The Bench Warmer (Book 1)

Chapter 3: Something Big

I looked over at my father's car, as I saw him leave it all at the exact same time too, as I saw that he was not all too far behind me right now. I was about to wait for him, for some odd reason or another, until I then all of the sudden began to remember at the exact same time as well, that I was not going to be going to the same place as him, as I was sure that he either had a teacher meeting, or a class room to go to right at this very moment in time.
I sighed just a little bit to my self, as I then dipped my head a little bit low to the ground at the exact same time too, as I knew that I was not a toddler now, and it was time for me to go grow out of my diapers, as I knew that it had been a very long time since the last time that I went with my father in to the school, and I felt like at the exact same time as well, that I did not want to embarrass my self, with my father practically holding on to my hand, like he used to the in Kindergarten.
There was with out a doubt that my father was a good father, as he had gone through all of the years through out school with me, as when I had graduated elementary, and middle school, he had gone to the next school that he could get a job at the next year so that he could be with me. He never was a teacher to me, but he still felt like for some odd reason or another, that he had to be at the same school with me.
I was not complaining about it either, as when I was younger I knew that kids from older grades used to bully me, due to the fact that I had a father as a teacher, but that did not last all that long, as I continued to grow more and more through out the years, as I was 6'3 right now, and I knew that I was only going to being growing at least a little bit more, as I was only 16, and I still had at least a bit left in me.
I shook off all of those thoughts all at once at the exact same time too, as I knew that I really did not need to worry about such a thing now, as instead of bullying me, it seemed like all of the cool kids wanted to be around me a lot now, due to the fact that I was such a star athlete. I did not want to be around them how ever, due to the fact that I knew that those people were fakes, and I had to make real friends.
I was not sure if I really did in fact have real friends how ever, if I was going to be completely honest with my self, as I dipped my head a little bit low to the ground having those thoughts roll through my head at the exact same time too. I knew that it was not the case at all though, as I knew that I had a few good friends on the football team for one thing, and also the other was the fact that I viewed my girl friend as a good friend, even if we were in a relationship or not, she was still at the very least, my friend.
I sighed just a bit to my self, as I was not all too sure what it was that was going on with me right now, if I was going to be completely honest with my self, as I knew that I needed to get in to the school, but for some dumb reason, I just did not feel like it right now. I knew as to why that was the case as well how ever, as I knew that it was the fact that I was about to ask Kimberly to marry me not to much longer from now, as that distilled a lot of fear in my heart if I was not going to lie.
I was afraid of her saying no, even if I knew that she was not going to, I still had seen all of the movies, and I had seen all of the YouTube videos of stuff like that happening. It brought a bit of a shiver down my spine too, as I felt quite a bit sick right now, as for some odd reason I was not all too sure as to what it was that I was doing right at this very moment in time, nor was I all too certain as to what it was that I should be doing.
I was standing on the side walk, at the front of the school, as I knew that luckily enough for me, I doubt that there was any students looking at me right now, as I knew school did not start for another hour and a half, but there were a bunch of teachers that were going around right now. I knew that they were not paying all that much attention to me at all, even if they knew I was the star athlete, as I knew that it was the first day of school, and they had a lot more important things to be worrying about.
It was just the fact that I felt like I had a bunch of eyes on me right now, as it kind of scared me due to that fact, as I knew that it the cafeteria, not all too long from now, there were going to be a lot of eyes on me, waiting to see what it was that was going on at the very moment in time, and wondering why the hell the band was in the cafeteria at that very moment, playing obscenely loud music as well.
I felt like, as I was not all too sure as to what it was that was going on with me right now. I was used to being in the spot light for one thing, and I knew that if I wanted my football career to blow up at all, than it meant that I had to be strong in a moment like this, as I knew that my father had brought it up to me several times, in such a fashion like this, when he said some thing of the sorts of, 'think of this as 4th and goal in the Superbowl... You don't want to pull a Russel Wilson... Snatch that ball son!'
