Hey guys. Thanks so much for sticking through with this story even with its ups and downs. I hope to post more frequently now.

Thank you all for your support through this difficult time. It is greatly appreciated.

Chapter 9: Football is for Sweethearts

(Frank is 17. Joe is 16)

NOTICE THE AGE DIFFERENCE

Faster! Joe thought to himself as he pumped his legs harder, cutting a sharp right to avoid the massive line backer who was blocking his path towards the end zone. Joe Hardy was the star running back on the Bayport High School football team. Only a sophomore, he played varsity, a major accomplishment if you asked the coach. Joe was quick on his feet, the fastest on the team, dodging left and right to avoid being tackled. It was Bayport's homecoming game, the last one of the season. There was a lot of pressure on the team to end the season undefeated. Joe stole a wild glance to the left to see the other teams' quarterback coming in for a side tackle, and fast. He pumped his legs even harder as he crossed the fifty yard line. Right now the score was 42-37, the team needed one more touchdown with only seconds left on the clock. Joe scanned the sideline and smiled when he spotted just who he hwas looking for. With a new found strength, Joe launched the ball towards the end zone right before the quarterback tackled him. It was as if time slowed down as the ball spiraled perfectly through the air, making a bee line for the end zone. Frank Hardy jumped up and caught the pass against his broad chest as he landed on his back inside the end zone, right as the buzzer went off.

"Frank Hardy with the win for Bayport!" The excited announcer yelled into the microphone as the crowd cheered crazily.

The team raced towards Frank and lifted him up on their shoulders. They paraded around the field to pump up the crowd and celebrate the completed season.

In the stands, Callie and Iola cheered as the team passed, they threw bouquets of roses

down to their boyfriends. Iola watched Joe blow her a kiss as he scooped up both bouquets and handed one to Frank, who was still on the teams shoulders. The crowd was still roaring as the team headed for the locker room.

"All hail Frank, King of the quarterbacks!" Biff Hooper yelled once Frank was back on his feet.

"Great win tonight guys!" Frank congratulated the team who was huddled around him, waiting for his famous speech.

"Tonight, we made Bayport history." Frank paused dramatically. "We beat the one of the best teams in the state. We won every single game we have played since August. We are a team and nothing can tear us apart. It was not just the effort put forth by me, but by all of you. Congratulations to everyone for a fantastic season. Seniors, we'll miss you guys next year, you all were such great assets to the team. This may be our last game together but it is not our last victory. We will continue our winning streak now and forever! As those of us continue on our separate pathways of life, we will always remember this year as the year we were undefeated! We are undefeated! We will never be beaten, for we are victorious!" Frank pumped a fist in the air as his team followed suit with yells of encouragement, high-fiving and enjoying the moment.

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After the team left, Joe was waiting for Frank to finish showering so they could go to Mr. Pizza with their friends.

Frank came out of the locker room towel drying his hair and wearing a pair of jeans and a Bayport Football t-shirt.

"Took you long enough." Joe muttered under his breath.

"Ready?" Frank asked.

"Yeah." Joe got up from the bench and the brothers walked towards their car. "That was a great catch, Frank." Joe reminisced about the game.

"My catch? What about your pass? You're the one who should have been on the teams shoulders!"

The boys discussed the highlights of the game until they arrived at Mr. Pizza's.

Frank parked the car, but Joe grabbed his arm before Frank got out of the car. "Are you going to ask Callie to homecoming?" Joe prompted.

Frank flashed him a devilish smile. "All in good time, little brother."

Frank had been meaning to ask Callie Shaw to the homecoming dance for awhile now, but he didn't know how to ask her. A lot of his friends were into big, lavish proposals, but Frank and Callie weren't that type of couple. They didn't need overdone and outlandish engagements to fulfill themselves. All they needed was each other. He had been stuck, until Tony suggested they all meet at Mr. Pizza's after the game. Then an idea struck Frank like a bolt of lightning. He had called Tony at almost midnight because he was so excited.

"Hello?" A sleepy voiced answered the phone.

"Tony? It's me, Frank. Listen I need a favor..."

Once Tony and Frank worked out the details, and said goodnight, Frank began to reminisce his and Callie's first date.

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FLASHBACK

It was close to Christmas, a fresh layer of snow blanketed the ground. Frank was walking Callie home from the library. They both had a Chemistry test the next day and decided to study together.

Over the years of their friendship, Frank had grown quite fond of Callie. He loved everything about her, the way she talked with her hands, the smell of her luxurious hair, and especially her warm, beautiful smile. Frank had wanted to ask her out for a long time but didn't want to disrupt their friendship. They got along well enough, but whenever Callie looked at him, with her sparkling green eyes, Frank's heart melted like morning dew on spring grass.

As they climbed the stairs to Callie's porch a realization dawned on Frank. If he didn't ask her out, someone else would. He saw the looks other guys would give Callie, he saw heads turn when she walked into a room.

"Callie," Frank said quietly, barley audible to the girl standing next to him, fishing in her purse for her house keys.

"Yes?" Callie turned her head and was once again lost in Frank's eyes.

"There's, um, something I've been meaning to ask you." Frank ran a hand through his hair nervously.

"Okay." Callie had her full attention on Frank now, keys forgotten.

"I was wondering if." Frank paused. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to dinner with me on Friday?"

Callie stood in a stunned silence, she liked Frank, but never wanted to ruin their bond.

"Forget it. It was a stupid idea anyway." Frank took Callie's silence as a rejection. He turned away from his friend, ashamed of himself for overstepping his boundaries.

"Frank?" Callie called out.

"Yes?" Frank turned back, hopeful.

