Chapter 1: buffalo chicken melt
Summary:
sebastian hall bumps into this interesting little guy while exiting the bus at exeter
Chapter Text
*1:
“What do we eat, what do we eat?”
“Red meat, red meat!”
A series of chants erupted from a group of Blue Key Heads (BKH)* as their bus came closer and closer to Phelps Stadium.* They were there for one reason and one reason only — to cheer on Andover’s athletic teams during the 2025-26 Fall Andover-Exeter (A/E) games.
The A/E games began centuries ago in 1878 when sister schools Phillips Academy (PA) and Phillips Exeter Academy (PEA) took part in a series of athletic games with one another, solidifying one of the oldest championships in New England boarding school history. Since then, Big Blue* and Big Red* have been competing triannually, seeing competition between varsity teams for each season of sport. Among these sports, none has ever been held in higher regard than football. Football, the beacon of American pride and athleticism, is what made the A/E rivalry so significant. Losing the annual football match would result in humiliation so great that it’d send the school’s athletic body plummeting down to the depths of the New England Boarding School scene. This would be a fault that a Phillips school would need years to come back from.
The Andover athletic department had just faced four years of consecutive losses. Their prestigious sports standing was hanging on by mere threads; another loss and PA would be out of the athletic scene forever. If they were going to climb back into the limelight, then PA would need to pull out the best athletes and school spirit they’ve had in 143 years — something one Blue Key Head Sebastian Hall was very determined to do.
Sebastian came to PA from South London in the autumn of 2022. He lived with his sister and two parents, descending from a long lineage of arrogant, blond-haired, blue-eyed billionaires.
In fact, they were probably rich enough to buy a handful of European micronations and continue with their current lifestyle afterwards. They were loaded, and Sebastian couldn’t stand it. He hated how out of touch they were; the lack of consideration and empathy that loomed around them like an evil spirit. He hated how haughtily and dismissively they spoke, as if they were wasting their breath by communicating with any human being they deemed below them. Most of all, he hated their shit about keeping the bloodline “pure” and passing down the legacy of the House of Hall. Being the only acceptable male heir in his family, he was expected to wed whichever one of his equally pompous second cousins at 18, procreate, then live a life sucking himself off in his 20 castles and manors.
“Well, why the fuck would I want that?” Seb would always think to himself whenever the subject was brought up. Not only did he hate the lifestyle, but he hated the idea of having a wife as well. Seb knew that if he were to live a life jacking himself off in his mansions, he’d want a man to do that with as well. Women were just kind of… whatever to him. It’s not like he could tell his family that, though, they’d probably send him to some bourgeois conversion camp in the Swiss Alps to “pay the gay away.”
Fed up with all the nonsense, Seb began applying to New England boarding schools in eighth grade and matriculated into The Phillips Academy Class of ‘26. His first year at Andover was the most liberated he’d felt in his 14 years of living. Although Sebastian was still surrounded by a cesspool of other pompous rich kids, he was now able to exist independently of his heritage and learn who “Sebastian Hall” really was.
This is what inspired him to apply for the position of BKH in his senior year. PA administration would’ve declined his application if not for an existing BKH leaving the program at the last minute. Nevertheless, he was now an official BKH and wasted no time preparing himself for his first big day on the job — the 2025-26 Fall A/E Games.
🏈
The BKHs continued with their slew of chants and anti-Exeter sentiments as they exited the bus — Seb leading the majority of them. He’d yell “Number six, number six, number six!*” and “Safety school, safety school!” With a passion no other BKH had ever come close to matching.
“Damn Sebby, I haven’t seen you this excited since your first day of junior* year,” one BKH Tripp remarked rousingly.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for years. If I didn’t go all out, then that would just be a waste of a perfectly good opportunity. Also, let’s be honest, this school's football team is heading to a place of no return; those footballers need all the enthusiasm they can get.” Seb replied. “Actually, on the same note, can I walk you through the outfit? I’m so proud of this thing.”
Tripp spoke, “Sure, sure. Quickly, though.”
