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Email feedback can be sent to trager2275@gmail.com. © 2015 by Eric Trager.
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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
"What the fuck?" Jim and Brett mouthed simultaneously, shocked.
Tim seemed to just shrug it off, looking at Danny and waiving him off with one hand, "Didn't ask your permission, cuz...."
Jim finally opened his mouth, saying, "Danny, I'm surprised at you!"
For his part, Danny glowered at the floor, pawing it with his right foot.
"Do you think I need to go home?" Brett asked.
"I need a beer!" Danny growled.
Tim, Brett and Jim simply stared at each other not knowing what to say.
Danny walked back into the room, beer bottle raised high pulling a strong draught out of it, brought the bottle down and burst out laughing uncontrollably. "Hadja there, cuz!" Danny guffawed.
"You're a fucking asshole!" Tim said, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a laugh. "You really are an asshole!"
"So, when's the date?" Danny asked, grinning.
"Probably in Spring either right before, or right after graduation we think" Brett said. "And Tim's right, you are an asshole...." Brett snickered.
"You can't tell anyone, though. Like I said, only mom knows right now. And, Danny, I want you to be my Best Man. I can't pick between David, or Kevin, so you're it...." Tim said.
"I'd be honored, cuz. So, like, who's gonna 'give you away' anyhow?" Danny snickered.
"Fuck you, Danny, and the horse ya rode in on!" Tim laughed as he chucked Danny's shoulder. "I guess
I'll have my mom walk me down the aisle. Whadya think, Brett?"
"That sounds like a plan. Tim thinks he's gonna get the Father over at the Catholic church to marry us...."
"I'll suck your cock, Tim, if you accomplish that!" Danny deadpanned.
"Might as well suck it now, biotch! I'll get old Father Taylor to do what I want him to do, trust me."
"You're not gonna suck Tim's dick, Danny!" Brett exclaimed.
"Fine, I'll suck yours then. Drop your pants!"
"Come again?" Brett asked feeling perhaps he'd figuratively got out ahead of his skis.
"You can do that, too, if you want!" Danny said with an evil grin.
"This is getting weird...." Jim said.
"So, Danny, should I drop my pants for reals?" Brett winked being careful to look over at Tim.
Tim shrugged and grinned. "We're not married yet, dearest heart! But if Brett drops his pants then Jim's droppin' his and I'll want a mouthful of cock!"
"OK, then, but if Danny sucks me off I'm gonna fuck him!" Brett leered, waggling his eyebrows.
"Are you guys sure about this? I mean..." Jim stammered.
"Sure. Why not?" Tim replied. "And besides, when are you and Danny getting married, and don't tell me you're not, either...."
"Danny?" Jim said, somewhat befuddled.
"Jim, I guess I can't keep this a surprise anymore." Danny said, getting down on his knee in front of Jim.
"I love you, Jim. Will you marry me?" He took a little box from his pocket, held it up to Jim and opened it displaying a simple men's gold ring.
Jim teared up, took the ring and put it on. "Of course I'll marry you! I love you, too! You saved me, Danny, when I had nowhere else to go...."
"Hey! How did this work, anyway!" Tim demanded. "You didn't know me and Brett are getting married, so howdja end up doing the same thing on the same day?"
"Yeah..." Jim said.
"I bought the ring last week and I was gonna ask him, but our schedules have been a little bit off and this was the first time that made sense since we're here for the weekend and we could get some time alone. I wasn't gonna ask him in front of everyone, but that's just how it went. Do you guys think we should have a double wedding? It'd save money, and if you guys are getting married in the church if you ever get that worked out I'm fine with it if Jim is. If not, we could do it somewhere else. It'd be awesome. The whole family has to get together anyway, so why not? I guess you're gonna hafta find a new Best Man...."
"I'm fine with that. I don't have any family anyway...." Jim said with his head down.
"Pull your head up, Jimbo!" Brett said. "We're all family now and yeah, I'd be fine with that, too."
"Good. Then that's what we're gonna do! We'll put our moms in charge of planning and tell them to keep it simple. That sound good to everyone?" Tim asked.
"Yeah." The three others answered.
"OK, so are we gonna get off here, or what?" Danny said.
"Yeah, but I'm getting off with my own boyfriend...." Brett said.
"I got an idea...." Tim said with a sly grin on his face. "Be right back...gonna run upstairs and get the lube and a blanket."
"Get a towel, too!" Brett advised.
"Oh yeah...." Tim grinned.
Upon returning, Tim threw a large, thick blanket on the floor, looked at the others and commanded, "Strip!" as he stripped off, tossing his clothes in the corner, displaying a fully erect cock and motioning the others to get with it.
Brett gave Tim a sly smirk and shucked his clothing in an instant, sporting a fat semi.
Jim and Danny shrugged, throwing their clothes in a heap with Brett's. Like Tim, Danny's cock was at full mast. Jim's thickly flopped over onto his left thigh while steadily engorging.
"OK, Brett, Jim, you guys get on the rug! On your backs!" Again, Tim was unusually commanding. "OK, Danny, we're gonna suck our boyfriends' dicks, so start sucking!"
Brett and Jim were stunned. Their dicks engorged purple and the hardest they had ever been seeing virtual clones of their lovers sucking another guy's cock. Brett grabbed at the back of Tim's head, forcing him to deepthroat the full length of his distended member. Jim moaned gutturally, hoarsely intoning "Suck my dick, Danny! Suck me off!"
Danny and Brett lay emotionally and sexually overwhelmed each witnessing the two nearly identical cousins go down on them. Presently, Jim hissed, "Sit on our dicks! Lube your fucking assholes and sit on our dicks! NOW!"
"Yeah, ride us!" Brett huskily ordered.
Tim pulled off Brett's cock and grabbed the lube. Squirting a quarter-size blob into his palm he skillfully reached over and lubed Jim's cock. Squirting again he lubed his cousin's hole, inserting first one, then two fingers inside making sure to milk Danny's prostate.
"Sit on his dick, Danny...." Tim commanded, then greasing up his own hole and Brett's pole, grabbing onto Brett's cock in one fell swoop and impaling himself on it all in one go. "Fuck yeah!" Tim grunted, almost savagely riding Brett's dick for all it was worth. "Danny, sit on his dick NOW! I can't be the only one fucking here! We're gonna cum together, too! I want you to come for me, Danny!"
Danny did as bidden, groaning lowly as he sat down on Jim's large dick. "OK, let's go, cuz!"
