"Gwen, you only went to a couple home games last year. Kate went to everyone that she could, and I attended a few with her," pointed out Paula. "It isn't all that unusual for Kate and me to go to a football game, and Lisa was a cheerleader when she was a senior, so I can understand her wanting to go. How is it that you're going to an away game now?"
"I'm a senior this year, Mother," replied Gwen somewhat testily. "You're the one that told me I should enjoy my senior year more. That's all I'm trying to do."
"Sure. You just want to watch Gifford kick our butts up and down the field. It has nothing to do with a certain stud football player that's blinded by your beauty," teased Kate.
"I don't know if I approve of you going out with this young man, especially under these conditions. No woman should be forced to do something like this against her will," reasoned her father. "Maybe I should have a talk with this Steve person and nip this situation in the bud?"
"Yeah, Dad! Every girl wants her father to "speak" to her hot date. Have you not been listening? He isn't taking advantage of Gwen! If anything, Gwen is toying with him. He'll chase her until she decides to let him catch her. Protecting Gwen from the best looking guy in her school is hardly necessary, and certainly not wanted," replied Kate with vigor.
As the teams warmed up, Kate turned and spoke to Gwen, "Well, at least Dad decided not to come, so you don't have to worry about him giving Steve a talking to. Mom and I won't embarrass you too bad, but you know Lisa. When she sees Steve, she won't be thinking about how she's three years older than he is. Don't let her steal him away."
"Kate, I don't know where you developed such a low opinion of me, but I would never go after any of my sister's boyfriends, and I expect the same from you. We're family and we support each other, and that certainly includes keeping boyfriends!" insisted Lisa.
"I overheard Bill Johnson talking to Ken Bradley at the refreshment stand a little while ago. Their sons are on the team and both fathers felt that this was going to be a very good year for the football team. They have a new coach, a new quarterback, and a very new offensive scheme according to those two. They said tonight's game will be different than any game the team has ever played," recounted Paula. "I asked them why and they just grinned. They said that they were sworn to secrecy, but I should be ready for a lot of scoring."
Sparta won the coin toss and elected to defend on the first possession of the game. After the kick-off, Gifford had the ball on the forty-two yard line. Their senior halfback, Will Jauron, had won the league rushing title as a Junior and immediately picked up where he had left off the previous season. Sparta's defense worked hard, but Jauron managed to average five yards with every carry. Then he carried the ball in for a score from the fifteen yard line. They tacked on the extra point and after five minutes of play, Gifford had a 7-0 lead.
"Uh-oh, Gwen! You may be home reading your novel tomorrow night after all," worried Kate.
"I just want to know what position your Prince Charming is playing," complained Lisa. "So far, I'm not very impressed with any of the Spartan players."
Gifford kicked off and the nervous sophomore returner fumbled the ball. By the time the dust had settled, Gifford had recovered on the five yard line. Jauron ran it in for the score on the very next play. With just over five minutes gone, Gifford led 14-0. Again Gifford kicked off, but this time the kid on the receiving end managed to hang on, although he lost five yards on his attempted run back. Sparta had the ball on the 27 yard line when its offensive unit took the field.
"There's Steve!" yelled Kate. "He's number 12. He must be the quarterback! He looks hot even with a football helmet on."
Paula glanced over at Gwen to see her reaction. Gwen had her pocketbook straps twisted in knots. She was staring intently at the playing field as she tortured her purse. Paula smiled to herself and returned her attention to the game. It was pretty plain that Gwen had not been exactly truthful about her feelings for the young man that had asked her to the dance. As that thought crossed her mind, a roar went up from Sparta's section.
Sparta's running back had managed a pretty good season the previous year. He was third in the league in rushing, and that was with a mediocre team. Everyone expected him to be the workhorse of the Spartan offense. On the first play from scrimmage, Steve took the snap and turned and tucked the ball into the halfback's stomach. The back hit the line hard and managed to gain some positive yards. That was when the fans, as well as the Gifford defense, realized that Steve still held the football. He looked left and pulled his arm back. Then he suddenly turned to his right and lofted a pass deep down the right sideline. Billy Harris was at least ten yards beyond the defender as he gathered the ball in full stride at the twenty yard line and raced into the end zone!
The Gifford section was dead silent, but the Spartan side made up for it. High fives, loud cheers, and whistles swept through the stands. Gwen realized that she was one of the loudest fans as she yelled and screamed her approval. Her sisters and mother were right next to her, showing their excitement over the turn of events.
"My God, Gwen! He must have thrown that ball fifty yards! He sure seems serious about winning this game and keeping his date," laughed Lisa. "Kate, let me have those binoculars so I can get a good look at our hero."
Lisa focused in on number twelve as he and his team mates slapped each other on the back. She quickly determined that Steve was a very popular man at the moment. He was taller than all but a couple linemen and looked every bit as strong. Then she saw him scanning the Sparta cheering section, obviously looking for someone.
