A
AsylumSeeker
Guest
I wrote this for the last How To contest, but after reading the contest thread I realized I had hopelessly misinterpreted the intent of the thread (or maybe I was lied to, I don't know)
But this story fragment is in storage on my "large" hard drive, and I was on the verge of simply deleting when instead I thought I might propose finishing it.
By the way, I'm at the same time finishing the "Freelancer" series I earlier proposed for destruction or continuance, will post when the series is completed... will be a while.
Any suggestions? Boring, should I delete, or is it worth resurrecting and finishing?
HOW TO PLAY FOOTBALL
By AsylumSeeker
“So why the sudden interest?” Grant asked.
The muscular guy repeatedly tossed a pigskin football up and caught it with each step they took. He played on the high school varsity team but had since graduated. In two months’ time he’d be headed to college, unfortunately burdened with student loans instead of the hoped-for full scholarship. Life wasn’t always kind.
His sister Amy, two years older, was home for the summer. She’d be heading back to campus as a junior, and was excited by the prospect of a looming graduation. The light at the end of the long educational tunnel was beginning to show.
He was a handsome man of eighteen with short dark hair and a muscular frame. His fingers had complete control of the constantly shifting ball like the perfectionist quarterback he was. <i>Just not good enough</i>.
Amy had always been studious. Scholarships were readily offered to the intelligent slender, red-haired woman, and all expenses were paid. In two years she’d be prepared to start a new life, much different than the one she’d been living.
“My roommate has been dragging me to football games to support our team, and I have to admit it’s been great fun,” Amy explained. “But the embarrassing thing is that I’m finding myself cheering at the wrong times, and I’m completely baffled by the terms, like ‘4-3 offense’ and a ‘skinny post’, whatever those are. So I thought, why not let you teach me some? I think I’d get more out of it in the long run.”
Grant grinned. “I’d be happy to. But I could just as easily draw it out on paper.”
Amy shirked. “It’s a beautiful day. I’d much prefer the park. And it’s only two blocks from the house, so why not?”
He shrugged his shoulders uncertainly. “Okay, if that’s what you want.”
“Explain one thing to me,” she requested in a confused yet serious tone. “I completely understand the coin toss; heads or tails, winner takes their pick; all that is quite understandable. But why, for the rest of the game, is everyone shouting ‘Get the quarter back!’?”
Grant laughed. “Very funny; I happen to know you’re not that dense. But you do have a lot to learn.”
She playfully punched his arm feeling somewhat embarrassed. “I know, that’s why I’m coming to the family expert!”
“First off, the word ‘hike’ isn’t referring to a walk in the woods.”
Amy rolled her eyes. “I’m not that hopeless! But what’s all that chatter before; thirteen, forty-eight, and so on?”
“Football isn’t just about a bunch of big guys mindlessly hitting each other. The numbers represent offensive blocking, passing, and running assignments. Look, you’re taking on a lot here. When we get there, let’s just throw the ball.”
She proudly smiled. “I never knew how smart you are.”
Grant sighed. “Just not book-smart; and apparently not a good enough quarterback either. Maybe if I’d spent more time studying, things would’ve turned out differently for me.”
“Oh, come on! Certainly being the quarterback of the Wolves had some ‘benefits’,” she inferred.
His frame slumped forward. “No; there’s only one woman for me, and she doesn’t know I even exist. I don’t know, maybe there were chances that I somehow overlooked…”
Amy became extremely interested. “Who?”
By that time they’d reached the grassy park. Several parents had settled near the swings and were protective of the area. Amy and Grant moved to the far end.
Amy sensed his growing unrest. “Grant?”
“What?”
“Don’t be pissy….”
He was reluctant. “What about you? What’s your story?”
Amy was briefly confused. “About what?”
“You know, love, sex…”
“I won’t lie like you and claim I haven’t been with anyone, but at the moment I’m just too busy with school to be worrying about romance.”
They walked to the middle of the grassy field and sat down facing one another. “Okay, first of all, a football team is made up of the offense, the defense, and special teams.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Special teams?”
“They’re the ones who kick the ball off at the start of the game, and who receive it on the other end of the field. How well they perform sets the tone for the rest of the possession.”
“Possession?”
“The team that has the football ‘possesses’ it.”
“Show me.”
