Author's Note:
I rarely dedicate my stories to anyone for anything, but I'm going to dedicate this one. I'm a high school senior this year, and I'm also in band. Every year we pick out a song, and we chose the song Titan Spirit from the movie. I want to just dedicate this story to the senior that taught me many of the values within this story, and to all my readers who have helped encourage me along the way. Thank you so much for everything!
Summer stood on the sidelines watching the game. To say it felt like any other game to the team would be a lie. They needed to win this game in order to go to the state playoff game. Coach Boone had made it very clear there was no if they made it. The team often stood on the sidelines giving advice, cheering on their teammates, and occasionally letting a swear word slip. The coaches had a strict policy, but sometimes it just happened. It made Summer smile when the guys no longer looked at her when they swore. They had grown to look past her being a female, and the team had grown to look past the outward appearance of a person. The game was getting a little challenging as the player got tired, and Summer often found herself throwing water bottles all over for different players. Her hand met Gary's and their eyes met. For the first time Summer knew that talking to Gary probably wasn't a good idea.
Richard made his way over to her and smiled a little bit more cheerful than he had been in the past. The whole team turned to look at the game, only to see the score run up even more in their favor. Petey had once said that football was fun. Summer smiled in that moment, he had been right, football could be fun. The whole team had worked hard and were finally seeing it pay off, and for once people were starting to get along as well. The game ended with a final attempt from the other team to score a touchdown that was blocked. The play was blocked so well it looked like the team hardly got off the line. The team rushed to the locker room hearing the audience going crazy. Deep down Summer wondered if the town had always believed in them or not. With a win like this one though, it seemed that all the doubts were put behind them, that the past had indeed become the past.
The team hardly showed their happiness on the field, but in the locker room everything came to the surface. The team took turns between showering and changing, but the constant sound of the radio remained. Summer smiled getting dressed in a corner a little cut off from everyone else. There was no suppressing the smile that was on her face. She was too excited, and the singing within the locker room combined with all the joyful cheering only added to the celebration. The team had finally made their way to the state playoffs. The sudden realization that Summer hardly had anyone to celebrate it with however made things worse. She simply sat down on one of the benches waiting for Richard to get done. While staring at the floor, Summer hardly saw anyone leave the locker room but the silence soon followed. It seemed for the first time to consume her until finally Sunshine walked up with Richard right by him.
"What are you two so happy about?" Summer laughed looking at the two of them. Sunshine laughed back before answering. "Well, Richard and I were going to go hang out to celebrate." Summer blushed slightly but nodded knowing she wasn't invited for a reason. "Have fun! I'm going to just go for a walk before heading home." Richard's smile fell a little, but Summer convinced him not to worry about her being alone. Once they left Summer punched a locker for the first time in her life. She sat on the locker room bench starting to cry. Gary hadn't waited for her, and she knew that she couldn't simply go see him. Julius heard her crying and sat beside her looking at the floor. "Gary is my best friend Summer. If you had told me he'd be my friend a year ago, I wouldn't believe you. He's changed, and he's also changed who I am. You helped him change; he'll come back for you."
Summer smiled slightly nodding. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Gary has always been a good person since I've known him." Julius laughed slightly getting up. "Come on, why don't we get something to eat?" Summer took Julius' hand in her own hand before they left the locker room. "Where are we going to even go?" Julius thought about it and then shrugged for the first time in awhile. "I just figured we'd drive around and stop wherever." Summer laughed nodding before looking around. "I guess the crowd cleared out of here awhile ago. Want to just walk?" Julius laughed looking down at Summer's leg. "You're feeling better and you want to test the limit?" Summer blushed softly. "I can't stand being alone right now, or just laying there useless anymore." Julius pocketed his keys knowing his car would be safe as it always was. "We can walk then just be careful."
