“Come on you bunch of slobs protect you’re QB dammit. Chenlie, I want to see you moving faster. Vincent, protect Chenlie longer. Nossrin, keep an eye out for you’re open man and pay attention who is getting close to you dammit. Run it again.” Coach Bradley put his whistle in his mouth and blew a long blow on the contraption.
The offensive went down for the snap.
I went to my position with Sam just in front of me. The play that Bradley wanted us to do was your normal forward pass with three people open. I knew I had to go right while the other two went left.
Normally I knew who the QB was going to throw to but now that I’m fresh in Varsity so half of the players I played with in JV and the other half were returning players from last season.
Coach Bradley liked to have half of his players seniors and the other half juniors. That way when the seniors leave the juniors come back and Coach Bradley doesn’t have to start fresh completely.
Last year for JV our quarterback was Adam Letcher and normally I would know who he was throwing his ball to. But now this new guy Troy Nossrin I wasn’t too sure about. So now I have to learn everything about him so I could tell who he was going to throw to. To be frankly honest I wasn’t too sure about this new guy. The only thing I knew for sure was that he was a returning player to the Varsity squad and if Bradley trusted him to be the starting QB then I guess I’ll have to trust his judgment. We’ll find out his integrity when we play our first game in two days.
I look to my left and saw Robinson, Carter, and Blochin. These three were JV players last year and now here we are on the Varsity team. Robinson had gained about thirty pounds so now he was positioned for left guard. Carter had stayed about the same so he was positioned for Wide Receiver. And Blochin stayed about the same as well so he was positioned with right guard.
I heard Troy yell to us, “Hut. Hut. Hike.”
I sprung up and sprinted forward then broke right like I was supposed to.
As I broke right I saw Blake our D Cornerback coming for me so he can guard me. Just before he can start I saw Sam break right behind me and push Blake aside so I can get some more distance. As I got to my assigned position on the field I looked back to see what Troy was going to do.
I watched as he threw…towards Michael Strusson.
My feet immediately went into action before my mind could even react. I sprinted towards Strusson to help him get some more coverage.
Before I could reach Strusson, I watched as Jason Vanderhosen jumped up grabbed the ball and start running it back past our offensive line.
I didn’t have enough room to catch up to Jason and get him. Luckily Robinson had covered the distance and tackled Jason before he could get more distance.
Just then we heard the whistle blow. I looked at Coach Bradley and saw that he was walking towards Troy. I knew this wasn’t going to end well for Troy.
All of us could hear him yelling at Troy clear as day.
“God Dammit Son. Didn’t I tell you to keep you’re eyes open?”
I walked closer so I could hear what Troy would say. Unfortunately I didn’t.
“I asked you if I didn’t tell you to keep you’re fucking eyes open, didn’t I?”
I heard Troy speak this time, “Yes Coach.”
“Then why the fuck did you throw the fucking ball to Strusson when he had three guys on him and Deckin. Obviously Chenlie had only one person on him so he was the more obvious choice. Why didn’t you throw it to him?”
“I don’t know Coach.”
“Well then we are going to keep running this play until you get 10 successful passes with at least 15 yards gained. Do you hear me?”
“Yes Coach.”
“Do you fucking lackeys hear me?”
All of us in unison, “Yes Coach.”
“Good. Defense I want you to push the offense as hard as you can I want those passes earned not handed. You got me?”
The entire defensive team in unison yelled, “Yes Coach.”
Coach Bradley walked away and then yelled, “Good. Run it again.” And we heard him blow his whistle.
******************
I walked out of the locker rooms dead to the world. I was looking forward to getting into my car and getting home so I could get some sleep. Well at least once I got my homework done.
“Hey You.”
I turned around to see Amanda leaning against the wall waiting for me with a smile on her face.
It took all the energy I had in my system to give the girl I love a smile, “Hey.”
Amanda picked up her backpack and gym bag and walked towards me. “Looks like Coach rode you guys hard today.”
I sighed, “Yeah. It’s taking everything I have to just to stand right now.”
She nudged into me with a giggle. Took everything I have to stay balanced and not fall on my butt. “So are you going to give me a ride home?”
I looked at her quizzically, “Why aren’t you driving your car?”
I watched as she sighed, “It’s in the shop. Something about the catalytic converter being clogged or something. So I’m without a car until next week some time.”
I nodded, “Ah. Yeah sure come on.”
We walked to my car that my parents got me after I acquired my license in silence.
Took us a few minutes to walk to my beater of a car. Then Amanda spoke, “I thought you’re parents were getting you a new car or something.”
I smiled at her, “They told me if I treat this car right and if I get good grades by the end of the semester then they’ll buy me a new car.”
This time I heard her speak, “Ah.”
I opened my trunk and threw my bags into it. I looked at Amanda, “Do you want your bags in the trunk or in the back seat?”
She looked at me without even missing a beat or answering my question she hurled her bags into the trunk. I smiled at her.
We drove my car towards her place, “So are you spending the night this weekend?”
She looked at me, “Unless you don’t want me to?”
I laughed, “I didn’t say that. I would love for you to spend the night again.”
She nudged up against me, “Good it’s settled. I’ll have my bags packed and ready when you pick me up Friday morning for school.”
We drove for a little bit longer before we reached Amanda’s driveway.
I put my car in park and faced Amanda, “This is your stop.”
Amanda unbuckled her belt, slid over to me, and kissed me. After our kiss broke, she exited my car, got her things out of my trunk, and entered her house.
I waited until Amanda was fully in her house and closed her door before I reversed my car out of her driveway and continued my drive home.
*********************************
I walked into my room and dropped my bags near my closet. I waltzed over to my bed and flopped down.