Rather meticulously, Sebastian began to detail his outfit. “Ahhhh! Okay, so, the blue boots I got from DSW for like 150 and the Yeti leg warmers are Demonia,” the Phillipian beamed, skipping around on the worn-out New Hampshire pavement like he owned the place. “My Gunga* tee was handmade at the nest—*”
He stumbled and fell backwards, crashing directly into this tall and broad figure that stood behind him. “Hey, watch where you’re going–.”
Blood pooled in the blond’s face as he stood there frozen, fixed carefully on the person in front of him.
God, he’s mesmerizing.
Small beads of sweat welled up on Seb’s forehead and palms. His heart raced as he carefully examined the man. Damn, he’s tall… He’s got a nice body too, is he a football player? — Of course, he plays football, Seb. Everyone’s here for the football game, get it together. But I have to admit, I’ve never seen an Exonian like this before… He’s very well kept. Too well kept. What am I doing fawning after a random PEA student I just crashed into? Isn’t this taboo? Why isn’t he saying anything? He’s got a nice face, though, I wouldn’t mind just standing here and basking in the silence. And those eyes… Why’s he staring at me like that? What’s he looking at?
“---Uhh, hello?” The Exonian said pointedly, silencing the train of thoughts chugging through Hall’s mind. “Are you just gonna stand there and keep staring at me? Fucking weirdo.”
Standing before Sebastian was Varsity Quarterback and Exonian Nolan Yi.
To be continued…
Chapter 2: turkey cheeseburger
Summary:
cheerleading twink struggles to warm up properly
Chapter Text
*2: Thump… thump.
“Are you just gonna stand there and keep staring at me? Fucking weirdo.” Nolan remarked in a rather frazzled state. No but seriously, what was he doing staring at me like that. I-. The pause was uncomfortably long. Feelings of annoyance, enticement and curiosity swirled violently within them as they stared at each other intensely, fixated.
“I–,” the brit started, before cutting himself off once more to think.
God he keeps… staring at me; what does he want?
Seb continued, “Hell’s your problem? It was an accident, get over it.”
…There’s no way this thing is yelling at me like a little toddler right now. Nolan stared down at the boy before him, his eyes fixed on the blond’s rather interesting countenance. Something about it entranced him. Something about that Phillipian almost drew Nolan towards his being. There was just something about that boy that Nolan simply couldn’t piece together.
…
Nolan snorted, directing his chin upwards. “...Yea calm your titties starboy, you’re fine.”
“Are you serious? Don’t talk to me like that you–” the BKH began, ending his sentence just as Nolan shoved his shoulder and continued on his path.
📣
*1: “Jesus Christ did you see that?” Seb shrieked, seated in a butterfly position by the sidelines of Phelps Stadium. “This is why I didn’t even bother finishing my Exeter application. I went there for an autumn tour and immediately knew I wasn’t cut out for that school. God, the kids there are so rude!”
“Hmmm… It’s almost like there’s a reason they all ended up in the same school together,” another BKH Vivian remarked sarcastically. “Althoughh, we lowkey got that same vibe going on in our campus too. It’s just that here, it’s more isolated between certain dorms like Chase and Adams.”
Sebby replied full of laughter, “Maybe the deans will be nice to you and move you to Adams just for the shits and giggles”
“Please, I am NOT cut out for life in that godforsaken dorm,” she exclaimed. “Andd with that they’re sending you straight to Foxcroft. STRAIGHT to Foxcroft”
The cheerleaders burst into ferocious laughter, continuing to practice their tricks and doing some more last minute face painting and accessorizing.
“Ahhh okay, I’m going to go work on my floor in the outfield. I’ll be right back, don’t worry.” Sebastian explained to the surrounding spirit leaders, heading off toward Phelp’s 50-yard marking. He nervously planted his feet along the opposing end of the line. It’s not like he wasn’t the big bad, never embarrassed, BKH who’d done this type of thing a million times before, but being in enemy territory combined with the incident from earlier awoke some new, unplaceable form of anxiety within him. It was lingering — sly. A type of anxiety that continually grew, never ceasing in spite of all one did to prevent/delay it. There were no highs and lows, there was just the looming static of panic in the back of Sebastian’s head that couldn’t be turned off no matter what he programmed his neurons to do. Alright, I’ve got this. If I didn’t know what I was doing, then I wouldn’t be in this position in the first place. Front handspring, step out, round off, back handspring, step out, round off, back handspring, full twisting layout.
