The Bench Warmer (Book 1)

Chapter 8: First Scrimmage

All I could think about through 4th period, was the fact that I was now engaged to the love of my life. Hell, a lot of people had even congratulated me at the exact same time too, as it seemed like a lot of people were happy for me none the less, which was quite a bit of a surprise to me at the exact same time as well, due to the fact that I had been fairly certain that half of the school had just hated me. I was not born, nor was I raised in Cali, as I had simply only been here for 3 years. As crazy as it was for me to say, I kind of felt like I was a little bit of a misfit. I felt like a little bit of an idiot for even thinking that at the exact same time too how ever, as I knew that there were a lot of misfits in this school, and I for certain was not one of them for sure.
I shook my head all at the exact same time as well, as I then let out quite a bit of a soft sigh, all at once how ever, as I then all of the sudden got my focus on what it was that was even going on in my 4th period English class. I had not paid attention to a single word as to just what it was that the teacher was saying, and I could tell that she had noticed it at the exact same time as well, as I had seen her eyeing me the entire class. Of course, it seemed like a lot of people did that, as it was not just the teacher. All of the teachers new that I was a star, and I felt like they could not help but to stare at me the entire time that I was in the class room, as it did not seem like they would ever get used to it through out the school year at the exact same time as well.
I let out a bit of a soft sigh, as I blinked my eyes a few times, all at the exact same time too. I got my focus instead, on the fact that I should be paying attention to just what it was that the teacher had even said to me, as I knew that it was very important to me at the exact same time as well, due to the fact that I knew that she was explaining as to just what it was that we were going to be doing in this class through out the year never the less. I gulped a bit, as I did my best to try to get my focus on the thoughts that seemed to be a lot more important right now, which was the fact that I needed to be paying attention to my teacher right at this very moment in time, even if a lot of the players on my high school football team did not have much respect for the teachers that were at this school.
It made sense though, as I knew a lot of athletes were like that. I was not like that how ever, as I usually treated the teachers with some sort of respect, besides a teacher that I had back in 6th grade, who I absolutely hated to near death at the exact same time too. I let out quite a bit of a rough sigh to my self none the less, as I did my best to try to get my focus off of all of those thoughts all at once, as I knew that it was all besides the point right now. I shook my head, all at the exact same time as well, as I then got my eyes on the English teacher once again, as it seemed like as soon as I did in fact do as such a thing, all at the exact same time as well, I then saw her look away from me with a little bit of a flustered, and a bit of an embarrassed look on her face.
I tilted my head just a bit, all at the exact same time as well, as I did not have a clue as to just what it was that was even going on with that teacher at this very moment in time any ways. I let out a bit of a soft sigh to my self, as I figured that I should not be all too worried about it never the less, as I then began to listen as to just what it was that she even had to say to the entire class, all at once, as I blinked my eyes a few times, as she did not seem to be off with what it was that she had to say to the class room at the very least, so I suppose that was a plus. I was sure that she had been doing this for a while how ever, and she was used to having the pressure of meeting a bunch of new students every year.
I rolled my eyes a bit to my self, as I then did my best to once again get my focus off of those useless thoughts, all at the exact same time as well, as I just stared at the teacher none the less, not all too sure as to just what else it was that I should do, as it seemed like her voice was firing blanks in to my head all at the exact same time as well. I shook my head none the less, as I did my best to at least try to focus in on what it was that she was saying right now, as I knew that I had in fact missed most of the class due to the fact that I had not been paying all too much attention as to just what it was that she was trying to say to every one in the very first place any ways.
I sighed, as I felt quite a bit bad for it at the exact same time as well, as I knew that the first day of the school year was quite a bit important none the less, as I knew that she was going to be telling us about just what the rest of the year was going to be like for the rest of us. Based off of the blank looks on the faces of the students that were with me in the class room, I had to assume that it was not all too important how ever, but it still did not meant that I was not going to feel bad, due to the fact that I had not really listened to a single word as to just what it was that was going on this entire period in the very first place any ways. I shook my head a bit to my self, as I felt like I should at least pay attention to the end of the class, at the very least, as I then began to listen as to just what it was that she even had to say to every one at the exact sane time as well.
"Alright every one... Class is about to end, so I hope that all of you have a good day... Tomorrow we will start the fact that I need to test you all in what it is that you learned in English last year based off of the school curriculum, so I hope you all will be ready for that, and no, you will not be graded..." She said to all of us that were in the class room right at this very moment in time, as I saw her look over to one student in specific, at the end of what it was that she had said, as it was clear that she must have known the student from another year, and another class that she might have taken with her, based off of the weird smile that she had on her face as to just what it was that she had said to the female student.
