Lois and Hal arrived at the stadium about 15 minutes before Reese's game
was due to begin. Malcolm and Francis had got there some time earlier to
make the final preparations for their plan. Now they were hidden under the
stand making last minute adjustments to their skunk bombs.
'Ok, here's the plan' said Francis in a low voice. 'You're the lookout man. From your post at the back of the stand you should be able to see everyone at the game. Get a fix on the target and then don't let them out of your sight.' Malcolm nodded.
'We'll make our move at half-time,' continued Francis. 'When they leave their seats you double back behind the stand and attack from the North, I'll move in from the South - a classic pincer movement.' Though Francis considered his time at military school to have been an unmitigated disaster, it had certainly given him a useful knowledge of battle tactics. They each took one of the skunk bombs and held it carefully in one hand.
'Let's bring it!' said Malcolm emphatically. They touched fists and then headed for their respective positions. The battle was about to commence.
Meanwhile up above them in the stand Lois and Hal were making their way to their seats, Dewey trailing alone behind them, unhappy that ha had been dragged along to the game when he could have been at home watching cartoons. Hal was attempting to explain some of the finer points of the game to Lois, who knew very little about it whatsoever.
'No Lois, when a player drops the ball it's called a fumble, but only if it happens whilst the play is in progress' he said, beginning to lose patience.
'What does that mean Hal?' Lois asked. She couldn't understand why he didn't just tell her in the simplest terms the basic rules of the game.
'It means if the player drops the ball when he's already out of bounds then it isn't a fumble, if he drops it when he's already hit the ground then it isn't a fumble, if he drops it when he's already scored a touchdown then you can bet your ass it isn't a fumble,' replied Hal.
'Ok, remind me what a fumble is again,' said Lois cheekily. Hal thought she was being serious and looked furious.
'I'm kidding, Hal' she said, smiling. 'I think I know enough to get by now. The other team wants to score a touchdown, Reese wants to stop them doing it. Simple, that's al I need to know.'
'But there's so much more to it that that Lois,' began Hal, not taking the hint. Lois sighed as they took their seats in the middle of the stand, about 8 rows from the front. It was going to be an unbearable game if Hal continued in this vein. He considered himself to be quite the expert, and he insisted on forcing his expertise on others, regardless of whether they wanted to hear it or not.
Several rows behind, unnoticed to both of them, sat Craig. As soon as he had heard from Lois earlier in the week about Reese's game, a subject she had seemingly talked non-stop about since, he knew that this was the moment he had been waiting for to finally put his plan into action. He watched them carefully, not wanting to let Hal out of his sight for a second. 'If I know Hal,' he thought, 'which I don't, then by the end of the first half he'll be so desperate for a beer that he'll give Lois the slip and try and find one. That's when I'll make my move.' He smiled to himself. It was almost worth sitting through an entire half of high school football for.
***
'This is it' thought Reese as the whistle blew and the opening kick-off soared through the air. There was a colossal roar from the crowd. 'Just stay focused, you'll be fine,' he reassured himself. As the ball sailed over his head he took a deep breath and charged at the opposing offensive line. The ball was caught by the opposing No. 41, and the mayhem began. Reese saw a wall of black shirts coming right at him like an express train as the offensive line charged. He noticed the player with the ball under his arm make a move to left so he followed, ducking under the other team's blocking. He was almost there, he let out a roar as he ran full on into the tackle, flattening the carrier to the ground. 'Have it!' he shouted defiantly as he landed on top of the other player, pinning him like prey ready to be killed.
'AND HE'S TAKEN DOWN ON THE 25-YARD LINE,' came the voice of the announcer over the loudspeaker. 'AN EXCELLENT START FOR THE WARRIORS, AND IN PARTICULAR NO. 25 THEIR NEW DEFENSIVE BACK REESE WILKERSON, PLAYING IN ONLY HIS FIRST GAME!'
'Was that Reese?' asked Lois excitedly from the stands.
'Way to go son!' Hal shouted loudly.
Reese leapt up from the ground and went into the huddle, a massive grin on his face. This was going to be fun.
'THE BOARS HAVE POSSESSION DEEP IN THEIR OWN TERRITORY. IT'S TIME FOR THAT WARRIOR DEFENSE TO GET WORKING!'
As the first half progressed the game continued to be very even. Each team scored an early touchdown and followed it up with two field goals apiece to leave the scores tied at 13-13 as half time approached. The Boars were on the offensive in the final few seconds looking for a decisive touchdown.
'IT REALLY COULDN'T BE CLOSER HERE WITH JUST 6 SECONDS ON THE CLOCK - THE BOARS HAVE 1ST AND GOAL. COME ON WARRIORS, LET'S HOLD OUT,' said the announcer hopefully, but without much conviction.
Reese readied himself for the play, surveying the positions of the offensive players, ready to make his move.
'AND THERE'S THE SNAP, THE BOARS QUARTERBACK HAS THE BALL, HE TAKES A STEP BACK. HE SEEMS UNSURE OF WHERE TO THROW IT.'
Reese quickly assessed the situation, then he charged at the quarterback with but one purpose on his mind - to bring him down in any way possible. He sidestepped one block and ran clean through another. His path now clear he ran at the opposing player like a bull at a rodeo. The clock ticked slowly down - 3... 2... 1...
'WAIT A MINUTE - HERE COMES NO. 27 WILKERSON BREAKING FROM THE BACK LINE, HE'S CLOSING IN... AND HE'S SACKED! NUMBER 27 GETS THE SACK AND WE'RE HEADING TO HALF-TIME ALL SQUARE. BOY, WHAT A PLAY!'
