Brighton Part One

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Growing up in America, football is a major sport, but football isn't merely a sport; it's treated as a religion in Texas. Everywhere you turn, a city or town celebrates their team and treats them like demigods. So, in the humidity, rain, and sunshine, all most boys growing up know is that football is second to God.

Not far between Waco and the greater Dallas-Fort Worth region sits a small city of about fifteen thousand residents known as Brighton. It's the home of the Grizzlies; with a Hunter Green and Silver color scheme on their jerseys, the team sits in the 4A division of the Patriot Conference. The small city consists of mainly everything you'd expect from a major city, but the heart and soul sit at the Northeastern. Brighton High School is known for its speed and flexibility on the field. However, the high school shows its age with faded center blocks and a campus covered in pine trees for students and teachers to enjoy when class is outside.

As the community anxiously awaits the new season to begin, the players gather at the newly remodeled field with fresh turf and new bleachers with an updated sound and lighting system. It's a season with high expectations as the two-time state junior varsity championship team has moved to the varsity level. The Grizzlies are junior class heavy, with very few returning seniors for the season, but as they park and exchange high-fives and fist bumps, they make their way into the locker room.

One of the last players to enter the locker room is a junior all-state talented Tight End, Clarke Harbor, a caucasian six-foot two-hundred-pound young man with pitch-black hair and a lean build, but with such speed, he's able to knock defensive players on their ass before they realize it. Clarke hates the game, but being born and raised as a legacy player since his father was an all-star player who made a name for him playing for Sam Houston State, he wants to honor his memory by playing the same position. Once seated, the head coach makes his way out of the office to begin the usual pep talk.

Every player is excited to get back on the field, but as they sit there, fresh paint and steel float in the air from brand-new lockers with each of their names already attached. Clarke stands by his locker, leaning against it waiting to hear the same old speech he's heard from every coach he's played for over the years.

"Alright, my young Grizzlies, how hungry are we this year?" Coach Mack Sparks cries out with his fist jerking up and down.

The team stands and imitates the grizzly roar, except for Clarke, who continues to lean and watch the balding coach with salt and pepper hair with a 1970s porno mustache get the team riled up.

"Do you want a bite of that title this year?" Coach Sparks cries as the team imitates the roar, "I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" Then, he screams at the top of his lungs as the entire team gets louder.

"Yeah, woohoo, yay," Clarke says to himself in his deep voice.

"Get dressed, and let's hit the field, men!"

One thing Clarke does notice, the dark chocolaty brown eyes of his best friend are missing. Hector Sanchez, the third-rated top quarterback in Texas, is nowhere to be seen. So, feeling the cool air-conditioned air blowing around him, Clarke raises his hand to get the coach's attention.

"Yes, sir Mr. Harbor. What's on your mind?"

"Coach Sparks, sir, where's Hector? He's our starting QB, right?"

Drawing a deep breath into his chubby torso, Coach Sparks gives the team their first set of bad news, "Gentlemen, we'll have to hold a tryout for a new starting quarterback. But, unfortunately, I need to tell you that Hector's parents were caught in a sting by ICE agents a few hours ago, and Hector personally called me to tell me that he will need to get a job to help provide for himself and his sisters as he's the oldest sibling and his right to provide until something can be arranged."