"Yeah...." Tim breathlessly agreed, continuing to frustrate his asshole. "Signal when you're close. We're gonna blow together."
Danny and Tim humped themselves on their lovers' cocks until their assholes turned to Jell-O. Brett and Jim grunted and moaned until they could take no more. Brett turned to Jim, grabbed his head in both hands, turned it rudely toward his own and almost out-of-character wildly kissed Jim and kepot kissing him.
"Holy shit that's hot!" Danny grunted. "Kiss him! Kiss hm, Brett! Ohhhhhhh, fuuuuuuuuck, I'm gonna blow! Tim, I'm gonna cum right now! Unnnnggggghhhhh! I'm fucking cumming! Cum, Tim! Fucking cum now!" Danny spewed at least eight shots of thick, creamy sperm on Jim's face, the second and third shots hit Brett on the neck and in his hair, the rest covering Jim's chest. Pushing Tim over the edge, Tim hoarsely oathed, "Oh, God, I'm gonna cum!"
Tim shot as large a load as his cousin had two seconds prior and just like Danny had he came on both Brett and Jim even getting one shot each into their gaping mouths.
"Get off us and lie down on the blanket!" Jim ordered. "Do it!"
Brett looked at Jim, puzzled.
"OK, Brett, stand up. They're on the blanket now. We're gonna jack off and cum all over them. We both gotta shoot on both of 'em. Let's go!"
Brett positioned himself so once he came the shots would cover both Tim and Danny. He eyed Jim and took his still-swollen cock into his right hand and began stroking. Jim stood next to Brett, close enough so that they were touching and did the same. Again, Brett turned Jim's had to his and kissed himi with abandon.
"Christ, that's so fucking hot!" Tim said as he grabbed his own dick and began jacking it off. "Come on us, guys.... I'm gonna blow again in a few. C'mon! I want your hot cum on me!"
Jim and Brett jacked furiously, grunting in almost Neanderthal tones, their lips locked together in total passion. Brett's knees began to shake and buckle, he disengaged from kissing Jim exclaiming, "OK, I'm getting hotter! I'm gonna shoot! This is it! Oh Goddddddddddddddd! Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!" as he unloaded rope after rope of creamy, thick cum into Tim and Danny's chest hair and covering their faces. The scent of salt and chlorine filled the room as Jim immediately followed suit managing to get most of his cum into Tim and Danny's mouths.
"Fuck, man! Totally fuck!" Jim gasped. "That was the hottest thing I ever did! Jesus fucking CHRIST!"
"I never even imagined anything like this...guys, this was totally fucking awesome...." Danny grinned.
"My knees are still giving out. I gotta siddown...." Brett said, staggering over to a chair.
"Hey, you guys think we could ever get Cass and Wymo and have like a six-way?" Tim asked. "I mean, after football season is over I want to take everyone to the cabin up north and, well, whadya think?
"I think if we could get them into it it would be hot.... I mean, Wymo's fucking gorgeous...." Brett said.
"Yeah, and Cass has a huge dick...." Danny added.
"You guys are serious?" Jim asked, half shocked and half sincerely.
"Yeah, why not?" Tim said. "I mean, we're all kinda new to this, so why the fuck not?"
"Wow! OK, why not? What do you guys think?" Jim asked Danny and Brett.
I'd be down for it!" Danny replied, looking over to Brett.
"OK, it's unanimous, then. After the season is over. I think those two will be all for it.... I'll make sure of it" Brett grinned, winking at Tim.
"Speaking of the season," Jim said, "when's you guys's first game?"
"This Friday...." Tim answered. "We got Madison LaFollette."
"They any good?" Jim asked. "I mean, I dunno too much about your conference...."
"Well, no. They're not gonna be any good this year. I'm pretty sure it's gonna be a walkover. We play in Madison, but that won't matter. We'll probably have the second stringers in at least in some positions by the middle of the second quarter. I'm gonna start, and Wymo'll finish up. That'll be good. We both need to see what the other one's got when it comes to real game time...."
"What about you, Brett? You ready?" Danny asked.
"Ready as I'll ever be. I'll be starting on Defense, and we'll see if Coach wants me in on Offense when, as Tim so nicely put it, they put in the SECOND STRINGERS...." Brett followed up by giving Tim a faux nasty look and sticking his tongue out.
"First of all, Brett, don't stick your tongue out at me unless you mean business! Second, you're gonna fucking kick ass. I know it. I been around this game a long time, and you are gonna do great. I'll be behind you all the way, man." Tim said, as he put his arm around Brett's shoulder, grinning. "Anyway, Jim, who do you guys got first?"
"We don't start until next week. Our conference is smaller than yours. We got Franklin first. I got no idea what's gonna happen. Most of our team is almost Jayvee quality after that fucking Braden fiasco. We'll probably get our asses handed to us. We got a Sophomore QB and he tries hard, a hundred percent effort, but he's no Wymo that's for sure. Our O-line is decent enough, though, I gotta say. We'll be lucky to finish .500 this year. When we play your guys the score'll prolly be like four-hundred-and-sixty-three to nuthin'...."
"I wouldn't worry about that. Coach won't want to risk our starters getting injured in a non-conference game that doesn't count for anything. If it's really gonna be like you say, we'll go easy on ya...." Tim kidded.
"OK, well, I guess it's time we hit the sack, guys." Brett yawned. "You guys have a long drive tomorrow.
So, are we like really gonna do this again? It was so hot. I never shot anything like I did tonight...."
"Fuck yeah, we're gonna do this again!" Jim said.
"At least until we're married," Danny said. "So you guys think we should do the double ceremony? I mean, it would save a lot of trouble with time, planning and money...."
"Makes sense to me...." Brett agreed
"It's done then, guys." Jim smiled. "That'll be one for the books, for sure...." "Good. Then it's gonna be at our church," Tim proclaimed. "And I don't wanna hear any of this shit about how I can't get the Father to do it in a Catholic church. Just watch me."
"OK, there, cuz. You do whatcha think ya need to do. Let us know how that turns out." Danny said.
"Anyway, I'm off to bed. You coming, Tim?" Brett said with a grin waggling his eyebrows.
"Yep. OK, night guys - you know where everything is, right?"
"We're all set. See ya in the morning!" Jim said.
Across town at The Alamo, Sean was finishing up some homework he'd put off. Taking a break, he headed into the library finding Andy doing the same thing. "Hey, Brown Eyes...."
"Hey, Sean-o, what's up? I'm just about finished here...."
