Game day arrived and brought with it all the excitement and energy the students and faculty of Pineville High could muster. In the halls, everyone's face glowed with team spirit, all except for Layla, who seemed withdrawn again, like she was at the diner last night after asking about homecoming. As for me, I couldn't concentrate during classes; I hadn't heard a word my teachers said all day, unless it was something relating to the game.

When it came time for the pep rally, I followed my teammates through the hallway that led to an entrance into the gymnasium. From the doorway, it sounded like the entire town had showed up to support the team. Pineville at its finest. Heavy metal music boomed from the speakers, guitar strings striking a raucous chord, the words making me imagine the atmosphere of the game before we ran out onto the field. It made me feel supercharged and more confident about what I planned to do later.

The team captains, Elijah Ray and Casper Jones, strutted out in front of our procession, followed by the offensive linemen, then Blake and me, and then the rest of the players. We wore our game day jerseys, bright red with white numbers, trimmed out in silver. As we entered the gym, the decibel levels skyrocketed, so loud I couldn't hear what Blake was saying as he twisted around to talk to me. It didn't matter what he said whether it was encouragement or something else, because the moment had arrived, and I felt it in every fiber of my being. This was the biggest day of my eighteen-year-old life, and it was here because of a tragedy. I wouldn't have wanted anything to happen to Austin Campbell, would never have wanted him to die or get injured just so I could play. But I couldn't help what happened to him. It wasn't my fault, but now that my time had come, I planned to embrace it with open arms.

Inside the gym, the entire student body had packed out the place. Teenagers ranging from the ninth to twelfth grades rattled the bleachers, stomping their feet, everyone cheering for us and pumping their little pom-pom shakers. The cheerleaders bounced and kicked their legs in the air, wiggled their spirit fingers, all the while yelling out their cheers to stir up the crowd. Teachers and coaches lined the ends of the basketball court. I even saw Layla's dad, the police chief, standing near one of the other entrances. His salt and pepper hair sat atop a face with a square jaw and broad shoulders. He stared into the crowd and let his gaze wander over every student, the players, and even the coaches. He had a weary look on his face and his eyes seemed forever narrowed and his brows permanently furrowed with something troublesome on his mind.

After we made our way onto the middle of the court and sat in rows of chairs, Principal McCord grabbed the mic from Coach Diggs and looked up into the stands. As he did, I spotted Layla and waved. She waved back, but she didn't smile. I could tell the subject of homecoming was still bothering her. I wanted to talk to her about. I know what she wanted to ask me, but I couldn't make sense of it all. Any feelings I had for her were new, and I had always dreamed of dating Lexa Thorn. Truthfully, I felt torn.

Principal McCord held the mic close. "Are you ready for a clash of the titans? Are you ready for the game of the year?"

The crowd roared, and the cheerleaders bounced, kicking their legs out, and raising their hands in the air, aiming to get all the school spirit they could from the student body.

"Then give a big shout for your head football coach, Coach Nate Steele!"

With the noise at a fevered pitch, the principal handed the mic to Coach Steele, who stepped to the forefront and raised a hand to quiet the students. Everyone sat and returned to a more reserved state but appearing full of anticipation.

"This is the day you've all been waiting for," Coach Steele began. "It's game day in Pineville, a day we all look forward to every time it rolls around. A day Austin Campbell had looked forward to, but a day he wasn't able to see."

Though everyone had been listening intently, a greater hush fell over the crowd. One of respect.

"As I said earlier this week, we will dedicate the rest of the season to Austin Campbell." The coach surveyed the crowd, appearing somber. "That also means that tonight's game is dedicated to him, too." He turned to the players behind him. "We will play for Austin!"

Elijah, Casper, and Koby Sanders stood up, heads bobbing, looks of affirmation on their faces.

