Double Down Page 2

  “Pass it! Pass it!” shouted the coach.

  I couldn’t get clear. I dodged the kid. He scrambled on his hands and feet, then lunged at me. I leapt into the air and found myself flipping over him. He did a faceplant and I landed on my feet. By this time, William was open and I threw.

  “Cooper!” shouted Coach while he was clapping his hands. “You’re like a walking highlight reel! Are you really a freshman?”

  “Yes, sir,” I replied.

  “And your high school team, did you win state champs?” he asked.

  “No, sir,” I said. “ I spent most of senior year giving hand offs. My old coach wasn’t much into a passing game.”

  “Well, he was an idiot, no offense. Let’s see just how accurate you are,” said the coach. “You see that Gatorade holder?”

  He gestured to the sidelines. There was a wooden folding table with two coolers and some cups with the word Gatorade on them.

  “Yep, which one?” I asked.

  “The one on the right. Think you can hit it from here?” he asked.

  “I’ll try,” I said.

  I threw the ball and took out the rightmost cup.

  “Wait. Were you aiming at the jug?” he asked.

  “No, the cups. You said the Gatorade holder. The cups have the logo,” I explained.

  “So you were aiming at that cup and hit it?!” he asked.

  “Yeah, was that wrong?”

  “It don’t matter! You just hit a cup from fifty yards! That’s all that matters!”

  The Coach danced a little. He looked beside himself with joy.

  “Dear God, thank you for this blessing of a backup quarterback,” prayed the coach. “This season will be dedicated to your name. Amen! Guys! Gather around!”

  The coach called in the rest of the team, including my brother, Logan. Logan was a linebacker and he had been practicing with the rest of the Defensive Line and the Defense Coach. They now took a knee in front of coach Randal.

  “Fellas, I want you meet our new backup quarterback,” he introduced. “He’s a prodigy freshman. I want you to make him feel really welcomed. Give it up for Mason Cooper!”

  The team applauded me. It was almost overwhelming. I had never had a moment like this. Logan was applauding the most vigorously. He kept saying, “That’s my brother! That’s my brother!” I felt some tears welling up. They were tears of joy, but still--- You don’t want to let your teammates see you cry.

  “Th-thanks guys,” I stammered.

  “All right, I need to go over some plays with our new backup QB,” he explained. “The rest of you, back to what you were doing.”

  Practice continued as normal, while we met in coach Randal’s office. When I joined the team, at the beginning of the year, I barely thought I was on it. I stood in the back of the group, I ran in the back of the pack and I got treated as--- Well, a freshman. Now I was sitting in the head coach’s office and he was talking to me like we were partners on the team!

  We went over most of the major plays. Then he gave me five binders outlining the other plays I would need to memorize. As a backup quarterback, I had to know almost as many as the coach. It was a lot of responsibility, but the coach seemed convinced I could do it.

  I met up with Logan after practice and he took me to the Campus Coffee House. On the walk over, I started to lose my nerve. How could I memorize all this stuff? College football was just one step away from being a pro. Was I really at that level? Maybe the coach was just desperate for anyone to take the backup QB position.

  “Mason, you gotta relax!” assured Logan, bringing back our drinks.

  “You’re a natural quarterback, bro! I told you that you were! Remember that throw in the junkyard?”

  Logan and I had gone to a junkyard with friends years ago. To prove to them I was a quarterback, Logan had me throw a rock into an open trunk on the other side of two piles of cars. I could barely see it, but I hit it on the first throw. I guess it was a pretty amazing throw, but for years I just counted myself lucky.

  “Luck had nothing to do with that!” insisted Logan. “You’re good. It makes sense. I’m a good linebacker. We got football in our blood!”

  “Was dad a football player?” I asked.

  “Yeah, he played on his high school team,” said Logan.

  “Then why didn’t dad ever come out to see our games?” I asked.

  “You know how he is,” said Logan sipping his latte. “He and mom are always doing something. So what? Who cares? He’ll regret not coming when we win the Sugar Bowl or whatever.”

