Game Day XII

Each Don found a locker and sat in front of it, gearing up for the coming game. The clatter of cleats, helmets, and pads was better than the tense quiet they'd driven in. It meant the game was close at hand.

Coach Long came into the middle of the room once everyone was ready. He looked around slowly.

'It's just another bump in the road,' Coach Long said. 'It's up to you if it knocks us off. We've been training hard for this. Don't let that all go to waste. We've lost to these guys before, but that's the past. Show them what your future holds. This game will define this team—do we let our mistakes define us? Or can we overcome them and use them as a springboard for something greater? I know what I prefer.'

Nods answered him. He hadn't seen the boys like this before. He worried slightly, not because he thought it was fright paralysing their tongues. Something told him they weren't silent because of fear. No, losing again didn't scare them. They were just that focused. His fear came from the fact that rage might've been holding their tongues. The feeling in the locker room was like the calm before the storm.

'I know you can beat them. Prove it today. But you prove it ON the field. Prove it IN the game. There might be some bad blood from what happened last time we met these boys, but that's behind us as well. We can't let it distract us from what we have to do tonight. Don't fall for any of their taunts. That's all they are, taunts.'

Chris shuddered, but held his peace. He didn't think they were just taunts. Myles's eyes weren't the eyes of someone who was only speaking big. Those were the eyes of someone who really wanted to hurt others.

Coach Norman stepped over to the offence. 'Don't let them get in your head. They're trying to rile you up. They know they can't beat you otherwise.'

'Don't worry, Coach. … We're allll chill here,' Jay said.

Stephen grunted in response. Chris fiddled with his helmet.

Coach Norman patted Chris on the shoulder—Chris flinched. 'Protect each other out there.'

The spotlight fell on Chris; he frowned and pulled his helmet on tightly.

On the other side of the room, Coach Hoang was with the defence. 'Watch out for their passes. We've been over it a hundred times this week. You know what to do, and I know you can beat them.'

He looked them over. His gaze lingered on Ty and Deshaun.

'Whether we win or lose comes down to whether or not you can stop them. We won't win a shoot out with them. That's never been our style, but especially not against these Vikings.'

'We gotchu, Coach.' Deshaun stood and pulled on his helmet. 'I ain't losing to them fuckers again.'

'Get out there and back up all that shit you talk then, Banks.'

The Dons came together in the middle around Coach Long, Chris, Deshaun, and JJ's fists all came together around his.

'You're family. Always remember that. No matter what happens, they can't take that from you. Three, two, one—'

'FAMILY!'

When the Dons marched onto the field, the sky had darkened. The lights flicked on with heavy, hollow clicks. Eight bright stars—one from every side and edge—all shone upon the field.

Ty thought it was the perfect way to set the stage for the upcoming battle. Finally, a fitting spotlight was on him. The question remained whether the Dons would wither or thrive under those lights.

A warm welcome awaited the Dons as they stepped onto the field. The crowd was a healthy size already. And when they showered the Vikings with similar cheers, it was a fairly even crowd, too.

As the Dons warmed up, Ty scanned all sides of the crowd. But, just as he expected, he didn't spot any familiar faces amidst the walls of supporters.

He turned away from the stands, cold even underneath all those bright lights, and finished the rest of the warmup without wasting another thought on the crowd.

Before the coin toss, Coach Long gathered the senior members together. He looked them over, as they looked back at him with some confusion, and sometimes stole glances at the three Vikings walking out to centerfield.

Coach Long nudged JJ and Jay towards the field. 'You two go, and… Benny.' No one looked more surprised than Benny.

'What?' Stephen said. 'Why Benny?'

'Because I said so.' The look he gave Stephen told him not to argue. The chosen three went ahead while the others stayed on the bench.

Coach Long didn't feel the need to tell them the real reason, that he thought the others were too wound up to have a cordial meeting with the Vikings. A fight would've broken out if he sent Chris, Deshaun, or Stephen, he just knew it.

Mike, Nathan, and Isiah waited for JJ, Benny, and Jay. Isiah frowned when he saw who came to represent the Dons.

'Aww, there's no one fun here. What's the matter? We scare all those sorry niggas off?'

'Watch your language, young man,' the official said with a scowl. 'Keep your mouth shut if you have nothing good to say.'

Isiah snickered. Mike extended a massive hand to the Dons' captains. JJ accepted it and squeezed it firmly, even as the larger hand enveloped his. Mike looked surprised, but squeezed back.

Jay couldn't be bothered to get his hands out of the little hand-warmer around his waist, but Benny accepted the handshake and then quickly let go. No other Viking offered a handshake.

'Downey, the choice is yours. Heads or tails?' the official asked.

'Tails,' Nathan said.

The coin flipped through the air, landed on the turf, and read tails.

'We defer,' Nathan said.

'Tell that big fucker I'll see him soon,' Isiah said.

JJ pulled his teammates back. 'We'll go that way.' He pointed out the north end of the field, already turning and heading back to the Dons' bench.

'We always lose the toss,' Ty said when he heard the results.

'I know,' Jay groaned, hanging his head down. 'It's the worst.'

Half the team was happy with the outcome, half the team was upset by it. Jay was one of the only offensive players upset about being on the field first. At least he had a short sit whilst the kickoff happened.

Chris took the field for the kickoff. As he made his way to his position, a voice called out to him from the other side of the field, 'Hey!' Myles waved at him.

Chris shuddered and sped up, not answering or waving back.

Myles laughed. 'Don't worry, little buddy! I won't leave you alone down there for long. I'll see you soon.'