"That's good. Hey, I wanna ask you something...."
"Shoot."
"OK, you remember how I was saying that Craig has a GSA Club?"
"Yeah...."
"I think I'm gonna join it. What do you think?"
"How ya gonna do that with practice and the whole season in front of you?"
"Well, I know who the Club President is so I figured I'd just ask him about it at lunch. Would you join with me?"
"Of course, Sweetheart. I wouldn't mind, anyway. Like you said, we only got two years here and we need to make the most of it now that this is home."
"OK, good. I'll find the guy at lunch and I'll letcha know what he says. Now, how about we hit the sheets? I'd kinda like to fuck yer ass...."
"Well, ya don't hafta ask me twice about that, Mister Quarterback! I'm right behind ya! And you better fuck the shit out of me...."
Monday at school started out normally. Classes went as all the boys expected until Andy got to AP Anatomy and Physiology. The teacher, Mrs. DeWitt, announced that the class needed to split into groups of two, each pair as lab partners, so that they could begin the month-long process of dissecting specially preserved mink. Mink was chosen, she explained, due to the similarity in the location of the musculature and the vascular system to humans.
Andy still didn't know many of the other students in the school, and as the class quickly paired off he found himself looking around the room and spied another boy who also appeared without a partner.
Andy felt he needed to get this piece of drudgery out of the way, so he walked over and asked, "You got a lab partner?"
"No, I don't. Should we do it, then?" The as-yet unknown boy said with a smile. Andy took the measure of his new partner and decided he wasn't bad. He was blonde with ice-blue eyes, about 5'11" and looked like he had a baseball player's build - lean and supple. His hair was long, and he wore it parted in the middle.
"Sounds good. I'm Andy Churchill, by the way...."
"Scott Branson," replied the other boy as he extended his hand. "Nice to meet you. Hey, aren't you the manager of the football team?"
"That's me!" Andy replied. "I'm a Junior, you?"
"Same."
"Yeah. Well, I'm glad we're gonna be partners here. I hope we get along. You won't have to worry about doing all the work and carrying me. I do my share."
"Oh, I'm sure we're gonna get along just fine, Brown Eyes...."
Andy looked up, startled.
"Did I say something wrong?" Scott asked, a bit apprehensively.
"Oh, no, I was just kinda zoning out...." Andy answered. He was a little startled at Scott's appellation for him, but in the end he thought it had to be just a coincidence. Andy then gave Scott a little half-smile just to show that he didn't mind.
"Alrighty, then!" Scott said. "We better grab a table. I think we have to sit across from each other at the lab tables. I'm left-handed, so if you're right-handed that'll work awesome because we'll both have our working hands on the same end of what we're doing!"
"You got it all planned out then, don'tcha, Einstein!" Andy grinned.
"Yep, that's me. You seem pretty smart, too. I think we're gonna ace this class. Let's do that!" "Sounds good to me! Hey, whatcha doing for lunch?"
"Didn't have anything planned. You wanna go grab something?"
"Sure. How about that Italian place on the corner?"
"Excellent! They have great subs. Meet me out front of the restaurant, then...."
"I'll see ya there...."
Andy then texted Sean letting him know he was having lunch at the Italian place and reminding him to let him know what happened with the GSA. Mrs. DeWitt called the class back to order, and began distributing the preserved mink that would be the main project for the students.
At lunch, Sean stopped by the table he'd been sitting at with the rest of the football team and let them know he had to find another student because he needed some information. Leaving he table, Sean looked around and found the GSA club President, Eric Trager. Going through the lunch line, he took his tray and made his way over to the table where Trager was sitting.
Putting his tray on the table, Sean looked at Eric and asked, "Mind if I sit down?"
"And if I do?" Trager replied with a tinge of sarcasm. "You're a football jock, aren't you. You gonna beat me up if I say no?"
"Fuck that...." Sean replied with a smile. "I know you're the President of the GSA and I wanted to ask you about how to join."
"Really.... And after lunch I'm going to find out how I can be the next Queen of England, too...."
"Hey, did I do something to make you mad?" Sean asked. "I'm being serious. We just moved here from Kenosha and I'm gay. I'd like to join the GSA. All I wanted to know is what I need to do. I didn't come over here to piss ya off...." Sean said somewhat dejectedly.
"Well, club membership is closed for the semester. We only take new members in the first three days of any semester. So, I guess I'm sorry to be a jerk, but we've closed the roles for now...."
"Um, OK...." Sean said, not believing a word of it. "By the way, I know you're Eric Trager. I'm Sean Wyman. I hope you'll say hello if we see each other around." Sean then extended his hand.
Eric waited a couple seconds, seemingly deciding whether, or not to shake hands with the handsome jock boy across the table from him. Finally, he relented, extending his own hand and non-committally replying "Sure."
With that, Sean took up his tray, went back to his usual table and sat down next to Tim.
"Hey, Wymo, that was quick. What's the deal?" Tim asked. "Oh, and where's Cass?"
"Andy went to lunch at the Italian place with his Lab Partner from Mrs. DeWitt's class, and I just came back over here to eat is all."
"You sure that's it, bro?"
"I'll talk to ya about it later...."
"Nothing bad, I hope...."
"No, not bad, just odd. I'd like your opinion."
"You got it. We'll talk after practice."
"Yup, we gotta be ready for LaFollette. We'll be ready. I want that first win under our belts. It's always that much easier if you get off to a good start, ya know?"
"I hear ya, and we got Middleton after LaFollette. Middleton isn't West, but they won't be a push-over, so we gotta make sure we're firing on all eight cylinders here...."
"We will be. You and I have got this down to a science. I'm not worried. We just need to execute."
"We will, my friend. We will."
At the Italian restaurant, Andy and Scott sat down at a booth, each one tucking in to the House Special sub, which was a toasted Italian on a house-made roll with all the fixin's. They served it East Coast style with red hot vinegar peppers, and all the authentic meats.
"So, Andy, I don't remember you from last year. You new here?"
"Yeah. Just moved here from Kenosha. It's a long story...."
"OK, well, I got more time than money if you wanna tell me...." Scott smiled, looking Andy in the eye.
"You better have a lot of time, then.... OK, here goes. Do you know who Sean Wyman is? He's in the Junior class, too...."
"I think I heard of him. Never met him. Isn't he on the football team?"
"Yeah, well, see his dad was hired to run the GM plant. He's from Kenosha, too."
"OK, well, what's that got to do with you, Mr. Andrew?" Scott asked.
