Ok, people are slowly starting to acknowledge this story. Y'all are busy and may not have time. I completely understand. Here's the next chapter.
DISCLAIMER: The only things I own are my OC(s), Disney owns everything else!
The next couple of days sped by in a blur as Rae prepared her sports clothes and school clothes. She wanted to make a good impression on the coach for the Titans and get a spot on the team, despite the fact that she would be the only girl. Her dad kept reassuring her that she was well qualified, but her mom was still a bit on the nervous side of how they would treat her baby and that the only time you saw girls on the field was if they were cheerleaders.
Rae also learned that Julius was going for the team and that there was a mandatory meeting for those interested this season. Watch, there ain't gonna be one black dude willing to go over to the white side, or vice versa. She waited until Julius was far enough away so that she started walking to the gym for the meeting.
Rae opened the doors to the gym and saw that all of the people that had arrived were black, and no one had mixed up the group yet. "We gonna play some ball, my man! Black inside! Uh, uh, uh, uh!" She hears a teen with a charming boyish face yell while high-fiving the other guys. "Yo, Petey!" Another male shouts the smiley boy's name getting his attention. "How many yards you figure you gon' get?" "You know I ain't the one to brag, Big Blue. But I figure at least a thousand," Petey told his friend.
"Who knows? You may get more," I piped up. That made Petey and Big Blue whip their heads around to look for my voice. "Down here," I said jokingly. They switched their gaze down to my height and looked at me in jest. "Well, lookie here! We got ourselves a Titaness. You figure you gonna steal some yards from me, doll?" "Naw, but I was puttin' in my two-bits worth if that helps," I replied. Apparently Julius heard my voice and came over to us. "Rae, what are you doin' here?" "Hey Julius. I'm here 'cause I want to try out like all y'all," I said, and noticed that Petey and Blue went back to their conversation and Blue started to sing. "Didn't I tell you how them white boys weren't gonna play for no brother?" Julius asked Blue. "Hey, who needs them, baby? From now on, the Titans is gonna have soul power!" Blue cheered and Rae started to hum along with him.
All of a sudden, a shrill whistle pierces the air and in come two dark skinned males in TC Williams polo shirts and beige pants. The one with the whistle around his neck walks over to get a look at all of the black players. He stops at Petey, who still has a grin on his face and his hand in the air like he was in a classroom. "Put your hand down," Whistle Man almost shouts. Petey obeys but still has that goofy grin on his face. "You're smiling." "Yes…" Petey hesitantly responds before correcting himself by saying "Yessir!" "Why are you smiling?" Whistle Man asks with a hard tone in his voice. "'Cause I love football. It's fun," Petey responds slowly, not wanting to upset the man in front of him. That kid is gonna die under this man's glare. "Fun, sir. It's fun? Are you sure?" the man continues with his voice raised. "I think –" Petey starts, but the man cuts him off. "So now you're thinkin'. First you smile, then you think. You think football is still fun?" "Um, yes!" Petey smiles again, until he quickly takes it back, showing his awkwardness in the situation. "Sir," the man reminds the boy. "Yes – Uh, no, sir. Well, it was fun," Petey stutters under the man's steel glare. "Not fun anymore, is it?" the man shouts, spooking Petey and the boy manages to get out a couple of no's. "No, it's not fun anymore. Not even a little bit?" Petey comes up with an "Um…no." "Make up your mind! Go ahead," the man urges on. "Make up your mind, think since you're thinking!"
"No, sir." "No? Absolutely not?" "Zero fun, sir," Petey finishes with a small smirk. The man finally steps away from him and continues pacing, "Alright listen up! I'm Coach Boone. I'm gonna tell you all how much fun you gonna have this season." He directed that last part at Petey, reminding everyone of their conversation. "We leave for camp: Gettysburg College. August 15; 7:29 AM. If you get there at 7:30, you will not be playin' this season; you'll be watching." He even goes on to tell everyone that they are to wear proper attire and look professional, going on to say how bad some of the players looked. Great, I gotta wear a damn dress as if I going to work with Mom! Rae groaned in her mind. "This is not a democracy; this is a dictatorship. I am the law. If you survive camp, you will be on the team. If you survive. Check 'em in, Coach," He said before turning it over to the other coach that came in. "Checkin' them in! I am Coach Hinds, your offensive line coach. Yell out your name and position, starting from the right side." "Petey Jones: running back. THE running back, y'all!" Petey declares happily causing a lot of the guys to laugh with him. "Jerry Harris: quarterback," another boy states with someone at the edge shouting, "Rev!" He's got a soft smile and a sort of "good boy" attitude around him. "Rev?" Boone wondered. "It's just a nickname," he explains.