'Come on!' shouted Reese, fired up from his success. His team-mates crowded around him, patting him and shouting encouragement. 'Save it for afterwards,' he warned them, 'we've got a game to win!'
***
'Well that was really something' said Hal, standing up and stretching. The seats had been extremely uncomfortable to say the least. Beside him Dewey was fast asleep, entirely oblivious to the excitement. 'You know all that cheering has sure made me thirsty,' continued Hal, in a lame attempt at subtlety. 'I think I'll see if I can find somewhere I can get a diet soda or something. You want anything honey?'
'No thanks, I'm good,' replied Lois from the seat beside him, looking very suspicious. Hal made his way along the row of seats as quickly as he could before Lois had the chance to ask any follow-up questions. He headed down the steps towards the refreshments area behind the stand. As he rounded the corner he spotted what he had been hoping for - a beer stand on the far side of the grass. He walked towards it. Seeing him go Craig quickly stood up and hurried after him, running through in his mind what he was planning to say. He paused for a moment to look at Lois as he passed her row. 'Don't worry my love' he said quietly to himself, 'soon everything will be put right, and we can be together as we were always meant to be.' He exited the stadium and immediately spotted Hal on the other side of the refreshment area, queuing at the beer stand. Craig strode across the grass towards him, a look of pure determination on his face. Hal didn't see him coming.
***
Malcolm had spotted Richie, Circus and Justin immediately. After all, it was hardly like they were trying to be inconspicuous. As the whistle went for half-time he watched them leave their seats and disappear behind the stand into the refreshments area. Malcolm followed them, taking care that they didn't see him, approaching the refreshments area from the North as they had planned. He could see them standing in the middle of the grass talking in hushed whispers, obviously waiting for him and Francis to show themselves. Malcolm had the skunk bomb at the ready as he peered round the back of the stand, looking for Francis's signal to make a move. At last he spotted Francis at the South end of the area, staring like he was at the crowd of people, trying to locate their target. Their eyes met and Francis nodded to him - it was time to make their move.
The next few seconds seemed to happen in slow motion. Francis and Malcolm stepped out of the cover and closed in towards their target. Before Richie, Circus or Justin had even seen them they both threw their skunk bombs. Their aim was true, and the bombs sailed trough the air right on target - they couldn't miss. That was when things began to go wrong. Craig, so focused on Hal that he didn't even see where he was going, walked straight into the three boys, and such was his size and the speed that he was walking he knocked them all to the ground. His concentration broken he instinctively turned and bent down to help them up. That was when the first bomb struck him right in the small of his back. As he whirled around to try and ascertain the source of this sudden attack the second bomb hit him square in the back of the head, exploding in a torrent of skunk spray which engulfed him like a toxic cloud. Though Craig took the brunt of the impact the force of the bombs was such that there had been significant residual fallout on Richie, Circus and Justin, who were still on the floor and looked just as bewildered as Craig. Immediately the smell was unbearable, overpowering to such an extent that the crowd simply surged away from them like a retreating tide. They looked round anxiously to try and determine the source of the attack but they saw no one - Malcolm and Francis were already long gone. As soon as Craig had collided with the three guys they had turned and fled, anticipating what was sure to happen. They wanted to be as far away as possible. They were concealed once again in their hiding place under the stand, and from there they watched with great amusement as events unfolded.
Now that they had retreated to a safe distance people in the crowd were beginning to laugh, a cruel, mocking laugh which echoed around the enclosed area, giving it a surreal and spooky quality. Skunk sprays are hilarious things, provided they happen to someone else, and the sight of Craig and the three boys sprawled on the ground soaked in skunk spray was the ideal outlet for schadenfreude. Taking delight in other people's misfortunes is never pleasant, but some comfort can be taken from the fact that in this case it was richly deserved. So people laughed their asses off and all the while the four victims just lay there in shock, the true magnitude of what had just happened to them not yet sinking in. Eventually, and without a word to each other the four of them got slowly to their feet, turned, and ran as fast as they could away from the scene with only one thought in their minds - to wash like they had never washed before. In their hiding place Malcolm and Francis cheered and did a high five. Despite the unexpected appearance of Craig their plan had been a success, and Richie, Circus and Justin wouldn't bother them again. Hal bought his beer and returned to the stand, completely unaware of how close he had come to a confrontation with Craig, a confrontation which could easily have turned nasty. Love can make people do very stupid things, and Craig had been saved from making what could have been the biggest mistake of his life. Though they would never be thanked for it, Malcolm and Francis had done everyone involved a favour.
***
Though Reese had succeeded in firing up his team the second half proceeded very much like the first. Much end to end play and two touchdowns each later and the scores were tied at 27-27 going into the final minute of the 4th Quarter. As the seconds slipped away the Boars somehow managed to engineer a spectacular drive down the field, reaching the Warriors' 20-yard line with just 15 seconds to spare. This was the do or die moment. The teams lined up in preparation for the snap and the play that could decide the game.
'This is just too tense, I can't watch,' said Hal weakly, covering his eyes. The tension was becoming unbearable.
'Don't be such a baby Hal' replied Lois calmly. 'Honestly, what does in matter if they win or lose, the important thing is it's been a great game, and Reese kicked butt!'
'Really Lois!' said Hal indignantly.
Down on the field Reese was the epitome of concentration, coolness personified. He had played fantastically well in the second half, making numerous key tackles and holding the team together during those difficult defensive periods where they were camped in their own half. But now it all came down to one play, a few more seconds to keep them out.
