Chapter 198: Football - Reaction.

[General POV]

[ESPN-Special Footage and NFL player commentary]

"What the-" 

In New York, Pepper was taken aback when he received the permission request for a commentary program in ESPN to discuss Edward's football match today. The request came in the form of a call, where it was first relayed to Renaldo before it came to him.

Not knowing the impact of the request, Pepper asked Harvey for her advice. Max, who was standing beside Pepper in a leather jacket muttered in confusion, "Why don't you just ask that wunderkind what to do?"

"No Westside, he just finished his match. I don't want to bother him when he's supposed to be resting. " Pepper replied.

Max's lips curled to show a pleased smile, and she said, "Nice. I finally got it right." She was referring to her leather jacket, mimicking the outfit in the movie, 'West Side Story'. Pepper told her to wear intimidating clothes, and that's what both of them decided on. 

Pepper, mainly because he has never mingled with the poor society, so he didn't know what true gang members looked like, and Max, who knew all about it, but decided that all the posh old men they were going to meet had the same impression of a gang like Pepper, so she made an executive decision. 

"I am also impressed you know what wunderkind means." Pepper looked at Max with a satisfied expression. 

"What?" Max was confused. "Doesn't it mean wonder kid? It's not that hard to figure out."

Pepper opened his mouth to object, but he received another call. Still, he took the time to comment, "You might be the first to say that about the German language."

"IT WAS GERMAN?" Max was startled. 

The football match was not officially filmed, but footage of it was captured using the same professional-grade cameras that were used for filming the music video. Additionally, the college team had also recorded the entire match for research purposes.

The ESPN show managed to get a copy from the college team, but it was too low quality for them to show it on TV. Not only them, but a lot of news media and celebrity talk shows wanted to get the footage of the game, especially when it's currently trending on Twitter and Instagram.

"Hmm, I guess we can give it to them. It won't do much harm." Pepper said after he thought about it for a while. Pepper didn't know yet how much of an impact the sport had on this country as he was never interested in them.

In Texas state, an ordinary Texan man was watching ESPN when the commentary about Edward's game was shown on TV. He has a beer gut and was sitting on the single couch while drinking beer on a Saturday afternoon. 

The host invited Samuel Onyedikachi Acho, a professional NFL player that had retired and became a sport analyst on ESPN to talk about Edward's game today.

"Huh." The Texan man who was watching TV was slightly interested when he saw the commentator– mainly because that guy used to play in the Texan club.

"Janine!" The texan man called his daughter, "Your boyfriend's on TV!!"

"WHAT??!" A young, 12 year old girl with blonde hair rushed to the TV, "Hey It's Edward's match!"

"That Newgate? I thought he's a sissy who sang about his feelings– Wait, what the hell! HOT DAMN!" The Texan dad shouted in excitement after he saw Edward throwing the ball in a straight line 30 yards away.

Samuel in the show commented, "What I think is the most scary John, is how he controls the flow of the game. Let's take a closer look at when he first entered the field. I got to applaud the kid's mind here."

The footage showed the incredibility of Edward's silent no-look pass when he received the ball and pretended he was still holding the ball a second later. 

"He used a fake out when everyone was focusing on him, and expecting him to make the attack. His behavior is highly professional. He didn't go for personal glory, but instead he used every card he had."

"And what about the other team Sam?" John, the host asked.

"LA Seahawks made a few solid plays, and they didn't take any risks. Although it was a good call for them in the beginning, it also became their downfall in the second half of the game." Sam said before he focused on Terry, the Seahawks team captain.

He talked about how Terry had the potential to become a pro player, as long as he could get rid of his indecisiveness. Many pro teams kept an eye on several of the college team players because of this particular match.

"Honestly, if the rules for getting drafted as a pro player didn't stipulate the 3 year wait after high school, I would've done whatever it took to get Newgate for my team." Sam joked. 