"Wave ladies," Lisa instructed as she held her free hand high and whipped it around. "Our hero is looking for Gwen to make sure she saw that great play. Let him know what we think!"
With that, Kate and Paula stood up again and began waving frantically toward the Spartan bench area. Almost reluctantly, Gwen stood up and gave her best imitation of the Queen of England by moving her hand back and forth a few inches in front of her face.
"I don't know how, but he found you, Gwen! His smile just doubled in size. Maybe Kate, Mom, and I helped a little by being such boisterous fans," suggested Lisa. "Holy cow! He's a gorgeous looking man, Gwen! You started right at the top!"
The score was tied at half time at 28. The Spartan offense managed to score every time it had the ball. Steve passed on most plays, but they did very well every time they handed the ball off to the running back. The Spartan defense had begun to stiffen and once they began to slow down Jauron, Gifford had no alternatives. They tried a few passes, but their quarterback showed poor decision making and a rather weak arm.
Sparta scored on the first possession of the second half to take the lead and never looked back. The final score was 49-31. When the game ended Sparta's faithful poured onto the field and mobbed the players. Paula could see Steve smile as fans and players slapped his back and shook his hand.
"So, Sis. Should we go down and congratulate our newfound hero?" teased Kate. "It looks like the cheerleaders are doing just that. Look at those shameless hussies hugging Steve and kissing his cheeks! We need to get you down there to stake out your claim! Let's go."
"No, Kate. I'm not going to make an ass of myself in front of those bimbos. I told you that he'd have all kinds of pretty girls after him. It just happened faster than I had anticipated. I never dreamed he'd be such an athlete. Let's go home," added an obviously dejected Gwen as she started down to the exit.
In order to leave the stands, they had to descend down almost to the playing field, then turn and go out a runway under the bleachers. Gwen was just beginning to make the turn when she heard her name called. Surprised, she looked over her shoulder to see Steve standing near the bleachers. He was looking directly at her and pretty much ignoring all the well-wishers around him. Gwen felt hands push her toward the railing. Her feet seemed to move on their own accord as she shuffled up to the railing and looked down at Steve.
Steve smiled, reached up and grabbed the rail and vaulted up so he stood on the platform near Gwen, with the handrail between them. Those fans that had been headed for the exits all seemed to stop, and suddenly became very quiet.
"I'm going to need directions to your house so I can pick you up for the dance tomorrow night, Gwen. What time should I get there? What's your phone number? You aren't going to back out on me, are you?" quizzed Steve as a beautiful blonde girl suddenly stepped up to him and hugged him tightly over the railing.
"Give me your number and I'll get you all of Gwen's information. I'm her sister, Lisa, and you've made my day. Look at all of those cheerleaders with their mouths hanging open," whispered Lisa directly into Steve's ear. "You be good to Gwen. She's really, really smart about a lot of things, but she's new to this. Please don't hurt her."
With that, Lisa stepped back and declared, "Kate, you weren't kidding. Gwen's new boyfriend is a hunk! It makes me wish I was three years younger. Steve, can you ride back to Sparta with us, or do you have to ride the team bus?"
"Coach wants us to ride the bus. Otherwise, I'd take you up on that offer, Lisa," replied Steve as he placed his hands on the noticeably silent Gwen's elbows and smiled. "Thanks, Gwen, for giving in and letting me take you to the dance."Gwen felt like she was in a dream. Who knew how many people had just listened to the star quarterback practically beg her for a date! Steve's hands on her arms made her skin tingle where he touched her. She saw Lisa hand Steve her phone and he punched in some numbers and returned it to Lisa."Thanks for coming to the game," added Steve as he bent close to Gwen. "I'll see you tomorrow night. Call me with the time."Steve turned and stepped back down to the field and trotted past the stunned cheerleaders and headed for the showers. Gwen felt hands turn her around and gently push her toward the exit. As she walked, she once again became aware of her surroundings. Lisa held her hand and was smiling like the cat that ate the canary. Her mother and Kate wer
By this time Gwen wanted to crawl into a hole and die. She had all she could do to keep from crying as Lisa patted her hand and tried to calm her. Meanwhile, Paula was horrified. What had gotten into her normally quiet and reserved husband? She struggled to find words to diffuse the situation. What a way for a young man to be treated the first time he meets a girl's parents!"Sir, I respect your conditions and will abide by them without hesitation," replied Steve calmly as he extended his hand to Ted Anderson. "You've done an incredible job raising your daughters and I will do nothing to bring dishonor or harm to any of them, and especially to Gwen. You have my word."Ted Anderson beamed as he shook Steve's hand. It was always best to clear the air in the beginning, before any misunderstandings occur. He had taken the bull by the horns and laid the foundation for his daughter's well being. It was only as he looked for admiration on the faces of the other folks in the room that he sens