'THIS IS IT THEN FOLKS, THE CRUCIAL PLAY, 3RD AND 2 AT THE WARRIORS' 20- YARD LINE. HERE COMES THE SNAP, AND THE BALL IS IN THE HANDS OF THE BOARS' QUARTERBACK. HE LOOKS LEFT, HE LOOKS RIGHT, HE SEES A RECEIVER WIDE OPEN IN THE END-ZONE. HE THROWS...'
But Reese had read the situation perfectly, anticipating where the ball was going before it was thrown. He dashed back into his own end-zone, following the ball in flight, tracking its arc through the sky. Then he leapt.
'AND IT'S INTERCEPTED. THE PASS IS INTERCEPTED BY THE DEFENSIVE BACK, AND YES, IT'S NO. 27 REESE WILKERSON AGAIN!'
Reese landed on his feet, the ball clutched tightly in his hands. He was stunned - he had actually caught the ball. 'Run!' came the urgent message from his brain. 'Run now! Run like the wind!' He ran.
'AND THERE HE GOES TAKING OFF UPFIELD,' continued the announcer, by now almost at fever pitch. 'HE EVADEDS ONE TACKLE, HE SIDESTEPS ANOTHER. THE WARRIORS BLOCKING PROTECTS HIM THROUGH THE BOARS' DEFENSIVE LINE. GO ON SON, YOU CAN DO IT!' The crowd had all leapt to their feet by this time and were cheering Reese on as one.
Reese was exhausted but still he kept on running as fast as his legs would carry him, his entire being focused on reaching the end-zone.
'HE CROSSES THE HALFWAY LINE, NOW HE'S CLEAR OF THE BOARS' BACK LINE. HE PASSES THE 30... 20... 10... TOUCHDOWN! THE WARRIORS WIN THE GAME! THE WARRIORS WIN THE GAME!'
The crowd exploded in a crescendo of whistling and cheering. Reese flung the ball to the ground and then, taking off his helmet he held his arms aloft in a gesture of triumph, saluting the fans. Seconds later his team- mates reached him and he was swamped by a sea of red shirts. It was the best feeling of his entire life - a mixture of pride, relief and joy all rolled into one.
In the stands Lois and Hal were hugging and kissing each other, tears in both their eyes. They had never before been so proud of their son. The years of mischief and the countless moments of shame and anger he had put them through were instantly forgotten, eclipsed by Reese's new found spirit and will to achieve. From their hiding place under the seats even Malcolm and Francis had seen it, and they had jumped and cheered as loudly as anyone else. They left their place under the stand and joined the rest of the crowd in their celebrations, which continued unabated.
'WELL THAT'S YOUR BALL GAME FOLKS, THE WARRIORS TAKE IT 34-27 OVER THE BOARS, AND I MUST SAY THAT IN MY 30 YEARS OF CALLING HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL I'VE SELDOM SEEN A MORE EXCITING FINISH. GOOD NIGHT TO YOU ALL AND HAVE A SAFE JOURNEY HOME.'
***
It was about 30 minutes after the game. The crowd of people in the stadium had gradually thinned, and now only a handful of fans remained, mostly the families of the players congratulating them on their win. Reese had eventually managed to tear himself away from the attention of his team- mates and his growing crowd of admirers and took a moment to himself. He stood at one end of the field and went over the nights events in his mind, replaying every pass, every tackle, every touchdown. He took a deep breath, still incredibly wired and pumped full of adrenaline. He felt like he wouldn't sleep for weeks. By now it was beginning to get dark, so Reese didn't see Malcolm approaching. Malcolm had celebrated with everyone else after the game, congratulating Reese along with Lois Hal and Francis, but now he wanted to talk to him alone. There were some issues he still needed to help his brother work out.
'Feels good, doesn't it,' he said. Reese looked up at him, slightly surprised but also pleased. He smiled.
'Having everyone proud of you, being the centre of attention,' continued Malcolm in an emotionless voice, 'I bet it feels good.'
'I guess' replied Reese cagily. There was something about Malcolm's manner that worried him slightly.
'Or maybe it feels empty, like there's still something missing. A Pyrrhic victory almost, you've sold your soul for a few screaming fans and a game ball, and you've neglected what's really important, what can really make you happy, not this ridiculous facade.' Malcolm didn't expect Reese to have any idea what he was talking about, but that wouldn't stop him making his point.
'You're just jealous' said Reese bitterly. 'Jealous that people admire me, and what do you have, a bunch of pathetic Krelboyne friends and a geeky haircut.'
'Don't let your success cloud your feelings Reese. Follow your heart, not your head. Do you even remember why you joined the team in the first place? What you were hoping to achieve? Don't tell me you've forgotten about her already.' From the look on Reese's face Malcolm knew he had gotten through to him.
'Delilah' said Reese eventually, hanging his head.
'You can't keep shutting her out forever,' Malcolm continued. 'I spoke to her just now - she told me all about what happened the other day in school. But still she came to the game to see you, after what you did to her. And here you are standing on your own thinking about what a hero you are. Shame on you.'
Reese hung his head even further. He felt ashamed to admit it but he had forgotten about Delilah. He had been so wrapped up in the preparation for the game and concentrating on his own stuff he hadn't thought about how he had left things with her. Now his feelings for her came flooding back, and he did feel empty, like a void had opened up inside him. Suddenly his heroics on the football field seemed insignificant - what was scoring a touchdown compared to being in love? The whole point of joining the football team had been to prove to her that he was no less of a man just because he'd been hit on by a gay guy. He deserved everything he got.