Summer walked with Julius singing their hands back and forth. The night air was cold but not unbearable, and it felt nice after a game. The clouds seemed to predict rain, but they didn't rain yet. It was as if the rain would spoil the good mood around the town. There were more and more people as they got closer to town, and Summer's spirit seemed to pick up. "I'd never have guessed a year ago I'd be here right now." Julius looked at Summer a little curious. "What do you mean?" Summer looked at the different signs in the windows, the painted doors, and the few messages written on chalkboards within restaurants. "This town, it's changed so much. There's people that I know now I never would have before." Julius laughed. "You're kidding right? You're too nice Summer, who couldn't you trust?" For a moment Summer walked next to Julius before sitting on a bench.
"I never wanted to trust my white teammates before camp. Sure, I'm encouraging and find the good in people, but they normally end up hurting me in the end. When Gary hit me, I was determined not to fail. Now Gary's dad is trying to drag me down." Julius smiled slightly looking at the ground. "My father told me that some stuff in this world just happens. People aren't always taught the right things, and when they have to learn it the learning is slow and hard sometimes." Summer looked at Julius and nodded. "Yeah, my dad always told me that what people should really look at is the heart of a person. That nothing else matters in the end except how we have treated people." Julius smiled relating to everything Summer had said. "You know I think Gary's dad is afraid. He's seen what I've had to see, that people we once didn't want to know we're forced to."
Summer looked at a few couples passing by them and smiled slightly. "Sometimes people fear what they don't understand, yet the hardest thing is admitting they could still be a good person after all is said and done." Julius laughed slightly looking at her. "What did Sunshine suddenly get to you?" Summer laughed. "No why?" Julius looked at the payment a little hesitant. "It's not like it matters or anything, but you know he and Richard are a couple now right?" Summer laughed slightly looking at Julius. "Yeah I guessed that a few days ago. Sunshine likes him and Richard seems to like him too apparently." Julius laughed. "You kept it a secret?" Summer shook her head slightly. "It wasn't as if I never said they weren't, and besides we've just gotten over one issue lets pick and choose." Julius nodded slightly. "Yeah, it never does matter who you're dating as to how well you play football, but what people say to you can."
Julius got up off the bench smiling again at Summer. "Come on, I'm still starving and the restaurant isn't for another few blocks yet." Summer got off the bench and began walking again. It felt good not to have the slight pain while walking, let alone the burning after doing so for awhile. The night seemed to oddly warm up a little more, or Summer was simply used to the cool wind now. The prospect of food was starting to sound good to Summer. She never ate before a game, yet she burned more calories during a game of football more than anything else. Julius heard her stomach growling and the look on his face made her blush. "Gosh, for not being so hungry your stomach sure is protesting." Summer hit Julius playfully before looking at a crowd of people a block away from them. "What's going on up there?" Julius wasn't sure what the crowd was there for, but shouting soon left little doubt to him.
Summer and Julius ran up to the crowd of people only to see one smashed up car. Julius grabbed Summer before she could run paste the few police on the scene. "Julius that's Gary's car! Let me go!" Julius refused to let Summer go knowing a car wreck was no place for her. "Come on, we'll go to the hospital. I'm sure Gary is fine…that it's not as bad as it looks." Summer stopped pulling but still refused to look away from the car. "Julius it looks bad enough as it is! What happened?!" Julius shook his head there were sirens going off all over the place. He couldn't think and he started pulling Summer away from the sirens. She began to protest but he yelled to be heard over the crowd and sirens in the distance. "My car is still at the school! If you want to go to the hospital we have to go to the school!" Summer practically began to run back to Julius' car.
Julius drove to the hospital occasionally hitting his steering wheel out of frustration and worry. They almost forgot to park the car once they reached the hospital. Once they were inside the nurse directed them to the waiting room. For a hospital the waiting room was small, and currently filled with every football player on the team. Apparently the news had spread fast; Julius and Summer hadn't heard it because they were walking around. She sat down in a chair next to Richard and watched Julius pacing in the room in front of her. Summer knew that Gary's parents were there, but she knew they wouldn't welcome her there. The coaches seemed to be off in their own world too, everyone seemed to be watching their own life pass by in a single moment. A nurse walked in the room and asked for Julius by name. It seemed to shock everyone, well everyone that wasn't on the football team. Summer could on pray Julius was right by nicknaming Gary, Superman.