Second Down - Chapter 38

Update: I somehow had some duplicate text when I copied this over from my writing program. Should be fixed now.

“What if I say something stupid?” Eduardo said, not quite whining, but definitely heading that way.

We were sitting on the bleachers after school, watching Li and the rest of the team practice. Even though I’d celebrated being done with football just before Thanksgiving and having a much wider open schedule, and being able to just go home after school, Coach had cornered me and convinced me the day before and basically told me I was doing seven on seven and needed to start doing the practices after school.

While he was right that, after all the pushing I’d done about getting more training, I couldn’t then turn around and skip opportunities to work on skills in a smaller, more focused environment. But I had really been looking forward to just relaxing for a while without the constant pressure of having things to do.

Still, sevens practice was a hell of a lot shorter than during the season, so it gave me a chance to stop and see Li’s practice after I finished, and then walk at least halfway home with her before I had to turn off to my place.

There wasn’t a lot of call for spectators at girls’ varsity basketball practice, so I’d been by myself yesterday and had been surprised when Eduardo showed up a few minutes after I sat down.

Or at least, I had until he jumped into his actual reason for coming to find me. He’d asked out Sarah yesterday and they’d set up their first real date for tonight, and he was freaking out.

“You talk to Sarah all the time. Hell, you two were the last ones to realize you were going to start dating, I think. What’s the difference between all the other times you two talked and tonight?”

“It’s completely different. Here at school or when we talk on the phone, we’re just hanging out. Tonight’s like... for real.”

“You’re overthinking it. For real, it’s just regular hanging out with the volume turned up. You already know her and are comfortable with her, and I’ve seen the two of you flirting. Yeah, it’s official, but just do and say the kinds of things you usually say.”

But what if…”

“No, you’re going to freak yourself out with what-ifs. Just be you. You already know what she likes to talk about, what makes her laugh.”

“Yeah, but before, if I said something dumb, it didn’t matter as much.”

“Ohh, it definitely mattered, trust me. She wouldn’t have said yes if she didn’t like you, and I know for a fact you’ve said some dumb shit.”

Down on the court, Li stole the ball during the scrimmage they were playing and drove for a layup. Coach Weyland’s whistle stopped the play before she could finish.

“Just be yourself,” I continued. “That’s who she wants to go out with.”

“Easy for you to say. You’re headed to be the star of the school. I’m nobody.”

“First of all, you’re not nobody. And think of it this way, a lot of people date someone because of the status it brings them. Look at Brandy, for Christ’s sake. She’s already dumped Mason to start dating one of the Sophomores on varsity, and she’s been flirting with Ben damn near constantly, since he’s going to be quarterback and team captain next year. You know Sarah likes you for you.”

“Because I’m a loser who has nothing to offer?”

“Exactly, because you’re a loser,” I said, laughing as he shoved me. “Where are you taking her?”

“Jimmy’s, then maybe the bowling alley to play games.”

“Jesus Christ,” I said, dropping my head in my hands. “Have you ever known Sara to play video games?

“Uhh…”

“When we talked about it the other day, did she seem interested, or bored to tears?”

I already knew the answer because Melanie definitely was, and her and Sarah started making comments about not wanting to spend time with nerds. They were kidding, but even jokes have a core of truth to them.

“I didn’t think of that.”

“Oh, about this. Still take her bowling, but just bowl. Don’t go near the games.”

“I suck at bowling.”

“Even better. Something you two can laugh over. It’s better than the movies because you can talk while doing it.”

“That’s a good idea,” he said, but then got quiet again, clearly still fretting. “But like, how do I make it feel different? Special and not just like we’re hanging out.”

“Little things. For one, dress nice, but not like … church nice. Also, let her know the plans so she can dress accordingly. Compliment her when you pick her up. Notice something specific, her hair, outfit, whatever, and tell her you like it or it looks nice. And during the date, find excuses for small touches.”

“Small touches?”

“Yeah, like putting your hand on her back when you’re walking through a door. Or touching her arm while you’re talking. Little stuff that shows you’re interested.”

“Won’t that be weird?”

“Not if you’re natural about it. She’ll do the same thing back if she’s into it.”

“Okay, but at the end of the night, what about … you know …” he trailed off, face going red.

“Kissing her?”

He nodded.

“Unless the date goes horribly wrong, she will. Just pay attention to her signals. If she’s standing close to you, finding reasons to touch you back, that’s a good sign.”

“What if I mess it up?”

“Then you’ll both laugh about it later and try again. Stop overthinking.”

Eduardo took a deep breath. “Okay. Yeah. You’re right.”

We watched the team run drills for a few minutes. Li was getting a lot of time in the scrimmage, I just hoped it translated into time in the game itself.

“Hey,” Eduardo said suddenly. “Speaking of trying things, I might throw a party.”

I turned to look at him. “Really?”

