In Virginia, high school football is a way of life. It's bigger than Christmas day.
Up until 1971, in Alexandria, there was no race-mixing. Then the school board forced us to integrate. They combined the white school and the black school into one ca...
"Right, right, right!" I yelled at the team. We were playing the Herndon High Hornets, but we weren't playing like a team.
"He's mine!" I heard Blue yell from beside me.
"Hut!" The other team's quarterback yelled. We all ran forward. Just as I made a tackle I watched as #13 threw the ball to #7 who caught it in the end zone, unopposed. The referee blew his whistle. Touchdown. We were now tied 10-10.
"You blew your assignment!" Jerry yelled to Ray.
"Man, I'm covering for you. Don't get in my face." Ray quipped back.
"Yo, cool out. Cool out." Blue said, trying to diffuse the situation.
I made my way to the sideline and took my helmet off when Julius approached me.
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"Where are you at? What planet are you on tonight?" He asked as he stood next to me.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I said, brushing him off.
"I mean, it's fine, man. I knew you was going to stand me up." I turn to look at Julius as he continued, "I figured you weren't going to make out to the Berg, no way. I knew you was all talk, but now you making us look bad out there on the field." Julius said. I roll my eyes.
"Don't talk to me, man. You ain't got nothing to say to me." I snapped at him before walking away from him. I made my way to get some water by the bench Sunshine was sitting on.
"Why the clouds, Sunshine?" Petey asked as he sat down on the bench next to Ronnie.
"I can't make that pitch, Petey," Sunshine said gloomily. Petey scoffed.
"You ain't gonna never play anyway unless we're up by 50 points. And seeing as how we ain't never gonna be up by no 50 points, you might as well just sit back, relax, and enjoy the bench." Petey said smugly.
"How's it going, yo?" Blue asked Rev and Louie as he walked up to them.
"Man, I didn't sign up to play like this," Louie said. Rev hummed in agreement.
"These guys we're playing got no heart. We play like this against Groveton, we're going down." Rev said, disappointed.
"Okay, Offense. Offense, let's go." Boone called out.
The offense took the field. Rev threw the ball to Ray who made it into the end zone. I heard the referee whistle blow.
"Touchdown, Titans! Game, Titans!" The announcer called.
--
I pulled into the driveway of the house. I didn't feel like going out to celebrate, so I decided to head home and spend the rest of my Friday night with Grace, who stayed home to study for her AP calculus test.