Sebastian spoke to himself, going through the motions of his routine.
“Front handspring: Prep, jump, handstand, land.”
“Round off: Turn, snap, rebound.”
“Back handspring: Prep, jump, handstand–” …No. You’ve got to be pissing me, there’s no way that’s who I think it is.
Thud.
…
“Eughhh, fuck that hurt.” Sebastian groaned, sprawled out on the floor in pain. On a separate corner of the field stood Nolan Yi along with his gaggle of football friends. Well he wasn’t necessarily along with his gaggle of football friends. The rest of them were busy getting some actual warm ups in before the football game started. Nolan had evidently chosen otherwise, deciding to spend his time staring at Sebastian as he completed his floor routine instead. He only decided to turn around upon the realization that Sebastian hadn’t just made some mere technical errors, and was actually just overly aware of his looming presence.
Ughh what does he want from me gosh… He’s like impossible to read too, I don’t want to deal with any mind games during my final A/E. This match has to be great, or I’ll know I’ve failed as a BKH. It’s my job to manage this, it’s my job to keep up the hype, and it’s my job to make sure those footballers play hard enough for us to finally win. No Exonian is going to get between me and any of my priorities right now. I got this, I got this, I got—.
“--Sebastiann!!” yelled Tripp, squatting down whilst snapping in order to get the blond’s attention.
He jumped, startled, “Oh God, sorry what do you want? I zoned out, apologies.”
“Brotherr, I’ve been standing here for a solid 10 seconds trying to get your attention. You’ve been laying here for like 10 minutes talking to yourself and doing nothing. The stadium’s getting pretty full and you’re going to be on in 15 minutes to introduce the athletes — you should probably get to practicing that long introductory speech of yours dude.”
“Oh shit you’re right — thanks Tripp. I’ll get up in a second, ‘ppreciate it.”
“Aight, hurry up though.”
“For sure for sure, I got that.” Seb responded, still lying in his grassy bed. No Exonian is going to get between me and my priorities. This game will go off without a hitch.
To be continued…
Chapter 3: salisbury steak and mashed potatoes
Summary:
ladies ladies the game is starting soon
Notes:
coin tosses aren't fun so i say that we do jump ball
Chapter Text
*2:
“Honoured students of the Phillips adjacent academies, I welcome you to the 2025-26 Fall Andover/Exeter games! My name is Sebastian Hall, your BVF MC and one of several Blue Key Heads representing Andover today in this infamous tournament of wit and athleticism! If you’re looking for me at any point this evening with questions, concerns or comments, I’ll be available on the PA sidelines with my co-heads Tripp and Vivian!”
Nolan stood cautiously at the mouth of the stadium tunnel, listening as that same expressive voice from before boomed loudly over the speakers. Each passing second felt like years to the exuberant crowd and adrenaline-filled athletes. Both teams were tied in overall points. It was this very match that was to decide the fate of the 2025-26 Fall A/E games. Realistically, this would be an easy win for Exeter. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that Andover’s football team was a haphazardly composed disaster of a group. Andover would stand no chance against the powerhouse that was Phillips Exeter Academy; Exeter would be left to bathe once more in their castle of glory and self-righteousness. Still, Nolan felt restless. He’d done three varsity A/E matches before this day — he knew the course of events better than the people at his own school, but something about this game felt rather irregular to him.
Nolan continued listening in an attempt to flush out his worrying thoughts.
“These two teams will compete in four quarters (with breaks in between each quarter) to see who can score the most points on the other team within the allotted time. The team with the most points by the end of the game will claim victory for their school and become the official winners of this year’s Fall A/E games.”
The crowd multiplied in volume, hollering like a pack of rabid animals. There was an unnecessary amount of hype around this game, but it’s not like the students had anything else to look forward to around the end of fall term anyway. A/E was a mode to release all those pent up feelings that’d been building up like plaque in the mouths of students over the past three months.
“Now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for… Athletes, you may now enter the field. It’s time to show us what you’ve got!”
