Page 33 of Saving the Halfback

The coaches divided us into defense and offense. As Nolan and Ethan were pulled off to the side with Coach, I winced. To say those two didn’t get along would be putting it mildly. They glared at each other through most of history class, their attempts to hide their dislike unsuccessful. Yesterday, Ethan had smacked into Nolan in the hallway, and Nolan was more than ready to give it back. I was pretty sure, if given the chance, they would brawl, so I’d been trying to find ways to prevent it. I didn’t want Nolan to get hurt, though something told me he could hold his own. But that meant Ethan might end up hurt. There just was no winning.

“What are they doing?” I asked Lachlan, pointing to Nolan and Ethan.

Lachlan frowned. “Ethan is our center, which means he snaps the ball to Nolan. The last few scrimmages, they’ve been fumbling it…a lot.”

“That’s not good, right? A fumble means the ball is still in play, and the other team can steal it.”

“Right, been studying?” he asked with a smile.

“Just refreshers.” I shrugged, trying to downplay how much I’d been Googling to prepare myself.

“Ethan has to trust Nolan. See, Ethan has a two hundred, two fifty, pound guy standing right in front of him, waiting for that ball to move. The moment it’s snapped, Nolan has to be there to get it, then Ethan has to snap up and plow down the dude in front of him. If Ethan isn’t fast enough, the guy will take him down first and then go for our quarterback or whoever has the ball. Also, Nolan has to trust Ethan. He has to realize Ethan knows what he’s doing and is able to do his job. That Ethan won’t let the defensive center through. If Nolan is afraid of getting creamed because he thinks Ethan can’t stop the player, thenhe won’t be fast enough to receive the ball. They need to work together.”

“Would Ethan let a guy through? Just to hurt Nolan?” I bit my lip, watching the two get into position and practice the “snap.”

“Nope. Remember what I said yesterday? They might have disagreements, but Ethan would never risk the game or his reputation. On the field, only the game matters. Not many centers get scholarships, but it does happen. It probably will for him, he’s a really good player.”

“Why does Ethan hate Nolan so much?”

Lachlan looked away as Coach Bryer started walking to our group. “Since when does Ethan need a reason to hate someone?”

“Maybe we should talk to him,” I whispered.

Lachlan raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Maybe Ethan is waiting for someone to say hi, like you were waiting for me. Maybe that’s our problem. We should stop waiting and just be there.”

Something flashed across Lachlan’s face, be it realization or recognition or whatever. I could see his mind shifting gears, that big brain of his pondering, thinking.

For the next what felt like a lifetime, we worked on agility. Coach Bryer called it muscle memory; I called it torture. My limbs already ached from yesterday, so I knew, by the end of the day, they would be jelly.

Once the coach called for a water break, I found myself walking next to Nolan. “How’d working on the snap go?”

“Fine. Still liking football?”

“Less and less the more work I realize there is,” I groaned.

“Hey, Bailey, you’re pretty good on your feet,” Sam said. I didn’t know everyone’s position on the team yet, but I knew he was on offense too.

I gave him a friendly smile. “Thanks.” Nolan stepped up closer to me, his arm brushing mine.

“Two-minute drink and breather,” Coach called out. “We are working on tackles next. Gear on and mouth guards in, or you won’t be on the field.”

I was absolutely exhausted, ready to soak in a hot tub and beg my muscles to forgive me, but once Coach said we would tackle, renewed adrenaline coursed through me. The excitement was like a buzz that made me almost want to dance. I shifted from one foot to the other and nearly ground my teeth.

Nolan laughed. “Oh, dear god, someone save her.”

“What’s going on?” Lachlan asked, grinning as he watched me dance my gear on.

“She looks ready to take on all the linemen,” Nolan said.

Lachlan’s grin disappeared. “We better warn them.”

“Yeah, they will pulverize her,” Nolan agreed.

“No, we should warn them to watch out. Bailey will knock them out.” Lachlan laughed.

“Tease all you want, but I have some pent-up aggression I think I need to get out.” That brought on a round of laughter from them. I grabbed my silver jersey, but when I tried pulling the jersey over the pads, it got stuck.

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