back to the game.

    Ty had kept his mouth shut throughout the commotion, though he¡¯d been watching. Those most excited by the prospect of the Dons scoring were none other than their defensive unit. They knew it meant a chance to redeem themselves, another chance to stop the Bears. As long as the game was close¡ªand the offence could score¡ªall they needed was just one stop.

    Back on the field, the Dons lined up in formation. They had no intention of stopping until they reached the end-zone, they¡¯d settle for no less. And they didn¡¯t plan on wasting any time doing so.

    With their repeated passes over the middle, it wasn¡¯t just Denzel who¡¯d noticed and had to shift how he played¡ªthough they hoped the long run up the gut had given him something to think about¡ªit was also the rest of the defence.

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    They¡¯d all been sucked in, shifting closer to the middle of the field bit by bit, like they were slowly collapsing in on themselves, and now the Dons looked to exploit that.

    Now they were in the red zone, they could work quickly enough that Stephen would be isolated one-on-one down the sideline, so that¡¯s exactly where Jay went.

    It was a deep ball, though not too deep now that they were within 20 yards of their goal, and it was that fact that prevented the Safety from recovering and scrambling over to make it a two-on-one in the Bears¡¯ favour.

    It was a pass Jay, and Stephen had practiced countless times throughout their four years together as Dons. And their connection was perfect. Jay knew exactly how Stephen leveraged his height, and how he liked to run, and Stephen knew exactly how Jay¡¯s rainbow dropped and when to look for the ball. Though this late in their careers together, they probably could¡¯ve done it with their eyes closed.

    Stephen stretched up in the back corner of the end-zone, toes dragging through the turf as he caught the ball high above his head, where only he could reach it.

    The Dons¡¯ side of the stands erupted this time, and the reception was confirmed. The touchdown was signalled, and the Dons had struck back on the first play of the second quarter.

    Their extra point was also successful, and the scores were level once again. As the ball sailed through the uprights for the extra point, Denzel was glaring at it so hard it was a wonder it didn¡¯t burst into flames.

    The fact the Dons had been targeting HIM, not just the middle of the field, hadn¡¯t been lost on Denzel. And for one who referred to themselves as The King, such an affront was unacceptable.

    Steam billowed off him as he watched the kickoff that followed the Dons¡¯ score. Sleepy again stood by and did nothing as it rolled through the end-zone and out the back of it. Denzel didn¡¯t care, he wouldn¡¯t have cared if they started at their own 1-yard line; he¡¯d still run through anyone that stood in his way.

    He was mad, and he ran madly, like a bull rampaging through Pamplona. He might¡¯ve been alone, but he held the fury of an entire herd.

    The Dons felt that fury on the first play of the new drive, when Denzel charged forward for his¡ªand the game¡¯s¡ªgreatest run of the day.

    Denzel ripped the ball from John¡¯s hands, almost taking the snap directly, and then powered ahead, overtaking Derrick in a couple of strides. He burst through the opening up the middle of the field.

    JJ jumped in front of his path, a fearless matador, yet it was the bull who avoided him. Denzel¡¯s powerful legs led to sharp, long cuts. Where he could simply step left, others had to jump right to cut him off, and when they were in the air, he could cut back. And with a helping shove, he made sure his obstacles didn¡¯t get back in his way.

    JJ went flying and crashed out of the play, but the rest of the Dons were swarming, relentlessly pursuing Denzel. Those left behind struggled to catch up. Denzel was almost the largest man on the field; it was unfair that he was almost the fastest as well.

    Deshaun was the next fearless Don to attempt to stop the running of the bull, and Zayden swept forward to help. But even with their combined efforts, they could hardly slow Denzel.

    One arm fended off Deshaun, whilst the other shoulder burrowed through Zayden¡¯s chest. Deshaun clung to Denzel¡¯s arm and leg, trying to rip him down any way he could, but his attempts were fruitless, just like Zayden¡¯s attempts to strip the ball from Denzel before he was steamrolled.

    Denzel broke free and outpaced the last Safety, angling away from them. He was home free, in the open air, with nothing but green grass in front of him.

    Nobody had caught Denzel in such a situation. He was so strong in close quarters, but so fast that when he had nothing but green around him like this, it was a guaranteed touchdown.

    No one should¡¯ve been able to catch him. ¡­ Ty did.

    One moment, Denzel was racing towards the end-zone, the next, he was face down on the turf, with no idea of how it¡¯d happened.

    Those in the crowd and on the sideline saw something spectacular. Even they thought Denzel would go all the way. Ty almost seemed to pop out of nowhere. But he was there the whole time.

    Whilst Denzel was like a rampaging bull, Ty was like a hunting cheetah, almost flying across the turf before pouncing on his larger prey and taking that wildebeest down to the ground.

    Denzel¡¯s run had gone 52 yards before Ty stopped him, and even as he pushed himself up to his knees, he still couldn¡¯t believe he wasn¡¯t in the end-zone. Even more unbelievable, was the way Ty looked down at him.

    Ty stood over the fallen king, glaring down at Denzel as if he hadn¡¯t just run for over 50 yards, more like Ty had stopped him in the backfield.

    Denzel quickly rose, towering over Ty. But even as their eyes remained locked, somehow Ty was still looking down on him despite being the far shorter man.

    ¡®I¡¯m gonna have so much fun crushin¡¯ an insect like you,¡¯ Denzel snarled. ¡®You¡¯ll be dust beneath my boots.¡¯

    Ty grinned. ¡®I wonder what your face of despair looks like. When I rip your heart out and crush your dreams in the palm of my hand, how will that arrogant face look then?¡¯

    ¡®Keep wonderin¡¯. You¡¯ll only see it in your imagination, freak.¡¯ Denzel shoved past him and stomped back to his huddle.

    Ty laughed it off, though his smile dropped when he turned back to his own huddle. He was glad to have taken down Denzel and ripped the touchdown away from him, but he shouldn¡¯t have had to. His teammates knew that too.

    ¡®Good tackle, hermano, you really saved our asses there,¡¯ JJ said, pulling Ty close.

    The others nodded, panting as they simultaneously thanked Ty and apologised about letting Denzel through.

    Ty¡¯s frown evaporated, and he looked away. ¡®Yeah, don¡¯t mention it. Just make sure it doesn¡¯t happen again.¡¯

    ¡®No. We can¡¯t let Ty¡¯s tackle go to waste. We have to stop them now. That puta doesn¡¯t get any further, you hear me?¡¯

    ¡®YEAH!¡¯

    Enthusiasm spilled over from the Dons'' huddle as they broke apart and took their positions, bouncing on their toes as they awaited the snap, eyes locked on Denzel.

    Now could¡¯ve been another great opportunity for Play-Action, with the Dons so focused on the run, and it would¡¯ve been a good chance to let Denzel rest a bit after his long run. The Bears realised that ¡­ except Denzel didn¡¯t care, and a king always got what he wanted, no matter if it was a detriment to his kingdom or not.

    John handed the ball over, straight up the middle. It had been their best play so far.

    But the Dons wall held strong, and JJ was down in a flash, shoving Derrick back. Denzel charged ahead and bulldozed his way through Derrick and JJ, collapsing over the top of them for a gain of 3 yards.

    Even the coach acquiesced on the next play and directly called for another run, this one back to the outside on a Stretch.

    Denzel took the handoff and raced towards the edge. However, just as he passed it¡ªstaying tight to the line¡ªand turned upfield, Donte lunged out. He swiped at Denzel¡¯s legs, and while he didn¡¯t bring The King down, he kept him from fully straightening, and started him stumbling, which led him right to Deshaun¡¯s waiting arms.

    Deshaun was the one to wrap him up and bend him back, and this time they stopped him for only 2 yards.

    They were doing it. They were stopping The King.

    Denzel¡¯s teammates scooped him up and helped him back to the huddle. He shrugged them off on the way, panting hard. He glared past his huddle at the Dons; the steam pouring off him faded.

    ¡®Denzel¡­ Coach really wants us to pass, I-I don¡¯t think we can change it this time,¡¯ John said.

    Even Sleepy was waking up, his eyes wide and alert. There was a strange but familiar feeling in the air. Denzel was a stubborn bastard, but he was still a boy deep down, and every child feared something. Denzel¡ªlike any egotistical star¡ªfeared the team would be better without him. The game against the Vikings had felt like this on the last drive.

    Denzel¡¯s head whipped around to John. His eyes narrow slits. ¡®Whatever you think Coach can do to you, I can do a lot worse, white boy.¡¯

    To make it as a QB, you had to command the respect of your O-Line. If the people protecting you didn¡¯t respect you, why would they give their all to protect you? The Bears¡¯ O-Line was nearly wholly made up of Denzel¡¯s closest friends. Sure, they protected John, but only because that benefitted the Bears, and in turn, Denzel, they sure as hell didn¡¯t respect John.

    Everyone on the Bears knew who The King was, and they ALL bowed down to him in the end.

    The Bears once again ignored their coach¡¯s designed play and called an audible to switch it to a run.

    Denzel attacked the same edge as the last play, determined to hit it harder and crush the pussy bitch who had tripped him before. However, he wouldn¡¯t get the chance, as Donte jumped out, sealing the edge.

    Denzel shot for the gap between his Tackle and Guard, though it was narrow and closing further. He forced his way through it, stumbling out. Again he was off balance when a Don hit him, and this time it was none other but JJ.

    It was a powerful hit, the hardest he¡¯d faced that year. It rattled his brain and bruised his bones. Worst of all, it awoke painful memories. Memories of his failure during last year¡¯s championship game. That¡¯s the kind of hit it was. Almost as strong as HIM.

    Denzel held onto the ball. He almost popped it right out of its leather, but he held onto it. He¡¯d only gained another 2 yards, and there were still 3 more to go for another first down. But the Bears were on fourth down, and their kicking team was already coming out for a field goal.

    Despite the heavy hit, Denzel was back up swiftly, glaring death at JJ. JJ answered the glare with a cold but fiery gaze.

    Denzel had to be dragged off the field before he booted the kicking team back to the bench. He was furious, a mad, raving dog, and no one wanted any piece of that fury, not even the coaches. They said nothing to him when he was on the bench.

    Jameis watched on, silent and impervious, his face a blank slate. It was impossible to read his feelings about his son¡¯s actions and transgressions.

    The Dons¡¯ defence returned to the bench, triumphant even though the Bears were in field goal range. Even forcing Denzel and the Bears to settle for a field goal felt like a victory, especially after that massive run.

    Ty watched the Bears¡¯ bench. The Dons had stopped them from scoring a touchdown at least. Maybe they¡¯d start passing soon. ¡°They have to.¡± But he also knew they¡¯d still run more than they passed, and Denzel would be pissed again after getting embarrassed like that.

    The question was, would the Dons hold out long enough for him to run out of steam again?

 Chapter 183: Target the Crown

    The Bears¡¯ field goal went off with no problem and split the uprights. The score sat at 10¨C7, with the Bears holding a small, uncomfortable lead.

    Now the most pertinent question became: could the Dons take the lead?

    That was certainly the goal of their offence, and the hope of their defence.

    As the kickoff was underway, Stephen pulled Benny and Cole aside, huddling close with them. ¡® ¡®Sup?¡¯ Cole asked.

    ¡®I know I ain¡¯t gotta tell you,¡¯ Stephen said, ¡®but imma say it, anyway. The team¡¯s relying on us today. It¡¯s the Bears¡¯ running, versus our passing, so we need to carry the load offensively.¡¯

    ¡®We know,¡¯ Benny said. ¡®We¡¯re not gonna lose.¡¯

    ¡®Never again to these bastards,¡¯ Cole added.

    ¡®Haha. I¡¯m glad to hear it, fellas,¡¯ Coach Norman said, joining the small huddle. The three boys stared at him. ¡®It¡¯s good having smart players like you guys on the team. You know what you need to do. I¡¯m just here to guide you towards the best way of achieving that.¡¯

    ¡®What do you need, Coach?¡¯ Stephen asked.

    ¡®I want you, and you¡¯¡ªhe pointed at Stephen, then Cole¡ª¡®to draw the defence¡¯s attention. You¡¯ll streak across the field with big, scary routes. Then Benny boy, you¡¯ll be the one to pick apart the defence, find the gaps the others create for you, and exploit them.¡¯

    Cole and Benny nodded, on board with the plan immediately. Coach Norman noticed Stephen¡¯s hesitation, and the frown spread across his lips.

    ¡®Stephen, you¡¯re not just a diversion. The key to any good diversion is that it¡¯s a genuine threat. One that¡¯s impossible to leave alone. If you¡¯re open, and if they don¡¯t cover you, you¡¯ll get the ball and it¡¯ll be a deep shot. I just need you all working together as a team.¡¯

    ¡®Yes, Sir,¡¯ Stephen said.

    ¡®Good! Now get out there and make us proud.¡¯ Coach Norman left them. The offence marched onto the field after Chris¡¯s return reached the Dons¡¯ 34-yard line.

    With the threat of their run and Play-Action already established from the first drive, the Dons didn¡¯t hand the ball over to Chris as much on this drive. He still saw the ball occasionally, but usually on passes out in the flat.

    Otherwise, they were looking downfield, and using Cole and Stephen as Coach Norman intended. They were still working the middle of the field, of course, still attacking Denzel.

    Cole flashed across Denzel¡¯s face on shallow Crosses and quick Slants, and if Denzel didn¡¯t cover him, then Jay worked the ball into a gap for a short gain.

    But even if Denzel covered Cole, then that meant a Safety had to drop down and cover Stephen who slashed across the field deeper, just beyond Denzel¡¯s usual position.

    If no one helped there, then Stephen was open for a much larger gain, and that¡¯s when the Dons could really chew through the yards.

    Denzel could try covering Stephen. Sometimes he shifted from Cole to Stephen pretty smoothly, and other times he stuck with Cole and someone else covered Stephen. But even that left openings, which is where Benny shined.

    He was great at plugging up the gaps in the defence, finding them, filling them, and providing Jay a big target when all else was blocked off.

