Too Equal For My Taste

Chapter 16: Weekend Three- Football

After Kenneth was betrayed, Mark was completely free from the influence that came with being friends with Kenneth. Ken was locked up, and Mark was free. Whatever Ken wanted with the antiques or jewelry was put off, and Ken was forced to stay inside doing nothing for three days. Serina thought the punishment was too light, but Jimmy believed it was bad enough he had to be outcast from the game. Jimmy reluctantly forbade Ken from playing the football game with the rest, so the Murtaugh's were one player short.

With Ken's absence and Tom's expertise on coaching football, it seemed quite impossible that the Murtaugh's would win this one. The next weekend was agreed to be baseball, and Jimmy knew that the Bakers would win that game. With that in thought, it was very important that the Murtaugh's win the game. If they didn't, they could kiss the whole competition goodbye and concede defeat to the Bakers, but that was not in Jimmy's plans. However, Tom was missing something crucial to a win. He was missing Charlie and his expertise on football. If only Charlie was playing, everything would be so much easier.

Once again, they played at the University. The two teams faced each other. This time, a much larger crowd than the last two games appeared to watch the teams play at it. Nervously, Jimmy led his team out.

Tom was completely confident that his family would win this game, and force the Murtaugh's out. Tom looked over at them all, "Alright. Mike, you follow my orders completely."

"I'm captain."

"Yes, but I'm a professional football coach, and know how to work this."

"That's not"-

"Just this game," Tom assured. "Now, we've arranged our positions, and the Murtaugh's know theirs, hopefully. We need five offensive line players. Henry, Jake, Nigel, Kyle, and Sarah are them."

"You're putting a girl in offensive line?" Mike protested.

"You got any better idea?" Tom challenged.

"We need Charlie," Jake muttered.

"Charlie is not here right now," Kate said, looking over at Tom.

Tom went on, "Mike, you take running back position."

Mike nodded reluctantly, "Fine, but I call Mark quarterback. Kim and Jess are tight ends."

"What about wide receivers?" Sarah challenged.

"No wide receivers," Mike and Tom said in unison. "We want to win for real."

"That's our weakness, so plain!" Sarah yelled.

"It's the best we got," Mike said. "We don't even have defense."

"Look, whatever position we're in, the Murtaugh's are also in, because they have one less than us," Tom assured. Tom however, still looked thoughtful. "Wait a sec, take an offensive line player off, Sarah; you're wide receiver, deal?"

"That's better," Sarah said agreeably.

"Ok, let's play!" Tom announced. "As for defense, everyone plays as defense. Everyone has two obligations."

"Deal."

The Bakers ran out enthusiastically and readily. The Murtaugh's ran to their positions at once. Helmets were placed on all sides, and Tom's voice called "Kick some Murtaugh"-

The students cheered over his words. Jake, feeling momentum from his last couple games, waved to the crowd before putting his helmet on, and then leaned over to whisper to Sarah, "Stop trying to act hot."

Sarah caught herself, and put her helmet on. She was fingering her hair to the students, making them woo. She made a mental note to kiss Elliot after the game was over, so no questions would be raised."

Serina walked out again with the ball, and called, "Three… two… one… PLAY!"

Mike took the ball and ran with it immediately. In his way were the Defensive Murtaugh's. He braced himself, but a blow never came. Henry, Jake, and the two younger twins rushed in to stop them. Then there was a fight. Mike passed to Mark, and Mark ran with it instead. The Murtaugh's seemed to be made of defense. Daniel stopped Mark, pushed him down and took the ball from him. However, Daniel's ride was not easy. Jake and Sarah rushed him, and Sarah stole triumphantly in the middle of the field. She passed Mike, and Mike kicked it through the posts.

"YES!" Tom yelled happily as Mike scored. That was great. Daniel being attacked in his own end zone gave the Bakers an immediate two points, and Mike's triumph earned them three extras."

"5-0!" Jimmy yelled angrily. "Show them hell!"

Anne and Calvin ran in together to give the Bakers a taste of their own medicine. They held the defense off, and let the Bakers take the ball and pass through. That's where Daniel, with his quick legs, overran Nigel, and tackled him. The students clapped as they took the entire team with them to confront the Bakers, and while the confrontation was going, Daniel and Becky ran through. Becky passed the ball, but there stood Mark, ready to play as defense."

He ran at Daniel at the same time Becky passed it back, and tackled him. He drop-kicked the ball across the field, and Sarah caught it. Sarah vertically kicked it to Mike. Mike made another triumph by making a touchdown this time."

"13-2!" Jimmy yelled angrily again.

The Bakers kept making one goal after another throughout the first half. Jimmy was jumping up and down crazily when the Baker's widened their lead to 41-10. The bell rang for the first half, and they stopped.