“Yeah, my parents and Alex are going to my aunt’s birthday party in a few weeks, just after we go to Christmas break. It’s Raf’s mom, so I asked to stay behind cause I just can’t deal with him. Dad was pissed but mom talked him into letting me stay. I think she was relieved actually.”

“She probably was. She is not his biggest fan.”

“Ohh, I know that. But … I’ve never really thrown a party before though. I don’t know how to set it up, and I don’t want it getting crazy.”

“That’s the easy part. Tell Sarah about it, I’ll tell Melanie, and they’ll handle everything.”

Eduardo’s eyebrows rose. “They will?”

“Trust me, cheerleaders live for planning parties. It’s like their superpower. I’ll make sure to let Melanie know to keep it from turning into a whole school thing and to not just go popular kid, although you want a little of that. It’ll be good for your cred.”

“That would be good. I don’t want the house trashed.”

“I’ll talk to the guys at lunch about it, make sure Li knows. Between Melanie and Sarah, they’ll keep it to the right size.”

“Really? Just like that?”

“Just like that. Dating a cheerleader has its perks.”

Eduardo smiled. “Thanks, man.”

“Hey, what are friends for,” I said, giving him a shove.

***

My legs felt like they were on fire, and the cool air was burning in my chest. I’d really enjoyed my two days of actual sleep after switching my workouts to the afternoon, and had cursed myself since Monday for having to be back at this early morning shit.

Not that I had anyone other than myself to blame. I’d been the one to ask for this, and even though coach only required me three mornings a week, I’d been coming out the other two to practice on my own. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, and it wasn’t so bad on those extra days, but I could kill past me each time I got to the end of one of Coach Greer’s sessions.

Or rather, I felt like past me had tried to kill current me, because I was hurting and I still had a full day of school to do after this.

Not that I was going to stop.

I positioned myself between the cones for another round of sprint and cut drills, which was the thing coach had focused on all of this week. At least the kids walking in from the parking lot had grown enough used to it that they didn’t really stop and stare at me practicing anymore.

I ignored them as Coach said go, focusing on pushing off and driving my legs forward how he’d shown me. Even tired, I felt good about how I’d done as I rounded the last cone, pushing through the burn in my quads. I jogged it off for a second, letting my muscles cool down, before heading over to join Coach Greer.

“Good work,” he said, handing me a water bottle. “Your cutting technique is improving, but you’re still dropping your shoulder a bit on those sharp turns. Keep your upper body more upright.”

I nodded, gulping down water. “Got it. I’ll watch it.”

“Good. You know, I’m really impressed with your progress since we started training. You’re noticeably faster and more agile now.”

I couldn’t help but grin. “Thanks. I’ve been feeling a difference during sevens practice too. It’s like I’m quicker on my feet, you know? More in control when I’m scrambling.”

“That’s exactly what we’ve been working towards. For a quarterback with your playing style, these skills are crucial. Or so I’ve been told. I’m not the only one who’s noticed. I was talking to Coach Holloway the other day, and he mentioned seeing improvement in your performance as well.”

“I appreciate that, Coach. I’m just trying to put in the work and get better every day.”

A little too ‘I’m gonna give a hundred and ten percent’ cliche, but it was also true.

“That’s the attitude I like to see,” Coach Greer said. “Let’s do one last run before calling it a day. I want you to put those improvements into action and run that zigzag pattern between the cones again, but this time, really focus on maintaining your upper body position through those cuts.”

Damn, I’d thought he wouldn’t pull the ‘one last one’ routine today. I nodded, jogging back to the starting point. I ran the drill again, trying to keep my upper body in the right position.

It was hard to tell if I’d done it right, but when I jogged back to the coach he said, “Much better. You’re getting it. Your center of gravity is staying more consistent through the turns now.”

“Thanks.”

“Alright,” Coach Greer said, glancing at his watch. “We’re done with training for today.”

He must have seen me looking over, eyeing my duffle bag and then the parking lot. I wasn’t particularly subtle about it, since I was ready to be done.

“Before you head in, there’s one last thing I’d like for you to do.”

I resisted groaning. He’d already pulled his ‘one last thing.’ He was normally in a hurry in the morning as we finished training, I guess because he needed to get inside and set up for his first class too. He doubled as our health teacher, and I think he had a first period class for that.

“What’s up, Coach?”

“I’d like you to run the 100 real quick.”

I blinked, confused. “Really? We don’t usually run that distance in football.”

“I know, but I want to see a good metric for how you’ve improved. We’ve been focusing on short bursts and agility, but I want to see your raw speed over a longer distance.”

I frowned but said, “uhh, sure.”

“I really want to see your improvement, so I want you to go all out. I want to see your current speed at full throttle. Run as hard as you possibly can.”

“If you say so.”

“And one more thing,” Coach added as I walked towards the starting line. “I want you to run it the way I originally showed you, not the altered technique we’ve been using for football-specific movements.”