"This team is led by a core group of players who have done everything it takes to win. They have sacrificed. They have done things other players aren't willing to do. Stayed late, worked out after practices, pushed their bodies to the brink of exhaustion with one goal in mind... to win at all costs!" The crowd kicked up again, but the coach raised a hand to silence them. "When the number one Pineville Wolfpack takes the field tonight against our archrivals, the Central Red Devils," the coach's voice grew louder and more intense, his eyes hardening like a predator, "we won't just take the field, we will storm the field, and we will play to win the game!" He threw his fist into the air and dropped the mic.

And the student body went berserk.

During the coach's speech, my legs had bounced up and down from the rush of energy in the gymnasium. It was almost too much to bear. Now that the pep rally was ending, the crowd still cheering, Lexa Thorn shook her pom-poms, chin pointed slightly down, blonde hair cascading past her shoulders, all the while staring at me with a hint of a flirtatious smile. As she looked at me, I felt a confidence soaring on the inside of me that tonight was going to be my night.

I sensed it. Felt it in my bones.

When the pep rally ended, some of the players, including me and Blake, went to Pop's Diner for a pregame meal. But Layla wasn't there. She wasn't working tonight and apparently didn't feel the need to hang out with a bunch of jocks. But the evening continued as we chatted up the hype, all of it leading me back to the coach's office, where he handed me the first pill.

I held the gel capsule between my fingers, noticing the two halves within it as if the ingredients had come from two different sources. I pondered this and decided it was nothing to worry about.

Thinking of tonight's game, I raised the bright red pill to my mouth, and was about to swallow it when a thought of Layla Robinson hit me. I remembered the feeling of warmth she brought me last night when her shy glance stopped me in my tracks. There was something special about her I had never considered or realized before.

Then I thought of Lexa Thorn and the tiny smile she gave me during the pep rally, hinting of possibilities for the future. I had daydreamed about her for the last three years, and now I wondered if I might finally get my chance.

I raised the pill closer to my mouth but hesitated. "It's all natural and legal with no side effects, right?"

"It's not a drug," the coach replied. "It's not steroids, and it's as legal as the water you drink out of the fountain." He gave me a cone cup with water from the bottle dispenser behind him. "But some people experience minor side effects, like sun allergies, increased chest hair, or insatiable hunger." He grinned like a wolf. "Those are minor, and it depends on the individual."

"What about serious side effects?"

Coach Steele grimaced and rubbed his chin. "Maybe difficulty sleeping, vivid dreams, and in rare cases, sleepwalking, but that's few and far between. Trust me, there's nothing to worry about."

I peered at him, observing his facial expression and body language, searching for anything that might signal a red flag.

"Trust me." The corners of his lips curled up. "If it makes you feel any better, I take it too." He flexed his arm and his bicep bulged beneath his polo shirt. I knew he was in great shape and well built, but I'd never seen him flex.

I considered the fact he took the supplement too. Like he said, there was nothing to worry about. He was the coach. An adult. Everything was going to be okay. This supplement was going to elevate my game and lead to great things. I just knew it. After a long moment of contemplation and rock-solid realization, I nodded my acceptance, and then placed the pill in my mouth. Then, without hesitation, I washed it down with water. Crushed the cone in my fist.

"How long will it take to go into effect?" I asked.

"You won't feel anything to begin with, but once your adrenaline kicks in, you'll feel it come to life."

Soon, I would have all the adrenaline I needed when the football game kicked off.

Two hours later, after warmups on the field, we rushed back into the field house for Coach Steele's final pregame speech, intended to fire us up even more. As his voice rose with intensity, our attitudes grew fierce, and our determination soared through the roof. Elijah Ray slammed his fists down on Ryan Dawson's shoulder pads and he proceeded to stir up the rest of the team with a speech of his own. Then with a fist in the air, Elijah led us out of the field house, our cleats clacking on the sidewalk, the stadium coming into view, cram-packed and filled to capacity. Standing room only.

I felt the buzz of electricity in my veins as I put my helmet on and got ready to storm the field.

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Chapter 7: 1,708 Words
Story: 12,459 Words