Till Death Do Us Part

  * * *

  Student's," the Art room speaker blared with Ms. Moore's voice, "as you know we have a pep rally later this afternoon. At this time would just the varsity cheer squad and varsity football team report to the gym. Thank you."

  Jason leaned over and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek as he got up. "Try to sit where I can see you."

  "I'll sit on the aisle."

  "Perfect. Love the jersey." He smiled and then left.

  I had had difficulty concentrating yesterday, but today was impossible. I kept feeling like this was going to be totally humiliating and that I shouldn't have agreed. Coach could do that, make you believe something—probably why he was such a good coach. At any rate, it was too late now.

  "You okay?" Cathy said.

  "Yeah, just exited about the game tonight."

  "Me too. Alex said the team we're playing is pretty good, I think they finished like second in our division last year."

  "Jason said the same thing." I laughed.

  "What's funny?" Cathy said.

  "Listen to us. You remember the two shy, Emo girls from last year? Look at us, talking football and dating jocks and everything."

  "And everything," Cathy echoed.

  "That's not what I meant."

  "I know, and you're right, we've changed—more than just that—we're both happier. I can't wait for the game."

  "Me either, but I'm nervous about the pep rally," I confessed.

  "Why?"

  "Coach asked me to participate."

  "Really—and you agreed?"

  "I wasn't going to, but—" I motioned to two girls on the far side of the room that were staring. "I felt like I had to try something. Coach thought it might help."

  "I wish I was that brave.

  "You are, besides all the adversity you've overcome, just sitting with me is brave especially knowing what I am."

  "What are you?" Mrs. Snyder said, totally surprising us.

  "Nervous," I recovered, "about the pep rally."

  "Coach asked her to participate," Cathy said.

  "Is that why you're wearing the jersey?" Mrs. Snyder assumed.

  "No, it was a present from Jason. It's supposed to be a secret—my participation."

  "Well, it's just a few minutes before we're dismissed so I'm sure your secret is safe. You girls have a nice time."

  "I'm sorry," Cathy said as soon as Mrs. Snyder was gone.

  Before I could say anything, the speaker on the wall made a static crackle and then Ms. Moore's voice, "At this time, would the seniors please make their way down to the gymnasium—just the Senior Class. We're going to dismiss each class separately this year."

  Cathy and I got up with the few other seniors in our class and headed out into the hallway. Our lockers were close, so we stopped and dropped off our stuff. When we got to the gym, the cheerleaders met us and told us to sit toward the bottom of the bleachers. They were going to sit us by class from the bottom up. I didn't see Jason or the rest of the team anywhere, nor Coach, but the school band was seated at the far end of the bleachers. As I'd promised, I found aisle seats near the back of our class for Cathy and I.

  "At this time would the Junior Class please make their way to the gym," Ms. Moore announced. The anticipation increased as each class was dismissed and the gym began to fill.

  "Are you nervous?" Cathy said.

  "How do I look? Is the jersey too much?"

  "Nervous, check." Cathy made a little checkmark in the air. "You look perfect, as usual."

  The gym doors finally closed, and Ms. Moore stepped up to the podium. She welcomed us and then began to lay out the guidelines of acceptable behavior for the pep rally. We stood for the Pledge of Allegiance and then the band played The National Anthem.

  I'd been so wrapped up in everything that I hadn't realized just how crowded the gym had become, but it didn't take long for the human scent to become overwhelming. It was early fall, but still plenty warm and in the tight confines of the bleachers people were getting sweaty and with that, a heightened scent. I was glad I was on the aisle, but it wouldn't do much good for very long. How could I have been so stupid? Of course this was going to be a problem.

  Cathy nudged me. "You'll be fine," she whispered, just concentrate... muddled masses...muddled masses."

  "Why don't we open the doors," Ms. Moore said.

  The janitorial staff members that were present opened both the doors to the hallway, and the doors to the outside. Ms. Moore grabbed the papers on the podium as a stiff breeze blew through the gym. I turned to Cathy and winked.

  "See," she said.

  I couldn't help wonder if Cathy had seen this coming or maybe even caused it. Whatever pathway I had opened up inside her was really special, and the way she embraced it, I knew it was a blessing and not a curse.

  Next, Ms. Moore introduced the cheerleaders and they took the floor. Lisa led the first cheer and then the JV girls joined them in a second. Then it was the pom's turn and they danced to a rousing song played by the band. As they finished, I could see Coach and a few of the football players out in the hall. This was the big moment. Lisa led the cheerleaders to the far side of the gym where they picked up a huge paper banner with the word Warrior's painted on it. I remembered helping Mrs. Snyder with last year's. I looked and found her standing by the closest door to the hallway. She seemed to notice me looking, smiled and waved. I waved back.

