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Dawson Stadium was electric.I think every kid at Rixon High had shown up to support the Raiders. Rixon East loved its team, but not like this.
This was something else.
“Fuck me, this is intense,” Bryan whistled through his teeth as we stood behind Coach Ford. The cheer squad had just finished performing their routine and the crowd had gone wild for the Raiders mascot, a giant Viking head, currently strutting up and down the field.
“Rixon High,” Coach Ford boomed into the mic. “Are you ready to play football?”
The intensity of the crowd hit us like a forcefield, reverberating through me.
“Last season we went out there and showed every other team why we’re the best, why we’re the team to beat. This year it’s our title to defend, but by God, are we going to defend it.”
Another round of cheers detonated around us. The cheer squad was over by the sidelines, waving their pom-poms and doing their thing. Lindsey caught my eye and gave me a coy wave.
“She’s gagging for a piece of the Thatchman,” Bryan nudged my shoulder.
“Fuck off,” I grumbled.
“Use it or lose it.” He flashed me a shit-eating smirk and cupped his junk. “She’ll be at the party tonight, all limbered up and ready to—”
I elbowed him in the stomach, and he yelped. “I was only saying.”
“Yeah, well don’t.” I just wanted this night to be over. I didn’t want to go to the booster thing at Bell’s and rub shoulders with all the Raiders alumni and their supporters.
I hadn’t even told my dad about it. He wouldn’t take too kindly to the idea of me socializing with the team.
Socializing with Coach Ford.
But I’d go and show my face. Because whether I liked it or not, this was my team now.
“And here’s the guy who’s going to get us there, your quarterback, Jenson Monroe.”
“Fucking asshole,” Bryan mumbled as we watched Monroe step up to the mic.
I zoned out at that point. I didn’t want to hear him spout shit about leading the team and taking them all the way to state.
“You sure about the booster thing, man? I don’t know, kinda feels like we’ll be the odd guys out.” Gav cast me a knowing look.
“Got to play nice for the team, right?” My lips pursed. “We’ll just go for an hour, show our face, and then we can head back home.”
“I heard Shannon is having a party tonight.”
Shannon was a girl from school, our old school. We’d hooked up a few times over the summer, then gone our separate ways when I’d found out I was going to Rixon High and she was going to Millington.
“Maybe,” I said. I didn’t want a repeat with Shannon, but maybe it would be good to hang out with our old friends.
The pep rally eventually came to an end, and we filed off the field. Monroe and his guys were up ahead, Aaron, Cole, and a couple of the other junior players behind them, and then me, Bryan, Gav, and the rest of our guys coming up behind.
“Senior year wasn’t supposed to go down like this,” Gav grumbled. He was quieter than Bryan, but the guy took everything in. Always observing, always assessing.
“Yeah, but here we are,” I said. “One season.” Mom’s words came back to me. “One season and then we only have to survive until graduation.”
It was better than not playing football at all. But when you were born to lead, to command a team and call the shots, it was a hard fucking thing to stand by and watch.
Especially when you knew you could do a better job.
“Look what the cat dragged in, the second-string.” Monroe howled with laughter, high-fiving one of his guys.