I began to breath in just a bit shortly at the exact same time as well, as I then let out a bit of a soft, and a bit of a relieved sigh, all at the exact same time as well, as I then write down just what it was that I was going to be doing on my calendar that I always got, and I always checked out once I got back home, as to the fact that she had told us that she was going to be testing us on the fact that she was checking to make sure we still remembered the English that we had learned last year. Though, there was not all too much that I could forget how ever, due to the fact that it seemed like English was about the same every single year through out high school, if I was going to be for real with my self, all at the exact same time as well.
I sighed, as I then closed the calendar shut all at the exact same time as well, as I realized that the teacher was done speaking to the class for the day, all at the exact same time as well, as I then all of the sudden saw her begin to head over to her desk, as she began to write some thing down. I felt like it might have some thing to do with me, as I was a bit worried that I might be getting in a bit of some trouble, due to the fact that I had not been paying attention in the class today. I shook off all of those thoughts, all at the exact same time as well how ever, as I then instead got my focus on the thoughts I was about to go to football practice at the exact same time as well, as I gulped once those thoughts then seemed to come in to my head, all at the exact same time too.
I had seen some of the scouts at the front of the school already, as it was clear that they were football scouts. I was a little bit worried about it, at the exact same time as well, due to the fact that I knew that it could rank me down to 3 stars if I played pretty bad, which I felt like could in fact be the case for me at the exact same time as well, due to the fact that I still felt quite a bit worn out. I kind of wanted to just stay home and not go to football practice, but I knew that I needed to go do as such a thing, due to the fact that I knew that this was a very important time of the year for me right now, and I could get higher in to the top 100 if I was to play even better. I blinked my eyes, as I then nodded to my self all at the exact same time as well.
Just as I thought on those thoughts, so it seemed to be, that was when I all of the sudden heard the bell ring, signyfing that the school day was over. I let out quite a bit of a relieved sigh, all at the exact same time too this time, instead, as I then got my focus on to just what it was that I was going to do next, which was of course the fact that I knew that I was going to go the football practice, and I knew that of course, there was going to be some scouts looking at me at the exact same time too, due to the fact that I was the top star on the high school team never the less. I knew that there were a few other ranked athletes on the team, but I knew, whilst I should be humble in fact, I was in fact the reason that they all were there in the very first place any ways.
I shook my head, as I got my focus off of all of that, all at once, as I then got my focus on the fact that I needed to get out of this class room, as I could already see a lot of the students up from their seat, and a few of them had already even got out of the classroom, as it was clear that they were in a rush to get back home for some odd reason or another. That did not matter all too much to me right now how ever, as I shook off all of those thoughts from my mind, all at once, once again, as I then got my focus on just what it was that I should even be doing right now my self, as I then got up from my chair, and I put my book bag around my back, all at the exact same time as well, as I too then began to do the exact same thing that the rest of the students that had just been in the room had done, never the less.
As I began to head over to the front door of the class room, all at the exact same time as well, I then all of the sudden saw that the English teacher looked up, and lifted her head up to me, all at the exact same time too, as I saw that she had quite a big smile on her face none the less, as it seemed like that she was really happy to see me, all at the exact same time as well. I knew that was not the case though, as I knew damn well that the teacher simply liked me, not just due to the fact that I was a star athlete, but I was a star student at the exact same time as well, as I knew that my name had more than likely gone all across the school, along with the name of my father, as he was in fact the son of the top ranked player in this school none the less.
I sighed just a bit to my self, as I did my best to look away from the teacher, and ignore her none the less, as I did my best to try to pretend that I had not noticed as to the fact that she had a big smile on her face right now, due to the fact that she was looking at me, as it did in fact freak me out for a lot of different reasons. One of those reasons of course, was the fact that I had a teacher that had a crush on me last year, and she had in fact treated me a little bit extra special, and she had tried to seduce a 15 year old, at the exact same time as well. I knew that it was because I was good looking, and that I was the star athlete, but it still did freak me out quite a bit at the exact same time as well, as the teacher was for sure glad, I was sure of, as to the fact that I had not reported her to the principal.
