Assembly is usually boring. Just mundane information that could be shared via an email or school website. Indy supposes the headmaster enjoys the power of holding the whole school captive for thirty minutes. But, today is a little different as well as eye-opening for Indy. The headmaster skips over groaning about school regulations and expectations, jumping right into sports analogies and the importance of school spirit all rolled into the importance of supporting the school football team. He announces that over half the school budget is solely for the football team, that parents in the community have ongoing fundraisers, and that the school as a whole is expected to take part. He also makes it very clear that there are big expectations for the football team and even bigger expectations for the individual players. According to him, this year will be the start of many of the player's dreams coming true with College scholarships as well as NFL contracts in all of their futures.
At the very center of all this is one very special man. Austin. The new football coach will lead not only the school but the entire town to victory and ultimately make history in the world of football. Most of the teachers, students, and the headmaster turn to look at Austin who remains cool and relaxed at the back of the hall - they all have stars in their eyes. She hears excited chattering and looks over at Jeremy who is sitting with the rest of the football team. They all look like they have woken up this morning to a world that will allow for their dreams to become a reality. Indy hopes Austin can deliver on all the promises the headmaster is making, he sure looks confident that he can if the bored look on his face is anything to go by. She is glad she does not have that pressure on her, she would crumble.
The assembly is finally called to an end and the now very excited students start filing out along with the teachers who look just as excited. Indy thinks Julie, Lucy, and Lara are more excited about lunch break where they hope to eat lunch with the new football coach with the hopes of testing his truck seats out. His truck is humongous so she thinks there is a lot of space without the seats having to go all the way back. Why is she thinking about this? Her blood runs cold suddenly and her only response is to freeze when she sees Luke making a beeline toward her. She does not want to talk to him and she does not want to make a scene with all these students around. She can't run off because there is a jam of people in the doorway. She has no idea what to do, she is trapped.
Austin pops into her sight, planting himself between her and Luke. "Go," he mouths sternly at her. She spins and high-tails it out of the hall, squishing between bodies and rushing off to her classroom. She has never been more thankful for someone. Austin has been so kind to her, she should do something nice for him. She knows if he had was not around she would have Luke in her face and still living in her house.
Her class is buzzing with the excitement of the news for their football team and Indy has a tough time trying to settle them. But, they eventually calmed down somewhat and she can start her lesson. Half the football team is in her class and the other half is in Luke's class. She can see the football boys are trying their best to follow along as she speaks but their heads are just not in it.
"How about...we do something different today?" she eventually announces. They all groan. Teenagers always think the worst. "Now calm down. I think you will enjoy it," she says. They groan again but she has their attention. "I want you all to get into two teams. There are tons of objects in the back cupboard, grab what you need and then go down to the football field. I want each team to build an obstacle course," she says. The students cheer and divide themselves up then attack the cupboard and pull what they think they will need. "Rules! There are rules!" she shouts as loudly as her soft voice will let her before they can all rush out. "Your obstacle course needs to be twenty meters long. One obstacle needs to be ten kgs in weight and one obstacle needs to hold the weight of an adult. The rest is up to you. You may go," she says. They rush out and disappear down the hall. She laughs to herself, that will keep their minds busy and they will learn something without even realizing it.
She grabs half of the tests she needs to grade and then closes her classroom door behind her as she steps out into the deserted hallway. To get out she needs to walk past Luke's classroom and she hopes he does not see her so she walks past as fast as she can.
"Indy."
She hears him call her name from behind. She keeps walking but he calls her name again and she can hear him running after her. She grids to a halt as he runs around her and cuts her off.
"P-Please leave me alone, Luke."
"I just want to talk."
"I don't want to hurt your feelings, but I can't talk now. I am just not ready."
"When then? You won't pick up the phone and talk to me. I just need you to hear me out."
"I heard you the other day. I heard Carroll too. The sound of you sleeping with her is burnt into my head."
Luke looks down with a guilty face. Good. He should feel horrible for what he has done. He ruined both their lives. Smashed the little glass bubble they had built. "Indy, please. We need to talk. We owe it to ourselves after three years of dating. We can't just end like this. I won't let us end like this. You can't just give up on us for one tiny little meaningless mistake," he says. Indy does not know what to say to that. What Luke was doing with Carroll was not a mistake. It was a choice. "Not here," she whispers trying to step around him but he steps in front of her. He is going to force her to talk to him.
