Black Leather Jackets: College Bound

Focus

Toni's POV
It's state finals night and we're hosting so it's a huge crowd.
"Boys huddle up, let's go!" I yell "big game guys, this'll be the toughest game until natty's,"
"We're starting O2," Reggie says
They start the game and I call a few plays.
"RJ tell the defence if they aren't going to check up they aren't going to play. They have to stop giving all these yards back,"
"Got it Topes,"
We play the rest of the game and are up 27-22 at half
"Coach Topaz, What are the keys to the second half," a media person asks me
"Focus," I say simply and walk away
We all go into the locker room and it's silent.
"What's going on?" I ask "where's the focus? Where's the execution? Let's go and play our game. We're undefeated yes. But you will lose this game if you don't get your head out of your ass. Don't focus on Hawaii. On any of it. Focus on the next play, the next ball. Focus up," I say
"Boys rally up, rally round. We can't play the game for you- we've had our time, it is up to you. Topaz is right, if you focus you will be champions," Reggie says
"Win the half, win the game," Austen says
Everyone goes silent and the boys nod.
"Anyone else?" I ask
"Win," Will says simply
Everyone laughs and nods
"Let's go boys," I say
They all leave and me and reggie are last to go back out.
"Can we do this Toni?" He asks
"Hell ya we can," I say
We do our handshake and go out to the second half
With 5 seconds left we're down by 3 and we need an interception.
"Robby," I yell
Our best receiver walks over
"Reg call timeout,"
He calls it and I explain to Robby what's going to happen.
"Coach I don't know if I should do this? Ralph is bigger,"
"Rob, I know you can do this- you are an amazing player despite your size. Read the eyes, crash the ball, never stop running," I say "I believe in you kid. You got this okay?"
I know this coach. He's flashy, he's too dumb to run the ball.
"Trey, Alden switch," I yell
They snap the ball and Robby read the quarterback perfectly and picks the ball.
"Run Robby, Go Robby," I yell
C'mon kid, c'mon
He gets to the end zone and scores.
Everyone starts cheering but something happens on the field and the refs don't allow us to run on.
I move my headset off my one ear and run as close as they'll let me.
The idiot on the other team clocked Robby.
I push through and the ref stops me.
"I have first Aid, I need to see my player,"
"They're trying to.."
"Don't care," I say pushing through him
What's he gunna do?
Stop a girl who's 7 months pregnant?
Not happening.
"Robby What happened? I looked down,"
"He hit me way after the whistle, had my head down," he says "sorry coach,"
"No no, don't apologize to me," I laugh "you won us the game son,"
I groan on my way down and sit beside him.
"Getting old coach?" He laughs
"Getting very pregnant," I laugh "did not plan that very well,"
He laughs and I do concussion testing.
"And you aren't lying to me right?"
"No I'm okay, I protected my head," he says
I stand up and help him up.
"Toni Topaz," the other coach says
"I thought I recognized that ego," I hiss recognizing the coach
It's Jamie Wedler, the guy who straddled me on the field in high school and grabbed my ass in warmups
"You remember me?"
"I still have the nightmares," I counter
"I'm honoured,"
"Don't be,"
"How the fuck did you pull that off topaz?"
He gets in my face so he's close enough to be stomach to stomach with my very pregnant self.
"Back up," I say
"Why? Still intimidated Topaz?"
"We aren't in high school anymore Jamie," I say "you can't just push me around,"
"Oh so you do remember everything?" He laughs "when I made a tackle and couldn't stand up and you made a huge deal of it and got me tossed?"
"I remember you illegally tackling me, straddling me, slapping my ass every time I walked away. I remember you grabbing my ass my first game back after panic attacks and now I know why your players are so okay with illegal hits,"
"What'd you just say about my team?" He spits
I roll my eyes and he shoved me- which causes an out roar. I try and walk away and he mocks me.
"Oh Topaz, running away like the scared little girl you've always been," he mocks "go be a little bitch,"
"You're an awful person," I hiss
He punches me square in the eye and shoves me to the ground.
That's when the refs lost control and everyone started fighting. Thank god there wasn't any students left on the field.
