The Guy Named Harrison: Book One

41

Harrison jogged over to the sidelines and found Carrie before the game was supposed to start against the Lions. "Get any good pictures of me?"

Her bag was still rested on her shoulders and the only thing she held was her phone. "I didn't even start taking any yet."

He unzipped her bag and found her camera. "Here."

Carrie took the camera. "Don't you have to be warming up?"

"I'm already warmed up. The game starts in a few minutes."

She had her camera on and pointed at him. When he saw she was ready, he started posing. "You are something else."

His smile was easily seen from under his helmet. "Wanna see my new touchdown dance?"

"Like you score a lot of touchdowns."

Everyone around them laughed, Carrie included. "I had a pick six last week. Remember? Only tens of millions of people saw it."

She shook her head. He got her right back on that one. "Let's see it."

Harrison took a few steps back then proceeded to come forward and fake like he was spiking the ball. Then he became absolutely still for a second, then acted like a mime and boxed himself in. After another second he busted out of the imaginary box with a jump. He landed with his legs wide and one hand in the air and the other in a fist, like Captain America holding his shield.

Carrie laughed hard. "It was pretty good wasn't it?"

She answered, "you spend too much time with Cam."

Just as she said that, Cam and a few other players came running over. Harrison continued to dance and moved into a salsa. Now Cam, the one who probably taught him all this, did it as well.

They both ended their dances with Cam's infamous dab. He came jogging back over to her. "Can I borrow that?"

Before Carrie could even answer, he stole her camera as the guys came over. Harrison, Cam, Luke, Greg, and a few others all took one big selfie.

Carrie was so happy she came to North Carolina. She made some great friends, and the guys on the team were so much more fun to be around.

"Did I get it?" He asked, handing her camera back.

"Turns out trying to focus a camera while holding it away from your body is a little hard, isn't it?" Carrie asked after showing him the picture. It was all blurry.

She instructed them all to get together for another picture. This one turned out better than the one he took. "Let's take a nice one."

Harrison unstrapped his helmet and stood beside her for a picture. It was the first picture they'd taken together out on the field with him in his uniform. "Let me see it."

Carrie got her camera back from Cam and showed him the picture. "I like it."

❺❾

The Panthers were crushing the Lions 42-7. It wouldn't be long before the Panthers would pull their starters for precautions. They didn't need anyone getting hurt in what was left of a now pointless game for them to be playing in.

It was second and long for the Lions. With only about a quarter left in the game, they had to start taking shots deep down the field if they wanted to attempt to get back in the game.

Harrison was playing back in coverage, as he had been the two previous drives as well. The Lions tried another deep pass. He and Thomas ran with the receiver they were supposed to be double covering.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford launched a pass deep down the field for the receiver that was already double covered. As the ball neared the three players, Harrison leapt off the ground, and in mid stride, tipped the ball with his hand away from the receiver.

He wasn't able to regain his balance after tipping the pass. Harrison dove onto the turf and did a belly slide like a penguin for five yards before coming to a stop. Thomas pulled him to his feet and patted his helmet. Then they jogged back to the huddle.

The Lions tried the very same play. This time, one of their receivers broke away from David and took off down the field. Harrison saw the breakaway and was on his way over as the receiver caught the ball.

He had a straight line to the end zone. Harrison was running as fast as he could, with the best angle to cut the distance the quickest.

Harrison was one of the fastest linebackers in the game. And it was sure showing off. He was quickly closing in on the receiver who was now starting to showboat.

At the 15 yard line, he extended the ball out in his right arm and took slow, long strides. Harrison caught him. He smacked the receivers arm, knocking the ball from his hand and onto the turf. Harrison gently pushed him for good measure and scooped up the ball.

He carried it 20 yards before even coming close to the nearest Lions player. When he did, Harrison put his shoulder down and shrugged off the tackle. The Panthers did the best they could to block him, but he was tackled by two Lions players.

Harrison jumped to his feet and held the ball out in one hand before taking a few large steps. His teammates came to congratulate him. And with smiles, they all ran back to the sidelines. That play would definitely be on SportsCenter's Not Top 10.