A.N. Well it took me longer than I had hoped to update. I will be quite
busy this fall so I am trying to finish this story before school starts mid
August. Expect the next chapter sometime Monday. Also, I know I have
never said this so I want to say thanks to all my readers and reviewers.
Even though it seems to be a small crowd, I am glad to see that someone is
reading it.
Chapter 10: Friday Night Fever
"You two have a nice nigh," Jo commanded as she dropped off Lizzie and Miranda in front of the high school.
"Will do Mrs. McGuire," Miranda replied as she exited the minivan. "Thanks for the ride."
"Yeah mom, thanks," Lizzie moaned as she to stepped out of the vehicle.
After making sure the two girls did not leave anything, Mrs. McGuire pulled out of the schools parking lot. "Ugh, why did you bring me here?" Lizzie asked as she watched he only means of escape disappear into the night.
Miranda grabbed Lizzie by the arm and lead her through the mass of people as she answered the question. "I brought you here because we need to do something normal, something other than sitting in your room dwelling on how bad your life is."
"I do normal things." Lizzie insisted.
"Really? When was the last time you saw a movie, or got a smoothie at the Digital Bean? And I know you have not been to the mall because you have not worn a single new outfit all semester." Miranda hated getting on to Lizzie, but this time it was for her own good, and she owed her one ever since Lizzie helped her with her eating disorder.
"Ok, but why a football game?" Lizzie questioned.
"Well everybody else is here," Miranda paused before she finished, "like Brad."
Lizzie's eyes lit up at the mere mention of Brad. Slowly the frown disappeared and grew into a smile. "Good choice."
"I thought so," Miranda replied as the two shared a rare giggle.
The two paid for their tickets and entered the high schools stadium. The area below the massive concrete structure was packed with people ranging from grade school kids up to senior citizens. Slowly the two girls pushed their way trough the crowd and found the entrance marked "STUDENT SEATING". As the pair passed under the sign, they could not help but be filled with aw as the bright lights of the stadium hit their eyesand the massive empty space in front of them seemed so distant from the dense crowd that was now pushing them up the ramp and towards the seats.
"What?" Lizzie questioned as Miranda stopped dead in her tracks.
Miranda pointed to a group of students to her right. "I guess EVERYBODY is here."
Lizzie looked to where Miranda was pointing. "David," she gasped as she ducked behind Miranda. "Quick, go before he sees us."
Just as David turned his head in their direction, the crowed rose to their feet and cheered as the football team took the field. "That was close," Lizzie said.
"What?" Miranda yelled over the crowed.
"I said that was close," Lizzie yelled back, straining her voice to be heard over the deafening roar. "Now let's go find our seats."
The two slowly maid their way up the stands. Kate and Ethan had already arrived and said that they would save two seats for the girls. Unfortunately both Lizzie and Miranda were short and seeing anybody while the crowed was standing was nearly impossible.
"Are they ever going to sit down?" Lizzie asked after a few minutes of standing in the isle.
A moment later the cheers from the crowd did begin to lessen. "About time," Miranda responded.
Before anybody had a chance to sit down the marching band began playing and the crowed began clapping along with the music. Knowing that she could not get a lucky break twice in a row, Lizzie rolled here eyes and moved farther up the stadium. As she made her way to took for Kate, the crowd started singing the fight song.
Hillridge Norsemen hats off to thee,
to our colors true we will ever be,
firm and strong united are we,
rah, rah, rah, rah,
rah, rah, rah, rah,
hats off to Hillridge high.
After three rounds, the band ceased playing and the crowd slowly took their seats.
"Lizzie, Miranda, over here," the two heard a voice call. They both looked over to see Kate and Ethan sitting about three rows up.
"What took you two so long, Boys?" Kate asked as Lizzie and Miranda squeezed their way down the row.
"Yeah, about five hundred of them blocking the entrance," Lizzie replied, her tone was cold and bitter. Miranda took the empty seat next to Ethan, and Lizzie sat next to her. Although she was actually in the middle of the row, she could not move any farther, as there was a railing next to her. "What's this for, to keep us kids from escaping?"
Kate, resorting to her snobby know it all attitude, explained the railing. "That separates the reserved section from the general admission."
"Oh," Lizzie replied feeling about as big as the popcorn laying at her feet. Slowly her eyes moved around the crowd, trying to keep her mind occupied. She had never noticed how large it was before. It ran the entire length of the field and she had counted 25 rows, with at least another five behind her. It amazed her that this many people would show up just to see some guys run around and grab flags from other guys belts. Sure it was fun to play, but it could not be this much fun to watch.
As Lizzie pondered her thoughts, here eyes moved out onto the field. "Look there's Brad." Her finger pointed to help Miranda find him.
"Oh and there's Larry," Miranda responded.
Both Lizzie and Kate leaned forward and stared at Miranda. "Larry?" they questioned in unison.
