Remember the Titans
Alan Bosley
"C'mon Carrie! We need a ref!" Complained Gerry. "No! You never listen to me!" I said, stomping my foot. Gerry looked at me for a second. "You're right, we don't need you. Who needs an annoying 8 year old little siste...
"Carrie, wake up" Gerry says, shaking my shoulder.
"Wha- what is it?" I ask, looking around in fear, sure that there is some emergency. Why else would he wake me up so early on a Saturday?
"Louis and Blue are calling a Titans meeting. You're required to attend." Gerry explains
I groan and roll out of bed, ungracefully landing in the floor. I quickly get dressed -
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- and run out to catch up with Gerry.
"Yo, where's coach?" Asks one kid as he walks into the gym.
"Coaches ain't called this meeting." Louis tells everyone.
"We did." Blue finishes.
Everyone rolls their eyes and gets ready to leave.
"Hey, woah woah woah. Are you really gonna walk out on your team mate like that?" I ask, standing in front of the door, blocking the way.
"He got something to say, you listen up." Julius says, joining me.
"Turn around, turn around!" Gerry says, standing next to me.
We direct the guys back to Blue and Louis, and I end up standing next to Alan and Ray.
"Coach Boone brought us this far, y'all. But he ain't gonna be there for us forever man." Blue starts. "So what, we won a few games. But y'all fools think that's something? Man, that ain't nothing, y'all. And you know what else? We ain't nothing either. Yeah, we came together in camp. Cool! But then we're right back here and the world tells us that they don't want us to be together. We fall apart like we ain't done nothing. And y'all think we won something? Man, we ain't won nothin, y'all! Nothin! I mean, the closest we've come was when Caroline bruised up her knuckles on a kid who was beating up Petey! What's that about?"
Everyone turns to look at me, and I stare at the floor uncomfortably.
"Rev, what's that you're always tellin me when I get sick of trying to keep up with my grades and stuff?" Louis asks. He starts singing, very badly, I might add. "Even youths, grow tired and weary. Even young men stumble and fall. But those who trust in the lord, will renew their streeeeeeeeeeeeength."
By the end of his song, Alan and I are laughing so hard we have to lean on each other. Everyone else is laughing too.
"See? Amen!" Rev says happily "Amen! A-" he turns to handshake with Ray, before realizing that it's Ray. He turns to Sunshine and slaps his hand. "Amen, right?" He goes around the circle, giving high fives, while Louis keeps singing.
"And we'll soar like Eagles..." Louis sings, incredibly badly.
"Oh! Like eagles y'all, like eeeaagles yaaaallllllll" Rev sings along.
"Then we'll walk and not grow faaaaaaat" Louis finishes
Everyone gives him a round of applause for effort.
Rev starts a beat up, and the whole crowd follows along.
"We're playing Groveton Friday night y'all!" Gerry yells. "Are y'all gonna play like you ain't got no heart?"
"No!" We all yell in reply.
"Do y'all want a victory?" Julius yells
"Yeah!" We cheer.
"Do you want a victory?" Gerry yells louder
"Yeah!" We all yell louder
"Turn in!" Gerry yells
We all huddle together, then jump back cheering. "Yeahhhhhh!"
We all clear out of the gym and start walking home.
"Hey, Carrie!" Alan calls after me.
"What's up?" I ask.
"Uh, well, I, uh" he rubs his hands nervously.
"What?" I ask, laughing a little
"Do you wanna hang out? Go to Hal's or something?" He asks nervously.
"Sure, yeah, Gerry and Ray were planning on going to the silver skillet, maybe we can all go." I shrug
"No, I mean, just you and me." He winces.
I'll admit I was a little surprised
"Oh! Y-you mean, like, a, uh" I stutter
"Y-yeah" he stutters in the same tone.
"Uh, well, uh" I make a split second decision. "Sure" I decide.
Alan smiles and relaxes "Oh, thank god."
"Gerry's gonna kick your ass though." I warn, making him laugh.
"Yeah, I'd like to see him try." Alan says toughly.