'Look Reese, it's not too late to do something about it,' said Malcolm encouragingly. 'Maybe she's the one, maybe she isn't, just don't spend the rest of your life wondering. I told her you'd meet her under the stand, if you go now you should still be able to catch her before she loses patience and walks out of your life.'
Reese looked at his brother. 'Malcolm I... how can I ever thank you enough?' He stepped over to him and hugged him. Malcolm looked slightly surprised, but also pleased. He smiled.
'Go!' he said. 'I'll tell Mom and Dad you went for pizza with the team or something, just go now.' Reese let go and looked at Malcolm once more. He nodded at him and then turned towards the stand. It was time for him to meet his destiny.
***
Reese made his way apprehensively back towards the stand. He was straining desperately for something to say, but the only thing he could think of was to apologise and hope that she forgave him. Once again he was greatly in Malcolm's debt, and for the second time this week his brother's support and good advice had been both timely and effective. Though they had certainly had their differences in the past Reese and Malcolm were closer now than they had ever been before, and that felt good to Reese as well. It was nice to know that he had someone he could turn to for advice or even just a friendly chat.
He entered the shadows under the seats and looked around. It was quite dark by now but he could still see the silhouette of Delilah standing at the far end, her profile visible against the starry night sky. She turned as he approached him, and her face looked tired and deflated. She didn't smile. 'Hello Reese,' she said flatly.
Reese took a deep breath. 'Here goes nothing,' he thought. 'Delilah, I know the way I've acted towards you recently was unacceptable, and I really don't deserve a second chance, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me,' he began. 'I'm sorry that I blew you off at the party, I'm sorry that I ran away from you when you tried to talk to me in school, and I'm sorry I didn't come and find you earlier to tell you this.' He took another deep breath. Delilah's face had softened, the hint of a smile creeping over her radiant features.
'And what is it you want to tell me?' she asked.
'Delilah I love you, I've always loved you ever since the second I first laid eyes on you. From that moment I knew I had to be close to you, to hold you tight and never let you go.'
Tears began streaming silently down her face as he said these beautiful words. All her anger and disappointment disappeared, replaced by a new feeling she had never experienced before. 'Oh Reese!' she flung herself into his arms and sobbed into his shoulder, tears of joy flowing from her eyes in a cathartic release. Reese cried too as he held her tightly in his arms, their souls connected as their bodies entwined in a perfect golden moment. She moved her head off his shoulder and looked at him face to face, their eyes locked together. Then they kissed, a long passionate kiss which served as a further release for all their frustration and disappointment over the previous week. Eventually Reese broke off the kiss and looked into her eyes once more.
'Delilah,' he said seriously, 'I just want you to know that whatever happens tomorrow, next week, or for the rest of my life, it doesn't matter - I'm happy now, because I love you.'
'I love you too Reese.' She replied.
***
It was late by the time Reese got home. The house was dark and silent as he approached the front door, undoubtedly everyone was already in bed, probably all exhausted after the excitement of the evening. He let himself in and headed for the kitchen to get a drink before he went to bed.
'You're home awfully late son' came the sound of Hal's voice from the living room. He had obviously fallen asleep on the sofa and been woken up by the sound of Reese coming in. He rubbed his eyes sleepily. 'Malcolm said you were going for pizza' he added.
'That's right' Reese replied, pouring himself a glass of milk from the fridge. He turned and began to walk out of the kitchen, then he stopped, looking thoughtful. 'Dad, can I ask you something?'
'Of course you can Reese, any time you like,' replied Hal, 'here why don't you come and sit down and tell me what's on your mind.'
Reese walked slowly into the living room and sat down beside Hal. The room looked eerie in the semi-darkness, the shadows forming crude shapes on the walls.
Reese thought for a moment. 'When you were younger,' he began, 'when you first met Mom, did you know right then that this was the person for you, that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with her, or did it happen over time.'
Hal considered the question for a moment. 'No I fell in love with your mother the first time I saw her. From that moment I knew that I wanted to be with her more than anyone else in the whole world.' He said. 'Of course it took time to convince her of that,' he added, chuckling slightly. Reese didn't laugh.
'Love's a strange thing, a rebellious bird which cannot be caged, as the song goes. No one can explain it, but when it happens to you, you'll know.' Hal looked at Reese as he said this, trying to read his mind and determine the reason for his questioning.
'A weird thing happened to me last week,' said Reese slowly, seemingly unsure about whether he wanted to share this or not. 'At that party I went to there was this guy, and he kind of hit on me. He said he thought I was gay as well.' Reese looked a little embarrassed as he said this.
Hal thought about this for a moment. 'Don't let it bother you,' he said eventually. 'You can't control or choose your sexuality, so don't even try. I can tell you've been thinking a lot about this. I'm sure it's no coincidence you chose this week to join the football team.' From the look on Reese's face Hal knew he had hit the jackpot.
'So your saying I should just bury it the past,' Reese said.
'No not at all. The past has an unfortunate habit of suddenly resurfacing and biting us on the ass when we least expect it - we may be through with the past, but much of the time the past isn't through with us. If this has raised issues for you then you need to address them, sort it out and then move on. That's really the best advice I can give you.' Hal was relishing the chance to open up to Reese, since Reese so seldom opened up to him. A good father-son talk would do them both good.
'Thanks Dad, I appreciate it' said Reese sincerely.
