𝐒𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐒 𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐘: 𝐓𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐝

Chapter 3: Quinton Acosta

Quinton|

ONE HARD KNOCK AND THE GENTLE CALL OF MY NAME yanked my undivided attention from Wentworth Miller. A marathon of his old ESPN compiled games were playing out on replay from my MacBook. Next to that were a tab series of enviable star profiles done by the Bleacher's Report. Stemming from as far back when he was a freshman in high school. One more glance at my screen and the rambling voices of the announcers clawed in to draw back my full attention back to Miller. Altogether making me ignore the knock on my bedroom door.

"The kid is a perfectionist to his offense and how it should be run. Now look at him! Look at that! Whoa!" The game on screen reversed to the last ten seconds at slow motion and the broadcast announcers stared on with open jaws. "Yea baby! Now that's what I'm talking about!" The red necked announcer marveled at the tight end with the number eighty nine Jersey.

And I could see why I almost wanted to celebrate the touch down too and I also wanted a second to ogle at his backside.

"Damn straight," came the other's fierce agreement. "Looking at statistics alone Miller is the best tight in college football. And I'm talking national level, tell me I'm wrong." One of the four announcers claimed with a challenging tone to his four colleagues.

The one in a blue button down agreed. "You're right Mathews. Over the past two years, Miller has had sixty nine receptions, twenty one touchdowns and he never has anything less than five hundred yards in a season. He's a genuine aerial threat, it's clear the kid has established and solidified himself as one of the premier players in the Big Ten and his production for the NFL is only trending upwards. He'll be back next year to serve the Rafters as Captain which will help Miami State compete for a Big 10 Championship."

"Will they win though? With Karim gone it's hopeless. He can't carry the team alone."

"He has Starks and Wilson with him."

"It's still gonna be a hard one." This was said with a finality. "Maybe they'll get a really good recruit for the coming season."

I shifted uncomfortably on my bed, because I knew next season I was transferring out from the LA Timberwolves to the Miami Rafters. My father had made the decision for me in light of all my extracurricular activities. I wasn't particularly looking forward to joining a new tribe and men in jocks could be very brutal. Which is how I'd started gathering up intel on the players. Well, that's how I'd started before Miller's stats and games had me a deep dark web.

"I also hear he's a shoo in for the All American award?" The only one female of the announcers enquired with a pep in her voice.

"He has a perfect three point seven GPA, he's under Coach Whitey and he's basically Karim protege. We can't say this enough Wentworth Miller; the six two, college ball tight end that weights a perfect one hundred and six pounds. Is Miami State's best weapon against Alabama, both in skill and stellar leadership. Period."

As the announcer's voices drew on with admiration for the new Captain. My eyes drew back to the screen; Wentworth was on the charged field maintaining a very impressive zig zag sprint. Dodging opposition players like it was nothing.

"Quinton?" came that gentle voice for me again and the sharp creak of my door opening.

The voice belonged to my brother, I quickly jerked to my feet almost knocking over the Macbook sitting on top of my bed, as if it held in it a dirty little secret. "Yo, what are you doing in here?"

It's not that they weren't allowed in my room, but the entire family was downstairs where I was expecting them to be for a long time. For a week since the good news had been made formal, we had been practically living downstairs celebrating my brother day and night non-stop. With industry professionals, friends and teammates, coaches and teachers alike. Hell, a few family members had even flown from as far as the homeland to join us in celebrating my parent's success.