Miranda's cheeks became red from embarrassment. "Yeah," she began explaining, "he is my tutor." The questioning look on Lizzie's face told Miranda that she was not buying the story. "Oh come on Lizzie," Miranda started in defense, but her mood quickly turned to sadness as she continued, "it's nice to have a guy friend."
"I wouldn't know," Lizzie whispered. She was hurt by her best friends comment, and it obviously showed in her tone, as Miranda quickly put an arm around her to comfort her.
"Excuse me, coming through."
Lizzie looked up to find Ronny Jacobs sitting down on the other side of the railing. "What are you doing here," she demanded.
Ronny gave Lizzie a puzzled look as he pondered her question. "Um, this is my seat," he finally said.
"Yo dude, waz up?" Ethan yelled accost Lizzie and Miranda. "I thought you weren't coming to the game."
"I wasn't," Ronny yelled back as he took his seat, "the regular football reporter got sick, so I go the call."
"Then why aren't you in the press box?" Lizzie asked Ronnie, obviously annoyed by his prescience.
"I didn't have time to get the pass," he explained. "I am just happy to get here before the kickoff."
Just as Ronny finished his sentence, the ball was sent skyward, thus starting the game. As the ball rose, so did the crowd. Standing a cheering loudly, not even Lizzie could not feel the energy of five thousand screaming fans. Unable to see the field, Lizzie quickly stood on here seat. Now able to see, Lizzie spotted the ball just before it fell into the arms of Hillridge High player #7. "Brad's got the ball, Brad's got the ball," Lizzie squealed to Miranda, who was also standing on her seat. Brad gracefully maneuvered past the oncoming players, and dodged five of them before being pounded to the grown.
"Hey you cant hit him like that," Lizzie yelled. "That's a one line penalty." "Yeah," Miranda replied, trying to sound as if she knew what her best friend was saying. A few people in front of them turned around and gave both the girls questioning looks before returning their attention to the game.
"You've never watched a football game before?" Ronnie asked while scribbling note on his notepad.
The crowd had calmed and stared to sit down. Following suit, Lizzie did the sam as she responded. "I've never watched one, but I played a couple of games with Ethan last fall."
Ronnie's mouth fell wide open in shock. "Ethan," he screamed after a few seconds, "Lizzie is the monster that I keep hearing about?"
"Na dude," Ethan shouted back. "She is just the monster when she is on the field." The answer managed to confuse everyone and strengthened their beliefs that Ethan had the I.Q. of a snail.
"Yes, I am the monster," Lizzie proudly stated. The thoughts of intercepting a pass, or running down a running back quickly flowed to the front of her mind, elevating her spirits even more.
The home team snapped the ball. Greg, the quarterback, took a few steps back and threw the ball. About five yards away, a receiver stood wide open, but missed the easy catch. "Why do we throw to that guy?" Ronnie asked against the sighs of the home crowd.
"Well Lizzie, there are a few things you need to know then," Ronnie said after making notes of the last play. "First off, this is tackle football. The players are not trying to grab a flag, they are trying to force the player to the ground."
"Oh," Lizzie replied, feeling embarrassed.
The second play of the game started. The play was another short pass, but this time the receiver caught the ball and gained seven yards. "Yeah, way to go Ken," Lizzie heard a familiar voice from below her yell.
"Third down and three," the announcer reported. Lizzie was again confused. "We have three more lines to go?" she asked her new football tutor.
"No," Ronnie replied, "that's something else that is different. In flag football, the lines are ten yards apart right?" Lizzie nodded her head although she was not exactly sure how far apart the lines were, but it sounded right. "And you have four chances to get across the next line regardless of wether you are one foot from that line or nine feet from it, right?" Again Lizzie nodded. "Here they have these two guys with bright orange poles on the sidelines. Those poles are connected with a ten yard long chain. They place one where the ball starts at, and then you have four tries to get the ball passed the other. So the announcer just told us that we have three more yards before we pass the second pole, and this will be our third attempt."
Before Lizzie could reply, the ball was snapped for the third time. The quarterback handed the ball to Brad. "Brad's got the ball, GO BRAD GO!" Lizzie yelled.
"Dude, he's their best running back, he's going to get the ball a lot," Ethan yelled over the crowd. Slowly the cries of the crowd became bigger as Brad evaded a series of tackles. As he began running down the field the crowd rose to their feet. "40... 35... 30...," Lizzie could here people around her yelling, "15... 10... 5... TOUCHDOWN!" The crowd erupted in cheers, as the band once again played the schools fight song.
"AAAAAAHHHHH" Lizzie and Miranda screamed, piercing the eardrums of everyone within five feet. As the two jumped up and down, Miranda was screaming not only for the touchdown, but for her best friend. It had been a very long time since she had seen Lizzie this happy, and it was at that moment Miranda decided to put aside her feelings for Brad. "Anybody that can make Lizzie this happy," she thought, "can't be all bad."
The cheers from the everybody in the crowd continued as the kicker kicked the ball through the goal and added another point to the scoreboard, save one. "I can do a better back handspring in my sleep." Kate stood solid as a statue with her arms crossed evaluating the cheer squad she failed to earn a spot on earlier that year.