The QB felt a slight tingle crawl up his spine as he looked out to the turf. He puffed out his chest and wiped off any lingering beads of sweat with his towel before jogging nervously onto the field.
Sebastian spoke, addressing the hoard of red-dressed athletes swarming the field. “Up first we have the renowned Phillips Exeter Academy BVF team. Led by honourable ‘26 graduate and quarterback–” he paused, scanning the PEA team trying to weed out the captain. Unfortunately, he wasn’t very hard to find. There’s only so many people — one person — who was that… him looking. He continued, “...#6 Nolan Yi! Today, Exeter’s looking to maintain their winning streak and take home victory for NH once more!”
Thump, thump. Again for Nolan was that familiar feeling — the panic, the uneasiness, the fondness, the excitement and the confusion. So this is Sebastian? Does he remember me? He has to, he’s looking at my player profile right now. What was that pause for, does he have a problem or something?
The QB turned to face the commentator’s stand. Time seemed to slow as he locked eyes with the MC. Seb was truly entrancing; Nolan didn’t want to look away. Obviously there was a stupidly important game he had to play in 2 minutes, but at that moment, the game didn’t seem to matter all that much. What mattered was, well, Sebastian. The little blond cowlick sticking out the side of his fringe, the rhythmic up and down motion of his larynx and the inward tilt of his clavicles. He was stunning, no doubt about it.
Fuck I love the way he looks at me like he wants something, he-s…. He’s okay, I guess. Conventionally attractive sure, but he’s not hot or anything; I’m not some faggot bitch. He’s sorta pretty, and maybe I just like to be around other pretty people like myself. His appearance could use some work though, he’s not quite there yet. I could help him with that, maybe.
The MC looked away, as if the eye contact would’ve left him too frazzled to continue his speech. “Uhm, with him we have:
- #21 Zayan - ‘27
- #88 Issac - ‘26
- #34 Santiago “Santi” - ‘26
- #32 Quinn - ‘27
- #31 Coda - ‘27
- #57 Lucas - ‘28
- #40 Felix - ‘26
- #54 James - ‘26
- #5 Udo - ‘29
- #91 Arthur “Artie” - ‘26
Let’s hear a round of applause for our PEA athletes everybody!” The populace roared from the benches, unleashing a noisy cacophony of joyful screams, claps, cheers and anti-exeter boos.
PA BVF began to gather on the opposing side of the stadium. “Following close behind them is the merciless Phillips Academy BVF team. We’ve got an incredible roster up today, more than ready to make history and break Exeter’s winning streak once and for all! Led by PA captain and ‘26 valedictorian #31 Samuel “Sam,” we’ve got:
- #1 Daniel “Danny” - ‘29
- #19 Jack - ‘26
- #76 Thomas “Tom” - ‘28
- #28 William - ‘27
- #66 Joshua - ‘28
- #56 Percy - ‘26
- #59 Benjamin “Benji” - ‘26
- #23 Ayomide “Ayo” - ‘27
- #42 Zachary “ZaZa” - ‘29
- #26 Scott - ‘28
Another round of applause for our talented athletes!”
📣
*1:
Ahhh Nolan’s so beautiful it’s not even funny. Always, it’s always that type of person my brain wires me to mess with. He tilted his chin upward and shifted his weight to the side while crossing his arms. The man’s delicious, it’s a shame he’s such a gay-hating piece of shit… I like them that way — they’re more enjoyable that way, they’re easy that way. Let’s be honest, they’re more homoerotic than an actual ally. He'll pull some crap with me eventually… Or maybe I can pull something with him. I’ll see how fast it takes for him to cave — if he does at all, that is.
Seb turned over to Vivian, hesitantly proposing a question. “Hey Viv~…”
“Yeah what’s up?”
“How many Den smoothies would you buy me if I was able to pull that Exeter stud over there?”
She tilted her head slightly, furrowing her brow. “Which Exeter stud are we talking about?”
“...Nolan Yi, the football captain. He’s pretty fine, no?”
Vivian snorted and cracked a rather intrigued smile, scanning the crowd for said captain. “Him?” she asked, snickering to herself.