Chris was more than happy that over half the field, and ten of his teammates, stood between Myles and himself.

Once everyone was in position, the head official blew his whistle. The Vikings booted the ball high into the air. It tumbled end over end to Chris, and was going to drop just short of the end-zone.

He readied to catch it, then Myles's purple eyes flashed through his mind, and his promise echoed through his ears.

Chris weaved out of the way of the ball at the last second and let it bounce into the end-zone. Panting, he hurried over and downed it for a touchback.

Myles, disappointed but amused, slunk off the field and went right to his coach. 'Let me start!' He demanded rather than pleaded.

'Then get your dumb ass back on the field!'

Myles's eyes lit up. He turned back to the field, but the coach reached out and snagged the collar of his pads. 'Don't do anything dumb. I need you to finish this game for once.'

'Hahahah, hell yeah!' Myles tore away from the coach and ran out onto the field, laughing. The coach wasn't sure Myles had heard him.

The Dons offence marched onto the field; loud cheers and applause greeted both teams as they lined up for the first snap.

Myles greeted the Dons loudest of all with the biggest of grins. 'Hey buddies!'

'What a fucking freak,' Stephen said before spitting onto the grass.

'I feel like I need a restraining order against this asshole,' Chris said.

The Dons lined up. Chris in the backfield, staring past all the bodies before him, into Myles's purple eyes that looked back at him, his helmet shrouding them in darkness, but they were still vibrant and almost glowing.

Isiah stood before Stephen, grinning. 'Oh man, I'm so glad I can retire your pathetic asses.'

'Shut the fuck up, stick bug looking ass.'

'Goofy ass nigga,' Isiah snarled.

Jay took the snap and turned to Chris. They opened with a run, Coach Long wanting to make a statement with it.

Chris's eyes lowered from Myles and to the Linemen as he cradled the ball tight against his chest. He darted out wide to the outside and turned the corner. Where he came face-to-face with Myles again.

Chris scrambled towards the sideline like a spooked deer. He raced away from Myles, trying to get as far outside as possible before turning upfield, trying to make the utmost of his speed.

It was to no avail as Myles didn't lose a step, and chased him all the way to the sideline before shoving him across it, right into the Dons' bench.

'Where ya running, buddy?'

The Dons' bench stood, stepping forward in case Myles tried anything.

'Get back to your huddle, monstruo,' JJ said, keeping Chris up.

Myles laughed and skipped back to his huddle.

'Thanks,' Chris said before shrugging off JJ and heading back onto the field.

'You got the next one!' JJ cried.

The run had only gained two yards, and they were lucky for those two.

Next, they went with a pass. At the snap, Stephen rushed forward, but Isiah backed off, not trying to press, not letting Stephen get a hand on him to use his strength.

Stephen grunted but continued ahead, then cut sharply towards the middle. He flattened his route and extended for the ball as Jay fired it in.

Isiah was right with him, however. Running by his hip, Isiah lunged forward as the ball neared, stretching around Stephen to slap the ball away from his hands and down to the turf.

The two bumped into one another and veered away, Stephen running into Myles, who shoved him back. 'Eager to play again?'

'Fuck off me, freak.'

'Fuck outta here, old ass nigga,' Isiah said. 'Keep that weak shit out of my airspace. No. Fly. Zone!'

Stephen scrunched his face up, nose flaring, but he held back for now and stomped back to the Dons' huddle.

Already they were facing a third down, just one play away from sitting on the bench. And even as much as Jay enjoyed sitting back and kicking up his feet, he knew it was too soon for that. They couldn't walk off with no points.

Another pass was the only way they were going to get the first down. However, when he dropped back again, Isiah was still all over Stephen. Never quite close enough to let Stephen get a body on him and push him around, but close enough that he could easily pounce and disrupt the pass.

He looked over just in time for Cole's break as he snapped back on a Comeback curl and lost his man. Jay slung the ball over.

Cole dragged his feet as he neared the sideline, and made the catch as he slid out of bounds, kicking up grass and dirt behind him.

The catch was successful, and the Dons picked up the first down thanks to the 9-yard reception.

The Dons get around Cole, slapping him on the helmet as they returned to the huddle.

With a fresh set of downs, they went back to the ground, this time testing Mike and seeing how a Power run up the gut worked.

Even with one Guard lunging to the middle to pincer Mike, and another Pulling to get out in front of Chris and lead him up the field, Mike smashed through the wall erected around him, and snagged Chris's jersey, dragging him down after a gain 3 yards.

Running wasn't working, but they could still pass the ball. Whilst Isiah's coverage against Stephen was still tight, Cole and Benny continued to find openings. Thanks to them, the Dons worked the ball downfield slowly.

However, the Vikings wouldn't let them get away with it forever. With Isiah winning the battle against Stephen, and the run game held in check, they focused on shutting down the other receiving options, and eventually put a stop to both Cole and Benny.

Without extra support from the ground, no matter if it were Chris or Cameron rushing, and with Stephen unable to relieve any pressure, the drive stalled out on the Vikings' 30-yard line.

At least the Dons were still in field goal range, and though it was a long one, the kick squeaked in just over the crossbar.

The Dons' supporters claimed the first raucous celebration, as the Dons opened the scoring and took a 3–0 lead.

It wasn't a touchdown, but Jay was relieved to see the kick go through the uprights. He'd done his job on the first drive at least, and now it was up to the defence to protect the lead.

Ty wasn't about to let go of that lead. Even if it was the only time the Dons scored, he'd hold onto those 3 points and the victory they meant until the end of the game if he had to.