The Captain of the Football Team

Thank you JeNiKA_ScReAmO_ for the book cover :)

I woke up bright and early the next morning for football.
It was going to be hell.
My high school football team got over the fact that I was a girl and things worked out fine.
But this isn’t’ high school.
This is college.
They weren’t going to be so nice to me.
Janet got out of bed, “Football?”’
I nodded my head. “Cheerleading?”
“Yeah,” she smiled. “Ready for a day of hell?”
“Thanks sis,”
“Sorry, but it’s true,”
I rolled my eyes as I changed. “A little optimism would be nice,”
“Sorry,” she muttered getting out of bed. By this time I was done getting dressed.
I threw my hair into a bun and put in my contacts.
I did a few jumping jakes and push ups before I left the room.
Janet followed me out of the room.
Liam and Joel were already dressed and ready.
“Morning,” Joel said smiling.
Liam just seemed to stare at Janet.
She smirked at him and winked.
I rolled my eyes. “Ready to go?” I asked.
“You got to eat first,” Joel said.
“Yeah, never go to practice on an empty belly,” Liam said.
“I know, I got the food thing covered,”
“Okay, let’s rock and roll,” Joel said.
“Bye Jan,” I called leaving.
“Good luck,” she called.
“So, why football?” Liam asked me.
“My dad is a football couch and he got me into the sport when I was younger. Since then I’ve been playing football and I am a beast at it. It took the high school idiots a while to get that fact,”
“They’re going to give you hell today,” Joel said.
“I’ve been through it before,” I said.
Before we reach the locker room I grab a protein bar and a muffin.
The boys go to the boys’ locker room and got me what I needed.
I changed into the girls locker room.
I made sure I was first person on the field. I had my helmet on and I looked over at the cheerleaders. The guys pilled out of the locker room.
I took a deep breath and looked over at them.
Mr. Big shot was leading them to the field.
I walked over to them and stood next to Joel.
“Toni?” he whispered.
I gave him the head nod and he smiled, “You’re a pretty small dude,”.
I shrugged and faced the jerk.
He was still a little banged up because of yesterday.
“Alright men,” he said. “I’m Jake and I’ll be your captain this year. The upper classmen will be joining us next week. We have one week to practice and show them what we can do. With that said, laps! Ten around the track,” and with that we all got on the track and started to run.
Jake was in the front. By the fourth lap I was right next to him.
He looked over at me and picked up the pace a little.
I rolled my eyes and did the same, but this time I passed him and cut in front of him.
Jake tried to pass me but failed to, until the sixth lap.
We kept the same pace for the rest of the laps.
He let us get a drink before we did push ups. 50 each.
This guy was nuts.
Jake and I finished at the same time.
Afterwards we went straight into drills.
I was pretty good on most of them.
“Damn girl,” Liam whispered to me as we got a water break. “You’re good,”
“I know,” I winked before walking away.
“Okay men,” Jake said. “Let’s get to know each other! Helmet’s off,”
Everyone took off their helmets including me.
I let my hair fall down and I heard a few gasps around me.
Jake smiled at us until his eyes landed on me.
“A girl?”
I stepped forward and smirked at him. “Hey Jake,”
“Janet?” he asked.
“You wish,”
“Twin?”
“I have a name?”
“And that is?”
“Toni Scott,”
“You play football?”
“No, I’m on the swimming team,”
He glared. “Girls don’t play football,”
“But you see, I can,”
“So… you’re a she-man?”
The others laughed.
“I guess I am, considering I’m more of a man that you,”
The guys responded by oh-ing.
Jake got in my face. “Go home. This is a mans’ sport not a sport for little girls,”
“Then why are you playing?”
He glared. “Go join your sister in the gym with the cheerleads or better yet make me a sandwich,”
I punched him in the face and he stumbled back. “Make yourself a damn sandwich you sexist pig,”.
Jake rubbed his jaw and glared at me. “Five laps then one hundred push ups,”.
I jumped on the track and started. The other guys got to know each other. By the time I got stared on my push ups they were getting ready for a scrimmage.
By the time I was done the scrimmage was over and we headed to the gym.
I sighed and joined them.
They went to the boys’ locker room and I went to the girls’.
I changed out of the pads so I was just in short and a tee shirt.
I was once again the first one in the gym, playing with the ends of my hair.
Jake instructed us for the full hour we were there.
He seemed to have me do all the hard stuff.
Jake was not going to break me.
“Good practice men, get a good night sleep and have a good breakfast for tomorrow,”. Jake said.
I stood there as the rest of the guys walked out. Some patted me on my shoulder as if they were on my side.
I smiled at them as they left. Joel gave me a hug and Liam winked at me.
Everyone left leaving me with Jake.
“I feel that I should warn you, you trying to piss me off is not a good idea,”
“Why is that?” he challenged.
“Dare to find out all-star?”
“I do,”
“Then keep on pissing me off,”
“Okay, doll face,”
I balled my fist. “Don’t call me that,”
“Whatever you say princess,” he said pushing passed me.
“Don’t call me that,” I muttered as he left.