I just did my best to try to ignore that teacher now a days, on the rare occasion that I got to see her, as I then began to remember, all at the exact same time as well, that she was an English teacher after all, and I knew that she was more than likely some where down this hall way that I was going down right at this very moment in time any ways, as I shivered just a bit, as I felt quite a bit cold, as to the fact that those thoughts even came in to my head, in the very first place any ways, as I then rolled my eyes a bit, all at the exact same time as well, as I did my best to try to get my focus on the fact that I needed to get to the football field as soon as I could, as I knew that the coach had told us to be ready as soon as school had ended for the day, at the exact same time as well.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I then did in fact nod to my self, all at the exact same time as well, as I knew that there was nothing at all that I should be worried about that English teacher that I had from last year any ways, as I had a lot of doubt that she would be in the hall way right now, at the exact same time as well, due to the fact that I knew that most of the teachers, such as my own English teacher that I had this year none the less, as she kind of freaked me out a little bit, if I was going to be completely honest with my self, all at the exact same time too, as I then began to start to think back on the fact of my English teacher from last year once again, as I did my best to try not to think on that all too much.
I sighed just a bit to my self, all at the exact same time as well, as I then did in fact nod a bit to my self all at once, and I then began to start to head down the hall way that was ahead of me at the exact same time as well, as I was well aware as to just where it was that I had needed to go. This was in fact a very big school, but my father worked here, and I knew the school up and down, like the palm of my hand. I nodded a bit, as I then began to head down the hall way, all at the exact same time as well, as I then got my focus on the fact that I saw some one on my football team right beside me, right at this very moment in time, at the exact same time as well, as a smile then all of the sudden began to crack up on my face, all at once.
The person that I saw, was in fact Chauncey, who was a team captain on the other side of the ball, as I could not help but to keep the smile on my face, all at the exact same time as well. He was a very good linebacker, if I was going to be completely honest with my self, all at the exact same time too, as I nodded to him, all at the exact same time as well, as soon as I caught up to him, as I saw him turn his head over to me all at once, as he tilted his head at me at the exact same time as well. I was sure that the guy did not like me all too much, such as a lot of the school did not, but I really did not care all too much, as I was more excited for the football season that was about to start for us, if I was going to be completely honest with my self how ever. I nodded to Chauncey, all at the exact same time as well, to let him know that I was about to speak to him.
Chauncey looked at me for just a few moments, as I saw that he had his eyes squinted at me for some odd reason or another, which did in fact have me a little bit confused at the exact same time as well, as I then saw him nod to me all at the exact same time as well, to let me know that he was in fact paying attention to me, and that he had in fact seen me nod to him in the very first place any ways. I let out a bit of a relieved sigh all at the exact same time as well, as I was then about ready to speak to him all at once, until I noticed that for some odd reason or another, he had a bit of a guilty look on his face for some reason, which had me a little bit confused, if I was going to be for real with my self right now, as I then all of the sudden, blinked my eyes a few times.
I did my best to try not to think on it all too much, as I was sure that he had his mind on some thing altogether completely different than just what it was that I was thinking about right at this very moment in time, as I figured that I really should not be all too worried about it right now, as I then looked at Chauncey right in to his eyes, with quite a bit of a serious look on my own face, all at the exact same time as well, as the both of us continued to head down the hall, as we split off from the rest of the students, all at once as well, never the less, as I could see them headed to the front of the school for their rides, or for their busses that they used to get back home from school.
I shook off all of those thoughts, all at the exact same time as well, as I knew that it was besides the point right now, and that I should not have my focus on them at all right at this very moment in time any ways, as I knew that I had to get my focus on the fact that the both of us were about to head over to football practice in the very first place any ways too, as I then nodded just a little bit to my self, as it was not a nod that Chauncey could have seen. I let out a bit of a soft sigh, all at the exact same time as well, as I knew that there was nothing that I needed to worry about in my girl, Kimberly, right at this very moment in time either, as I knew that she was going to be watching me in the football practice from the side, as I knew that she was a part of the cheer leading squad.
Now knowing that, I got my focus off of all of those thoughts all of the sudden, as I then got my focus on the thoughts that seemed to be a lot more important to me right at this very moment in time any ways. Those thoughts of course, were the fact that I was with one of my team mates right now, which was in fact Chauncey, as I did my best to once again ignore the strange look that he had on his face at this very moment in time any ways, never the less. I blinked my eyes just a few times, all at the exact same time as well, as not all too much time passed after that, before I then did in fact finally decide that I was ready to speak to Chauncey, which I did in fact do as such a thing, none the less, as well.
"So, are you ready for practice today? We've got a big season ahead of us... Hopefully we have a good QuarterBack this year, and we might be able to make it all the way to state." I said to him, as I knew that Chauncey was in the same grade as I was. We did in fact have a lot of good players that were on our team how ever, that were on their Senior year, which was some thing to be a little bit worried, though at the exact same time as well, I also knew that we could in fact have a few transfer students, and also a few new young students that could develop, and could blossom for us, all at the exact same time as well. That was the hope at least, as I knew that I should be going in to this with a positive attitude none the less, just as my father had told me to do at the exact same time as well.