It was kind of funny the story, if I was not going to lie, as I knew he had said it to lighten me up, as he had a good sense of humor for sure, but at the exact same time as well, I also knew that there was a bit of some truth behind what it was that he had said to me as well, as I knew that I had to be strong, and I had to be brave. I blinked my eyes just a little bit, as I then lifted my head up at the exact same time too.
I looked at the front side of the school, as it was a huge school with out a doubt in my mind, as I was lucky to be at a school as big as this one, as I knew that a lot of scouts had come here, as I knew that I was not the only star athlete that was at this school. I was the biggest one though, with out a doubt, so that was one thing for certain. I nodded to my self, as I was about to start to walk over to the front of the school at the exact same time as well, until I heard the voice of my father begin to speak to me from not all too far away.
I was a bit lost by it at first, as I then all of the sudden began to turn my head around just a bit, to see that he had stopped him self from going to the other side of the school for some odd reason or another, as it was clear that he had noticed that I was a bit stuck on my thoughts right now, which I felt a bit bad for none the less, as I knew that my father needed to be worried about a lot of other things right now, besides me.
I felt a bit bad for it, but it was too late at this point any ways, though I did sigh a little bit of a soft sigh to my self all at once, as I then locked eyes with my father, to let him know that I had my attention on him, as I nodded to him, to which I got a quick nod right back over to him. My father then continued to speak to me all at once, as I then of course began to listen as to what it was that he had to say to me at the exact same time as well.
"Go long son! It's 4th and 37, and you're team has no time outs and there's 30 seconds to go in the game!" He said to me, as I was a little bit lost as to what it was that he was trying to say to me right now, and how he could come to an outrageous number such as that one at the exact same time too, as I was sure that if a team was in that position, than it was their own fault, as the only way that could have happened, was if the QB had scrambled far too much back, or if the team had a bunch a penalties that had got them there.
I rolled my eyes a bit at first, but I then all of the sudden began to realize just what it was that my father had just said, as I was quite a bit lost by it none the less, as I tilted my head at him. I blinked my eyes just a few times, to let him know that I was in fact lost, though I knew that he could not see me do so in fact, as he was about 50 feet away from me right now. It was like this was a real football game, and I was lined up as a receiver, getting ready for the QB to call the snap.
I saw the football in the hand of my father, as I then realized that I had some how managed to leave it in the car when I had left it, as I was glad to have such a great father to pick some thing up like that for me. I smiled just a little bit at the exact same time too, as I was happy for it, as I knew that I liked to use that football a lot, as I had the football ever since I had been a very young child, as it was an NFL sized football, bigger than most.
My father could still throw it though, as he was still an amazing athlete. I was still a bit stuck in place for a few seconds, but when I finally then did in fact begin to realize what was going on right now, I then nodded to my self all of the sudden, as I began to run a bit of a deep Hail Mary route down the field, which was probably the only route that I could run if it was a 4th and 37 situation, if I was not going to lie to my self, as to other route would be able to get far enough.
Though I had a heavy backpack on my back right now, I still was fast as all hell, as I was only 16, but I ran a 4.45 40 yard dash, which was faster than any one that was in the school, or even any person that was in the district for that matter as well, as I knew that the district was gifted with a lot of talented athletes around here, as I was not even the #1 athlete around the area for this college class none the less as well. That was besides the point as to what it was that I was doing right now how ever, as I then got my focus on all of that all of the sudden.
I turned my head, as soon as it felt like it had been 30 yards that I had ran, as I then turned my head just a little bit, as all of the sudden, I saw that the football was already high in the air, and it was less than a second away from being a perfect throw to me, as I then lifted my hands up, so that I was able to easily catch it with my massive hands that I had on me none the less, as it was a beautiful, and perfect throw that I did not even have to slow down to catch it.