Andy noticed that Scott listened intently and that his eyes sparkled when he talked. He found himself enjoying the company and decided that he could probably trust this guy with his story.
"Well, OK, like I said it's a long story, and it's a little weird, but I think I can trust you...." Andy told Scott the entire story of what happened in Kenosha and his relationship with Sean. "And, so, that's my story," Andy finished up.
"That's a hell of a story, my friend." Scott said, again looking Andy in the eye. "I'd, um, like to be your friend if that'd be Ok with you."
"Friends it is, then, Scotty. So, I told you my story, what's yours?"
"It's pretty normal, I guess. I lived in Janesville all my life. I live close to school over on Van Buren Street. I have two older brothers, an older sister and a younger sister. My brothers and I are all one year apart. I'm not a jock, but I'm a pretty good student."
"That sounded boring," Andy kidded. "So, girlfriend? Boyfriend?"
"If you're asking me if I'm gay, the answer is I don't know. Sometimes I see a chick and I think she's hot.
Sometimes I see a guy and I think he's hot. So, I never ask anyone out. You just told me you're gay and that's fine with me. If I knew I was gay I'd think you're cute if it's OK for me to say that...."
"Thanks, of course it's OK. You seem like a nice guy and I'm glad we met. We should hang out sometime. Anyway, let's exchange contact info. I think we need to get back to school, too...it's like five minutes until next hour...."
The boys exchanged contact information, and headed back to school. "Time flies when you're having fun!" Scott said. "I'll see you in class tomorrow, then...."
"Yup, have a good one, Scotty!"
Football practice went well for the team that day. At the end, Coach called a team huddle and announced that on Wednesday and Thursday the team would practice without pads, running plays loosely and that Thursday's practice would consist mostly of going over everyone's assignments.
"Gentlemen, as you know I've been doing this a long time. We're a few days away from our first game, and I can honestly say I've never seen a team readier than this one is. You've all worked hard, and you should be proud of your hard work. But the proof is in the pudding. Each and every game, starting with LaFollette on Friday, we have to go out there with one objective, and that is winning. Every game we play. We can do it. We have it in us to go the whole distance, gentlemen, but I can't do it for you. I look around and I see your faces, and I remember what it was like when I was in your shoes. I didn't have the opportunity to play on a team this good. This is your opportunity, men, and if you don't seize it you'll regret it for the rest of your lives. I mean this from the bottom of my heart: on paper you guys are the finest team I've ever been privileged to coach, but right now that's only on paper. Every man must do his job, do it to perfection, and as Winston Churchill said, keep calm and carry on. You're winners, guys, and that's what you are going to do. You are going to win. Dismissed."
After showers, Tim and Brett came out with Sean and met Andy and John at his car.
"So, Wymo, what was that you were talking about at lunch today? You said you'd tell me later...."
"Oh yeah, so I went over to Eric Trager to ask about joining the GSA. The guy kinda acted like a dick, like because I'm a jock I was just giving him shit for being queer, or something. So, I tell him I'm serious and I want to join, and he says I can't because they only take members the first three days of school and it's closed now. I think that's bullshit."
"He really said that?" Andy asked.
"Yeah, and like I said he was pretty much a dick to me."
"OK, well, let's see here..." Brett said. "If the club limits the intake of new members, wouldn't that be in the club's bylaws?"
"All clubs have to have a copy of their bylaws on file in the school library," Tim said. "I know that because all of the athletic teams have to do that, and so does every other club. It's a school rule."
"So what are you saying?" Sean asked.
"What I am saying is this..." Brett said. "We get the bylaws, Xerox it, and we all review it. It's either going to be in there that they limit new member intake, or it won't be. And if it's not there, then that means Trager was lying to you. If he's lying then I think all four of us should call him on it, and demand to be admitted as members of the club. If he acts like a dick at that point, we'll go to the Principal."
"I got a better idea....' Tim said.
"What's that?" Andy asked.
"OK, if it's not in there, then Trager's gonna have a shitload of new members for his club. We'll get the entire football team to join and there won't be a fuckin' thing he can do about it. Not to ruin the club for other gay kids, but to teach the fucker a lesson. Then we'll tell him that if he wants to still be the President it is what it is, or we'll all vote him out and make Wymo the President. Wymo's got leadership skills. Obviously this dude doesn't."
"I don't have time to be the President of a club!" Sean protested.
"Doesn't matter, Wymo, as long as Trager thinks you have the time that's all that counts." Tim winked.
"You're diabolical, Dix. A hundred percent fucking diabolical...." Sean smirked.
"That's why I'm number one!" Tim laughed.
"Sounds like a plan to me," Andy said.
"Yeah, I hate people who are dicks for no reason." Brett said. "I've never been a dick to anyone, and Wymo, you're like the farthest thing from a dick."
"So, when are we gonna do this?" Sean asked.
"Let's all meet in the library before first hour tomorrow and we'll find out then. If Trager was lying, I'll talk to him at lunch," Tim said. "Don't worry, I'll be nice about it. I promise."
"OK, well, we're gonna hit the road. We'll see you guys first thing tomorrow then!" Andy said.
Once in the car, Sean turned to Andy and asked him how his lunch went.
"It was better than yours I guess. We had to split up into lab partner pairs today and there was only me and this other guy left, so we teamed up. His name's Scott Branson. Nice guy. So, we had subs and talked a bit. I told him our story and the funny thing is, he really listened."
"Is he gay?"
"Yeah, that came up and he said he didn't know."
"At our age, how do you not know if you're straight, or gay?"
"Well, we didn't until a little while ago, so.... I mean, I dunno, he just seemed like a real nice guy and I think he'll make a good friend. I never had a lot of friends, so I think it's all good, anyway...."
"You said his last name's Branson?"
"Yeah, that's what he said...."
"That was my mom's maiden name. I wonder....."
"You're awful quiet back there, J.R." Andy said.
"Yeah, I met this girl today, and, well, I think I like her, but I know her dad owns this huge construction company and I don't think she'd think I was good enough for her...."
"You're good enough, J.R. If she's nice, she'll know that. If she's not, then you haven't lost anything. And don't forget, you're not a poor kid from the wrong side of the tracks any more. Economically, you're on the same level." Sean said.
"I'm still getting used to that!" John said.
"What's her name?" Andy asked.
"Kathleen Kennedy."