"Baby, Toni," Cheryl panics kneeling down with Lexi in her arms "are you okay?"
"I'm alright babe, I promise," I say "I didn't say anything to him to provoke that,"
"I know you didn't baby, I was listening to your mic through Reggie's headset,"
I nod and she kisses me.
"Mama, are you okay?" Lexi asks
"I'm alright Lexi," I say taking her from Cheryl "were you watching the game with mommy?"
She giggles and laughs
"You know what happens because we won?" I ask
She shakes her head and purses her lips.
"We get to go to Hawaii!" I say tickling her
"Mama? Where's awiy?"
"It's far away, it's a very pretty place," I laugh "I have to go talk to the boys now,"
"No! No! No!" She cries
She starts crying and I decide she can come in with me.
"Cheryl stay safe please?" I say
"I will Toni, I'm going to sit with Liv,"
"Okay, I'll see you soon,"
She nods and kisses me. She helps me up and I carry Lexi to the tunnel where our guys were in the changeroom
"You good Topaz?" RJ asks
"My face hurts but that's it,"
"Who is that guy? Reggie went at him!"
"Remember the tape I had about a guy who grabbed my ass like 6 times and straddled me? My first game back after a panic attack?"
"Oh ya.."
"That's him, he's a coach now and he still hates me,"
"Who doesn't hate you?" He laughs
I shrug and we go into the locker room where all the guys are watching the TV in silence, some are looking at Robby's phone.
"Coach Topaz, are you okay?" The team captain asks
"Oh I'm 100% fine," I laugh "Why aren't any of you happy? You're going to Hawaii,"
"Well, the other team told us you weren't coming with us," Cal T says "said you were too pregnant ,"
"Oh I'm coming if you guys want me to," I laugh "I'm not due until a few weeks after we'd get back anyways,"
"And, we're reading and it said that he could've hurt your baby by shoving you,"
"He definitely could have," I sigh sitting down "but I think it's okay, I'm pretty sure I'll be okay. A black eye never killed anyone,"
"Who was that guy?"
"Don't worry about it boys, celebrate, have fun- this might be once in a lifetime. We'll have a lunch meeting Monday," I laugh
"Toni are you okay?" Reggie asks barging in
"I'm fine Reggie," I say
He half hugs me, ignoring the boys and avoiding Lexi.
"Please tell me you did not hit him,"
"Cheryl and Liz wouldn't let me,"
"No hitting Reggie," I laugh
"Reggee, no ands en!" Lexi gasps
Everyone laughs and I give her to Reggie.
"Reggie's going to take you back to mommy sweetheart, say bye bye to the boys,"
"Bye bye," she says waving "good jab,"
I kiss her cheek and Reggie takes her to Cheryl.
"That reminds me- I know that bit on Robby was dirty, no fighting. If I find out you're running laps and benched the first game of Natty's,"
"What if we have a good reason?" Someone asks
"No good reason," I say "walk away, get safe,"
They all nod.
"Have fun- see you Monday,"
All the coaches leave and we go meet the girls.
"Hey baby, still feeling okay?" Cher asks
"I'm alright C, the little monster is kicking though,"
"Are they now?" She laughs
"Oh ya, and if I don't get some sleep tonight I'm going to be angry,"
"Don't be angry," she pouts
I kiss her and she smiles against my lips
"Where's Lexi?"
"Her Liz and Reggie are going to meet us at Pops," she says "I wanna spend some time with you so I said we'd walk,"
"I love you," I say
"I love you too," she says "can I feel the monster kicking?"
"Of course,"
She puts her hand on my stomach and feels it kicking.
"They're very strong," she says
"Did you expect anything else?"
"Nothing less," she laughs
We start walking to Pops and I come across Robby sitting on a bench.
"Hey Rob,"
"Oh hey Coach Topaz, Mrs. Topaz, how are you?"