I had always wondered why my father had not played football, as he had always seemed to be an amazing QB, with an amazing arm, not just in strength, but also in accuracy. I knew that it was too late for him at this point, due to the fact that he was 35, but he still had a lot of talent, that he had just seemed to give up on, after he had failed in college after his injury when he had been in basketball.
I was not going to lie, some QBs were not fast at all, so it did not need to matter at all if he did not have much speed, as it was hard for a QB to throw on the run any ways. I sighed just a bit to my self, as I shook off all of those thoughts all at once at the exact same time too, as it was besides the point, though I did still have the football in my hand, and I had stopped my self from going to far at the exact same time too, as I knew that there was no end zone that I needed to be headed to at all.
I blinked my eyes just a few times, as I stared in front of me, at the big school that I was about to head in to, for the first day of the year, which for most kids, they hated to be back in school, but it was just the opposite for me how ever, as I was excited for the fact that I had football season about to start for me. One of those was the NFL season, which I loved to watch, but also the fact that my own football season was about to start, and I hoped to try to make a run at state this year for sure, so that I would be a big name for certain on the map.
Of course, once again, a lot of that had to do with the Quarter Back how ever, as I then turned my head back to my father at the exact same time too, as I knew that he had done an amazing job as a QB on that throw that he had just given to me, as I still was in fact quite a bit shocked by it, as I turned my head back over to my father, who I saw had a big smile on his face, as if he had been waiting for me to turn my head around, and to look right back over to him for some odd reason or another.
I smiled right back at my father how ever, as I could not help it, as I loved him oh so very much, as he was the best dad that I could have ever asked for, as I was happy for the life that I had for sure, though I did not want to jinx my self, I felt like nothing could go wrong in my life, nor had any thing gone bad for me in my life at all never the less. I nodded just a little bit to my self all of the sudden, as I stared back at my father for just a little bit longer.
I was thinking about him being the QB of our team, but I knew that it would not work, as it would for sure be against the rules, as he was a grown man, and a lot of the players that were playing out there were still kids, or they were young adults, still not hitting the full growth stage in their life. I rolled my eyes a bit to my self all at the exact same time too, as I was not all too sure as to what it was that I had been thinking if I was going to be completely honest with my self.
I was looking at my father for just a little while longer, until I then saw him all of the sudden nod to me. I was a bit lost by it at first, but I did in fact nod right back over to him. Once he had seen me do such a thing, I then saw him look away from me all of the sudden, which hurt me just a little bit, as I still was a bit lost on what it was that was going on at this very moment in time at the exact same time too.
I then began to realize all of the sudden, that my father was going to go over to the teachers longue on the other side of the school, where it was that I was going to right now, as it was clear that he had a meeting to attend to, so I was not all too upset, nor was I worried about it, as I knew that my father was a very busy man, as so was my mother. I blinked my eyes just a few times, as I then watched him walk through the door of the other side of the school all of the sudden as well.
After that, he was gone, as I dipped my head a bit low to the ground all at once, as I was not all too sure as to what it was that was going on with me right now, as I was not sure why I was having such daddy issues right now. I wanted to laugh it off, but it really was not all that funny to me, as I instead just sighed a bit to my self, as I then unzipped my book bag from the back side, as I remembered that I still had my football in my hand.
I knew that I always left a spot in my back pack, for my football to fit in, as it was almost like it was a 'just in case' situation for some dumb reason, but it always made me feel just a little bit better about every thing, if I was not going to lie to my self. I shook off all of those thoughts all at once how ever, as I then got my eyes back on the front of the school that was directly in front of me, as I nodded to my self, and I then began to walk right over to the front door all of the sudden.
I shivered just a bit as I did, as if this was in fact 4th and 37, and it was going to be the last play of the game. I was not all too sure what was wrong with me, as I knew that this was just a normal day of school, like it or not, as I knew that even if it was the 1st day, it tended to in fact be one of the most easy days of the year, besides the day before Christmas break, and the day before the summer break none the less.
