Chapter 40: Fields of Battle

Jason and I walked over and sat on the ground with our teammates. One of the sophomores looked over at me. I realized that it was Derek Goodman, one of the starting defensive tackles. He looked over at Maurice. "You brought a couple of freshmen over."

"Why not?" Maurice replied. "They put more effort into practice than most of the sophomores. I expect them to make a difference on the field."

"Not if Lucas and Terrence have their way," the other sophomore said. I realized it was Adrian Forbes, the team's best defensive back.

I shrugged. "I play defense as well as offense. If Lucas or Terrence decides to keep me from touching the ball, I'll just try to contribute more on defense. From what I remember the Foothills Foresters run an offense which is pass heavy. I'll probably be on the field quite a bit."

Maurice smirked. "I told you that these two wouldn't be intimidated. I've watched them chase Constance away more than once."

"My sister calls her Cunnie," Jason said quietly as we opened our bags.

Adrian snorted. He had been drinking and water shot from his nose. "Your sister calls her what?" he gasped out as he coughed.

"Dude, who is your sister?" Derek asked. "I want a date with her."

Maurice started to laugh. "She's taken so she won't date you. His sister is Ashley."

"Ashley?" Derek asked. The burly sophomore looked puzzled for a moment. "You don't mean the Ice Princess? Cheerleader Ashley?"

"That's who I'm talking about," Maurice said.

"She doesn't date," Adrian said firmly. "I remember her turning down more than a dozen requests for dates last fall during football season."

"I don't really think she dates now," Jason said. "But I can say she's taken."

I was concentrating on eating my burger. Derek and Adrian started a lively discussion on the attractiveness of the sophomore cheerleaders. I was a bit surprised to hear them condemn Tia for being unattractive, but then said that Ceri was the best looking on the squad.

"I thought they were twins?" I asked.

"Identical in looks too," Adrian said. "Olive skin, dark wavy hair and perfect asses."

"Then how could Ceri be the most beautiful if you both don't care for Tia?" I asked. "Do they wear their hair differently or something?"

"Their hair is the same length," Derek said. "They do style it differently. Ceri likes to allow her hair to cascade down her back."

"Cascade?" Jason said. "Are you a football player or a poet?"

Derek laughed. "Who says I can't have a bit of romance in my soul? Girls like romance. But anyways, Tia likes to keep her hair up and off the back of her neck. Tonight though, they'll probably have the same style."

"Then how can one be pretty and one not?' Jason asked before I could.

"Tia is a bitch," Adrian snapped. "She's good friends with Constance. She'll pretend to like you just so she can draw you into some elaborate trap that's designed to embarrass you. I can't stand the bitch."

"Sadly, she can lead some boys around by their dicks. Supposedly Tia isn't a virgin. She'll happily flirt with a guy just to get his attention," Derek added.

"What about Ceri?" Jason asked.

Derek sighed wistfully. "She's sweet and gentle, but at the same time just enjoys being around people. She'll come sit with us at lunch just to listen to us brag about last week's game."

"Nice," I said. "So in this case you are saying that she has a beautiful personality and that makes her beautiful."

"Yes," Maurice said. He looked confused for a moment and I noticed him gazing over my shoulder. Derek noticed his interest and turned to look. I could see the boy's eyes widen.

I quickly finished off my burger and turned to look. I had a moment to realize someone was running toward me when I heard a glad cry. "Unca Mark!"

I held my arms out and caught Angelique as she jumped forward. She squirmed in my arms as she put her hands on my shoulder. "You didn't read to me last night!"

"I thought Matti was caring for you last night," I said softly as I turned back around. Angelique's feet dragged on the ground causing her to giggle.

"She doesn't do voices when she reads," Angelique complained.

"Who is this?" Adrian asked. "Dude, you aren't old enough for this to be your daughter."

"I'm not an it!" Angelique cried out as she released me and whirled to glare at Adrian. "My name is Angelique!"

I could sense the rest of the team turning to look at who was screaming. Angelique's voice was shrill as she started to climb from my lap. I held onto her as she glared at Adrian.

"Dude!" Derek hissed in an awed tone. "Who is the girl?"

I felt hands on my shoulders. "She's my daughter," Lenore replied.

"Dude!" Derek gasped out. "I..."

Maurice was shaking his head. "I'm afraid my friend gets a bit tongue-tied around beautiful women."

Lenore giggled. "I've still got it."

Adrian was staring at me. "Mark?" he asked.

I smiled and brought one of Lenore's hands to my lips. "Have I done something wrong?" I asked.

"Dude!" Derek gasped again.