'Don't let the important things in life slip through your fingers because of some stupid misunderstanding,' said Hal, reading the situation perfectly.
Reese thought he knew what Hal meant.
THE END
'Ok, here's the plan' said Francis in a low voice. 'You're the lookout man. From your post at the back of the stand you should be able to see everyone at the game. Get a fix on the target and then don't let them out of your sight.' Malcolm nodded.
'We'll make our move at half-time,' continued Francis. 'When they leave their seats you double back behind the stand and attack from the North, I'll move in from the South - a classic pincer movement.' Though Francis considered his time at military school to have been an unmitigated disaster, it had certainly given him a useful knowledge of battle tactics. They each took one of the skunk bombs and held it carefully in one hand.
'Let's bring it!' said Malcolm emphatically. They touched fists and then headed for their respective positions. The battle was about to commence.
Meanwhile up above them in the stand Lois and Hal were making their way to their seats, Dewey trailing alone behind them, unhappy that ha had been dragged along to the game when he could have been at home watching cartoons. Hal was attempting to explain some of the finer points of the game to Lois, who knew very little about it whatsoever.
'No Lois, when a player drops the ball it's called a fumble, but only if it happens whilst the play is in progress' he said, beginning to lose patience.
'What does that mean Hal?' Lois asked. She couldn't understand why he didn't just tell her in the simplest terms the basic rules of the game.
'It means if the player drops the ball when he's already out of bounds then it isn't a fumble, if he drops it when he's already hit the ground then it isn't a fumble, if he drops it when he's already scored a touchdown then you can bet your ass it isn't a fumble,' replied Hal.
'Ok, remind me what a fumble is again,' said Lois cheekily. Hal thought she was being serious and looked furious.
'I'm kidding, Hal' she said, smiling. 'I think I know enough to get by now. The other team wants to score a touchdown, Reese wants to stop them doing it. Simple, that's al I need to know.'
'But there's so much more to it that that Lois,' began Hal, not taking the hint. Lois sighed as they took their seats in the middle of the stand, about 8 rows from the front. It was going to be an unbearable game if Hal continued in this vein. He considered himself to be quite the expert, and he insisted on forcing his expertise on others, regardless of whether they wanted to hear it or not.
Several rows behind, unnoticed to both of them, sat Craig. As soon as he had heard from Lois earlier in the week about Reese's game, a subject she had seemingly talked non-stop about since, he knew that this was the moment he had been waiting for to finally put his plan into action. He watched them carefully, not wanting to let Hal out of his sight for a second. 'If I know Hal,' he thought, 'which I don't, then by the end of the first half he'll be so desperate for a beer that he'll give Lois the slip and try and find one. That's when I'll make my move.' He smiled to himself. It was almost worth sitting through an entire half of high school football for.
***
'This is it' thought Reese as the whistle blew and the opening kick-off soared through the air. There was a colossal roar from the crowd. 'Just stay focused, you'll be fine,' he reassured himself. As the ball sailed over his head he took a deep breath and charged at the opposing offensive line. The ball was caught by the opposing No. 41, and the mayhem began. Reese saw a wall of black shirts coming right at him like an express train as the offensive line charged. He noticed the player with the ball under his arm make a move to left so he followed, ducking under the other team's blocking. He was almost there, he let out a roar as he ran full on into the tackle, flattening the carrier to the ground. 'Have it!' he shouted defiantly as he landed on top of the other player, pinning him like prey ready to be killed.
'AND HE'S TAKEN DOWN ON THE 25-YARD LINE,' came the voice of the announcer over the loudspeaker. 'AN EXCELLENT START FOR THE WARRIORS, AND IN PARTICULAR NO. 25 THEIR NEW DEFENSIVE BACK REESE WILKERSON, PLAYING IN ONLY HIS FIRST GAME!'
'Was that Reese?' asked Lois excitedly from the stands.
'Way to go son!' Hal shouted loudly.
Reese leapt up from the ground and went into the huddle, a massive grin on his face. This was going to be fun.
'THE BOARS HAVE POSSESSION DEEP IN THEIR OWN TERRITORY. IT'S TIME FOR THAT WARRIOR DEFENSE TO GET WORKING!'
As the first half progressed the game continued to be very even. Each team scored an early touchdown and followed it up with two field goals apiece to leave the scores tied at 13-13 as half time approached. The Boars were on the offensive in the final few seconds looking for a decisive touchdown.
'IT REALLY COULDN'T BE CLOSER HERE WITH JUST 6 SECONDS ON THE CLOCK - THE BOARS HAVE 1ST AND GOAL. COME ON WARRIORS, LET'S HOLD OUT,' said the announcer hopefully, but without much conviction.
Reese readied himself for the play, surveying the positions of the offensive players, ready to make his move.
'AND THERE'S THE SNAP, THE BOARS QUARTERBACK HAS THE BALL, HE TAKES A STEP BACK. HE SEEMS UNSURE OF WHERE TO THROW IT.'
Reese quickly assessed the situation, then he charged at the quarterback with but one purpose on his mind - to bring him down in any way possible. He sidestepped one block and ran clean through another. His path now clear he ran at the opposing player like a bull at a rodeo. The clock ticked slowly down - 3... 2... 1...
'WAIT A MINUTE - HERE COMES NO. 27 WILKERSON BREAKING FROM THE BACK LINE, HE'S CLOSING IN... AND HE'S SACKED! NUMBER 27 GETS THE SACK AND WE'RE HEADING TO HALF-TIME ALL SQUARE. BOY, WHAT A PLAY!'