  We all stood with the band as they played a few opening bars of the Warrior fight song. The cheerleaders held the banner across the double doors where the team was gathered on the far side.

  I expected the band to go right into the fight song, but they stopped and for just a moment, we stood in silence. Then we could hear it, faintly at first, but it built as the entire football team did some kind of pregame chant. Suddenly, the band started the fight song and the team burst through the paper banner as the entire student body stomped in unison with the band and cheered. If my heart beat, it would have been pounding out of my chest with excitement and pride. I was so happy for Jason.

  The football team, in their jerseys and surprisingly their helmets too, jumped and slapped fives with each other as the cheering continued. Finally, the boys folded in on Jason and Matt, put hands in and did another chant, then raised their hands, wiggling their fingers toward the ceiling and ended with a loud, "Warrior's". They pealed off to the side of the gym and took a knee like they did on the football field when Coach was speaking.

  Coach Singleton joined Ms. Moore at the podium. Ms. Moore took the microphone.

  "Students, I don't believe I have ever seen such an enthusiastic response—we've had some wonderful years as you can see by the banners displayed around the gym, but never in all my years have I seen this kind of support for one of our athletic teams. Give yourselves a round of applause." After a short pause while we clapped, Ms. Moore waved her arms to quiet us down. "I know you all are excited, but try to take it a little easier on the bleachers, they're not in this year's budget." Most of the kids laughed. "Well, a man who needs no introduction, the foundation of our sports programs and the head coach of the varsity football team, I give you Coach Singleton!" She stepped aside. Coach fumbled with the microphone trying to get it lose from the podium, but finally gave up and stepped away toward the center of the floor and the team.

  I looked at Cathy and gulped. If I was going to be involved at all, I assumed it would have been well before this, but if it was still going to happen it was going to be soon.

  "You got this," Cathy whispered.

  "Right," I replied, but my nerves showed through.

  "On behalf of the football team, I want to thank you for your enthusiasm, and you have a lot to be enthusiastic about. This year's team is by far the best group of athletes I have ever coached."

  Everyone jumped up and started cheering. Lisa and the cheerleaders stepped in and led all of us in another school cheer. The band concluded with the last few bars of the fight song before Coach quieted us down.
br />   "Our Freshman Class may not know it, but each year we dedicate our upcoming season—oh, sometimes it's lofty expectations for the season, an injured player or players, and once in awhile, just for a win."

  Everyone laughed, because everyone knew we had a shot at a championship this year.

  "Some years I let the team decide," Coach continued, "but this year, I decided who we were going to dedicate the season to—mind you, the team agreed whole heartedly." Coaches eyes scanned the crowd until they came to rest on me. "Izzy Faulkner, would you come down and join me on the floor?"

  There were snickers and a few grunts, even a few boos. I was frozen, I couldn't move.

  Cathy nudged me. "Go on."

  "Izzy?" Coach walked to the base of the aisle where I was sitting and held out his hand.

  When he said, 'participate', I had no idea this is what he had in mind. I glanced toward the door and made eye contact with Mrs. Snyder. I think she could see the fear in my eyes. She began clapping. Ms. Moore was next, then the entire football team stood and started clapping. Head down, I slowly stood and descended the stairs to Coach. When I reached the bottom, he motioned me to the center of the gym. He stood beside me. He raised his hand and the gym fell silent. The team, simultaneously sank to one knee. Ms. Moore walked over, handed me a small bouquet of blue and white mums and then stood on the other side of me. I glanced up at her and I had never seen such a warm smile from her. I looked over at Coach and he was beaming.

  Coach cleared his throat and looked out over the students particularly up toward the freshmen and sophomore classes. "I heard 'em, you heard 'em, the doubters, the nay sayers—and we know who you are. But I'm here to tell you that not a one of those students—not one—knows anything about this fine, young lady or what she did for this team last year." Coach leaned over and whispered to me, "Do you mind if I say you're adopted?"

  I shook my head.

  "Last year, Izzy discovered she was adopted about the same time as our starting quarterback went down with an injury. Now that's a lot to get your hands around—how would you react if you found out you were adopted? See what I'm sayin'. Well then, a bunch of the players had this misguided alliance to their fallen teammate and well, to put it bluntly, quit. They quit on the team, the school, themselves and they took it out on the new guy, the guy who had to step in and try to salvage our season." Coach cleared his throat. "Didn't matter what he did, or what I did for that matter—wasn't goin' to happen. I'll never forget that day—as long as I coach—as long as I live. See, the boys wouldn't catch the ball—could hit 'em right in the face and they still wouldn't catch it. I had 'em running laps each time they dropped one—I think most of the receivers were running laps. One boy, Alex Struther had the courage to catch 'em. Boys were real hard on him too." Coach looked over toward the team and presumably Alex.

