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caught up!
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I guess we're supposed to continuously post before he will again... You know, like in the good old days with Catching Controversy.
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^ Shouts to MvP for the sick sig. GFX TEAM BACK
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Chapter 26: Old Face, Old Place
October 30, 2025
"...it's been a while. I had a feeling Sean Joseph was your son, but wasn't completely sure. Please, sit down."
"Yeah, he's my oldest," Ethan replied, still shocked at who he was exactly standing in front of right now.
"Oldest? You mean you have more than one?"
"Yeah, I have two. But my youngest, Brandon, is still in Tennessee with my ex-wife."
"Ex-wife? Looks like we won't be talking about your son today then," she joked, before getting back on topic of the meeting. "But anyways, Sean Joseph has been doing well in class...taking good notes, participating in discussions, all of that."
"You really want to hear about everything since we last saw each other, huh?" he asked, noticing from how brief she talked about Sean Joseph in her class.
"If you don't mind," she answered.
"Okay...well you know about all the football stuff I bet. That reminds me...I made you a Titans fan, right?"
"No!" she stated with a big smile on her face.
"Oh come on," he scoffed. "You mean to tell me that even though your first boyfriend played in the NFL, you still stayed loyal to Pittsburgh?"
"That's right," she chuckled, keeping the same smile that didn't change over the years. "So anyways..."
"Right. Well I'm sure you know about what happened to Mel," he started off, in which she nodded her head in agreement. "So we can start after that."
"If anything is too tough to tell me, then you don't have to," she reminded him, which brought a smile upon his face.
"Nah, I'll hold up alright," he promised, before thinking about where to begin. "After the whole tragedy with Mel, I stayed away from off-the-field shit for a while...mainly because I was having a tough time living without her, ya know? Then mid-season, I get a call from a number I didn't recognize and sure enough it's Rebecca. I told you the story behind her, didn't I?"
"Yeah, I think so," she said, adjusting herself to a more comfortable position in her chair.
"I thought so. Anyways, she was in town for some reason I can't remember and needed a place to stay. I obliged, and we caught up on each other's lives. She seemed different, like she finally matured and such. Well later on in the season, she got ahold of me again and said I should take her to dinner. It took a lot out of me to agree to it, but I did. Eventually we got together, and I married her two years into my NFL career."
"And are you two still together?"
He flashed her his ring finger, where there used to be a symbol of love there. "Nope...that's the tough part of this story."
"You don't have to tell me," she insisted, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"Nah, I think I'm good. Last year, we started fighting and then she decided she couldn't be with me anymore. I was confused and upset, so I asked her why. That's when she revealed that she...she murdered Mel."
"Oh wow," she whispered, jaw hanging near the floor. "I'm so sorry, Ethan. I really don't know what to say."
"Yeah, it's been tough for sure. But thanks, I'll be okay."
There was a knock on the door, as the next parent was standing outside waiting for their meeting with Miss Wilt. She shook her head and stood up, bummed that time went by fast. "I know with you coaching football, you're probably really busy, but maybe you can fit a dinner with me into your schedule?"
He smiled and agreed. "Definitely."
...
"Sean Joseph Woy throws it into traffic...but it's somehow caught by Mike Kennedy and he'll get into the end zone for an Everett touchdown! The Warriors take an early lead with the playoff hopes on the line tonight..."
^ Shouts to MvP for the sick sig. GFX TEAM BACK
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well idk what to say lol...just another set up.Comment
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Chapter 27: Pendulum
October 30, 2025
"That's right boy!" I yelled, giving Mike a bear hug in the end zone to celebrate our touchdown.
"Do this all night and we'll definitely be playing next week," he said, flipping the ball back to the referee before we both jogged off the sidelines and let the extra point team come on.
An early 7-0 lead against a good team like Mount Union was definitely a reason to have a bunch of confidence. Tack on a field goal and a safety and we ended the first quarter with a 12-0 advantage over the Trojans.
"Woy looks deep for Jackson...it's caught! He's to the 30, the 20, the 10...touchdown Warriors and they'll add to their lead!"
Nothing could go wrong for us, as we added that touchdown to give ourselves a 19-0 lead six minutes before halftime. Meanwhile, our defense was bending but not breaking, blocking a field goal attempt and intercepting a pass in the end zone. Mount Union had a stellar offense, so I wasn't satisfied with the lead, because they could come back at any time.
"And it's halftime here, with Everett going into the locker-room with a commanding 22-3 lead."
The locker-room was filled with joy and some players were trying to figure out who we'd play in the first round of the playoffs next week, but Dad came in and calmed everyone down. "There's still another half, fellas. Don't get so confident just yet. Mount Union has a very good team and this deficit isn't too large to overcome."