"Tyler Banks, Tyrone McDonalds. And that Juggernaut Junior– Jacob Green. They are NFL seeds, and I surely hope that I can see them in the Super Bowl in the future." Samuel said without the slightest exaggeration. 

The Texan dad was influenced by the talk show, and he turned to his daughter, "You said you wanted to buy Edward's album, right?"

Janine, the 12 year old kid gleamed in excitement, "YES! DEFINITELY! I REALLY WANT IT! Ah, we should get the special album."

The dad scowled a bit, "Special? How much more money is the special one going to cost?"

"Just 5 more bucks. But, it has 3 country songs in it." Janine said.

The dad was slightly taken aback, before his mouth broke into a smile. "Really?" He asked in disbelief and a bit of surprise. "Why didn't you say so? Let's go! I want to hear what he has to sing in country music."

Not only in that household, but similar things were also happening all across the country. The album sales tripled for that day. It also brought Edward a lot of new fans as people who judged him too soon changed their mind about him.

Other than ESPN, there were also a lot of talk shows discussing Edward's match. The Daily Rip– hosted by Brie Evantee and Jack Bremmer (Cate Blanchet and Tyler Perry from Don't Look Up), played the footage of the match on the screen.

"You know, I'm amazed Jack. When I heard about a singer playing a sports game, I initially thought it was a publicity stunt match, and that they wouldn't be taking it seriously." Brie said with a pretty smile on her face.

"But he got tackled 5 times. Each one was worse than the last." Brie added as the footage of Edward getting tackled was played.

Jack nodded and said, "I thought the same way. But again, I think most of us did. No one expected him to be this good at it. He can be a pro even if he's not singing. I am changing my mind Brie. I think he's a cool guy."

Brie laughed and said, "I told you Jack. He's handsome, athletic, has great money, he's every girl's dream guy."

Jack chuckled and said, "Too bad for the girls, he's already been locked down."

In an apartment in Pasadena, Penny was watching the ESPN show in Leonard and Sheldon's place.

Leonard looked at the TV blankly and said, "I didn't even know we had ESPN."

Sheldon, who was sitting at his spot, said, "We didn't choose it. It was part of the package we have."

Penny ignored them and watched the show with vigor, "Ugh. I can't believe that I messed up the date! I thought his match was tomorrow! They are usually on Sunday! You know what? You should've reminded me."

Sheldon watched a few of the gameplay footgate and nodded in acknowledgement. Penny caught that and asked, "Why are you nodding to yourself like a wise old sage?"

Sheldon sighed and then replied, "First of all…Thank you. Secondly, as a Texan, I was forced to be in the world of football from a young age. I once assisted my father in devising strategies for the high school team he coached before I was finally allowed to do my homework."

Penny asked, "And what does it have to do with the nodding?"

Sheldon was a bit hesitant, "Well, at first, I was inclined to scrutinize Edward's team play-calling, but much to my surprise, his decisions were remarkably efficient. It's no coincidence that they emerged victorious."

"Awww. It's the first time you say something nice about him." Penny said while smiling at Sheldon. "What about you Leonard?" She turned to ask Leonard who was still struggling as he watched the TV.

"Pfft- Leonard? He doesn't even know the rules of the game." Sheldon chortled in derision. Leonard was embarrassed and said, "At the very least I was invited to the game."

Penny gasped and said, "But you didn't go?! How could you do that to him?!"

Leonard was taken aback and stammered nervously, "Umm…He told me I don't– But…New Game–"

"YOU SHOULD'VE GONE !" Penny scolded. 

…

[Edward POV]

Taylor and I walked side by side with our arms interlinked together. 

Her attire exuded an air of elegance and allure. She donned a captivating dark blue dress, accentuated by a delicate black ribbon gracefully adorning the side of her shoulder. 

A ponytail held her hair in place, revealing the graceful curve of her nape. Her slender figure added to her overall charm, radiating a delightful cuteness. In her hand, she carried a contrasting beige purse, a sophisticated touch that complemented her ensemble with subtle grace.

