In the locker room before the game I'm relaxing and just listening to music, there's still a couple hours until the game starts. I get a text from Nicole out of nowhere
"Hey.."
"Oh what's up?"
"I'm going to the game tonight"
"That's cool"
"Umm can we talk after the game?"
"We'll see"
I don't respond back to her next message, I don't have time to focus on her. Coach will then comes up to me.
"What's up coach?"
"You ready for tonight?"
"Yeah always coach… why you have a look on your face"
"Well just wanted to let you know… there's going to be a few scouts tonight checking out other players, this is the game to put yourself on that radar"
"Alright thanks for letting me know coach"
He nods and walks away. This game just got more interesting, first we have the social media thing and now we have scouts coming, oh yeah I definitely have to show out now. We run out the tunnel to the roar of the crowd, I look over at Washington's sideline and just smile at them.
Before the coin toss coach calls me and the other captains over
"Alright y'all we ain't shaking their hands"
I look at him confused
"Why coach?"
"I seen what they were saying about you online, we're not going to let that shit slide, I already told the refs now head out there"
When we don't shake their hands the Washington stands boo us, we don't care we just want to start this game and send these fuckers home with another loss. I line up for the first defensive play of the game, the ball is snapped and I get around the tackle easily for a tackle for a loss. after the play one of Washington's players comes and hits me in the back, knocking me to the ground gasping for air, all I can hear is whistles and people fighting as I'm face down trying to catch my breath. Soon the trainers are by my side taking me to the sideline as I hear the referee kicking out the player that hit me. On the sideline coach comes up to me
"Sanchez you ok?"
"Yeah I just need to catch my breath real quick"
I come back in the next series and pick up where I left off and get a sack on the first play back. I just stare down Washington's team, not trying to get flagged or thrown at the game but doing just enough to send a message to them. The game goes on and we're dominating going up by forty points into the third quarter and I already have five sacks, we go in for one last series before we get pulled out due to the score. My teammate runs past his guy and hits the Quarterback and makes him fumble, I pick it up and run it in for a touchdown, after the touchdown I look over at the Washington sideline and just put a finger towards my face mask telling them to shut the fuck up. As the clock winds down, Washington is heading off the field and I blow them all a kiss, wave at them and smile as they head to the visitor locker room not wanting to shake hands after that. As I'm heading back to the locker room coach calls me over and he's standing with an older man
"Jay this is Paul Andrews, he's a scout for Arizona state"
"Oh uhh nice to meet you sir"
I shake his hand and he speaks
"Nice to meet you too Jay, I have to say what I seen from you is impressive. I was here for someone else and you took all the attention"
"Yeah just trying to do my best sir"
"Well after what I saw, you're definitely on ASUs radar now… and pretty soon you'll be on everyone else's."
"Wow… I don't know what to say sir, I appreciate it"
"Just keep doing what you're doing, by your senior year… you'll probably be the best player from your class in the whole country"
"I'll definitely keep working, thank you sir"
We shake hands one last time as I head to the locker room to change. As I finish changing I check my phone real quick before heading out, I got multiple messages from Nicole
"Hey"
"Is the game still going?"
"It's almost ten the game should be over"
"You can just tell me you don't want to talk instead of ignoring me"
"😢"
I look at all the texts and just say to myself
"Jesus Christ this girl is lowkey crazy, I'll just text her when I get home"
I walk out the locker room and head for the parking lot where my family are waiting for me.
First my dad speaks
"Nice game son"
"Thanks dad"
Then my mom
"I can't believe that guy took a cheap shot at you!"
"Oh yeah I should've seen that coming after all that's been going on today"
Then my grandpa speaks up
"I seen you talking to someone on the sideline with your coach, who was that?"
"Arizona state scout… he said im on their radar now"
My family starts cheering and hugging me then my dad says something
"What else did he say?"
"He said after this game ASU ain't the only team that's going to be looking out for me and that I could be the best player in my class soon"
Then my grandpa speaks up
"I told you, if you work hard good things happen. Now the real work begins"
"Yeah I get it grandpa, but that work gonna have to start tomorrow because im hungry and tired"
We drive home as I look out the window all the way there, thinking this life is about to change a little now that I put my name out there, in more ways than one. Now to go home and text this girl.