    With their three top Receivers working in unison, and even Chris helping in the passing game as an extra outlet, the Dons crawled towards the end-zone, and were once again threatening to score.

    All throughout the drive, Denzel had been pinned down to the middle, then pulled this way and that. He wasn¡¯t just stuck between a rock and a hard place; he was getting torn apart by them as they kept moving further away.

    Suddenly, the Dons were only 7 yards away from their goal. Denzel and the Bears had been powerless. It was a terrible feeling, one Denzel resented with all his being ¡­ it hit too close to home, too close to the championship. Football was supposed to be his domain. When he stepped on the field, he was King.

    The Bears had grown desperate to stop the Dons¡¯ passing. The formidable D-Line wall had cracked apart and shifted to a wild but clumsy pass rush, though the pressure generated was slight and inconsistent.

    Jay was still as cool as a cucumber in the Pocket on each pass. But now it was time for the finishing blow, and the Dons thought another Draw would be the perfect way to cap everything off.

    Jay took the snap and dropped back, eyes downfield, staring down Denzel like he had been most passes. He handed Chris the ball without even looking at him.

    The wall in front of them opened up as the Bears ran wide around it. Chris burst forward, but so did Denzel. He reached the hole almost before Chris did.

    There was no room to manoeuvre, no way to avoid the freight train coming his way. Denzel ploughed through Chris and knocked him off his feet. The ball tumbled to the ground as Denzel drove Chris into the turf.

    There was a loud call of ¡°FUMBLE!¡± as a thousand voices all cried in unison. The Bears, like sharks smelling blood, snapped away from their blitzes and darted for the loose ball.

    They pounced, but Jay did too. He arrived first, smothering the ball as he was crunched under a heavy pile of Bears. They all felt as heavy as grizzlies as they crushed him, but he didn¡¯t let go of that ball, even as they tried ripping it from his grasp.

    The officials rushed in as more Dons and Bears piled onto the heap, fighting for the ball. It took them a while to get to the bottom of such a heavy pile, but when they did, Jay was still there, curled around the ball.

    The Dons maintained possession, though they¡¯d lost a yard to do so. They still had plenty of time for a touchdown, and a few more chances.

    They wouldn¡¯t hand it off again. They¡¯d go back to the air, back to Stephen and that trusted, fruitful connection. No one could beat him if Jay just threw it up for the giant. That¡¯s what everyone thought.

    So the Dons, under the guidance of their coaches, used that belief, as another bit of misdirection.

    Stephen lined up inside of Cole on the next play, and when the ball was snapped, he, of course, darted towards the back corner of the end-zone. Cole cut underneath him, then shot up into a Slant.

    Both defenders followed Stephen, viewing him as the greater threat, the slight rub confusing them. They left Cole wide open, which had been the Dons¡¯ scheme all along. Jay found him easily, and Cole leapt into the end-zone before the Bears even knew what had gone wrong.

    The Dons had scored a touchdown. They hadn¡¯t just tied the game, but taken the lead. The extra point secured it at 10¨C14, and the Dons celebrated as if they¡¯d just hit the dagger in game seven.

    The game was still young, still only in the first half; the Dons couldn¡¯t rest on their laurels. It was time for another kickoff, and Coach Long had noticed number fourteen¡¯s lack of movement when returning. So before the Dons¡¯ kicking team took the field, he instructed them to kick the ball short of the end-zone, and draw the returner out.

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    The Dons did so, and it forced Sleepy out. He cottoned on pretty quick that the ball wouldn¡¯t reach the end-zone in its flight. He rolled his head back and groaned. Still, he didn¡¯t move, maybe it¡¯d bounce good for him.

    It didn¡¯t. The ball bounced up, then towards him, where it rolled to a stop 3 yards outside of the end-zone, 3 yards away from a touchback. Sleepy sighed and came forward, scooping up the ball.

    He spun away from a Don immediately after picking it up, then rushed forward. He swayed back and forth, weaving through the wave of Dons, working his way upfield, and was only stopped at the Bears¡¯ 37-yard line.

    Possibly the only thing that saved the Dons from giving up a touchdown on the return was the fact it took so long for Sleepy to get going. If he attacked the ball and caught it on the full, he could¡¯ve gone all the way.

    The field darkened when Denzel stepped on it. He stared ahead, not daring to look at the gaze boring into him from the crowd. It was like thousands of icy needles pricking him all over; he knew that kind of look could only come from one man.

    The Bears were desperate and angry. This drive would be more dangerous and volatile than the ones before. Dangerous for which side, however, remained to be seen.

    Ty stood in front of Sleepy, eyes narrowed. That return had been a good showcase of how deceptively shifty Sleepy was when he wanted.

    ¡®I hope you enjoyed that,¡¯ Ty said. ¡®Those returns are going to be the only time you touch the ball.¡¯

    ¡®Please tell your coach to kick the ball into the end-zone. I really don¡¯t like running like that. ¡­ It¡¯s so boring.¡¯

    Ty¡¯s eyes stayed narrow until the snap of the ball. His head snapped around towards the middle of the field, watching the handoff, but for the first time that day, the QB came away with the ball in his grasp.

    Sleepy burst ahead, gliding by Ty, who turned and stuck with him, glued to his hip. Sleepy shifted outside, and Ty flowed with him, even when he straightened back up a step later.

    Ty stayed on him, but he knew Sleepy was just testing him, baiting reactions and seeing how his defence had developed or changed, if at all. Their last encounter had been two months ago, and Ty knew he¡¯d grown since then. Sleepy knew too; he was trying to figure out how much.

    John threw the ball over to the other side of the field, where Deshaun had been caught slipping, and the Receiver made the grab on a Curl for 8 yards before Deshaun recovered and tackled him.

    Ty and Sleepy eased off, Sleepy grinning at him. ¡®Ah¡­ thanks for stopping us last drive, now the fun can FINALLY begin. ¡­ I reckon we¡¯re gonna have a lot of fun together, aren¡¯t we?¡¯

    Ty bounced on his toes and shook his arms loose. It took a while, but his blood was finally pumping. ¡®Oh yeah, it¡¯ll be fun. Not sure how much fun you¡¯ll have getting locked up, though.¡¯

    Sleepy laughed, his smile stretching wider. ¡®We¡¯ll see.¡¯

    After the reception, Denzel was given the ball, and picked up the first down plus 4 extra yards on the ground. He was running mad again, like he was trying to punish and hurt the Dons.

    They kept running after that. Denzel bullied his way ahead, picking up 5 to 7 yards every time he touched the ball as he smashed through whatever stood in his way.

    But every snap, Ty was jumpy, sticking back and watching Sleepy, always expecting another pass.

    Sleepy didn¡¯t care about blocking or selling the run, either. He went for a method of blocking that was just him bluffing a route and pulling Ty away from the area even if it was a run going their way.

    The Bears moved into field goal range, and Denzel was given yet another handoff, this time on a Counter. He cutback hard, running against the grain. Near everyone was fooled by it ¡­ but JJ wasn¡¯t.

    He saw Denzel through the mess of bodies between them and mirrored him as they broke towards the open side of the Line.

    Denzel met him and gave him a forearm to the throat, pushing him off. JJ¡¯s airway was shut off, but he clung onto Denzel, clawing at his jersey. He slowed him, but didn¡¯t bring him down fully. No, that was Donte¡¯s job.

    Donte had started on the opposite edge, the edge Denzel initially ran towards before cutting back, so when that happened, he squirmed around his block, and pursued from the backside. Now that JJ had held Denzel up, he came in from behind and took out Denzel¡¯s legs, toppling The King for a gain of only 2 yards.

    The game edged closer to the two-minute warning, but the Bears squeezed in one last play beforehand. This one was a pass, no Play-Action needed.

    Sleepy rushed forward as Ty backpedalled, then he slammed on the brakes and twisted back for a Curl. John cocked his arm back, and Ty started forward to cut the pass off, but it was just a fake. Sleepy spun around, right into Ty. The two stumbled, THEN John lobbed the ball way over the heads, right where Sleepy would¡¯ve been if Ty hadn¡¯t disrupted his route.

    The pass fell incomplete, of course, but a yellow flag lay over the turf beside the ball. The two-minute warning was upon them, and Ty had been flagged for Illegal Contact, as the pass wasn¡¯t in the air when his foul occurred.

    It was only a five-yard penalty, but still the offence was automatically awarded a first down when such a penalty occurred.

    Sleepy grinned at Ty. ¡®You knew that was gonna be a touchdown, didn¡¯t you?¡¯

    ¡®Bullshit. You got lucky. It won¡¯t happen again.¡¯ Ty stalked back to his bench, snarling.

    He went straight to Coach Hoang. ¡®Sorry. I fucked up. I won¡¯t do it again.¡¯

    ¡®Don¡¯t worry about it, Samuels,¡¯ Coach Hoang said, patting him on the back. ¡®It¡¯s good instinct to know when you¡¯re beat¡ªfive yards is a lot better than a touchdown.¡¯

    Dark ridges covered Ty¡¯s brow as it squished together. ¡®I wasn¡¯t gonna give up a touchdown! I just fucked up and jumped the route when I shouldn¡¯t have. It wouldn¡¯t have been a touchdown ¡­ it wouldn¡¯t have been anything if I just stayed back.¡¯

    Coach Hoang was unresponsive. He gave Ty another couple of sympathetic pats, then moved away. If Ty believed he wasn¡¯t beat, so be it. Coach Hoang saw it another way, but he wouldn¡¯t say anything further.

    The short breather was over quickly, and both teams were soon back on the field. The Bears still had all their timeouts, and used them well, giving Denzel some runs, letting him inch them closer towards the end-zone.

    But it was a pass that brought them into the red zone. Sleepy came forward, then reached his break. He hesitated, floating across the turf. Ty watched closely, but he couldn¡¯t see any indicator of which way he was cutting. He burst forward.

    Ty scrambled back, opening his hips to turn fully and sprint back. He stopped as he realised he would¡¯ve been running alone.

    Immediately after his little burst, Sleepy cut towards the outside and dropped back down on a Comeback. He stretched out, dragging his feet.

    Ty recovered and dove, but only succeeded in pushing Sleepy out after he¡¯d already secured the catch. It was good for 9 yards, and stopped the clock. More importantly, it was Sleepy¡¯s first catch of the game.

    ¡®The first of many,¡¯ Sleepy said, spinning the ball at Ty¡¯s feet. He walked past, bumping shoulders. ¡®Try to keep up. I don¡¯t want this to be TOO easy.¡¯

    Ty clenched his fists and bit his tongue. He¡¯d respond on the field. If they kept trying pretty shit like that, he¡¯d pick them off and take it back for a touchdown. That¡¯d blow the game right open.

    The next play was Play-Action. The defence was drawn in, except Ty and Deshaun, who stuck with their men.

    Sleepy came forward, and again, once he reached his spot, he seemed to glide for a moment before making his cut. This time, he shimmied towards the inside. Ty leaned that way, but wasn¡¯t thrown out of position, so when Sleepy cut towards the sideline on an Out, he was there to smother it.

    Ty inched down, ready to snatch the ball out of the air, but John still clenched it. Sleepy shifted again, turning back upfield. Ty turned too¡ªa step later¡ªletting him blow by, not bumping him and cutting him off this time, not fouling.

    John lobbed the ball through the air. It wasn¡¯t a long ball, so Ty had little time to recover ¡­ he couldn¡¯t recover. The field and pass were too short.

    Ty leapt at the ball, stretching and extending as far as he could, but it passed over him with half a yard¡¯s distance from his fingertips, right into Sleepy¡¯s grasp.

    The field was also too short for help to arrive¡ªcouple that with Play-Action drawing Zayden forward and there was no hope of him cutting the pass off¡ªZayden only made it when Sleepy stepped into the end-zone.

    Sleepy ran through the back of the end-zone, stopping just short of heaving the ball into the crowd, ecstatic with his 17-yard receiving touchdown. But he held onto the ball, and turned back to Ty, his face morphed by his huge, dopey grin.

    Ty stared at him, neither boy tearing their eyes away from the other as Sleepy approached. He shoved the ball into Ty¡¯s gut, but Ty let it fall to the ground.

    ¡®You should be grateful,¡¯ Sleepy said. ¡®It¡¯s not every day you get to meet the REAL king of Warren. And now you know his name is Coby Naismith.¡¯

    Zayden tugged Ty away from Coby as officials moved in to do the same. Coby¡¯s antics had earned him an unsportsmanlike Taunting penalty, which moved the extra point attempt back. Even though that caused the Bears to miss the extra point, Coby thought it was worth it.

    Ty returned to the bench with the name reverberating in his mind. Coby Naismith. He finally had a name for the sleepy bastard. Finally knew just who it was he was going to ruin. He¡¯d pay him back in earnest for that touchdown.

    The following kickoff resulted in a touchback, not that it mattered much. There was hardly enough time for the Dons to do much with the ball, and when their first pass failed, they resorted to running out the clock.

    Denzel hadn¡¯t joined the Bears¡¯ defence for the few plays they were on the field to end the half, and as a result, the whole formation had shifted. Though with how little they¡¯d been tested, Coach Long and Norman weren¡¯t sure just what had changed.

    They¡¯d have a lot to think about in the locker room during the halftime break, but they wouldn¡¯t have a lot to go off of, just speculation.

    As both teams returned to their locker rooms, the score read 16¨C14, with the Bears holding onto a small but important lead.

 Chapter 184: If You Aim at the King

    Coach Long led the way for the Dons. He held the door open for the boys and smiled as each of them walked through. ¡®Don¡¯t look down. It¡¯s a close game, but we knew this would be tough. You¡¯re doing great.¡¯

    The faces that passed him were determined and frustrated, but none had given up. Hope still illuminated every grim expression.