  “I don’t know, Logan,” I said looking at the pile of binders resting on the round wooden table. “This is a lot of plays. How am I supposed to remember them all?”

  “I’ll help you study them. It’ll be like studying for a class, only cooler because it’s football!” said Logan, his eyes bright. “You’re like the second in command of the whole team now, Mas! Quarterback is like the key to everything!”

  “Don’t say that,” I said rubbing my temples at a sudden headache. “It makes me nervous. I have to process this.”

  “Mason, you have to have confidence,” said Logan. “You can do this! You hit that trashcan from the goal line! The goal line! I can’t even throw it that far!”

  “You probably could. It wasn’t that far,” I said. I grabbed my latte cup and nervously peeled at the hot beverages sleeve.

  “No! I can’t!” Logan insisted. “You are built to be a quarterback, Mason. What’s easy for you is like impossible for most people!”

  “Thanks for having my back, Logan,” I said. “Sometimes I feel like you’re the only one that understands me.”

  “I am going to get you laid to celebrate!” he announced.

  I choked on my latte and had to wipe my face with a napkin.

  “Whoa, slow down,” I said. “I don’t need to start a new relationship right now. I’ve got too much on my plate.”

  “Who says anything about a relationship?” he said. “I’m just talking a straight up hookup.”

  “No, that’s just not me,” I said. “You go ahead and do that.”

  “Well at least be open to the idea,” said Logan. “We’re freshmen in college. This is the time to meet girls, man! There’s so many on this campus and they’re all pretty hot!”

  “I guess,” I admitted shrugging my shoulders. “But I want something more, ya know? Guys that just hooked up in high school always bothered me. They just seemed to use women. I don’t want to be like that.”

  “I’m not saying to,” assured Logan. “But women like to have fun too, ya know? Who wouldn’t want to hook up with a star athlete in college?”

  “I’m not a star,” I said shyly.

  “You are a freshman that just got jumped up to backup quarterback,” said Logan, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “That’s pretty close to being a star.”

  “If you say so.”

  “I know so!”

  Chapter 3

  Faith

  I was back on campus, but I didn’t know for how long. Mom said she would give me some time to come up with a new plan, but their savings wasn’t going to last more than a week or two. Was I being selfish putting my whole family at risk to finish college? No. I had to believe that this was the right move and I had to fight for what I believed in. I was so out of it walking across campus, I didn’t even hear Amy calling me.

  “Hey,” she said grabbing my arm.

  I turned around and it was Amy and Killian, one of her boyfriends. Amy was in a polyamorous couple with three brothers. Some people put her down for it, but she seemed really happy. She was my best friend regardless of her lifestyle.

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” I apologized, coming back to planet earth. “I’m just a little out of it today. Hey Amy. Hey Killian. What are you guys doing?”

  “Killian is applying to medical schools and I’m helping him,” explained Amy.

  “I’m really not smart enough for them,” Killian insisted.

>   “Oh, hush. You so are,” said Amy. She patted him lovingly on the chest and then turned back to me. “You want to get a coffee with us?”

  “Sure!” I said.

  Secretly, I was pretty jealous of Amy. I would give anything to meet “the one” and she had found three of them! But I guess now would be a bad time anyway. With all the disruption about to happen in my life, the last thing I needed now was to get caught up in a relationship.

  We entered the Campus Coffee House. There were these two handsome blonde guys at a table near the entrance. Even though they were seated I could tell they were both tall and built. They were gorgeous! Broad shoulders, chiseled jaw lines. Time seemed to slow down as we entered and I realized that they were identical twins. Wow. I wonder if I had a shot with either one of them. Well, maybe some better time.

  “Mason! Logan!” greeted Killian. “Ladies, come meet my new teammates!”

  Killian and Logan engaged in an extended handshake. I guess it was some crazy handshake the football players made up for themselves. It took about a minute and drew the attention of the entire coffee shop for a while. After Killian had done the shake with Logan, he then gestured for Mason but Mason just laughed. That had apparently been enough.

