Family

“How did your test go?” Nick asked Kyle, as Kyle slid into the lunch table.

“I probably did something really stupid and failed.”

“Sure ya did, well I think I aced it”

“Good for you” Kyle returned sarcastically

“Hey guys” John said sitting down dragging along his girlfriend, Marissa, and Nick’s girl, Taylor.

“Peace out” Kyle said jokingly. “You ready for tonight?”

“I was born ready” he returned.

“Who are you playing?” Marissa questioned.

“Our rivals, the Lancers” Kyle said.

“Didn’t that game last year get out a control? I mean,” Taylor said clearing her throat knowing that the memory of the last game was not a good one, “aren’t your ‘enemy’ boys on that team?”
All three of the boys’ heads nodded in unison, because they were all busy munching on their food.

“Can you please explain the story?” Marissa asked.

“Do we have to? I swear we do it every year.” John whined.

“Yes”

“Fine” he said, “Nick you tell the story the best”

“Whatever” he said shooing his hand in John’s face, telling him to shut up, because he wanted to cut to the chase, “When we were little little like 3, we meaning us 3 and Luke his compadres, all went to the same preschool. To make it simple, we were playing a game and this was how the teams were divided up. We then made a bet, which we were winning and so Luke started to cheat. We told the teacher, and ever since then we have hated each other. It just happened to be that we are split into high schools.” He finished.

“Can guys really hold grudges for that long?” Marissa said shockingly. The boys gave her a look, “Hey you guys are almost 18, that was like twelve years ago.”

Taylor broke the silence, “Yes, Marissa, that would be because” she paused as if she was thinking of a legit reason, “because they are, well, they are boys”

“Hey! Girls hold grudges too” Kyle complained, picking up on Taylor’s insult.

“Whatever” Taylor said, “Do you guys have a team meal tonight? Like before the game?”

“Ya” Nick said finishing his sandwich.

“So ah, Kyle are you going to ask anyone for homecoming?” Taylor asked.

Kyle immediately shot a glare at his twin, and Nick held his hands up in the air saying that he didn’t say anything. “I don’t know yet.”

“Well you have until Friday” Taylor said seeing right through Kyle’s lie. “So how are you going to do it.”

“I don’t know.”

“Okay lets be rational here.” Taylor said, “You are junior in high school the star of the soccer, hockey, and lacrosse teams probably one of the hottest boys in the grade, who would say no to you?”

“Hey, did you just call my brother hot?” Nick questioned.

“Dude,” Kyle said, “If she only liked you for your looks, she would like me too” Nick gave him a puzzling look, “Dude we are identical twins we look alike.”

“OH yeah, I kinda forgot” He said laughing.

“Whatever” Kyle said.

“So do you have any good ideas” Taylor said being relentless with her question.

“Nopers”

“So you admit you are going to ask someone”

“No I didn’t” God girls are impossible Kyle thought

“Ya you did, you just said you didn’t have any ideas implying that you are going to ask someone.”

“No, even if I wasn’t going to ask someone I probably wouldn’t have any ideas.” Kyle said getting flustered. Everyone at the table just laughed.

“So who are you asking?” Marissa asked wanting to get in on the action.

“I’m leaving” Kyle said picking up his trash and leaving the cafeteria.

Taylor shouted after him, “Don’t think you are getting away with that!”

Everyone at the table laughed hysterically, “So Nick, spill the beans, who does he want to ask?” Marissa asked, knowing that the Zulinick brothers told each other everything.

“Sorry no can do!” Nick said, being stubborn like Kyle.

“Why not did you do one of your ‘brother swears’” Taylor said putting air quotes around brother swears, knowing that they have done this stupid swear since they were 6 or so, and because she thought it was immature.

Nick just smiled, “Good luck getting out it out of him.” Nick stood up, “See ya later guys, I have to go ask some questions for English.”

“Adios amigo” John said.

After school at the team dinner…

“Boy are you fired up!” Coach said, as dinner finished.

“HELL YA!” The boys shouted.

