We Come Alive 4

Demons From The Past

Midday on Wednesday, Mateo was swinging around his keys in his hands as he watched highlights on his computer at his desk. He scoffed, chuckled, and even at one sighed deeply as he watched the videos playing back to back on his screen.

"Hey! Sam! Victor! Get in here real quick!" He called out, knowing they all kept their doors open. It wasn't long before he saw the African American man and the Vietnamese Russian mixed man coming into his office.

"What's up, boss man?" Victor wondered, leaning his hands on Mateo's desk.

Mateo turned his computer screen towards the two men and showed them the highlights. "Have you heard of this girl? I just got wind of this up and coming female quarterback. Names Nonie Gray. She's this girl from New York moved down to Texas and is on a San Antonio team. Says she's coming for Clover's title and isn't afraid to steal that state championship from under her."

Victor scoffed unimpressed while Sam didn't react, watching the highlights. "Hate to say it, but she's really good. I mean, Clover can beat her out but it's about all fifty players not just one. But she's really good."

Mateo just let out a breath through his nose as he looked at the jet black haired, white girl with dark brown eyes. They came up to an interview of the girl with two of her teammates. Douglas Tatum, a fullback, and Barrett Lacey, a running back.

Mateo turned it up as the three men watched it.

"Have you won over the respect of your community?"

"No." Nonie smiled, shaking her head. "I don't think I will until I prove myself fully."

"Does it motivate you? Make you want to prove yourself more?"

Nonie nodded her head with a straight face, her hair bouncing around in its ponytail. "It motivates me and I don't think they fully realize that. I think it makes them think I'm going to quit, but I'm not. I'm gonna keep moving forward."

"What's your goal this season?"

"My goal is that I'm to be the only girl on this team and prove I can do it. I think I'm better than a lot of other players out here and a lot of quarterbacks." Nonie admitted confidently. "I don't see any good female quarterbacks out there. They're not that good, just good for girls but I'm good for a quarterback."

"What about Clover Jones? The first girl to compete in the college combine? She placed third overall and she's the first girl to win a Texas state championship."

Nonie just shrugged and put her hands on her hips as her teammates just stood there like statues next to her. "Clover is...she's a girl who got a light shined on her because of her school shooting then got hyped up to be better than she is. She's a good player but if it wasn't for me switching states when it was time to be eligible for the combine, I would've beaten her out easily."

Mateo paused the video and turned towards his co-workers. Both men just stared at the screen shaking their heads.

"Big talk." Victor admitted, standing up straight and heading for the door. "Big talk."

Sam, the quarterback coach and the offensive coach, scoffed and walked off without a word spoken. Mateo exited out of the tab and went on back to work going on with his day before discovering the videos.

~**~

Hours later in the middle of practice, the team was doing tackling practice so Diego just sat on the benches with Ricky by his side. Diego was going through his social media on his phone while also texting someone before he saw his mom sent him a link to a video. Diego clicked on it only for it to take him to his YouTube app.