    He let them get settled before speaking again. ¡®I let us down right at the end. If I managed the clock better, we could¡¯ve done something on that last drive, and at least figured out the adjustments the defence made. We¡¯ll figure that out, then go right back on the attack after the break. I can¡¯t ask for anything more from the offence.¡¯

    Benny, Cole, and Stephen all exchanged fist bumps, then thanked Jay for his passes. Jay kept his eyes closed and stayed silent, but his lips curled into a smirk.

    As Coach Norman echoed the praises to the offence, Coach Long turned to the defence. ¡®We always knew it was going to be tough to stop them. I know I¡¯m asking a lot of you, but we have to crack down harder. The second drive was good, but we need to be great. We can¡¯t win a shootout, that¡¯s not our style, even with the offence playing this well.¡¯

    The defenders mumbled amongst themselves as the ground held their focus. The Linemen looked like they¡¯d gone twelve rounds with the opposition, but no one had come out of the first half cleanly. Bella chewed her lip as she looked them over.

    ¡®I¡¯m happy you got the ball out of their Running Back¡¯s hands, but we can¡¯t let them get away with passing it so much. The more they pass, the better for us. Remember that,¡¯ Coach Long said.

    Coach Hoang moved close to Ty, eyes on Coach Long. ¡®I¡¯m not sure about that. What about you, Samuels? Are the Bears more dangerous running, or passing the ball?¡¯

    Ty clicked his tongue. ¡®What kind of retarded question is that? Of course, they¡¯re more dangerous when they¡¯re rushing. I can¡¯t do shit then.¡¯

    ¡®You didn¡¯t look like you were ¡°doing shit¡± even when they were passing. It was your man who scored, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯

    Ty stood, glaring down at him. He opened his mouth to speak, but Coach Hoang cut him off.

    ¡®That¡¯s better, Samuels. Have you forgotten how they humiliated you last time? Get fucking angry! Use that, and channel it on them. Stop number fourteen. Can you do that? I thought you were supposed to be the best in the nation ¡­ not some nobody who can¡¯t even make it to State.¡¯

    Coach Hoang moved away, letting Ty¡¯s anger boil in silence. Bella watched Ty, her hands clutched in front of her heart. Luke¡¯s words had reached her ears, too. She believed in Ty; she knew he could stop them. He HAD to.

    JJ stood, calling the team together. He looked like shit. Like he¡¯d spent the last half hour wrestling a bear and losing. He felt worse, but he still wore a smile. ¡®Gather up, hermanos. We¡¯re halfway there, but the job ain¡¯t even half done. We can¡¯t lose. Not yet; never again. Let¡¯s win.¡¯

    He raised a hand. His fellow seniors stood nearest, their fists pressed against his. Deshaun counted down. ¡®Three, two, one¡ª¡¯

    ¡®Win!¡¯

    As they emerged from their locker room, Coach Long and Norman were still trying to piece together the Bears¡¯ new defence, but they were at a roadblock. They just didn¡¯t have enough info.

    Coach Norman stated it looked like they were more spread out across the middle of the field, to which Coach Long suggested maybe they were focusing more on stopping passes, and Chris¡¯s running could work better.

    After the touchback to start the second half, the Dons had their chance to test out the Bears¡¯ defence right away. The Bears came out in much the same formation, with Denzel still sitting on the bench.

    They started with a handoff, but even getting around the edge was hard for Chris, and the defence still scrambled down and swarmed the ball afterwards. The run only gained 1 yard.

    They went to the air next, and the middle was indeed covered more completely. The new MLB wasn¡¯t pulled out of position as easily, and passed Receivers over to the next Zone defender much more cleanly. Even standard length Outs were covered, and the D-Line was blitzing better too.

    With less time to work with, Jay had to dump the ball and throw it away, sending it out of bounds well over Stephen¡¯s head.

    Without even a minute passing, the Dons were already in danger of giving the ball away. Coach Norman and Long were studying the defence thoroughly.

    They went for another Draw, which had already worked for them in a similar position, but this time it was smothered. The D-Line was more disciplined in its blitz, and the rest of the defence more observant. Chris only gained 3 yards before he was tackled.

    The Dons had been stuffed, and it was already time to punt.

    Coach Long and Norman hadn¡¯t got much of a look at the Bears¡¯ new defence before the half. Three plays weren¡¯t much better, but it¡¯d have to do. They needed to figure out the chinks in this new coat of armour before the next drive if they were going to keep up.

    For the punt¡ªthe first of the game for either side¡ªSleepy was back to return it for the Bears. He actually moved to catch this one, however, he still called for a fair catch even with room enough where other returners would¡¯ve made an attempt.

    The Bears¡¯ offence took over, looking to continue their dominance. They started with another Denzel run. He was still mad, still looking to hurt the Dons with bruising, belligerent runs. He bashed his way forward for 6 yards before JJ stopped him with help.

    Coby hadn¡¯t lost a step, and the Bears hadn¡¯t forgotten about their passing during the break either. After Denzel¡¯s opening run, they went straight for a pass and John hit Coby on a quick Slant.

    The initial cut was so sudden and unexpected, it froze Ty for half a second, which was more than enough for Coby to secure the catch and stretch out for the first down as Ty wrapped him up.

    The Bears¡¯ looked to have picked up right where they left off. They bulldozed through the Dons, looking unstoppable, both through the air and the ground as they neared the end-zone.

    They dropped back for another pass, this one coming after Play-Action. John looked Coby¡¯s way. Ty watched closely. He still hadn¡¯t figured out Coby¡¯s tell, but he¡¯d adjusted to Coby¡¯s flow and rhythm.

    A Curl froze Ty again. He leaned forward, eyes flicking towards John, but the ball wasn¡¯t in the air. Ty pushed back just as Coby whirled and sprinted by. Ty turned and chased, keeping up, then catching up.

    Coby reached up for the ball. Ty didn¡¯t turn his head. He took a leap of faith and swatted at the air, his hand blocking the path to Coby¡¯s hands. The ball bounced off the back of Ty¡¯s hand and to the ground.

    Coby¡¯s eyes opened wide as he stumbled and fell over. Ty stood, dusting himself off. He didn¡¯t taunt; he didn¡¯t celebrate. That pass should¡¯ve been a pick. He could¡¯ve intercepted it if he wasn¡¯t on the back foot. If he knew Coby¡¯s tell, he would¡¯ve.

    Coby returned to the huddle, frowning. John apologised for the poor throw, blaming himself for the incompletion. But neither offensive player had done anything wrong. Sometimes the defence is just better.

    ¡®Looks like you¡¯re figured out,¡¯ Denzel said, not looking at Coby. ¡®Time to stop fuckin¡¯ around with passes and just give me the ball.¡¯

    ¡®He hasn¡¯t figured out shit. He just got lucky,¡¯ Coby said. ¡®We can still pass. They¡¯ll shut you down if they don¡¯t have to worry about passes.¡¯

    ¡®NOBODY shuts me down.¡¯

    ¡®Sierra Canyon did.¡¯

    Denzel grabbed the front of Coby¡¯s jersey and pulled him close. Derrick, Zee, Connor, and Mack closed in around him. Before they sent him back to the bench with a concussion ¡°from his fall¡±, John spoke up and erased the tension.

    ¡®Coach said we run!¡¯ he blurted.

    Denzel grinned. He shoved Coby back. ¡®You heard, Coach.¡¯ He turned away from the huddle and took his position. The rest of the team quietly followed.

    Coby sighed. ¡®So boring.¡¯ He dragged his feet on his way to Ty.

    The battered Dons could barely withstand Denzel¡¯s rejuvenated assault. He dragged the Bears to the goal-line, back to his usual dominating ways. There he started bashing down the door of the end-zone.

    With their backs against the wall, the Dons received a second wind. They were already losing, and they couldn¡¯t let the game slip further away. It was JJ, of course, who led the resistance and rebellion against King Denzel.

    Denzel and the Bears were only 6 yards out from their goal, and so Denzel tried to smash through the front door.

    JJ was there to greet him, and the two slammed into one another. Things had been going too smoothly for Denzel. He¡¯d beaten JJ too many times, and his focus slipped for a moment. That was all it took for JJ to spear him through the gut and lift him off the ground.

    It was a bone rattling tackle, one that shook the field under everyone¡¯s feet. Denzel held onto the ball, but he hadn¡¯t gained a single yard. He shoved JJ off and bolted to his feet, huffing loudly. Some swore they saw steam plume from his nose.

    The Bears tried the same thing the next play, but Denzel wasn¡¯t the only one fired up by JJ¡¯s play, the rest of the Dons were too. They followed their captain¡¯s example, and shut-out Denzel, keeping their wall strong.

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    As Denzel tried to burst through, they clung to him from both sides and held him up. JJ speared into him once again. Denzel¡¯s eyes went wide with fury before he¡¯d hit the ground.

    This time, Denzel had gained a yard¡ªonly a single yard¡ªbefore JJ took him down.

    He was slower to rise. His body shook with rage, his eyes dark, clouded by his anger. He glared at the Dons. Their resilient rebellion didn¡¯t waver, but now they¡¯d feel the full force of The King.

    Even on third down, Denzel still demanded the ball. For the third time, he charged down the Dons¡¯ throat. Hands swiped at him again, but he smashed through them. JJ met him head on, the brave hero. Denzel lowered his shoulder and rammed through him.

    If it wasn¡¯t for Zayden backing JJ up, Denzel would¡¯ve crashed right through to the end-zone. And if it wasn¡¯t for JJ still clinging to Denzel¡¯s legs, Zayden would¡¯ve been run over as well. Denzel landed less than a yard short of the end-zone.

    The Dons had stopped him. It was fourth down ¡­ but the Bears¡¯ offence wasn¡¯t going anywhere. They were going for it on fourth down.

    They were the epitome of stubborn. For the fourth time in a row, the Bears gave Denzel the ball and sent him charging up the middle of the field.

    For the fourth time, JJ stood in his path. Denzel snarled and roared as he dug his cleats in and powered through, bowling JJ over and running over him into the end-zone.

    Even with Zayden right behind JJ, Denzel was unstoppable. He carried Zayden off his feet and into the end-zone.

    After the touchdown, the extra point was successful, and Ty could only watch as the Bears extended their lead out to 23¨C14.

    No matter what they did, it¡¯d take the Dons two scores¡ªwith one of those being a touchdown¡ªto at least level the game. The lead was growing, but it wasn¡¯t out of reach yet.

    Chris marched onto the field for the kickoff, ready to put his stamp on the game alongside his Receiver teammates.

    The Bears booted the ball into the end-zone, but Chris caught it and ran it out, nonetheless. His blockers held strong, beating back the first wave of Bears, and Chris darted around the second set with a shimmy inside then a cut out.

    Another Bear came his way, Chris hunkered down, ready to barge through them, then when the tackler did the same, Chris popped up and leapt right over him. He landed, skirting along the sideline, and stayed in bounds.

    There was just one more Bear standing between him and a touchdown¡ªthe kicker. Another hurdle wouldn¡¯t work, nor a stiff-arm this close to the boundary. Cutting inside would be hard, and even if he got around him that way, it might slow himself down too much so that the Bears behind catch back up. So he faked inside.

    The Kicker didn¡¯t buy it and carefully shepherded Chris, then knocked him out of bounds at the Bears¡¯ 47-yard line, just after he¡¯d crossed half field.

    Chris was called off the field as the Dons¡¯ offence took over. Each boy that passed him slapped him on the head or the shoulder and praised him for the great return.

    Chris got back to the bench and coaches, and apologised for not taking the return all the way.

    They laughed it off and told him not to worry; they were thankful for the short field, but they had confidence their new plans would earn them a touchdown, anyway.

    Since the Dons¡¯ last offensive drive, Coach Long and Norman had been working together to figure out the puzzle that was the Bears¡¯ new defence, and by now, they had a pretty good idea of what it was.

    With the first play of this new drive, their suspicions were confirmed. The reason the Bears were so good at covering the middle of the field and other mid-length throws from that 8-12 yard range, was because one of their Safeties was sinking to join the LBs, leaving only one high Safety over the middle; leaving the sidelines open deep.

    It was Stephen¡¯s time to shine. While Benny stormed down the middle of the field, distracting that one high Safety, Stephen ran a Corner route and got open 15 yards downfield.

    Jay lobbed the ball over the Bear trailing Stephen, and the catch was made just before Stephen ran out of bounds. He dragged his feet, securing the catch, and the Dons were already that much closer to the end-zone.

    The embers of hope flickered stronger. The Dons weren¡¯t out of it yet, their offence could still keep up. If the defence stepped up and stopped the Bears, the Dons could retake the lead almost at will.

    That¡¯s how the offence and coaches felt, but that was getting a little ahead of themselves. They hadn¡¯t scored yet, and there were still a few things to figure out about this new-look defence.

    Namely, if Chris had been unleashed with this shift in focus. Unfortunately, the answer was still no. Even without Denzel out there, and with more of a focus on covering mid-length throws, the Bears¡¯ run defence was still formidable. The Dons learned this when their run only gained 2 yards.

    Next was another pass. Whilst Stephen was a bit more freed up, his man began shading him to the inside. Heavily favouring the boundary and cutting it off, left little room for Stephen to work with unless he wanted to run through the crowded middle.

    Cole and Benny were much better covered as well, unless they attacked the opposite sideline, but even that was predictable and coverable. The D-Line was still pressuring better, and Jay had to throw the ball away.

    The Dons faced third down, but they didn¡¯t panic. They were already in field goal range. Though it would¡¯ve been a long one, it was makeable. Still, a field goal wasn¡¯t on their mind.

    Along with the gaps over the top of this defence, there were also gaps underneath. Normally, such passes wouldn¡¯t get far; a screen was a whole different beast.

    Chris might not¡¯ve had any luck rushing, but he could still run and be elusive if they got him in open space. The screen did exactly that with the added benefit of blockers in front of him.

    It was like another kick return, and he dodged through the chaotic scramble, slicing into the red zone before he was tackled.

    While running wasn¡¯t the best for gaining yards, it could still control the Dons¡¯ field position, and manipulate the defence in small ways.

