Football Double Threat (7 page)
Jared grinned. “He said he heard about a new indoor soccer league that plays during the winter and that I should definitely sign up for a team! That’s when I told him he should coach it!” His grin faded then. “Did you talk to Bobby yet?”
Rocky shook his head. “He wasn’t home. And I haven’t seen him here. Have you?”
“Nope.” There was a loud cheer from the stands then. The Pythons had returned the ball for more than thirty yards.
Jared nudged him. “Looks like you’re up, cowboy. Go get ’em!”
Rocky ran onto the field and joined the huddle. Jeff, usually calm, cool, and collected, seemed excited. “Coach wants us to do the flea-flicker right away. Rasheed takes the handoff. Isaac, Rocky, you guys slant out and cut back in. Ready? Break!”
Jeff’s excitement was contagious. Rocky sprinted to his spot and got into his stance with his heart in his mouth.
Gonna make it happen!
he told himself.
Jeff barked out the signals. Joe snapped the ball. Lars charged forward to help block while Jeff danced back and handed the ball to Rasheed.
The Rangers defense swarmed the running back, clearly expecting him to rush with the ball. But before they could reach him, Rasheed dished the ball back to Jeff.
Rocky, meanwhile, was doing everything he could to get clear of his defender. He cut out, slanted in, ran straight, and spun back.
Now the Rangers turned toward the Pythons quarterback. Their defensive tackle was only steps away when Jeff launched a long bomb in Rocky’s direction.
Rocky did a mental fast-forward to picture where the ball would come down. He dashed to that spot at top speed. The cornerback shadowed him all the way. But at the last moment, Rocky threw himself horizontally through the air. Arms outstretched, he reached for the ball — and snared it at the Rangers thirty-six a split second before his chest hit the dirt!
The officials signaled that the pass was complete and that the Pythons had made first down. The crowd roared. Rocky’s teammates thumped his shoulder pads and helmet. Then they huddled up to hear the next play. This time, it was a simple run up the middle by Lars.
“Punch me a wide enough hole,” Lars growled, “and I’ll charge right on through it!”
He was as good as his word — better even, for after blasting though the opening he strong-armed one tackle out of the way and dove beneath another for extra ground. In all, the play gained them six yards.
Second down and four to go. Jeff called for a bootleg, with a fake to Rasheed. “Rocky, Isaac, go short this time. We just need four.”
They didn’t get the four, however, because the Rangers blitzed and dropped Jeff for a loss of three.
Third down and seven. Jeff no longer looked excited; he looked grim. “They’ll be looking for the long bomb again,” he said. “And that’s what we’ll do — but the pass won’t come from me. Rasheed, you feel up to throwing?”
“Bring it on,” Rasheed replied.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Halfback pass. Receivers, get into that end zone and give him a target. Break!”
A
drenaline rushed through Rocky’s veins as he got into his stance. His leg muscles tightened with anticipation.
Steady, steady,
he said to himself as Jeff called the play,
a-a-and . . . NOW!
At the snap, Rocky shot forward like an arrow from a bow. Jeff flicked the ball to Rasheed. Rocky darted into the end zone and hooked out toward the flags. Rasheed pump-faked the ball in a perfect imitation of Jeff.
When he threw, however, the ball wobbled instead of spiraled. But the throw had height and distance and when the ball came down it landed smack in Isaac’s waiting hands and stuck there. Touchdown!
“Beautiful!” Rocky crowed. He didn’t care that he hadn’t made the catch. He was just happy the Pythons had scored. So were his teammates. On the extra-point attempt, they rode their momentum into the end zone for two more on the scoreboard. The game was now tied 8 to 8.
Rocky ran off the field, high-fiving Jared who was running on for the kickoff. The Rangers returned it for twenty yards and the Pythons defense took to the field. As before, Jared stayed in at safety.
Rocky went to the cooler to fill his bottle with water.
“So, the coach is playing the newbie in my spot, huh?” Rocky looked up to see Bobby crutching his way toward the bench. “What’s the matter, Rock Star, aren’t you good enough to play it?”
Rocky’s temper flared then. “Maybe I would be good enough,” he spat, “if you’d let me get to practice on time this week!”
Bobby jerked back as if Rocky had taken a swing at him. Suddenly off balance, he started to fall. Rocky caught him by the arm to steady him and then let go.
Bobby sank down on the bench, rubbed his arm, and gave Rocky an injured look. “My leg, ow, my arm, I think you —”
Rocky cut him off. “Save it, Bobby. I’m through letting you make me feel guilty. In fact, maybe it’s your turn to feel guilty — guilty for keeping me from learning your position!”
Bobby blinked. “What’re you talking about? I didn’t —”
“The chocolate bars? The student council stuff? And what about my rock collection, Bobby? Did you get rid of my bag of rocks just so I’d be late to practice that day too?”
Rocky hadn’t really believed Bobby had done anything with his rock collection. But then he saw a look of shame cross Bobby’s face — and he knew he’d hit on the truth. All the anger went out of him then, replaced instead with hurt. He slumped down on the bench.
“Geez, Bobby, I thought you were my friend.”
“I am.” Bobby’s voice was a mere whisper, barely audible over the shouts of the crowd.
“Then . . . why?”
“I don’t know. I guess I was sore at you.”
“For breaking your leg? It was an accident!”
“An accident that wouldn’t have happened if you’d just let me use your music player!” Bobby said.
“An accident that wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t taken it after I asked you not to!” Rocky retorted.
They fell silent. Then Bobby spoke again.
“I didn’t mean to,” he said. “To take advantage of you, I mean. It’s just . . . when you told me you were taking over my position, it was like you stabbed me in the back. I love playing football and I was going to have a great season, I know I was! Then this” — he thumped his cast angrily — “ended it all. I — it wasn’t fair, that’s all.”
Rocky drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. “What wasn’t fair was the way you treated me. But I guess I’m partly to blame. You’re one of my best friends. I should have known you were upset.” He gave a half smile. “And I really should have said no to some of the things you were asking me to do!”
A smile crept over Bobby’s face too. “I should have let you know I was mad. If I had, we would have gotten this out of the way a week ago — and I wouldn’t be stuck running for student council!” He made a disgusted face.
Rocky laughed. “And I wouldn’t have been stuck selling your chocolate bars!”
Bobby had the decency to look ashamed at that. “Say, Rocky, how about I sell the rest of them, huh?” He stuck out his hand then. “Friends again?”
Rocky shook it. “Absolutely.”
“Awesome.” There was a loud shout from the field. Bobby craned his neck around to try to see what was happening. “Say, Rock Star, I just have one last favor to ask . . .”
Rocky groaned. “
Now
what?”
“Move your caboose so I can swing my leg — my poor, poor, broken leg — onto the bench and watch the rest of the game!”
And that, Rocky found, was one favor he didn’t mind doing.
THE MATT CHRISTOPHER®#1 SPORTS SERIES FOR KIDS
Read them all!
Baseball Flyhawk
Baseball Pals
Baseball Turnaround
The Basket Counts
Body Check
Catch That Pass!
Catcher with a Glass Arm