He gestured for his sister to run a short distance away. He watched Anna as her slender, red-haired body moved away. His heart longed for her, yet Grant knew there was no way she could return that emotion. Normal people didn’t have that kind of love for a sister; why did he feel so differently?
“Okay, that’s good,” he called out. He looked around behind him while scanning for a suitable landmark. “Catch it and run towards the tennis courts.”
“Okay.”
He held the ball up with the tapered ends facing toward and away from his body. After extending his arms out in front, he dropped the pigskin and kicked his right leg up. It went a little further than he anticipated and Anna was forced to back up. As it arced back to earth she realized it was heading straight for her and she panicked, holding her arms protectively over her face while ducking.
“Ahhh!” she cried out in a high pitch.
It struck the ground very close by with an audible thud. After hearing it hit she lowered her arms and looked around. When she saw where it had rolled to Amy ran to the ball, picked it up, tucked it under her right arm as she’d seen them do, and ran for the tennis courts.
She ran on a regular basis and had no problem with that. But Grant was waiting for her and looked ominous. She tried to fake him out a couple of times but he wasn’t biting. Grant finally lunged, grasping her waist as his falling body pulled her to the ground on top of him. They both started laughing.
“That’s a lot harder than it looks!” she breathlessly exclaimed.
“Obviously special teams is not a good position for you,” he decided, which was followed by more laughter.
As their laughing tapered off, he found himself looking up into her captivating green eyes. The humorous mood seemed to turn serious. His right hand reached up and shifted several strands of red hair away from her face.
“I love you, Amy,” he confessed.
She hesitated, uncertain what brought those words on, but responded, “I love you too.”
He suddenly leaned up, closed his eyes, and kissed her full lips. The hand that had wiped the hair away simultaneously pressed against a smooth cheek. Anna was momentarily stunned and quickly realized the kiss was more than just a standard greeting. She pulled away, confused by what she felt was an unnatural and very awkward situation, but didn’t say anything to him about it.
Amy sat up and tried to act as if nothing had happened. “What’s next?”
They both stood. “Since I tackled you here, this is where the ball is placed. Now your special teams are replaced by the offense, led by the quarterback. In my case, the defense comes out to try and keep you from scoring.”
<i>Maybe I should be the one playing defense,</i> she thought to herself. <i>Because I’m beginning to get the distinct impression you’re the one trying to score, and with your big sister.</i>
But this story fragment is in storage on my "large" hard drive, and I was on the verge of simply deleting when instead I thought I might propose finishing it.
By the way, I'm at the same time finishing the "Freelancer" series I earlier proposed for destruction or continuance, will post when the series is completed... will be a while.
Any suggestions? Boring, should I delete, or is it worth resurrecting and finishing?
HOW TO PLAY FOOTBALL
By AsylumSeeker
“So why the sudden interest?” Grant asked.
The muscular guy repeatedly tossed a pigskin football up and caught it with each step they took. He played on the high school varsity team but had since graduated. In two months’ time he’d be headed to college, unfortunately burdened with student loans instead of the hoped-for full scholarship. Life wasn’t always kind.
His sister Amy, two years older, was home for the summer. She’d be heading back to campus as a junior, and was excited by the prospect of a looming graduation. The light at the end of the long educational tunnel was beginning to show.
He was a handsome man of eighteen with short dark hair and a muscular frame. His fingers had complete control of the constantly shifting ball like the perfectionist quarterback he was. <i>Just not good enough</i>.
Amy had always been studious. Scholarships were readily offered to the intelligent slender, red-haired woman, and all expenses were paid. In two years she’d be prepared to start a new life, much different than the one she’d been living.
“My roommate has been dragging me to football games to support our team, and I have to admit it’s been great fun,” Amy explained. “But the embarrassing thing is that I’m finding myself cheering at the wrong times, and I’m completely baffled by the terms, like ‘4-3 offense’ and a ‘skinny post’, whatever those are. So I thought, why not let you teach me some? I think I’d get more out of it in the long run.”
Grant grinned. “I’d be happy to. But I could just as easily draw it out on paper.”
Amy shirked. “It’s a beautiful day. I’d much prefer the park. And it’s only two blocks from the house, so why not?”
He shrugged his shoulders uncertainly. “Okay, if that’s what you want.”
“Explain one thing to me,” she requested in a confused yet serious tone. “I completely understand the coin toss; heads or tails, winner takes their pick; all that is quite understandable. But why, for the rest of the game, is everyone shouting ‘Get the quarter back!’?”