    They ran away from Stephen¡¯s side on the next play, opening the field for him, giving him the fat side to work with.

    Whilst they only gained a yard to do so, that wasn¡¯t their goal. Now they were right in range for Stephen¡¯s Fade, and with plenty of space to operate, Jay had the green light to lob it over.

    The Bears were still disrespecting Stephen. In the red zone, so close to the end-zone, was when the giant became truly dangerous. Here, he was almost unguardable one-on-one, and the Bears paid the price trying to do so.

    That same Fade to the back corner earned Stephen his second receiving touchdown and Jay¡¯s third passing touchdown.

    The cheers weren¡¯t as loud as they should¡¯ve been, but the Dons were thrilled. The scales were tipping back, shrinking the lead ¡­ but the Bears were calm. They still held the lead, and they still believed in their offence.

    If the game turned into a shootout, so be it. They already had the lead, and their offence was more unstoppable than the Dons¡¯.

    The extra point was successful, and now the Bears¡¯ lead was less than a field goal at 23¨C21.

    Denzel felt nothing but vindication at the Dons¡¯ score. He wasn¡¯t the issue with the defence, of course he wasn¡¯t. The rest of the Bears¡¯ defence was just that weak that no matter what they did, they struggled to stop their opponents.

    Ty was relieved. The offence was doing their job for once. For once, it wasn¡¯t on them to step up if the Dons were going to win. Now it fell strictly on the defence¡¯s shoulders. They needed to do better.

    As the teams prepared for the kickoff, Coach Hoang came to Ty. ¡®You probably understand this already¡ªyou¡¯re a smart kid¡ªbut maybe you haven¡¯t fully acknowledged it. This game is on YOU.¡¯

    ¡°Every game is,¡± Ty thought, but held his tongue.

    ¡®No one else, just you. The Bears don¡¯t pass enough to develop other Receivers, Banks and the other Backs are fine. It looks like we¡¯re struggling with the run again, but that¡¯s only because the rest of the defence has to worry about a pass, right in the back of their mind. It distracts them, makes them slow to react. But you can change that. If you can shut down their passing, I know JJ is too strong, carrying too much, to let it all end here. He can¡¯t let his family die.¡¯

    Ty turned to JJ. His fists were clenched so tightly that Ty thought the gloves might burst.

    ¡®Samuels¡ªTyrese¡ªlook at me.¡¯

    Ty turned back to Coach Hoang. His eyes were more serious and hard than Ty had ever seen them.

    ¡®Stop playing like any other ¡°good¡± Cornerback, and start playing like Tyrese fucking Samuels. That QB isn¡¯t shit, he¡¯s a fucking nobody who doesn¡¯t even control his offence. Yet he doesn¡¯t fear you. Are you seriously okay with a kid who cowers before his Running Back throwing the ball at you?!¡¯

    ¡®Fuck no!¡¯ Ty rose from his seat so fast he almost knocked the whole bench over.

    ¡®Then get out there and make them fear you.¡¯

    The kickoff resulted in a touchback. The Dons wouldn¡¯t test Coby again, so they booted it deep, and Coby was still content to let it go for a touchback.

    Ty stalked onto the field, separate from the rest of the defence, which was led by JJ.

    Even though the Californian sun had been baking the field for hours, and it was still high in the sky, Coby felt cold when he stood across from Ty now. Ty¡¯s dark eyes were different too, staring through him.

    It was probably nothing. He was probably just daydreaming again. It didn¡¯t concern him, anyway; the opening play was another run.

    Denzel took the ball and charged ahead. Of course, JJ was there to stop him, but JJ looked smaller, and when he stood before Denzel, Denzel seemed at least a head larger than he had been at the start of the game.

    He knocked JJ aside, and almost did the same to Zayden, though was stopped just a yard short of another first down.

    JJ got up, but he did so more slowly than before. Others were slower to offer him a hand. He wasn¡¯t the only one getting worn down by Denzel and the rest of the Bears¡ªthe entire defence was.

    With only 1 yard left to pick up, and still being on second down, the Bears were comfortable enough to test the air again.

    Ty was silent as he and Coby lined up again. He was too focused for shit-talking, and any taunts would¡¯ve washed over him like commands to a cat. Coby stayed quiet, too.

    He was still cold, but maybe it was just a weird day. Winter was almost upon them. Climate change was a thing. He tried to find any excuse for the anomaly so he could push it out of mind.

    John took the snap, and Coby burst ahead. Ty backed off, eyes locked on Coby. They reached the breakpoint, and Coby skipped a step, drifting forward. Ty saw it. He found the missing piece.

    Coby was a disciplined, well-trained Receiver. His mechanics, whilst not perfect, were incredibly consistent. If you watched him release and start a route, nine out of ten times they¡¯d look identical ¡­ except for one tiny detail.

    See, he had a unique style, especially for his cuts and how he prepared for them. He used his hips a lot, twisting them so much he was almost side on before his cut. From this position, he could still go in all directions.

    However, it held a small tell. One that Ty fixated on as Coby shifted into this position before him now. Every past route flitted through Ty¡¯s mind and overlapped with one another. All the Coby¡¯s, from all the routes, were almost perfectly in sync, except for his lead leg.

    It would either twist inward and plant hard, or his toes would point slightly outwards, and it¡¯d barely touch the ground. If he was inward, it meant he was cutting inside, no matter which way he shimmied or faked. And if it was outward, he was going out.

    A straight foot, pointing dead on at Ty, meant Coby was going vertical. Right then, Coby¡¯s foot was pointing out ever so slightly.

    Coby shifted inside; Ty moved with him, as if strings connected them. Then Coby burst outside; Ty was with him the whole way.

    Coby looked back. His heart almost stopped. His teammates were so far away. The field was so large, and the crowd was gone, replaced with darkness.

    The ball floated towards them, so small, twinkling like a star. He twisted around, hands out. It was so strange; no matter how close the ball came, it didn¡¯t grow larger. It was almost in his grasp.

    Then a massive, dark shape blocked that little star from his view. A hand like a black hole appeared before him. It was stealing his light, stealing his star, stealing his ball! He never got the ball as it was. Some greedy fuck calling himself a king always hoarded it like a dragon with gold. He wasn¡¯t about to let anyone else take the one ball meant for him.

    He reached into that black hole, fearless. It was so cold, but he grabbed onto it¡ªan arm. He yanked, pulling it back. He saw the star, its light fading. But the black hole was still there, and it was inescapable.

    It sucked the star right in. The light vanished. Everything was dark, and Coby fell. He fell for what felt like an age. He crashed as hard as an asteroid, and the light returned. The shitty field returned, along with the light, the noise, and the crowd.

    He was on the ground, staring into the face of the devil. Tyrese Samuels grinned back at him, then stood, ball in his grasp, raised above his head.

    He stared down at Coby, stars swimming in the abyssal depths of his eyes. Coby shuddered.

    Tyrese said: ¡®King Denzel? King Coby? Don¡¯t make me fucking laugh. You¡¯re playing pretend ¡­ but who cares? Be the king of Warren, I don¡¯t give a fuck. But know this¡ªevery single football field, no matter where the fuck it is, as soon as I step foot on it, I am KING. Everyone else is just a pawn in my game.¡¯

 Chapter 185: You Better Not Miss

    Cheers and praise washed over Ty like rain as he sauntered off the field, only handing over his intercepted ball after he stepped across the sideline.

    ¡®Good shit, Samuels,¡¯ Coach Hoang said. It was all Ty needed to hear.

    The offence rushed onto the field. Inspired by Ty¡¯s interception, their flames were stoking hot. They were almost in the red zone. They could smell the end-zone and victory.

    But the Bears were still in their way. Jay dropped back for the first pass and instantly noticed a difference in the defence. They watched Stephen¡ªhis target¡ªmuch more closely. Not exactly double-teamed, but there were extra bodies on his side of the field.

    It was clear the Bears wouldn¡¯t give him the same liberties as past drives. Cole and Benny ran into trouble as well, but Jay found Chris in the flat.

    He scrambled ahead for 4 yards; it was better than nothing. The Dons had to adjust their plans to this new defensive development quickly.

    They stuck with passes on the next play, and Cole found a small hole left in Stephen¡¯s wake thanks to the extra attention the giant was getting. He made the catch, but was forced out before the first down.

    The Dons were on third down, but only needed another yard, and they were already well within field goal range. Even a field goal would give them the lead.

    Maybe such knowledge influenced Coach Long¡¯s decision for the next play, but he went with something he hoped the Bears wouldn¡¯t expect.

    The Dons had full trust in their coach. Jay took the next snap, and whirled around, tossing the ball underhanded to Chris, who veered wide away from Stephen¡¯s side of the field.

    Dons scrambled in front of him to provide support and blocking, and Chris weaved ahead for a few yards, picking up the first down before he was tackled.

    The Dons were edging closer to the goal-line, and now with Stephen receiving more attention, they went back to their game plan of having Benny as the main target of their passes.

    Each pass gained little, earning 3 to 5 yards repeatedly before the Bears collapsed on Benny. After four catches like this, the Dons were right on the end-zone¡¯s doorstep, and now eyes were focused on Benny as well.

    The Bears never saw Cole slip behind their wall and into the end-zone until Jay flipped the ball over to him for the touchdown right as time expired in the third quarter.

    Going into the final break, the Dons held the lead, though they¡¯d yet to attempt their extra point to really solidify it. Even so, they were over the moon.

    The crowd was cheering and chanting throughout the break, and Stephen kept hyping them up. Coach Long let him have his fun. Victory was in their grasp, and he reminded them they just needed to keep playing the way they had been if they wanted to hold onto that victory.

    Coach Hoang looked at Ty, sharing his smile. ¡®I know you didn¡¯t get to return your pick, but that was YOUR touchdown, Samuels.¡¯

    Ty grinned. ¡®I know. But the game ain¡¯t done. I don¡¯t think they fear me enough yet. I¡¯ll make sure they do before it¡¯s over.¡¯

    ¡®After all that shit-talking, you better, Samuels.¡¯

    Over with the Bears, the mood was almost the exact opposite. The aftermath of a battlefield would¡¯ve been a happier place.

    Denzel got in John¡¯s face and shoved him down onto the bench. ¡®Why the fuck are you throwin¡¯ it? You happy you threw a pick your fuckin¡¯ retard?¡¯

    John looked away, gritting his teeth. It hurt, but Denzel¡¯s words rung true. If he hadn¡¯t thrown that pick, their lead could¡¯ve been back out to two possessions by now.

    Seeing as nobody resisted him, Denzel whirled to the defence, confronting them as well. ¡®Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten about you pussies. You¡¯re the reason we¡¯re losin¡¯. Ya couldn¡¯t even stop a fuckin¡¯ grandma from scorin¡¯.¡¯

    Some scowls met him, but most members diverted their eyes as he stalked in front of them like a rabid dog. The coaches watched on, silent, sitting on their hands. They worked off the philosophy that it was best for the boys to hash out all their problems rather than let them linger and fester.

    Before anyone of the defence could speak to refute his words, Coby said: ¡®They can stop YOU.¡¯

    Denzel turned, staring at him as if he was mad. ¡®What did you just say?¡¯

    Coby turned his attention to John, speaking at him, but really his words were still challenging Denzel. ¡®If we want to win this game, we have to keep throwing. We won¡¯t win on the ground, but I¡¯ll beat the Dons.¡¯ His voice was level, his eyes sharp; he was as serious as he¡¯d ever been.

    Denzel stepped closer. Before he could say anything, a voice cut through the tension like a sledgehammer. ¡®ZEL!¡¯

    Denzel froze. He turned slowly. His father stood there, staring down at him. Denzel lowered his head and stepped before his father. Coby saw him shrink. It was bizarre.

    ¡®You are such an embarrassment!¡¯ Jameis muttered.

    The coaches stood, thinking now was the time to intervene and get things back under control. One look from Jameis made them sit back down.

    ¡®You oughta be ashamed of yourself, Zel. If you don¡¯t fucking stop this nonsense and beat these nobodies ¡­ don¡¯t bother coming home.¡¯ Jameis walked away. Silence was left in his wake.

    Denzel¡¯s attention turned to the Dons. A vengeful flame burned brightly in his dark eyes. He clenched his fists so tightly his nails cut into his palms. His shaking didn¡¯t stop even when the break was over and the teams took the field again.

    He watched the extra point pass through the uprights. The Dons secured their lead at 23¨C28. Denzel was still shaking. It wouldn¡¯t stop until he was back on the field.

    The following kickoff had only been a touchback, and then the Bears¡¯ offence was back in formation, ready to retake the lead anyway they could.

    But Denzel only had one way on his mind.

    The opening play was a run, a Toss outside, heading Ty¡¯s way. Denzel narrowed his eyes, locked in on Ty.

    Coby¡¯s block could hardly be called such. Again, he intended to look like he was trying, rather than actually try. Ty got around it easily enough.

    Then he was one-on-one with Denzel. There wasn¡¯t anything hemming Denzel in, no cones keeping him contained in a narrow corridor, but Denzel wasn¡¯t thinking about getting around Ty; he wanted to smash right through him.

    Ty hunkered down, bracing himself¡ªif one could brace themselves to be run over by a truck¡ªand lunged at Denzel. Denzel tensed, arms tight around his chest, squeezing the ball like a balloon about to burst. He slammed into Ty and shrugged his shoulders.

    Ty clung on. He twisted around, his feet and legs dragging along the ground as Denzel carried him forward. His arms lost strength, and Denzel broke free of his grasp.

    Ty was left buried in the ground, his left arm numb from shoulder to fingertips. The last thing it¡¯d felt was the feeling you¡¯d get if you tried to spear a metal pole.

    Denzel was gone. Zayden stepped up, chasing him to the sideline, but a stiff-arm like an impenetrable shield sent him flying. After that, with Ty in the dirt, there was no one who could catch up with Denzel. He was gone.

    He took the ball all the way to the end-zone, and in just one play, the Bears¡ªDenzel¡ªhad scored a touchdown and retaken the lead.

