In Virginia, high school football is a way of life. It's bigger than Christmas day.
Up until 1971, in Alexandria, there was no race-mixing. Then the school board forced us to integrate. They combined the white school and the black school into one ca...
"So how we doin' on defense?" I ask Yoast, causing him to turn to me as I walk up to him and Coach Tyrell.
"We're doing just fine, I just need to figure out how to get Julius to listen to me." He says exhausted.
"Yeah, he keeps gettin' hit," I note. Yoast scoffs.
"I keep telling him, but he won't listen to me." He says looking back at Julius on the field.
"Maybe I could take a shot?" I suggest. He looks at me with wide eyes.
"By all means." He gives in with a small smirk.
I walk over to him as he talks with Petey and Rev, catching part of their conversation.
"Yeah, she is real cute." Petey says.
"I don't know why she here, man, I bet she don't know nothin about football, man." Julius continues.
So, he thinks I know nothing about football? Game on.
"Julius, right?" I ask. I know exactly who he is, but I won't give him the satisfaction of knowing that.
He turns to me. His dark eyes locked onto mine. Oh, those eyes.
"What's it to ya?" He says with a smirk.
"Come here, I want to show you something," I say vaguely.
He turns to Petey and Rev, who are both just as confused as he is.
I look back at him.
"You comin' or you just gonna stand there lookin' like an idiot?" I say starkly.
I walk into the middle of the field and wait for Julius. The rest of the team forms a circle around us.
I put a knee on the ground and place my right hand in front, into a football stance. I put my weight forward, causing my knuckles to turn white.
"What color are my knuckles?" I say right off the bat.
"What?" He asked confused.
"I said, what color are my knuckles?" I repeat aggressively. He furrows his eyebrows.
"They white." He says.
"Yeah, they're white. you know why they're white?" I say like it's the most obvious thing. Which for a defensive player, it should be.
"Why?" He says.
"They're white 'cause my weights forward. Means I'm goin' after you. If I'm laying back, the color returns. Means I'm not goin' for you, I'm after someone else." I point out, defensively.
"Okay, so?" He says slightly annoyed.
"So? You're guardin' me and you don't notice that difference?" I scoff. "Boy, you gonna be lookin' like a fool when I take off and you're layin' face first in the dirt," I say, my words dripping with attitude. I stand up and look at Julius who is still kneeling on the ground. He looks at me astonished.
"I'm tired of watchin' you get slammed every day." I state as I walk away.
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