"I'm well Robby, What are you doing here? It's late,"
"Oh I just needed to rest my legs," he says unconvincingly "I live a little ways away and my.. mom had to work,"
"Oh come with us, our car is at Pops but reggie and I can give you a ride home," I say
"It's fine, I'll walk," he says
"No," Cheryl says "you aren't walking alone, I'll walk with you though,"
"I'm really okay,"
"Robby I've been youre coach for 2 months now- you really think I take no for an answer? It's so dangerous out here,"
He nods and walks with us to Pops.
"Topaz! We got you vanilla- hope that's okay!" RJ yells across the restaurant
"You know I like chocolate you idiot," I hiss
His eyes go wide
"Sorry hormones- vanilla is fine, but reggie me and you are driving rob home,"
"Okay,"
We go outside.
"What's your address?" I ask
"Oh um 24 Sunnyside, on the south side,"
"Kid you wanna tell me what's actually going on?" I ask
"Wha-,"
"That's my address kid," I say "I'm there almost every other day,"
"I don't have a place to stay tonight," he says looking at his hands
"What do you mean?"
"I was kicked out after my dad died. My mom doesn't like me, she doesn't understand that I'm bisexual," he says "I'm really okay, I'll just go where I went last time, she'll let me in eventually,"
"Reggie a second?" I ask
He nods and I sit down on the hood of the car.
"I was also kicked out as a freshmen,"
"For being bi right?" He asks
"Not originally actually, I was kicked out for the first time after refusing to sell drugs, and then my uncle got a little nicer and let me back in and then found out I was bi and started kicking me out again. I almost died, several times I would go weeks without Food, take some when I was at friends houses and try and change my clothes and it worked on everyone but Sweetpea and Cheryl," I say "I don't want that for you kid, you can be a star, you have a bright future,"
"I have no one," he says
"You have me Rob," I say "I don't know the rules, I don't know if I'm allowed to but you're going to stay at my place tonight, I'll drop you off at school tomorrow and we'll go from there,"
"I can't do that Coach, you already give so much if your time.."
"Kid I have to, I'm not letting you go back to the streets," I say "go long has it been since you've had a meal?"
"Boards," he mumbles
Boards were 2 weeks ago.
"Come inside, dinner on me," I say standing up
"Oh I really.."
"You really can, don't worry. I didn't just marry my wife cause she's hot, she's also loaded,"
He laughs and walks in with me.
"I'll be back, I just need to use the washroom," he says
I nod and walk over to our table.
"Babe Rob is going to sleep in the guest bedroom," I say kissing her cheek
"Why?" She asks
"He was kicked out for being bisexual,"
She nods and kisses me.
"He also hasn't eaten in 2 and a half weeks,"
"Reminds me of someone else before I met them," she teases
"Ya i know," I laugh
Rob comes over and sits at the table across from us with Liv and RJ.
"Hi," Lexi says to him
"Oh hi," he says giving her a small smile
She giggles and reaches over to him.
He looks at me confused and I laugh
"She wants a high five," I laugh
He high fives her and she giggles
"Mama, baw?" She asks
"It's very very late baby," I laugh kissing her nose "we'll play with the ball tomorrow,"
She points to the football pin I have on my jacket.
"Baw," she smiles
"Yes sweetheart, that's a ball,"
She laughs and I bounce her to make her go to sleep.
"Here babes, give her to me so you can walk,"
"Okay," I say as Cher takes Lexi "Rob you ready to head out?"
"Oh uh ya," he says
We all go to our house and I set him up with some old clothes we had from everyone that lived here in high school.
"Why do you have this much boys clothes?" He asks
"In high school we had 5 guys living here, and Reggie isn't the cleanest person so we just let the clothes they left behind. They're very warm too when it gets cold in this house,"
He laughs and says thank you.
"What time do you usually wake up for school?" I ask
"Like 5:30,"
"5:30? School doesn't start until 8,"
"I work out before school usually,"
"Sleep in tomorrow, I'll wake you up around 7:00. If you wake up before then, help yourself to anything in the house, what's ours is yours- just try not to make a lot of noise or Lexi will wake up. And I apologize in advance if she wakes up during the night- she doesn't like to let me sleep,"
"Thank you Coach Topaz," he says
"No problem kid, get some rest,"
He nods and I close the door.
He reminds me of myself, and I can't let him stay out in the cold.