My attire incidentally matched her outfit today. I confidently sported a collared, long-sleeved blue shirt, leaving the top button undone, drawing attention to my chest with a subtle allure. The ensemble was perfectly paired with sleek black shoes and weekday pleated trousers, adding a touch of sophistication to my overall look.

Taking pride in the finer details, I meticulously folded my sleeves, accentuating my well-defined forearms. As a final touch, I adorned my attire with a pair of stylish sunglasses, perched effortlessly on the top button, lending an air of effortless cool to the ensemble.

Selena who was wearing a simple blouse and pants scoffed at our image. "Seriously, you guys planned a couple look?"

I snickered while Taylor giggled. I turned to Selena and asked, "Hey, this is a team dinner. Why are you even here?"

"Why is she here?" Selena asked with an angry tone, pointing at Taylor.

"She's my date. So, she can enter." I muttered with a slight chuckle. Then, I asked her with a serious tone, "What did the doctor say?"

Selena shrugged and shook her head, "The result isn't out yet. Oh, by the way, I saw your dad at the hospital."

"Huh? What's he doing there?" I muttered in confusion. Then, I took out my phone and said, "Robin, can you find out my dad's location?"

"Robin?"X2. Both of the two girls were confused when I spoke to my smartphone. Selena's lip curled and she asked teasingly, "Did you hit your head in the game? Are you finally going crazy–"

Robin's reply interrupted her, "Sure Boss."

Taylor's eyes momentarily flashed with a dangerous glint before it vanished. She smiled and asked, "Who's she?"

"Robin? She's my child," I replied.

"HUUUUUHHHH" They both exclaimed in bewilderment, their suspicious eyes locked on me. Ignoring their reactions, I suggested, "Let's take a seat first. We can talk about it later."

We settled around a circular table draped with a white sheet in the hotel's restaurant. As we waited for the rest of the team to gather, I opened my laptop. Taylor leaned forward, perplexed, and questioned, "You're editing the MV now?!"

Kyle, the goth tight end, overheard Taylor and approached our table. Tyler and his girlfriend followed suit. Turning to Taylor, I confirmed, "Yeah, it won't take too long. Wait. Here they come. I've been meaning to do this for a while."

As Tyler's Latina girlfriend arrived, I introduced them quickly, saying, "Selena, meet Selena. The others already know each other."

Both Latina girls rolled their eyes at my attempt at humor before turning to each other. "Hi, Gomez," the short Selena said. 

"I know. I watched the wizard's show. Diaz," The captain's girlfriend replied with a warm smile on her face. The actress/singer/still a shortie Selena felt a bit relieved inwardly as Diaz treated her like a normal person.

"Wait. Diaz. Do you happen to have a relative named Rosa Diaz, who works as a detective in New York?" I asked, intrigued as I studied her face, noting a resemblance.

Taken aback, she responded, "I'm not sure. Maybe. I'll ask around."

Taylor hugged my arm and perched her cheek on my shoulder. With a smushed face, she tried to persuade me, "Maybe you should let other people edit the mv."

"Like I said, it won't take too long. Robin, pull up today's recording."

"Okay Boss." Robin said. The popup bar in my window was opened automatically, gaining the interest of everyone present.

Taylor raised an eyebrow and said, "She's here too?"

My eyes lit up in excitement of presenting my brainchild to the world, "Yeah. She's–"

"Can she not be here?" Taylor interrupted before I could say anything. "Robin. Introduce yourself." I said with a tired voice as I looked away from Taylor. 

"Hello. My name is ROBIN. It stands for Reliable, Obviously Badass Intelligent Network. I am an artificial intelligence."

"What?" Taylor was in disbelief. "An AI? As if! This isn't a superhero movie." She chortled.

Kyle and Tyler both turned towards me, "Wait. An artificial intelligence…like Jarvis?" Kyle asked with a shaky voice filled with excitement. Tyler stood up and looked seriously at my face as he asked, "Ed. Are you, IRON MAN!?"