Now I was really confused. Why go back to the old form after all the work we’d done? Even he’d said it wasn’t what I’d use when actually playing. I guess years of being in organized sports took over though, cause I didn’t question him. Coach’s usually had a reason for wanting things.

I got into position at the starting line, trying to recall the original form Coach had taught more than a month ago. It felt a bit strange, completely different from how I’d do it on the field.

“Lower your hips a bit more,” he said as I got down. “And keep your front foot a little further back from the line.”

I made the corrections, feeling the stretch in my hamstrings as I settled into the proper starting position.

“Remember. I want to see everything you’ve got. Don’t hold anything back.”

I nodded, taking a deep breath. 

“On your mark. Get set. Go!”

I exploded off the starting line, my legs pumping furiously as I accelerated down the straightaway. I could really feel the fatigue from earlier drills, but I pushed through it, focusing on maintaining the form he’d taught me. Arms tight, driving forward with my body straight so as to not waste energy with lateral movement.

My breath came in short, controlled bursts as I hit my stride.

It was a long run for me. Not even that big run during the mud bowl was this far. I couldn’t remember the conversions, but it was almost as long as a whole football field.

Not a distance quarterbacks were asked to run much. As I entered the final stretch, my legs felt like they were on fire and every fiber in my body screamed at me to slow down. I ignored it too and lengthened my stride, driving forward with everything I had left.

With a final burst of speed, I crossed the finish line and stumbled a few steps before managing to slow to a stop, bent over with my hands on my knees as I gasped for air. My lungs felt like they were on fire, and my legs trembled from the exertion.

“Good job!” Coach Greer called out.

I shook off the exhaustion and straightened up, still breathing heavily, and jogged over to where he stood, stopwatch in hand.

“How did you think that was? How fast?”

I shook my head. “No idea. Felt pretty good, I guess.”

“Twelve point nine seconds, and that was after a full session.”

I wasn’t sure how to react. Was that good? Bad?

“Is that... okay?”

“Okay? Blake, when you first came out here, you ran it in fourteen point two-one seconds which is only okay for a runner, but pretty good for a football player.”

“Well, we have a lot more things to worry about on the field.”

“Oh, I know,” Coach Greer said quickly. “I’m not criticizing you. The opposite, actually. But what I am really impressed by is how much you’ve improved.”

“Thanks, Coach. I’ve been working hard.”

“It shows. Do you know what kind of times top state-level sprinters run for the hundred meters?”

I shook my head. “No idea.”

“The best high school sprinters in Texas are running it in about eleven point three seconds.”

“Seriously? That fast?”

“Yep, but I think you’re closer to that than you might think you are. If you were warmed up and fresh, I think you could have probably hit twelve point two or twelve point three. You’re in striking distance of those winning times. Shaving off a second is hard, but it’s achievable with the training you put in.”

“I don’t know what you’re getting at, Coach.”

He clapped a hand on my shoulder. “What I’m getting at is you’re one of the fastest runners I’ve got at this school and the two guys faster than you are both juniors. I’d like for you to consider trying out for the track team in the spring.”

“Oh, uh... I don’t know, Coach. I’ve got seven-on-seven commitments, and...”

“We can work around that,” Coach Greer said quickly. “There isn’t that much after-school football except for sevens and I can coordinate with Coach Holloway. We can make it work.”

“I appreciate that, Coach, but I’m looking at getting some additional training in the spring with private trainers. I need time for that.”

He looked surprised, but actually pleased at the news.

“Really? I gotta say, you keep impressing me with your commitment to your future. But, I think we can make that work too. I’ll coordinate to make sure you can do everything, and have time for your school work. Look, Blake, I’ll be honest, we need you. I’ve had my eye on the freshman class, and you’re the best we’ve got. You’re running faster forties than your running backs and none of the kids that have shown interest in track this spring have your speed either. And definitely not your work ethic. I want you to consider that being a dual-sport athlete has a lot of benefits. Both athletically and it can open up more college scholarship possibilities.”

“Ohh,” I said.

I hadn’t thought about that.

“College. You’ve got natural talent, Blake. With some focused training, you could be a real contender in track events. That kind of versatility is very attractive to college recruiters and it puts you into the kinds of times colleges would want to recruit, opening up the door to track scholarships. I know football is your thing and that’s your focus, but you never know what happens.”

“I guess…”

While options were always good, that wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t want to settle for a different sport because college wasn’t my goal.

The NFL was.

“I get it, and I’m not asking you to change your goals. But think about it, okay? Track could complement your football training, make you an even better all-around athlete.”

“Sure.”

Coach Greer grinned. “I’ve been a coach long enough to know that tone. I’ll let you off the hook for now, but I’m not giving up that easy. I really want you on that track team, Blake.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, okay. I promise I’ll give it some serious thought.”

“That’s all I ask,” he said, still grinning. “Now go hit the showers. You’ve earned it today.”

I nodded, grabbing my water bottle and towel. It was an interesting option.