Steve couldn't help but appreciate how cleverly the disc jockey had placed everyone at the dance in a position to be auctioned off. A lot of people would have not raised their hands if volunteers had been sought, but by asking them to move to an area, they would have had to be proactive in not participating. People too shy to participate would be reluctant to be seen removing themselves from the fray. Steve had already learned something useful for the future."Okay! We're ready to begin the dancing. Please be sure to obey the rule that absolutely no one under the age of twenty one is to have any alcohol. There are no exceptions. Break this rule and you'll be asked to leave immediately. As I mentioned before, I'll be auctioning off dances with various attendees over the course of the evening. All proceeds will go to the Archer benefit and it's all in good fun. The winning bidder can select the music that I'll play for them, if I have it, and I can't imagine any song I don't have," boas
Steve bowed and thanked Mrs. Davis and returned to his table. This time there were friendly jibes and smirks tossed his way. Gwen was seated, waiting for his return."Tell me Steve, how did you enjoy that dance? It looked like her "girls" were attached to your stomach. Do you like older women?" quizzed Gwen."Gwen, please believe me. I tried to hold her back without being too obvious, or seeming too rude. She was pretty determined," explained Steve.Suddenly everyone at the table burst into gales of laughter. Steve realized that he had been teased and that Gwen was not angry and he felt immediate relief."You should have seen yourself, Steve. The more she tried to lean into you, the more you leaned back and grimaced. You acted like her boobs were hot irons being pressed against your stomach," chuckled Mark. "I can't imagine how much you must've suffered.""You're exactly right, Mark," confessed Steve. "It isn't easy having two giant implants pushed into your abdomen. Not many men coul
Half an hour later, Steve and Gwen pulled into the Anderson driveway. At least they pulled into the bottom of the drive, as it was full of cars. Gwen looked the cars over and turned to Steve."I'm so sorry. It looks like every relative and friend my family knows has decided to meet at our place. I think it may be to inspect you and maybe grill you as boyfriend material. I'm not saying you're my boyfriend or anything, but I know everyone inside will say it. I have to invite you in or they'd give me the devil, but you can leave if you want. I wouldn't blame you," admitted Gwen."For some reason, you don't seem to understand that I really enjoy your family. I'd be glad to meet all your family and friends. In fact, I want to meet them, if you're okay with it.""Okay, but don't say that I didn't warn you. They'll talk like we're getting married next week and ask all kinds of embarrassing questions. The Inquisition was a walk in the park compared to an evening in our house when you're datin
Steve had to park his car down the street because the Anderson driveway was filled to capacity. Kate greeted him with a hug as he walked up the driveway."I'm so glad you came, Steve. I've got a few girlfriends here, and I kind of told them we're real close since you're dating my sister. I'm not going to embarrass you or Sis, but it would be greatly appreciated if you'd act like you really liked me," begged Kate."Kate, I really do like you, but let's make this clear. I like you like the sister that I never had. I may start loving you like the sister I never had, but it's always going to be like a sister, okay?""Oh, Steve! You'll be my big brother? I never had one before, but I think I'm going to enjoy it a lot! That sounds perfect. I'll be sure to tell Sis that I'm not trying to steal you away. Thanks so much!" squealed Kate in delight as she led Steve around to the pool area behind the house."I think this guy is stalking me!" called Charlotte as she walked up to Steve and gave him
For his part, Steve wasted no time catching up to Gwen as they left homeroom for their English class. Gwen felt a tingle of pride to have Steve walk her down the halls where the other students could see for themselves that the star quarterback was, indeed, walking with the class "braniac".Steve took a seat directly behind Gwen, who sat in the front row. Charlotte sat across from her in another front seat. Mark, Bev, and Barry came in together and sat nearby. Steve saw a very attractive, petite blonde girl enter and look around at the gathered students."You're Steve Hammer? Did you receive the required reading list for this class? If so, did you have time to read all four novels? Will you require any extra time to complete the assignment," quizzed the pretty girl."I'm on the last chapter of the fourth novel. I'll have them all read by tomorrow morning. Thanks for asking," replied Steve politely, but with some confusion. "How about you? Did you read all of them, or will you need more
"There's just one more thing, and then I'll let you go. I told you that I had the idea while reading the names of those in this year's senior class. The name that caused me to dare this folly was yours, Gwen. You practically have a lock on valedictorian. You want to be a surgeon. And lately, you've been garnering a great deal of publicity, all of it good, by the way. You're limited only by what you can imagine. I want you to be the chairperson for this year long fund raising project, and the sky is the limit. Work with Dave Kite, or at least be sure he is aware of your schedule and plans. He's done a marvelous job of developing a web presence for us. Let's use it to our marketing advantage. We'll try anything if it isn't illegal, or obviously immoral. This class will the very best this school has ever had!" predicted Ms. Walker to the enthusiastic seniors.Steve congratulated Gwen as everyone filed out of the auditorium. He then turned and headed for the locker room to prepare for foo