Small Town Hero - #ONC 2024

Chapter 7

Game day arrived and brought with it all the excitement and energy the students and faculty of Pineville High could muster. In the halls, everyone's face glowed with team spirit, all except for Layla, who seemed withdrawn again, like she was at the diner last night after asking about homecoming. As for me, I couldn't concentrate during classes; I hadn't heard a word my teachers said all day, unless it was something relating to the game.

When it came time for the pep rally, I followed my teammates through the hallway that led to an entrance into the gymnasium. From the doorway, it sounded like the entire town had showed up to support the team. Pineville at its finest. Heavy metal music boomed from the speakers, guitar strings striking a raucous chord, the words making me imagine the atmosphere of the game before we ran out onto the field. It made me feel supercharged and more confident about what I planned to do later.

The team captains, Elijah Ray and Casper Jones, strutted out in front of our procession, followed by the offensive linemen, then Blake and me, and then the rest of the players. We wore our game day jerseys, bright red with white numbers, trimmed out in silver. As we entered the gym, the decibel levels skyrocketed, so loud I couldn't hear what Blake was saying as he twisted around to talk to me. It didn't matter what he said whether it was encouragement or something else, because the moment had arrived, and I felt it in every fiber of my being. This was the biggest day of my eighteen-year-old life, and it was here because of a tragedy. I wouldn't have wanted anything to happen to Austin Campbell, would never have wanted him to die or get injured just so I could play. But I couldn't help what happened to him. It wasn't my fault, but now that my time had come, I planned to embrace it with open arms.

Inside the gym, the entire student body had packed out the place. Teenagers ranging from the ninth to twelfth grades rattled the bleachers, stomping their feet, everyone cheering for us and pumping their little pom-pom shakers. The cheerleaders bounced and kicked their legs in the air, wiggled their spirit fingers, all the while yelling out their cheers to stir up the crowd. Teachers and coaches lined the ends of the basketball court. I even saw Layla's dad, the police chief, standing near one of the other entrances. His salt and pepper hair sat atop a face with a square jaw and broad shoulders. He stared into the crowd and let his gaze wander over every student, the players, and even the coaches. He had a weary look on his face and his eyes seemed forever narrowed and his brows permanently furrowed with something troublesome on his mind.

After we made our way onto the middle of the court and sat in rows of chairs, Principal McCord grabbed the mic from Coach Diggs and looked up into the stands. As he did, I spotted Layla and waved. She waved back, but she didn't smile. I could tell the subject of homecoming was still bothering her. I wanted to talk to her about. I know what she wanted to ask me, but I couldn't make sense of it all. Any feelings I had for her were new, and I had always dreamed of dating Lexa Thorn. Truthfully, I felt torn.

Principal McCord held the mic close. "Are you ready for a clash of the titans? Are you ready for the game of the year?"

The crowd roared, and the cheerleaders bounced, kicking their legs out, and raising their hands in the air, aiming to get all the school spirit they could from the student body.

"Then give a big shout for your head football coach, Coach Nate Steele!"

With the noise at a fevered pitch, the principal handed the mic to Coach Steele, who stepped to the forefront and raised a hand to quiet the students. Everyone sat and returned to a more reserved state but appearing full of anticipation.

"This is the day you've all been waiting for," Coach Steele began. "It's game day in Pineville, a day we all look forward to every time it rolls around. A day Austin Campbell had looked forward to, but a day he wasn't able to see."