I knew at the exact same time too, that I was lying to my self if I tried to tell my self that this was a normal day. I knew that like it or not, I needed to be ready for what was about to come to me. I had to be strong for this, and I could not be staring with my head to the ground for the entire day, as this was a very good day for a lot of different reasons, as I had to be ready to take hold, and to take advantage of my future as well.
I then all of the sudden nodded to my self at the exact same time too, as I then opened the front doors of the school at the exact same time as well, as I then began to look all around the cafeteria as soon as I headed in to there, to see what was going on all around the area at this very moment in time, as to my surprise, though I knew that it should not be at all, due to the fact that it was always like this, every day of the year, due to the fact that I always got to school early, there of course was hardly any kids at any of the tables.
I blinked my eyes a few times, just for a little bit of some time, as I then sighed to my self as well, as I did my best to try to not get too worried about all of it, as it was the first day of school, and I was sure that a lot of kids did not have a great sleeping schedule just yet, and also the fact that I was still 90 minutes early until school started for the day, as it was always like that, as I knew that my father was a teacher, and he always had to get to school on time.
I breathed in a bit heavily, as I looked at all of the kids that were in the cafeteria at this very moment in time, as I saw that most of them were either kids that also had parents at the school that were teachers, such as I did, as I saw that a lot of them had their heads down low to the ground, or were crashed out on the uncomfortable table, dead asleep, due to the fact that they had not been ready for the first day of school.
I had been, as I had already got my self on to a good sleeping schedule, which was not hard when every time I got back from my training for the day, I just wanted to lay down in my bed, and get a bit of some rest, due to the fact that I was so worn out from all of the training that I had gone through for the day. I still felt a bit worn out right now, but that was a lot more to do with the physical aspect than it was mentally, as I felt fine in that aspect.
I had been tempted to stop my self from working too hard a lot of the time, but I also knew that if I stopped the grind at any point, than I would become lazy, and that I would not want to do any thing any more. I knew that I had to keep up the every day grind all of the time, as I then sighed a bit to my self, excepting the truth at this point, as I knew that I always had to stay on my A game, like it or not.
Speaking of the A game, I saw a lot of the nerds were also in the school, as it was no surprise at all to me, as I could see that they were on their phones, playing some sort of card game if I had to guess. I really did not dislike the nerds at all, I just was not all too sure as to why they hated me so much, when I was the only popular kid that did not treat them like shit. Maybe they thought that I was faking it, which was not the case at all.
I shook off all of those thoughts, all at the exact same time too, as I then turned my head over to some one at one of the tables that got my attention from quite a bit of some distance away, as of course, that was simply due to the fact that he was one of the only kids that were in this school, that were not white or Latino/Latina. It was my pal Ray, as I was not all too sure as to what ethnicity he had if I was going to be honest with my self.
I had never wanted to ask either, due to the fact that I did not want to be looked at as some kind of racist, though I had always been a bit interested in to what it was. That was besides the point how ever, at the exact same time too, as I looked over at Ray for quite a bit of some time, as I then all of the sudden, as what seemed to be perfect timing, saw that Ray turned his head over to me, as if he had some how noticed me through every one that was in the cafeteria at this moment.
I was a bit of a smile on the face of Ray pop up, as I knew that not only was he one of my friends, but he also was one of my football team mates, and I knew that he was hyped up for the upcoming season as well, as he was rated a 2 star prospect, and I knew just as well as he did, that he wanted to up him self just a bit, so that he could make national head lines all across the country. He had been spamming the group chat none stop over the last week, and I knew that it had got on a lot of people's nerves, but it was just funny to me.
I was not sure why every one did not just turn of their notifications like I did, as I knew when the coach had to tell us some thing privately, he sent it to us in an email most of the time any ways. I only looked through that group chat like once a day, but it always seemed that half of the group chat, on a group chat with over 50 people in it, was half of him being the one that was always messaging some one.