"DUDE," Ethan scolded, "when are you going to stop staring at the cheerleaders and watch the game like everyone else?"
"Stop calling me dude," Kate demanded. "I am not going to stop until those two bit losers figure out that I am better than half of the girls on the squad and give me my spot on the team."
Lizzie and Miranda watched the two argue as if it was a soap opera. Their relationship was classic high school pairings. They were together not because they belong together, it was because he was cute and a jock, and she was hot and a cheerleader.
Soon the two girls attention was drawn away from their friends and back towards the field. Lizzie cheered loudly every time Brad handled the ball, and cringed every time a "stupid jerk" tackled him. All the while Ronnie explained everything that was happening.
The first quarter ended with Hillridge High down 17 to 14, but a great punt return run by Brad quickly put the Norsemen up 21 to 17 early in the second. The second quarter continued like the first, each team fought heard for every yard, and the lead changed hands a few more times before the end of the half. "And that concludes the first half," the announcer stated as the teams left the field, "Hillridge Norsemen 34, Jenks Tigers 30."
"Ladies and Gentlemen," the announcer said a few minutes later, "now entering the field, ten time state champions, your Hillridge Regiment." Some people in the crowd gave standing ovations, while some could care less about the halftime show. On the field, a army of green clad band members walked perfectly in step onto the field, and soon came to rest. "Drum majors is your band ready?" the announcer asked. Lizzie recognized Eric standing between two girl, all three wearing black uniforms. The three made some elaborate choreographed gestures ending in a salute to the press box. "Hillridge Regiment, you may now take the field for exhibition performance."
Eric stood on a high pedestal in front of the band and counted aloud. Following his lead the band began softly playing selections from the Spider-Man soundtrack and marching in time. Lizzie turned to Miranda, "I wonder where Dave and the other guys from trig are?"
"How can you tell who is who?" Miranda asked. "Their has to be at least two hundred people down there."
The band became louder, and their marching quickened. Soon, Lizzie noticed a group of eight players who where wearing rather strange instruments. The tubes wrapped over the players left shoulder and around their chest like a sash before fanning out into a large bell above their heads. The music from the band became even more louder as they reached the end of the first piece. As they did so the strange looking instruments were on the front sidelines, and Lizzie could see that they were struggling with their instruments after the band played the last note. One by one, they turned their tubas over so that the bell was by their side and for the first time their faces could be seen.
"What's up the tubas," Ronnie asked to nobody in particular, "they are usually so perfect?"
"Tubas," Lizzie gasped, "that is what Dave plays." Finally able to narrow her search, Lizzie scanned the bewildered faces in front of her. "There he is," she told Miranda pointing out the tuba third from the left.
"Yep that's him," Miranda rolled her eyes as she replied. Miranda quickly sat up as she realized there was something wrong with Dave. "What's that on his face?"
Lizzie had just noticed it to. Where Dave's lips were was a shiny silver object that looked like a beak. "They all have them," she replied, but before she could do more than scan the eight boys, they turned around as the band started their next song. "That's weird."
"It's just the tubas." Ronnie explained. "They always are doing strange things." The explanation eased Lizzie's mind but Miranda really did not take interest in the subject.
"I am going to the concession stand, you girls want anything?" Both girls nodded at Ronnie and gave him their order. After taking their money, Ronnie headed for the concessions.
"You two seem to be getting along alright," Miranda pointed out.
"Yeah he's nice," Lizzie dazedly replied. Lizzie's eyes remained fixed on Dave, watching him march in step and play his music. She recognized the first song as being from the opening credits, but the second one she did not know. It was slower than the first, and it felt to Lizzie like it was a love song. She could just imagine it playing every time Peter Parker looked at M. J. always wanting to tell her the truth, but never being able to do so, a feeling she new all to well.
Miranda sat quietly as she stared at Lizzie and tried to figure out what was going on in her head. Her best fried seemed so caught up in the music that she did not dare disturb her, but something else did. Without breaking from her daze, Lizzie's eyed turned away from the field and towards a group os students leaving the stands. Miranda looked at the group and noticed that David was in the middle of it. They had come and gone many times during the first half, but this was the first time that either of the girls actually payed them any attention. Looking back at Lizzie, Miranda noticed the look on her face, a look that she had seen many times back in junior high. Lizzie's eyes were huge, and she was bitting her lower lip. It was a look of wanting, and Miranda new the desire of her friend.
Lizzie broke the bite of her lower lip, and allowed her tongue to slip ever so slightly out of her mouth. Slowly she licked her top lip before her tongue reentered her mouth.
BANG, the two girls jumped as the drummers began beating their drums wildly. The shock quickly pulled Lizzie out of her daze. "What was that?" Miranda asked.
"What was what," Lizzie barked back, her lips returning to a frown. Miranda new better than to push a conversation when Lizzie was like this, so she quickly dropped the subject.
