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"Thanks," I mutter "Can’t believe Coach pul ed me out"
"Doesn’t matter You showed everyone your stuff"
"Did you talk to the Alabarins "Yup"
"What did he say?"
"Now’s not a good tiame Talk to you at home" Mike wanders back over to the fence where the Alaba with Carter’s dad I wish I hadget a first down, so it’s already our balTy runs out onto the field,defense see h Ty’s only had one practice with our team, a practice that lasted about twenty
JJ hikes the bal to Ty He takes a five-step drop and scans the field JJ lets a defenseet past hi linebacker get anywhere near h, because Ty sidesteps the linebacker and launches a deep pass to Henry, who’s vying with a cornerback in the end zone The bal sails right into Henry’s open arms
Shit
Ty just threw a forty-yard pass! God, I don’t think I could’ve done that
I turn to find Mike and the col ege recruiters The coaches are speaking quickly to a gaping Mike, who says so in their notebooks
Ty’s nauy even re his hel over He drops a hand onto my shoulder and pul s me close I quickly shake his hand off
"I’m sorry, Woods," Ty says in his thick Texas drawl
"It’s okay," I mutter "Nice pass" After JJ hikes the bal so our kicker can take the extra point, I pul hiain"
"Do what?"
"Let a linebacker go after a player like that Ty could’ve gotten clobbered Thank God it’s only Lynchburg"
"What the hel do you care? The dude stole your position"
"JJ, I don’t care if he threatens to kil my unborn children Ty is stil part of the team We take care of each other Understand?" I sh to make his head hurt, to make a point
"Yes, ma’am"
"Yes,to Duckett, who’s wearing his
"I’ there I hear Ty say, "You can’t interfere with a receiver like that--you just cost us fifteen yards!"
Ty’s advice is right on, but he’s not the coach, and he’s certainly not captain "Duckett," I say, "You’re playing a fantastic gaain"
"Got it, Woods" Duckett glares at Ty and walks away
"You were too nice to him," Ty tel sdifference between being brutal y honest and tel ing people what they need to hear Understand?"
Ty stares at me like he’s never taken directions frorab hiot a proble it to me Understand?"
"Sorry," hehis eyebrows at me
"I run the field for Hundred Oaks Not you"
"Understood" Ty shoves his helmet back onto his head and runs out for our next play Henry and JJ fol ow Ty, but once they’re gone, Carter comes over to me
"I don’t like this one bit, Woods," Carter says
"Souy--he assumes way too much"
"It’s under control," I reply in a tone that tel s Carter to go ahich he does But I can’t help but wonder if Carter’s right This is ame, and Coach has already taken me out and put in our farbetter quarterback, a quarterback who’s used to cal ing the shots and getting his way
But I won’t be control ed by anyone No matter how cute he is
As usual, I’m the first one out of the locker room and seated on the bus I pul out my iPod and stretch across the last row JJ and I always sit in the last two bus benches--it’s one of those senior perks Closing my eyes, I listen to some rap et home and hear what the recruiter said to Mike about otten about h school QB in Tennessee now We won 42–0 Ty was nice enough to take it easy on Lynchburg, only throwing two long passes, both to Henry Three touchdowns for Henry in one gae coaches definitelyat the ame In the end zone, after his third touchdown, he did this one move cal ed
"The Laer," where he pretends to start a laer Then he did "The Sprinkler"
That one got us an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and then we had to kick off frory about Henry’s showboating, but I didn’t care