I could see the team was divided; players like me knew that Dad was right, while others thought this was already over. Dan got up and repeated pretty much the same thing, but before we knew it, a manager hurried himself into the locker-room to announce there was just five minutes left for halftime.
"And Ross Murphy finds a seam...one man to beat and he's off to the races! Mount Union will return the second half opening kickoff for a touchdown!"
"Still think this is over!?" I shouted to the players in particular that were planning their party spots for afterward. They kept their mouths shut as I shook my head in disgust. The Trojans added the point after and it was now a 22-10 game.
From there, it was a back and forth struggle for power. Our offense came back on the field and proceeded to go three-and-out, but Mount Union copied us exactly, giving us back the ball with about six minutes to play in the third.
"Woy is back to pass...the pressure is coming, but he avoids it! He fires a bomb in Kennedy's direction...it'll be picked off by Jamal Evans!"
I underthrew the ball badly and the Trojans star corner made me pay for my mistake. But he wasn't done with just picking the pass off...he got some blockers in front of him and it was like a locomotive headed to the station; it wasn't going to be stopped.
"...and what a great block on the quarterback put on by Carter! Evans will waltz into the end zone for a Trojan touchdown and it's now just a six point game!"
I picked myself up slowly from the usually friendly turf of Warrior Stadium and watched Mount Union's extra point team jog onto the field once again. As the ball went through the uprights, a few players snickered at me, but I ignored it and talked to Coach Swindell about what we would do on the next drive.
Unfortunately, our offense continued to struggle as the fourth quarter started. Two more three-and-outs were coupled by another interception and a fumble, but they were replied with some three-and-outs of their own. We still held a 22-17 lead with three minutes to go, and after I was thrown down for a sack, we faced a third and 15 with a chance to extend the drive and keep the ball out of their hands.
I dropped back and scanned the defense, feeling the pressure collapse the pocket once again. Avoiding the first incoming rusher, I stepped up, then scrambled to my right to buy more time. Mike stopped his hook route and darted across the field, throwing his hand up to call for the ball. I planted my feet and threw the ball right before getting smacked from behind, in which he caught it and was brought down...half a yard past the first down marker. I raised my arm in celebration, but was quickly brought back down to earth as I saw a piece of yellow laundry on the field.
"Holding, number 65 offense. 10 yard penalty, repeat third down."
Killing the momentum we had, I took another sack to force us into a fourth down. They gathered the punt at the 30-yard line, giving them 70 yards to kill our playoff hopes and complete an improbable comeback. Thoughts of last year's heartbreak in the playoffs against Knoxville High ran through my mind, and I couldn't bring myself to watch their final drive, because of the consequences looming.
"Another first down for Mount Union and they're driving with a minute left!"
Sitting on the bench, I tried picking my head up to watch the end, but still couldn't. Instead, I continued staring through my dark visor down at the ground below, as I let the announcer and the crowd's reaction tell me the play-by-play.
"With just five seconds left, Mount Union stands at the Everett 23-yard line with a touchdown separating them from win number eight. One more stop though would send Everett to the playoffs for the first time in three years."
A collective gasp accumulated as I heard the play unfold. There wasn't a reaction for a while, leaving me to believe that the quarterback was scrambling still, but then a cheering from one side and a sigh of sorrow from the other side of the bleachers told me everything.
"Mount Union completes the comeback and will end Everett's season!"
^ Shouts to MvP for the sick sig. GFX TEAM BACK
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Damn. Oh well. I'm sure shit'll end up alright, right?Comment
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Senior year: Championship!Comment
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Lost the girl. Lost the game. Rough times for this young man.Comment
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Chapter 28: Haley's Song
October 31, 2025-April 23, 2026
After the heartbreaking loss that ended my football season for the second straight year, I shifted my focus to other things. Despite multiple people insisting I should play basketball since my dad was a star in that sport as well, I declined and instead worried about my studies, lifting for next season and having fun with my friends.
The season's awards were announced and I ended up making All-ICC at quarterback - a first for a sophomore signal caller - after throwing for 2567 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. With the group of players returning, people were already predicting at least a deep run into the District playoffs, but I knew how inconsistent we were and how we'd have to fix that in order to touch the highest pinnacle.
Off the field, my life was going well. My grades were pretty good - particularly in Miss Wilt's geometry class - and I was in the weight room every other day, trying to build on my 6'2", 170 pound frame. I continued to hang out with my teammates from football, besides one, but that's because Bryan still couldn't forgive me for the whole Allison situation.
Speaking of Allison...well there's the lack of speaking. Ever since we skipped class to talk about everything, she hasn't said more than ten words to me and has only texted three times; one of those were to tell me happy birthday. I started hanging out with other girls, but none of them really compared to her or even Candace.