I wasn’t there for very long before I heard a knock at my door.
I rose my head, “Come in.”
My mom opened the door and popped her head in, “Hey honey. How was practice?”
I sighed, “Tiring like usual.”
I watched my mom’s face frown at me, “Well dinner’s in the oven for you. And do you need your uniform washed before tomorrow?”
I laid my head back down on the bed, “No let’s wait until tomorrow before the game Friday on my uniform being washed and I’ll be out in a minute.”
I heard my mom’s voice perk up, “Ok well hurry up your father and I need to talk to you about something.”
I raised my head back up, “What is it about?”
Just before she closed my door, “Just come out here so we can talk.”
I sighed, “Ok I’ll be out in a minute.”
My mom closed my door and I flopped my head back on the bed. I wondered what my parents wanted me to talk about. Is it serious? Or is it something else? Could it be about Amanda staying over during the weekends?
Ever since Amanda’s parents allowed Amanda to start spending the night during the weekends with me it was great. Only problem when the arrangement first started my parents were out of town so I couldn’t tell them until they got back into town. At first the arrangement was touch and go. My dad typically laughed and told me if I needed anything along the lines of contraceptives or anything like that to let him know and he’ll hook me up.
My mom on the other hand didn’t like it one bit. For the first month or so my mom made Amanda sleep in the guest bedroom and my mom stayed up until 2am to make sure either of us wouldn’t sneak into each others room. Then after that my mom let us stay in the same room but she continued to stay up to make sure we didn’t have sex. After about a month of that my parents went to bed at 10pm and let us stay up as late as we wanted. Now my parents love Amanda staying over.
The only thing my parents have told me to make sure I didn’t get Amanda pregnant before I graduated college and my mom’s exact words “If you get her or another girl pregnant before you graduate college I will personally come over and chop off your balls.” My dad just laughed and told me not to do anything stupid.
So if my parents were no longer liking the arrangement, why would they wait for nearly a year before saying something?
If that wasn’t the reason for the talk then what could it be? I guess there was only one way to find out and that was get out of my room and eat my warm dinner while they talked.
**********************
I sat down for my dinner, which was meatballs so I turned it into a sub with rice as my side, and waited for my parents to start their serious conversation.
I didn’t have to wait very long. I was probably into my third bite before my parents sat down in front of me and began their talk.
My father spoke first, “Son we have something very serious to discuss.”
My mouth was full so I didn’t reply, I just rolled my hand at him to continue. The anticipation of what they needed to tell me was killing me but I tried to act cool.
This time my mom spoke, “Now you know your aunt and uncle have been fighting for the past few weeks.”
I nodded. I was relieved that this conversation wasn’t anything relating to Amanda’s spending the nights.
My dad spoke, “Well it looks like they will be getting a divorce.”
I nearly choked on my food. I was sort of expecting this to happen but my aunt Debbie and Uncle Robert have always fought. They got a divorce when I was still a kid but they rekindled their relationship for their two kids. I guess now they couldn’t stand each other anymore. If there was a pool going I would put my money down for six months before they got back together again.
I spoke, “How is Neil and Moira handling everything?”
My mom spoke now, “Well that’s what we want to talk to you about. We offered Debbie and Robert to take Neil and Moira for the school year or at least until things settle down. We wanted to tell you what was going on so you weren’t blindsided and to make sure you were ok if Neil and Moira were to spend the year with us.”
“Well it’s not entirely official yet. Neil might be going to your uncle Jason’s for the school year because Neil loves playing lacrosse and your school doesn’t have a lacrosse program and where Jason lives the high school out there does have a lacrosse program.”
My mom looked at my dad, “That’s true.” She faced me, “However, Moira is really into soccer and your school has a good soccer program. So she will more than likely be staying with us.”
What they were saying was true. Neil was captain of the lacrosse team for his high school and he has carried his team to the state championships. He was like me a junior in high school and is 17. And Moira was really good at soccer, not championship material but good. Moira was a sophomore in high school and 16. I haven’t seen Neil or Moira in long time and have lost track since I saw them or Aunt Debbie and Uncle Robert for that matter. Where does the time fly?
My parents were probably right. Neil would probably do good where Uncle Jason lives, and Moira would probably benefit at my school with their soccer program. Hell Moira might even make it to nationals, our girls soccer team did make it to nationals last year. Personally I wouldn’t have minded Neil staying with us over Moira but I didn’t care either way.
I realized my parents were looking at me as if they were waiting for me to reply. I didn’t notice that I had gone inside my head and had started thinking things out. I hardly noticed that I had cleaned my plate.
I cleared my throat, “I don’t care either way. If both or just Moira come to stay where will they stay?”
My parents smiled at me as if realizing how good of a son I am. “Well we’re not sure if either of them will be coming or not. If Neil doesn’t decide to stay with your aunt and uncle during divorce or doesn’t decide to go with your Uncle Jason, and he decides to come here then he will bunk with you. Moira of course will be using the guest room.”
I nodded, “And when will this happen?”
Both my parents sighed but my mom spoke, “We’re not sure. Could be as early as next week or this weekend or next month. We’re not entirely sure when or if it will happen, but we’ll let you know when we know.”
I wasn’t sure now if Amanda was going to continue to spend the night during weekends anymore because of the new development. Well shit this sucks.
I could either not say anything and let things play out. Or I could ask about Amanda’s arrangement and look like an emotionless asshole in this situation with my parents.
I decided against saying anything and avoiding a possible serious conversation changing into a fucked up conversation. I said my good nights and decided to do my homework in my home room tomorrow morning in school. I needed some sleep. Read more »