Chapter 32

I've always heard that when you're drowning, your whole life passes in front of your eyes. I wondered if that had anything to do with my thoughts about the first time I made love to Tami.

"Tate! Sims! You're up."

I stood, and picked my helmet. Robbie was waiting for me just over the sideline. I put on my helmet and we walked toward the fifty-yard line. Normally we jogged out, but I held her back and we walked.

Mr. Metzger, an old friend, was the chief referee. "Gentlemen, and ladies," he added with a nod to Robbie. "Shake hands."

Robbie started to step forward and extend her hand, but I knocked it down. "No."

"No?" the referees and other captains echoed.

"Your team's a joke," I told the other captains as I took off my helmet. And we won't share a field with him." I pointed toward the coach on the Panther sideline.

I looked straight at Mr. Metzger. He was half surprised, half mad and half amused, and I know that's three halves. "We forfeit."

I turned, raised my arm over my head, extended my forefinger, made three small circles and pointed toward the locker rooms. On our sideline, the Rebels started toward the locker rooms without a word, leaving fans and coaches alike in stunned silence.

I walked, my head slightly down, wondering if Robbie was following.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN," came over the loudspeakers. Luke Reese, my old best friend had taken over for me in the announcer's booth. "I'VE JUST BEEN HANDED THIS STATEMENT FROM TONY SIMS, THE REBELS' QUARTERBACK AND CO-CAPTAIN. WE ARE APPALLED AT THE NEANDERTHAL ATTITUDES DEMONSTRATED BY THE PANTHERS' HEAD COACH ALLAN RICH TOWARD GIRLS IN SPORTS IN GENERAL AND ROBBIE TATE IN PARTICULAR. WE REFUSE TO SHARE A FIELD WITH SUCH A PERSON. THEREFORE, WE FORFEIT. IF THE PANTHERS WANT TO PLAY FOOTBALL, THEY CAN LEAVE THEIR COACH AT HOME AND WE'LL BE HAPPY TO TEACH THEM HOW IT'S DONE."

I kept walking, wondering if I'd be able to get up if Robbie clipped me from behind. Just as I reached the gate I heard one person start clapping, then another, then more. I paused, waiting for the team to catch up to me, and looked back. Almost the entire home section of the audience was on their feet applauding. And maybe a third of the Panther's section.

"Why'd you do that?" Robbie asked, coming up beside me.

"It needed to be done. Besides it was safer than your plan."

"What plan?" she asked, sounding surprised.

"Tell me you weren't think about tackling the coach on the sidelines if a play got close enough."

"Well, I thought about it, but..." The other players were passing us, and as they did, they clapped me and Robbie both on the shoulders.

I waited. Everyone had passed, Coach Vickers giving me an unreadable look as he went by. I looked back at Robbie.

"Okay. I would have hit him. But just a tap. Just enough so that he wouldn't have any doubt I could hit."

"And you figure the WSAA would suspend for the rest of the season or for life?"

I loved the look she gave me. It was the exact opposite of her you-just-said-something-incredibly-stupid-but-I-won't-say-anything one. It was her I-know-you're-right-but-I-really-don't-want-to-hear-it look. I didn't see it that often, so I savored it.

"What about you? They could suspend ya, you know?

I grinned. "That would be a real punishment. Every civil rights group in the country would be banging on my door. Imagine suspending an athlete for not playing on moral grounds. I'd have to associate with... with... lawyers. You want to know the best part?"

Robbie nodded.

"They've got their winning season."

"Not yet. They've got a game next week."

I shook my head. "Canceled. Some kind of scheduling conflict. So the Panthers have their season. They're four and three. A winning season. Should take about an hour before they realize their only winning season in twenty years happened on a forfeit because their coach is an asshole. How's that for salt in the wound."

Robbie smiled.

The Panthers jogged past us, some with comments that weren't printable.

"What about next year? What about other sports?" Robbie asked.

"Who knows? If he's still coaching for Lake next year, I won't step on his field. I can't speak for anybody else. Same for baseball. Basketball players, track, and wrestling will have to make their own decisions. I know volleyball is supposed to be there next week, and Cassie Grover is talking about not showing up. Since's she's probably going to be the captain of the girl's basketball team, too, it could get interesting."

"You always say life is complicated," Robbie accused. "Then you complicate it for everybody else."

"Some people try to spread sunshine wherever they go; I spread complications. Everybody's got to have a hobby."