"Well, that's a fine Irish name if I ever heard one!" Sean chuckled. "If she seems nice, just ask her out, or over for dinner. It won't hurt that your older brother is one of the Quarterbacks on the football team and the other one is the team manager, you know...."
"Yeah, you're right. I'll see how it goes, then! Thanks, I mean, thanks for being my big brothers. I always wanted one and now I have two.... So, if you guys join the GSA, I'm gonna join. I'm straight, but it's for straight people, too and I want to show I got your back same way you got mine."
"I think she has an older sister, too. I mean, not that we'd be interested, but there's a Colleen Kennedy in my AP Algebra class. She's a Senior." Andy said.
"Yeah, not that we'd be interested...." Sean eyerolled.
"Well, if she's a Senior, she prolly knows Dix, so that'd get you at least started, JR," Andy said. "Yeah, and I heard there's a party after the LaFollette game, too, and it's not far from where we live. It's over on Saint Lawrence Avenue. We should all go. It will be fun to mix it up away from school...."
"I wanna go!" John piped up. "I still gotta make friends, and stuff. Now that I got nice clothes, and I look good, I wanna check out the babes! Like I bet you guys are gonna be checking out dick, right?"
"Jesus Christ, Li'l Bro!" Sean said. "We don't look at every fucking cock that walks down the street!"
"Why not? I look at all the tits...."
"What the fuck are we gonna do with you, J.R.?" Andy yelled. "You're like a walking straight hard-on. Listen, have you ever fucked a chick?"
"Um, no, but I got a hand job once from this like 35-year-old lady I delivered some coke to."
"You WHAT?" Sean exclaimed.
"Well, she was high out of her mind when I got there and wouldn't pay me unless she did me. She wanted me to fuck her and I said no, so after a minute, or two she said she'd jack me off and I could cum on her. I was barely old enough to shoot a load, but I did it because if she didn't pay me I'd get beaten.
What the fuck would you have done if you were me, Mister Blonde I-Got-Mucho-Bucks Quarterback Gringo!"
"Hey! Simmer down there! I fucking rescued your ass you little cunt, and I'm not gonna put up with that! If I was in your shoes, I prolly would have done the same as you did, but I'm your fucking brother now and if it's not too much I'd like you to act like it...." Sean said, audibly pissed off.
John looked at Sean, visibly shaken because he knew that he wasn't 100% part of the family until his adoption papers went through, and that no matter what anyone else said, Sean was Joe's blood son.
"I'm sorry, Sean. I didn't mean to be an asshole, but that's what my life was like. It was like that all the time. Please don't be mad at me...."
Andy looked sideways at Sean with one cocked eyebrow letting Sean know he'd better be sweet to John right now.
"OK, squirt. I'm sorry, too. You can look at all the tits you want." Sean said with his best smirk. "And you don't have to apologize to me, either. Like I said, you're my brother."
"Well, OK, then. I didn't mean to be a Pandejo...."
"OK, dickhead.... You didn't think I knew that, didja...." Sean laughed.
"Si Signor..." Juan said with an overly exaggerated Spanish accent.
All three boys broke out laughing as they pulled in to the Alamo garage. They noticed that Joe was already home. Opening the door they were greeted with "OK, guys, into the study. Just need to have a short conversation here...."
"What's up, dad?" Sean asked.
"OK, men, here's the deal. I got one for each of you. I had a conversation with George Dickson today on two separate matters. I'll take you, first, Sean. We can expect to get a Summons to Court for the Braden trial. The DA and the Defense Attorney could not agree on you testifying on closed-circuit TV, so you will have to appear in Court. They did not agree that your testimony will take into account football. Andy, you will be called as a witness as well to testify in the Braden case, too as well as in the beating trial. Since you are not a player, they did not guarantee what day of the week you will appear. Also, you and I have a meeting first thing tomorrow morning with Principal McVay...."
"But, dad, I'm supposed to go with Sean-o to meet with Dix and Dowls in the school library then!" "Andy, that's when I was able to set up the meeting. Is this a school project you've got going at the library?"
"Well, not exactly...."
"Dad," Sean piped up, "Today I asked about joining the GSA at school, and...." Sean then related to Joe the nature of his discussion with Eric Trager.
"Andy, I think the other three can handle it. I'd judge the meeting with McVay to be more important. Wouldn't you?"
"Yeah, I guess so...." Andy said half dejectedly.
"It's for the best, sport. After all, as you said yourself you'll be making a contribution to your new community. We'll make the meeting as short as we can so you can meet the guys before your first class, OK?"
"That works," Andy smiled.
"And as for you, John. I think I saved the best for last. When I was on the phone with George today he said that by the close of business tomorrow the Court is going to sign off on me being your legal guardian. Now, that's only step one. The adoption papers were filed with the Court simultaneously pending my guardianship. As you know, George and the Judge are friends. The Judge has to follow the law, but this case is being fast-tracked and won't wait one day longer than it has to. The usual Child Protective Services check will be done, but George assures me that will be done by next week and will only require one visit to the home to make sure everything is in order here. He basically said all they'd look for is to see that you had an appropriate bedroom. That should take two minutes. He expects your file to be complete within ten days, and once it is complete the Judge will sign the adoption order to go into effect at the end of sixty days from the date of application. We can't make it go any faster, but you need to know that for all intents and purposes you are being hidden here, and have assumed a different name. It would be very difficult for anyone to track you down, much less stop the action in the Court."
"I just hope something bad doesn't happen...." John said pensively.
"John, look at me," George said. "I won't lie to you. Anything COULD happen. We all know that. But if it comes to that, trust me, I have ways to take care of it that you don't need to know about, or worry about. I have some associates of mine on the matter even now only in order to be prudent. If during this time you are suspicious of anything you come to me right away even if it means calling me at work."
"OK, dad...." John said. "I love you guys so much. I pray every night I get to stay."
"I pray you do, too, son. With all my heart." Joe said.
"So do we." Andy and Sean said in unison.
The next morning, Joe and Andy strode into Principal McVay's outer office at 7:30 a.m. to be greeted by the Principal himself as the Secretary was not yet it. "Coffee, guys?" Principal McVay asked. "I made it so it probably tastes like shit, but I don't think it'll kill anyone."
"Sure, I'll take mine black." Joe said. "Andy?"
"Black's fine for me, too, Mr. McVay."
"So, what can I do for ya? I think George Dickson gave me some idea, but I'd like to hear it from you guys...."
"I'll let Andy do the talking," Joe said. "This was really his idea anyway...."
"OK, Andy, let 'er rip!" McVay said.
