Fiction/Young Adult/Football/Discrimination
What Does Sex Have To Do With It
Chapter Twelve
“Sam, let’s go.”
I heard Dad yelling for me from the garage. We have an early football game this morning, yes, on a Saturday when we’re supposed to have off from school and everything, we have a game in…fuck, by my phone time, we have kickoff in two hours at one this afternoon.
Shit, that doesn’t give us a lot of time to prepare and get warmed up. Thankfully, it’s at our school, so it won’t take too long to get there.
“MOM!” I yelled out in case she wasn’t in the house.
“Cleats are already in the truck, Sam.”
Mom was always on top of things and made sure that I was ready to go so we didn’t have to listen to Dad rant about being late.
“Thank you. See you in an hour.” I called out as I ran out the side door to the garage. Mom would come to the game, but she liked to wait until we were done warming up so she didn’t have to sit there too long.
Dad got us to the school in record time. Good thing the cops around here know his truck now and won’t pull him over on a game day.
“I gotta go find Coach Jake to make some changes.” Dad jumped out of the truck and walked toward the locker room.
I saw Sky walking up the sidewalk with Devon and DeAngelo, and those two still weren’t on talking terms with me unless they had to.
“Hey.” Skyler was the first to initiate a conversation.
“Hey.” I watched as Devon and De continued walking even though Sky had stopped.
“Ready for the game?” Skyler leaned against the wall next to me.
“I’m always ready. If not, my dad will make sure I am.”
Sky nodded but looked to be in thought, probably about the game and how it’s the school’s second runner-up rival. “Still grounded?”
“Nope. It ended yesterday.” I gave a quick wave to Lee and Tye who just got dropped off by Lee’s mom.
“You wanna hang out tonight?” Skyler took a step away from me as Lee and Tye got closer.
Was he asking me out?
I’m sorta with his cousin. Nothing official. But Maddox and I have been hanging around one another almost every day. And Bea told me that he hasn’t been with Cassie in like forever.
“Um, it’s sorta a girls' night tonight with Lissa and Bea.” We planned this like a week ago when the game got rescheduled to Saturday. There was a big party happening but we decided to just hang low and stay in…maybe.
“Oh, that’s cool. I better get in there,” Skyler motioned to the football field, “and get everyone ready.”
“Yep, we’re right behind you.” I stepped in line with Lee and Tye, who were both giving Sky nasty looks behind his back.
We’re down six points and going into the final five minutes of the game. Their kicker missed an extra point after the last touchdown, and now we have to punt it away again because they keep blocking our run game.
Dad is freaking out.
Everyone in the stands is freaking out.
And me, I’m pissed that I haven’t gotten more than five plays and a total of fifteen yards. Yes, their defense is good and me and the D’s are having a hard time getting open to run.
I saw Lissa, Bea, along with Maddox with two of his friends in the stands. They were in the front row screaming with every play. Mom was sitting with all the other parents who came to cheer us on.
Our defense was doing their best to stop the other team from scoring again. We didn’t need to get set back by two scores.
I glanced up to the stands and waved when Maddox called my name but then I heard a loud cheer and turned around to see what happened.
Our safety managed to grab for an interception and was running down the sidelines. He made it to the fifty-yard line before getting tackled.
This was awesome. We were getting one more chance to try and score before the game was over.
I pulled my helmet back into place and ran out onto the field. Everyone else on our offense was right behind me and Dad was yelling out to Skyler about a play, one that we hadn’t done today.
I got knocked on my ass by a two-hundred-pound-plus defensive lineman when I went in for a block. Skyler was able to pass to Jermaine, one of the wide receivers who got us another twenty-five yards.
We had one minute and thirty seconds left to score or go home losers. The next play was a handoff to Devon who got three yards. Then a pass play that was batted down.
Fuck.
Shit.
We’re going to lose which is going to hurt us in ranks and we have two rough games ahead of us, including playing Maddox’s team in three weeks.
Dad called our final timeout and called Skyler over to the sidelines. I saw Sky shaking his head, but then nodded once and jogged back over to the huddle.
“Sam, it’s going to you on two count. Dev, block on the side so she can slip through the two guards.”
“Are you fucking serious, last play and you’re giving her the ball.”Devon was pissed off and showing his true colors once again.
“Shut the fuck up, Dev.” Lee finally spoke up.
“Yeah, it’s going to Sam, it’s our best chance to score.” Skyler winked at me and clapped his hands to break the huddle.
I got into position and watched for any sudden changes in the defense. They were all focused on Devon, who they thought was our lead scorer and runner.
Sky called hike and I pretended to run out for a block, then cut back, totally throwing the defensive guy that had been following me off balance.
Sky handed the ball off to me and I ran toward Devon, who did some fine blocking, along with Tye and Lee, to let me squeeze past the linesmen. Now, I had to get past their safety and I could score.
I ran as fast as I could. My legs were burning, but I couldn’t stop. I saw the safety closing in fast and knew I would probably get hit before I crossed the goal line.
I gave myself one extra push just like I did that day when I had to beat Devon and DeAngelo during tryouts. I heard the roar of the crowd and my dad screaming for me to go.
The goal line was within reach, I was almost there. Five more steps.
Four more.
Three more. ‘
I can score.
And I got hit from the back by the safety.
Instead of knocking me down, he pushed me forward.
I fell and the ball crossed over the goal line.
I looked up and the referee had his arms raised.
TOUCHDOWN!
The rest of the team caught up to me and Skyler lifted me off the ground.
“You were fucking amazing.” Sky pulled me into a friendly hug.
Everyone else slapped me on the back congratulating me. Skyler still had a hold of my hand when Elissa, Bea, and Maddox made their way to our celebration at the endzone.
Maddox pulled me away from Skyler and picked me up and began spinning me around. “My girl is fucking awesome.”
I saw out of the corner of my eye Skyler giving Maddox the evil eye but nodded once and stepped away from the scene.
Maddox put me down and took my helmet off. He ran his fingers through my hair, which was probably a disaster of being a helmet-head, and leaned in close. “That was a beautiful run.”
I knew he was going to kiss me. Did I want him to? I don’t know, maybe. But I don’t think I want my first kiss to be on the football field with everyone watching, especially Skyler.
“YAY.” Lissa pulled me away from Maddox before the almost kiss could happen. “Damn, Sam, you were so freaking great out there. Those boys had nothing on you.”
I gave out a million thank yous to everyone who congratulated me, but I was a tired hot mess who only wanted a shower right now.
“Party tonight?” Maddox found his way back to my side.
I glanced over at Bea and Lissa, who both shrugged. I saw Skyler talking with Lee and Tye, which was a rare sight. As if he felt my stare, our eyes met. There was that string that I always felt when I was around him. Yes, I liked Maddox, but there was something there with Sky that felt…right.
Sky looked at mine and Maddox’s intertwined fingers then looked away. He slapped both Lee and Tye on the backs then walked away toward the locker room.
I let Maddox’s hand drop. “Nah, it’s a girls night tonight.”
Maddox got a quick kiss on my cheek before I joined Lissa and Bea. “Yeah, but you’ll be at my house, baby.”
Oh shit, that’s right. We were spending the night at Bea’s house, as in, that’s also Maddox’s house too.
