~Evan~

When I heard the news that Austin Campbell had fallen off a hundred-foot cliff and died, I couldn't believe it. It seemed like a prank, like he would show up at any minute and set the record straight so that life could go back to normal. So we could go back to class and not have to pretend that the star quarterback, the most popular kid in school, wasn't dead and gone.

This morning, the rumors ran rampant throughout the high school auditorium, anxious murmurs echoing off the walls and making the enormous room feel much smaller than it was. The seats squeaked as the last of the students filed in and sat, whispering among themselves concerning what they were about to hear. An announcement was forthcoming, according to Principal McCord and Coach Steele. On the back rows, the freshmen and sophomores seemed clueless, but just behind me, some juniors were voicing their suspicions and doubts, while it appeared every senior, except me, had come in with some farfetched version of the truth about what happened Saturday night. Scattered voices had tossed around a few scenarios. All of those possibilities made my stomach queasy, a feeling that worsened as the principal walked down the middle aisle and started up the stairs leading to the stage to address the student body.

What could the principal say that would make things go back to normal? Could he turn back the clock and make us forget what we knew? I didn't think that was possible. As I considered this, I caught the eye of the girl sitting next to me, my friend since elementary school.

Layla leaned in close to me and nudged her black-rimmed glasses up on her nose. "Why was he out there that late... at night?" Her voice tightened. "On Old Man's Bluff. It makes little sense."

"It's bad enough it happened on the weekend after the big game against Carver." I shrugged, noticing a few strands of her hair had fallen on my shoulder. She saw me eyeing her flaxen locks and offered me a tiny smile, then brushed it away. I hesitated, distracted, but attempted to get back to my point. "I mean, he just had the best performance of his high school career. Five touchdowns. I can't believe it. What was he doing? It makes no sense."

"I know, right?" Blake Davis elbowed my arm from the other seat next to me. He had been my best friend since first grade. We played pee wee, junior high and now high school football together. He was good. Fast as greased lightning and caught any ball thrown his way. Why he hung out with the backup quarterback, I don't know. Maybe he felt sorry for me. "Nothing about this mess makes sense. Layla, I bet your dad knows what went down."

"Just because he's the police chief doesn't mean he'll tell me anything." She glanced over at Blake. For a split-second, her eyes flitted to mine, but she redirected them back to Blake quickly. "He's does everything by the book. He doesn't talk about work when he comes home."

In the front row, Austin's girlfriend, Lexa Thorn, couldn't be consoled by her friends. Tears ran down her cheeks and her body shook with muffled sobs. She was a wreck. I had never seen her like this before. As a varsity cheerleader, she usually inspired team spirit. She might never accomplish that again. I couldn't help allowing my eyes to linger on her, trace the line of her jaw as tear drops streamed down her face and spilled over the edge, sliding down her slender neckline. If I had a chance, if I were sitting next to her, would I have anything to say that would ease her pain?

"Here we go," Layla said, breaking my concentration on Lexa's perfect complexion. She nodded toward the podium as Principal McCord stood behind it, gripping one side while adjusting the mic. Coach Steele took up a position next to him, hands clasped in the front of him, eyes narrowed and his jaw drawing in tight. "Pay attention." Layla's brow furrowed as she focused on the principal.

I nodded and glanced at Blake, who was shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

"What?" I said.

"You can't see what's right in front of you."

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing." His eyes bulged like he was trying to send me a silent message. When I failed to get it, he pointed at the podium. "Pay attention."

I glimpsed Layla in my peripheral but didn't look her way. "This is me paying attention."

"Good morning, students," Principal McCord began. "I'm sorry we have to gather today under such sad circumstances. By now, most of you may have heard what happened to one of our own. What happened to Austin Campbell. You know it was an unfortunate accident. Many of you looked up to him. Loved to see him play on Friday nights. To others, he was a good friend. And to some, he was more than that. He was your best friend. He was a star whose light was snuffed out too soon."

As the principal spoke, Coach Steele stared out into the audience, his gaze turning icy as his eyes roamed over the student body. I couldn't help but look at him. He had a presence that drew people to him. Something about his eyes and the stern set to his jaw. When he caught me looking, he just glared at me, like he was angry. It was almost as if he was snarling at me, but his cheeks and mouth never quite twisted all the way to make it obvious.

"I want every one of you to know that we're here for you," Principal McCord continued. "This is a tragedy that has struck us all. We all feel his loss. All of us will grieve in our own way. If any of you need someone to talk to, myself, or your counselor, Mrs. Sims, have open ears. Our doors are open. You don't have to feel you're going through this alone. We can get through this together."

As Coach Steele peered at me, I picked up on a slight shake of his head, as if he was displeased about something. Maybe me. That's when I remembered I was the untalented second-string quarterback on his team, a team that was gunning for a third straight state championship. We had won back-back under Xavier Rhodes the last two years. Now he was a superstar at State U. And, of course, the coach of the Pineville Wolfpack expected nothing but victory, as did the rest of our small community. The football team galvanized the town, brought everyone together, gave them something to talk about and look forward to. Now, they had a backup senior who hadn't started a game since pee wee.

Disgusted. That was the expression I saw on Coach Steele's face. It was like a vibe, emanating from his cold, dark eyes and his tightly pressed lips.

"Coach." The principal turned in acknowledgment. "I'll let you say a few words."

Coach Steele nodded without so much as a crack in his hardened demeanor. His cheeks appeared as hard as granite. As he took the podium, I squirmed in my seat, my backside aching from the firm chair.

"Thank you." The coach bent his neck forward, drawing closer to the mic. "Austin loved football. He left nothing on the field. He gave it all. He was dedicated to following in the footsteps of Xavier Rhodes, to continuing the winning tradition that Xavier established here as an All-State quarterback. His dream was to go to State U and play in front of seventy-five thousand, just like Xavier is doing this year. This past spring he made a commitment to train and work hard and do whatever it took to achieve excellence." Coach Steele homed in on me and held my gaze. "We will honor Austin by continuing the tradition of Pineville High. We will play for him this year." He cleared his throat. It seemed more an attention getter than anything else. "I dedicate the rest of this year to his memory. To what he stood for and to what he would have wanted." He glanced away and scanned the crowd. "Austin would have wanted this school, this town, to come together. He would have wanted us to press on and play football. He wouldn't have wanted us to give up and wallow in defeat. He, "the coach choked back the first shaky crack in his voice, "he would have wanted us to win it all. So... with that in mind... that's what we're going to do." His gaze found me again and drilled into me like a bullet pass between the two of us. "I ask you to make that commitment. That's what it's going to take." After a long, intense moment, he looked away. "Remember Austin. Remember his legacy. This season is for him." The coach gave a last nod. "That's all I have. Thank you."

As the student body seemed to take heart at the coach's speech, more certain of how they would move forward, the principal stepped back to the podium and said, "That is all. You're dismissed to your classes."

The chatter started again as everyone stood and made their way down the aisles. Layla and Blake nodded at me, as if they had picked up on what the coach had been directing toward me. I knew he was talking to me. The backup, second-string QB. The guy Pineville would turn to... to salvage a perfect season, to win it all again. No pressure there. I wish I knew how I was going to make that happen.

It was no surprise when the coach stopped me in the hallway. "Seventh period. Before practice. In my office. We have to talk about what it's going to take to move your game to the next level."

"Okay," was all I could muster.

He wagged his head, his brows bunching together like a pair of thunder clouds about to sling lightning bolts my way. "Just be there. And don't be late."

___

Chapter 1: 1,675 Words

Story: 1,675 Words

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