"Well, I'll just make a long story short. As you probably know, I'm a beating victim from when I was in Kenosha. I'd like to do what I could to help other kids that might be victims of bullying. I have $10,000 of my own money and I want to start a fund to help with that."
"Really? That's commendable, Andy. How did you want to do this?"
"I thought I'd start an organization here at school. I don't really want to call it a 'club' but something here at school that students would have access to."
Principal McVay stroked his chin for a few seconds before replying to Andy. "Andy, the idea is good on the surface but I want you to listen to what I am about to say. First of all, I commend you for your idea. It's a good one no other student has ever come up with, never mind with their own money. But if you run it at school you will be subject to going by every little rule that the school, the administration and the School Board want to throw in your path. They might also not like is that you're not a professional in this area. You might want to consider doing this outside of school. And I'm not an Accountant but there could be positive tax implications if you did it that way, too, as it would be a charity. Am I making sense?"
"I guess so, but I don't know where I'd run it out of...."
"Andy," Joe said, "You can run it out of the servant's apartment over the garage until Danny and Jim move in. Then we can find you another space. I can ask Ginny to find us a building downtown on the bus line. I've got some other ideas a building down there would work for as well. So, should we think about that and talk more at dinner tonight?"
"That's fine. If it's OK, I'll go meet up with Sean and them in the library...."
"That's fine, Andy. I'll see you at home tonight. I'd like to ask the Principal a couple questions before I head down the plant, so why don't you skedaddle!"
"OK. See you later, dad. Thanks, Mr. McVay!"
Andy headed to the library just in time to catch the other three boys walking in. "We're done with the Principal, so let's see where we find these rule books."
"They're by-laws, Andy!" Brett winked.
"Oh, OK, Mister Fucking Vale-DICK-torian!" Andy kidded.
Brett proceeded to pull the GSA by-laws from the self, Xerox them, and said to the others, "OK, let's go back behind the gym and see what we have here...."
The boys took off, got to the rear doors of the school behind the gym and exited into the parking lot.
Brett took the sheaf of papers, skimmed them mumbling to himself, and began reading one of the paragraphs intently. "Aha! Here we are! Membership!" He then handed the papers to Tim and asked him what he thought.
Tim read the relevant paragraph to himself, and then read it aloud. "Section Four, Membership. Membership shall be open to all students of Craig High School. There shall be no discrimination with respect to students in accordance with Janesville School District policy which is incorporated herein by reference. Members shall be required to fill out a membership application (See Appendix for an example) accompanied with a membership fee not to be less than fifteen dollars per semester, fees to be used for club activities as outlined herein and as may be amended from time to time. Upon filling out the membership application and paying the required fee a student shall become a member of the Craig High School Gay Straight Alliance."
"Wow!" Sean said.
"Wymo," Tim began, "There's nothing in here about time-limited periods for accepting new members.
Trager's full of shit. Like I said, I'll have a chat with Trager at lunch today. And like I said, I won't be a dick to him, but I'm going to have this paper with me when I sit down with him."
"Just do me a favor, Dix...." Sean said.
"What's that?"
"Have your phone set to record the conversation. I'd like to hear it."
"I'd be happy to!" Tim laughed. "OK, guys, we gotta head off to first hour. Let's meet back hear when lunch is ten minutes from being over!"
"Got it!" The other three boys replied.
Tim arrived in the school cafeteria before most of the other students and waited until he saw Eric Trager take a table with some others. Tim rushed through the lunch line and made his way over to Trager's table. "Hey, Eric, got a minute?" Tim asked.
"Is this important, Dickson?" Eric asked, sounding annoyed.
"Oh, I'd say it is. In fact, there's an empty table over there. Grab your tray and let's go." Tim said it evenly, but with an undertone conveying that he would be brooking no nonsense.
Once the two boys sat down, Eric asked, "OK, Dickson, so what's this all about.... It's not like we're best friends, or anything...."
"I've got something I'd like you to read. Maybe you can help me out with it." Tim then fished the bylaws out of his pocket, handed it to Eric and said, "Here, can you read Article Four and tell me what it means?"
Eric snatched the paper out of Tim's hand, began reading it, looked up and tartly said, "So? This looks like a page from the GSA manual...."
"Look, Trager, it's not a fucking manual. It's the GSA fucking bylaws. I copied it this morning from the library. Now, I'm gonna ask this just once and I want you to consider your answer before you open your mouth. I heard through the grapevine that my friend, Sean Wyman, approached you yesterday asking how to join GSA and you told him he couldn't and gave him some bullshit story about how membership is closed for the semester. Do I have it about right? Because if I do it means that not only did you lie to my friend, but that you acted against the bylaws, and quite possibly for some reason I couldn't even guess discriminated against him. Whadya got to say?"
"Look, Dickson, I don't have to put up with this crap.... We wouldn't even need to have a GSA if it wasn't for pricks like you in the first place. I'm outta here!" With that, Eric began to get up from the table.
"Sit your ass down, Trager. If you don't I'll make sure you spend the next hour answering questions from Principal McVay about how you run that club and we wouldn't want that, now would we...."
"What is it you want?" Eric asked with at least some of the wind taken out of his sails.
"It doesn't matter what I want. Like I said, my friend Sean Wyman said he talked to you yesterday about joining GSA and you told him he couldn't because membership was closed for the semester. Did you tell him that?"
"Well, he, I mean...."
"Yes, or no, Trager.... Is that what happened? I only have a couple of things to straighten out with you and we can make this go really fast, or like I said we can go down the Principal's office. What'll it be? Yes, or no, is what I heard accurate?"
"Yeah, so now what...." Eric said recovering some of his annoying swagger.
"Well, I'll tell ya what. Here's a piece of paper with Sean's phone number on it. You're gonna call him at exactly 7:30 tonight and you're gonna apologize to him for your, shall we say, oversight. Then you are gonna email him a GSA application. He'll bring it in tomorrow with his membership fee which you will accept in a civil way and then he'll be a member of GSA. And if his boyfriend, Andy Churchill, wants to join you will accept his application, too. In fact, I think I might be numbers three. You see, Eric, just like Sean, and just like you I'm gay, too, and I'm not really having warm fuzzies here. You say this club is there so that gay kids can be accepted and have their place here at school and all that crap, and then the minute someone you think doesn't fit your mold tries to sign up you pull this bullshit. You're being a hypocrite. And it fuckin' pisses me off."
