Higher, Faster, Stronger

The next day was Saturday and I was invited by Nate to watch the press conference that the Lions team and head coach was going to make.

That was just the first step. The press loved the story, deeming it the biggest scandal to hit Kelowna in ages. It was probably true, I mean, Kelowna wasn't small by any means but it was usually peaceful.

The news networks had picked up on it and refused to let it die. Doctors were running specials on the side effects. I knew some off hand but holy crap, there was a huge list.

News castors were having debates back and forth. But the thing everyone was waiting for was the press conference. The league would be announcing regulations for the next game, as well as a speech by our Coach and theirs (Kevin Monochi) and more. The stories on the TV were flying like wild fire but some of the rumors were worse.

For example, one rumor was that a senior on the Lions team got his scholarship to his dream school pulled because he was suspected of having drugs in his system on the big game day. I felt sorry for him honestly. Drugs is a horrible way to advance yourself but imagine having everything you ever wanted in life being pulled away from you. It's difficult for anyone I'd say.

I arrived at Nate's to find a familiar black motorcycle in the driveway. Then to my great surprise, I found a few more cars than I had originally thought. I recognized Keeg's car, and a few other boy's vehicles from the team. I smiled to myself and wondered if he had told Nate yet. I hoped not, especially with all the boys here.

When I rung the doorbell, I heard a stampede toward the door. Sheamus opened the door and I saw the faces of Cameron, Nate, Keeg, Derek, and even Kael. Half our team was here to watch the press conference. I was enveloped in a wave of boys. Who were really happy. And hyper. And I was really regretting my decision to get out of bed.

I was quickly ushered into the living room, which was packed with bodies. I hopped over the couch and landed quite painfully onto the floor. I bypassed the couch completely and landed on the bloody floor. My tailbone, she is bruised.

"And I thought females were supposed to be graceful?"

I looked up and saw, well, it's pretty safe to guess at this point, right?

"You would know, wouldn't you, Glacier Boy?" I replied sweetly. That's one of the things I love about my friends, we can goof off and call each other names all we want but it doesn't really mean anything.

We settled on the couch comfortably. Everyone else took a seat in the remainder that was Nate's living room. The TV was on and the cameras were just focusing in on the press conference. The TV announcer was blathering on about the story over again before the live feed took over.

I shifted uncomfortably against Derek. It was hard in a way. I was hiding our relationships and at the very same time here I am snuggled up to him. Ok fine, not snuggled. Snuggled reminds me of a teddy bear hugging us until we turn blue.

Anyway, the people who were participating in the conference filed in on live conference. There we saw Monochi, a few players, their assistant coach and the greatest shock of all was Coach. I mean, I knew Monochi was supposed to apologize to him formally, but I expected a letter or something. Coach didn't look too happy either, to be there. I was shocked.

Their tight end, quarterback and a few others were present. "So it begins," I murmured.

Monochi tapped the microphone expectedly.

"Thanks for coming. I'm here, well, you all know why I'm here." His assistant coach elbowed him visibly, as if to say, stick to the script.

"The allegations me are true and I'm truly sorry for each. That's it."

His assistant rolled his eyes and shook his head. I snorted; expecting anymore from him would be useless. The TV announcer announced they were going to open it up to questions.

The first one was for Monochi obviously.

"Do you feel any remorse about the situation?" He got this weird look in his eyes, kind of like how Steve does when he knows the answer to a question but wants to let another kid try to answer it in class.

"I'd be lying if I said I did. Everyone wants to win. What we do about it is completely different. However you can't fake something like raw talent. These boys have it, and all I did was encourage it. Next."

"Why did you invite the head coach of the opposition to sit here today?"

"To tell him his boys are some of the best I've seen yet. If we're forbidden from going, it'll be an interesting game with their team against Saratoga. I intend to watch."

I guess that was sort of an apology mixed with a compliment. Coach wasn't stupid enough to try to chastise him so he just graciously nodded his head and let the questions fly back and forth.

A couple were directed to the players that Monochi had with him. Mostly they just detailed the substance use and academic penalty. Most had their letters revoked, their scholarships removed, and their social rights decimated. Those boys were basically under house arrest.

I couldn't imagine what the player's parents must have been like.

Then came the most unlikely thing I've ever heard.

"I don't apologize for what I did. I already said that. I did what I had to in order to win. In the real world it would be called ingenuity, and the only difference is that I got caught. Nothing else. If you can cheat the system when you're older, you just don't become another statistic, but someone that everyone knows. If you're going to cripple your life with rules, then you're not living. At all."

Monochi was sitting down just speaking nonchalantly.

"You want the culprits? Look in the mirror. You put so much emphasis on winning that my job and their future was staked on it. I let them perform at their peaks. God forbid you make it fun. That's all. I'm done."

It was pandemonium as Monochi got up and trailed out with his lackeys following like whipped dogs. Well, it was either that or become fish food to the reporters. Wow. The media sure are sharks and either that or they are incredibly bored. Kewlona isn't small but whatever media coverage, it's almost like word of mouth and if there's big news in the air, you'll hear it from your neighbor first unless it's big.

I just kind of sat there in shock. Some of the boys got up and went home but a few of us stayed around. Derek squeezed my leg and went up to get food. Wow. That's the most PDA I've ever seen out of him. We've only been together two days, granted.

Nate saw it unfortunately. And he got the mischievous glint in his eyes. Mine widened in horror.

"Hey everyone, I think Sarah's got an announcement!"