    Denzel was still King, and he made sure everyone knew it. He spiked the ball so hard it bounced into the crowd, then he turned to boast to those still on the field. ¡®Bow to me!¡¯ he screamed.

    His teammates flocked to him, most of them bowing in reverence and awe. He didn¡¯t care; he knew they worshipped him and understood he was king. His eyes were locked on the Dons. They needed to kneel.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    The Bears left their offence on the field after the touchdown. The score was 29¨C28, and an extra point wouldn¡¯t change much ¡­ but two, then a Dons¡¯ field goal would only tie instead of take the lead.

    Of course, they were going for two. And, of course, they were giving it to Denzel again. John fed the ball into his chest, and Denzel wrapped his arms around it tightly. He burst through a gap that opened between Connor and Zee.

    He smashed through Donte¡¯s extended arm, and by the time JJ hit him, he was already across the threshold and in the end-zone. The two-point attempt was good.

    The lead jumped out to 31¨C28, and the game was firmly in the Bears'' control again.

    JJ led the way back to the bench for the Dons, head up, but a grimace on his face. Ty¡¯s hands shook. He was still too weak. ¡°Too weak for what? To play Linebacker? That¡¯s not my job, it¡¯s not my job to stop a Running Back,¡± he thought, trying to wash away his guilt.

    Coach Hoang welcomed the defence back to the bench. ¡®Use this as a reminder. The game isn¡¯t over just because we feel like we¡¯re on top.¡¯ He turned to the offence. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but we need you to go get the lead back. We¡¯ll defend it next time.¡¯

    Coach Long and Norman echoed his sentiment and order. First, they had to start with the kickoff. Again, Chris was frustrated when the ball sailed over his head for a touchback.

    But then the offence proper was on the field. It was slow going, but the Dons were doing it. They were marching downfield and looked on the right track to take back the lead in this score-heavy shootout.

    Thanks to Stephen drawing more attention, both Benny and Cole had more freedom. They found gaps for small but consistent gains.

    Even Chris had more space in the flat if he drifted out to where Stephen had started his routes. Little by little, they were edging closer to the end-zone. They rolled across the halfway mark and neared the red zone.

    The Bears saw an inevitable touchdown coming. And like they always did when they were in a hole, they went back to their King for answers.

    Denzel came back on the field. With how they¡¯d studied the Dons¡¯ antics, the coaches told him what to expect when he was out there. He knew they were trying to distract him and pull him out of position, and he wouldn¡¯t fall for it again.

    The first play he was back on the field, the Dons went right back to attacking him. Benny sunk into a Curl, then Cole flashed across his face.

    Denzel drifted with Cole, but his focus remained on Benny. When Cole raced out of his Zone, he rushed back down to cover Benny. He reached Benny just as the ball did and almost intercepted it.

    Second down.

    This time, Benny flashed across the middle of the field on a shallow Cross, then Cole tried to slip in behind Denzel. But Denzel transitioned from guarding Benny to guarding Cole seamlessly.

    Stephen was still receiving extra attention, and covered, so Jay hit Chris down in the flat. Led by Denzel¡ªwho seemed everywhere¡ªthe Bears swarmed and held Chris to a minimal gain.

    Third down.

    The Dons¡¯ offence had an outlet too, someone they always went to if they were desperate. That man was Stephen. Jay looked for him now.

    Stephen ran ahead after the snap. His defender gave him a lot of space. He cut inside for a Post¡ªa feint, but a deep one. When he froze the help over the top, he cut back out. It only needed to be a quick pass, and now there was no way anyone could help. He was one-on-one.

    Jay flung the pass over as Stephen ran his Out. The ball drifted high, Stephen stretched out, and it passed over even his hand.

    Jay¡¯s eyes widened as he watched the ball sail into the depths of the bench. He¡¯d overthrown Stephen, expecting the route to have been higher, for Stephen to be drifting up for more yards ¡­ he¡¯d failed.

    The drive wasn¡¯t a complete failure yet. On fourth down, the Dons¡¯ kicking team took the field. Fortunately, the kick was good, and they tied the game again at 31 a piece.

    But after another touchback, the Bears were back in control. Time was dwindling, each drive needed urgency ¡­ but if the Bears scored another touchdown, the clock would be another tough enemy for the Dons to overcome.

    The Bears stuck with Denzel, who was back in his dominating groove. He raced straight for Ty once more. Again, Sleepy didn¡¯t block, and Ty had a free lane to tackle Denzel ¡­ though it felt like Denzel had a free lane to hit Ty instead.

    Ty went low, prematurely. Denzel saw it coming before he even passed the Tackle on his way outside. He could¡¯ve had the easiest hurdle of his life ¡­ but he wanted to send a message.

    He lowered his shoulders as well, ready to smash through Ty again. Ty thought his shoulder would crack as that battering ram ploughed through him, but he clung on, arms slipping lower until he snagged one of Denzel¡¯s legs.

    Denzel dragged him along the turf, but he was slowed. JJ rushed over, and whilst Denzel tried to fend him off, the two tumbled to the ground.

    The run was still good for 6 yards, but at least it wasn¡¯t a 75 yard touchdown. It didn¡¯t matter to Denzel, he¡¯d still have his touchdown one way or the other.

    The Bears settled back into a routine of opening with a Denzel run, which earned a large portion of what they needed for another first, then on second down, they tested the air.

    John kept away from Ty for the most part and prodded other areas of the field. But whether or not the pass was successful didn¡¯t really matter much. Denzel always picked up the first on third down if the prior pass was incomplete.

    After the Bears passed half-field, John looked Coby¡¯s way, testing Ty once more. The pass was way off, but that meant Ty couldn¡¯t pick it at least.

    As the Bears progressed further, breaking through field goal range and into the red zone, John threw Coby¡¯s way a few more times, getting closer, but Ty smothered each pass.

    While the Bears neared the end-zone, Coach Long started calling timeouts after the runs. Time was slipping away as it was. Less than five minutes remained when the final timeout was used.

    Coach Long¡¯s message was the same as it had been for the previous two timeouts: ¡®Keep playing your heart out, you¡¯re doing great. Remember your family has your back, you¡¯re not in this alone, you¡¯ll win together. We just need one stop, one more stop.¡¯

    Coach Long was determined, faithful; he still held hope his boys would get the job done. He believed in them and he would ¡®til the end.

    Bella¡¯s belief was there, but it was wavering, unfocused. She looked over the huddle, searching desperately for a saviour to put her faith into.

    Coach Hoang had his eyes set on who he thought the Dons¡¯ saviour was. He stared into Ty¡¯s eyes. Ty looked away.

    How could he save them if the ball never came close enough to intercept? He could cover Coby, but the QB wasn¡¯t throwing close enough for him to do anything. Coby was too good of a Receiver¡ªeven knowing his tell¡ªto give him space and try to bait a catchable pass.

    Ty turned his attention to JJ. There was the man who needed to step up right now, who needed to stop the Bears. But for once, JJ looked as battered as everyone else. He seemed on the verge of breaking.

    The timeout ended, and the Dons went back out to face the Bears. They had to stop them at least two more times, with only 2 yards to give until another first down. After that, they¡¯d be right on the goal-line. They¡¯d be unstoppable.

    JJ¡¯s head hung the lowest it had all game. Ty pushed through to his side. ¡®Hey! The game¡¯s not over. It won¡¯t be over until we¡¯re winning. We can¡¯t lose here, not to these assholes. I won¡¯t lose to them. I won¡¯t lose ever again, I told you that. Don¡¯t make me a liar.¡¯

    JJ laughed. He smiled at Ty and Ty flinched back. It was a strange, defeated smile; it was horrifying on JJ¡¯s face.

    ¡°Has Tyrese always been this selfish?¡± JJ thought. ¡°I guess he has. Must be nice, only having to worry about your own dreams and desires, instead of being weighed down by everyone else¡¯s.¡±

    He looked around. Everyone was looking at him, they always were. Such was the burden of being the captain and the leader, but that burden had grown so heavy. Too heavy for JJ to carry.

    The Bears snapped the ball. JJ¡¯s body ignored the melancholy surrounding it. Working on instinct, it tracked the ball, then dropped back into coverage as he saw the Bears were going to pass.

    The ball went Ty¡¯s way again, a tight pass, too far outside to intercept, and Coby was fighting every step of the way. Ty got his hand to it first, and knocked the ball to the ground, but he looked mad.

    The teams huddled up. JJ relayed the messages and formations. They were shifting closer to the Line to prepare for the run, but they still had to be careful of a pass.

    The huddle broke, and the teams took their positions. JJ looked around again. Why was he so heavy? Why did he feel so alone? Coach Long¡¯s words echoed in his head. ¡°Your family has your back.¡±

    The faces staring back at JJ, they weren¡¯t expectant; they weren¡¯t pleading to be saved. They were strong, resolute. They didn¡¯t need JJ to hold them up, because they weren¡¯t dragging him down. They¡¯d been doing their job, they were elevating him, lifting him higher ¡­ but it was he who was anchoring the team to the ground instead of letting them soar to the heights of victory.

    Denzel took the ball again. He charged at JJ. JJ rushed forward to meet him, propelled by his teammates. He didn¡¯t have to stop Denzel; he didn¡¯t have to be stronger, if he could just get the ball!

    Denzel braced himself for impact. He was protecting himself and not the ball. JJ lunged out, fist clenched tight. He didn¡¯t care what happened to him if he could just get the ball.

    The two slammed into each other. Denzel rattled JJ¡¯s bones with the heavy hit, and JJ crumbled as Denzel charged onward ¡­ but the ball bounced free behind him.

    Donte scrambled for it. He dove, and John weaselled in under him, securing it. The Bears recovered the ball, but they¡¯d lost a couple of yards.

    The Dons pulled JJ back to his feet, he wasn¡¯t broken yet. He might¡¯ve been held together by dreams and hope, but he wasn¡¯t broken.

    It was fourth down, and the Bears sent out their kicking team. The field goal was good, and they held the lead again, but 3 points were a lot easier to overcome than 7 or 8.

    With less than five minutes remaining, the Dons could milk the clock and finish the game with one final drive. But Chris wasn¡¯t thinking about that.

    He was fed up with how the game had played out so far. Such a ferocious fight from both sides, incredibly high scoring, yet he¡¯d barely done anything to help his team. He COULDN¡¯T do anything, no matter how hard he tried.

    That had to change. He wouldn¡¯t be the weak link, the reason the Dons lost their last chance at State. He had to do something.

    The kick went high and deep, but it didn¡¯t fly beyond the end-zone. Chris fielded it with only a yard to spare, then scanned the field ahead of him.

    Twenty-one bodies and over 100 yards stood before him and the opposite end-zone. But ten of those bodies were teammates. If they each took out one man from the other side, then all Chris had to do was beat one as well.

    He raced out of the end-zone, gritting his teeth. The first challenger came early, unblocked. They were wild and careless. Chris spun away from them, then squeezed through blocks, ripping away from clawing hands, and came to the sideline.

    He was free, sprinting down it, only the Kicker ahead of him. Just the Kicker. One last man to beat, again. But how could he?

    Even though the side of the field was reversed, the Kicker took the same angle; it was much the same situation. Chris had nowhere to go. Maybe a desperate leap was the only way.

    Before he could think, however, before he could even make a move, a blur came up from behind him and sped past. Cole slammed into the Kicker and both tumbled to the ground.

    Chris was free again. The last man had been beaten. He pushed into top gear and didn¡¯t slow down until he¡¯d crossed the back of the end-zone in front of him.

    He¡¯d gone 109 yards from end to end for the touchdown, and after the extra point, the Dons held the lead at 34¨C38.

    On the Bears¡¯ bench, murder filled Denzel¡¯s eyes.

 Chapter 186: End of the Line

    The Dons were ignorant of the overflowing hatred on the opposite sideline. They swarmed around Chris after he returned to the bench. It was like he was the messiah the way they treated him. He may as well have been with the resurrection he just pulled on this game.

    The Dons held the lead, and with time dwindling, the Bears would only get one more shot with their run-heavy play style. The defence just had to hold out one more time.

    Ty shivered with excitement. He knew he could do it. He looked at the rest of his teammates. Their final embers were building back up into flames. He hoped they were too hot for the Bears to stamp out.

    The first recipient of Denzel¡¯s anger was Coby. The King exploded off the bench and snatched Coby off it, yanking him up to his feet. ¡®This is all YOUR fault,¡¯ he snarled.

    Coby was unperturbed, even as the rest of the team looked like deer in furious, flaming headlights, caught in Denzel¡¯s wrath even without it being aimed at them.

    ¡®Wow. I didn¡¯t think you could get any more pathetic,¡¯ Coby said, ¡®but here you are.¡¯

    ¡®Watch your mouth, or your next words will be your last for a LONG time,¡¯ Denzel warned.

    Coby¡¯s face remained impassive. ¡®How can a ¡°king¡± who hogs the ball all the time blame anyone else for losing?¡¯

    Denzel¡¯s fist reared back, veins popping out along the back of his hand and all along his forearm. He caught his father in the corner of his eye and froze. He lowered his fist and shoved Coby back onto the bench.

    ¡®If you don¡¯t start trying, you¡¯re off the team,¡¯ Denzel said, his voice shaking with anger even as he tried to keep it low and level.

    That broke through Coby¡¯s wall of indifference; it was the first real threat. Denzel held enough sway to make it a reality. The Bears were his team even more than the coach¡¯s.

    Coby took a deep breath as he stood. Denzel turned aside, letting him pass, but his eyes bored into Coby relentlessly as he prepared for the kickoff.

    He had to try, and thankfully, the ball dropped about halfway deep in the end-zone. Coby fielded it and took off, scanning the field as he burst out.

    His reaction caught the Dons off guard, but they quickly scrambled after him, their wall not losing form or rank as they closed in on him. Still, he cut through them decisively, slashing his way up to the Bears¡¯ 40-yard line before they tripped him up.