"You are an asshole, Dickson. And you're obtuse!"
"Look, Eric, I'm gonna just put it flat out here: maybe you'd like the entire Varsity and Junior Varsity football teams to apply for membership. I can make that happen in less than twenty-four hours if you want. If that happens, who knows? Some people might feel like taking a vote of confidence in your leadership of GSA and maybe you'd be out on your ass. I can make that happen, too if that's how this is gonna go. You're still mad just because I won a sports competition when we were what, twelve? Thirteen? Some of us have grown up, dude, but here's the deal: You play ball with me here and I play ball with you, OK? You do the right thing by Wyman and I'll stay out of your hair. Alright then, I think we're about done here. I just need to make sure before I go that I was being clear. Or was I being obtuse...."
"You win again, Dickson. You always win. I fucking hate you. And I don't believe you're fucking gay, either!"
"Hey, I wasn't askin' ya out on a date here, Missy. I was just going by the rules. And that's what you better do. I'll be talking to Sean at exactly 8:30 tonight and I'll expect to hear the matter is settled. If I hear anything else, you can expect to be processing a ton of applications tomorrow. And that's a promise. I'm gonna go find Sean and tell him to expect your call. And if you don't think I'm gay, ask Brett Dowling. He's my boyfriend. And if you out him to anyone, I'll be back to see you again and I won't be this diplomatic."
With that, Tim rose from the table and heard Eric mouth "Dick!" after him. Tim simply kept on walking. "OK, guys, I'll play the conversation back for ya!' Tim said. The other three listened in rapt attention. When it was done, Andy was the first one to talk. "Jesus Christ, Dix, you pushed him around like a shopping cart...."
"Well, maybe that's because I know how. See, when we were in like seventh grade I beat him out for a starting spot on the basketball team that year. We were best friends up until then and I thought we always would be, but he hated me for that. And he's never gotten over it. I mean, we were like twelve! We didn't even have fucking pubes! He even tried to turn the other guys against me. I tried really hard to be friends with him after that, but it never happened. And it hurt me. A lot. I never hated him, though, and I still don't. He's got his good qualities, but humility isn't always one of them."
"OK, so I'll make sure to answer the phone tonight," Sean said.
"I'm proud of you, Tim," Brett said. "You stood up for what's right."
"Hey, I try.... I'm just surprised I stayed focused for that long and didn't start getting tongue-tied!"
"Maybe I'm rubbing off...." Brett said.
"We can rub off later, not let's get to class!" Tim said.
"Ewwwwwwwwwww!!!! TMI!!!!" Andy said as he made a puking face.
"Hey, guys!" J.R. called from off to the side. "What are you guys doing out here?"
"We were taking care of some business, squirt!" Sean answered. "What are you doing out here?"
"Well, um, I'm supposed to meet Kathleen Kennedy...."
"She's a sweetheart, J.R., but watch out for her sister, Colleen. She's a real bitch. I'll tell ya the story sometime...." Tim said.
"OK, J.R., we're gonna split. Good luck with Kathleen!" Sean said.
"Thanks. I'll letcha know later what happens...." JR smiled.
Once they were inside the building, Sean asked Tim what he meant when he said that Colleen Kennedy was a bitch.
"OK, Wymo, she got me drunk and I fucked her. Then she somehow thought that meant I was her boyfriend and like we were gonna get married someday. She really tried to get her hooks in and she's the one that got me drunk. I kid you not. When I said I didn't want a relationship she went mental. I mean like schizo. It took me like four months to get her off my case. Her sister, though is the exact opposite. Kathleen is as sweet as the day is long. They're nothing alike."
"Well, OK, I just don't want J.R. hurt is all...."
"Prolly best then that Colleen doesn't think you and I are friends. She's crazy, but she's smart. She'll put two and two together and I have no idea what she might do. She might not do anything, butcha never know with her...."
That evenings at precisely 7:30 p.m. Sean's phone rang from a number he didn't recognize.
"Hello...."
"Could I speak to Sean, please?"
"Speaking."
"Sean, this is Eric Trager calling."
Sean debated whether to let Trager know that he'd been expecting his call, or just to let Trager talk. He elected to let him talk.
"Hi, Eric...."
"Sean, yesterday you came to see me about joining GSA. I believed that the membership rolls were closed. I was mistaken. I reviewed the bylaws and there is no such restriction. If you want, I can email you an application right now and if you want to bring it in tomorrow with the fifteen-dollar membership fee I'll get you enrolled."
"That would be nice, Eric. Sure, go ahead and email it to me. My boyfriend, Andy Churchill, probably wants to join, too, and my brother, John. John's straight, but he's a great kid. He's a Sophomore. Say, how did you get my number, anyway?"
"Um, well.... OK, well, you're probably going to find out anyway if you already don't know, but Tim Dickson gave it to me and said I should call.... I hope I'm not bothering you...."
"No, no, not at all. I'm glad you called, and yeah I was expecting your call just so we're both being honest here. I gather you and Dix aren't the best of friends. What's that all about?"
"How much time ya got?"
"Enough...."
"OK, well back when we were in seventh grade.... I take that back, let me go back farther. See, Tim and I were in school together from the time we were in Kindergarten. We only lived about a block away from each other, so we hung out a lot and were friends. Really good friends."
"OK...."
"Well, when we were in seventh grade we had basketball tryouts. Coach was picking the fifth man for the lineup and it was between me and Tim. Tim ended up beating me out, and my dad went flip-shit. He called me a loser, he never came to any of the games because I was only second string. My mom and him ended up fighting about it a lot and got a divorce. We had to move to a lot worse of a neighborhood because of that. I tried to get Tim to see the problem it caused, but he just couldn't see it. His family's like perfect, and everything, and he just couldn't see it. My whole family ended up being destroyed over it. Just because Tim couldn't see it...."
"Well, that's...."
"No, let me finish please....."
"OK"
"So, in order to have even some kind of a relationship with my dad, who still tells me I'm a loser and a fag on top of it, I had to hate Tim. I never wanted to, but I had to. And then I really did hate him because I was miserable and he had all the success. He doesn't know how easy he's had it. Everything always just opens up for him. Life is a red carpet. And I never had that kind of luck since that day he beat me out."
"Um, Eric? I don't know you, but I know Tim. See, I hadda go up against him for starting Quarterback this year, and I'm gonna tell ya I never met anyone as hard-working as he is. He worked his ass off. And, yes, he beat me out, too. How is your dad being a jerk Tim's fault? I'm not getting this...."