"You keep saying that," I observed. "Are you sure that word means what you think it means?"

Maurice and Jason laughed. Maurice reached out to slap Derek on the back. "Calm down."

Lenore leaned over my back. I could feel her breasts brush the back of my head. "Perhaps I should leave," she said calmly. "I just wanted to stop by and wish you a good game."

"Oh, Mark and I definitely appreciate it," Jason said. "I just think Derek wasn't ready to see a beautiful woman with Mark."

Angelique giggled. "Mark tells Mom she's beautiful every night. He tells me I'll be as beautiful as her someday."

Derek's head swiveled until he was staring at me. For a minute his mouth just opened and closed soundlessly. Finally he took a deep breath. "Mark, are you playing a game with us? I mean, I've heard you and Jason have good CAP scores, but why is this goddess with you?"

Lenore giggled girlishly. "I love him. Is that hard to believe?"

Adrian's jaw dropped. He just stared at Lenore while Angelique snuck a couple of the fries from my bag. "Yes," Adrian finally hissed out. "That is almost impossible to believe. You have to be years older than Mark and I'm sure your daughter isn't his. How could he even get the attention of a goddess like you?"

"He asked, and I'm not that old," Lenore said simply.

"That can't be the whole story," Maurice exclaimed. I noticed that many of the other clusters of players had stopped eating and the majority of my teammates were paying attention to the conversation around me.

"It's not," I admitted. "But it also is a private matter. It would not be right for me to talk about it."

"Oh you can if you want," Lenore chirped. "I have nothing to hide."

Jason looked at her. "Really? Nothing?" he asked.

I felt Lenore's arms wrap around my neck. She squeezed me, pressing her breasts into the back of my head. "Well..." Lenore said slowly.

I pulled on her arms, causing her breasts to press harder against my skull. "Lenore, you already know the rules. You hide nothing. I tell you what you can say so I'm the one doing the hiding. Now, I can guess what you were about to say, but I don't want to take the field with these three hunched over because all the blood rushed to their other brain."

Lenore giggled. "I think a couple of them are already in that state." She bent her head so she could whisper in my ear. "Think of how they'd be if they knew that I had no panties on under my skirt. My pussy is already wet and it will be very ready for your cock after the game."

"Will Ashley's tongue get to it first?" I asked with a smirk.

"Dude!" Derek choked out. "Ashley and her!"

I was looking up at Lenore. We could hear the sound of someone slapping a man on the back, but ignored the commotion. "Perhaps," Lenore promised. "I really should be giving her some love tonight. She'll probably need it after the game. I heard that your opponents are very good."

"Went to the regional playoffs last season, but they lost several stars to the varsity team," Maurice said. "We can beat them this season."

"Good," Lenore said. "I'm looking forward to being able to offer my man a victory celebration tonight. Angel, Aunt Becky was supposed to meet us at the ticket booth. Let's head off and let the boys get ready for their game."

"Okay Mom," Angelique said. The little girl stood up and wrapped her arms around my neck. "Have fun," she demanded as her mother stood up.

Lenore and Angelique started to walk away. They were about fifteen feet away when Lenore bent down and whispered something to Angelique. The girl smiled and started running toward the gate that led to the ticket booth. I sat up wondering what was going on as Lenore looked back at us over her shoulder.

"One of you wondered what I had to hide. I wanted to show you but Angel doesn't need to see," she said.

Lenore reached back with her left hand and grabbed the skirt she was wearing at the bottom hem. It came down almost to her knees so she had to bend just a little to reach it. She smiled at me and then bent forward at the waist while raising her left hand up. The skirt pulled up and revealed her naked ass to the team. Several players groaned in shock.

My lover was not done with her tease. She has spread her legs just a bit more than shoulder width apart. Her right hand came up between her legs. With deliberate slowness Lenore slid her index finger into her naked pussy, pumping it a couple times before removing it and standing up.

Her hands both came up as she straightened her back. She turned back long enough to suck on her index finger and then strode after her daughter.

"My god," Maurice said. "Did she just..."

We could all hear Lenore's laughter as she strutted. The sound faded as she disappeared through the gate leading back towards the grandstands.

"She did," Jason said. "Mark, what brought that on? I thought Lenore was the sane one in your group."

"Why would you even think that?" I asked with a smile.

"Because I remember when Lenore moved in!" Jason started.

"She moved in?" Derek shouted out. "What do you mean that goddess moved in?"

Jason looked a bit sheepish. "She is living with my family. She shares the basement of our house with my sister."

"What about the girl?" Adrian asked.