"Mr Sullens."
She hears the principal's voice behind her and turns to see the principal with Austin standing next to him. He does not look impressed.
"My students are taking a test," Luke says. He knows he should be in his classroom. "Good. You have time to talk then. Half my football team is in your class. The other half is in Miss Gold's class. I want to discuss their academics," Austin says, his tone gruff. Indy does not like that and she can feel a lump form in her throat. "Oh...my class is out on the football field doing an activity. I...I don't want to leave them unsupervised for too long," Indy says. "That's alright, Miss Gold. Go to your students. When I am finished with Mr Sullens, I will come out to you," Austin says, his tone now soft. "Mr. Sullens?" the headmaster asks when Luke does not move. Indy does not wait around to find out if he does.
Her students are in high spirits and well on their way to finishing their courses when she arrives and well, they all look happy. That makes Indy happy. She sits in the bleachers and starts marking the tests as her students scurry around. Even Miller is taking part. Maybe she will do more activities like this to allow him to get out of her classroom, he hides in there even during break time.
"There is a stark difference in how you and Mr Sullens teach. Your kids are happier."
Indy snaps her head to the sound of Austin's voice and then watches him walk up the bleachers and sit down next to her. "Kids learn better through play. They are all 17 and 18, they have reputations to uphold. They have to be cool all the time, but when given the chance to just be a kid and play like one - they jump in with both feet."
Austin smiles at her words while he watches her students. "I had a teacher like you when I was at school. After I graduated and got a football scholarship everyone including myself accredited my success to my coach. Except my grandfather. He said while my coach had been hard and pushed me to be my best, but it was the gentle hand of my teacher that gave me a place to rest. Every cowboy needs a place to rest," he says winking at her. Indy can feel the blush on her cheeks. "Each one of my boys will need to go to college if they want a shot at the NFL. I also expect each of them to be well-disciplined and self-motivated on and off the field. I will drop them from the team if they slack in their academics or if they prove to hold no honor," he says. His face is serious and his voice unwavering before he looks back at the students on the field.
"They are all good boys. What constitutes slack academics?"
"Anything below a B grade."
Indy bites her bottom lip. Most of the football players in her class don't get B grades. They average C's and D's. Not because they are not capable of better grades but because their minds are never truly in the classroom but always on the field.
"Will you cut them now? It will be most of the team."
"I am a fair man. I will only start cutting after the school break."
"That gives me time to work with them and pull up their marks."
Austin looks back at her. This time his eyes are bright and he has a grin on his face. "Mr Sullens' solution was to cut them all right now. They are all failing his class."
"Even Jeremy? He is such a clever boy."
"Especially Jeremy. According to Mr Sullens, he is an idiot."
"That's not true. None of the boys are idiots. We will get their marks up. All of them. I don't want you cutting anyone."
"You are a treasure, Goldie," he says. Indy feels pleased at his approval of her approach. Pleasing him feels like an accomplishment.
"Miss Gold. We are done," Red says as he walks up the bleachers. He looks at Austin with stars in his eyes, he looks like he is about to shit his pants too. "Morning coach. I...I'm on your team," he says putting his shaky hand out for Austin to shake. "I know who you are, Red. You are the team captain and your brother Jeremy is my quarterback," Austin says shaking his hand.
"Yes sir," Red all but squeezes out then runs back down the bleachers to wait for Indy with the rest of the students. "You have not met your team yet, but you have taken the time to study up on them?" Indy asks as she stands and gathers the tests. "There is more to football than just passing the ball, sugar," he says taking the tests from her hands and motioning for her to walk down the bleachers. Indy wonders what Lucy, Lara, and Juilie would think of Austin calling her anything but by her name - darling, sugar, Goldie. They all roll off his tongue like sweet molasses. She doesn't correct him either, part of her knows it's because she likes it. It's strange, she never let Luke do that at school. She has always insisted he call her Indy or Miss Gold at school. But, she does not mind when Austin does it.