Jake and Sarah were patting Mike on the back. Tom clapped as Mike walked in, "I never knew"- Mike panted. "I had it in me." Sarah gave Mike a hug as he walked over to her. He sat down, tired. "The Murtaugh's- have Elliot out- maybe he'll be in now."

"Why out?" Tom asked.

"Probably- he"- Mike sighed hugely. "To keep him till later."

"Take a rest," Tom said calmly. "Jake, you take his position."

"I'll come in later," Mike promised. "Just keep playing. We can't possibly lose."

"Dad, we have a problem," Sarah said. "We're getting tired out, and we can't play offense and defense at once."

"Like I said, whatever we got, they got," Tom said over her.

Mike's prediction and confidence did not last long though. As he thought, Elliot did come in, and he was very maneuverable. The minute he took the ball, he ran around the players, ducked the taller ones, and touched down the ball within two minutes of the game."

The ball was thrown to the Bakers, and Mark ran across with it. Daniel tackled him on his own side, and passed it far to Elliot. At the same time, Nigel and Kyle clashed with Lisa and Robin trying to defend their players. During the clashes, Elliot touched down once again, narrowly escaping Jake.

"41-24," Tom said to himself. "We're still far ahead. PICK UP!" he called to his team. "Do Plan B."

Mike caught the signal, and ran in, despite his breath being wasted out. He caught the ball from Jake, and moved over to his own end zone. There, he threw it to Kim. Kim threw it to Mark, and Mark maneuvered out of Calvin's way and kicked it far to Jake. Jake touched down himself. The ball was thrown next to Elliot, but this time Jake ran in to confront Elliot. At the same time, Nigel and Henry ran in to fight Elliot. Just as Elliot lost the ball in his own zone, Daniel and Anne ran in to fight back, and that got the rest of the Baker's in. Out of the tussle, Daniel emerged with the ball. From the ground, Mark grabbed his leg, and Daniel dropped it. Mike scrambled up, took it, and ran over un-offended. He touched down triumphantly."

"51-24!" Jimmy yelled. "What're you playing at? Plan C!"

Once Calvin caught the ball, and ran with it, all hell broke loose. All players rushed in to push, and Calvin lost the ball. Jake tried getting to the Murtaugh's side and outrun them, but Elliot caught him first. Jake was thrown down in his own side, and Elliot scored from afar while everyone else was at bay. It didn't end there either. The ball was thrown to Jake, but Elliot jumped up, caught it, and ran with it to make a goal."

With the score 51-35, and the Murtaugh's picking up, Tom could sense toughness. He called out, "Defense. Remain on defense."

"Remain on defense!" Mike repeated to his team. "Keep them at bay."

The plan was in vain however. With the last half nearly over, the Murtaugh's narrowed the lead to make it 85-80. Tom knew that in professional football, scores were usually not that high. Sine this was amateur, and they were kids with no defense, the scores were naturally high. The clock was in seconds and the students on the edge of their seats.

Elliot dodged around Jake. He ducked Nigel and Kyle, and passed to Robin. Robin passed to Daniel, and Daniel ran over. Jake was gaining up on him, but Elliot took over the ball from Daniel. He ran over from Jake, and touched down on the last second."

"NOOOOOOO!" Tom yelled in anger as Jimmy jumped up happily.

"We beat them!" Jimmy yelled. "We beat them."

"86-85!" Tom screamed. "That's my reputation! How dare you lose this game?" Sarah threw her helmet off, and ran over to Elliot. Right there, in front of everyone, they started kissing, drawing out teenage whoos. "Break it up!" Tom yelled. "Mike, what's your problem? You were right there. You could've stopped Elliot. We could've won!"

"I"- Mike looked hazed and tired out. He never ran so much. "I"- He fell forward, either unconscious or rest. Either way, Kate was screaming. Elliot ran up with Sarah, and he picked Mike up. "Yo, you ok man."

Mark poured water in Mike's half open mouth. Mike gulped it down slowly. He sighed greatly. He panted greatly, and stood up straight again. "Thanks. I- I 'ppreciate it."

"C'mon man," Elliot laughed. "Good game."

"Seriously, good game," Jimmy nodded. "You played hard."

Tom shook Jimmy's hand as the students got up to leave. Jake pat Mike on the back, "You're awesome. Charlie would be proud."

"Yeah, I'm calling him right now," Tom said, taking his cell out.

Mike shook his head to get the last of the daze out of his eyes, and walked by Jake and Sarah. This time, it was not Jake getting whoops and cheers from the students. It was Mike, who wouldn't be joining them for another eight years. It was over.

A/N: I refrain from leaving Authors Notes, but this time I have to say something. About football. I am not the biggest fan of football, and the rules are new to me. If I got anything wrong, I implore you to let me know. I am aware that scores are not usually this high in real play, but what can I do? The next game will be better, because I LOVE baseball. Anyway, see ya all later.