The drums had announced the beginning of the band's third song. This one, like the first, was extremely fast pace and powerful, but unlike the first, it did not sound like it was an introduction, but more like a fight, a battle. It seemed that being unable to escape her fathers love of classical music this summer had rubbed off on her. As the song grew to a climax, Lizzie felt her heart pumping faster, and her blood boiling. At this moment she felt like she could take on anyone.
Feeling uneasy, Lizzie closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. As she took a couple of deep breaths, she started hearing the chant of "tubas, tubas" from around her. Slowly the chant grew amongst the students. Unable to take anymore, Lizzie opened her eyes. While the rest of the band marched off lined up as if they were in a parade, the tubas were marching single file. Instead of heading strait for the exit, like everyone else, they were wondering around the field refusing to leave. A couple of times they headed for the exit, but turned around at the last minute. This caused the cheers from the crowd to grow even larger.
"Ronnie was right," Miranda giggled. "Those tubas DO do strange things." A few minutes later the tubas reluctantly vacated the field under order of the football coach.
Lizzie sat quietly in the stands, unable to laugh with her best friend at the situation below. The happy Lizzie had once again faded, and was locked deep inside her. For the rest of the night, Lizzie sat silently, only speaking occasionally to Miranda or to ask Ronnie a question about the game. She cheered when Brad scored another touchdown, and nearly threw a fit when he got injured late in the third quarter.
As the game wore on, Miranda started to give up on Lizzie's attitude picking back up. She had been doing so well earlier, laughing, screaming, jumping up and down, but now it was back to good old "I hate the word" Lizzie. Late in the fourth quarter Miranda finally gave up. "You ready to go?"
Lizzie looked at the scoreboard. Hillridge was now way ahead 55 to 30. Realizing that they had won, and that Brad would not be playing anymore she agreed to go. "Let me call my mom," she replied.
With Lizzie's mom on the way to pick them up, the girls said goodby to Kate, Ethan, and Ronnie before made their way down the steep steps of the stadium. Just a few steps away from the bottom, Lizzie heard her name being called behind her. She turned around to see David standing on his seat.
"Hey Lizzie," he yelled at her, "be careful the steps are steep. We wouldn't want you to fall all the way down." David started shanking his body, and leaning over as though he was about to fall down. He even pretended to fall off his seat, but landed safely on the concrete floor below. All around him his friends laughed an pointed at the little blond who stood furiously wanting to crush him. "Hey everybody," he yelled to the crowd, "clear the isle. Lizzie might fall on you." Lizzie just stared back at her former best friend, the entire time she tried to fight of a tear.
"Come on, lets go," Lizzie heard Miranda tell her above the crowds laughter. The two finished their trip down the stairs without even a hint of falling. Once under the stadium, and out of David's sight, Miranda turned to Lizzie, "You alright?"
"Yeah"
"I am going to go find Larry and tell him we are leaving early. Why don't you go wait for your mom outside, I will meet you their in a few." Lizzie nodded, and Miranda turned to head back into the stands.
Lizzie slowly headed for the exit, but noticed a group of band members standing outside the stadiums first-aid station. "Hey Dave," she called as she approached, "that was a great performance. How come the tubas never came back out?"
Dave never answered, but as soon as Lizzie finished her question she noticed something was wrong. The skin around his lips were red and covered with small cuts and he had the worst case of chapped lips she had ever seen. It was not just him but the three other boys all had it to. "Oh my gosh," she gasped, "what happened?"
A the other end of the stadium, Miranda was trying to cope with the bad news she had just heard. Just when she was willing to give Brad a try, Larry pulled her back into reality. He had juts told her that Brad was planning on embarrassing Lizzie sometime next week. As she rounded the bleachers she was trying to figure out how break the new to Lizzie, but instead found herself directly in the path of David and his crew. Normally she Miranda would stand her ground, and cheerfully exchange insults, but seeing that she was already furious with David, and knowing his plan, she decided to just lay low and step aside.
David, being the newest member of the group, was positioned on the end of the mob and passed just feet from his former best friend. "Hey Miranda, what's going on?" he cheerfully asked as he passed. It was not until he had taken a few more steps that he realized what he had just said and his face went stone cold.
"Excuse me," Miranda yelled as she bolted for David. Grabbing his arm, she flung him around to face her. Miranda had lost all self control she had and unleashed every ounce of hatred she had on David. "How can you even think of talking to me like that after everything you have done?" Letting her emotions take over, Miranda reached back and flung her arm forward with all her strength. Her open hand hit David's cheek with a loud SLAP.
Wasting all her energy on the slap, Miranda waited for David to say something and giver her another reason to go off on him. She stared at him, daring him to join the fight, but he never did. The group stepped back, none of them wanting to get involved with the fight, it was going to be between David and Miranda, but it never came.
David whipped the corner of his mouth with his thumb, and then took a long look at the small drop of blood on it. "Lets go," he said before turning around.
"But dude she just....." one of the guys said, but was cut off.
"I said lets go!" David ordered. He then continued on his original path, the rest of the group followed behind.
