Black Leather Jackets: College Bound

Forfeit

"Call a timeout or get a penalty"

i call time and keep trying to talk to him and he doesn't budge.

"Tell the fat whore to get off the field!"their captain says coming beside me "we're here to play football,"

Tears start streaming down my face and I take my helmet off.

"If your going to let this happen- I promise you won't have a job by morning,"

"If they're saying the truth I can't penalize them,"

I take my helmet off and walk off the field

"Lexi, what's going on?"

"They called me a dyke, a whore and fat infront of the red and he won't do anything about it," I say putting my helmet down "they're going to hurt me mama I'm not playing,"

One of the Hawaii boys walking by says another comment and I look at her.

"No ones playing," she says "NEW YORK ROLL OUT,"

The boys who didn't hear what happened look at her like she's crazy.

"Let's go- games over,"

They all walk out in front of us and the red stops me and my mom.

"Forfeiting?"

"I'm not making my daughter go through the same thing I did at this tournament and by the time I'm done you won't have a job and Hawaii won't have a team," She says "let's go Lexi,"

I follow her and go into the changeroom

"Boys if you're disappointed or confused with my decision please come talk to me. This game is worthless to us and I wasn't putting any of you through whatever they were going to do next,"

"Thank you coach," Trey says "we get it,"

She nods and leaves and I change.

"Alexis they want you for press again," My mom says

I nod and finish drying my hair

I sit beside my mom and they ask her so many questions surrounding why

"So Alexis what did they say to prompt this?"

"They called me a homophobic slur and the ref heard it and didn't do anything about it," I say playing with my rings

"Why quit?"

"If they know they can get away with calling me homophobic slurs, and grabbing my ass what's stopping them from trying to hurt me? Last year they did, both my arms. What's stopping them from going after my brother or my cousins? My teammates? I'm not the only LGBT person on this team and that's very well known, slurs like that can hurt someone deeply- I'd be lying if I said they don't effect me, but I didn't feel safe playing so I told my mom I'm changing,"

"Your parents went through a lot more than one homophobic slur,"

"I'm not my parents. I couldn't handle what happened to them, and I've been very open about my mental health problems and stress seizures. I'm not opening myself up to yet another episode,"

"Why you? Why does Hawaii target you?"

"They lost to a girl and their not secure enough to take it," I say "last year it's because I was dating Hudson, this year it's because I embarrassed them- simple as that. They need to rethink their program and character development,"

"Toni- why walk off when only your QB wanted to stop playing?"

"She's right, we have several kids on this team who are part of the LGBT COMMUNITY homophobic slurs have no part in the game and if one of the boys heard these comments- especially my son or nephews they'd probably have to be thrown from the tournament and these jerks aren't worth it," she says "and I went through "more" than Lexi is, but behind closed doors I was depressed, suffering from nightmares and PTSD, and so much more than a lot of people understand. I'm not losing my daughter for football, she's so much more important than anything football,"