E D W A R D
The Monday after the homecoming game, Coach Sargent finally told us Isaac was officially joining the team. I had known he would do this, of course, because Coach had been there for the game, and he wasn't blind, or stupid. Not Jacob though. Jacob hadn't seen it coming and so Jacob was losing it.
"Since when?!" he asked, throwing his water bottle against one of the benches. "Wasn't he here in the first place as part of a disciplinary action? I don't get it. Is the school rewarding delinquents –"
"How about you calm down, Jacob?" Coach said. He had an arm around Isaac's shoulders, who had his across his chest, his hand on his shoulder, and a shit-eating grin on his face.
"Coach, come on! How is this fair?" Jacob continued, not having calmed down at all.
"I talked to the principal, and he was actually really happy to know Isaac's channeling his energy into helping the school instead of destroying it–"
"This is fucking insane!" Jacob went on. "What's next? We're letting Tristan join too?"
"I don't think he would be interested, but anyway, I don't know what's up your ass today, Jacob, but you better get it out before practice starts because I'm not having it."
Some of the guys laughed. Jacob flipped them off. Then he turned to me.
"I bet you're fucking happy."
"Why wouldn't I be?" I asked him. I thought he should be too. Isaac wouldn't be playing as a quarterback, so there was no point for any of this. This wasn't a threat to Jacob. Almost nothing ever was. "You've seen him play. You should–"
"Right, that's enough," Coach stopped me, turning to Jacob afterward. "Believe it or not, Jacob, I wasn't asking for your opinion on this–"
"Well, you should. Am I not the captain of this team?"
"Not for long if you keep running your mouth like that." Jacob didn't see this coming either. No one did really, and so for a while no one said a word. Then Coach Sargent opened his mouth again, "Right, that's what I thought. Start doing your laps, boys. Chit chat's over."
I watched Jacob drop his head before starting to run, and then followed after him. I had wanted to give Isaac my congratulations, but it would have to wait for another time. I was sure he would understand. Jacob, on the other hand, didn't seem to be understanding anything of what was happening.
I put my hand on his shoulder when I reached him, but he shook it off and picked up his pace instead, telling me to fuck off under his breath. I picked up my pace too.
"He doesn't mean it," I told him when I reached him again, just in case he didn't know it.
"Mean what?" he spit out then. "That your boyfriend's joining the team or that I won't be captain anymore? Cause honestly I don't know which one is worse."
"Jacob." He was being ridiculous.
"Edward." He probably thought I was the one being ridiculous. Was I? What was I missing? What was his problem with Isaac?
"You don't think he's a good player?" I asked. I knew he would be lying if he said he didn't.
"That's not the point."
"Then what is it?"
"What is it? What do you mean, what is it? You realize there is a waitlist to get in our school, right? Because of our football team. Because Coach Sargent will most likely get you a sports scholarship. Not from a shit college, no, but from an actual good one, and I mean a full scholarship, Edward. Now, I'm pretty sure my parents can pay my way through anything, but what about yours?" He looked at the others running around the field, "What about theirs?"
"So what?"
"So what?! We've actually had to earn our place in this team –"
"So has he!" I stopped him. He was breathing hard. I wasn't. "And where was this outrage when Jason broke his leg? He had to earn his place in the team too and now he's lost it, just like that. You didn't seem to care then, so what is it about Isaac? You think he'll steal your place? He won't. You've been captain since freshman year. You had scouts asking about you in sophomore. And you said it yourself, even if you don't get a full ride, your parents can pay for it. Now, I don't really think you're that worried about the working class after the shit you pulled in English–"
"Oh, for fuck's sake, I was joking! Even Ethan knew I was joking!"
"It was a shit joke."
"Yeah, I know, and I've apologized."
"Because you were forced to."
"Yeah, whatever. I'm done with this conversation."
For a while, we ran in silence. Then he took a deep breath and turned to me.
"You know what, fine, I'll give your boyfriend–"
"He's not my boyfriend."
"Whatever. I'll give him a chance," he said with a shrug.
"Really?"
"Yeah, why not? I bet he'll get tired of us in a month."
"Maybe."
"He will, trust me. Guys like him try everything once," he said, coming to a stop at the sound of Coach Sargent's whistle and putting on his trademark smirk, "Even other guys, right?"
"Fuck you."
The conversation seemed to end there, but after practice, in the locker room, Jacob walked up to Isaac in just his towel, and threw an arm around his shoulders.
"You know what, Isaac," he started. I was finishing getting dressed, but stopped altogether, my t-shirt hanging around my neck. Jacob continued. "I apologize. I was being an asshole. I'm glad you're joining the team."
Isaac didn't seem to believe a word that came out of his mouth, but smiled all the same, and said, "Okay."
Jacob looked around at the others, "I say we invite him for game night. What do you say?"
"Game night?" Gary asked, struggling to shove his towel inside his gym bag.
"You're not invited." Jacob said. I sent him a look, but he ignored it, turning back to Isaac. "Basically, we get together at mine every now and then to watch football. You in?"
Isaac looked at me, "Do you go to these?"
I finished putting my t-shirt on and managed a smile, "Usually–"
"Yes, he does, Isaac," Jacob said. "Don't worry, you can finger each other in the guest room during half time."
Everyone laughed. Even Isaac, who shrugged, and said, "Cool. I'm in then."