AT PRACTICE, WE TRIED the drills the way I’d suggested. Coach Hope seemed to agree we got more reps out of the team. He was still stuck on running the ball. I wasn’t giving up, though. I hurried the guys to the line as much as I could. I also talked Coach Diamond into putting in some extra pass audibles for this week’s game. If I could see they were stacking the box or were in a run defense, I could check out of it.
On defense, Moose moved me to strong safety. Bloomington had one good receiver. The rest of their guys combined had half as many receptions and a third of the yards their star did. Moose planned to run a defense similar to what we did in the spring seven-on-seven games where I would match up with the star and play man coverage. The rest of the defensive backs would play zone.
Moose got Bill to work with me, and we went head-to-head for the whole time the defense practiced. Bill has very quick feet and had me tripping over my own feet about a quarter of the time. I needed to bear down and watch where his hips led him. By the end of practice, I felt a little better. At least Bill didn’t completely own me. I think he was still mad about me taking the ball away from him at the Kentucky camp.
I was even more shocked when Coach Stevens put in some trick plays on special teams. The ideas must have inspired Coach Hope because he put in a trick play on offense. I think we all thought they were fun but hoped we didn’t have to use them to win.
WHEN I GOT HOME, I had a message from Harper to call her. I sent her a text, and we jumped onto video chat. I was happy to see Missy and Sarah there also.
“How are you doing? I heard your team had some problems,” Harper said.
“Yeah, we lost most of our juniors and seniors. It’s going to be interesting the rest of the year.”
“Enough of the sports stuff,” Missy decided. “We want to see you.”
This was exactly what I needed right now. Did I mention I was horny? I was a little mystified as to why I was being so fussy about girls here at Lincoln. I could have chased Peggy or just let it go with Maggie, but I was not ‘settling’ for just anyone right now. The Wesleyan girls weren’t interested in dating me, so I was fine with seeing them.
“When and where?” I asked, getting Sarah to laugh.
She explained to them what I told the other models in New York. Harper was in a playful mood when she said here and now. I was getting my keys when she told me she was kidding. Mr. Happy didn’t think she was very funny.
Chapter 4 – Football Heats Up
Friday September 19
I went to lunch and found Wayne and Ray at our table again. This time they’d been invited. I’d gotten to know them over the past few days. Wayne had been a snot at first but soon learned that I could kick his butt (mostly due to Cassidy’s teaching). Once that was established, he was a much nicer guy.
I was less happy to see Maggie was back, and unfortunately, nothing had changed on that front. I still felt she was too young, and I wasn’t interested in letting her practice her games on me. I guess not setting up a date for the weekend hadn’t been hint enough. I was going to have to tell her I wasn’t interested. I was ready to drop that particular bomb when she spoke first.
“I saw your commercial last night. Is that all you?” Maggie asked.
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“She’s talking about Gladiator deodorant; and, yes, that’s all David,” Kylie offered.
“How do you know?” Nick asked.
Oh, this was getting good. How would Miss Kylie explain this? Cue the music.
“Uh ...”
This was not going well. I decided to help.
“She swam with me all summer at a friend’s house,” I said.
“Yeah, that’s how,” Kylie said.
I don’t think anyone believed her. I sure didn’t. She was terrible at this.
“Anyways ... getting back on subject ...” Maggie started but was interrupted.
“Hang on. You really look that good without your shirt on?” Gabriella asked.
“Yep, he’s a freak,” Ray told them.
I was rethinking letting Ray eat lunch with us. I was sure he could be replaced without too much trouble.
“I call bullshit,” Ann said.
I wonder where she learned that. I guess I needed to shut them up. I stood up and took off my shirt.
“Told you,” Kylie crowed.
“Put your shirt back on,” said a voice from behind me.
I turned to find Ms. Saunders, my art teacher. She’d been stuck with being lunchroom monitor today.
“You never complained before,” I said as I waggled my eyebrows.
She just rolled her eyes and nodded at me to put it back on. Ms. Saunders had wanted to know if I would model for her class this year. She promised me extra credit for my art class. I’d found I liked drawing people better than landscapes. I needed the extra credit, or I was going to get a ‘B’ in art. It would suck to have my perfect GPA trashed because of an elective.
AFTER LUNCH, I WENT to Government class and listened to Coach Hope drone on about the differences between the branches of government. After class, he stopped me to talk about the game tonight, so I was late for my Biology II class. Mr. Dutton was not one to put up with anything.
“Ah, Mr. Dawson is late. Maybe you can help me identify plants before you sit down.”
We had been tasked with planting seeds at the beginning of the year. I was growing a red oak that was coming along nicely. Lisa Felton had killed her first two plants, so I had worked with her to keep her latest plant alive. Lisa and I had become better friends. She was now dating Brad Hope, so there wasn’t the sexual tension anymore.
I went up to the front of the class and Mr. Dutton showed me the plant. I looked at it and did a double take. It was a pot plant. I could see a couple of the people in class recognized what the plant was. I looked around to make sure no one was punking me. In our book, it identified the plant as hemp and it was used to make ropes. I tried to remember what the plant’s proper biological name was.
“This is Cannabis. I’m not sure which variety,” I answered.
“It is Cannabis sativa. Do you know what it’s used for?” Mr. Dutton asked.
That got the whole class to chuckle.
“Besides smoking it? It’s used to make rope.”
“Very good, you can sit down. Cannabis sativa can be consumed and gives you a feeling of relaxation and mild euphoria. This variety is used more for commercial uses around the world. Does anyone one know of any other uses?”
Lisa raised her hand and he pointed at her.
“I have cousins who live in the UK, and they actually grow it on their farm. They sell the seeds. They use it to make hemp milk, much like soy milk. The leaves are used in tea blends, and the stalks are used as fiber to make clothes.”
“There are many commercial uses for Cannabis sativa, including construction,” he added, then he got serious. “Miss Riley, I’ll need to see you after class.”
Sharon was one of the girls I knew from my drug days. I couldn’t believe she’d grown a pot plant. I wouldn’t be seeing her for a few days, as I was sure they’d suspend her.
BEFORE THE GAME, I went to the hospitality tent to score some food. I figured a burger or brat would hit the spot. I was surprised to see half of the Big 10 in line for food. I guess they wanted a short trip to go recruiting tonight. They didn’t notice me when I got in line, so I figured I’d ‘bump’ into them.
“You guys here to see that wide receiver from Bloomington?” I asked.
“No, we’re here to see the receiver and quarterback from Lincoln,” said the guy with a Nebraska jacket on.
“I heard the receiver makes the quarterback look good,” I offered.
“I heard the quarterback sucked, but some scouting service said he was just alright. That means we have to come out here and see him play,” said the Northwestern recruiter.