Game On

Chapter Two: Study Partner

   I got up the next day and headed to school, bringing my football stuff along. I ran over to the gym to put my stuff in my gym locker then ran upstairs to go to class. As I ran upstairs, I knocked into Collins again. But by doing so....her books landed on the ground.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." I bent down to pick up her books. I glanced up to see her pissed off face.

"ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!" She slapped the books out of my hands and clutched them tightly to her chest. "Stay out of my way King, or else!" She walked away quickly.

Again I was bewildered but headed to my locker. Explaining what happened to Clov, he thinks that I should just one up her and fill in the place of being a "Jock". Might as well, I can't prove her wrong with me being nice. 

   As the day went on, I could feel her cold glare on the back of my neck but I went along with her game and did the same back to her. Until we got to English, it all changed. "Attention everyone! I shall now assign study partners! Mind you there is a big test coming up so I thought that this might be helpful. Your partners are sitting across from you." Mrs. Dwight smiled.

    Lo and behold, it was Collins. I could see the plea that she gave Mrs. Dwight, but nothing changed. We all headed to the library and sat at our separate tables with our partners. I decided to sit as far away from her as possible. Opening a textbook that was given to us, I started to take notes. 

      She was already way ahead of me, I could tell. Sighing, I closed my book and looked straight ahead. "Why do you dislike me?" Glancing up with no expression at all,"Since you think that you can walk all over people and believe that you are all that. Along with being the most popular, funny how you don't have a girlfriend." She went back to her book. Sighing again, I re-opened the book and finished what I was doing.

                                                      ~Lunch~

  I sat down with the rest of the football team and ate my simple but healthy lunch. We mainly talked about sports and cars. The things that guys normally talk about.  Bethany walked up to us, she's the head of the cheerleading team. Mind you, people always think that a cheer captain and a football captain might get together and date...Well, that isn't true in this case. Honestly, we despise each other. 

     "Hey boys! So, what are y'all talking about?" She leaned against the table, wanting to get noticed.

   "Sports." Thompson coughed up, I kicked his leg under the table. "Damn Mike..."

    "Mmhmm, well you guys better win tonight. We're all counting on it." She narrowed her petty little eyes onto me. "Keep your team in shape King, no need for us to look like total losers in front of other schools!" She then stalked off.

 The team looked at me, wondering what I would then say. All I could do was shrug. Our team would win. I'd count on it.

                                                        ~Afterschool: Game~

  Everyone was ready, but me, oh I felt sick to my stomach. We all ran out onto the field. 1..2..3.. "Huddle!".  We all huddled around. "Alright Hawks, now I know that we've all worked hard but tonight we gotta show them that we're strong enough to take down the Tigers. Now who's with me!" "Yeah!" "Are you ready?" "Yeah!" "Let's go!". Getting in our places, I stepped in, being the quarterback. We leaned down, muscles tightening, adrenaline pumping, palms sweaty...

   It started. Most of it was a blur, trying not to get hit dodging the opponent. I grabbed the ball from the other team, running as fast as I could, I saw that Thompson was open. "Go long Thompson!" I threw the ball far, as I did, I got tackled. Knocking the wind out of my lungs. As I caught my breath it started again. 

     It grew colder and I was beat. Muscles throbbing, same with my head. Eyes half shut. I was done, tired.. The game was 32-32. Only one more point..then the winner is declared. I looked at my team, all of us wanted to rest. We stopped for awhile and I got a drink. I sat on the bench with a towel on the back of my neck, drinking down the cold ice water. "Oh my god that's good." chuckling a bit. Nathan Crowe sat down next to me,"Tired Captain...?" "Pfft, I'm drained. I just want to sit down for the rest of the game..."

   Mr. Smith snapped at me,"You can't sit, now get in there and win this game for us!" After trying to relax and getting refreshed we ran out there. We didn't have time to huddle,"Alright, I know we're all tired and want to go home but we need this. We just need to pull through until we or they have a point. Got it?" They all nodded. "Then let's finish this." 

   It went by fast, I barely had time to notice that we won. After the game, I left the locker room and saw someone sitting in the stands, slow clapping. "Well done, you saved the school's reputation once again. What will Sunlit High ever do when you graduate." Bethany chuckled. "Saved my ass from losing a bet. Honestly, I didn't think Mike King had it in him." She stepped down and walked up to me. She kissed me and walked away.