  I glanced up for just a moment to see Cathy's proud smile and truthfully, to see if there was a vat of animal blood hanging over my head.

  "I'm hear to tell you I was beside myself, the season, my job, and ultimately the boys reputations were on the line. I gathered the team, and they took a knee like they're doing now, but before I could speak, I looked away to hide the hurt—see those boys didn't know it, but they'd broken their coach. Well, I looked up and here she came, stomping across the practice field—skinny little girl, dark makeup, a new student, an outsider. I knew her, she was in one of my classes, but not much more than that. She walked right up to me and said, 'Coach, I can catch the ball.' Now I told her no way was I going to put her out there on a football field with a bunch of head strong, morons."

  Some of the football players laughed. I glanced over and saw Matt kneeling next to Jason. Matt pointed at me and smiled.

  "You know what she said to me?" Coach shook his head like he still didn't believe it. "She looked me right in the eye and said if she caught the ball and the boys didn't word would get around the school. Then she said, 'Could you make a better point? Could you make it any faster?' I had nothin'. Oh, I knew I was bending the rules." He looked over at Ms. Moore and winked. "But even though I knew I might regret it, there was something about the fire in this young lady that said, I can do this, so I let her.

  True to her word, she showed those boys a thing or two—and let me tell you, this girl can run like the wind." Coach looked back up into the crowd of students that were eerily quiet. "Now I told you I knew the risk and I have no doubt she did too. We were real careful at first, but the boys just weren't gettin' it, so I sent her long for the score—she made an NFL highlight catch in the end zone. One of my hardheaded players wasn't too keen on her catch and tried to tackle her—I'm telling you, she had no pads, just a shirt and a pair of gym shorts—if I recall, she was barefoot. The entire team saw what was about to happen, the gravity of the injuries she could sustain—it played out right there in front of our eyes as if it were in slow motion. But, the football god's shown down on us that day and the boy hit the goal post instead of that selfless girl that put it all on the line for the team. That was the turning point for that team. They went on to win their last two games and more importantly, formed the foundation for the hard work and determination that this year's team has shown. Ms. Moore, faculty, boys and girls, that girl is Miss Izzy Faulkner and it is my honor to dedicate this year's season to one of the bravest young women I have ever known." Coach stepped back and started clapping.

  The faculty joined him immediately as did the team, but the students started slowly, a few here and there as I imagine they took a moment to think about what they had thought about me. I didn't notice, but Matt had gotten up and walked over to me as the applause very slowly increased.

  Matt took off his helmet, smiled, and set it down next to me. Before he got back to his spot on the floor and took a knee, another player got up and presented his helmet—I didn't even know him, then Alex, and the rest of the team one-by-one built a ring of helmets around me. Finally, Jason appeared in front of me. He took off his helmet knelt down and set it at my feet. He looked up, winked and then shrugged. 'I didn't know, I love you,' he mouthed silently. Then, he stood and took his place with the team.

  Coach glanced down at his watch and then toward Ms. Moore. Ms. Moore walked back to the podium and dismissed the assembly. As everyone started for the doors, the team poured in around me to congratulate me. I was overwhelmed.

  As the gym quieted down, Coach stepped in. "Okay, okay, lets break it up, we've got a game to get ready for. I expect to see all of you back here no later than five thirty, got it?"

  "Yes, sir," the team echoed in response.

  Jason bent down and picked up his helmet. "Make a fist."

  "What?"

  "Make a fist and hold it out in front of you."

  "Okay," I said, puzzled.

  Jason took his helmet and tapped my fist. "For luck."

  Alex did the same thing, then Matt and then one-by-one, the entire team. Good thing I wasn't human or my knuckles would have been bruised.

  Coach and Ms. Moore walked over when it was only Jason and I left.

  Ms. Moore winked. "I don't think there will be anymore rumor problems, do you?"

  "Thank you," I said, "I don't know what to say."

  "You don't have to say anything," Ms. Moore said, "When Coach told me about what happened, well, I thought it was one of the most inspirational, selfless acts I've ever heard."

  Coach stepped in and gave me a hug. "Dang girl, you're solid, not sure we don't have a spot for you on this year's team."

  "Thanks Coach, but I think my football days are better left in the past."