DJ's alarm buzzed at 5:30 AM, pulling him from a deep sleep. He groaned but forced himself out of bed, knowing the importance of his morning routine. He threw on his workout clothes and headed outside for a run, the cool morning air helping to wake him up. As he ran, he thought about his goals, both on and off the field, using the quiet time to focus his mind.
After his run, DJ returned home, took a quick shower, and made a protein-packed breakfast. By 7:00 AM, he was out the door, ready to pick up Malik and Travis for their morning practice.
DJ pulled up to Malik's house first, honking lightly. Malik emerged, still looking half-asleep but ready to go. Next, they picked up Travis, who was already waiting at the curb.
"Morning, guys," DJ greeted them.
"Morning," Malik replied, stifling a yawn. "Ready for another day of getting our butts
kicked?"
"Always," Travis said with a grin.
-----
The three arrived at the field, joining the rest of the team for warm-ups. Coach Thompson called everyone together after drills, holding a stack of papers.
"Alright, team, listen up! I've got our schedule for the season. Make sure you note these dates and opponents. We need to be prepared for every game," he announced,
handing out the schedules.
DJ looked over the list of games, feeling a mix of excitement and anticipation.
Football Schedule
August 9 - vs. Lincoln High (Home)
August 17 - at Westfield
Academy (Away)
August 23 - vs. Greenwood
Prep (Home)
August 30 - at Northside High (Home)
September 6 - vs. Liberty Tech (Away)
September 13 - at Central High (Home) [Rival
Game]
September 20 - Open
September 27 - at Eastbrook
School (Away)
October 4 - vs. Valley View (Away)
October 11 - at Lakeside
Institute (Away)
October 18 - vs. Open
October 25 - at Cedar Grove (Away)
November 1 - vs. Pine Hills (Home)
The team murmured as they scanned their schedules, noting the important dates and marking the rival game against Central High.
"Remember, every game is crucial, but we need to bring our A-game especially against Central," Coach Carter emphasized. "Now, let's get back to practice!"
-----
After practice, Coach Carter called DJ into his office. DJ walked in, curious about what the coach wanted to
discuss.
"Sit down, DJ," Coach Carter said, gesturing to a chair.
DJ sat, feeling a bit nervous. "What's up, Coach?"
Coach Carter leaned forward, his expression serious but encouraging. "DJ, I've been watching you closely. You have a lot of potential, not just as a player, but as a leader,
and I'm not just saying that cause of your last name. This season, I want you to step up and take on a leadership role. The team looks up to you, and we need someone like you to keep everyone focused and motivated."
As excited as he was he seemed to falter for a moment as he asked ," Coach is it really ok if it's me? I mean I have a bad history and I don't want that to affect the team."
Coach seemed to smile," Listen DJ, life's always gonna be hard, and were always gonna make mistakes, but instead of waiting for things to get easier we should learn to be accustom to things being hard, It's not the mistakes we make that defines us but how we
react and handle them and I think you do a good job doing that you hear me."
DJ felt a surge of pride but also a sense of responsibility. "I'll do my best, Coach. I won't let you down."
"I know you won't," Coach Carter said, smiling. "Just keep working hard and leading by example. Now go get some rest. You've earned it."
-----
After a grueling practice session, DJ, Malik, and Travis sat in the locker room, cooling down and checking their phones. The group chat was already buzzing.
Malik: "Great practice today. I'm starving tho."
Travis: "Same. Let's hit the mall food court?"
DJ: "I'm down. Need to refuel. What time?"
Malik: "How about 2 PM? Gives us time to shower and change."
Ellie: "Sounds good. I could use some food too."
Addison: "Count me in. I need some new clothes anyway."
Brianna: "I'm in. Haven't been to the mall in a while."
Travis: "It's a date then. See you all at 2."
Malik: "By the way DJ you're the designated driver." 😙
DJ: "Whatever just make sure you guys are ready when I pick you up."
He smiled 'If you need a ride you could've just asked, what a piece of work.'
DJ finished getting ready and drove home, looking forward to hanging out with his friends. He showered, changed into a black compression shirt and joggers, and headed out again to pick up Malik, Travis, and the girls to go to the mall.
They to the food court, the enticing smells of different cuisines making their stomachs growl. They grabbed their food – burgers for Malik, pizza for Travis, a wrap for DJ, a salad for Ellie, sushi for Addison, and a smoothie bowl for Brianna – and found a large table.
"So, what do you guys think of the schedule?" DJ asked between bites.
"It's tough, but we can handle it," Malik said confidently.
"Yeah, that Central game is gonna be intense," Travis added.
"Definitely. We need to be ready," DJ agreed. "But for now, let's enjoy the food and
chill."
"Speaking of chilling, we should plan some more hangouts like this," Addison suggested.
"It's nice to unwind after practice."
"Agreed," Ellie said. "Plus, it's a good way to get to know each other better."
After finishing their meals, the group decided to wander around the mall. The lively atmosphere, filled with the sounds of chatter, laughter, and occasional store announcements, set a perfect backdrop for their hangout.
"Where to first?" Malik asked, stretching his arms.
"Let's check out that new sports store,"
Travis suggested. "I heard they have some great gear."