All eyes turned to me. I shook my head and got up and dragged him to the kitchen with my hand over his mouth.

"What did you intend on sharing with the class?" I hissed, waiting for him to answer.

"That you and Derek are digging on each other."

I sighed and dragged both of them to the farthest corner, not to draw attention.

Nate had his thousand watt smile turned on and he was nearly jumping up and down.

I glanced over at Derek who looked mildly bemused. "You said you'd tell him."

"I knew you guys were digging each other!"

"You're ok with it?" I blurted out. Derek gave me his famous pointed look. "If there was any doubt in his mind, you just confirmed it. Besides, he has no say in it."

I rolled my eyes. Dang, just spewed like a person throwing up. Smart. I'm 0 for 2 for intelligent moves today.

"Yeah, Derek and I are together. But you cannot tell anyone. I mean, I know I'll end up beating you into lawn pancakes but I don't know about him." I pointed over to Derek.

"He can tell if he wants."

"What!?"

"If anyone messes with you, either you or I can handle it." He put his hands in his pockets again. "I don't see why anyone would bother you about."

"For a genius you're an idiot."

"How so?" He countered. I sighed and hopped up on the counter. Ok, clearly this wasn't going to be easy.

"Ok, remember back when Terry started those rumors that you and I were originally going out? I got so much negative feedback, I almost killed someone. You're pretty popular, even if you can't see it personally."

"Why do you let it bother you? If they're stupid enough to believe idiocy then they deserved to get tricked."

"Sure….I guess.." and I gave him a small smile. I didn't feel really reassured. I mean, I got death threats from fan girls. I can take one on one and maybe two on at a time it if resorted to violence. But, I don't think I could take on the entire school emotionally. It would too much to know that many people didn't like me because I liked one person. It hurts to know people can be so stupid.

Nate's cell rang and he reached into his pants pocket to get it.

"Hello? Oh hey Coach! We all saw you on TV! Team meeting? When, tomorrow at the back of the school? Sure. Ok bye. Thanks Coach." He flipped his phone shut and motioned to us.

"Ok, lovebirds, team meeting. We'll talk later." He flashed his foxy grin.

"Everyone that was Coach on my phone. He wants a team meeting tomorrow at the back of the school at noon. He said he understood if you couldn't make it because of a job or whatever but he wanted all available to come."

A lot of people nodded and the room flooded with small talk.

I reached over and squeezed Derek's hand and with a quick smile to Nate, I headed for my car. I had mental prep to do.

---------------------------------------------------

The bleachers felt cold on my butt. Lovely sentiment, I know but please. For the end of October, it was certainly chilly. I was the first one there, and it was 11. I let the sunshine soak through my long sleeve shirt and warm up pants. I closed my eyes to shield against the sun and laid down on the silver bleachers. I thought back to earlier in the year when the article had come out. I had notes in my locker and though I had people support me for it (surprisingly) it was interesting to see all the fan girls against me.

The logic was absurd though. It was just an image they loved. They knew nothing about him. His mom and his brother or even if he was more than a pretty face. I'm not justifying that I'm right for him but they want to date a photo of him, not him himself.

I hummed a familiar tune and in a short amount of time an eclipse was blocking my view. It wasn't something passing over the sun, it was Neil. Again.

"So. You and Thompson, huh?"

I sat straight up, heart in throat, stomach in my bowels. "Nate told? I'm gonna kill him!"

"No, he didn't tell. It was kinda easy to figure out. Just invite me to the wedding, alright?" He had a wry smirk on his face, and the sarcasm was easier to detect than booze inside a bottle of Jack Daniels.

"You see normally I would beat you for that, but I'm feeling generous today. Next time, you're gonna get thrashed twice as hard." I turned toward him gingerly. "I really didn't want many people to know. So, don't tell, ok?"

"It's none of my business. Just don't piss him off ok? The rest of us don't want to be running three-a-days."

"Deal."

The rest of the team showed up soon. Nate sat to my right and Derek to my left. I felt safe, genuinely safe.

Coach walked in, hands in his pocket.

"So gang…do we have one more in us? Or shall it go to the team under us?"

We got a positive roar to the first sentence and a negative booing to the second.

"Heh, I didn't not come all this way, through all those practices to sulk this Saturday into a carton of Ben and Jerry's! Who's with me!" I called.

I got a yell back with me.

Nate stood up and yelled, "We came so far and we'll keep going, hell yeah!"

Derek stood up and simply said, "Let's do it."

I smiled. My entire team was ready.

Fast forward to Friday. The tradition in the school was to hold a pep rally for any team who makes it to their respective championships. We had all come a long way.

Derek started off hating me. I'm dating him now.

Neil got more friends.

Hannah is learning to be more assertive near everyone.

Nate….ok well...some things don't change. He's still loud and scary sometimes.

We were holed up in the boys locker room, with our uniforms on. I held my helmet in my hands. When we heard our names we came rushing onto the field. It took a while and finally they got to me, and it was near the end of the roster.

"Our female fullback, SARAH HALL!"

Some of our friends started up a cheer and soon, everyone in the stadium was chanting my name. Me. That had never happened to me before.

Sar-ah!

Sar-ah!

It felt amazing. Some people gave some speeches on how hard we worked. They never actually knew how hard it was. What we'd gone through.

The bus arrived the next morning to bus us to the game. Most of us spent the time mentally preparing and listening to music. I was no different. In the separate girls locker room, I dipped my fingers in the black paint that was provided to me. Two lines on each cheek and I was ready.

I was ready for my war.