“I mean, yeah. You need to have faith in me, I 100% got this! Let’s make a bet: if I manage to get close, you owe me one smoothie. Anything physical or romantic beyond that means I get three.” Seb stopped, trying to read Vivian’s unintelligible countenance. “And if nothing happens between us, then I owe you two smoothies–.”
“DEAL!” she blurted out before he could finish. “...What, I like the smoothies. They’re so expensive, I’m going to take a free $10.00 if I can get it.”
“Pfft, you’re weak — Just like Mr. QB’s about to be~!”
“Heh, that’s all you beau.” She brought the microphone to her face from the table, trying to maintain whatever remaining decorum she could scrape up, “Hello everybody, I’m Vivian as you guys already know! I’ll be joining Sebastian tonight as co-MC; super excited to experience A/E with you all today! I’d like to call rival captains Nolan and Samuel to come and do jumpball to see which team will have initial possession. Everybody show them some love — Nolan and Sam, everybody!”
She lowered the mic, “Seb go grab the ball from the ref, it’s time to go get your QB-candy.”
To be continued…
Chapter 4: improper use of stress-less zone
Summary:
oneeee we are the big blue twoooo a little bit louder threee we still can't hear you fourrr more more more
let's hope there's no errors in this...
what's a beta reader? i hardly know her.
Chapter Text
Chapter 4:
*2:
The sound of Seb’s Phillips Academy brand whistle rang out through the stadium as Nolan slowly began approaching the center marking. Percy, who stood slightly ahead, elbowed him while gesturing toward the ball with his head. “How’re you feeling; excited for the game or what?”
“...You kidding? It’s A/E; of course I’m excited.” Nolan replied scornfully.
“Jeez dude what’s got you so worked up? You’ve never been this nervous about a game before, what changed?”
“I–.” he paused, contemplating how to respond. “I don’t know dude, just get to the sidelines I gotta do jump.”
Percy shrugged, “Alright, you got that. Peace. I’ll see you out there.”
He retorted, face turned with his teeth ground and brows slightly furrowed. “Yeah yeah, I’ll see you.”
Those 30 yards Nolan walked lasted forever. The passing time became completely undiscernible. Maybe it was frozen, maybe it was moving as normal. He wouldn’t really have known otherwise. His heart contracted in a strange, accelerating manner that brought about a sense of nervousness completely unfamiliar to him. A feeling of disconnection plagued him. Nolan didn’t feel like he was actually living within his body at the moment. He felt like a weightless spectator watching its vessel from close behind. Still, every step he took made it feel as if the ground beneath him was seconds away from buckling and sending him plunging down into the Earth’s core. Maybe that would’ve been a good thing in this situation. An escape would be nice. Left, right, left, right, left, right, left. Steps that took him absolutely nowhere. Steps that did nothing to bring him closer to the BKH. It just can’t come fast enough; the anticipation may as well come and eat me alive. I’ll be swallowed up by my anxiety before I ever come to reach that center line. It’s unreachable, I’m convinced. I walk and my feet take me absolutely nowhere. Every step, I exert myself trying to get closer to that Blue Key Head. But apparently certain things have just become unreachable to me now. I’ve never felt this way before about anything. I’ve played thousands of football games before and none has ever bothered me this much. Things always come easy to me. I just show up and the athleticism, the technique, the morale and the confidence just comes to me. It comes to me and I win, but things aren’t coming to me this time. He isn’t coming to me this time and I know I can’t win like this.
And then he was there.
“Okay okay, let’s make this quick you two; we’re running a bit off schedule, yeah?” It was him again, and because it was him, Nolan returned to his body once more. “#6, place the head of your dominant foot just behind this red line. #31, you do the same — foot just behind this blue line, okay?” Hmm. Someone’s focused.
“Here?” The Exonian probed, his foot placed several inches beyond the red line.
“No. Move your foot behind the line please.”
“Mmm, I don’t know. My foot looks behind the line to me; it might just have to stay here.”
“Look, I know we’re on your field and everything but I’m going to need you to abide by the rules. There’s no way you’re going to stoop this low over a stupid little high school football game. Move your foot behind the line now.”
“Make me.”
*1:
“Make me.”
