"Hey, what happened to your coach? You said he was coming by yesterday."
"He texted me while we were studying. Said he'd be over today around noon. I'm looking forward to it. It's been less than a week but I already miss football. I wish I could play on Friday."
"Braden's happy you're not playing. So are the other guys. They all think Legion will lose on Friday without you there."
"That's their problem. They think one player can win them a game. They don't think like a team. And Braden's only made it worse. He has them convinced they can't win without him."
"They won when he hurt his knee."
"They'd already won that game before Braden left."
"So you think Legion will win on Friday?"
"Guarantee it. We don't give one player all the credit. I'm good, but I'm not the reason we win games. It's all of us together making it happen. Coach tells us that all the time. He doesn't stand for big egos. If one of us starts thinking we're better than someone else, he benches us until we get off our pedestal."
"That would never happen at Twisted Pine."
"That's one of the reasons I wanted out of there. I didn't like playing for a coach that let his players have the control. The Twisted Pine coach gives Braden way too much power."
"Like this weekend, the coach scheduled a practice on Sunday because Braden demanded it."
Jackson huffs. "Because he doesn't want them going to Jason's memorial."
"You knew about that?"
"His parents sent me an invite. I'd go but I can't leave town. I sent them a card."
"I didn't know you were friends with Jason."
"We weren't close but we were friends. We went to the same gym."
Trystan bangs on my door. "I'm leaving!"
"I have to go," I tell Jackson. "I have counseling tonight. I'll call you when I'm home."
Racing out of my room, I run through the house to the outside and see Trystan pulling out of the driveway.
"Dammit, Trystan!" I yell as I run to catch up with car, which is now driving down the street. "Trystan, stop!"
The car comes to an abrupt halt and the door lock clicks open.
I jump in, breathing hard from sprinting with a thirty-pound backpack. "This is getting really old. I wasn't even late."
"You should be thanking me." He laughs. "You got your exercise for the day."
"I'm serious. Why can't you just wait?"
"It's not as fun."
I wipe the sweat off my forehead as I catch my breath. "Now I'm all sweaty. Great way to start the day."
"I have some deodorant in my bag." He points to it behind me. "It might have a few hairs on it but you can wipe them off."
"Gross!" I shudder.
"You going to the game on Friday?" he asks.
"Probably. Are you giving me a ride?"
