The Female Kicker

Friday Night Lights

This morning I woke up refreshed. Today was the big game against Briarwood Christian and I was playing Quarterback.  I was beyond excited. I rolled out of bed and headed to the bathroom for a shower, careful not to step on Sarah's sleeping body. Once I'd returned to my room, Sarah had just woken up. She grabbed her things and went to my bathroom.

I laid out my #15 jersey, a grey hoodie and a pair of light blue skinny jeans and some boat shoes. I put my jeans and a white tank top before putting on my grey hoodie. I slipped my jersey on over top and threw on my socks and shoes. Just as I'd finished, Sarah walked out in light blue skinny jeans, some white vans and a maroon 'Go Saints!' Football shirt. She grabbed her black Columbia zip up jacket and put it on. We both grabbed our bags and headed downstairs.

Nearing the bottom of the stairs, I noticed the boys in the living room so I shouted "GAME DAYYY!" All the boys cheered except for Bryan.

"Wait you guys aren't suspended?" Kyle asked. "Nope, Blake and I just got a week of lunch detentions" Austin replied. "So who's QB?" Bryan asked cautiously. "Um, I am" I said still standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Oh" Bryan said. "That's great Kylee. What about captain?" Said Kyle. Kade spoke for me "Austin and Kylee are co-captains" he said taking a bite of his toast. "Hey boys?" My mom hollered from upstairs. "Yeah mom?" Austin yelled back. "Can you take the kids to school again today? I'm not feeling well." She said. "Sure thing mom!" Austin replied.

Luke came down the stairs afterwards followed by Kayla, Ashley, and then Hailey. With 11 people now in the room, it was getting rather crowded. Sarah and I grabbed a few granola bars and everyone headed to the vehicles.

Austin took the kids to school this time while Sarah, Blake, and I rode in Kade's Jeep. As usual, Bryan was with Kyle. We arrived at school and the rest of the football team was waiting for us. It was tradition for us all to walk in together on game days and get everyone hyped up. Today I had all my favorite classes but they'd be cut somewhat short due to today's pep rally. After the teams grand entrance, I headed to my ag class to start out the day.

At lunch, we all met up in the boys locker room. The coach's ordered pizza for the football players and we had a hype party for the next hour. Technically we were suppose to be in class but we only had about 15 minutes before the pep rally anyway so we skipped in the locker room. Principal Howard was to gather everyone in the gym and the cheerleaders would give the crowd a big routine and make a line for the football players to enter.

We burst through the doors and ran out into the gym. Austin and I were in the front since we were now co-captains. We ran through the paper sign the cheerleaders had held up. No doubt it said something like 'Go Saints' or 'Beat the Lions'. You know that sorta thing.

After the pep rally, school had ended and we were free to go home and psych up for the game before we had to return to school in a few hours. Kade swung by the middle school and picked up the kids while the rest of us headed home. Some of us wanted to get a nap in before the game, others wanted to binge watch a new movie on Netflix, and the boys really just wanted a whole lot of food.

Sarah however, had a date with one of the football players before the game tonight. I think he wanted a chance to give her his jersey to wear tonight while also getting a little something something if you know what I mean.

I decided to set my alarm for 2 hours from now after changing into some gym shorts and a T-shirt. I curled up in bed and shut off my light before dozing off.

*****

I walked into the girls locker room, football gear in hand. This was it. 1 hour till game time. The Briarwood Lions were going down. Just then I heard a knock at the door. I got up from the bench and opened up the door.

"Bryan?" I asked.
"Hey Kylee"
"What're you doing here?"
"I-um-uh, I just wanted to wish you luck tonight. Not that you'll need it, you're actually pretty good at this." He smiled sheepishly. Well that's a first.
"Thanks Bryan" I said giving him a big smile. Suddenly, a boost of confidence fled through me as I stood on my tippy toes and kissed his cheek. I noticed his delayed stunned reaction and smiled to myself as I closed the door.

I sat back down on the bench and laced up my cleats. Then I pulled my hair into a low pony tail and grabbed my helmet. I heard another knock at the door but this time, it was Coach.

"Hey we're all ready, are you?" He asked.
"Yeah I'm good"
"Alright let's go" he said, holding the door open for me.

I walked through the door and closed it behind me. I followed coach towards the boys locker room. We entered and I sat down next to my brothers for our before game pep talk.

"So as you all probably know, Bryan's suspended from the team. He will be back but for now we have Kylee as our quarterback and her and Austin have split captain duties" Coach Smith said. "Now I'd like to bring out a surprise speaker for tonight's pep talk and prayer." He gestured to his office and Bryan stepped out.

He gave a small wave "I know I've let you all down as not only a player but as your captain." He started off. "I should've never acted that way to Kylee and I deeply apologize." He gave me a small smile. "However, I have complete faith in Kylee as QB and if anyone can do a better job than me, it's her." Oou I like this Bryan I thought to myself. "She's got a killer arm and we all have to have work together if we're gonna kick Briarwoods ass!"

"YEAHH!" The team cheered.
"Who's ready to kick the lions butts TOONIGHTTT?"
"WE AREEEE!"
"When I say fighting, you say Saints. FIGHTING-"
"SAINTS"
"FIGHTING"
"SAINTS"
"Alright now lets go out there and show them what we're made of" Austin buts in.

The team files out of the locker room and before I can follow behind, Bryan grabs my face and kisses me full on. The kiss lasts a for minute, leaving me breathless. Bryan lingers a moment after he pulls away. Wow.
"Alright now go show them whose boss" he smiles at me. I smile back as a run out the door to catch up with the others.

It was the end of 3rd quarter and we were down by 20. Coach hadn't put me in yet so that I'd the secret weapon. The other team THINKS we're playing without a quarterback but what they don't know is that I'm one heck of a comeback kid with a great arm.

We began to rally, driving 50 yards in 10 plays and scoring a touchdown on a one-yard run by
Ford Osler. Our safety, Hunter Atkins, intercepted a deflected pass for a 15-yard return, enabling the Lions for another score. We then cut our deficit to four points, in a span of only six minutes and 52 seconds.

Briarwood Christian then botched a field goal attempt and turned the ball over again. It was now 28 to 25 and we were winning. In the last few seconds of the game, the Lions made a 26-yard field goal kick to tie the score and sent us into overtime. On a Briarwood drive, our defensive back, Hudson Gehr, intercepted a pass.

Roger Mills made two six-yard rushes, and my replacement, Mason Horton, stepped up for a 32-yard field goal attempt. He booted the ball through the uprights and we had won the game 31 to 28!

We'd fled out into the field, cheering and hollering. We'd won. We'd really won and with me as QB too! After the initial celebration, the team headed towards the locker rooms to shower and change.

When I exited the locker room, I was met face to chest with none other than Bryan Walker. Man I felt short. I noticed the tall, slim but built, with broad shoulders, and a chiseled jawline boy was suddenly a lot cuter than before.