And speaking of Candace, ever since things fell out with Allison, I started talking to her again; whether it was just a simple message on Facebook or even an hour or two long phone conversation. She was doing fine and found someone down there and although I was okay with that, I still wanted to be a part of her life somehow; even though I was over 1000 miles away.
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"And first in Word Processing I, earning a trip to FBLA States next month, is Sean Joseph Woy of Everett!"
I did take one man's suggestion about adding something to my extra-curriculars. My dad would tell me stories about how much fun he had in FBLA, so I decided to put that on my resume. However, I was more than surprised when I went to the regional competition and won my event; giving me a week-long vacation to Hershey in a month.
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"Remember curfew's at midnight," the chaperone reminded the group of 40 kids that made the trip to Hershey. "There's an opening ceremony dance at the lodge, but it's not necessary for you to go."
"You know we're going to that," I told Mike, as he nodded his head in agreement. "My dad told me a lot of shit goes down at these and the girls there are smoking."
"Find ourselves two chicks for the week?" he suggested. "I'm tired of the Everett girls, man. I need a new flavor."
"Agreed," I said, performing our signature fist bump with one another.
...
"...teach me how to dougie, teach me how to dougie..."
"What the fuck is this shit?" I chuckled at the poor song selection. Mike shrugged his shoulders, then pointed to the ladies up front. "Good looking out."
"What I can say?" he replied with a smirk, before we made our way to the front of the stage.
Starting to scout our potential hook-ups, it seemed like the two potential suitors were looking for us as I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around to see the beautiful brunettes behind us, I put my hand out to greet them.
"Hey, I'm Sean Joseph," I introduced myself, before pointing to my best friend. "And this is Mike."
"Vanessa," the taller brunette introduced herself, before moving on to her friend. "And my best friend, Kayla. Where you guys from?"
"Everett," Mike answered.
"Ahh I don't think I've ever heard of there," Kayla sheepishly admitted. "We're from Beaver Falls."
"Near Pittsburgh right?" I butted in, as Vanessa nodded her head yes. The song then switched to something they seemed to like, so I decided to kill all the small talk. "Come on, let's dance." They smiled as I took Vanessa's hand and Mike took Kayla's, leading them both to an open space.
The grinding was your typical shit; definitely something I enjoyed. However, when I took my eye off of Vanessa for a split-second, I saw someone else who intrigued me. I shook it off and continued focusing on Vanessa's body, but when I poked my head up again, I became even more intrigued with the blonde in the corner.
"Excuse me for a second," I told Vanessa, as I released my grip from her waist and walked over to the direction of the door. I then turned over to see the blonde in the corner, chillin' with a few friends. She made eye contact with me and the warm smile she sent had me reeled into her.
"You do this often?" I asked her as her friends walked away giggling.
"What do you mean?" she returned my question with one of her own.
"You know...getting someone you don't even know to walk over to you just by looking at them."
"Oh, yeah I've done that once or twice," she chuckled. "Haley."
"Sean Joseph," I introduced myself.
"The QB from Everett?" she asked, her eyebrows raised when I said my name.
"Yeah, why? You go to school in the area?"
"Only your biggest rival," she chuckled again.
"Ahh, so you caught me at an embarrassing time last year?" I joked, remembering my terrible performance against Tussey Mountain.
"I guess so. I saw you dancing with that one chick over there...what happened?"
"I bit on the bait and you reeled me in," I said, getting her to smile.
"Guess I sent out the right kind of bait then," she replied, continuing both the fishing analogy and her smile. "You wanna go on a walk? My room is just a few floors above."
"Yeah sure." She took my hand and led me out of the crowd, where we started on the track to her room.
The trek to her room was a quiet one, but once she opened the door, the conversations started to pour out from both sides. We sat on her bed and talked about anything and everything, from musical tastes, to past relationships. It was weird because I barely knew this girl, but I was opening up to her like she was Candace. Something was just different about Haley. I was lost in those blue eyes and wanted nothing more than to stare into them for the rest of the night.
"Damn, it's late," she stated, looking at the clock reading 3:30. "You don't have anything going on tomorrow, do you?"
"Not at all, but I know my chaperone is going to be pissed that I'm out past 12," I chuckled, which was mixed with half a yawn.
"You can just sleep here tonight," she suggested, which brought a smile to my face for the umpteenth time in the few hours. "My roommate won't care."
"Alright," I said, taking my shirt off before diving under the covers with her. I wrapped my arms around her and quickly fell asleep, with one of the biggest smiles I've had in quite some time.
