The Fifteenth Year

May: Part 7

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Dear Friend,

I'm faltering in my math right now, and it's making me sweat. I really don't want to end the school year with a B, so I asked Harriet if she wouldn't mind studying it with me after school at the library tomorrow. She agreed. She wants to go over some history notes with me o see if she has it down for a test we're having on Monday. Miss Burgess was right. We're lucky to have one another. In other news, Brendan is coming over tonight for a dinner with Charlotte. I'm excited. It's been a while since I've seen either one of them.

Thursday, May 12, 2005

Dear Friend,

So I sort of tricked Harriet. Before you judge me, I can explain. I showed up at the library to study with her...with Chloe. I figured Miss Burgess gave me that extra validation that Harriet needed to make some more friends, and Harriet was protesting too much. Studying with a fellow Brainiac wasn't going to kill her.

Harriet waved me over to her table then froze when she saw Chloe following behind me. Chloe distractedly began looking at a book display and I walked over to Harriet with a guilty look on my face.

"Wallace, what is your friend doing here?" she asked, annoyed.

"Look, I know, okay? But Chloe happens to be really good at history and math and has some notes that could be useful. It's just a study session, okay? It's not a big deal," I assured her.

"I told you already - I'm not looking to make any other acquaintances. I have enough to juggle as it is without dealing with another complicated - "

"Harriet, it's Chloe."

We both looked over to a sweet, oblivious Chloe marveling at a quarter she found on the ground.

"I suppose you're right," Harriet agreed, reluctantly. "But just this once. I mean it. You pushed this and I'm not going to let you live it down."

"Noted." I hollered over my shoulder, "Come on, Chloe."

Chloe hurried over with a quarter in her hand, giddy. "What are we tackling first, girls? Math or history?"

Chloe was a big disarming (her first impressions don't really do her justice), but overall harmless. I think she might have even charmed Harriet a moment or two. The point is, it wasn't a disaster, and I think eventually I will win over Harriet and she'll come around me and my circle. I just want the poor girl to be happy.

Friday, May 13, 2005

Dear Friend,

Jason's game was an hour away tonight and much to my relief, my parents drove me. We rode with Jason's parents. Naturally, we all wanted to see if Jason was going to make State. Jeremy had to tag along, but at least he wasn't incredibly annoying.

I was a nervous wreck that whole game. The Lions held their own, but without home field advantage, it probably felt like the weight of the world was on their shoulders, and they had limited support in the form of cheers. I bounced my knees nervously, paced in the aisle, shouted when calls I wanted were not made. I wanted this so badly for Jason. I wanted this for our school. I wanted this for the coaches and players who had all worked so hard. I wanted this for Lakota. Our town - barely a blip on the map - deserved recognition for this. Jason was a champion in my eyes, and if the world could figure that out through football, then so be it.

We were up by ten as if by pure chance. I couldn't believe it. We were playing a really good school (obviously, if they made it into the final four) and it should've been a tighter game than this. I was still nervous. The Lions' energy was starting to waver in the second half, and it looked like the opposing team was capitalizing on their exhaustion. It was third and long and punting to them in the final six minutes seemed imminent. But then something incredible happened. Fred - the king of prom and apparently the king of our team - threw an amazing pass...in Jason's direction. It was smart of them to run a play that would throw off the other team who was unaware we had a running back with receiver capabilities. Jason ran for it, held out his hands - and despite the opponent grabbing his jersey and there being some hope of a flag and chance of a redo - caught the ball between his two awaiting hands, and ran faster than I've ever seen him run. Had he been tackled, we would have gained the first down anyway so it was okay, but Jason took off like a bullet. I screamed, jumped out of my seat and watched with eyes that willed him into that end zone. When he scored a touchdown, everyone in my section erupted in cheers. And through Jason's helmet, I still saw his smile. Our players jumped on him in celebration.  We extended our lead to seventeen. The opposing team would have to score a touchdown, get another one on an on-side kick or interception and then hope for a field goal opportunity all inside five and a half minutes left on the clock. The chances of that happening were slim to none. This game was ours.

When the final whistle blew, I hugged his parents. We were going to State. I know the Lions were the ones that had accomplished this feat, but it felt like we all won. It was the first time Lakota had a chance at a championship in eighteen years.

I didn't ask Jason to ride home with us when I kissed him congratulations. He deserved to celebrate this the whole bus ride home with his guys. It's part of the joy and love of football. Tomorrow we'd have a pizza party with our families to remember this awesome occasion.

I cannot believe we're going to the State Championship. Is this real?