Being Me

Chapter 8

Unpacking and more unpacking. That's all we've been doing for the past two days. How does it look so easy when they do it on TV? But apparently, we don't live a TV life, where everything is make-believe.

Today Ivy and I are going to our new school to meet the Principal and coach. Wish me luck. Or not. We're super excited to try out for the football team here. I mean for me it's going to be the very last year to play.

While I wait for my sister, I go down to the basement garage. I really love it because my parents had this crazy collection of cars ranging from Cadillacs to Range Rovers. There were at least seven cars there, all covered up. One car for each of their children and themselves and few extras.

Phew! It's mind-boggling how all these cars can actually fit in this space with room for more. My parents spent a lot of money to make space for their cars rather than spend it on the actual house itself.

I spend the next few minutes picking which car to drive in today. One tiny glimpse to the left, and I see the familiar grey of my mom's Benz peeking under the cover. I walk to it and gently pull the cover down to reveal the 2004 E-320 AMG E63 matte gunmetal grey car that she would always paint the town in with a big smile on her face.

You may be wondering how we get the cars in and out, right?

There's this fancy mechanism where you release a spring from the platform that car is parked on and then it sends a signal to a sensor in the garage upstairs and the whole car gets lifted up to the garage door and that's how we get the cars in and out the basement.

I pull out into the driveway and Ivy hops in, on our way to Cloverfield High School.

It was a 20-minute drive and the route was pretty easy to follow. We were now walking to the main building and it was pretty weird seeing no one there. It was way too peaceful to be a school, I mean isn't school supposed to be buzzing with activity and people?

"Hello! How may I help you?", said the lady at the front desk, with a lot of enthusiasm.

"We are here to meet Principal Summers and Coach Jackson. I am Becca Dawson and this is my sister Ivy Dawson. We're the new entrants for Senior and Sophomore years respectively."

"This way, please. I am Mrs. Bennet. If the two of you need my help at any point in time during your time here Cloverfield, I will do so gladly."

Ivy replied this time, "Thank you Mrs. Bennet! We'll keep that in mind."

We headed to Principal Summers' office, as I was about to knock, a voice called out to us from inside the office, Its open. Please come in."

We were greeted by a woman not more than 30 years old and she held herself gracefully. She wore a blue-black formal dress and her almost black hair neatly pinned back from her face, framing it beautifully.

"Becca and Ivy Dawson. Am I right? It's nice to meet you. Please take a seat."

"Good morning Principal Summers. It's a pleasure to meet you too."

"You wanted to talk to us?" Ivy and I spoke together.

"Well, not me exactly. But Coach Jackson did. I heard that the two of you are the two best football players in New York City. Is it true?" Principal Summers asked us like she was a fangirl who is impressed by just looking at her favorite celebrity. We just nodded shyly. You didn't expect us to actually boast about ourselves, right? We're very modest when it comes to things like this.

"Coach Jackson, would you like to speak to the girls?" she said to a man who stood behind us by the wall. Wait, when did he walk in? I didn't see him there when we entered. Mysterious.

Coach Jackson was a big-built, muscly man easily over 6 feet tall and very fit. He looked like he just walked out of an NFL game. He must have been 35 or younger, but he was kinda hot for his age. Maybe if I was 30, I would swoon and fall at his feet. What is up with this school and young good-looking faculty!

Then he spoke his voice deep and clear and full of determination, "Good morning girls. I am Coach Will Jackson and I'm the head football coach here. I have seen your game records and watched some of your game tapings as well. And I must say those are really impressive figures y'all have there. It would be my honor to have the two of you be a part of my Varsity team. So, would you two do me the honor of joining our team?"

Ivy and I looked at each other as if deciding whether we want to join the team or no. But of course, we would. Then we turned back to Coach Jackson and said in unison, "It would be our pleasure to play for you and your team, Coach."

"But there is one thing I ask from you.", The coach said with a tense look on his face, "We don't know how the boys will react to two girls suddenly joining the team, so we want you to disguise yourselves as boys who have been homeschooled for their entire lives because they were too passionate about football to attend actual school. And to play college football they need to be part of a high school Varsity team. That's why to get admission into Cloverfield, they have to prove they can win the Homecoming game here only then can be guaranteed their place. So, during practice time you have to do this, so they will feel threatened by you and hopefully will try to better their skills. You only have to do this till the Homecoming game which is on Friday. So, you up for it?"

It wasn't a bad idea to me so I agreed to it, "I don't see why not. If it's for the benefit of the team, it's a great idea and we'll get to see how the boys are in their natural territory."

"Splendid! Then you can start practice tomorrow after school hours. It's for two hours. I shall see you tomorrow Ryland and Mark Smith." The coach said with a wink and walked out of the office.

Wow. I mean he really thought this through and gave us names too. We thanked Principal Summers and left right after.

Please vote and comment. I feel encouraged to write more. I am open to suggestions as well