A.N. I hope this chapter wasn't to bad. I have had a really heard time typing it up, because I get really bad football withdrawal every time I try to work on it. Well please review while I feed my addiction and watch a game from last year.
Chapter 10: Friday Night Fever
"You two have a nice nigh," Jo commanded as she dropped off Lizzie and Miranda in front of the high school.
"Will do Mrs. McGuire," Miranda replied as she exited the minivan. "Thanks for the ride."
"Yeah mom, thanks," Lizzie moaned as she to stepped out of the vehicle.
After making sure the two girls did not leave anything, Mrs. McGuire pulled out of the schools parking lot. "Ugh, why did you bring me here?" Lizzie asked as she watched he only means of escape disappear into the night.
Miranda grabbed Lizzie by the arm and lead her through the mass of people as she answered the question. "I brought you here because we need to do something normal, something other than sitting in your room dwelling on how bad your life is."
"I do normal things." Lizzie insisted.
"Really? When was the last time you saw a movie, or got a smoothie at the Digital Bean? And I know you have not been to the mall because you have not worn a single new outfit all semester." Miranda hated getting on to Lizzie, but this time it was for her own good, and she owed her one ever since Lizzie helped her with her eating disorder.
"Ok, but why a football game?" Lizzie questioned.
"Well everybody else is here," Miranda paused before she finished, "like Brad."
Lizzie's eyes lit up at the mere mention of Brad. Slowly the frown disappeared and grew into a smile. "Good choice."
"I thought so," Miranda replied as the two shared a rare giggle.
The two paid for their tickets and entered the high schools stadium. The area below the massive concrete structure was packed with people ranging from grade school kids up to senior citizens. Slowly the two girls pushed their way trough the crowd and found the entrance marked "STUDENT SEATING". As the pair passed under the sign, they could not help but be filled with aw as the bright lights of the stadium hit their eyesand the massive empty space in front of them seemed so distant from the dense crowd that was now pushing them up the ramp and towards the seats.
"What?" Lizzie questioned as Miranda stopped dead in her tracks.
Miranda pointed to a group of students to her right. "I guess EVERYBODY is here."
Lizzie looked to where Miranda was pointing. "David," she gasped as she ducked behind Miranda. "Quick, go before he sees us."
Just as David turned his head in their direction, the crowed rose to their feet and cheered as the football team took the field. "That was close," Lizzie said.
"What?" Miranda yelled over the crowed.
"I said that was close," Lizzie yelled back, straining her voice to be heard over the deafening roar. "Now let's go find our seats."
The two slowly maid their way up the stands. Kate and Ethan had already arrived and said that they would save two seats for the girls. Unfortunately both Lizzie and Miranda were short and seeing anybody while the crowed was standing was nearly impossible.
"Are they ever going to sit down?" Lizzie asked after a few minutes of standing in the isle.
A moment later the cheers from the crowd did begin to lessen. "About time," Miranda responded.
Before anybody had a chance to sit down the marching band began playing and the crowed began clapping along with the music. Knowing that she could not get a lucky break twice in a row, Lizzie rolled here eyes and moved farther up the stadium. As she made her way to took for Kate, the crowd started singing the fight song.
Hillridge Norsemen hats off to thee,
to our colors true we will ever be,
firm and strong united are we,
rah, rah, rah, rah,
rah, rah, rah, rah,
hats off to Hillridge high.
After three rounds, the band ceased playing and the crowd slowly took their seats.
"Lizzie, Miranda, over here," the two heard a voice call. They both looked over to see Kate and Ethan sitting about three rows up.
"What took you two so long, Boys?" Kate asked as Lizzie and Miranda squeezed their way down the row.
"Yeah, about five hundred of them blocking the entrance," Lizzie replied, her tone was cold and bitter. Miranda took the empty seat next to Ethan, and Lizzie sat next to her. Although she was actually in the middle of the row, she could not move any farther, as there was a railing next to her. "What's this for, to keep us kids from escaping?"
Kate, resorting to her snobby know it all attitude, explained the railing. "That separates the reserved section from the general admission."
"Oh," Lizzie replied feeling about as big as the popcorn laying at her feet. Slowly her eyes moved around the crowd, trying to keep her mind occupied. She had never noticed how large it was before. It ran the entire length of the field and she had counted 25 rows, with at least another five behind her. It amazed her that this many people would show up just to see some guys run around and grab flags from other guys belts. Sure it was fun to play, but it could not be this much fun to watch.
As Lizzie pondered her thoughts, here eyes moved out onto the field. "Look there's Brad." Her finger pointed to help Miranda find him.
"Oh and there's Larry," Miranda responded.
Both Lizzie and Kate leaned forward and stared at Miranda. "Larry?" they questioned in unison.
Miranda's cheeks became red from embarrassment. "Yeah," she began explaining, "he is my tutor." The questioning look on Lizzie's face told Miranda that she was not buying the story. "Oh come on Lizzie," Miranda started in defense, but her mood quickly turned to sadness as she continued, "it's nice to have a guy friend."
