Page 27 of A Game as Old as Time

“Gunner. You would be incredible in the starring role!”

Hailey caught his gaze briefly as he glanced over at her and then down to his steering wheel. He was quiet for a few seconds, almost as if he were entertaining the idea, before he finally looked up.

“With all due respect, Ms. Summers…” His flashy grin to Hailey was no longer playful but full of self-absorption. “I already star every Friday night.”

What a jerk!

Ms. Summers said no more. They watched as he fired the engine to life and drove off, his lights slowly disappearing around the corner at the end of the parking lot.

“I’m sorry, Hailey.” Her teacher’s voice was barely audible. “I really want this play to work this year. This town, this community deserves something special after everything that has happened.”

Ms. Summers walked slowly to her car. Hailey clenched her fists at the sound of the teacher sadly toying with her keys.

What a selfish jerk.

She glanced one more time at the end of the parking lot.

What a coldhearted, selfish jerk.

She threw open her driver-side door, cursing out everything that was Gunner Weston and his family.

Chapter 6

“Welcome fans to another night of South Mountain football. Tonight, our Pioneers travel to Hawk Valley, where they will take on the Mountain Hawks in a regular-season district showdown. After a tough loss last week, Coach Bianchi will be looking to get his team a win and this season back on track.”

**********

Gunner stayed down on one knee as he spoke to himself in the endzone.

This is your moment.

He could feel the stares from the crowd glaring down on him, almost as piercing hot as the lights that lit up the field.

“G!” Ty yelled as he came up behind him. “You ready?”

Ready as I’ll ever be.

Gunner nodded. His eyes, however, stayed on the ground. Finally, he used all his strength to exhale and stand.

“Let’s get a win tonight!” It was all the energy Gunner could muster, but it was enough to send them both into motion.

His vision was shaky as he gazed across the stadium. The red and whiteuniforms of the other team ran back and forth with each new stretch they performed. It took everything Gunner had to force his legs to press forward. The Nike cleats on his feet felt like cement bricks as he dragged them across the grass, which looked like it had not been watered in weeks.

“We gotta get this one tonight, G.” Ty had built into a jog, and Gunner could not find the momentum to keep up. The back of the white and blue shirt in front of him,Carterlaminated across it, sprinted further and further away.

Come on.

Coach Bianchi was the next face Gunner saw, and he willed himself to run faster so he could join the pregame huddle.

“OK, guys.” The bulky head coach was on one knee, peering up at the rest of the team, when Gunner settled in. “We need to stick together tonight, play as a team, and play smart.”

Of course.

Gunner lowered his head, as the bright lights were beginning to give him a headache.

“Play hard, play smart, and play tough. If you do that, I promise that we will win this game!”

Real original.

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