Junior Year Box Set

On the bus ride home, everyone was in high spirits. The rest of the team hadn’t heard about Tim yet, and I didn’t want to be the one to give them the bad news. Actually, it was secondhand news, so it would better to find out for sure before I shot my mouth off. The goofs started singing songs that I was embarrassed to admit knowing, and of course, I joined in. They sang the theme songs from Scooby-Doo and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Then someone got smart and got out their iPhone and started playing songs from this century. Everything was good until Johan stood up and demanded some country and western music. We all gave him a hard time, but when he threatened to start tossing people out of windows, he got his wish. I admit I liked Florida Georgia Line’s Cruise. By the time we pulled into the school parking lot, we had the whole bus rocking. I honestly can’t remember a better time.

We were met by a parking lot full of fans, all of whom had cowbells. The local TV station was there as well, and they cornered me again to give them twenty seconds of filler.

Greg sent me a text that said Monical’s was staying open so we could go have pizza. When I told everyone, there was a cheer, and we started that direction. Brook was in the parking lot with Halle and Zoe.

“You have my car keys?” I asked her.

Brook had avoided me all during school today. She gave me a weak smile and tossed my keys to me.

“Come on, I’m buying,” I told the girls, and they got into the Jeep.

“So, are you some sort of superstar now?” Brook teased me.

“Yes, ma’am. You’re riding with the best quarterback in the nation,” I said as if I believed every word of it.

Halle was sitting beside me and apparently designated to smack my arm when I got too full of myself. When we got to Monical’s, it was a zoo. People were lined up to get in. I remembered what Tami had told me and got into line.

“What are you doing?” Halle asked.

“Waiting to get in.”

The three girls looked at me like I was crazy, and then they thought about it and joined me in line. Monical’s opened up the banquet rooms, and soon everyone was able to get in. The girls were smart enough to listen to the comments people made when they saw me in line with them. I watched as the football players and other cheerleaders all just walked in like they owned the place. I was glad to see the coaching staff join me in line. I wasn’t surprised when I ran into several recruiters, including Bo Harrington.

“Well, looky here. If it isn’t the newly minted national record holder and the number 1 target of the mighty Crimson Tide,” he teased me.

“I think Coach Diamond got your memo about me throwing the ball more.”

“I was glad to see you in the shotgun at least. Did they even touch you tonight?” Bo asked.

“I got put on my backside a couple of times, but the equipment did its job.”

Bo had gotten me a flak jacket and other gear in my freshman year to help protect me.

“I hear you have a big game yourself tomorrow. Are you going to beat Ole Miss?” I asked.

“I think they’ll be a handful, but I’m confident we can get the job done,” Bo said. “Have you decided when you plan to come for a visit? We’d love to have you.”

“Not before he comes to Michigan,” Coach Haber, the head coach from Michigan, said.

“He’s right. We’re planning on going to Michigan next weekend to see them play BYU,” I said.

All of a sudden I found myself surrounded by recruiters. Bo made a loud whistle to get everyone’s attention.

“Settle down! We all know the rules. If you bump into him it’s one thing, but to swarm him will only piss him off,” Bo said.

I nodded, and they backed off. Brook grabbed my hand and pulled me into Monical’s. The line had finally moved. I went to the back and ate a couple of pieces of pizza and downed a Mountain Dew. When I was done, I walked out into the main restaurant area and talked to everyone. I was glad to see Brandon and Tracy talking to the recruiters after I was introduced to them and had moved on. I spent the most time with families with young boys who had dreams of being the starting quarterback for Lincoln High. I couldn’t get over how many of them had on jerseys with my number 11 on it. The local sporting-goods stores were making a fortune.