Chapter 11

I was sitting in the bleachers, one arm around Tami's waist, the other around Ashley's shoulders. Feeling the two girls huddled close to me, trying to keep warm in the fierce October wind, was nice. The looks I was getting from some of the guys near us made it even better. Ricky was sitting on the other side of Tami, and Luke and Mikee were on the other side of Ashley.

This was the life. I didn't even need to pay much attention to the game in front of me. We were playing the Loggers, the toughest team in our league. The varsity hadn't won a game yet, so it was all a question of could we keep the Loggers from setting a scoring record. There were still two minutes in the first quarter, and the Loggers had already scored twice.

I saw Robbie trot out onto the field and Mike Reed, the first string quarterback, head for the sidelines. I started to say something, but noticed that Luke's hand was under Mikee's very short skirt. The dog. Mikee and the rest of the middle school cheerleaders had gotten to cheer with the varsity cheerleaders before the game.

I was trying not to stare as Mikee's skirt moved, not very successfully, I'll admit, when I realized that someone was standing in front of me.

"Coach wants you," Jaime Arnold said.

"Huh?" I said brilliantly as I tried to pull my focus away from the treasure I knew was under that skirt.

"The coach wants you," she said again, very slowly.

Behind her, Robbie took the snap, faded back, and fired a short pass just before two of the Loggers hit her hard. The ball sailed right into the hands of our receiver, who managed another three yards before getting tackled. Twelve yards and a first down.

I looked back at Jaime. "I'm kind of comfortable."

"The coach wants you, NOW! You're suiting up." Then she turned and bounced down the stairs to the field. Jamie could really bounce. She was the captain of the cheerleaders.

I kissed Ashley lightly on the cheek, then Tami on the lips. "I go now. Fame and glory await," I said pompously.

"My hero," Ashley said and pretended to swoon as I stood up.

Tami brought her fist to her breast with a stiff arm, then extended it out and up in the old Roman salute. "Come back with your shield, or on it, my captain."

I nodded to Ricky then ran down the stairs. I ran out onto the field and up to the coach. "Suit up. Be here in five minutes."

Totally ridiculous. It would take me three minutes to run to the locker room, at least five minutes to get pads on and suited up, and three minutes to get back. "Five minutes," I agreed and ran off.

I was pulling on my hip pads when I heard the gun sound, ending the first quarter. At least my uniform was clean. I always washed it the night after a game and brought it back the next morning. It was one less thing to worry about on game days.

We were three minutes into the second quarter when I ran back on the field. Tami saw me, and she, Ashley, and Mikee stood up and started cheering. Then people around them started cheering too, though they probably didn't know why. I waved as I trotted up to the coach. "Sit!" he said, waving at the bench. So much for hero time.

Sitting there on the bench, the varsity players totally ignoring me, I realized I was in a world of hurt. The JV coach--my coach, Mr. Henley--didn't like Mr. Branson, the varsity coach. The teams didn't work out together, and we didn't even use the same play book. What the hell was I going to do?

The half ended on a high note. Mike Reed took the snap, faked a handoff to Robbie, then faded back to pass. Two of the Loggers hit him from each side and the ball went loose. Robbie scooped it up and zig-zagged her way down field for a twenty-one yard touchdown. Our first. Score at the half: thirty-six to six.