'Come on!' shouted Reese, fired up from his success. His team-mates crowded around him, patting him and shouting encouragement. 'Save it for afterwards,' he warned them, 'we've got a game to win!'
***
'Well that was really something' said Hal, standing up and stretching. The seats had been extremely uncomfortable to say the least. Beside him Dewey was fast asleep, entirely oblivious to the excitement. 'You know all that cheering has sure made me thirsty,' continued Hal, in a lame attempt at subtlety. 'I think I'll see if I can find somewhere I can get a diet soda or something. You want anything honey?'
'No thanks, I'm good,' replied Lois from the seat beside him, looking very suspicious. Hal made his way along the row of seats as quickly as he could before Lois had the chance to ask any follow-up questions. He headed down the steps towards the refreshments area behind the stand. As he rounded the corner he spotted what he had been hoping for - a beer stand on the far side of the grass. He walked towards it. Seeing him go Craig quickly stood up and hurried after him, running through in his mind what he was planning to say. He paused for a moment to look at Lois as he passed her row. 'Don't worry my love' he said quietly to himself, 'soon everything will be put right, and we can be together as we were always meant to be.' He exited the stadium and immediately spotted Hal on the other side of the refreshment area, queuing at the beer stand. Craig strode across the grass towards him, a look of pure determination on his face. Hal didn't see him coming.
***
Malcolm had spotted Richie, Circus and Justin immediately. After all, it was hardly like they were trying to be inconspicuous. As the whistle went for half-time he watched them leave their seats and disappear behind the stand into the refreshments area. Malcolm followed them, taking care that they didn't see him, approaching the refreshments area from the North as they had planned. He could see them standing in the middle of the grass talking in hushed whispers, obviously waiting for him and Francis to show themselves. Malcolm had the skunk bomb at the ready as he peered round the back of the stand, looking for Francis's signal to make a move. At last he spotted Francis at the South end of the area, staring like he was at the crowd of people, trying to locate their target. Their eyes met and Francis nodded to him - it was time to make their move.
The next few seconds seemed to happen in slow motion. Francis and Malcolm stepped out of the cover and closed in towards their target. Before Richie, Circus or Justin had even seen them they both threw their skunk bombs. Their aim was true, and the bombs sailed trough the air right on target - they couldn't miss. That was when things began to go wrong. Craig, so focused on Hal that he didn't even see where he was going, walked straight into the three boys, and such was his size and the speed that he was walking he knocked them all to the ground. His concentration broken he instinctively turned and bent down to help them up. That was when the first bomb struck him right in the small of his back. As he whirled around to try and ascertain the source of this sudden attack the second bomb hit him square in the back of the head, exploding in a torrent of skunk spray which engulfed him like a toxic cloud. Though Craig took the brunt of the impact the force of the bombs was such that there had been significant residual fallout on Richie, Circus and Justin, who were still on the floor and looked just as bewildered as Craig. Immediately the smell was unbearable, overpowering to such an extent that the crowd simply surged away from them like a retreating tide. They looked round anxiously to try and determine the source of the attack but they saw no one - Malcolm and Francis were already long gone. As soon as Craig had collided with the three guys they had turned and fled, anticipating what was sure to happen. They wanted to be as far away as possible. They were concealed once again in their hiding place under the stand, and from there they watched with great amusement as events unfolded.
Now that they had retreated to a safe distance people in the crowd were beginning to laugh, a cruel, mocking laugh which echoed around the enclosed area, giving it a surreal and spooky quality. Skunk sprays are hilarious things, provided they happen to someone else, and the sight of Craig and the three boys sprawled on the ground soaked in skunk spray was the ideal outlet for schadenfreude. Taking delight in other people's misfortunes is never pleasant, but some comfort can be taken from the fact that in this case it was richly deserved. So people laughed their asses off and all the while the four victims just lay there in shock, the true magnitude of what had just happened to them not yet sinking in. Eventually, and without a word to each other the four of them got slowly to their feet, turned, and ran as fast as they could away from the scene with only one thought in their minds - to wash like they had never washed before. In their hiding place Malcolm and Francis cheered and did a high five. Despite the unexpected appearance of Craig their plan had been a success, and Richie, Circus and Justin wouldn't bother them again. Hal bought his beer and returned to the stand, completely unaware of how close he had come to a confrontation with Craig, a confrontation which could easily have turned nasty. Love can make people do very stupid things, and Craig had been saved from making what could have been the biggest mistake of his life. Though they would never be thanked for it, Malcolm and Francis had done everyone involved a favour.
***
Though Reese had succeeded in firing up his team the second half proceeded very much like the first. Much end to end play and two touchdowns each later and the scores were tied at 27-27 going into the final minute of the 4th Quarter. As the seconds slipped away the Boars somehow managed to engineer a spectacular drive down the field, reaching the Warriors' 20-yard line with just 15 seconds to spare. This was the do or die moment. The teams lined up in preparation for the snap and the play that could decide the game.
'This is just too tense, I can't watch,' said Hal weakly, covering his eyes. The tension was becoming unbearable.
'Don't be such a baby Hal' replied Lois calmly. 'Honestly, what does in matter if they win or lose, the important thing is it's been a great game, and Reese kicked butt!'
'Really Lois!' said Hal indignantly.
Down on the field Reese was the epitome of concentration, coolness personified. He had played fantastically well in the second half, making numerous key tackles and holding the team together during those difficult defensive periods where they were camped in their own half. But now it all came down to one play, a few more seconds to keep them out.