"What is more?" she asks as they walk down. "Values. The game inspires character, leadership, resilience, and teamwork — key life skills that transfer from the field and into the type of men they will become one day. I need to know who they are just as much as I need to know their plays on the field," he says with so much conviction Indy is left with very little doubt as to the type of coach he is. Or the type of man he is. She stops and turns to him once they are on the field. "See that boy with the long black hair and red sweater?" she asks. "Aye," Austin gives her a sharp nod. "His name is Miller. He is considered the strange kid and has been bullied his whole school career. He has no friends and hides in my classroom. But, he is sweet, kind, and funny. No one pays him much attention and he has not got the confidence to put himself out there," she says hoping Austin is picking up what she is putting down. Austin hums and looks across the field at Miller, but says nothing.
The students are very proud of their obstacle courses and show them off with pride. Indy declares they all earned extra credits for the effort and teamwork they put in. They swap teams and spend the rest of the time racing against each other. Indy can see Austin watching the football players very carefully, she knows he is weighing up their physical abilities. Towards the end of their period when each student has had a chance to complete both courses they turn on her and try to get her to run one of the obstacle courses. Indy does not have a sporty bone in her body.
"Trust me, none of you want to see me look like a drunk baby calf," she says with a little laugh and a shake of her head. "How about you coach?" Red asks. Austin looks at him and then grins. "Alright, I will race against you, Red," he says handing the stack of test papers to one of the students. Then he turns to Indy and hands his Stetson to her. "Don't let it touch the floor, darlin'," he mumbles. Indy nods and clings to it tightly, he seems very attached to it. "You don't have to do that," she says softly. "Ain't nothin' wrong with a little competitive fun," he says. Indy thinks he might regret that. There is a reason Red is captain of the football team, he is only seventeen and extremely fit. Austin looks fit too, but he is older and if what her friends said earlier is true - he has an injury he is contending with too. Red and Austin crouch down at the start line to one of the obstacle courses, both with determined serious faces. One of the girls holds up a flag and counts down from five.
On one they both sprint forward as everyone cheers. As predicted Red sails over the obstacles with ease.
But, Austin?
Well, Austin does not even break a sweat as he propels forward, sailing over the obstacles with just as much ease. He passes the finish line with Red quite far behind him. The stars in Red's eyes before are nothing compared to how bright they are now. He shakes Austin's hand and Indy can see the pedestal not only Red but all the other students are starting to build under Austin's feet. "Anyone else wanna go?" Austin asks when he and Red get back to the group. The rest of the football players shake their heads and the other students join in. "How about you? Miller, right?" Austin asks. "Oh...I don't know about that. You beat Red by two meters...I could never," Miller says quickly. "You will never know unless you give it a go," he says. Some of the other students try and muffel their laughter then hide their faces when Indy gives them a disappointed look.
"Umm...ok," Miller says. Indy watches them walk up to the start line. Austin has that same determined face as before while Miller looks a little scared. Austin whispers something to Miller that makes him frown slightly but then his face changes, he is still scared but he looks a little more determined. A girl counts down from five and on one they both sprint forward. The students are quiet at first but then get excited when Miller can keep close to Austin. For a second it looks like Miller just might win. He doesn't in the end but does better than Red did against Austin. The students cheer and congratulate Miller - he has earned some respect just by racing against Austin and Indy hasn't ever seen Miller smile like he does now.
"There is a team meeting this afternoon and I would like you to attend. Wanna see what you got," Austin says to him. The students go quiet and Miller looks at Austin with big eyes. "You...you want me to try out for the team?" he asks in a squeak. "You impressed me, Miller. Talent and perseverance come in all forms. Don't be late, I don't care for lateness," Austin says taking his Stetson back from Indy and then placing it back on his head as he walks away. Indy can see he now has a slight limp to his step. "What did he say to you before the race?" Indy whispers. "He asked me what a rancher like me was doing living in the city," Miller says, his face scrunched in confusion.
The students clean up their obstacle courses and get everything packed away just as the school bell goes for lunch. Indy has no intention in leaving her classroom, she will mark the rest of her tests and eat lunch at her desk. She will have Miller for company. "Miller...you wanna eat with us?" Red asks suddenly. Miller's eyes widen and he nods quickly as he runs behind Red and the rest of the football boys. Indy would feel sad at being left all alone, but she can't find it in her to be upset at Miller being invited to have lunch with new friends.