The group made their way to the sports store,
filled with rows of athletic wear, equipment, and shoes. DJ immediately gravitated towards the football section, examining the new gloves and cleats.
"These are nice," DJ said, holding up a
pair of gloves. "Could use a new pair for the season."
Brianna nodded, looking at a basketball nearby. "I've been thinking about getting a new ball for practice. The one I have
is pretty worn out."
"Is the offer play together sometime still on
the table?" DJ asked.
"Of course," Brianna replied, smiling. "I have a hoop in my driveway if you ever wanna come over and play."
"That'd be awesome. " DJ smiled
After DJ walked away to check on more gloves Ellie walked and asked while smiling ,"Since when have you been bold Brianna?"
"I-I don't know he just seemed nice so the invite just came out." She said nervously
"Well aren't you a cutie, are you crushing on
him." Ellie replied teasingly
"Honestly I don't know but I think I'd be sad if
this stopped." Brianna replied
Meanwhile, Malik was trying on different pairs of sneakers, showing them off to Addison and Travis.
"Which ones do you think look better?" Malik asked, holding up two different pairs.
"The black ones, definitely," Addison said. "They go with everything."
"Agreed," Travis added. "Plus, they
look more comfortable."
Malik nodded, putting the black sneakers back on the shelf. "Good call. Comfort is always the priority and we should worship it."
After making a few purchases, the group continued their stroll through the mall, stopping by various stores along the way. They walked into a clothing store next, where Addison and Ellie immediately started browsing through the racks of summer dresses and outfits.
"How about this one?" Addison held up a bright yellow dress.
"That would look great on you," Brianna said. "You should try it on."
Addison smiled and headed to the fitting room. Ellie picked up a couple of tops and followed suit.
While the girls tried on clothes, DJ, Malik, and
Travis lounged on the couches near the fitting rooms, chatting about the
upcoming season.
"Do you guys feel ready for Central High?" DJ asked, leaning back.
"It's going to be tough, but I think we can
take them," Malik said confidently. "We've been working hard."
"Yeah, and we've got some new plays that will
throw them off," Travis added. "Plus, with you stepping up as a leader, DJ, we're in good shape."
DJ smiled, feeling a sense of pride. "Thanks,
guys. I appreciate the support."
Addison and Ellie emerged from the fitting rooms, showing off their new outfits. The group offered compliments and playful
teasing, adding to the growing connections.
As they left the clothing store, they passed by an arcade. Malik's eyes lit up.
"Let's play some games!" he exclaimed,
rushing inside."
The group followed, finding themselves surrounded by flashing lights and the sounds of arcade machines. They split up, each
heading to their favorite games. DJ and Brianna teamed up for a game of basketball hoops, competing to see who could score the most points.
"You're pretty good," DJ said, watching
Brianna sink another shot.
"Thanks," Brianna replied, smiling. "You too. You've got good form."
Meanwhile, Malik and Travis were engrossed in a racing game, their competitiveness on full display. Addison and Ellie played a dance game, laughing and cheering each other on as they tried to keep up with the fast-paced moves.
After a few rounds of games, the group gathered outside the arcade, sharing stories of their victories and near-misses.
"This was a lot of fun," Ellie said, smiling. "We should do this more often."
"Definitely," Addison agreed. "It's nice to hang out outside of practice and school."
DJ nodded, feeling a sense of contentment. The day's activities had brought them closer, solidifying their friendships and creating new bonds.
As the evening began to wind down, they made their way to the parking lot, chatting and laughing about the day.
"Thanks for a great day, everyone," DJ said as they reached his car. "We should plan something like this again soon."
"Absolutely," Malik said. "Maybe next time we can hit the beach or go bowling."
"Count me in," Brianna said, smiling at DJ. "It was really nice getting to know everyone better."
They all piled into DJ's car, the camaraderie and fun from the day still lingering in the air. DJ started the car and drove, dropping each friend off at their respective homes.
As they drove, the conversation continued, with Malik recounting his arcade victories and Addison talking about the dresses she tried on.
"Listen man when it comes to Mario Kart there can be only one winner and sadly for you, you had to go against the best." Malik
said as if it was the gospel
"DJ please pull over and kick him out I'm sure he can make it if he walks." Travis said instantly
"Sure just let me pull over here by McDonalds just to be nice." DJ nodded his head
"Wait guys how can you kick me the life of the
party aka the Lebron of Mario Kart aka the greatest Malik you know out, does that not hurt your conscious." Malik said while looking at us as if we were possessed
"Nope not all."
"Not really."
"Not even a little."
We all replied with straight faces, but eventually burst out laughing
"Thanks for having me guys," Travis said
as they neared his house. "And thanks for the ride DJ."
"Agreed," Ellie chimed in. "It's great to hang out and relax after all the hard work we've been putting in."
After dropping Travis off, they headed to
Brianna's house next. "Thanks for the ride, DJ," Brianna said as she got out. "And don't forget about that basketball game."
"I won't," DJ promised, smiling. "See you soon."
Finally, DJ dropped off Malik and Addison, with each friend expressing their gratitude and excitement for future hangouts.
As DJ drove home, he felt a new sense of connection and motivation, ready to face the challenges of the season.