Free At Last

First Practice

Matt's new friend Cole up there. Both of them go to the same university.

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Matthew's POV-

I walked onto the field in Maddie's school Summer View High. I was excited to see her play football, it had been so long since I saw her play. I saw her walking out of the locker room and waved. She ran over to me and gave me a big hug saying "Hey! You made it!"

I chuckled at her childishness and said, "I wouldn't miss it for the world." "It isn't a game you know?" she said. "I know but it is your first practice in so long." Pulling the 'o'. she smiled and called, "ELI MATT IS HERE!!" I hissed and covered my ears "Do you want to make me deaf?"

She smirked and said, "I do." I was about to reply when Eli joked "Ooh! There's a wedding going on here!" I wacked the back of Eli's head and told him to shut up. "So, did you two make any new friends yet?" Eli chuckled and said "Yeah. Wanna meet em'?" I nodded and said "Sure."

I was happy that both of them were making new friends that weren't each other. They were joined at the hip more than Cam and me. I was interrupted from my thoughts when I heard Eli shout "GUYS, GET OVER HERE!!" I covered my ears for the second time saying "You scream like Maddie. You sure you two aren't secretly twins or something?"

Maddie chuckled and said "I don't think so. Ah! Here they are." "Hi guys! Is this your boyfriend Maddie?" a blonde-haired guy with piercing blue eyes asked. Maddie and I looked at each other scrunching our noses, like all of us except mom did when we were disgusted or confused. She turned back and said "This is my bro Matthew bro." "Oooh! Explains Matthew's arm on your shoulder." I raised one eyebrow at him. A boy with light brown hair and warm brown eyes stepped forward.

"Don't mind Ezra there. He's practically a child. I'm Jesse the captain of the team." I nodded and he continued. "Lemme introduce the rest of the team. Max, Noah, Seth, Ezra, Felix, Aaron, Caleb and Christian." He said pointing at the respective people. I nodded in acknowledgement and said "Cool. Nice to meet you all. Well, I'm gonna go sit down." Nodding my head towards the bleachers.

I gave Maddie a hug and a kiss on the forehead which she returned by kissing me on the cheek. I hugged Eli and walked towards the bleachers.

I shook my head at their idiocy and sat down. I heard their coach say "Enough chit-chat. Get on the field." Clapping his hands. Everyone ran onto the field and started running laps. Maddie and Eli were the second pair in the group and were talking amongst themselves.

BUZZ BUZZ

COLE:

Cole: Sup man.

Matthew: Yo.

Cole: What r u doing?

Matthew: I'm in my sister's football practice.

Cole: Sister?

Matthew: Yes sister.

Cole: Ok? I stayed back after class for 15 minutes to ask Mr. Roy something and that jerk Justin left me behind at this school saying u were here. now I'm too lazy to get an Uber. So, can I join u?

Matthew: What happened 2 ur car? Yeah, sure.

Cole: I didn't bring it today. K. I'll be there in 2.

Matthew: 👍

I kept my phone down to notice that Maddie, Eli, and their other friends were lined up in front of their coach. I tapped my fingers on the seat to the tune of the song I heard in the car.

I felt someone sit next to me. "Yo brother from a different mother!" "Hey. Sup man." We did our man handshake. "Sooo, I'm guessing the ONLY girl on the field is your sister?" he asked stressing on 'only'. "Yes Cole. Is there a problem with that?" I asked exasperated with everyone's stupid reactions to there being a girl on the football team.

"Nah man. I was just gonna say that I'm relieved that there is finally a girl who is interested in sports and doesn't wear three pounds of makeup on her face." I nodded and said "Finally! Someone other than my brothers who supports her choice to play football!" throwing my hands up in the air. "Your mom and dad don't support her choice to play football?"

I looked at him with a sad expression on my face and replied "Our mother doesn't really care what Maddie does. It's always about us six boy-" "There are SIX boys in your family!? And Maddie is the ONLY girl!?" "Yes." I replied laughing. "Well, she had seven brothers actually. Which I was going to tell you about before you so rudely interrupted me." I glared at him.

He nodded motioning for me to continue, confusion written all over his face. "Our oldest brother Ethan and our father died in a school shooting around a year ago." I looked down at my lap in sadness. "But our dad and brother wholeheartedly supported her decision to play football and other sports. In fact, my dad even coached her." I looked up at him to see his eyes filled with a mixture of awe and sadness.

"Oh, I'm sorr-" I cuthim short and said "Don't talk to me with pity in your voice. Please." Hereplied "Sorry, I forgot you must be tired of it by now." I nodded. He musthave sensed that I didn't want to talk about this anymore, so he changed thesubject.