Is he serious? To think he of all people would want to act like this at A/E. It’s always the Exeter kids — the sport recruits that get accepted for their subpar athletic skills and then proceed to act like they run the entirety of NEPSAC. Well, I guess I shouldn’t really be using the term subpar for him. Exeter has been on a winning streak ever since he got recruited, he’s probably doing a lot of good for the team. #6 Nolan Yi, Phillips Exeter Academy BVF captain. Would you look at that, it has such a nice ring to it. The title’s gotten to his head, hasn’t it. If he wants to be like that, so be it. I can entertain these things. This entire situation is only going to bring me closer to my two piña coladas, as long as I get something out of it. Where’s Viv?
A sly smirk appeared on Sebastian’s face as he began scanning the field for Viv. She wasn’t very hard to find. It’s pretty difficult to miss a blued-out teenager screaming about the wonders of their posh boarding school in middle-of-nowhere, Massachusetts. Perfect, she’s looking over here.
“Hmm…” Sebastian scanned the athlete inquisitively, sizing him up with crossed arms before eventually resting his eyes on Nolan’s left leg. “Okay.”
*2:
“Okay.”
What’s that supposed to mean? Nolan stared at the cheerleader, disgusted by the ambiguity of the situation.
…
Seb unlocked his arms, reaching toward Nolan’s outstretched leg in a manner too slow for comfort. This wasn’t something one would’ve done out of frustration — which Nolan was very well expecting from him. They couldn’t have been further from it at that point. Sebastian’s movements were slow, calculated and strategic. What was his end goal with this interaction?
He dug his lanky fingers in above Nolan’s knee, angled in such a manner that allowed him to grip a small portion of the skin behind it
…What type of strategy is Andover planning?
Nolan countered, “this can’t be allowed–”
Seb interrupted, “So now you want to be for protocol and rules? You said ‘make me;’ I’m going to make you.”
The Exonian’s heart skipped back into that irregular rhythm from before. …I didn’t think he would actually act on it, what the fuck is he doing? “Okay sure, but you can’t just put your hands on me. Why are you still touching me? Get off.”
“No, you did the same shit to me earlier. I ignored it then but I’m not going to ignore it again. Someone needs to teach you how to act.”
Hall tightened his grip around Nolan’s leg. Honestly, it was a struggle to lift — it’s no easy feat to pick up the leg of a 6’2” man from that position and with absolutely no assistance. He did manage to shift it back a little bit though. Nolan’s leg was nowhere near where it was supposed to be, but Seb figured that he would move it eventually out of embarrassment.
“I–I’ll move it back, just don’t touch me.” Nolan replied stiffly, shifting his leg several inches behind the line this time in a dramatic display of compliance.
Sebastian stood up straight to address the QB head on. “That’s what I like to hear.” A slight frown appeared on Nolan’s face as he took in Seb's annoyingly British voice. The QB looked over at Sam who seemed rather unfazed by the whole situation. Someone’s focused, he thought.
“Right. So, I’m going to stand right on over here. I’ll count ‘3, 2, 1, jump.” On ‘jump,’ you guys may jump and reach for the ball. Whoever manages to grab a hold of the ball first will receive initial possession in the first quarter of the game. Is that clear?” For such a passive guy, Hall spoke with a voice that commanded so much respect and obedience.
“Yeah,” Sam chirped.
“Mmm.” Nolan could feel the MC’s eyes switching rapidly between Sam and himself, as if trying to move on from the stupidly awkward situation he just put them all in. Maybe he was embarrassed or maybe he was just attempting to get the show going a little faster. Nolan couldn’t really tell.
The blond let out a quiet cough. “Athletes in position.”
God, this whole jump ball thing is going to be longer than my final play time. He needs to hurry this up, I have a game to play; I don’t want to deal with some twink in my ear crying about my leg being an ⅛ of an inch over the line, I want to deal with getting that ball across the field and scoring some more tou–
“–1, jump.”
Shit, I wasn’t ready.
