Chapter 25

"What's the problem, dude?" Larry asked as I slipped my shoulder pads over my head.

"Just wondering if I'm wasting my time."

"Ya lost me," Larry said, pulling on his jersey.

"Well, you may have noticed that I got a little less playing time than usual on Friday."

"Yeah, I noticed. But you did have one shining moment." Larry put his hands on his hips and screwed up his face. "What the fuck do you think you're doing!" he said in a passable imitation of me. "My dad said he heard you clear as day, and he was sitting halfway up the stands. Said it was downright inspirational. It reminded him of the good old days, playing tackle for Oklahoma. Of course, almost everything reminds him of the good old days, playing tackle for Oklahoma."

I grinned. Then frowned. "I'm just wondering if I'm still on the team."

"Of course you are. We won't let him can ya. We got Allie on the bench, didn't we?"

I smiled, thinking of Larry and the team standing up for me. And Mike saying, 'What do we need him for?'

"No!"

"What do you mean no? We didn't get Allie on the bench?"

"No, I mean, if the coach wants to sack me, you let him."

"I don't get you."

"Larry, Branson's a good coach, a little hard-headed a times, but a good coach. If we push him too far, we lose football. We've got a good team this year. No, a great team. I'm not going to be the reason that we sit the rest of the season out."

"It won't come to that."

"It could. How would you like to coach a team where the players kept over-ruling you."

"Okay, you got a point. But we can't just let you get dumped. You're the star."

I grinned, that felt good.

"No, Mike Reed's the star, and you and Robbie are the money players. I just show up and try to look good for the girls." I pulled my jersey on, and Larry slapped me on the back. "Promise me you won't let anybody do anything stupid."

Mike nodded.

"Especially Robbie."

"Monster Girl's going to do what she wants. But I'll try."

I slapped him on the back and we headed for the field.

Robbie was waiting for me outside. Larry tossed me a salute and started jogging.

"You ready for this?" she asked.

"Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more into the breach."

"My, you're getting literary."

"Ain't I?"

"But this isn't the Charge of the Light Brigade, and you don't have cannons to the left of you and cannons to the right. Just a coach in front."

I figured literary had worked so far. If I couldn't be a jock, I'd be a geek. "T'will do, t'will suffice."

"Mercutio now. You do have pretensions."