"I wouldn't know," Lizzie whispered. She was hurt by her best friends comment, and it obviously showed in her tone, as Miranda quickly put an arm around her to comfort her.
"Excuse me, coming through."
Lizzie looked up to find Ronny Jacobs sitting down on the other side of the railing. "What are you doing here," she demanded.
Ronny gave Lizzie a puzzled look as he pondered her question. "Um, this is my seat," he finally said.
"Yo dude, waz up?" Ethan yelled accost Lizzie and Miranda. "I thought you weren't coming to the game."
"I wasn't," Ronny yelled back as he took his seat, "the regular football reporter got sick, so I go the call."
"Then why aren't you in the press box?" Lizzie asked Ronnie, obviously annoyed by his prescience.
"I didn't have time to get the pass," he explained. "I am just happy to get here before the kickoff."
Just as Ronny finished his sentence, the ball was sent skyward, thus starting the game. As the ball rose, so did the crowd. Standing a cheering loudly, not even Lizzie could not feel the energy of five thousand screaming fans. Unable to see the field, Lizzie quickly stood on here seat. Now able to see, Lizzie spotted the ball just before it fell into the arms of Hillridge High player #7. "Brad's got the ball, Brad's got the ball," Lizzie squealed to Miranda, who was also standing on her seat. Brad gracefully maneuvered past the oncoming players, and dodged five of them before being pounded to the grown.
"Hey you cant hit him like that," Lizzie yelled. "That's a one line penalty." "Yeah," Miranda replied, trying to sound as if she knew what her best friend was saying. A few people in front of them turned around and gave both the girls questioning looks before returning their attention to the game.
"You've never watched a football game before?" Ronnie asked while scribbling note on his notepad.
The crowd had calmed and stared to sit down. Following suit, Lizzie did the sam as she responded. "I've never watched one, but I played a couple of games with Ethan last fall."
Ronnie's mouth fell wide open in shock. "Ethan," he screamed after a few seconds, "Lizzie is the monster that I keep hearing about?"
"Na dude," Ethan shouted back. "She is just the monster when she is on the field." The answer managed to confuse everyone and strengthened their beliefs that Ethan had the I.Q. of a snail.
"Yes, I am the monster," Lizzie proudly stated. The thoughts of intercepting a pass, or running down a running back quickly flowed to the front of her mind, elevating her spirits even more.
The home team snapped the ball. Greg, the quarterback, took a few steps back and threw the ball. About five yards away, a receiver stood wide open, but missed the easy catch. "Why do we throw to that guy?" Ronnie asked against the sighs of the home crowd.
"Well Lizzie, there are a few things you need to know then," Ronnie said after making notes of the last play. "First off, this is tackle football. The players are not trying to grab a flag, they are trying to force the player to the ground."
"Oh," Lizzie replied, feeling embarrassed.
The second play of the game started. The play was another short pass, but this time the receiver caught the ball and gained seven yards. "Yeah, way to go Ken," Lizzie heard a familiar voice from below her yell.
"Third down and three," the announcer reported. Lizzie was again confused. "We have three more lines to go?" she asked her new football tutor.
"No," Ronnie replied, "that's something else that is different. In flag football, the lines are ten yards apart right?" Lizzie nodded her head although she was not exactly sure how far apart the lines were, but it sounded right. "And you have four chances to get across the next line regardless of wether you are one foot from that line or nine feet from it, right?" Again Lizzie nodded. "Here they have these two guys with bright orange poles on the sidelines. Those poles are connected with a ten yard long chain. They place one where the ball starts at, and then you have four tries to get the ball passed the other. So the announcer just told us that we have three more yards before we pass the second pole, and this will be our third attempt."
Before Lizzie could reply, the ball was snapped for the third time. The quarterback handed the ball to Brad. "Brad's got the ball, GO BRAD GO!" Lizzie yelled.
"Dude, he's their best running back, he's going to get the ball a lot," Ethan yelled over the crowd. Slowly the cries of the crowd became bigger as Brad evaded a series of tackles. As he began running down the field the crowd rose to their feet. "40... 35... 30...," Lizzie could here people around her yelling, "15... 10... 5... TOUCHDOWN!" The crowd erupted in cheers, as the band once again played the schools fight song.
"AAAAAAHHHHH" Lizzie and Miranda screamed, piercing the eardrums of everyone within five feet. As the two jumped up and down, Miranda was screaming not only for the touchdown, but for her best friend. It had been a very long time since she had seen Lizzie this happy, and it was at that moment Miranda decided to put aside her feelings for Brad. "Anybody that can make Lizzie this happy," she thought, "can't be all bad."
The cheers from the everybody in the crowd continued as the kicker kicked the ball through the goal and added another point to the scoreboard, save one. "I can do a better back handspring in my sleep." Kate stood solid as a statue with her arms crossed evaluating the cheer squad she failed to earn a spot on earlier that year.
"DUDE," Ethan scolded, "when are you going to stop staring at the cheerleaders and watch the game like everyone else?"