"They set up a room down there just for Angelique," I replied. "But this shouldn't matter to you."

"Why not?" Derek asked. "You two are new to the team and we've already found out that both of you have high CAP scores and you have used that score to land some really fine women."

Maurice snorted. "Jason has his own goddess."

"Who?" Adrian asked. "Do I know her."

"Leticia Agosto," I replied simply.

"Wait! Isn't see that overly religious chick who tried to get the school to make the cheerleaders wear ankle length skirts?" Derek asked. "I thought she'd been hurt last year when Bart lost what was left of his mind."

"Stupid sack of shit," Maurice muttered. "He was told that the drugs he was taking would ruin him."

"Bullshit!" Lucas called out. "We all know that Bart snapped under the pressure of this new CAP system. It was completely unfair how that score ruined his future."

"How did his score do that?" I asked. "The only thing directly tied to your score is your ability to join the alien military and leave Earth."

"Bullshit!" Terrence shouted. "Everyone responds to the scores now. You have that slut hanging all over you and flashing her pussy simply because of your score."

Jason burst out laughing. I just smiled as all the players looked at my friend. I noticed that Coach Durant has moved to be closer to the conversation.

"You really don't get it," Jason gasped out once his laughs calmed down. "Lenore isn't with Mark just because of his score."

Lucas stood up, but stopped moving when he noticed my raised hand. "Save it," I said firmly. "Yes, Lenore probably wouldn't have looked at me if the CAP system didn't exist, but she still had to choose to be with me. I can't force her to stay if she wants to walk away."

"Dude, she did just walk away," Derek pointed out with a smirk.

"She doesn't want to spoil my first game by clinging," I said with aplomb. "But what I'm saying is that she stays with me because she wants to stay with me. The CAP score doesn't guarantee that she would like me or that I'd like her."

"Like," Jason snorted. "Mark likes to sell himself short. Dude, that woman loves you. You tend to spend nights at your house, so you don't get to listen to the girls when they talk. Lenore would do anything to make you happy."

"Bart died because of his CAP score," Lucas insisted again.

"Bart tried to kill most of the senior class is what I heard," I said. "And he did that because no girl wanted to spend time with him. I remember talking to Ashley about him. He didn't shower. He was always cursing. None of the girls in the senior class could stand him. And if you talk to them, they hated him since he was a freshman. His CAP score had nothing to do with that."

Coach Durant stepped forward. "And that will be the end of that argument. I remember Bart. He was one of the dumbest players I ever tried to coach. His antics in class were a common topic in the faculty lounge. Not one teacher liked him or thought he would succeed in life. We just never realized how angry he was."

"Kickoff is in less than an hour!" Coach Grisham shouted. "Finish eating and then get into uniform."

Jason and I stood up. We crumpled our bags and then started jogging toward the locker room. Coach Durant followed. "Don't just throw your bags on the ground," he shouted as we approached the door to the locker room.

We dropped the bags into a garbage can that sat just outside the locker room and then made our way to our lockers. Jason smiled as we sat down on the bench and began untying our shoes. "Well, that ended any argument about Bart."

"Only with the football team," I reminded my friend as we opened our lockers and began the process of getting into full pads. We had been shown how each pad fit, but we still struggled to get all the straps tightened just right before we pulled the uniform pants and jersey on. When we were happy with the fit we closed and locked the doors to our lockers and headed to the exit of the locker room carrying our helmets.

"Helmets on!" Coach Grisham screamed as we reached the exit where he was standing. "I only want to see a helmet off if it's being adjusted or if you are not playing for the rest of the night."

Jason and I put on helmets on. "We're the first here," I muttered to my friend.

"We've been the first to a lot of events," Jason pointed out.

I nodded as Maurice emerged from the aisle way where his locker way. The sophomore had already put his helmet on and held up a hand as he approached. "You guys always in a hurry?" he asked.

"Not in a hurry, ' I said. "I guess we got in the habit of not making others wait after this summer."

"Definitely over the summer," Jason said. "We worked out with a couple of retired soldiers. They would punish us if we were late showing up to any of the meetings we scheduled."

Maurice nodded. It was clear that he wanted to ask additional questions, but the rest of the team started to gather. Coach Grisham moved to the door leading from the locker room to the field and turned back to all of us.

"It's the first game of the season, and the first high school game for many of you," he began. "You will be nervous. Emotions are going to be running high. Despite that, I expect you to keep your mind in the game. If you make a mistake, you make a mistake. They will happen. Just make sure you don't lose your temper and you listen to the coaches. Now, captains, if we win the toss we will receive, if we lose and the other team wants to receive, we want to defend the north goal."

