Page 30 of For the Fans

“If we win, you’re gonna get so laid,” Guty laughs.

“Got that sock on the doorknob already.” I wink at him, and he cackles, grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me around.

Helmets go on and Coach gathers us for our pregame chant.

“Eagles on three,” he shouts fast. “One, two, three—”

“Eagles!” we all roar, hands breaking up out of the circle.

Coach pats me on the back while we all run out onto the field, the crowd bellowing for us. The entire stadium is bumping like a dubstep festival. There are signs and people with painted faces. It’s a madhouse.

But I can’t focus on any of that. Because it’sgame time.

We win the coin toss, and punt first. Guty retrieves the ball, and we’re starting at our twenty-five-yard line.

Here we go.

The first drive gets us in field-goal range. Our kicker, my friend, Theo Reeves, sends the ball sailing right down the middle of the goal post. And less than four minutes into the game, we’re already ahead.

On the bench, I whip off my helmet to grab some water, my eyes fixed on our defense taking the field. Coach is quiet, which makes sense. He doesn’t tend to get loud until the second half.

“Oh my God!” Guty lets out one of his booming laughs. “I love that guy.”

“Who?” I have no idea what he’s talking about, because I’m too busy watching Jenkins, our cornerback, who looks like he’s about to move before the snap. He doesn’t—thankfully—but still, my eyes are narrowed in on him.

“Baldwin,” Guty keeps cackling. “I wonder why he’s named that… It’s like Alec Baldwin.30 Rock… Amirite?!”

“What the fuck are you rambling about??” I whip my face right, where Guty is sitting next to me, watching the team mascot and laughing like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever seen.

I can’t help but squint at the dude in the eagle costume. He’s pretending to lean up against the giant tub of Gatorade, but then he elbows it by accident and the whole thing almost comes toppling over.

“He knows he’s not amime, right?” I tilt my head in amusement as the character frolics around on the sidelines.

“I don’t even care, man.” Guty sighs out his chuckles. “That dude is on point. I’m gonna hire him for my nephew’s birthday party.”

Suddenly, the crowd erupts, and I spring out of my seat.

“Interception!” the ref calls, and we all begin shouting.

“Fuck yea, baby!” Guty high-fives me, stuffing his helmet back on.

“Let’s do this, Brutus.”

I cast one last lingering glance at Baldwin the Eagle, shaking my head as I cover it with my helmet and jog back onto the field.

Half-time. And we’re up by one.

The score is twenty-four to seventeen. Not a cushy lead at all, but I’ll take it for now. As long as our defense follows Coach’s instructions and tightens it up.

We come back out for the tail-end of the cheerleaders, and all the guys are swooning. We have some stupidly hot girls cheering for us, one of whom I’ve gotten to know sort of well…

Lexi and I are a thing, I guess. She’s trying to lock it down, and I’m not really interested in getting serious, so at times it’s a bit awkward. Honestly, I think she likes the attention she gets from being seen dating me more than she actually wants to be in arelationshipwith me, which isn’t a big shocker.

We hooked up a few times last year, then she kept showing up at training camp over the summer, so I kind of fell into it out of boredom and convenience, a deadly combination. Part of me hopes that if I just ignore her incessant texts about us beingexclusive, she’ll get the hint and back off. But then I’m also aware it never really works out that way.

My head is in the game, mentally running plays and visualizing how the other team is going to move, when the dancing eagle catches my eye once more. He’s strutting around in front of the cheerleaders, and I have to laugh. I don’t know the guy who was Baldwin last year…I think his name was Brian or Bobby or something.I have to assume it’s the same dude inthere, though his moves are certainly more extravagant than last season.

The crowd cheers as the girls and Baldwin finish up their dance, and Coach huddles us together.