"Stop calling me dude," Kate demanded. "I am not going to stop until those two bit losers figure out that I am better than half of the girls on the squad and give me my spot on the team."
Lizzie and Miranda watched the two argue as if it was a soap opera. Their relationship was classic high school pairings. They were together not because they belong together, it was because he was cute and a jock, and she was hot and a cheerleader.
Soon the two girls attention was drawn away from their friends and back towards the field. Lizzie cheered loudly every time Brad handled the ball, and cringed every time a "stupid jerk" tackled him. All the while Ronnie explained everything that was happening.
The first quarter ended with Hillridge High down 17 to 14, but a great punt return run by Brad quickly put the Norsemen up 21 to 17 early in the second. The second quarter continued like the first, each team fought heard for every yard, and the lead changed hands a few more times before the end of the half. "And that concludes the first half," the announcer stated as the teams left the field, "Hillridge Norsemen 34, Jenks Tigers 30."
"Ladies and Gentlemen," the announcer said a few minutes later, "now entering the field, ten time state champions, your Hillridge Regiment." Some people in the crowd gave standing ovations, while some could care less about the halftime show. On the field, a army of green clad band members walked perfectly in step onto the field, and soon came to rest. "Drum majors is your band ready?" the announcer asked. Lizzie recognized Eric standing between two girl, all three wearing black uniforms. The three made some elaborate choreographed gestures ending in a salute to the press box. "Hillridge Regiment, you may now take the field for exhibition performance."
Eric stood on a high pedestal in front of the band and counted aloud. Following his lead the band began softly playing selections from the Spider-Man soundtrack and marching in time. Lizzie turned to Miranda, "I wonder where Dave and the other guys from trig are?"
"How can you tell who is who?" Miranda asked. "Their has to be at least two hundred people down there."
The band became louder, and their marching quickened. Soon, Lizzie noticed a group of eight players who where wearing rather strange instruments. The tubes wrapped over the players left shoulder and around their chest like a sash before fanning out into a large bell above their heads. The music from the band became even more louder as they reached the end of the first piece. As they did so the strange looking instruments were on the front sidelines, and Lizzie could see that they were struggling with their instruments after the band played the last note. One by one, they turned their tubas over so that the bell was by their side and for the first time their faces could be seen.
"What's up the tubas," Ronnie asked to nobody in particular, "they are usually so perfect?"
"Tubas," Lizzie gasped, "that is what Dave plays." Finally able to narrow her search, Lizzie scanned the bewildered faces in front of her. "There he is," she told Miranda pointing out the tuba third from the left.
"Yep that's him," Miranda rolled her eyes as she replied. Miranda quickly sat up as she realized there was something wrong with Dave. "What's that on his face?"
Lizzie had just noticed it to. Where Dave's lips were was a shiny silver object that looked like a beak. "They all have them," she replied, but before she could do more than scan the eight boys, they turned around as the band started their next song. "That's weird."
"It's just the tubas." Ronnie explained. "They always are doing strange things." The explanation eased Lizzie's mind but Miranda really did not take interest in the subject.
"I am going to the concession stand, you girls want anything?" Both girls nodded at Ronnie and gave him their order. After taking their money, Ronnie headed for the concessions.
"You two seem to be getting along alright," Miranda pointed out.
"Yeah he's nice," Lizzie dazedly replied. Lizzie's eyes remained fixed on Dave, watching him march in step and play his music. She recognized the first song as being from the opening credits, but the second one she did not know. It was slower than the first, and it felt to Lizzie like it was a love song. She could just imagine it playing every time Peter Parker looked at M. J. always wanting to tell her the truth, but never being able to do so, a feeling she new all to well.
Miranda sat quietly as she stared at Lizzie and tried to figure out what was going on in her head. Her best fried seemed so caught up in the music that she did not dare disturb her, but something else did. Without breaking from her daze, Lizzie's eyed turned away from the field and towards a group os students leaving the stands. Miranda looked at the group and noticed that David was in the middle of it. They had come and gone many times during the first half, but this was the first time that either of the girls actually payed them any attention. Looking back at Lizzie, Miranda noticed the look on her face, a look that she had seen many times back in junior high. Lizzie's eyes were huge, and she was bitting her lower lip. It was a look of wanting, and Miranda new the desire of her friend.
Lizzie broke the bite of her lower lip, and allowed her tongue to slip ever so slightly out of her mouth. Slowly she licked her top lip before her tongue reentered her mouth.
BANG, the two girls jumped as the drummers began beating their drums wildly. The shock quickly pulled Lizzie out of her daze. "What was that?" Miranda asked.
"What was what," Lizzie barked back, her lips returning to a frown. Miranda new better than to push a conversation when Lizzie was like this, so she quickly dropped the subject.
The drums had announced the beginning of the band's third song. This one, like the first, was extremely fast pace and powerful, but unlike the first, it did not sound like it was an introduction, but more like a fight, a battle. It seemed that being unable to escape her fathers love of classical music this summer had rubbed off on her. As the song grew to a climax, Lizzie felt her heart pumping faster, and her blood boiling. At this moment she felt like she could take on anyone.