Coach Durant was standing next to Coach Grisham. "It's time," he said. "Team, take the field."

Maurice, Lucas and Roger began running, leading the rest of the team out of the doors and onto the track that surrounded the field. We could hear a cheer rise up from the stands as we trotted across the track and began to line up on the sideline. Once we were there Coach Grisham started shouting for the offense to form up around him.

As this was the junior varsity game, the band was not in attendance. Instead the stadium announcer requested that everyone rise for the national anthem. We all turned to look at the flag flying from a flagpole beyond the north end zone as a recorded version of the anthem played. As soon as it was over, an official came over requesting that the captain's come with him for the coin flip.

Jason and I stood on the sideline and watched as our teammates walked to the center of the field. Behind us we could hear the small crowd shouting and cheering.

"Ever thought we'd end up here?" Jason asked.

"No," I admitted as the referee indicated that our teammates had won the toss and elected to receive. It appeared that our opponents were interested in defending the south goal to start the game. The referee went through the pantomime of indicating the results of the coin toss and then sent the captains back to the sideline.

"We're receiving!" Coach Grisham roared. "Everyone on the kickoff squad, get out into position."

I stood and watched as eleven of my teammates rushed onto the field and got into position. Beside me Jason sighed as the crowd cheered our team. "Who are we playing?" Jason asked.

"I think this is the Foothills Foresters," I replied as we watched the kickoff. "I have to admit I didn't look too closely at the schedule.

Jason snorted. "Neither did I, I was concentrating on just learning the playbook. I thought it would help make things easier."

"Not that the team notices," I muttered.

"Some do," Jason replied. "And we have time since we know we're going to be here for another year or two. Two if we are going to stay on Earth until your sister can test."

"I know," I replied. "And from our first week here, its going to be an interesting two years. But I'd love to see Ashley graduate."

Jason snorted. "Yeah, I've heard about how she'll walk across the stage."

"You have a problem with that?" I asked.

"Only that I didn't think of it first," Jason said as the offense took the field. Herman Venable had been stopped short of the twenty after dropping the kickoff and having to pick it back up.

Coach Durant was walking towards us. "We're going with the standard defense package for the first series," he told us. "You won't be in, but keep your heads in the game. You'll get on the field."

"Got it," I said. I turned around to look up at the grandstands. They were maybe a third full. The small crowd made it easy to find Beatrice and the rest of the adults sitting at the top of the grandstands. Lenore was holding Angelique in her lap.

"Sneaking a peek at the cheerleaders?" one of my teammates asked. I turned back to see Claus Mixon standing there and frowning. The sophomore was one of the starting defensive linemen and loomed over me.

"Was actually looking into the stands. My parents aren't here, but Jason's mother is," I replied.

"Everyone there?" Jason asked.

"Becky, Morgan, Lenore," I named. "The usual entourage."

There was a groan from the grandstands. On the field Herman had tried to break through the center of the line on a third and one. He had been stopped short and Coach Grisham was calling for the punt team. Jason headed out to take his place on the line as I watched.

The other team showed its own first game jitters when they did not send anyone back to field the punt. The kick ended up bouncing for thirty yards before one of my teammates touched it to end play. The Foresters were going to start their drive on their own twelve yard line.

Jason jogged off the field and stood next to me. He nudged me with his elbow. "I got on the field first," he said as the Forester offense took the field.

We stood and watched the game. At first the Foothill High offense kept the plays simple, running a series of quick hitting running plays. They all seemed to go away from Maurice and I soon noticed that the safety on the other side of our formation was starting to charge the line of scrimmage at the snap.

"Matt is forgetting his assignment," I said to Jason. "He's starting to crowd the line of scrimmage."

"And all the Foresters have to do is. Fuck!" Jason shouted. The Forester quarterback had performed a perfect fake handoff and Matt once again charged to the line of scrimmage to stop the run. He completed ignored the wide receiver who sped past him and proceeded to easily catch the ball. Maurice did his best to catch up, but the Foresters speedy receiver easily outraced him to the end zone.

The visitor stands exploded into cheers. On our sideline we could hear Coach Durant shouting. "We can get that score back. Stay focused."

Some of the defenders were a bit upset as they came off the field. Maurice was shaking his head slightly as he jogged over to stand near me. "Matt didn't pay attention to his assignment," my teammate muttered. "You could see they were trying to set up that play."

"I couldn't," Jason said. "I was wondering why Claus was getting pushed off the line so easily. Matt shouldn't have felt the need to crowd the line like that."