Injuries and feelings

DJ, Malik, and Travis started their day with a

ride to school together, as usual. The trio had a tradition of light-hearted banter and joking around to start their mornings on a positive note. DJ was behind the wheel, Malik riding shotgun, and Travis in the back seat.

"Hey DJ, you ever think about what you'd do if you weren't playing football?" Malik asked, breaking the silence.

DJ smirked, glancing at Malik. "What, you mean like a fallback plan? Probably a professional Netflix binge-watcher."

"Yeah right, like you'd ever be able to sit still for that long, I've seen you change a show cause it didn't impress you in exactly 1 second, and when I asked you why you said ,"wrap it up" Travis laughed from the back seat. "If anything you'd end up trying to turn it into some kind of competition."

DJ chuckled. "Nah, hear me out I'd just win all the remote control duels. They'd call me the Channel God." He said nodding

Malik snorted. "Only you would make flipping shows sound like a sport. But seriously, have you thought about it?"

DJ shrugged. "I don't know, maybe coaching or something. But for now, it's all about the game."

Travis leaned forward, poking DJ's shoulder.

"Just don't coach us on how to bowl, alright We saw how that went."

"Hey, I'm not that bad," DJ protested, laughing. "I was just giving you guys the win cause I felt bad."

Malik rolled his eyes. "Yeah, sure. Next time, let's stick to something you're actually good at."

"Like what?" DJ asked, raising an eyebrow.

"How about seeing who can embarrass themselves the most in front of Coach?" Travis suggested, grinning.

DJ laughed. "You're on. But I think I've got that title locked down already."

------

As DJ was sorting through his locker, he heard a familiar, excited voice call out his name.

"DJ! Is that you?" Jordan's voice rang out, filled with excitement.

DJ turned around, his eyes widening in surprise. "Jordan? No way!" He grinned as he saw his childhood friend running toward him. Jordan had grown into a confident, vibrant young woman. She had nice curly black hair that bounced with each step. And she wore a light blue crystal necklace that complemented her black crew neck, paired with jeans that went well with her brown skin.

"Surprise!" Jordan laughed, throwing her arms around DJ in a tight hug. "I can't believe it's you! It's been forever!"

DJ hugged her back, feeling a rush of nostalgia."It really has. Wow, Jordan, what are you doing here?"

"I just transferred here. I'm on the cheer

squad now," Jordan said, her eyes shining with excitement. "Remember when we used to play basketball together? Now I'm all about cheerleading."

DJ laughed, shaking his head in amazement. "I remember. You were always good at it though, Cheerleading I mean. Competing at

nationals and everything."

Jordan nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, we

went to nationals in Florida last year. It was intense, but so much fun. How about you? I heard you've been killing it on the football field."

"Yeah, it's been a wild ride," DJ said, his grin widening. "We just won a big game on Friday."

"That's awesome! I wish I could've seen

it," Jordan said. "Maybe I'll be able to cheer you on in the next one. We should totally catch up more. What's your schedule like?"

They chatted for a while longer, reminiscing about their middle school days and talking about their plans for the future. Unbeknownst to them, a student passing by snapped a picture of their hug and posted it on social media while captioning it @Bri?.

-------

Meanwhile, Brianna was in the cafeteria, chatting with her friend Lily. They were discussing the latest school gossip when Lily

suddenly gasped.

"Hey Bri, check this out," Lily said, showing her phone to Brianna. "Isn't that DJ with some girl?"

Brianna snatched the phone and felt her stomach drop. There was a picture of DJ hugging a girl she didn't recognize. "Who is

that?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"I don't know, but it's all over social media," Lily said. "People are saying she's his new girlfriend."

Brianna forced a smile, but inside, she felt a

wave of insecurity and doubt. 'Why didn't he tell me about her?' she wondered. 'Is there something going on between them?'

Lily noticed Brianna's unease and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey, I'm sure it's nothing. DJ wouldn't do that to you."

"I know," Brianna said, though her voice lacked conviction. "I just wish he'd talk to me about things like this."

-----

DJ couldn't shake the feeling that he was missing something important. He had been so focused on the upcoming game against

Westfield Academy that he hadn't paid much attention to anything else. As he walked into practice, his mind was a whirlwind of strategies and plays.

The team gathered in the film room to review

Westfield Academy's weaknesses. Coach Carter highlighted their defensive flaws and their star wide receiver, Jake Johnson.

During the session, Eli, the team's best

cornerback, groaned in pain. Eli was lanky, with long arms and a build designed to keep up with wide receivers. The team doctor quickly assessed him. "It's a strained hamstring," the doctor announced. "He'll be out for the game on Friday."

"Great, just what we needed," Coach Carter muttered. "DJ, you're gonna have to step up big time. We need you to exploit their secondary."

DJ nodded, his mind now fully occupied with the upcoming game. 'I need to focus on our game plan,' he thought, not noticing Brianna's expectant look as she passed by the room.

------

The team divided into groups for specific drills. DJ joined the ladder drill for the WR group to improve body coordination.

"Alright, guys, we're doing the icky shuffle

and single leg in-and-out today," the coach instructed.

DJ moved swiftly through the ladder, his feet a blur as he executed the icky shuffle. Next, he did the single leg in-and-out, his muscles working to maintain balance and speed.

'In out, In out ,In out' DJ thought 'every rep counts.'

"Great work, DJ!" Coach Thompson praised. "Now, let's work on those double moves."

DJ lined up, facing the corner back. His eyes were locked on Aaron, the CB across from him. He exploded off the line with a fast

release, faking an inside move. The CB reacted, leaning in to cover the inside

route, but DJ quickly changed direction by exploding off his right foot, cutting towards the sideline. The DB stumbled but chased desperately, trying to keep up.

'Stay focused,' DJ thought, his eyes tracking the ball as it sailed towards him. He extended his hands, catching it cleanly in bounds. The impact of his cleats on the turf felt solid as he landed, maintaining perfect body control.

"Great job! Now let's see that stop-and-go," Coach Thompson instructed.

DJ ran the route, this time with a patient release while making a light skip like hop, drawing the DB closer. He faked a stop by

turning his body half way to face the QB, causing the DB to bite and come up. DJ then accelerated past him, his eyes never leaving the ball. He caught it just as the DB lunged to swat it away, making the play look effortless.

"Perfect, DJ! That's what we need on Friday

you're in good condition," Coach Thompson praised.

-------

After practice, the team hit the weight room. DJ focused on his current maxes:

Bench Press: 225 lbs

Back Squat: 385 lbs

Power Clean: 245 lbs

-----

Brianna waited for DJ outside the locker room, hoping he would bring up the picture and rumors. 'Why hasn't he said anything?

Is he hiding something?' she wondered, her anxiety growing.

DJ finally emerged, his face etched with

concentration. "Hey Bri," he said absently, his mind still on the game plan.

"Hi," Brianna replied, trying to keep her voice steady. "Anything interesting happen today?"

"Just practice. We're really focusing on beating Westfield," he said, not picking up on her tone.

Brianna felt a mix of frustration and sadness.

'Why is he so distant? Is it because of that girl?' she thought. "Alright, I guess I'll see you later," she said, turning to leave.

DJ watched her walk away, confused. 'Did I miss something?' he wondered, shrugging it off. He was too focused on the game to realize the turmoil brewing in Brianna's mind.