Feeling uneasy, Lizzie closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. As she took a couple of deep breaths, she started hearing the chant of "tubas, tubas" from around her. Slowly the chant grew amongst the students. Unable to take anymore, Lizzie opened her eyes. While the rest of the band marched off lined up as if they were in a parade, the tubas were marching single file. Instead of heading strait for the exit, like everyone else, they were wondering around the field refusing to leave. A couple of times they headed for the exit, but turned around at the last minute. This caused the cheers from the crowd to grow even larger.
"Ronnie was right," Miranda giggled. "Those tubas DO do strange things." A few minutes later the tubas reluctantly vacated the field under order of the football coach.
Lizzie sat quietly in the stands, unable to laugh with her best friend at the situation below. The happy Lizzie had once again faded, and was locked deep inside her. For the rest of the night, Lizzie sat silently, only speaking occasionally to Miranda or to ask Ronnie a question about the game. She cheered when Brad scored another touchdown, and nearly threw a fit when he got injured late in the third quarter.
As the game wore on, Miranda started to give up on Lizzie's attitude picking back up. She had been doing so well earlier, laughing, screaming, jumping up and down, but now it was back to good old "I hate the word" Lizzie. Late in the fourth quarter Miranda finally gave up. "You ready to go?"
Lizzie looked at the scoreboard. Hillridge was now way ahead 55 to 30. Realizing that they had won, and that Brad would not be playing anymore she agreed to go. "Let me call my mom," she replied.
With Lizzie's mom on the way to pick them up, the girls said goodby to Kate, Ethan, and Ronnie before made their way down the steep steps of the stadium. Just a few steps away from the bottom, Lizzie heard her name being called behind her. She turned around to see David standing on his seat.
"Hey Lizzie," he yelled at her, "be careful the steps are steep. We wouldn't want you to fall all the way down." David started shanking his body, and leaning over as though he was about to fall down. He even pretended to fall off his seat, but landed safely on the concrete floor below. All around him his friends laughed an pointed at the little blond who stood furiously wanting to crush him. "Hey everybody," he yelled to the crowd, "clear the isle. Lizzie might fall on you." Lizzie just stared back at her former best friend, the entire time she tried to fight of a tear.
"Come on, lets go," Lizzie heard Miranda tell her above the crowds laughter. The two finished their trip down the stairs without even a hint of falling. Once under the stadium, and out of David's sight, Miranda turned to Lizzie, "You alright?"
"Yeah"
"I am going to go find Larry and tell him we are leaving early. Why don't you go wait for your mom outside, I will meet you their in a few." Lizzie nodded, and Miranda turned to head back into the stands.
Lizzie slowly headed for the exit, but noticed a group of band members standing outside the stadiums first-aid station. "Hey Dave," she called as she approached, "that was a great performance. How come the tubas never came back out?"
Dave never answered, but as soon as Lizzie finished her question she noticed something was wrong. The skin around his lips were red and covered with small cuts and he had the worst case of chapped lips she had ever seen. It was not just him but the three other boys all had it to. "Oh my gosh," she gasped, "what happened?"
A the other end of the stadium, Miranda was trying to cope with the bad news she had just heard. Just when she was willing to give Brad a try, Larry pulled her back into reality. He had juts told her that Brad was planning on embarrassing Lizzie sometime next week. As she rounded the bleachers she was trying to figure out how break the new to Lizzie, but instead found herself directly in the path of David and his crew. Normally she Miranda would stand her ground, and cheerfully exchange insults, but seeing that she was already furious with David, and knowing his plan, she decided to just lay low and step aside.
David, being the newest member of the group, was positioned on the end of the mob and passed just feet from his former best friend. "Hey Miranda, what's going on?" he cheerfully asked as he passed. It was not until he had taken a few more steps that he realized what he had just said and his face went stone cold.
"Excuse me," Miranda yelled as she bolted for David. Grabbing his arm, she flung him around to face her. Miranda had lost all self control she had and unleashed every ounce of hatred she had on David. "How can you even think of talking to me like that after everything you have done?" Letting her emotions take over, Miranda reached back and flung her arm forward with all her strength. Her open hand hit David's cheek with a loud SLAP.
Wasting all her energy on the slap, Miranda waited for David to say something and giver her another reason to go off on him. She stared at him, daring him to join the fight, but he never did. The group stepped back, none of them wanting to get involved with the fight, it was going to be between David and Miranda, but it never came.
David whipped the corner of his mouth with his thumb, and then took a long look at the small drop of blood on it. "Lets go," he said before turning around.
"But dude she just....." one of the guys said, but was cut off.
"I said lets go!" David ordered. He then continued on his original path, the rest of the group followed behind.
A.N. I hope this chapter wasn't to bad. I have had a really heard time typing it up, because I get really bad football withdrawal every time I try to work on it. Well please review while I feed my addiction and watch a game from last year.