“Language boys!” Coach returned with a smile as all the boys laughed, “The starting line up is, in goal, # 22 Will Schnieder, (cheers), in the back at left defender #8 Pablo Diablo, center defender #63 John Parker, right defender #14 Alex Carnivan. In the midfield, outside left, #13 Colin Frazier, defensive center mids, #11 Mark Hayden and #25 Ethan Carter right mid, #5 Matt Sullivan, attacking center mid, #24 Nick Zulinick, and up top at striker #7 Austin Thurber and #16 Kyle Zulinick. Okay boys, go get ready, see you in an hour at the game fields.” Coach finished, and as he sat down he heard a loud roar of applause from the boys. Good he thought, They are fired up and ready to go.

The locker room was crazy, but it was time to focus on the game ahead, so Kyle stood on top of the bench to get the boys focus and to tell them the expectations of coach, “Listen up!” He shouted calmly hoping that he wouldn’t have to shout, but since no one was listening he screamed, “Shut up!” This got everyone’s attention, “Thank you, we have ten minutes to get out to the fields, and coach wanted us to make sure you understand what must happen tonight. We must keep our heads, all of you who remember last year’s game, let’s just say it was not pretty, don’t let them get under your skin, keep a level head, don’t let them get under your skin,” He said clenching his teeth out of anger. “Play boys, bring it in and be at the fields in ten,”

“Together on three” John shouted, “One two three”

“Together!” They all shouted.

The rest seemed like normal routine to the boys, warm up to blasted, a coach firing up speech bad words included, and then game time. Meanwhile at home Abby had a long day.

“Abby are you sure you are feeling well enough to go the game?” Mom asked, as she woke Abby up from her nap.

“Ya,” She said yawning and sniffling, “I wouldn’t miss it for a thing”

“Well, you don’t have a fever,” Mom said pulling her hand down from Abby’s forehead, “So I have no reason to keep you. There is a surprise for you downstairs”

“Really?!” Abby perked up and quickly popped out of bed and ran down stairs to see Patrick sitting at the dinner table reading a book. “Patrick!” She shouted and ran to give him a hug.

“Hey sis, how are you?”

“A little cold and tired, you?”

“I’m good, you excited for the game?”

“Ya, are you coming?”

“Yes I’ll be there in fact I thinking I am taking you because mom has to go.”

“That’s right,” Mom said walking down the staircase. “Now go get some warm clothes on otherwise you will be late.” She said knowing that Abby didn’t want to miss any of the game. “Thanks Pat for taking her. Call me if you have any problems, she seems to be a little under the weather lately.”

“Okay Mom,” Pat said walking out of the dining room. Once Abby was ready he shouted, “By Mom love you, I will call you if we need anything.”

Before they knew it, they were pulling into a packed Eden Prairie High School, with the warm up clock winding down to five minutes before game time, “You ready Abs?”

“Ahh, ohh yeah” She said, looking tired.

“Are you sure you are well enough to do this?” Patrick asked his sister, knowing that she wasn’t going to admit she was sick.

“Yes, let go kick some Lancer butt” She said unbuckling and perking up, realizing that she was acting weak, a typical Zulinick family characteristic.

Finally, the long anticipated whistle commencing the game blew. The eagles dominated the first half, but only had two goals on the board as proof. The frustration for the Lancers’ began after Kyle scored the second goal of the game. The game started to get chippy. Of course, the referee was able to keep the control at least throughout the first half.

Once the second half started the game continued to get rougher and rougher and the referee was letting more and more go. Patrick glanced at Abby who was intently watching the game, she looked so tired. Patrick was pulled back out of his gazing at his younger sister when he heard a loud shrill from the referee’s whistle and cheers from the crowd. Awesome he thought We scored again that would put the game away.. And then looking at the field as if he would have instant replay of the play he just missed, he saw Eagle players exchanging words with Lancers and an Eagle player on the ground in the box, not moving. Slowly the player sat up, and he saw the number to be #16, clutching his ankle in agonizing pain, trying to stand up. Crap, Kyle’s hurt and I missed the play. Quickly he glanced at Abby, who was almost in tears, “I thought he was dead,” was all she could mutter.