AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Well, at least I’m hoping it will be!
My lungs are screaming and I’m really regretting the bacon-and-egg rolls Xavier and I threw down on the way to school this morning. We should know better. It was never going to end well, all that food before the maiden training run. That’s when Coach usually likes to come out and flex his muscles and show us how much work we need to do and remind us how unfit we are.
“Hit the showers, boys,” Coach’s voice booms from behind us as we finish the last lap of the field.
No sweeter words have I heard.
I stop and lean forward with my hands on my knees, sucking in the air so fast, it’s almost like I’m creating my own wind tunnel.
Lifting my head slightly, I see I’m not the only one hunched over about to vomit.
Slowly dragging in a big breath, I raise up straight and look around.
These guys I see standing in front of me, I have to be the leader they need me to be.
“You heard Coach,” I yell, “let’s hit the showers. Because you all fucking stink!” Starting toward the gym, I hear laughter and chatter behind me from the team.
“As if you smell like a bunch of roses.” Xavier ruffles my hair and then shoulder-barges me, and despite us all being exhausted from the training session, he starts running, and the challenge is accepted.
“You’ll pay for that, dickwad,” I yell as my feet are already taking off after him.
Running backward with the biggest smirk on his face, he slams his hands on either side of his crotch.
Then that look of panic hits his face as my pace is picking up.
“Shit!” Turning, he steps it up a gear, but that is not going to save him.
The cheers behind us tell me the team is watching and probably taking bets on who will win.
Suckers!
Xavier will never outrun me.
We almost make it to the gym door, and instead of tackling him like he expects, because for once I’m actually thinking with my head for a change, I alter my attack, knowing injuries in the first week of training is not a good start from the captain of the team. You know, the guy who is supposed to be the responsible one.
Instead, I grab his shorts and pants him, showing off his white ass to the rest of the team as I speed past him into the gym.
The wolf-whistles are deafening, and I know I’ll pay for that later. Xavier never likes to lose a challenge, especially to me.
I don’t see a problem. It’s not like we haven’t seen each other’s asses plenty of times before in the locker room.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ve got the best ass on the team.” I hear Xavier laughing as the boys start yelling and telling him how much he’s dreaming.
There are many things I love about football, but this sense of team and family rates high on the list.
And doing it with my best friend is even better.
Bring on senior year….
* * *
Three Months Later
The team bus is a loud, chaotic mess. Whoever’s idea it was to have the cheerleading squad travel on the same bus as the team, they must’ve never been on a bus trip full of seniors. Their bus broke down just as we were about to head out for the away game against Stoney Mountain High, and it has left this mess of the girls all sitting in between the boys. Not just a group of any boys, but a football team pumped full of testosterone, ramping up for the game.
The cheerleading squad are a group of beautiful, athletic girls who have more interest in the players than the actual game. They don’t need to be memorizing plays; they seem to naturally remember their cheers like their own name. For me, I have to work hard at this, so I’m not overly excited about the distraction.
Thank God for noise-cancelling headphones.