^ Shouts to MvP for the sick sig. GFX TEAM BACK
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wow, plot change, I think SJW will have a girlfriend at his rival school during senior year, possibly giving him locker room troubles.Comment
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Chapter 29: Taking the Next Step
April 24, 2026
"Dude, where the fuck did you go last night?" Mike asked me, throwing a pillow as I finally got back to the room at 11 in the morning. "I'm not mad though, I had Vanessa and Kayla both all over me when you left."
I gave Mike a congratulatory fist-bump for his success with the two Beaver Falls chicks, then started my explanation. "I met some other girl last night and stayed over in her room. You know a Haley from Tussey?"
"Do I know a Haley from Tussey? Who doesn't know Haley Shaffer?" he asked sarcastically as he continued working on a text to either Vanessa or Kayla more than likely. "She's probably the hottest bitch in Bedford County and she dated Ryan Henderson last year...you know, second-team all-state quarterback...going on a full-ride to Arizona. Yeah, that Ryan Henderson."
"Ahh, now it's making sense," I replied, as the name Ryan Henderson struck a nerve. I remember his arrogance towards me after completely outperforming me in their blowout win. He wouldn't let me live it down whenever our paths crossed, so there was a bit of tension there. "You know if they're still dating?"
"Nah," he replied, which improved my mood about the whole situation. "He cheated on her I believe, plus he's going to Arizona like I said, so he's not going to do this long-distance shit. So, yes you have a chance."
"You know me well," I chuckled before checking my phone to see a text from Haley. "I've gotta get a shower and such though...she wants to meet up for lunch."
"Do your thing Sean J," he insisted, before taking the remote on the counter to flip through the channels.
...
I sat on the bench at the lodge, looking around for the familiar tall blonde to appear in front of me. A few minutes passed and I grew impatient, so I took my iPhone out of my pocket and turned on some J. Cole to listen to. Finally, she started her model-esque walk down the stairs and I got up from the bench to greet her with a smile and a compliment. "Hey pretty girl, what are you doing alone?"
"Waiting for some boy to meet me for lunch," she replied, giving me a hug. "You see him? He's tall, cute, sweet...shouldn't be too hard to miss."
"Nope, haven't seen him yet. Think I would be able to sweep you off your feet and replace him?"
She sarcastically pondered the thought, then nodded her head. "Yeah, I guess so."
We walked into one of the large conference rooms, which was being used for a breakfast/lunch/dinner buffet area for the week. I tried picking a small table in the back for just the two of us, but she saw her friends and pulled me over there.
"Kelly, Amber...this is the guy I was telling you about," she told her friends as I stood beside her, giving them a slight wave. "Sean Joseph, this is Kelly and Amber, my two best friends."
"That name sounds familiar," Amber butted in. "Everett, right?"
"Yeah. You guys probably remember me from the game this season...you know, the guy who was on the ground every other play."
"At least you looked cute getting sacked," Kelly stated, bring giggles to the group of three. I laughed awkwardly and started twirling the first bite of my spaghetti.
Lunch with the three Tussey girls went by quickly. I kept my mouth shut most of the time and let them talk about their usual topics; shopping, music, etc. Once we all finished our meals though, Kelly and Amber left to study for their tests later so it was Haley and I alone once again.
"You're free for the rest of the day, right?" she asked me as I nodded my head yes in return. "Okay good," she continued with a smile. "You wanna swim or something?"
"Yeah that'd be cool," I replied, as the thought of that incredible body in a bikini put a smirk on my face. "Let me head to my room and get my trunks and I'll meet you there in 15 minutes."
"Sounds good," she said, before turning around to walk away while I studied that flawless body of hers. I shook my head in astonishment, then turned the opposite direction to go back to my room.
...
"Well are you going to jump in or not?" I asked Haley as she stood at the edge of the pool, dipping her foot to determine the temperature of the water. I swam over and splashed water at her; she kicked water back at me in retaliation. I then jumped out of the pool and started chasing her, catching her after a few seconds. Then despite her struggle to get away, I put her in a fireman's carry and jumped back into the pool. "See, it didn't have to be that hard."
She wiped the water from her eyes and splashed me again, but instead of returning that, I moved in closer and gently put my lips upon hers. After a few seconds of locking lips, I pulled myself away and realized what I did, then muttered, "sorry, I didn't..."
"No, it's okay," she interrupted by giving me a kiss back. "That was nice."
I smiled and gave her what she wanted; a few more kisses before we finally decided to get out of the pool and take it to her room, which was thankfully vacant. Slipping on the "Do Not Disturb" sign, I slipped into her bed and rung the bell for round 2; the first of hopefully many rounds with her.
^ Shouts to MvP for the sick sig. GFX TEAM BACK
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get it SJComment
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