  “This is Amy, my girlfriend, and her best friend, Faith,” introduced Killian. “Ladies, Mason and Logan. Logan is a linebacker. The first freshman ever to start on the defensive line at Highwater College. He also made this amazing tackle the other day.”

  “Ah, c’mon,” dismissed Logan, trying to be modest. I noticed he wore his blonde hair slightly different from his brother. “I just like to knock people down.”

  “Seriously, this guy is a beast on the field,” Killian complimented.

  While Killian gushed about Logan, he seemed to forget about Mason. Mason tapped the table nervously and looked around the coffee shop like he was trapped in a conversation he didn’t want to be in. I felt bad for him, but I also thought he was really attractive.

  “What position do you play, Mason?” I asked.

  “Oh, I’m uh, the back up quarterback,” he explained shyly. “You know, in case the regular quarterback, Teagan, gets hurt, they put me in. As of this morning. I just had tryouts.”

  Mason was a bit awkward in explaining. He wouldn’t keep eye contact with me and kept looking down at the table or tearing off pieces of his coffee cup.

  “Sorry, I don’t know anything about football,” I admitted. “But that’s good right? Quarterback? Even if you are just the backup?”

  Mason and I locked eyes for a minute. His eyes were so deep and blue. I knew right then I had to be with him somehow.

  “Oh, yeah,” Logan agreed enthusiastically, breaking the moment between Mason and I. “Being a freshman backup quarterback is a huge deal. They almost never put a freshman in that position.”

  “I saw Mason throw today,” said Killian. “He hit a trashcan from over 100 yards! It was incredible!”

  “Wait. Why did you throw it into a trashcan?” asked Amy, confused.

  “Oh, uh, the coach told me to,” muttered Mason, looking down at the table again. “It was a test.”

  “Hey, uh, you guys don’t have any drinks yet,” noted Logan. He popped up out of his chair and looked like he was about to ask us for orders.

  “Oh, I got this,” said Killian stopping him. “Babe? You want your usual latte?”

  “Yeah,” said Amy.

  “Faith?” asked Killian.

  “Oh, just get me a medium iced tea,” I said. “I rarely drink coffee. It’s too harsh for me.”

  Killian got up to order the drinks. I was trying to draw Mason out of his shell. He seemed like a nice guy, just very unsure of himself. Logan ended up sucking away all the attention. I guess he was the extroverted one.

  “I can’t stand coffee either,” said Logan, apparently not realizing he was holding a coffee cup. “Especially with all the sugar they put in it? So bad for you, right?”

  “Yeah, processed sugar is pretty bad,” I agreed. “Do you guys have to eat super healthy because you’re on the football team?”

  “I guess,” said Mason.

  “Of course we do!” said Logan. “Well maybe not Mason. He doesn’t have to bulk up like the other guys on the team. We have to be big and strong. You should see some of the guys that play this game. Absolute beasts! You're trying to block them and it’s like blocking a bulldozer sometimes!”

  “What’s your major, Faith?” Mason managed to ask. He was glancing over at me, slightly smiling.

  “Computers. I’m looking to work in IT with a major company. I have this internship now, but I might have to leave it,” I said, instantly regretting segwaying into my problems. “But I’m not sure. I might still stay. It’s a pretty big company.”

  “I’m still undecided,” admitted Mason. “I guess right now I’m just majoring in football.”

  “A lot of players major in business,” noted Logan, leaning back in his chair until the front legs were off the ground. “That way, if they turn pro, they know how to manage their money. If they don’t, they can still get a job. It’s a win-win, ya know?”

  Killian came back with the drinks.

  “Ya see, Amy,” said Killian, having overheard Logan. “That’s what I should do. Business. Being a doctor and a football player? It just seems like I’ll have no time.”

  “Killian, you’re so smart! You can do this! At least try, babe? Please? For me?” asked Amy.

  “God, I can’t resist those eyes!” Killian relented.

  He gave her a kiss.

