Author's Note: I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT FOOTBALL!!

On Friday night, game night, Nina, Sheryl and I found a spot near the front on the bleachers. For early September, the air was already bitingly cold. The three of us huddled under Nina's blanket, with my arm around Sheryl's narrow shoulders to keep her warm before the game started.

"My teeth are chattering," Nina complained. "I can't believe I'm here. I hate football."

"But you love Petey," I reminded her, using Sheryl as a shield when Nina tried to clobber me.

"Do they always do the little dance?" I asked my cousin later as the Titans came out.

She nodded. "Yeah, they got SOUL POWER."

"Of course they do. Oh my gosh!" I squawked. "Alan's adorable!"

"What number is Petey?" Nina demanded grumpily.

"Forty," Sheryl replied.

Alan got to play the first half, and I was quite pleased. They were down eight points by half time, and I had to admit that it was Sky who was doing a lot of damage. He didn't play well under pressure.

But he really came back in the second half, and that was just dandy, but Alan sat off for the last quarter.

With sixteen seconds left, we were only down on point, and I chose that moment to go get some hot chocolate. Carrying my steaming Styrofoam cup back to my seat, everyone suddenly stood up, screaming and cheering.

"What?" I yelled. "Damn!" I couldn't see what was going on, so I ran to the front, but by the time I got there, the Titans were all jumping around and yelling victoriously.

At least we won, anyway.

As they all shook hands with the other team, I watched as another coach pulled Uncle Bill off to the side to talk. I couldn't hear or see facial expressions, so I didn't know what was wrong. I saw him nod, shake the coach's hand and follow the team to the locker room.

I was still wondering about it as I waited around with Nina and Sheryl. Summer, looking cute and enthusiastic in her cheerleading uniform, came over to talk for awhile, but then left with her friends. Petey came out of the locker room, spotted us and ran over.

"Aww yea!" he exclaimed, giving us all high fives and low fives and whatnot. "Was that awesome or what?"

"Lyric wouldn't know. She decided she need some hot chocolate," Sheryl said, looking at me like I had kick a puppy.

"That's Lyric for you though. Your brother won the game just so you know, Lyric," Petey told me. "Hey, Nina? Right? We have Biology together, don't we?"

Nina broke out in a grin and I noticed she had dimples. "Yep. You play football good, Petey."

I gave her a smile, then ushered Sheryl away so they could talk and get all acquainted and stuff.

Sky came out of the locker room, red eyed, distracted looking and sniffling. Sheryl and I went over to him. She hugged him, gushing about how that was the best comeback she had ever seen, etc. He thanked her softly.

"I didn't see what happened but yay for you anyway," I told him gamely. "Who knew you did stuff good?"

"Screw you, Lyric," he snapped.

Sheryl saw her dad and dove into his arms, leaving my brother and I alone.

"What's your problem?" I demanded, offended.

"Just leave me alone, okay?" He pushed past me, but I held onto his arm.

"No, Sky, what's wrong?"

He shook my hand off his arm. "I got suspended from the team, Lyric. I'm walking home so if Coach cares, tell him I'll come home sometime."

"Um, okay, but what?" I cried. "What happened? Sky! Don't just walk away, what happened?"

"Sorry kid." He made his way through the crowd until I couldn't see him anymore.