'THIS IS IT THEN FOLKS, THE CRUCIAL PLAY, 3RD AND 2 AT THE WARRIORS' 20- YARD LINE. HERE COMES THE SNAP, AND THE BALL IS IN THE HANDS OF THE BOARS' QUARTERBACK. HE LOOKS LEFT, HE LOOKS RIGHT, HE SEES A RECEIVER WIDE OPEN IN THE END-ZONE. HE THROWS...'
But Reese had read the situation perfectly, anticipating where the ball was going before it was thrown. He dashed back into his own end-zone, following the ball in flight, tracking its arc through the sky. Then he leapt.
'AND IT'S INTERCEPTED. THE PASS IS INTERCEPTED BY THE DEFENSIVE BACK, AND YES, IT'S NO. 27 REESE WILKERSON AGAIN!'
Reese landed on his feet, the ball clutched tightly in his hands. He was stunned - he had actually caught the ball. 'Run!' came the urgent message from his brain. 'Run now! Run like the wind!' He ran.
'AND THERE HE GOES TAKING OFF UPFIELD,' continued the announcer, by now almost at fever pitch. 'HE EVADEDS ONE TACKLE, HE SIDESTEPS ANOTHER. THE WARRIORS BLOCKING PROTECTS HIM THROUGH THE BOARS' DEFENSIVE LINE. GO ON SON, YOU CAN DO IT!' The crowd had all leapt to their feet by this time and were cheering Reese on as one.
Reese was exhausted but still he kept on running as fast as his legs would carry him, his entire being focused on reaching the end-zone.
'HE CROSSES THE HALFWAY LINE, NOW HE'S CLEAR OF THE BOARS' BACK LINE. HE PASSES THE 30... 20... 10... TOUCHDOWN! THE WARRIORS WIN THE GAME! THE WARRIORS WIN THE GAME!'
The crowd exploded in a crescendo of whistling and cheering. Reese flung the ball to the ground and then, taking off his helmet he held his arms aloft in a gesture of triumph, saluting the fans. Seconds later his team- mates reached him and he was swamped by a sea of red shirts. It was the best feeling of his entire life - a mixture of pride, relief and joy all rolled into one.
In the stands Lois and Hal were hugging and kissing each other, tears in both their eyes. They had never before been so proud of their son. The years of mischief and the countless moments of shame and anger he had put them through were instantly forgotten, eclipsed by Reese's new found spirit and will to achieve. From their hiding place under the seats even Malcolm and Francis had seen it, and they had jumped and cheered as loudly as anyone else. They left their place under the stand and joined the rest of the crowd in their celebrations, which continued unabated.
'WELL THAT'S YOUR BALL GAME FOLKS, THE WARRIORS TAKE IT 34-27 OVER THE BOARS, AND I MUST SAY THAT IN MY 30 YEARS OF CALLING HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL I'VE SELDOM SEEN A MORE EXCITING FINISH. GOOD NIGHT TO YOU ALL AND HAVE A SAFE JOURNEY HOME.'
***
It was about 30 minutes after the game. The crowd of people in the stadium had gradually thinned, and now only a handful of fans remained, mostly the families of the players congratulating them on their win. Reese had eventually managed to tear himself away from the attention of his team- mates and his growing crowd of admirers and took a moment to himself. He stood at one end of the field and went over the nights events in his mind, replaying every pass, every tackle, every touchdown. He took a deep breath, still incredibly wired and pumped full of adrenaline. He felt like he wouldn't sleep for weeks. By now it was beginning to get dark, so Reese didn't see Malcolm approaching. Malcolm had celebrated with everyone else after the game, congratulating Reese along with Lois Hal and Francis, but now he wanted to talk to him alone. There were some issues he still needed to help his brother work out.
'Feels good, doesn't it,' he said. Reese looked up at him, slightly surprised but also pleased. He smiled.
'Having everyone proud of you, being the centre of attention,' continued Malcolm in an emotionless voice, 'I bet it feels good.'
'I guess' replied Reese cagily. There was something about Malcolm's manner that worried him slightly.
'Or maybe it feels empty, like there's still something missing. A Pyrrhic victory almost, you've sold your soul for a few screaming fans and a game ball, and you've neglected what's really important, what can really make you happy, not this ridiculous facade.' Malcolm didn't expect Reese to have any idea what he was talking about, but that wouldn't stop him making his point.
'You're just jealous' said Reese bitterly. 'Jealous that people admire me, and what do you have, a bunch of pathetic Krelboyne friends and a geeky haircut.'
'Don't let your success cloud your feelings Reese. Follow your heart, not your head. Do you even remember why you joined the team in the first place? What you were hoping to achieve? Don't tell me you've forgotten about her already.' From the look on Reese's face Malcolm knew he had gotten through to him.
'Delilah' said Reese eventually, hanging his head.
'You can't keep shutting her out forever,' Malcolm continued. 'I spoke to her just now - she told me all about what happened the other day in school. But still she came to the game to see you, after what you did to her. And here you are standing on your own thinking about what a hero you are. Shame on you.'
Reese hung his head even further. He felt ashamed to admit it but he had forgotten about Delilah. He had been so wrapped up in the preparation for the game and concentrating on his own stuff he hadn't thought about how he had left things with her. Now his feelings for her came flooding back, and he did feel empty, like a void had opened up inside him. Suddenly his heroics on the football field seemed insignificant - what was scoring a touchdown compared to being in love? The whole point of joining the football team had been to prove to her that he was no less of a man just because he'd been hit on by a gay guy. He deserved everything he got.