He squatted down, trying to make up for his slow reaction time with his height and a powerful jump that would hopefully bring him to the ball before Sam could reach it. Sam was already several inches in the air before Nolan had even come close to leaving the ground. Admittedly, Nolan was beginning to panic. These things should’ve just come naturally to him, but for whatever reason he was just fucking everything up today. Well, under any normal circumstance he wouldn’t have MC’s distracting him and getting in his way of winning. The captains met each other at the ball’s zenith, each desperately reaching their fingers towards its rough white lacing and muddied exterior. They fought like crusaders for possession of the ball, the weight of the game’s churn out resting largely on their ability — or luck rather — in catching the football. Though, these feelings of panic faded with the same haste in which they’d arrived as Nolan felt his fingers grasp the back side of the football and pull it into his chest.
That’s what I like to see.
The whistle blew once more. Seb tapped the microphone’s windscreen, sending an ear piercing reverberation through the speakers. “Anddd with that, Exeter has gained initial possession of the ball.” He focused his eyes on Nolan, and with that, the passing seconds reverted back into years. Painstakingly slowly did the Phillipian interlock his fingers with mine. Painstakingly slowly did he raise–. Try with those scrawny little arms to raise my hand up with his and declare my victory. Painstakingly swiftly did he lower my hand, let go and look me in the eyes to congratulate me. “Nice,” he uttered. All he told me was that I did a nice job. And just as fast as the jump ball came did he leave me. He was gone again, and because he was gone, Nolan forgot himself once more.
📣
*1:
“How was it?” It was Vivi and Tripp coming to join the other BKH’s for a short intermission before the start of the game. If they were going to be dancing and screaming for the next two hours, they’d need some preliminary mental and physical rest. Being a BKH was tiring work, even if the entire school just saw them as obnoxious seniors who liked to wear skirts and yell about some “One, we are the big blue! Two…. Four, more, more, more!” for a living.
Seb hurriedly shoveled the remnants of a broken Exeter Bar into his mouth. “Good, good.” He wiped a few crumbs of cookie from the corner of his mouth. “Nolan was being a bit of a pain, refusing to move his leg and all. He also wasn’t paying too much attention to the ball and almost lost jump. Would’ve been a shame if he did, I kind of want to see him win.”
“First name basis now? You’re going to have to use player numbers with me; I don’t move as fast as you,” Tripp snickered, laying down sloppily on the half deflated air couch behind him.
Vivian interjected, “He’s the Exeter football captain. I hear a lot of things about him. People have a lot to say about his personality, but regarding his playing: he’s an absolute powerhouse on the field. I don’t think we stand a chance against them. Well, I don’t think we stand a chance against him.”
Tripp paused. “Wait no circle back. The Sebastian L. Hall wants Phillips Exeter Academy to win..? I just don’t get it.”
“Well it’s not that I want to see Exeter win per say. There’s just some other things I want out of this, you know?”
She smirked, “Wonder what that could be.”
Seb winked, “Like you don’t already know; I saw you watching earlier.”
“Hmm, that you did.”
🏈
*2:
“DOWN.”
Nolan’s voice reverberated around the stadium. Exeter’s linemen reached down to meet the floor and Nolan prepared himself for the center’s snap. Now was the time for them to get a good start and secure their win. These things came naturally to Nolan, and now he was going to claim the fourth A/E victory of his high school career. The team had already rediscussed the strategy they’d been using back in the huddle. It was the same one Exeter had been using the past four years. Andover knew what to expect, but their team was just so bad that Exeter had no real reason to change the strategy up anyways. Victory would be Exeter’s once again and things would go the same way they always did. The crowd was screaming some incoherent nonsense and the sound was absolutely deafening. It was loud. It was so, so loud. Nolan couldn’t hear what they were saying, though. There was just this ridiculously loud static in his ears that made him want to drill holes in his skull to drain out all the noise.
“SET.”
The athletes came to a still. Nolan glanced up, looking at the Andover lineup to try and get a feel for the game’s trajectory. His anxious tremors would probably be enough to summon cracks through the stadium walls. The static became louder and his thoughts became increasingly unintelligible. You could tell that Nolan was horribly stressed out. His pristine athletic position and sly smirk weren’t enough to hide whatever was going on inside him at the moment. ‘It comes to me and I win,’ he said to himself repeatedly.
“HUT.”
And suddenly the game began and the ball was in his hands, and because the game had begun, Nolan returned to his body once more.
To be continued…