Grant laughed. “Very funny; I happen to know you’re not that dense. But you do have a lot to learn.”
She playfully punched his arm feeling somewhat embarrassed. “I know, that’s why I’m coming to the family expert!”
“First off, the word ‘hike’ isn’t referring to a walk in the woods.”
Amy rolled her eyes. “I’m not that hopeless! But what’s all that chatter before; thirteen, forty-eight, and so on?”
“Football isn’t just about a bunch of big guys mindlessly hitting each other. The numbers represent offensive blocking, passing, and running assignments. Look, you’re taking on a lot here. When we get there, let’s just throw the ball.”
She proudly smiled. “I never knew how smart you are.”
Grant sighed. “Just not book-smart; and apparently not a good enough quarterback either. Maybe if I’d spent more time studying, things would’ve turned out differently for me.”
“Oh, come on! Certainly being the quarterback of the Wolves had some ‘benefits’,” she inferred.
His frame slumped forward. “No; there’s only one woman for me, and she doesn’t know I even exist. I don’t know, maybe there were chances that I somehow overlooked…”
Amy became extremely interested. “Who?”
By that time they’d reached the grassy park. Several parents had settled near the swings and were protective of the area. Amy and Grant moved to the far end.
Amy sensed his growing unrest. “Grant?”
“What?”
“Don’t be pissy….”
He was reluctant. “What about you? What’s your story?”
Amy was briefly confused. “About what?”
“You know, love, sex…”
“I won’t lie like you and claim I haven’t been with anyone, but at the moment I’m just too busy with school to be worrying about romance.”
They walked to the middle of the grassy field and sat down facing one another. “Okay, first of all, a football team is made up of the offense, the defense, and special teams.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Special teams?”
“They’re the ones who kick the ball off at the start of the game, and who receive it on the other end of the field. How well they perform sets the tone for the rest of the possession.”
“Possession?”
“The team that has the football ‘possesses’ it.”
“Show me.”
He gestured for his sister to run a short distance away. He watched Anna as her slender, red-haired body moved away. His heart longed for her, yet Grant knew there was no way she could return that emotion. Normal people didn’t have that kind of love for a sister; why did he feel so differently?
“Okay, that’s good,” he called out. He looked around behind him while scanning for a suitable landmark. “Catch it and run towards the tennis courts.”
“Okay.”
He held the ball up with the tapered ends facing toward and away from his body. After extending his arms out in front, he dropped the pigskin and kicked his right leg up. It went a little further than he anticipated and Anna was forced to back up. As it arced back to earth she realized it was heading straight for her and she panicked, holding her arms protectively over her face while ducking.
“Ahhh!” she cried out in a high pitch.
It struck the ground very close by with an audible thud. After hearing it hit she lowered her arms and looked around. When she saw where it had rolled to Amy ran to the ball, picked it up, tucked it under her right arm as she’d seen them do, and ran for the tennis courts.
She ran on a regular basis and had no problem with that. But Grant was waiting for her and looked ominous. She tried to fake him out a couple of times but he wasn’t biting. Grant finally lunged, grasping her waist as his falling body pulled her to the ground on top of him. They both started laughing.
“That’s a lot harder than it looks!” she breathlessly exclaimed.
“Obviously special teams is not a good position for you,” he decided, which was followed by more laughter.
As their laughing tapered off, he found himself looking up into her captivating green eyes. The humorous mood seemed to turn serious. His right hand reached up and shifted several strands of red hair away from her face.
“I love you, Amy,” he confessed.
She hesitated, uncertain what brought those words on, but responded, “I love you too.”
He suddenly leaned up, closed his eyes, and kissed her full lips. The hand that had wiped the hair away simultaneously pressed against a smooth cheek. Anna was momentarily stunned and quickly realized the kiss was more than just a standard greeting. She pulled away, confused by what she felt was an unnatural and very awkward situation, but didn’t say anything to him about it.
Amy sat up and tried to act as if nothing had happened. “What’s next?”
They both stood. “Since I tackled you here, this is where the ball is placed. Now your special teams are replaced by the offense, led by the quarterback. In my case, the defense comes out to try and keep you from scoring.”
<i>Maybe I should be the one playing defense,</i> she thought to herself. <i>Because I’m beginning to get the distinct impression you’re the one trying to score, and with your big sister.</i>
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