'Look Reese, it's not too late to do something about it,' said Malcolm encouragingly. 'Maybe she's the one, maybe she isn't, just don't spend the rest of your life wondering. I told her you'd meet her under the stand, if you go now you should still be able to catch her before she loses patience and walks out of your life.'
Reese looked at his brother. 'Malcolm I... how can I ever thank you enough?' He stepped over to him and hugged him. Malcolm looked slightly surprised, but also pleased. He smiled.
'Go!' he said. 'I'll tell Mom and Dad you went for pizza with the team or something, just go now.' Reese let go and looked at Malcolm once more. He nodded at him and then turned towards the stand. It was time for him to meet his destiny.
***
Reese made his way apprehensively back towards the stand. He was straining desperately for something to say, but the only thing he could think of was to apologise and hope that she forgave him. Once again he was greatly in Malcolm's debt, and for the second time this week his brother's support and good advice had been both timely and effective. Though they had certainly had their differences in the past Reese and Malcolm were closer now than they had ever been before, and that felt good to Reese as well. It was nice to know that he had someone he could turn to for advice or even just a friendly chat.
He entered the shadows under the seats and looked around. It was quite dark by now but he could still see the silhouette of Delilah standing at the far end, her profile visible against the starry night sky. She turned as he approached him, and her face looked tired and deflated. She didn't smile. 'Hello Reese,' she said flatly.
Reese took a deep breath. 'Here goes nothing,' he thought. 'Delilah, I know the way I've acted towards you recently was unacceptable, and I really don't deserve a second chance, but I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me,' he began. 'I'm sorry that I blew you off at the party, I'm sorry that I ran away from you when you tried to talk to me in school, and I'm sorry I didn't come and find you earlier to tell you this.' He took another deep breath. Delilah's face had softened, the hint of a smile creeping over her radiant features.
'And what is it you want to tell me?' she asked.
'Delilah I love you, I've always loved you ever since the second I first laid eyes on you. From that moment I knew I had to be close to you, to hold you tight and never let you go.'
Tears began streaming silently down her face as he said these beautiful words. All her anger and disappointment disappeared, replaced by a new feeling she had never experienced before. 'Oh Reese!' she flung herself into his arms and sobbed into his shoulder, tears of joy flowing from her eyes in a cathartic release. Reese cried too as he held her tightly in his arms, their souls connected as their bodies entwined in a perfect golden moment. She moved her head off his shoulder and looked at him face to face, their eyes locked together. Then they kissed, a long passionate kiss which served as a further release for all their frustration and disappointment over the previous week. Eventually Reese broke off the kiss and looked into her eyes once more.
'Delilah,' he said seriously, 'I just want you to know that whatever happens tomorrow, next week, or for the rest of my life, it doesn't matter - I'm happy now, because I love you.'
'I love you too Reese.' She replied.
***
It was late by the time Reese got home. The house was dark and silent as he approached the front door, undoubtedly everyone was already in bed, probably all exhausted after the excitement of the evening. He let himself in and headed for the kitchen to get a drink before he went to bed.
'You're home awfully late son' came the sound of Hal's voice from the living room. He had obviously fallen asleep on the sofa and been woken up by the sound of Reese coming in. He rubbed his eyes sleepily. 'Malcolm said you were going for pizza' he added.
'That's right' Reese replied, pouring himself a glass of milk from the fridge. He turned and began to walk out of the kitchen, then he stopped, looking thoughtful. 'Dad, can I ask you something?'
'Of course you can Reese, any time you like,' replied Hal, 'here why don't you come and sit down and tell me what's on your mind.'
Reese walked slowly into the living room and sat down beside Hal. The room looked eerie in the semi-darkness, the shadows forming crude shapes on the walls.
Reese thought for a moment. 'When you were younger,' he began, 'when you first met Mom, did you know right then that this was the person for you, that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with her, or did it happen over time.'
Hal considered the question for a moment. 'No I fell in love with your mother the first time I saw her. From that moment I knew that I wanted to be with her more than anyone else in the whole world.' He said. 'Of course it took time to convince her of that,' he added, chuckling slightly. Reese didn't laugh.
'Love's a strange thing, a rebellious bird which cannot be caged, as the song goes. No one can explain it, but when it happens to you, you'll know.' Hal looked at Reese as he said this, trying to read his mind and determine the reason for his questioning.
'A weird thing happened to me last week,' said Reese slowly, seemingly unsure about whether he wanted to share this or not. 'At that party I went to there was this guy, and he kind of hit on me. He said he thought I was gay as well.' Reese looked a little embarrassed as he said this.
Hal thought about this for a moment. 'Don't let it bother you,' he said eventually. 'You can't control or choose your sexuality, so don't even try. I can tell you've been thinking a lot about this. I'm sure it's no coincidence you chose this week to join the football team.' From the look on Reese's face Hal knew he had hit the jackpot.
'So your saying I should just bury it the past,' Reese said.
'No not at all. The past has an unfortunate habit of suddenly resurfacing and biting us on the ass when we least expect it - we may be through with the past, but much of the time the past isn't through with us. If this has raised issues for you then you need to address them, sort it out and then move on. That's really the best advice I can give you.' Hal was relishing the chance to open up to Reese, since Reese so seldom opened up to him. A good father-son talk would do them both good.
'Thanks Dad, I appreciate it' said Reese sincerely.
'Don't let the important things in life slip through your fingers because of some stupid misunderstanding,' said Hal, reading the situation perfectly.
Reese thought he knew what Hal meant.
THE END