"Now, hold on, before we continue…young lady, what may I ask are you doing here?" Boone turns to me, causing all of the guys to glance in my direction, most of them surprised that a girl showed up. "I'm sorry, Coach Boone, sir. I…would like to try out for the team" Rae starts, but ends up getting nervous under the scrutinizing glare of the coach. "Speak up, and tell me what position you play Miss…" Boone stops when he expects my name. Gathering up any courage left her, the girl looks at him, dead in his eyes, speaks up and says, "Rae Barstow, and I'm offensive tight end." "Well, Miss Barstow, I hope you're aware that this team-" Boone starts before Rae interrupts him. "Pardon the interruption, sir. I know I'm reachin' out there, but please give me a shot to show you my skill, before you tell me no. Y'all don't own me anything, why, know me from another girl off the street; all I'm asking is for you to let me demonstrate what I can do, and I don't think it will waste your time nor will you be disappointed."
Coach Boone narrowed his eyes at her mini plea, turned his head towards Coach Hinds, then set his gaze back to Rae. "See me after the meeting, young lady." "Yessir!" Rae responds without missing a beat, and Coach Boone nods her way.
Just then, a large white teen makes his way over to Coach Boone, trying to catch his breath. "And who in the name of Heaven might you be?" Coach Hinds asks. "Louie Lastik: offensive lineman. Naval family, we just moved in from Bayone. Somebody said football, and I came runnin'. What's going on, everyone?" the heavy guy answers, but an awkward silence fills the room. Glad to see someone trying to mix us up, Rae mused.
Not three seconds later, the doors were pushed open again, and this time a bunch of other guys with another two men in TC polos and beige pants entered the gym. The only major difference was that they were white. The tension in the air was so thick, you could almost see it. Being the only girl with short hair brought some attention to me from the white side. The whispers quieted down after Coach Boone and Coach Yoast of the white players had their little pow wow.
The group was then dismissed after a last-minute reminder of camp and what to wear. Rae jogged over to Coach Boone so she could see what he wanted to talk to her about. "Miss Barstow, this is Coach Yoast for the defense and Coach Tyrell of the Special Teams. I believe you wanted to prove to us why you would be valuable to the team." "Yessir, and regardless of y'alls decision, thank you for this opportunity," Rae answered. A group of boys, both black and white stayed behind to see the girl who was trying out, and what she could do on the field.
"Go long, Barstow!" Coach Tyrell called and that was Rae's cue to run like hell from the 30-yard line and attempt to catch a far pass. She caught it with ease at the 15-yard line on the other side of the field. This drill happened a couple more times and Yoast switched off from catching to blocking. "How well do you think you can hold your block?" "I'll do my best, sir" Rae answered. Yoast called over a young man with a stern face and told us to get into position. "Down…Set! Hut!" He pushed against her and she pushed against him. Neither of them wanted to give in to the other. This continued on with four more guys until Coach Yoast called the drill off and asked, "Have you ever played football before?" "Not on a team, sir. Just with my brothers and father. I also did a little bit of track and field," Rae replied.
After about two minutes of delegation between the coaches, Coach Boone spoke up, "Will we be seeing you at camp, Miss Barstow?" "If y'all will take me, then, yes sir!" Rae replied with a grin almost as big as Petey's. Coach Boone nodded with a small smile on his lips, "See you August 15th." "At 7:29, not 7:30 in professional attire!" Rae called while jogging back to her house. Coach Boone looks at her retreating figure speechless and laughs to himself. "Can you believe the audacity of that girl?" "Are you sure that we should have her practice with the boys?" Coach Yoast asks and receives a knowing stare from Coach Boone. "The girl's tough, and is willing to work for a goal," Boone comments. Yoast thinks back to before the exhibition and how some of the boys muttered words of doubt for her under their breath; however, he thinks to himself, "Perhaps she could help get these boys together, both black and white. And maybe she would get along fine with Sheryl."The boys that stuck around to see Rae's exhibition had mixed expressions. Some went slack jawed that a girl made it on the team, while others were impressed that she was tough. The only one whose expression didn't change was the one who had a stern face through the whole show.
That night at dinner, Rae told her parents, wrote a letter to her brother in the Navy, Marcus, and called her twin brothers, Tyler and Kenneth. Saul spun around the room hugging his daughter, saying how he was proud of his little linewoman. Florence was happy for Rae, but still was apprehensive that she would be playing a rough sport, with a bunch of boys, no less. The time between now and August 15th couldn't come fast enough for Rae.