    That was where the last drive of the game would start. Before the Dons¡¯ defence took their last stand, Coach Long had one last message for them.

    He gathered the defence close and said: ¡®The job isn¡¯t finished. I¡¯ve never asked more of you boys than today. You¡¯ve worked the hardest you have all year, but you¡¯re going to have to work just a little harder.¡¯

    He looked around, his face solemn, serious, devoid of his usual smile. The faces staring back at him were identical, albeit more exhausted.

    ¡®But it¡¯s only one more stop,¡¯ he continued. ¡®Just one more stop and we end this. You boys haven¡¯t come this far just to lose, have you?¡¯

    ¡®No!¡¯ JJ answered.

    The others echoed him.

    Coach Hoang came forward. He had some words he needed to share with the defence as well. ¡®We¡¯ve worked hard all year, but so has our offence. Today is the best they¡¯ve ever played, and I¡¯ll be damned if we let them down by losing after everything they¡¯ve done for us. I¡¯ve watched you all grow. I know you can do this.¡¯

    The team came together in a huddle, even the offence, and everyone on special teams joined in. A fist from every coach and player filled the air. Their cry of ¡°family¡± shook the stands.

    Before JJ led the defence onto the field, Bella stepped in front of him, her hands on his chest. Every part of her was shaking as she looked up at him. ¡®Please. You HAVE to win. It can¡¯t end like this ¡­ please win.¡¯

    He gently grabbed her shoulders, steadying her. He smiled down at her; his exhaustion vanished. ¡®Of course we¡¯re not gonna lose. WE aren¡¯t gonna lose, Bella. You¡¯re a part of this team too, and I¡¯m totally not ready to say goodbye to Coach Short yet.¡¯ He ruffled her hair.

    ¡®You know how much I hate it when you guys call me that,¡¯ she said with tears in her eyes. But she was smiling.

    JJ laughed, head held high as he led the Dons out. Bella watched him go. Each passing Don gave her a pat on the head, except Ty. He might not¡¯ve even seen her. She saw him, though; she saw them all. Even through teary eyes, she watched them march onto the field.

    The Bears met them, a silent fury backing them. The two teams lined up against one another, each side knowing this would be the final confrontation. That drive held the destiny of the game on a razor thin precipice.

    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    In the early goings, the Bears wouldn¡¯t pass at all. Every play was a run, which wasn¡¯t unusual for the Bears. The unusual thing was that it didn¡¯t feel like Denzel against the world in a solo conquest anymore.

    The rest of the Bears¡ªaside from Coby¡ªwere behind him. Even John was running up after handing the ball off to support Denzel. Though he had little impact physically, stuff like that didn¡¯t go unnoticed or unrewarded.

    The Bears weren¡¯t the only unified force. The Dons worked together to hold back Denzel¡ªthough Ty, and even Deshaun, were stuck on their islands covering their Receivers¡ªbut they were losing. Each run beat them back further.

    Denzel¡¯s resilient stamina¡ªto continue smashing through the Dons¡¯ this late in the final quarter, after having over thirty carries already¡ªwas superhuman.

    The Bears marched across half-field and were within field goal range after just a few plays¡ªnot that a field goal would do anything for them at this point. There they took a timeout.

    Whilst each run was successful, they were also time-consuming. Not just the run itself, but picking themselves up afterwards and preparing for the next. Of course, time was a factor they had to worry about, but they still felt Denzel could reach the end-zone before they ran out of time.

    For the Dons, only Coach Long spoke up during the timeout. He said little; he¡¯d said everything he¡¯d needed to before the drive began. His voice was quiet, barely above a whisper, but the fans filling the stands held their breath. The entire field was frozen with anticipation even through the brief breaks.

    ¡®It¡¯s alright. It doesn¡¯t matter if they move the ball. Bend, but don¡¯t break. All you have to do is keep them out of the end-zone,¡¯ Coach Long said.

    Coach Norman sat back. His work was done. He gave the boys a sympathetic look, and the occasional pat on the back, but he had no words for them.

    Coach Hoang held his tongue as well. He was afraid he¡¯d stumble and choke on any words he tried to get out. He couldn¡¯t remember ever being so nervous about a game before.

    Bella stood there, mouth ajar, but not deigning to speak. She feared she¡¯d break down into tears if she tried saying anything.

    The boys were silent, even JJ. All that was heard from them was their heavy breathing.

    The Dons and Bears reunited on the field. Not much had changed after the timeout. Both sides were slightly rejuvenated, but the results stayed in favour of the Bears.

    Another play brought the game to the final two-minute warning. Coach Long reiterated his previous message; silence hung over everyone else.

    The run after that brought the Bears into the red-zone and got them to use their second-last timeout.

    Again, the messaging was the same, and everyone listened in silence. But now Ty was shaking like a pup caught in a storm. His leg bounced uncontrollably, and his hands trembled.

    The game was slipping away from him, and he couldn¡¯t do anything. The Bears needed to pass, but why would they? There was still enough time for a few more runs, and they had one last timeout to spare. With the way Denzel was going, they¡¯d break through before time expired.

    He had to affect the run somehow ¡­ if he could just get close, he could do SOMETHING. He wasn¡¯t strong enough to stop Denzel on his own, but he didn¡¯t need to be. If they were going to win, he needed to get involved somehow.

    He was so caught up in his thoughts he didn¡¯t even notice the timeout was over until Coach Hoang nudged him back towards the field. He hurried into position, though Coby was standing lackadaisically, like usual.

    Ty needed to impact the run ¡­ but he couldn¡¯t just leave Coby alone. They¡¯d pivot to a pass if he left his post. Could he edge over and make it in time if he ran after the snap?

    The Bears snapped the ball. Ty was frozen in place. Denzel took the ball up the gut, ripping through the defence for another good chunk of yards, drawing ever closer to the goal-line.

    The Dons were running out of yards to give up, and while the Bears were running out of time, it was clear which would last longer, especially with that final timeout still in reserve.

    There was nothing else for it. It was now or never. Ty had to get involved. He stood in front of Coby, yet he never looked at him. His eyes were focused on Denzel.

    He crept closer to the middle of the field before the snap, edging towards it. When the ball was snapped, he¡¯d make his run. He was fast enough, he could get there in time, even if they ran away from him.

    The Bears lined up like they always had during this final drive¡ªtwo Receivers spread wide, a TE tucked in close at the edge of the Line opposite Ty, and Derrick in front of Denzel, both in the backfield behind John who was under Center. John glanced in Ty¡¯s direction.

    The Bears snapped the ball. Ty lunged towards the middle of the field, then paused. He saw Coby move from the corner of his eye.

    That wasn¡¯t totally unusual in this last drive¡ªCoby had actually been putting effort into his blocks this time around, but Coby hadn¡¯t moved to stop Ty, he¡¯d run away, towards the end-zone.

    John took the ball, back already turned to the others as he extended towards Denzel, but Ty knew it was Play-Action even before he saw the fake hand-off. He scrambled back.

    Whirling around, he gave chase to Coby. It was hardly a second before Coby was already looking back for the pass. The Bears knew Ty was quick and recovered faster than anyone should¡¯ve been able to. Their window of opportunity was small.

    Ty jumped up, one hand extended blindly, working off of the position of Coby¡¯s hands to figure out where the ball could be. It was just too high for Ty.

    A fingernail scraped along it. Ty felt the slightest graze¡ªit was like a knife through his heart. But Coby had to adjust to the ball. He stumbled slightly as he reached back, bobbling the pass.

    He secured the catch at the 5, but that bobble had cost him a step. Ty pounced. He wrapped his arms around Coby and yanked back, though their forward momentum continued.

    Coby¡¯s feet pound against the turf. They reached the 4, passed it to the 3. Then Ty dug his heels in. His work in the gym hadn¡¯t been for nothing; all of JJ¡¯s coaching and teaching hadn¡¯t been useless. Ty wouldn¡¯t lose, especially to someone who probably thought working out in the gym was ¡°too boring¡±.

    Coby stopped as if he¡¯d reached an invisible barrier. The game didn¡¯t go beyond that point¡ªhe¡¯d reached the edge of the map.

    Ty hauled him back, yelling with the effort as he picked Coby up, twisted around, and slammed him down. The play was whistled dead; the clock continued to roll. Under a minute remained.

    The Bears were only 3 yards away from victory. Time continued to tick away, but they still had enough of it. They rushed up to the Line, ready to continue their assault.

    The Dons hurried back into position. Ty watched from what might as well have been the sideline. He couldn¡¯t leave to help the run or else Coby would waltz in for a touchdown ¡­ it was up to the others.

    It all rested on JJ¡¯s shoulders now.

 Chapter 187: JJ vs The King

    The Bears still had time, but they had to pounce. They rushed up to the Line, both teams formed into walls. It was all too quick for either coach to intervene.

    But no one needed to be told what the plan was. Everyone knew Denzel was getting the ball. The Dons just had to stop him.

    The ball was snapped and handed to Denzel immediately. Derrick tried to clear the way, JJ met him head on and stood him up. Denzel charged in, sandwiching Derrick between what had to be the two hardest objects on the planet at that moment.

    Neither budged for a second, then JJ started to slip back. Denzel pushed forward, his father¡¯s voice in the back of his head, urging him onward. He wasn¡¯t on a field; he was on the hill outside his house, pushing his car to the crest. His father was in the backseat, staring at him, his shouts clear through the back window. The last few feet were always the hardest.

    JJ was slipping, everything was falling into nothingness. No matter how hard he dug his feet in, the ground beneath crumbled and gave way. He found solid ground; he touched a wall. Zayden was behind him, pushing against the bulldozer that was coming to demolish JJ¡¯s home with his family inside.

    The slipping slowed, then more Dons piled in behind JJ, pushing against Denzel. They stopped him completely, and he fell to the turf. He could taste the paint of the end-zone on his tongue. The white strip was inches away from his eyes.

    Half the crowd fell, but their despair lifted the other half. The Dons¡¯ fans. rose into the air on the wind of the exasperated gasp. Time ticked away, stopped with only seconds left by the Bears¡¯ final timeout.

    The Dons clung to their 4 point lead desperately. Really, it came down to 1 point. That was all that stood between victory, loss, and overtime. If not for that 1 point, the Bears would¡¯ve had the easiest chip-shot field goal imaginable. The Dons barely had the strength for one more play; overtime would¡¯ve been the end of them.

    Tension ruled the timeout. It was too intense for either team to get a meaningful rest. Coach Long had one last mini speech, though the boys were lost in another world, one where only the Bears¡¯ offence and a football field existed.

    ¡®One last stand!¡¯ Coach Long yelled. ¡®They only have time for one more play. One last stand is the only thing between us and the Regional Championship.¡¯ He looked at all the faces surrounding him, their eyes glazed with desire and focus. He hoped his words reached them. ¡®I¡¯m so proud of all you boys.¡¯

    The timeout ended; the teams returned to the field¡ªCoby trudged onto the field last, lip quivering and fists shaking. Ty saw.

    The teams formed into huddles for one last time. In the Bears¡¯ huddle, Coby raised his voice. ¡®Fuck the coaches,¡¯ he said. He moved over and grabbed John by the chest. ¡®If the rest of you assholes want to win, give the ball to your REAL star. Stop playing in Denzel¡¯s shadow and pass the ball, John. Pass it to me.¡¯

    Denzel glared across the huddle. He pulled Coby away from John. All of King Denzel¡¯s subjects stood behind him, panting like dogs. His eyes turned to John. ¡®If you give the ball to anyone but me, you won¡¯t ever see game time again. Not here, not in college, not anywhere.¡¯

    Torn in two directions, John didn¡¯t know where to look. His tongue lay in his mouth, heavier than a crown. Coby and Denzel stared at one another. Their hatred was so palpable and heavy, the rest of the team could barely stay standing.

    With the Dons, JJ pulled his brothers close. ¡®This is it. One more play, one more stop.¡¯ He looked around the huddle. Everyone was running on fumes, but not a single person was ready to give up.

    JJ wiped his eyes. The sting of dirt was more welcome than the tears that had been blinding him. He took a deep breath. ¡®We¡¯re winning this. I¡¯m not ready to stop playing with you. I¡¯m not ready to lose my family.¡¯

    Deshaun pushed a fist into the centre of the huddle. Donte joined him. Zayden too. Fists piled on top of fists. Ty added his last, then everyone looked at their captain. JJ didn¡¯t bother wiping away the tears this time. He placed his fist on top and said: ¡®Family.¡¯

    ¡®One, two, three¡ª¡¯

    ¡®¡ªFAMILY!¡¯

    The Dons hurried to their positions. Ty watched the Bears¡¯ huddle break apart. Coby shoved his way out and stomped over to the sideline, standing not even a yard within the boundary. Ty followed.

    ¡®Don¡¯t bother. Those retards aren¡¯t passing,¡¯ Coby said.

    ¡°He¡¯s bluffing.¡± Ty thought. ¡°Stay focused.¡± They¡¯d stopped Denzel; the Bears could be dumb enough to trust Coby and their QB one last time.

    But Coby wasn¡¯t in a stance. He wasn¡¯t even looking at Ty. He focused solely on Denzel in the centre of the field. Disgust and anger dripped off Coby in thick globs.

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    Panic shot through Ty like a bullet. The Bears were running. There was nothing he could do to stop them. The final play of the game, the play that was going to decide everything¡ªwhether his season lived or died¡ªwas happening, and Ty could do nothing to influence it.

    From where Ty stood near the sideline, the ball was only 25 yards away, but he felt like he was on a separate planet. He was as useful as the people sitting in the stands.

    Dread consumed him. He trembled all over. He took a step towards the middle of the field, then stopped. They¡¯d just throw the ball to Coby if Ty left him open¡ªoriginal play be damned¡ªbut that wasn¡¯t why Ty stopped. He stopped because he saw JJ.

    JJ squatted a couple of yards into the end-zone; he was as still as a statue. His eyes were locked on Denzel.

