Lexis POV
It's the first game of year. This stupid new team in our loop.
"Alexis?"
"Yes Coach?"
"Make sure the boys are ready for us in 5,"
"Ok,"
"And, good luck baby, you'll do great," she says
"Thanks mama," I laugh
I go in and hurry the boys up.
"Alexis calm down," TJ says
"Don't call me Alexis," I say
"Alex, how long do we have?" AJ asks
"Since when do you call me Alex?"
"Since now," he says "time?"
"2 minutes Antonio Jack,"
"Shut it,"
They get ready and I get my mom.
"Alright guys, lets go," she says "this team is new, but they're big and they're well coached. Play hard, get up early,"
We go to the tunnel and wait for lineups to be called.
"Ready Lex?" TJ asks
"Oh yeah, just game 1,"
"Is Hudson here?"
"Yeah, he's sitting with mom- Charlie?"
"Cheering,"
"Right," I laugh "you better make me look good tonight, I got scouts in the stands,"
"You got it sis,"
"You're weird," I laugh
"STARTING FOR RIVERDALE HIGH," the announcer starts
He announces the defence
"STARTING AT WIDE RECEIVER NUMBER 22 TONY REGINALD TOPAZ," they say and Tony runs out "AND AT RUNNING BACK NUMBER 23 ANTONIO JACK MANTLE,"
AJ runs out and I laugh with LJ
"He forgot to tie his cleats," he laughs "dumbass,"
"AT FULL BACK NUMBER 24 LOUIS JACOB,"
I'm the only one left and I stand there for a sec
"FINALLY, AT QUARTERBACK, YOUR CAPTAIN NUMBER 54 ALEXIS TOPAZ,"
I run out and stand beside LJ.
"Lexi we.." he whispers
"You what?" I ask
"The three of us are taking a knee for the anthem," he says
"Did you talk to.."
"Coaches? No," he whispers "TJ was shot cause he's not white Lexi,"
"I know LJ.. you know the repercussions of this.."
"We know Alexis,"
They introduce the singer for the national anthem and TJ LJ and AJ all take a knee as they start the music
I look in the stands and see the scouts all here to see me.
This could kill my chances.
But then again the cop could have killed my brother I walk around the boys and kneel beside Tony and grab his hand
"Lex," he says "the scouts.."
"You're more important than them Tony,"
I kiss his cheek, grab his hand and put my head on his shoulder for the rest of the song
"T-thank you Lexi," he says hugging me
"You got it TJ," I say hugging him "let's go win a game, no?"
He laughs and I go to the sideline for them kicking to us.
I go over to talk to my mom and she turns around and walks away.
I-is she mad at me?
They take the kick and I go out.
In the second quarter I stand up out of a tackle and someone grabs my ass and I jump
It's not Wren. It's okay.
"Can I help you?" I spit
"You could stand for the anthem Topaz,"
"You could figure out why I didn't asshole,"
He winks and we lineup for the next play.
"43 Wide Z," I yell
I run narrow and fake a hand off to AJ.
I make it to the end zone and get tackled.
Fuck that one hurt.
"Whore just like your mom,"
"What did you just say to me?" I ask shoving him off me
"You're a little priss, fuck off out of the league princess,"
"Shut the help up,"
I get up and he slaps my ass again.
All I want to do is go hug my mom.
But she keeps walking away when I walk towards her
Half time is called and I go towards the tunnel.
I go to stop my mom and she keeps walking.
"Mama please!" I say starting to cry "please,"
"Alexis... n-not now,"
"Mom.."
She keeps walking and does a speech and goes back to the bench.
"Is mama talking to you?" I ask TJ
"I mean, not excessively," he says "but she has,"
"She won't even look at me," I sigh "I think I embarrassed her I front of the Stanford scouts,"
"We did it too,"
"They aren't here to see you," I shrug
"At least we're winning," he sighs
"I guess, I just wanna talk to her,"
"Why, what's wrong?"
"That guy keeps touching my ass and it's triggering me," I shrug "and he called me a whore. I need to play good Tony and I'm just.. not. I'm playing like shit,"
"First of all you are playing good Lex, secondly which player and why.."
"I'm not telling you his number, and he's done it twice,"
"AJ GRAB THE FILM," he yells
AJ comes over with the plays and they find the first play it happens.
"Forty.. two. Forty two," TJ says
"Lexi why didn't you tell your mom?"
"Because she won't talk to me,"
"Oh.." he says sadly
"Lexi . Even if mama is mad for some reason, she'll get over it. It meant a lot to me, I know this was a big game for you,"
"You're more important than some college scouts,"
He smiles and I hug him
We go back out to the field, play the half with more sexual harassment- behind the play and hidden so our bench doesn't see, but we end up winning by 7 touchdowns.
"Alexis?" A coach asks
"Yes, hi," I say shaking his hand
"I'm coach Archibald from Harvard,"
"Nice to finally meet you in person," I say with a smile
"I know your family legacy is in Stanford, but I want to offer you a full ride to Harvard- you're a once in a generation player and I'd love to see you in Cambridge,"
"I will definitely consider it. Harvard is one of my top schools, thank you so much,"
"My pleasure, here's a package- keep in contact,"
"Will do,"
Ohio State, NYU, Yale, Colgate, and 3 other schools offer me the same thing.
