That Football player

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

It was Friday again meaning I was up on the table at lunch stomping and clapping with Jessica and Tara. The teachers have been trying to make us stop but they gave up. This week, though, they were right there with us because we were playing our biggest rivals, the Howley High School Dogs. The rivalry has been going on since before my dad's time at the school.

"What day is it?" I yell after we finish the song.

"Game day." The school answers.

"I said what day is it?"

"Game day!" They scream even louder.

After that I stayed pumped up. I was ready to kick butt. The classes that followed were a blur. I was in the girl's locker room putting on my gear. I was digging through my bag looking for my sock when I pulled out that pocket knife Zach had given me. I put it in his truck and forgot about it. He must have put it in my bag. I hide it in my bag. I didn't want to get in trouble for having a freaking weapon at school. I found the sock and then laced my cleats. I slipped my shoulder pads and jersey with my number and name on. I grab my helmet and mouth guard.

"I'm so glad they let you play." Richie slapped my back. Fun fact about Richie, he is Jessica's younger brother. I found that out at Jessica's house homecoming day. His name is actually Richardson but he likes Richie, I don't blame him Richardson is a mouthful.

"Yeah me too. I really thought I wasn't ever going to play again after all those laps I had to run." Coach Kemp made me run many laps. He knew what I did was right and he was happy I stood up for my teammate but he said the way I did it was a bit violent. He also said, off the record of course, it was pretty badass.

I heard our band play our fight song.

"What day is it?" Zach and I yell.

"Game day." They yell.

"I said what day is it?"

We finish our chant and run out of the field house and onto the field. Our crowd screams hard, the band plays loud, and our cheerleaders scream. We make it to the sidelines and the Dogs are introduced.

"Watch this." Zach says to me as the other team runs onto the field. They start barking, making screeching noises, some of them run on all fours. It was... strange. Zach laughs at the confusion on my face.

"I mean if their goal was to shock me then they succeeded." In all my years of football, and I have been playing since little league, I have never seen a team do that.

The whistle is blown starting the game. The Dogs won the coin toss and chose to receive. No touchdown was made when it was the offence was ready to go on field. I take my place in the line. Just before I yelled hike the defense side started barking at us. I didn't let is distract me, I yelled hike and started the play. When our receiver was tackled they circled around him and barked until he got up. I glanced at Zach.

"Why didn't anyone tell me these people are crazy?" I whisper to myself. "We are Ravens what if we just started screeching and yelling cawcaw."

"Why you calling them crazy? You're the one muttering to yourself." Richie laughs as he runs by.

"It was a whisper not a mutter." I catch up to him.

It was now the last quarter. The score was tied 7 to 7. They put up a hard fight. I have never played a game like this. I have never been so 'on the edge of my seat' before. It was crazy. I glanced to the crowd, mom, Tony, and Dexter were sitting on the bleachers down the fifty yard line, Dean couldn't make it because of work. I was looking at all of the people cheering for us. Then I saw him.