    Ty stepped back and exhaled deeply. All the tension, all the fear and anxiety, expelled from his body. He kept his eye on the middle of the field. ¡®It was a good game,¡¯ Ty said. ¡®My¡­OUR¡­toughest fight yet. Still, you fall like all the other challengers.¡¯

    ¡®What?¡¯ Coby said, confusion joining his malice.

    Ty laughed, unable to contain it. ¡®No matter what you do, you can¡¯t beat us. You¡¯ll never beat me ¡­ and JJ won¡¯t ever lose. Your King is about to lose his crown.¡¯

    ¡®Denzel won¡¯t lose!¡¯ Coby wouldn¡¯t accept it. Denzel COULDN¡¯T lose. Not after being so selfish, not after taking all the responsibility. Coby couldn¡¯t lose after leaving his fate in the hands of someone else.

    The ball was snapped, and all Coby and Ty could do was watch helplessly. Coby froze. Ty grinned.

    John turned. To no one¡¯s surprise, he handed the ball directly to Denzel. The Line parted for The King like his name was Moses.

    JJ charged into the hole¡ªeven someone shot from a cannon would¡¯ve been slower. He slammed into Derrick and swatted him aside like he was nothing more than a gnat.

    JJ was all that stood between Denzel and the end-zone. The two of them both held victory in one hand and defeat in the other.

    JJ braced himself and lunged forward. His and Denzel¡¯s collision boomed across the field, smothering even the crowd¡¯s frantic cheering.

    Denzel crushed his mouth guard, pumped his legs, and tore up the ground in his efforts to push into the end-zone. JJ dug his cleats in, squeezed his arms around Denzel¡¯s bulky frame, and pushed with all his might to hold Denzel back. Their helmets ground against one another.

    Neither made any headway, both were stuck in place, the world revolving around them. Whistles hung silent in the umpires¡¯ mouths.

    John rushed forward and slammed into Denzel¡¯s back, adding his weight and strength to the struggle. It was minuscule compared to the titans battling it out, but even a grain of rice can tip the scales.

    JJ¡¯s feet skidded back. He was slipping again. The team was slipping, and this time, none of them could reach him before it was too late. Everything was slipping through his grasp. The practices, the celebrations in the locker room after a win, the road trips ¡­ his family. It was all slipping away. Deshaun, Stephen, Jay, Christian, Cole, Cameron, Benny, Donte, Zayden, Tyrese, the coaches, they were all slipping away into the abyss.

    ¡®GRAAAAH!¡¯ JJ planted his feet. His muscles burned. They strained to their breaking point. He pushed back against Denzel. He pushed with not just his own strength, but the strength and weight of his dreams. He wasn¡¯t ready to give up his family yet. He wasn¡¯t ready to lose these glorious days yet. He wasn¡¯t about to lose his last chance at a championship.

    Denzel¡¯s second surge stopped, even with John pushing against his back. JJ kept pushing. It wasn¡¯t just his dreams that fuelled him. His family was counting on him. Deshaun¡¯s journey couldn¡¯t end here¡ªhe needed to keep playing to get a D1 offer. Stephen needed to prove he was strong enough to keep playing WR. Jay needed this family to keep him focused and on track. Christian wasn¡¯t ready to stop¡ªhe needed to prove he was strong enough to be a one-man offence. Cole and Cameron needed to prove they could be number one options. Benny still needed his chance to shine in the spotlight. There was still so much Donte needed to learn to unlock his full potential and become the leader JJ knew he could be. Zayden and Tyrese were too hungry to be satisfied¡ªlosing would crush them, they still needed to grow and bloom into the superstars they could be. And the coaches ¡­ JJ couldn¡¯t let them down, they deserved a championship win, and it was about time JJ stopped failing them.

    JJ yelled. It was beyond guttural; it was primal. His teammates couldn¡¯t reach him, but their dreams did. With that heavy burden on his back, JJ pushed forward.

    Denzel¡¯s eyes shot open as JJ forced him back. He stared through the back of the end-zone, seeing the championship that awaited him, not the Regional crown, but the State Championship. There lay the rematch and revenge that he DESERVED. He saw his father too, saw the disappointment if he was to fall again, at an even earlier hurdle this time. His chest felt as if a ton of concrete was pushing down on it. He cried out as well ¡­ his was no war cry, but a shriek of dismay as he was driven back.

    JJ kept his head down, pushing endlessly. The crowd faded, everything did. He wasn¡¯t on a football field; he was on the edge of the abyss, at the bottom of the steepest hill he¡¯d ever seen. Salvation awaited at the top. His feet were slipping over the edge. Never-ending darkness waited below. His family¡¯s dreams were pushing against him. He was all that stood between them and the abyss; he was the only thing that could push them to the top.

    ¡°I won¡¯t let my family die. I won¡¯t let their dreams disappear. I won¡¯t forget my dream. I¡¯ll keep playing by their side for as long as I can!¡± He pushed even as his body screamed at him to stop; The burden was too much, it hurt, the hill was too tall, it was too heavy, it was impossible. He didn¡¯t listen. He kept pushing and inch by inch he climbed that towering mountain. He rose higher and higher until he finally reached the top, then he collapsed.

    Denzel lay on top of John, who was flat on his back, JJ on top of both of them. They were 5 yards back from the end-zone. Time had run out. Officials swarmed over, whistles blared over the roaring crowd.

    Before the officials could reach JJ and pull him off the two Bears, the rest of the Dons¡¯ defence piled onto him, screaming with joy. He¡¯d done it. They¡¯d won.

    Denzel stared up at JJ, eyes full of disbelief. Even Sierra Canyon hadn¡¯t crushed him so thoroughly. How was it possible? It shouldn¡¯t have been. No one man should¡¯ve been that strong.

    Tears pelted Denzel¡¯s cheeks¡ªthey weren¡¯t his own. The defeat hadn¡¯t fully settled into Denzel¡¯s core yet. The tears belonged to JJ. A grin split his face from ear to ear, and tears were streaming from his eyes.

 Chapter 188: Next Step: State

    Before the Dons stormed the field to celebrate their victory, they had one last thing to cross off their checklist. Cole and Stephen gave each other a conspiratorial look. With cheshire grins, they snagged the fullest container of icy Gatorade left on the sideline, and snuck up behind Coach Long.

    The crowd¡¯s roar drowned out the final whistle and Coach Long¡¯s shocked yells. Stephen and Cole thumped Coach Long on the back, yelling that they loved him before they jumped away from his clutches and joined the other Dons storming the field.

    The boys weaved through Bears on their way to join the pile up on top of JJ. The Bears shambled aside, barely cognisant, zombified by the loss.

    Denzel and John had wormed out from the bottom of the Dons'' celebration, yet they were still in denial over what had happened. Denzel couldn¡¯t accept it even as he stared at the scoreboard, burning it into his memory.

    The only Don who didn¡¯t throw themselves at JJ was Ty. He stood where he had when the final play began, watching with a smile. He¡¯d just witnessed something special, and JJ had been at the nucleus of it ¡­ maybe JJ was SPECIAL too.

    Together, maybe the two of them could really drag the Dons to the National championship. How couldn¡¯t they? Ty couldn¡¯t imagine anyone holding JJ back if he continued playing like he just had.

    Coby was on his knees beside Ty, but Ty might as well have been in another dimension; Coby saw only the scoreboard. Just like Denzel, he burned it into his memory.

    The Dons celebrating spread to the sideline; it was a party on the field, and it didn¡¯t look like it was stopping soon.

    Over with the Bears, things couldn¡¯t have been more opposite. The whole team had been crushed. None of them thought they could¡¯ve fallen at this hurdle. They¡¯d overlooked the Dons, and suffered the worst defeat any of them knew.

    Denzel had found his way to the bench, his head in his hands. He still couldn¡¯t believe it. He mumbled to himself, repeating the same phrase: ¡®It can¡¯t be over.¡¯

    Coby walked over to Denzel. It took a few seconds for Denzel to realise someone was standing in front of him. He looked up. That was when Coby socked him in the face.

    He punched Denzel so hard he almost fell over, even though he was the one who threw the punch. Coby scrambled back up. Denzel¡¯s head was still turned from the impact of the first blow as he reeled back for the next.

    Derrick snagged his arm, Zee grabbed his other arm, and Connor and Mack went for his legs. Together, they took Coby down as he thrashed and screamed.

    ¡®FUCK YOU! IT¡¯S YOUR FAULT! IT¡¯S YOUR FAULT WE LOST! I LOST BECAUSE OF YOU! FUCK YOU!¡¯

    Denzel¡¯s mutts dog-piled Coby, but Denzel made no move. He hadn¡¯t even reacted to the punch or insults. The coaches hurried over but struggled to pull the large boys off of Coby. His lip and nose were busted by the time they got to him.

    Coby refused their help up, standing on his own. He was still staring at Denzel. He spat some blood on Denzel¡¯s boot. ¡®I quit. Fuck this shit. I¡¯m never playing with you again.¡¯

    Denzel didn¡¯t even look at him as he stalked off, tearing off his Warren jersey. An adult went after Coby to console him, whilst others dealt with his attackers, reprimanding Connor, Zee, Derrick, and Mack.

    As the chaos settled back into normalcy, and despair took over from shock, Jameis appeared before Denzel. Denzel stared up at the unapproving face of his father; it was as hard and cold as ice.

    Denzel opened his mouth, but had to choke the words out. ¡®I-I-I ¡­ I tried.¡¯ He went on, the words coming easier, too easy as he blubbered and rambled. Tears stung his eyes. ¡®It wasn¡¯t my fault. I gave it everything I had! You know I¡¯ve been training my ass off since last year. I gave everything ¡­¡¯

    Jameis held a hand up. Denzel¡¯s rambling faded. He trembled, staring at that hand and the unreadable face behind it.

    ¡®I don¡¯t want to hear anymore excuses.¡¯

    ¡®They¡¯re not¡ª¡¯

    ¡®ENOUGH!¡¯ Jameis shook his head. ¡®God. Just looking at you makes me sick. No wonder your mother left us. Don¡¯t bother coming home.¡¯ He turned away, walking off before Denzel could respond.

    Everyone was leaving Denzel behind. His world was crumbling, and he could barely pick his jaw up off the floor before everything he once knew and held dear turned to ash.

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    And it was all his fault. HIS fault. Denzel¡¯s anger changed direction. Instead of flowing inward, it seeped out and trickled across the field, crawling along like a slug. He set his eyes on the man hoisted upon the Dons¡¯ shoulders, the heart of all their joy, and all his misery. Julian Jones.

    It was all HIS fault. Denzel¡¯s jaw clenched so tight he almost cracked his teeth. He slammed his fist down onto the bench, leaving a dent behind before he stood. His anger carried him away from the field. He wouldn¡¯t get his revenge that day, he wouldn¡¯t even get it next year ¡­ but one day, no matter how long he had to wait, whether they met again in college or the NFL or wherever ¡­ Denzel would repay JJ for the humiliation, one way or another.

    The teams still lined up for handshakes after the celebrations had died down enough for them to do so. The Bears line was sparse, their players few and far between. Of course, Denzel wasn¡¯t a part of it. None of his lackeys were either, nor Coby.

    Afterwards, the Dons hurried to their locker room where their celebrations saw a second wind and resumed even greater than before.

    Thumping beats reverberated around the walls as the music blared out from the room. Some players danced, others hopped on IG or Snapchat, already posting and bragging about their big win and ¡°dethroning the King¡±.

    The coaches watched on, letting them have their fun. They¡¯d come so far after such a hard year, they deserved it.

    The partying and celebrating only grew stronger as time dragged on. They were still going even as they left the locker room and headed for the team bus.

    Once everyone was aboard, that was when Coach Long told them to settle down. It still took him a couple of minutes to get them all under control, but he had a massive, bright grin stretching his face.

    ¡®I hope you¡¯ve had your fun,¡¯ he said. ¡®Now, I don¡¯t want anyone getting too rowdy on this bus, alright? If you break something, I¡¯m the one who pays for it.¡¯

    There was some laughter, but despite the adrenaline highs, everyone gave Coach Long their full attention.

    ¡®Enjoy yourselves this week¡ªRESPONSIBLY, of course. I don¡¯t want none of you boys getting in trouble. But, don¡¯t forget the journey''s not over. When we get back to training, it¡¯s going to be hard. What¡¯s coming after this will be harder than everything we¡¯ve faced so far. Let me warn you now so you don¡¯t get punched in the mouth next week and start wondering why everything isn¡¯t all sunshine and rainbows.¡¯

    The mood started to turn; laughter died down, smiles faded and the jovial expressions on nearly every face along the rows of seats filling the bus turned serious.

    ¡®The tournament to crown the State champion will be hard. Every team in it is going to be just as strong as Warren, if not stronger.¡¯

    ¡®Eventually, you can even expect to run into the team that beat Warren last year,¡¯ Coach Hoang interjected. ¡®They¡¯re the only team to beat them in nearly two years ¡­ aside from us, of course.¡¯

    A few laughs were sprinkled throughout the expectant listeners, others even cracked smiles again.

    Coach Hoang continued: ¡®That team¡¯s Sierra Canyon, and they¡¯ve won the California State Championship for the past six years. They¡¯re looking for number seven this year.¡¯

    ¡®Thank you, Coach Hoang,¡¯ Coach Long said, ¡®but we can worry about the champs if and when it comes to that. More importantly, we need to keep focused on what¡¯s right in front of us. It¡¯s no good worrying about a potential matchup with Sierra Canyon down the line, if we overlook the opponents we need to beat to reach them, and end up losing because of it.¡¯

    ¡°Is that what Denzel and the Bears just did?¡± Ty wondered. ¡°Is that what happened with us and the Vikings?¡± As much as the prospect of facing a team even stronger than the Bears¡ªas long as their star was a Receiver and not another RB¡ªexcited Ty, he wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake twice.