"He wasn't only a jerk, he beat me because of it. That's the biggest reason my mom and dad got divorced. And my dad, who has tons of money, worked it so that my mom and I had to live in a shithole in the Fourth Ward. We couldn't even buy it, we had to fucking rent it. It was embarrassing, especially for my mom. He hid all of his money and he got away with it because my mom and her lawyer couldn't prove where his assets were."
"Wow. I'm sorry, Eric. Does Tim know about any of this?"
"No, I don't think so. And now years have gone by, so, what's the difference...."
"I think you should talk to him about it. He's had to slay his own dragons, that's all I'm gonna say, but maybe it's time to get rid of the baggage, ya know?"
"I'll think about it. Anyway, I'll send you that application form now. It's a PDF and you can print it. And, Sean?"
"Yeah...."
"Please don't tell Tim any of what I just said. If anyone is going to tell him that shit, it's gonna hafta be me...."
"I understand. Believe me, I understand. OK, well, thanks for calling, Eric, and I'll see you tomorrow with the app and the money. Have a good one!"
"You, too...."
A bit later, Sean's phone rang again with Tim's photo popping up.
"Hey, Dix...."
"So'd Trager call ya?"
"Yeah and we actually had a good conversation. Short, but good. He didn't seem like a dick on the phone tonight."
"And you're all squared away."
"Yeah, I give him the app tomorrow and my fifteen bucks and I'm all good."
"OK, man. I didn't wanna hafta be the heavy here, but you're my friend and me and Trager, well, we kinda have a history...."
"Well, thanks for your help, Dix. You're a good friend."
"OK, well, I'll see ya tomorrow."
"Yup. Later, man...."
THREE DAYS LATER
In the parking lot of Craig High two coach busses stood ready to accept their cargo of the Varsity football team and their cargo as well as the band and cheerleaders. Once full, the busses swung out of the school grounds, out onto Racine Street heading for Interstate 90 and the one-hour trip to Madison. The facility for that evenings game was Breese Stevens Field, a historic venue on the near east side of Madison within view of the State Capitol.
"You ready, Dix?" Sean asked.
"A hundred percent, Wymo. You?"
"Yeah, yeah I am. Now if we win the toss I say we defer. When we get the ball, I'm gonna start out nuthin' fancy on the play calling. If we get up a head of steam after a first down, or two we'll switch gears. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good to me...."
"What do you figure for a final score? I'm thinkin' we beat them 49-6."
"I say 63-6. I think Coach will let us run up the score if we get a chance."
"What about the mercy rule?"
"I think they'll wave it. It's only the first game of the season...."
As game time approached, Sean could see that the visitor's stands were full. A sea of royal blue and white the whole length of the field. Sean was not nervous, he never got nervous, but he knew he had to give a good accounting of himself. As he was looking up and down the stands, he saw his dad, and George and Peggy Dickson. He gave a wave and a thumb's up. Joe returned the thumb's up just as the announcer cut it.
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to Breese Stevens Field, and tonight's game between our own Madison LaFollette Lancers and our guests, the Cougars of Janesville Craig. Both Coaches have agreed to waive the mercy rule, and we will be playing four quarters of football tonight no matter what happens.
Introducing the visiting team we have...."
The Craig stands cheered each player, coming to the end finally with, "And at starting Quarterback, 6'2" and 185 pounds, wearing Number One, Senior Tim Dickson...." The Craig fans went nuts. Sean and Trent Westfahl went out as the team Captains for the coin toss, shook the LaFollete Captains' hands, and waited. As visitor, Sean called the toss and called heads. The coin landed as heads.
"Craig has won the toss and elected to defer," the Referee announced.
The kickoff squad lined up, the kicker sailing the ball to the LaFollette ten-yard line where one of the return men made a clean catch and began his run. He got to the fifteen-yard line before being stopped cold. The Lancers went three and out on their first drive, picking up only four yards, and almost throwing a pick which was a bit out of Brett's reach, but which he handily batted down.
Punting on fourth down yielded good field position for Craig right at the fifty-yard line. With Tim in at Quarterback, Sean called a simple screen pass on first down which he figured any defense should be able to read, and LaFollette did read it but only belatedly resulting in a twelve yard gain for the Cougars.
The next play was a simple run up the middle which netted another four yards and a second-and-six at the LaFollette 34-yard line.
Sean called the exact same play again which this time picked up five leaving Craig with a third and short. Figuring LaFollette would expect another run up the middle on third down, Sean called a play that he didn't think anyone would see coming, least of all in a short-yardage situation. It was the 49 Power Sweep, a play modeled exactly on the storied Green Bay Packers Power Sweep of the mid-1960's. No one ran plays like that anymore. It was too old-school. It required a quick and agile offensive line, and talent beyond that of almost any High School team. Sean doubted LaFollette would read it right.
Moving under center, Dix noticed the defense looked a little off their concentration and hard-counted the snap which drew LaFollette off sides for a five-yard penalty and a first down. He signaled to Sean that he would run the sweep on the following play.
At the snap, the entire Craig offensive line pulled to the right with the fullback acting as the blocking back if needed, but the need didn't arise. The halfback pulled around in reverse, taking the handoff from Tim who looked to be running left. The LaFollette defense was completely flummoxed, and the play resulted in a touchdown for Craig. The place kicker made the extra point and the score stood at 7-0 Cougars.
When Tim got back to the sidelines, Sean asked him why the hard count on third down.
"The defense wasn't concentrating when they got up to the line. I could see that. I figured it was a good chance of five free yards. Who doesn't take free yards? Plus if it worked it was an automatic first down.... Then on the sweep they were just totally fucked up...."
"I'da done the same if the defense looked that way," Sean said. "OK, that helps. The O-line was awesome on that hard-count, too.... First time out and they're a hundred percent...."
Coach Slater had told his kickoff team to let the Lancers run the ball back a bit, maybe give them field position around the 40-yard line. He needed to see what his defense could do.
As it turned out, LaFollette ended up with the ball at their own 48-yard line. On first down they passed, and again Brett batted the ball down. Coming to his feet, he was bumped harshly and heard his receiver say louder than needed to be said, "Fucking pretty-boy faggot! You're dead meat!" which was heard by one of the officials who threw a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct and a fifteen yard penalty.
On the next play, Brett was crunched between two LaFollette receivers which drew no flag but left Brett on the ground after the whistle blew. Coach Slater pulled Brett out and once off the field began to question him.
END CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO