Gladiators of the Gridiron

‘You ready to leave?’ Ty carried his bag over his shoulder, leaning against the doorframe of his sisters’ room.

One half of the room was a mess of colour. Empty water and soda bottles spilt out from under the bed, empty packets of chips and candy were strewn about the place, with a bed that looked like it’d been shaken around until the screws came loose, pillows and blankets scattered to the floor. Posters of pop stars and celebrities were plastered all over the wall as well.

Meanwhile, the other half was perfectly neat, though the only colours that came from it were boring beiges, browns, and blacks. The walls were barren, and apart from the bed, the only other thing on that side was a small, simple desk.

Megan sat on her made, brown bed. She looked up at Ty’s words and smiled. ‘Yep. I was waiting for you. It’s not like I had to pack anything really.’ She marked the page of the book she was reading—Pride and Prejudice—and stood up.

Ty turned and started down the narrow hallway of their home, not even looking back to make sure Meg was following, which she was.

‘You sure you wanna come? You’re gonna have to sit through a shitty JV game first,’ he said. It was hardly past midday, and his game was scheduled for 5 pm, yet with who they were getting a ride from, they’d need to be at the field much earlier.

‘That’s alright. I need to cheer you on, and, you’ll be there with me … and I’ll have my book too.’ She was close behind him, still clutching her book as she followed him.

As Ty reached for the front door, it opened suddenly, their father stepped in. He was obviously still a bit groggy from his previous night out, which he was only just returning home from.

‘Where are you two going?’ Their father still held onto the door, his body filling up much of the frame.

‘Hi, Daddy,’ Megan said.

‘I’ve got an away game,’ Ty said. ‘We’re getting picked up. We’ll be back tonight, don’t worry.’

‘Hngh? You still playing football? Can’t your mom take you?’ Their father looked around the quiet home. ‘Where is everyone?’

‘My coach is almost here, don’t worry about it.’

‘Mama took the twins out for a playdate, earlier. Vicky is out with Shakira, and… Devon is in his room, right?’ Megan turned towards Ty, unsure about where their elder brother was.

Ty grunted and confirmed her guess with a nod.

Their father looked them over, his bloodshot eyes narrowed slightly. He looked around the entrance of the house again and then pushed past the siblings. ‘House to myself, perfect.’ His deep voice rumbled as he made his way straight to the fridge.

Megan looked back, but Ty pressed forward and walked out.

‘I love you, daddy.’

‘Yeah, love ya too.’ He half-heartedly waved to her, not even turning to face her and see her off before she left as well.

Megan and Ty walked across the yard and stopped on the sidewalk in front of their home, waiting by the street for Coach Long to pick them up.

Megan checked the time on her phone. Quarter past twelve; they’d be here any minute now.

As Ty waited, his mind drifted back to the DB blitzing drills they’d done during training. More specifically, the only time anyone got a hand on Jay during it.

“How did that little shit get him?”

He racked his brain, replaying the moment over and over. He closed his eyes to better visualise the sequence, but still, he couldn’t pick up on what had made Rabbit’s efforts any different to everyone else’s.

The ferocity didn’t compare to Deshaun’s. He himself was faster than Rabbit, and Rabbit couldn’t hide his intentions as well as most of the veterans. Why had HE been the ONLY one to “sack” Jay?

Before Ty could find his answer, Coach Long’s car rolled up in front of them. The coach himself got out and took Ty’s bag.

‘Good to see you, Tyrese. And hello again, young Megan. Haha, are both of you excited?’ He put Ty’s bag in the boot.

‘Very excited. Thanks for driving us to the game, sir,’ Megan said, then lightly nudged her brother with her elbow.

‘Yeah, thanks. Sure beats getting the bus.’ Ty pulled open the back door, looking in and finding Bella sitting at the far end of the backseat, with Luke in the front passenger’s seat.

Ty shimmied into the middle seat before Megan could say anything. She frowned and closed her mouth, squeezing in next to him.

‘Samuels.’ Luke nodded at Ty, then looked at Megan. ‘...And, Megan, right?’

‘Meg is fine, but yes.’ She flashed Luke a soft smile before glancing at Bella.

Bella pushed against Ty’s leg. ‘Don’t be taking up all the room. I was here first.’

Ty grit his teeth. ‘What? I’m just sitting here. Who asked you to come anyway.’

Coach Long started up the car. ‘Hey now, there’s plenty of room back there for all of you. Play nice. And of course, Bella is coming, can’t play without the assistant coach after all.’

Bella smugly grinned at Ty who rolled his eyes. ‘Oh yeah, the team would fall apart without our water girl,’ he muttered.

Bella shoved a sharp elbow into his ribs. ‘Oh, you are SO riding the bench. And why are you complaining about me being here? This wouldn’t be a problem if your sister wasn’t here, who asked HER, huh?’

‘I-I always come to Ty’s games,’ Megan squeaked, holding onto Ty’s arm.

‘Sorry, didn’t know Mr Superstar here needed his own personal cheerleader.’

Meg pouted more, still clinging to Ty’s arm. Ty sighed. ‘Just shut up, I’m trying to focus.’

‘Come on, guys. It’s only going to be fifteen minutes. You can get along for that long, can’t you? Can you try, for me, my little bell?’ Coach Long looked at Bella through the mirror.

Bella groaned then shot a glare at Meg who was snickering, though she quickly shut up under that intense glare. Ty scoffed and smirked. ‘Little bell?’

Bella elbowed him in the ribs again, drawing a grunt and a glare from him. He snarled and showed off his sharp teeth.

Megan tried to pull Ty against her more. ‘Just keep your hands and arms to yourself.’

‘Yes. Everyone should keep their hands to themselves,’ Coach Long said.

‘Yeah. EVERYONE.’ Bella looked at the way Meg was clinging to Ty.

Meg pouted and tightened her hold on her brother instead.

Bella shook her head, looking away out the window on her side and mumbled, ‘So weird.’

‘Th-This is just normal for a brother and sister,’ Meg insisted. ‘A-Aren’t you close with your siblings?’

‘What siblings?’ Bella looked over her shoulder at the brother and sister.

‘O-Oh… sorry…’ Meg looked down. Ty didn’t say anything. Bella furrowed her brow, finding the apology strange. So what if she was an only child? It was better than having some weird, cloying little sibling, she thought.

Ty groaned and leaned his head back. At least everyone had calmed down for now. Bella was looking out the window, Meg was clinging to him, Coach Long was focusing on the road ahead of them, and Luke had just been enjoying the show. But everyone was quiet now.

Ty closed his eyes, once again trying to focus on the previous practice session.

“What was different about it?”

Maybe Rabbit was just THAT unremarkable that Jay had a hard time finding that HE was the missing defender?

“No. Then he’d always be throwing it to Rabbit’s man, 'cause he’d think that guy was ALWAYS open.”

As they drove along, Coach Long broke the silence. ‘So, you’ve always gone to your brother’s games, Megan? Even in middle school? What about your parents? Do they usually work around this time?’

Meg perked up. ‘Oh? Well uh, yeah. I’ve always gone to Ty’s football games, for as long as I can remember. I never miss one. And… well.’ She looked at Ty, whose eyes had opened again. He was looking at her but he didn’t say anything so she continued. ‘...Our parents sometimes work, but, they just, don’t come to the games anymore. I think in Ty’s second year of middle school was when they stopped watching.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Though it’s good he’s got such a supportive sister.’

Meg’s smile beamed brightly, and Bella rolled her eyes. ‘Why is that? Why don’t they come?’ she asked.

Ty shrugged. ‘My mother has never been big into sports. And my father? Eh. He was too disruptive, even when we were blowing teams out he’d always yell at the refs for the smallest, most insignificant calls.’

‘Damn…’ Bella frowned. ‘Don’t they care, though? I mean… don’t they want you to get to the NFL?’

Ty lowered his head, not saying anything. It was a good question and one in which he couldn’t accept the obvious answer.

‘I’m sorry to hear that, Tyrese. Though I’m sure once they hear how good you’re doing, they’ll start showing up for games again. Haha, just wait until you’re playing for a state championship, they’ll HAVE to show up.’

‘Maybe…’ Ty mumbled.

Coach Long cleared his throat. ‘Anyway, uh, Megan. How old are you?’

‘Oh, I’m 13, just a year younger than Ty.’

‘Ahh, so you’ll be joining our school next year then, that’s good. Are you into any sports?’

Bella snickered. One didn’t have to look at Meg too hard or long to see that she wasn’t exactly the sporting type.

Meg ignored the older girl’s restrained laughter. ‘Well… n-not exactly. But… I mean, c-can girls play football?’

‘Well of course they can!’ Coach Long laughed. ‘It’s not very common, but they can play with the boys. All they need is the courage to do so and the heart to give it their all and practice as hard as they can, just like anyone else.’

‘Though you still have to be good enough, and well…’ Bella looked Meg over again. ‘I don’t think I need to say it, do I?’

Meg blushed and squirmed. ‘I-I might not be that big or strong b-but I could… well, maybe I could be a kicker?’

Ty blinked, only now seeming to realise what exactly they were talking about. ‘Huh? Are you gonna try and join the team next year?’

‘W-Well, m-maybe?’ Meg cowered under Ty’s stern gaze.

‘Cut the shit, Megan.’

‘Hey!’ Coach Long’s voice was as sharp as it was in practice ‘Watch that language around a lady, Tyrese.’

Ty bit his tongue and matched Coach Long’s hardened gaze through the mirror. He looked at Meg again and shook his head. ‘You’re not cut out for it and you know it. Don’t insult me and everyone else who plays by thinking someone like you could have a place in it.’

His disgusted look shattered Meg and she quickly turned away, letting him go. She buried her face in her book so that no one would be able to see her eyes tearing up.

Everyone gave Ty a nasty look, shocked that he would speak to his sister in that way, especially when she had been nothing but supportive of him, and obviously would’ve only wanted to be on the team so she could be closer to him.

‘Don’t… don’t be upset, sweetheart,’ Coach Long said. ‘It does take hard work to get on a team, but if you are willing to put in that work, you can do it, no matter what anyone else says. And there’s nothing disrespectful about that. In fact, I think it’s even more respectful that someone would be willing to work extra hard to make up for what they might lack in natural talents, just so they can play the game they love and enjoy.’

‘Yeah.’ Luke agreed. ‘But it’s a rough game. So you have to make sure it’s something YOU would really want if you’re going to commit to it.’

Meg managed a rather meek, “thank you” to both of the men, but didn’t look up from her book.

Ty sighed, either ignoring the looks and the effect he’d had on his sister or simply not caring.

“Someone like Rabbit is bad enough, but MEG. That’s too far…”

Yet still, he could not for the life of him wrap his head around what Rabbit had done to get a sack on Jay.

‘You’re a real asshole, you know,’ Bella’s whispering voice shocked Ty from his thoughts. He blinked and looked at both of the girls he was sandwiched between.

He frowned, but he didn’t say anything or apologise. So what? He had just told Meg the truth, why did that make him the bad guy?

Meg kept her nose buried in her book the rest of the way. Thankfully, the trip was short, and they didn’t have to sit in awkward silence for long before they arrived, pulling into the parking lot at the Norwalk Lancers’ football field.

‘Here we are. Help me with the boot, Bella,’ Coach Long said after parking the car. He got out, and Bella joined him at the boot.

Coach Long took Luke’s wheelchair, unfolding it and setting it out for him, though Luke was able to transition from the passenger seat to his wheelchair without assistance.

Bella got out a large duffel bag, and when Ty came around for his bag, she turned away and walked off. ‘You can get your stuff, yourself.’

Ty scowled at the back of her head but grabbed his things without a word. Megan pulled herself out of the car, her book now closed, but she still wasn’t talking.

They all made their way over to the empty bench for the away team. Coach Long returned silent, resentful looks with a friendly smile and wave as he went.

Ty flashed his teeth at the few members of the home team that were already there, laughing to himself about how relieved all those shitty little JV kids would be when he didn’t get suited up to play against them.

Though there was little for him to do, except sit down and wait through this boring game for his own battle to begin. He just hoped having to watch such a pitiful display of football would dull his own skills.