RUNNING BACK

Chapter 8: Pretty Extra

Principal Harvey clears her throat, snapping me out of my memory.

"Why didn't you play? I mean, if you're passionate about the sport. Coach Carson told me how quick you are, so why not play at your previous school? Why here? At Blue Lake?"

I look at the floor and shrug my shoulders. The truth is, I wanted to play. Desperately. But I just couldn't, not while Pax was sick and just getting worse by the day. It didn't seem fair for him to be trapped in that hospital bed while I ran free.

"Peyton, I'm trying to understand why it is that you are all of a sudden seized by the desire to play tackle football. Is it because you are now at a five A school? Before you were at a six A. Maybe you knew you wouldn't make the team?"

"No ma'am. It's not that either." I don't know how to explain something so complicated to her. I don't like to talk about it, but she's making me feel like I have to try to explain it to her.

"In junior high, my twin brother asked me to not try out for the team. So, he played, but I didn't. When we were about to start high school, we had a big fight about it, and I told him I was going to try out." I clench my jaw, but my throat keeps growing tighter.

"So, you did play at your last school?"

"No. I tried out for the ninth-grade team. I made the A team. Pax made the B team. He was pretty upset about it. Anyway, a few weeks before the season, we found out he was sick. And neither one of us ended up playing. He couldn't play. So...I didn't play either," I say, my voice catching. It feels like I'm choking on a peach pit. And the stinging heat of tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. Don't cry! Don't cry, for God's sake! Not in a football coach's office. I keep staring at the floor blinking back my tears, willing myself not to lose it.

"I see." She turns to Coach Carson. "Did the brother try out too?"

I look up suddenly, my eyes shifting between coach and principal.

"No, Principal Harvey. He didn't. I wasn't aware there was a brother until now."

"If you were waiting for your brother to get better to play, why isn't he going out for the team?" She looks genuinely concerned and confused.

I stare back down at the floor. This is not something I talk about, especially with strangers. I'm getting angry. Irate. "Does it matter? It shouldn't matter!" Oh crap, I'm yelling at the principal. Not a good start to a high school career. But I can't stop myself.

Principal Harvey takes a deep breath. "Okay, Peyton. I didn't mean to upset you. I wanted to understand a little better. I think I do now." Her expression is full of pity, the look adults always give me when they know.

"Coach Carson." She sighs, turning to a now very confused looking man. "Here's the deal. According to Title IX, all girls are eligible to try out for a team sport. If the school does not have an equivalent girl's sport, then she must be allowed to try out for the boy's team. Peyton has tried out for your team, and she made it. She must be allowed to stay on your team. She can practice with the team and go to all of the games."

My anger dissolves. I'm beginning to love this lady because it seems as though I'm going to get to play football. Coach Carson and Coach Murphy both look catatonic.

"But... Coach Carson is still the coach," she continues. "He determines who plays in the games and who sits on the bench. You are guaranteed a spot on the team, not playing time. That is completely under the discretion of the coaches. Do you understand, Peyton?"

Yeah, I understand perfectly. I understand that I'm going to be sitting on the bench all season long. I sigh and nod my head up and down.

The coaches reanimate. They nod too.