Junior Year Box Set

“Good, I have Rita James on the line. Rita, I need to talk to Hannah Minacci, and Adrienne said she might be able to get her on the line if I could find her a movie role. I thought we could write her into our movie,” I suggested.

Mom made me put the phone on speaker so everyone could hear.

“You got me on a call with Adrienne so you could flirt with Hannah Minacci?” Rita asked.

Mom glared at me, but I was on a roll.

“When you say it that way, it sounds kind of bad. If Adrienne could get Hannah on the line, I think I know how I can make this work,” I offered.

“This I have to hear,” Rita said.

“Adrienne, it’s your call,” I said.

“Okay, hang on.”

Caryn sat in what I was sure was awe of my skills. Either that, or she thought I was a complete nut. I probably shouldn’t ask her which.

“Hey, Stalker,” Hannah said.

“Hey, Prom Date, I need to know what color dress you’re wearing so I get the right corsage.”

Mom leaned over to Caryn and whispered.

“I taught him that. Just assume the sale.”

“I’m not so sure about that. Adrienne said you might have a movie deal for me,” Hannah said.

“Yes. We can talk about Prom later. I have Rita James on the phone. She has me in a movie coming up, and I wanted to pitch you an idea we just kicked around. I play a baseball player that’s in high school, and we need a hot teacher. Think Cameron Diaz in Bad Teacher. In this movie, there are a couple of love scenes. Rita assures me that the nudity will be tastefully done. Real artsy stuff. So, what do you think?” I asked hopefully.

“Well, I don’t know about the nudity and love scenes, but we might have something for you,” Rita said.

“Sorry, but I’m sure the nudity would increase sales dramatically. I don’t want us to rule anything out until we test it. We could do it both ways and see what works,” I suggested. “You ready to do a movie with me?”

“Is he telling me the truth?” Hannah asked.

“We might have a small role for you if you’re available,” Rita said.

“Okay. Call Adrienne and set it up,” Hannah said, and I jumped up and down and did a fist pump.

“Hannah, before you go. We need to lock down Prom. It’s only a few months off,” I begged.

“Why don’t you take my boyfriend and me to dinner when we’re in LA? If you can get him to agree, I might do it,” Hannah said.

Rita and Adrienne gave me some grief and then exchanged phone numbers.

“I need to start planning Prom. This is a done deal,” I said after we hung up. “We should call Greg and tell him.”

“Leave your brother alone,” Dad said.

“Be sure to call Tyler and remind her that I get a finder’s fee,” I told Caryn.

I was late for school, so I asked my dad to explain it to her.

◊◊◊

When I pulled into the parking lot, the first-period bell was already ringing. I ran straight to the gym to let Coach Diamond know I was there. Wolf and I shot the shit and lifted.

Yuri came in and started lifting as well. I looked over and saw him looking troubled, so I ambled over to talk with him.

“Great game on Saturday,” I opened the conversation.

He looked up at me with a frustrated face.

“Yes, after the first quarter! It took that long for me and the defense to get it together!”

I sat down and motioned for him to sit up from his bench press.

“Yeah, I’ve noticed that too.” I wasn’t going to sugarcoat anything for him; he didn’t need that and didn’t want that! “You’re just missing one thing, Yuri.”

He arched one eyebrow at me. I’d have to learn how to do that.

“The only thing you’re missing is self-confidence. It’s something you should have already, given your situation.”

“What do you mean, Mr. Quarterback?”

I rubbed my hands together, warming to the subject.

“Well, consider this for starters: you’re the defensive captain of a team whose next game is to repeat as state champions! No team gets to that point on offense alone. No team!

“Second, if you didn’t notice, the last game your entire defense voted for you to be the sole captain, both in the game and at the coin toss. Look at the guys you have on that defense. Do you believe they didn’t know what they were doing when they insisted on it?

“Third is to look at your track record over the last few games. Three playoff teams. Playoff teams!

“In the first quarter, over three games, three teams scored a total of 23 points. In the second through fourth quarters over those same three games, those three playoff teams scored a total of 17 points. Seventeen points over nine quarters. And in the last game, in the state semifinals, your defense shut the other team out completely,” I said.

Yuri looked like he was going to counter that, but I stopped him.

“Yeah, I know I figured out that back’s loose ball-security. But it was you and your defense that caused two of his three fumbles, once you knew what to watch for, and both fumbles led to scores for us.”

I looked at him.

“Think about it. Your defense has a record any defense in the state would be happy with, and most would kill for. And you’re the unanimously elected captain of that defense. As a sophomore,” I pointed out.