I then all of the sudden had a bit of a grin pop up on my face, as to the fact that those thoughts were even going through my head, in the very first place any ways, as I then all of the sudden nodded to my self, all at once, and I got my focus on the fact that my thoughts had to be on my self right now. I knew that states were nice and all, but if I was going to be for real with my self, it really did not matter all too much to me until I got in to my college years at the exact same time as well. I gulped a bit to my self, all at once, as I knew that was when the NFL scouts were going to be ones that had their eyes on me, all at the exact same time as well, as it kind of made me freak out a bit, if I was going to be perfectly honest with my self right now.
I knew that I should be taking this one step at a time how ever, as I knew that this was not college yet though, and I should at least have hopes for my team doing good this year, as I knew that it was not all about me. Plus, I knew that if I was going to be leading my team to a championship, all at the exact same time as well, than it meant that I had to be a leader for us. It was a little bit hard due to the fact that I knew that we needed to have a decent QuarterBack for that never the less, but I shook off all of those thoughts from my head, all at the exact same time as well, as I did my best to get my focus back on to just what it was that seemed to be a lot more important to me right at this very moment in time any ways.
That was of course, the fact that I was going to the locker room, to get my self ready for our football practice that we were getting ready to do for the day, as I knew that I had to also keep in mind, all at once, that there were in fact going to be scouts that were going to be watching me, and they were going to have their eyes on me, all at the exact same time as well, never the less. I blinked my eyes just a little bit to my self, all at the exact same time as well, as I got my focus on that all at once, as I then kept on going down the hall ways, as it led to the back side of the school, that eventually led us to the football stadium, all at the exact same time too, as I then nodded to my self, as I got my focus on the fact I had to get all of that done right now.
I stared ahead of me for quite a bit of some time, as I had my mind in a bit of a blank state right at this very moment in time any ways, as I saw from the corner of my eye, all at the exact same time as well, that a bunch of the football team was meeting up with me and Chauncey right at this very moment in time any ways, as that did in fact make me feel a little bit better, as it kind of made me feel a little bit uncomfortable, as to the fact that it did not seem like Chauncey was going to respond to the fact that I had tried to hype up the both of us for the new season, and I tried to get the both of us excited for the first football practice that was going to lead to a new a good season, at least, that was the hope.
I sighed to my self, all at the exact same time as well, as no one seemed to say a word to one another, as all of us kept on going down the hall ways, as if we did not care at all for our team mates. This was a big school after all, I suppose how ever, so I would have to assume that we did not know each other all too well. I also had to think that a few of the players might a little bit worried as to the fact that they might also have a chance that they could get cut off of the team, at the exact same time as well, which I felt a little bit bad for, as I knew that I luckily did not run the risk as to the fact that I might be cut off the team, no matter how bad it was that I was going to play at practice today, as I was glad for that.
At the exact same time as well how ever, I also knew that it was not some thing that I should mess around with either, due to the fact that it was the college scouts that were going to be the ones that were going to have their eyes on me any ways. If I was to play bad, that would be some thing that would for sure hurt my resume. I gulped a little bit to my self, as I was not all too sure as to how it was that I was so easily forgetting as to the fact that I could get my self ranked lower than I was before. If I played bad, I could go far down, and if I played good, I would only simply go up a couple of spots. I just had to play good the entire season, and I knew it. Sure... I might not be the top player in the nation, but I damn sure would try to get up there.
I blinked my eyes just a few times, all at the exact same time as well how ever, as I did my best to try to get my focus off of all of those thoughts, all at once, as I then all of the sudden, much to my surprise, due to the fact that I could tell that the guy did not like me all too much, and also the fact that he was a bit jealous of me, at the exact same time as well, due to a lot of reasons if I had to guess, that might not just have to do with the fact that I was a star athlete. I shook off all of those thoughts how ever, as I got my focus on just what it was that was going on around me at this very moment in time, as I then all of the sudden turned my head over to Chauncey, all at once.
I blinked my eyes a few times, as I saw that he had a bit of a blank look on his face right now. I was not all too sure as to why that might be so, as I felt like he should be excited for this, such as I was, as I kind of shivered a little bit, as I did my best to try to not get all too worried about any of it. I did in fact nod over to Chauncey how ever, as I waited to get a nod back, which was not going to be the case at all clearly, as I let out a bit of a soft sigh to my self, as it was clear that he was doing his best to let me know as to the fact that he did not like me at all as well. I shook off those thoughts, as I just got my focus instead, on just what it was that he had to say to me at the exact same time as well, as I did in fact listen as to just what it was that he had to say to me in the very first place any ways.
"It doesn't matter to me... Besides, this is not a practice... This is our first scrimmage..."