  “Sorry,” he said to the rest of the table. “I promise no more PDA.”

  “Faith, did you say to Mason you might have to leave your internship?” asked Amy, suddenly remembering what I had said.

  “Oh, I don’t want to get into it,” I said, feeling my cheeks get hot. “It’s kind of personal.”

  “But you love that internship so much,” pressed Amy. “Is your mother still asking you why you don’t make money?”

  “Yeah,” I admitted. “I can’t really get into it. Needless to say, my mother won’t stay out of my life. You know how moms are.”

  “Not our folks,” said Mason glancing out the window. “They barely know I exist sometimes.”

  “Dude, c’mon,” chastised Logan. “It’s not that bad. Our dad is into politics. Gets real busy and he is always on the road.”

  “Don’t make excuses for him, Logan,” said Mason, mildly annoyed and fixing his twin with a hard stare.

  “What? It’s true.” His brother shrugged.

  “I’m not very political,” I admitted. “These days, it seems like people make too much of politics.”

  “Yeah, exactly,” agreed Mason. “It’s so divisive and angry. Why anyone would go into politics is beyond me.”

  “Admittedly, I don’t know much about it either,” said Logan. “But my father is extremely intelligent. Takes a lot of smarts to keep on top of the political game.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t put down people who would go into it as a profession,” I said, clarifying. “I’m still a practicing Catholic. People target it me all the time on the Internet for my religious faith and it’s extremely harsh. I could see why your dad would have to be smart to keep all the politicians happy.”

  “There’s a bad mix,” noted Killian tapping the table lightly. “Religion and politics. The two worst things to talk about, right guys?”

  “Oh, my bad,” said Logan, thinking he was getting a signal. “I don’t mean to bore you with a lot of my babbling.”

  “No-no, it’s fine,” I assured him.

  I was trying to talk to Mason, who still seemed shy, while Logan kept leaping into my conversation. I guess I could date Logan. He’s basically a carbon copy of Mason in looks, just with more styled hair. The only problem was, he never seemed to stop talking. Maybe Logan did all the talking, while Mason did all the thinking. Both seemed pretty nice, but Mason’s quietness was attractive.

  Logan seemed to s
hift anxiously. Like he had energy to spare.

  “Anyone need a refill?” he asked. When we all shook our heads no, he bounded over to the register. I decided that this was my chance to entice his brother. Maybe I could get Mason to ask me out.

  “So, uh, are there a lot of activities on campus that you’re into besides football?” I asked.

  My opening was a little clumsy, but Mason responded.

  “Sure. Yeah. I suppose. I took an archery class, ya know, just for fun?” he smiled a little at me.

  “Sometimes the campus vintage movie night is pretty good,” I noted. “Do you ever go?”

  “Not really. I’m not really into black and white movies,” said Mason. “Not enough action to hold my attention, you know?”

  “Oh, I see.” I nodded, trying to think of something else to suggest. “Well, maybe you---“

  Logan returned to the table and fell into his chair. He grinned at me and tried to hold my eyes with his own.

  “What are we all talking about? Are you sure you didn’t want anything?”

  It was strange. They were identical twins, but their personalities were completely different. Logan couldn’t shut up and Mason had to have every word dragged out of him. It would be impossible to get him to ask me on a date. He’d never do it just casually like his brother would. He struck me as the kind of guy that would agonize over it for days and then mostly likely chicken out at the last minute anyway.

  As for me, I wasn’t any braver. Here we were, 2018, where it would be perfectly acceptable to ask a man out on a date and I couldn’t bring myself to do it. My mother had made me a traditionalist in a lot of respects. I wanted to be asked out. For me, it was part of the process. I wanted to be wooed and romanced. I wanted flowers and little notes. Was that so much to ask for?

  The traditionalist in me said that it was required so that the man could show that he was serious about me. But the modern, independent woman inside me told me that was all window dressing. That men would do that just to get what they want and then walk away. Kyle had been like that, but in the end it was all a ruse.