Jessica was looking at him strangely

Jessica's bright emerald eyes were twinkling a bit as she studied him, the briefest hint of a smile on her glossy pink lips. When he looked up from his phone and their eyes met, she blushed deep red, looked away, and began typing on her phone again.

Jess: "How is it you always manage to surprise me in the most wonderful ways?"
Sean: "What do you mean? What did I say?"
Jess: "In three sentences you have blown by every guy who has ever tried to ask me out."
Sean: "Yeah, right. LOL"
Jess: "I'm 100% serious. The thought and effort behind each one of your roses, the time and place of the delivery, and the question boxes just blew Brad's lame attempt to ask me out, out of the water."

Sean was shocked and looked up at Jessica again who was still blushing, but nodding her head with a frustrated looking smirk on her face. He went back to texting.

Sean: "So Brad didn't have some big plan last night then?"
Jess: "Nope! *frowny face emoji*"
Sean: "Well then. He doesn't deserve you as his date then, you deserve to have someone who would treat you better than he did."
Jess: "Ugh...I really wish you had been there with me a few minutes ago. *cringe* I already told him 'yes'."
Sean: "Well then, maybe you just need to tell him that you changed your mind."
Jess: "Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that...I can't just back out of a date when I agreed to it already."
Sean: "Well, I definitely don't know about the social rules for this school, but if there is anything I can do to help fix it, just let me know...OK?"
Jess: "You are too sweet. If I think of something I will let you know."

The rest of the class period was left up to studying for classes he would miss due to the pep rally, and game prep for tonight, but Sean just tried to focus on being in the moment and having fun.

When study hall was over he met up with the rest of the team, who all clapped him on the back for being the bigger man and stepping down without a fuss. The pep rally went off without a hitch and the cheer squad performed flawlessly to get the whole of Eastlake High ready for the game tonight.

Homecoming Game - Fourth Quarter

"Here we are again folks! Just like last week the Tigers are down by only three points with a minute left to play. The Falcons are sitting on their own ten-yard line on second down and ten yards to go... there's the snap, and a fumble!" The announcer's voice was drowned out by the roar from the huge Eastlake crowd which had shown up to support their home town team. A round of boo's and followed by a larger round of gasps made their way around the field as the referees blew their whistles and play stopped.

Sean had been watching from the sideline, never having sat down and always up cheering for his squad. Jess had kept a close eye on the game. Her, Tiffany, and Sam were huddled together now looking out on the field as Greg lay there squirming in obvious pain. Chris knelt next to him with his helmet off and tried to help keep him still. When the trainers got there they immediately called for a stretcher and the ambulance.

The referees were escorting a mountain of a man from the field and making the motion that indicated this player would be disqualified for the rest of the game. As Greg was wheeled off the field in the ambulance, coach made eye contact with Sean. They nodded to each other and Sean readied himself for the next play by donning his helmet, and taking a drink of water to sate his suddenly dry throat.

Jessica nodded to Sean as he passed by the cheerleading squad to join the rest of the defense on the field. Their faces were paler than he had ever remembered seeing them, and he shook the thought about the injury out of his head. When he reached the rest of the team on the field, Sean overheard Chris telling someone something about a leg not meant to bend that way.

Steeling himself to the task at hand he both calmed Chris down and pumped him up, getting him ready for the next play. Sean shouted above the crowd, "Listen here boys: It's time we show these guys they can't hurt one of the Tigers without there being consequences. There's fifteen seconds left on the clock. I want pressure on every single man. No holes, and make sure that QB is on his back without a football before we're done."

The guys all shouted and brought it in for a quick, "GO TIGERS!" before they got to their places and the ball was snapped.