"I'd love to get dinner with you."

Frank grinned so hard he could feel his lip starting to split. "Great! I'll pick you up at six!"

And with that Frank practically ran home. Not even bothered by the chilling cold.

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The week went too slowly for Frank's liking but finally it was Friday. He was pacing the room nervously when Joe came in.

"Man, you've got to calm down!" Joe said. "You and Callie are crazy about each other. It'll be fine."

"What if I don't know what to say? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I forget to hold the door open for her or forget to compliment her?" Frank sat on his bed, head buried in his hands. "Maybe I just shouldn't go." He mumbled through his fingers.

"Enough of this, Frank. You'll be a perfect gentleman. You won't forget anything because you're too busy worrying about it! Just go out and have a good time with her. It's just Callie and it's just a first date. Pretend like you haven't asked her out yet, like you're just friends." Joe tried to console.

"Like I'd take dating advice from you. You haven't even asked Iola out yet!" Frank retorted.

"I'm working on it, I'm working on it. It just had to be perfect." Joe said dreamily, before going to his own room.

Frank got up and paced some more. He went to his closet to find something to wear. First he pulled out a dress shirt and tie, and held it up to himself in front of a mirror. He smirked It's just Mr. Pizza's. He put on a pair of khaki pants and a red sweater. Casual but not too much so he thought to himself as he admired his reflection.

Frank headed down the stairs to find his family waiting at the bottom of the steps. In his mothers arms was a beautiful bouquet of Lillie's. "Give these to Callie." She handed him the bouquet and kissed his cheek.

"And give these to the family. Any boy who is taking out their daughter needs to know that he is a good man." Aunt Gertrude said and handed him a plate of her homemade chocolate chip cookies.

"Don't be nervous, Frank." Joe said, feeling Frank's anxiety.

"Have a good time son." Fenton hugged his son and than clasped his shoulder, squeezing hard.

Frank felt sincerely blessed to have such an amazing family

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Frank and Callie sat opposite each other in a booth near the window. They were both looking at the menu, not saying a thing. Frank couldn't believe how incredibly nervous he was. It was just Callie like Joe said. No. That's not true. Frank thought as he peaked over the menu at his date.

Callie looked stunning in a simple purple sweater dress with her wavy hair framing her face in layers. She bore a hint of eye liner and mascara. She looked up as Frank let his eyes linger too long.

Frank blushed. "You look great."

"You do too, Frank." Callie smiled sweetly as Tony came to take their order.

"What'll it be for the love birds this evening?" He asked playfully.

"Just an iced tea and a slice of the pepperoni pizza for me, Tony." Callie replied unphased by her friends mock obnoxiousness.

"The same for me Tony. And a soda." Frank handed their waiter the menus and Tony left with a wink.

While waiting for their food, Frank and Callie talked casually about school, family, friends, and Frank's detective cases.

Frank was just beginning to relax when Tony came back with their food. He reached out to pick up his pizza, but his arm knocked into his glass of soda! Frank watched in horror as the full glass tipped over, spilling liquid all over Callie's pizza, and her sweater dress.

She jumped up as the cold liquid splashed onto her lap. Frank jumped up too. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Callie! Here!" He thrust some napkins at her and began rubbing at her sweater dress.

Callie started laughing. She really didn't care that her dress was ruined, or her pizza would be soggy, or even that her legs would be sticky. It was just that she had expected a clumsy move from Joe, not poised, careful Frank.

Frank stopped rubbing at her dress. "What's so funny?" He asked.

"It's just that I expected something like that from Joe, not you!" Callie laughed harder.

Frank broke into a grin, he couldn't resist it, he began to laugh too. After that awkward hiccup their date went smoothly.

END FLASHBACK

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Frank and Joe walked into Mr. Pizza's to find all of their friends were already seated.

"There's our star players!" Chet called out.

"Took you guys long enough! We already ordered!" Biff jibed.

"Well maybe if Mr. Perfect hadn't taken such a long shower, we'd have been here sooner." Joe slid into the booth next to his long time girlfriend Iola Morten.

"Gee, sorry for wanting to look good for this beauty." Frank kissed Callie passionately.

"Oh get a room!" Joe muttered.

"So what'd you order?" Joe asked, his stomach growling.

"The usual. Extra cheese, sausage, pepperoni, green peppers, mushrooms and anchovies." Iola responded.

"Anchovies? Yuck!" Joe made a face.

"We get them every time." Iola responded.

"And every time I pick them off!" Joe retorted.

"Well maybe if you just tried one, you'd like it."

"Gross! Anchovies are just slimy fish with little hairs. There is no way I'm ever putting one even close to my mouth."

The group talked about the game until their pizza arrived. To everyone's surprise it was in a delivery box.

"We taking up tables or something Tony?" Biff joked.

"Not at all." Tony said and walked away.

"How strange." Muttered Phil.

"Let's eat, I'm starving!" Joe reached in and flung the lid of the box open.

Frank held his breath as Joe opened the box.

On the inside of the lid was was a letter written in black ink. It read:

Callie,

I know our first date didn't go as planned, let me make it up to you at"

And the word Homecoming was written out on the pie using pizza toppings.

Callie looked shyly over at Frank. "Of course I'll go to homecoming with you Frank." She kissed him lightly on the cheek.

Frank blushed and let out the breath he had been holding, all the while smiling giddily.

"Awwww!" Iola cooned.

The table burst into smiles and applause.

I'm off school starting Tuesday. I will try to get a new chapter up by the New Year. But I make no promises. Please review for me tell me what you think. Next chapter: Homecoming and LOUIS!