We Come Alive 4

Bitter Rivals

Today was game day and that meant that practice today was the last chance they had to get down everything they needed to know for the game tonight. After practice had ended, Ethan instead headed to Ricky's office instead of the locker room since he had said he needed to talk to him.

When Ethan walked in, Ricky was standing behind his desk flipping through some files and papers. Ethan hit his knuckle against the door to get Ricky's attention.

"Hey," Ricky breathed. "I need to talk to you about something."

Ethan frowned as he stepped a few steps into the room so he was no longer standing in the doorframe. "About what?"

"The game," Ricky said, letting out a deep breath. "You can't play at the game tonight because there's no one to bring you back so you won't miss your curfew. The game is an hour away and we can't risk you missing your curfew and getting in trouble with the facility. We already asked them and they have no exceptions for the rules."

Ethan's heart dropped and his stomach started to turn. "No!" He begged. "No. No, Ricky, you have to let me play. Please don't make me stay back." Ethan pled. He ran over to the desk and put his palms against it so he was inches from Ricky. "I have to play tonight. This is...please. You don't understand."

Ricky put his hand on Ethan's shoulder and shoved him back into the chair that was behind him. "Calm down. I'm sorry, there's no way."

Ethan put his hands over his face and doubled over in the chair. He was about to start to have a panic attack when he sat up and looked Ricky in the eyes. "Didn't you just get your license back? You can drive me."

Ricky sigh for what felt like the hundredth time during this conversation. "I'll run the idea the big guy up the hall."

"It's the big guy upstairs." Ethan corrected. "And aren't you Muslim?"

"I meant Mateo, you idiot." Ricky rolled his eyes and sat back in his chair. "Go away. You're stressing me out."

Ethan laughed to himself as he got out of the chair and went to the doorframe. "You're only stressed because we're playing the Tigers at a field. You must be slightly happy that they didn't fix their field yet after the flood."

Ricky smirked as he looked at Ethan. "Slight joy. Go so I can talk to Mateo. I'll let you know before you leave."

Ethan did a little dance in the doorway of Ricky's office making the older boy groan. "I'm so jealous of Andrew and his choice to just up and leave us behind. God, I wish I could go to college."

Ricky quickly picked up a half inflated football he had in his office and chucked it at the dancing Spanish boy. Ethan ran off towards the locker room while Ricky got up and went to Mateo's office to talk to him, Sam, and Victor about the possible solution.

~**~

That night, the Dallas Jaguars arrived at the field that the Tigers were using since they had yet to fix their home field. Mateo, Sam, Victor, and Danny escorted all of the players into their locker room to change and have no contact with the opposing team that they didn't need to have. Everyone knew that the bitter rivals couldn't be around one another

While the boys were in a locker room, Manny was sitting in a chair watching Clover change into her padding and jersey in an empty office. She was kneeling to the ground tying her cleats when they heard cleated footsteps walking pass the door going back and forth before the multiple sets of footsteps stopped outside the door.

Manny's gaze shifted from the door to Clover who was standing up straight. Clover signaled for her to keep quiet as she kept her eyes on the door where they heard people talking.