    ¡®On the topic of our opponents for next weekend, I¡¯ll find out who they are soon, and I¡¯ll let you know. Sierra Canyon are strong, but they can¡¯t be our focus right now. If we¡¯re going to run into them, it¡¯ll most likely be in the championship game. We have to get there first.¡¯

    Coach Long settled into his seat. Not long after his speech, the bus was back to its cheerful mood as it hit the road and started the journey back to Dominguez High.

    As much as Ty didn¡¯t want to overlook their real opponents, he couldn¡¯t shake the thought of Sierra Canyon out of his head. Bella was sitting next to him again. He turned to her, maybe she knew something more.

    ¡®Do you know anything about that Sierra Canyon team?¡¯ he asked.

    She looked up from her phone. ¡®Hm? A little, but we¡¯ve never played against them ¡­ obviously, so I don¡¯t know much.¡¯

    ¡®What do you know?¡¯

    ¡®They¡¯re SUPER well-rounded. That¡¯s not to say they don¡¯t have any strengths, it¡¯s more like EVERY position is their strength. They¡¯d have to rank in the top two or three for the state at every position. More often than not, they¡¯re number one.¡¯

    ¡°Not in Cornerback, they¡¯re not,¡± Ty thought. He doubted they were in MLB either, but he wasn¡¯t completely sure. Maybe JJ¡¯s performance today was an outlier.

    ¡®What about Wide Receiver?¡¯ he asked.

    She shrugged. ¡®I don¡¯t know specifics. All I¡¯ve heard is that they¡¯ve got a new freshman star. He¡¯s already a five-star recruit, but that¡¯s it. ¡­ Maybe you should ask Ricky if you want actual details.¡¯

    ¡®Egh, no thanks.¡¯

    She looked like she wanted to say something, ask a question of her own, but she stopped herself. She took a breath, then continued with a different line of thought. ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s probably best not to worry about them. Like Coach said, we gotta focus on what¡¯s in front of us.¡¯

    ¡®I know.¡¯ He turned away from her, looking out the window.

    Again, she went to say something more, but caught the words in her throat and kept them trapped. She went back to her phone and left him alone.

    The bus ambled along the road. Ty watched the world slowly roll past, and a smirk spread across his lips. Sierra Canyon couldn¡¯t be that tough. So what they took down Denzel and Warren last year? Who fucking cared? That was last year, and the King would¡¯ve been nothing more than a Prince. The Dons just vanquished a stronger King ¡­ but most of all, Sierra Canyon didn¡¯t have Tyrese Samuels on their team.

    The State Championship already had Ty¡¯s name all over it.

 Chapter 189: The Champs

    Sierra Canyon dominated their Regional championship game on route to victory. To call the game a stomp would¡¯ve been an understatement.

    The starters had only played the opening half, letting the back-ups finish their opponent¡¯s off in the final half. Still, the score read 59¨C10 when¡ªmercifully¡ªthe game ended. At half-time it had been 42¨C0.

    This meant that even when the back-ups came in for the second half, they still won their game within a game 17¨C10.

    Yet after such a dominant performance from both Sierra Canyon¡¯s A and B teams, there was no celebration in the locker room afterwards. In fact, annoyance was the primary emotion across most faces as the team mulled over their accomplishment¡ªtheir ninth Regional title in a row.

    ¡®How can we leave the team in the hands of such incompetent juniors next year?¡¯ a young man wondered aloud. ¡®How can they score so little against a defence of that level?¡¯

    Kieran Valentine had eyes that were much too old for a high school senior. They were more belonging to a tired hermit. A thin black headband held his scraggly brown hair back from his face. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with a rigid, proud back, and he was Sierra Canyon¡¯s QB and the main captain of their offence.

    ¡®You¡¯re worried about how much they scored?¡¯ another man said. ¡®Every point they allowed was like a knife through my heart. There¡¯s too much work to do. I won¡¯t leave behind such a flimsy wall.¡¯

    Mason Eubanks''s physique resembled a statue, and he held himself like one. Never one to waste movement, at times he seemed more like a rock than carved from one. A defined, square man, with a sharp fade and a flat high-top. He was their MLB, captain of the defence.

    A cloud hung over one side of the room where the back-ups crowded, heads down. None seemed as disappointed with their efforts as they were themselves.

    Laughter came from the starters¡¯ side. The freshest, youngest face in the room contorted into a grin a shark could be proud of; only his teeth were even sharper.

    ¡®Lennox. Why do you laugh?¡¯ Mason asked.

    ¡®I¡¯m laughing ¡¯cause it¡¯s too funny that you guys give a shit about what the scrubs playing after us do. What you SHOULD be mad at is that we didn¡¯t play more and beat those frauds by one-hundred!¡¯

    Lennox Freeman, the star freshman. Already proclaiming himself as the best two-way player in the country. He was a lengthy, defined boy. His angular face was always twisted into some sort of malicious expression. At that time, his hair¡ªstyled in short dreads¡ªwas pulled back from his black eyes and bunched together at the back of his head.

    ¡®Shut up!¡¯ another shouted. Their wide nostrils flared as they huffed and stood. He was a great lump of a man.

    Lennox rose to his feet as well, laughing again. His eyes gleamed at the potential of violence in his near future. ¡®Or what, Casper? What are you gunna do?¡¯

    The boy in question was another senior, and his name was not Casper¡ªthat was just a ¡°friendly¡± nickname Lennox had given him based on how pale he was and his ¡°big white cue ball of a head¡±, Lennox¡¯s words¡ªhis real name was Barry Bundy. He had a younger brother named Allen.

    The nickname Barry actually appreciated was ¡°The Great White Ape¡±, this one based on appearance as well, though he found the comparison to a massive, strong ape much more complimentary than a ghost with a fat head.

    Though Barry was much larger than Lennox, Lennox showed no fear of the clenched fists¡ªlike legs of ham¡ªhanging by Barry¡¯s sides.

    Barry sat back down, relaxing with a breath. ¡®It¡¯s no fun crushing bugs. There¡¯s no sport in it. Crushing you would be the same as crushing those ¡°frauds¡±¡ªno fun at all.¡¯ He turned to the others. ¡®We could¡¯ve sat out after the first quarter, probably even the entire game and just let the back-ups beat them ¡­ it¡¯s too boring.¡¯

    ¡®Fear not, Barry,¡¯ Kieran said. ¡®With this victory, we¡¯ve reached the real competition. The State championship should offer us at least one worthy opponent, and better entertainment aside.¡¯

    ¡®Fucking finally!¡¯ The shortest player on the team jumped up. Surprisingly, he was on the starters side of the room. ¡®I can¡¯t wait for our rematch with Warren. I¡¯ll prove I¡¯m the best Half-Back in the state, not some false king who doesn¡¯t even have a proper crown.¡¯

    ¡®Calm down, Spike. We don¡¯t even know if we¡¯ll face them again,¡¯ Kieran said.

    Spike Weedon¡¯s shoulders slumped. He was still jittery, bouncing on his toes with the excitement only the thought of revenge could provide. He was slight of build, and too short, even with his spiky blond hair adding a couple of inches. But that gelled up hair revealed swollen cauliflower ears, and his quick twitches betrayed his hidden, springy explosiveness.

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡®We will face them,¡¯ Mason said. ¡®They¡¯ll be our first test. I just hope it¡¯s sooner rather than later.¡¯

    The players turned their heads, looking towards the corner of the room where their coach sat. Only Lennox didn¡¯t look; he showed no excitement for Warren. He grumbled about how they were most likely fraudulent, too.

    ¡®They were fun,¡¯ Barry said. ¡®When do we face them again?¡¯

    ¡®I bet they weren¡¯t ¡°fun¡±,¡¯ Lennox said. ¡®I bet y¡¯all were just shit without me.¡¯

    They ignored him, still focusing on their coach. Coach Heenan¡¯s long face was hard to read with the light from his tablet reflecting off his thin glasses. He had a comfortable set up, a small table for his after game coffee and a nice, cushioned stool to sit on. One long leg crossed over the other as he sat in silence for a little longer.

    He was dressed lavishly in a pinstriped black and grey suit, gator skin shoes, a bulky, gem-encrusted watch, and a chain that dazzled around his neck.

    When he removed his glasses, the players were taken aback by the look of mild surprise on his face, his sharp eyebrows raised high above his bright blue eyes.

    ¡®Actually,¡¯ he said, his voice cool despite the shock, ¡®you won¡¯t be facing Warren. The Warren Bears were defeated yesterday in their Regional final.¡¯

    ¡®What?!¡¯ Barry shot to his feet. Spike collapsed back against his locker like Coach Heenan had shot him. Even Mason couldn¡¯t hide the surprise from his face.

    Lennox¡¯s laughter bounced around the room again, as hearty and loud as ever. ¡®Seriously? That¡¯s the boogey-team you were all talking about the entire fucking year? How pathetic! They¡¯re such failures they couldn¡¯t even make it out of their region, and they¡¯re the ones who gave you a run for your money last year? Shit, I really saved your asses by joining this team, didn¡¯t I?¡¯

    ¡®You shut the fuck up Lennox!¡¯ Spike jumped up on the bench, standing over Lennox. ¡®This has to be some kind of mistake.¡¯ Spike looked back at Coach Heenan. ¡®That King Denzel guy, he must¡¯ve been injured right?¡¯

    ¡®Calm down and SIT down, Spike,¡¯ Kieran said. ¡®I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so surprised. From what I recall, most of their defence last year were seniors. Their back-ups mustn¡¯t have been good enough.¡¯ His face turned dark with worry as he thought about Sierra Canyon¡¯s situation next year.

    ¡®No. That can¡¯t be the issue,¡¯ Mason said. ¡®That offence was more than strong enough to carry them past the rest of this horrible state, no matter what their defence became. Maybe their star really was hurt.¡¯

    ¡®Well, Coach? Was he?¡¯ Spike asked.

    ¡®I can¡¯t find any news of any injuries,¡¯ Coach Heenan answered, his glasses back on. ¡®However ¡­ this could interest you.¡¯ He turned the tablet around, showing off footage recorded from a spectator¡¯s phone of the fight that occurred on the Bears¡¯ sideline after the game.

    Lennox¡ªafter watching a so-called King get smacked in the face and do nothing about it¡ªwas laughing so hard that he was rolling on the floor, clutching his stomach.

    Spike stared in bewilderment, replaying the footage. ¡®How can he just ¡­ take it? Why is he acting like that? That¡¯s not the same guy from last year! That little bitch can¡¯t be the guy who was calling himself King and telling everyone to bow down.¡¯

    Coach Heenan looked at the tablet again, scrolling through the articles. ¡®Hmm. They lost to the Dominguez Dons. Their leader is a senior named JJ¡ªJulian Jones¡ªand he¡¯s a Middle Linebacker. He must¡¯ve been the one who toppled this ¡°King¡±.¡¯

    He flipped the tablet around once more. Mason stood closest, squinting at the screen. ¡®He doesn¡¯t look like much,¡¯ he said.

    Spike scoffed. ¡®How could he stop Denzel? I could run circles around that meathead.¡¯

    ¡®Looks can be deceiving,¡¯ Coach Heenan said. He scrolled more, though Spike and Mason were right¡ªJJ wasn¡¯t special at all.

    Spike walked away, shaking his head. ¡®Tch. Whatever. I can still prove I¡¯m the best. When we beat the guys that took down Warren, everyone will have to acknowledge I¡¯m the best Half-Back in the state.¡¯

    Coach Heenan¡¯s glasses flashed. He leaned forward on his stool, legs uncrossing. ¡®Lennox? Come here.¡¯

    Lennox¡¯s laughter stopped at once. His rolling did too; it was like he was frozen. He looked up at Coach Heenan, eyes narrow. That tone of voice, so cutting and quiet, Coach was serious.

    He dragged himself across the room, standing only when he was beside Coach Heenan. He didn¡¯t need to ask anything. Coach Heenan turned the tablet around, a video already playing.

    It was of another Dons¡¯ player. A small boy with arms too long for his body. He must¡¯ve been a freshman, too. He was a CB, going against the Bears¡¯ WR one-on-one.

    Lennox watched the two battle it out. The WR was slow and clumsy; he waltzed right into the CB¡¯s trap. Even then, the pass was good, the CB¡¯s positioning not good enough. It should¡¯ve gone over his hand.

    Lennox tilted his head and blinked. He was watching the whole time, and the whole time he thought the ball was going to sail over the CB¡¯s reach and hit the WR¡¯s hands over the back. One moment it looked exactly like that, the next, the ball was in the CB¡¯s hands.

    ¡®Is this shit edited?¡¯ he asked, not taking his eyes off the tablet.

    ¡®No. It¡¯s real.¡¯

    He watched the CB and WR tumble to the ground. The CB stood triumphant, ball raised over his head like a trophy, a twisted grin etched onto his face. It was an expression Lennox had only seen in the mirror before. A shudder ran up and down his spine.

    ¡®Who did you say this was?¡¯

    ¡®His name¡¯s Tyrese Samuels. He¡¯s the Dons¡¯ number one Corner by the looks of it ¡­ he also leads the state in interceptions. He¡¯s a freshman, like you.¡¯

    Coach Heenan let the clip loop and left the tablet on the table. He stood, addressing the rest of the room. ¡®Alright. Pack up. There¡¯s a lot to revise during the bus ride.¡¯

    Whilst the others began packing their bags and readying to depart, Lennox stood watching the clip repeatedly. There wasn¡¯t a sudden cut. It wasn¡¯t even like the ball had made a severe shift in position, but it still felt so strange. Even knowing the pass resulted in an interception, it still looked like it¡¯d go just beyond Ty¡¯s outstretched fingers and into the WR¡¯s hands instead. But it never did.

    Lennox¡¯s body tingled. The Bears had never sounded intriguing; he always knew they were bullshit. But these mysterious Dons, they were legit; they were exciting.

    ¡°A Corner who overestimates himself and thinks he¡¯s untouchable? Plus, he¡¯s a freshman just like me? Ohh¡­ Tyrese Samuels. I¡¯m gunna enjoy devouring you!¡±