The Stanford coach comes over to me me and we talk about a full ride as well.
"During the anthem.. can you talk about why you did that for me?"
"My little brother Tony was shot earlier in the year by a police officer because he's.. not white and I know it affected me, but it affected him and my cousins more. Tony is scared that if he doesn't speak about it and take a stand it could happen to our little sisters too," I sigh "and I needed to support him in what he's doing, because he's supported me in everything I've ever did,"
"Good for you, we need more young people doing this,"
A college I'm not too interested in comes up to me after that.
"Alexis Topaz,"
"Yes,"
"We will not be in talks with you any further,"
"I.. understand,"
"You could've been here but sports and politics don't mix," he says "stand for the anthem,"
"My little brother was shit by a racist cop, like many people who look like him- the cop hasn't faced justice yet," I say "it's not politics to me sir,"
"Goodbye Ms. Topaz,"
I finally find Hudson and he kisses me.
"You played amazing baby,"
"Thank you," I sigh
"That's.. a lot of packages,"
"Full rides," I say "all but one of the schools I was talking to,"
"What.. about the other?"
"Politics and sports- i kneeled and they... don't want that in their program,"
"Screw them," he says "I'm proud of you,"
"Thank you,"
"Wanna go join the tailgating parties?"
"I need to change and talk to my mom- but I'll meet you there,"
"Okay.. oh and I saw what that guy was doing.."
"Can we please not talk about it?"
"Sure baby,"
I go and change and then go to my moms office with all the folders.
"Mama," I say seeing her turned around in her seat
"Lexi.."
"Okay please STOP," I yell "Stop ignoring me, I don't care if you're pissed at me. It was my decision. I wasn't trying to embarrass you or make your image worse. My brother was shot, I felt him stop breathing and pass out because he has a different skin colour than me. I kneeled because both my sisters are not white. I kneeled for them mama and for you, I know what happened with the FBI, I know you still can't talk to cops without a stutter- why should Toni and Mia and KC have to do the same?" I say "you made a change when you played, let me make mine. This is why I play mama. It didn't hurt my chances either, I have 9 full ride offers- people understand, why can't you?" I ask "I wanted to talk to you because that guy kept grabbing my ass and calling me a whore and I didn't know what to do and I was scared and wanted to talk to my mom and you wouldn't even look at me- am I that much of a disappointment?"
"Tones.. what did you do?" Cheryl says coming in behind me
"Cher go please,"
"Antoniette,"
"Cheryl- leave," she says turning "please,"
Cheryl rolls her eyes and leaves
"Alexis.. I'm not disappointed in you,"
She's been crying
"I'm proud of you,"
"W-what?"
"I saw you look at the scouts and still decide to go and kneel with your brother, I would never have had the guts to do that," she says wiping her eyes "you're so good, I couldn't look at you because I needed to not cry while I was coaching. I'm sorry baby, I really am,"
"I- I thought you did stuff like this all the time.."
"Off the field, away from football," she says "you never prepare yourself for the day your kids become better people than you ever were, I never thought I'd even be here for it Lex,"
"Oh.."
"What guy were you talking about?"
I get my iPad out and show her the 7 tapes TJ isolated of him and 3 from other players.
"Fuck," she says "Lexi I was barely watching the game, I didn't know. I'm so sorry, I will handle it," she says hugging me
I start crying and she rubs my back
"I thought you hated me," I cry "I thought you were mad,"
"Oh babygirl I'm so so sorry," she says "I love you so much Lexi,"
"Did it ever bother you that you're not related to me and Mommy is?" I ask still crying
She wipes my tears and gives me a small smile
"Of course not Lexi, I've never thought anything like that. I love you so much, never have I thought any less of you because you are only related to mom. You look so much like her, and you inherited all of her best traits. Never think that okay?"
"Okay,"
"Plus, this kids related to me turned out pretty annoying," she jokes
"Very true,"
"So what schools offered?"
I show her all the folders and she smiles
"What about.. UofD?"
"They thought I should've stood, I didn't wanna go there anyways Mama,"
"I know, but I'll be talking to that coach,"
"Mom.."
She laughs and hugs me
"We will go through these another day, go celebrate baby," she says "and.. don't look at Twitter, people are going to have opinions, but I want you to keep doing things you believe in,"
"Thank you mom,"
"Thank you Lex,"
I smile and go out and join the tailgating parties.
"There's my girl!" Hudson yells waving at me
"Hey baby," I say walking over
"I'm so proud of you,"
"Thank you,"
"Is your mom okay? TJ was saying you two were possibly fighting,"
"We're fine, not fighting,"
"Good,"
I kiss him and smile
"Apparently I'm getting a lot of hate online, I'm sorry if it comes to you,"
"Babe I don't care, actually Jhorry and I were thinking of doing the same thing in our games," he says "if it's important to you, I will support you in everything Lexi, because I am so in love with you,"
"I'm in love with you too,"
I look at a photo TSN tagged me in and smile
They're from behind us during the anthem. The first, me kissing TJ's cheek and second with my head on his shoulder.
They captioned it pretty well too.
TJ and Alexis Topaz took a knee along with their 2 cousins LJ Morgan and AJ Mantle to protest the unjust shooting of TJ and other people of colour around the country. A message in 3 pictures : injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.