In The Orbit (Part I)

11. Khan

Khan doesn't go home after school. He and Hulk go to their normal spot on top of the dentist's cement sign. Berg is on a date with some girl. Berg is the most popular of the three. He is the quarterback of the football team, and he has blue eyes and nice features. He is also "charming." Hulk is the scary-ish one. He plays safety and is crazy buff. But he is also quite attractive. Khan plays linebacker, and he is fast. Khan is also quite lucky with the ladies, but he isn't interested. He finds them boring and obnoxious. Maybe if he hung out with a different crowd he would find one who he was interested in.

At the sign, a few of their other, non-football friends show up. A kid named Smith starts to tell a story about a boy who wears pink every day and how he spilled milk all over his pants, but he noticed Khan's shorts and shut up. Khan doesn't know if he likes having this kind of power over people.

Hulk snickers and says, "Nice shorts, Khan."

Smith turns beet red and so does Khan.

"You're going to the store and getting us a twelve pack."

Smith's eyes go wide.

"Of Red Bull, dumbass," chortles Hulk. We're practically on school property!"

Smith hops off. Nobody goes with him.

Hulk leans in, and whispers, "Seriously bro? Pink shorts?"

Khan looks at him and smirks. "It's a great color man. And I'm just bringing the Leon Curl look to Columbia Falls." It's easier for Khan to poke fun at Hulk when Berg isn't around.

Hulk looks at Khan in surprise. "Leon Curl? He wears pink?"

Khan decides that maybe it's better not to answer. In truth, Curl, the famous Montana football player who was a CFHS alumnus, had only worn a pink tie.

About fifteen minutes later, Smith comes back with a twelve pack of Red Bull. Khan doesn't take one. He doesn't play his best when has a sugar/caffeine high. Hulk glares at Khan when he doesn't take one.

"Man, where's Berg?" someone asks.

"He finally got some babe hot enough for him," Hulk replies. "She'll probably be at the game."

They hang out for another hour until Hulk and Khan and a few other football guys have to go to warm up.

It's a warm evening, and as the team passes back and forth, Khan sees someone in the crowd. It's a tall man with slicked back hair. He has purple glasses and an old-fashioned briefcase. He obviously doesn't belong here. There is another guy next to him. This guy is huge and has an afro. He is wearing a Columbia Falls sweatshirt. He is talking furiously with Purple Glasses. Purple Glasses locks eyes with Khan. Khan recognizes him, but doesn't know from where.

Khan misses a pass, and Hulk screams, "GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME KHAN!"

Soon enough, it's game time. Khan plays spectacularly in the first quarter. He gets a cramp in second quarter and has to sit out most of the time. During halftime, the band plays. Khan sees the kid who got accepted into the satellite program. He is playing some big golden horn, looking like a total dork, as always. Khan starts to feel bad for him, but then reminds himself that this kid got accepted into the satellite program. From US+SC. He respects this kid way more than he ever did, and he cannot find it in himself to feel bad for the kid anymore. Because he is jealous. He knows that he might never be as smart as that kid, and he knows that as good of a football player he is, he will never be one of those kinds of kids who go above and beyond like that.

During third quarter, Khan manages to catch the ball mere inches from the ground. The coach can't stop smiling and yelling things like "FABULOUS CATCH, KHAN. I LOVE IT! WILL EVERYONE ELSE PLEASE PLAY LIKE THAT TONIGHT?!!"