Regularities ✔

Chapter Three

CHAPTER THREE: THE BEST

All employees have an innate desire to contribute to something bigger than themselves.
-Jag Randhawa

Finally it was time for the announcement of the winners of different awards, so Coach catches everyone's attention by raising his glass of beer- -that he pours into a champagne glass that he gives out to appear fancy when all of us know he's not- -and tapping it against a microphone.

Beside Coach Hakoda is his wife, and she's holding all the award papers and three medals, two trophies and and a single miniature golden football on a stand.

"Only last week was a list shared through our gym office ranking our college's 'Ten Most Homophobic Football Players' and the perpetrator would have been expelled had it not turned out to be true." Coach Hakota slyly gives me a look making Bar and Atlas give out a small laugh. 

I just smirk and shrug, raising Fly's glass since I don't drink. "I'll cheer to that."

Law Riddle clinks his glass with mine and I hand it back to the idiot, so they can drink in sync. 

Fly's standing next to me now, between me and Atlas so he can be the first to go step up for me 'just in case' Adonis or Atlas decides it's their year to do so. Adonis did it junior year, Fly did it for me at the first half of senior year and Circe did it for me for the second.

"And this year, after watching our 57 to 18 match that Flynn Jacus and Alpha Rex played all four quarters in, leading us to victory along with all you other prick," For guests that might not seem affectionate, but I know Coach, and it is. "The National Collegiate Athletic Association of Football gave me the Coach of the Year award."

Our team cheers, and I nod respectfully. I don't want to start clapping, because it's something that could definitely trigger a long range of tics I'd rather avoid.

"Our college-level Heisman trophy goes to Flynn Jacus! For being the most supportive player on the field, the same time he keeps you hot-heads in line!" Scarlette cheers louder for her boyfriend than I've ever heard her in the past -and I've seen them have very heated discussions about useless things since we were seventeen, so that says something.

When she quiets down, I lock eyes with Fly and grab his wrist, nodding. He grins down at me, ruffling my hair in appreciation as his blue eyes that are burning with excitement tell me, thank you.

Continuing, Coach's wife Ama continues. "And two days ago we finally got down the awards, ignoring the student drama. Here's the winners, but if I call your name, remember to get them when I'm done, or I'll rip 'em up."

Our team hoots and hollers, saying things like "I better get the best one!" and "gimme that trophy!" in order to rile up the crowd and root on our Coach, but if the crinkle in the middle of Fly's eyebrows tells me anything, it's that he doesn't like our team anymore than he liked our team in senior year.

And that says a lot, because we had a lot of homophobic guys, and guys like... like Clark, who would hurt a lot of people, not just me.

Fuck. 

I shouldn't be thinking about that right now.

"Most valuable player award goes to... Alpha Rex!" Jasper's hand squeezes my thigh, and I lean into him more. Bar shoots me a proud look that reminds me so much of my own dad that I miss him even more. "Best offensive player of the year goes to Flynn Jacus!"

Best defensive player of the year goes to Ian Davis who's one of the biggest transphobes I've ever met.

The biggest comeback player of the year goes to Niko, since he fractured his wrist a month before the start of the season, and he also won the sportsmanship award but that's probably because he was our water-boy more than any niceties.