Worlds Collide

Chapter 16

~ Grace's POV ~

It's game day and we're playing the Hayfield hawks. I was sitting in the bleachers with Sheryl and Alan's father, Fred. As I looked at the crowd, I saw Mrs. Boone, who was looking for seats with her two girls. As she glanced around, her eyes soon met mine and as recognition flashed through them, I smiled at her and waved her over.

"Would you like to join us?" I ask tentatively when she and her girls reached us. She looked at her girls before smiling back at me.

"We'd love to." She said as she ushered Nicki and Karen to sit down. "Grace, right?" She asked as he sat down next to me, I nodded.

"Yep, that's me. Grace Bertier." I confirm smiling. I held out my hand for her to shake and she took it gladly. I then look over to see her eldest daughter staring at me. "And who might you be?" I ask her.

"I'm Nicki." She says as she looks at me unsure. I smile and hold out my hand for her. Nicki looks at her mom who nods her head. Nicki then turned back to face me and shook my hand, smiling. I felt my smile grow bigger.

I got up to go get some snacks for Sheryl and Nicki when I came upon Coach Boone outside the locker room.

"Coach?" I say as I approach him. He turns to me. "Are you alright?"I ask, he shook his head.

"Just a little nervous, that's all." He said. I tilted my head.

"Uh-huh, and what are you not you not telling me?" I ask. Coach looked at me wide-eyed. "You're hiding something. What is it, Coach?" Boone sighs in defeat.

"I found out from Dr. Day that the board didn't even think I'd make it out of camp. And now that I have, I've learned that at the first sign of trouble--" Coach starts but I cut him off.

"Trouble? What kind of trouble?" I asked, confused. Boone sighs before continuing.

"Lose a game. They'll fire me and turn it back over to Yoast." He finishes before taking a deep breath.

"One game, just like that?" I asked, shocked.

"Mm-hmm," Boone confirms. I let out a light scoff before running my hand through my hair. To say that I was mad would be an understatement. It was ridiculous that the board had such little faith in Coach.

"I know it isn't fair, Coach. But I believe in you." I say. Boone looks up at me.

"You really mean that?" He asked sincerely. I nodded.

"Of course. The team needed something new to shake things up. Or should I say, someone? I think you are the right man for the job." I say. Boone nods his head.

"Thank you, Speedy." He says. I smile at the nickname.

"Go, your team is waiting," I said nodding towards the locker room door. Boone sent me a big smile before he turned around, opened the door, and disappeared.

~ Julius' POV ~

The whole team was in the locker room preparing ourselves for the game.

"All right, everybody on their feet. On your feet, on your feet. Let's go, let's go." Boone said, clapping. "Listen up. I'm not gonna talk to you tonight about... winnin' and losin'. You're already winners, 'cause you didn't kill each other up at camp." Some of the boys laughed at his comment.

"Tonight, we got Hayfield. Like all the other schools in this conference, they're all white. They don't have to worry about race. We do. But we're better for it, men. Let me tell you something. You don't let anything... nothin'... come between us. Nothin' tears us apart." We all remained silent as Coach continued.