I rolled my eyes just a bit at the exact same time too how ever, as I then began to all of the sudden start to walk over to where it was that Ray sat alone, as I knew that the nerds hated him just as much as they hated me, though they hated him for a bit of a different reason how ever, as he was in fact one of the kids that messed with them, which I did not condone at all if I was going to be honest with my self, as I shook off all of those thoughts all at once as well, as I just kept on heading over to where it was that he was at, at the table.
Once I was there, he then nodded to me, as it was clear that he wanted me to sit down beside him. I blinked my eyes a few times, as if I was some how a little bit lost right at this very moment in time at first, but in the end, I did in fact sit down right beside him, as it then all of the sudden began to hit me as to what it was that was going on, as I sighed just a little bit to my self, as I then did in fact sit down right beside him at the same time too.
I looked at him for just a few seconds, as to no surprise what so ever, I saw that it seemed like he was excited to tell me some thing, as I stared at him for a little bit of some time. It was not just the group chat that he talked a lot on, he just liked to talk a lot in general, which there was nothing bad about that of course. I looked at him for a little bit longer, as I then all of the sudden shook off all of those thoughts all at once at the same time as well, as I then saw him suddenly nod to me, as it was clear that he was about to speak to me, and he wanted to make sure that I was listening as to what it was that he had to say to me none the less.
I rolled my eyes at him, as I felt like he was a little bit of an idiot, as I knew that he knew that I always listened in on what it was that some one had to say to me in the very first place, as I sighed just a little bit to my self as well, and I then nodded back to him, to let him know that it was safe for him to speak. I big grin popped up on his face all of the sudden, as I could tell that he was very happy right now, such as he always was too, as he then began to speak to me, and I then listened as to what it was that he had to say to me in the very first place any ways.
"I don't know about you, but I am hyped for today... I can't wait for this season to get started! I bet I run for 2000 yards this year, if we've got another garbage ass Quarter Back!" He said to me, as I almost wanted to laugh at what it was that he had said to me, but I also was a bit afraid of it as well, as I had a bit of a lingering suspicion that it might actually be the case, and that my rating might go down if that were in fact the case.
I knew Ray did not mean any harm to me at all, but I still could not help but to at least be a little bit upset as to what it was that he had said in the very first place any ways, as I knew that if it were the case, than I might actually have to switch to CB like it or not. I did not like to play on the defensive side of the ball at all, as I always wanted to score points for my team as much as I could, but I knew that like it or not, if we had another bad QB season, than I would have to switch to that.
I knew that the team captains on defense would not be happy with that at all, as I knew that it would mean that one of them would lose their spot as a team captain, as I knew that the coach was quite a bit over the top about me, as I knew that with out me, than he would have lost his job as the football coach, as he was not exactly the best coach if I was not going to lie to my self either.
I sighed just a bit to my self all at once, as I did my best to just try to shake off all of those thoughts all at the exact same time as well, as I then got my focus in on what it was that was going on right now, as I then began to realize that Ray had in fact just spoke to me, and it was clear that he was expecting to get some sort of response out of me as well, as I felt quite a bit sick as to a did my best to shake off all of those thoughts all at the same time too.
I forced a bit of a grin on my face, as I did my best to get my thoughts off of football for once, as I knew that I did not need to be stressed out about it through out the entire day. I had a lot bigger, and a lot better plans ahead of me that I really should have my thoughts focused on, as I remembered just what it was in the first place, as the grin became a lot more of a real grin as soon as it had hit me as to what it was any ways.
I blinked my eyes just a few times, as I saw that Ray was quite a bit lost as to why there was in fact such a big smile on my face in the first place any ways. I sighed just a bit, as I was not all too sure if I should tell him, but at the same time too, I figured why not, as I felt like I could not hold it in for all too much longer at all either, and I knew that he was not a snitch either, as I then began to speak to him all of the sudden.
"Well... I've got more important plans at lunch time... Believe me, it is some thing big..."