I scowled and said, "No." Then, I thought about it and said, "Well…"

Selena and Selena couldn't understand the boy's excitement. Taylor still thought that I was pretending.

Robin then notified, "The video has been arranged by matching the sound frequency and initial placement."

"Alright, play it." I ordered. The first draft for the music video was played, and Taylor was stunned. She kept muttering, "No. It's not real."

Selena and Selena watched the mv, and they said, "It's lacking."

Kyle and Tyler also nodded in agreement with the girls. I turned towards them and said, "It's not finished. Robin, insert footage 23 and remove 21. At the beginning of the video, put video 77 and the title."

In Video 77, the frame captured a full shot of Taylor and me, locked in an intense gaze, as if time had stood still while the other students continued to pass by. Taylor stood on the left side, tightly embracing a stack of books, her big glasses accentuating her features. 

Her curly blonde hair cascaded around her, adding a touch of whimsy. While her appearance may be considered dull, there was an undeniable cuteness that emanated from her.

On the right side, I stood as a handsome counterpart, donning a simple shirt and jeans, emanating a more striking and attractive presence.

As the camera panned upward, the title "You Belong With Me" appeared on the screen, displayed in a whimsical font reminiscent of a fairy tale. Following that, the director's name, "Directed by Edward Newgate," and the storyline credit, "Storyline by Taylor S.," were prominently showcased.

"Animate the title font." 

"Change the contrast in this video."

"A mistake on video 32, the sound synchronization is out of mark."

While I was working, the others there looked at me in awe. After I showed them the finished product, an intense debate occurred between the boys and the girls.

"The stolen glances in the cafeteria are essential! The cheerleader is ignoring the hero, but when he is talking with the heroine, they have a great conversation. The hero's doubts add depth to the bigger picture and align with the intended message of the music video!" argued one of the boys.

"It's not! It's better not to compare the two too much. Even if the cheerleader is a puta. We can include the scenes without showing the part where they were looking at each other. That'll seem like it's in bad taste." Diaz cursed. 

And the guy who's insisting on inserting the romantic scene, that was surprisingly Kyle, the goth boy with a piercing on his lip. Tyler lost interest in the 'girly' video fairly quickly– Or at least that was what he was showing. He would, however, secretly listen to them at least once a day until the New Year. 

I elbowed Taylor and said, "She called you a puta for being yourself."

Taylor scoffed and defended, "I'm not like that!" Selena rolled her eyes, but kept her mouth shut. 

"I'll just cut the scene all together." I muttered after chuckling. Both Diaz and Kyle turned towards me, slammed the table, and shouted menacingly, "NO!"

"Jeez, who's the director now?" I muttered sarcastically. Both Taylor and Selena seemed embarrassed by the tension and decided to calm down. "We need a tiebreaker. Where's Jacob?" Kyle inquired.

Diaz, clearly irritated, retorted, "You only want him because he'll just support your opinion! We need another girl!"

I answered slightly, "Jacob's at the dentist, putting dental crown on his tooth. He'll come by a bit late."

As the duo kept arguing and even ignoring my answer, Tyler spoke up. "Or both of them. Let's have one boy and one girl," Tyler suggested. Diaz and Kyle were initially taken aback by the idea, but then they nodded in agreement.

While they searched for more allies, I managed to finish editing the entire music video. The process took less than 10 minutes, leaving the audience in disbelief. Selena looked puzzled and asked, "Hey, if editing a music video is so easy, why does it cost so much ?"

I chuckled and replied, "Well, it's not exactly affordable or easy for everyone else. Synchronizing the sound with the lip movements alone can take at least half a day. I can finish it earlier because, well, I'm just that awesome. That's all."

Taylor rolled her eyes and retorted, "But Robin did all the work. You didn't even touch the keyboard."

"Well, I created Robin, so in a way, I was the one doing all the work," I said with a playful grin.

Robin chimed in, saying, "What Boss said is absolutely right."

I couldn't resist teasing Taylor and added, "See? Even Robin agrees with me."