"Up Downs... Go." Coach Boone yelled blowing his whistle and walking over to where they had a father and daughter standing on the sidelines. He walked over and joined Coach Yoast who was already talking to them. "Coach Boone meet John Donaldson and his daughter Melissa the newest linebacker of the titans team." said Coach Yoast as Boone was shaking their hands. "Linebacker we already have that position filled that's Bertier and Cambells' position." said Boone looking at Yoast. "Well it looks like we have another one coming out for the team doesn't it." "I also play quarterback." she said meekly. "Well let's get her to practice before the team run their legs off." said Yoast signaling for Boone to keep his mouth shut and blow his whistle. Boone stared at Yoast and blew his whistle twice signaling for the boys to stop with the up downs and line up. "Ok Titan's listen up we got a new member of the team, meet Melissa Donaldson our new quarter back. Now lets run some drills and see who will be playing in the game tomorrow." Rev, Petey, Sunshine, Julius, Bertier, and Melissa walked out and got into position. "Coach are you sure this is safe?" asked Bertier looking at the girl who was only about half his size. "Hey buddy you do your job and don't worry about Me." she said smiling and putting her helmet back on. Julius started to laugh at the girls remark, they heard the sound of the coaches' whistle and Gerry charged for the girl and soon found himself laying flat on his back. "Again." they heard Boone yell. She reached her hand out and helped him up "You sure this is safe?" she said with a laugh he smiled back and once again the charged for each other and Bertier hit the ground. "Donaldson switch places with Bass." said Boone. Ronnie and Melissa switched places and waited for the sound of the whistle. Julius soon found himself laying on the ground himself she helped him up and smiled then got back into her position. "Again." yelled Boone. This time when the whistle blew Melissa found herself laying on the ground and looking up at Cambell. "Need a hand," asked Bertier who had landed right beside her some how. "No I got it." she said sitting up and pulling her self up off the ground. "Good practice...Be here tomorrow thirty minutes before the game." said Boone walking of the field. Melissa walked over to the bleacher and took off the practice jersey she had been given the shoulder pads and slid an old plain colored t-shirt on over the tank top she already had on. She changed into her sneakers and got ready to leave when she heard the sound of footsteps behind her.
She turned around and saw a group of the players walking towards her "Can I help you with something?" she asked stuffing her equipment in her bag and throwing it over her shoulder. "We just came to introduce ourselves." said Rev offering her his hand. She shook his hand and smiled, she had big brown eyes and long almost black hair a slightly round face; she was taller then Rev and Petey about the height of Julius' shoulders. "I'm Rev." he said. "I'm Melissa. It's nice to meet you." she said with a smile letting her bag fall to the ground. "That's Petey, Blue, Sunshine, Allan, Julius, Gerry, which you've already met, and that's Louie." she shook each of their hands and then looked back at Rev. "well you want to come to the berg with us and hang out or something?" asked Petey who was standing behind Rev. "Sorry I can't I got to go straight home. But I'll see you at school tomorrow." said the girl picking up her bag and walking through the gate of the foot ball field and out to her corvette that looked like Gerry's except it was a beat up red color. She got in and drove off to her house leaving them standing there. "You know for the girl to be as Tiny as she is she can play pretty good." said Sunshine. "Tiny...Sunshine the girl is taller then I am and you're calling her Tiny." said Petey. "She can play that's for sure...she'll save our buts in the game tomorrow." said Rev walking past them and walked toward the locker room. Julius put his hand on his shoulder and popped it. "I don't know any girl who can play football that good and I mean no girl." said Sunshine walking in behind the rest of them
When they got to school the next morning they saw Melissa messing with the lock on her locker and cussing to herself. "Need some help?" asked Rev coming up behind her. "Yeah I could use some hold these." she said sitting a pile of books in his hand and almost sent him to the floor. She looked over at him "Oh I'm sorry are you okay?" she said grabbing his shoulder trying to keep from letting him fall. He caught his balance and gave her a reassuring smile. "Good. Finally." she said when the lock opened. She loaded the books into her locker and got only the ones she needed then and shut the locker back. "So you know anyone who's got anything close to this schedule?" she asked handing him a piece of paper with all her classes on it in order. "Well I have the same as you before lunch and we can check and lunch and see who has the same after." he said handing her the paperback. "Come on let's get to class." he said putting his arm around her shoulder and walking her to class. They sat in the back she had Rev on her right side and Julius on her left Petey and Gerry in front of her. Their Home Room was math and Melissa flew threw it which was the least she could say for the rest of them who spent the whole class cussing to them during the quiz they took Gerry went through six pencils. "Okay class pencils down." said the teacher. He came around picking up the test and then walked back to the front of the class. "Talk amongst you quietly." he said sitting at his desk. Gerry, Petey, Julius all turned to look at her, her eyes grew wide and she stared at them
"What?" she asked switching her glare from each one of them. "So are you going to play as good in the game today as you did yesterday at practice?" Gerry asked looking at her. "Like I told you yesterday you do your job and quit worrying about Me." she said looking at him then at Julius "Well could you please try and do a good job because if you don't one of us is going to maimed." said Petey. She laughed and pulled her hair over one shoulder not noticing that there was a visible bruise in the shape of a handprint on it. "What in the name of heaven happened to you?" asked Gerry looking at her neck. "It must have been from practice yesterday or something no big deal." she said in a whisper. Before they could question her anymore the sound of the bell saved her and she was up and out of the classroom.
At Lunch she sat down in between Julius and Rev; She had begun to form a small crush on Rev he was so nice and caring not like most boys. "So now we have a whole hour to question you about your neck." said Gerry, She could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't going to give up until he got an answer. "I was messing around with my older brother last night it must have just bruised over or something." she said pulling her hair over the bruise. "What do you mean messing around with?" asked Allan stuffing his face with chocolate pudding. "He wrestles for his collage and I was helping him." she said lying through her teeth but what they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.