We Come Alive 4

First Game Day

Today's Friday and that meant that today was the very first game day of the new season. It was a home game and the Jaguars had a home advantage against their opponents tonight.

While the boys got dressed in their new locker room, Manny was sitting on her dad's desk listening to Clover buckle her padding and tie her cleats.

"I gotta pee." Manny whispered.

Clover let out a breath as she stood up straight. "You always have to pee."

Manny smirked as they both heard a knock on the door before Victor's voice flooded through it.

"Time to go! Get in the locker room!"

Clover picked up her helmet and walked out the office while Manny trailed behind with her hands on her baby bump. Victor walked behind her until they got into the locker room where Manny just stood in the doorframe and waited.

Mateo watched all eyes land on Clover as she started her usual pep talk that the head captain always did before all the games.

"If we lose on our home turf for the first game, that sets the season for us." Clover begun. "We're dead. It's go big or go home. All this frustration for the last couple days comes out tonight. All this aggression from the last couple months, it's coming out right here and right now. Blood, sweat, and tears we're going out there and showing them who we are! One team, one fight!"

"One team, one fight!" The boys yelled back.

"One team, one mission!" She yelled.

"One team, one mission!"

"One team, one goal!" Clover nearly screamed.

"One team, one goal!" The players roared to life. Their cleats hitting the ground and their fist banging against the lockers.

"Jaguars on three." She smiled, holding her helmet out and instantly feeling their helmet hit hers and them all put their helmets in the middle of the huddle.

"One, two, three!"

"Jaguars!" The locker room yelled.

Mateo lead them out the locker room and outside. The moment they got outside, they heard the screams of the field. The announcer, who was also a math teacher at the school, introduced them as they ran on the field.

"Lead by Coach Mateo Sanchez, You're last year state champions. The Grand Ridge Jaguars!"

The players instantly ran to the fence that separated the field from the bleachers and hyped up the crowd. While most just yelled from the grass, Jose, Clover, Ethan, and Stephen climbed the fence and sat at the top since it wasn't that high at all.

Stephen looked at the crowd and smiled seeing his parents sitting there cheering for him. Next to him, Jose waved to his parents and his sisters who were clapping and whistling for him. Clover blew a kiss to Dante who was sitting with her mom and sister watching her play. In the very back row was her dad who wasn't clapping but watching her with tense eyes.

But Ethan was the most excited seeing his aunt and uncle sitting in the middle of the bleachers. In between them was his younger sister. She waved to him and he waved back. All he wanted to do was hop on the other side of the fence and hug her, but that was a big risk he couldn't take. He knew them bringing her here was a big enough risk, but Ariana always loved seeing Ethan play, so they brought her. Ethan winked to her before he jumped down from the fence when he felt his friends did.

Mateo stood on the sidelines as he watched Jose, Clover, and Colby walk into the field for the coin toss. He felt Sam next to him watching him as they both heard yells from the crowd.