Read Emergency Quarterback for Free Online

He waved at the air. “Hi, all of Wade’s friends.”
    “Real funny,” Wade said. “At least I have friends.”
    “And I don’t?”
    Wade looked around at the group. “Friends of my own kind, I mean.”
    Jason shook his head and took a step closer to Wade. “You’re such an idiot.”
    Anthony stepped forward, too. “What you sayin’, Wade?”
    Wade put up a hand, motioning for Anthony to stop. “This doesn’t involve you.”
    “Oh no?” Anthony said. “What’s with that crack about his ‘own kind’?”
    “You know what he meant,” Jason said. He kept his eyes squarely on Wade. “I got plenty of white friends, stupid. But you look at these guys and see a bunch of blacks and Mexicans, right? Well I got news for you: They’re all my kind.”
    Jason pointed at Anthony. “Lineman, sprinter, shot-putter.” He thrust his thumb toward Miguel—“Centerfielder, linebacker”—then toward Calvin—“Soccer player, track guy. My kind of people. And they’re all winners, Wade, not whiners.”
    “They sure weren’t winners last night.”
    “More than you were.”
    Wade gave a dismissive laugh. “Oh yeah? I didn’t piss the ball away for two Bayonne touchdowns.”
    “At least I was in there.”
    “You never should have been.”
    “I wouldn’t have been if you were any good,” Jason said. “You were so pathetic the coach had to pull you.”
    “I bet he’s kicking himself now for putting you in there. Bet he learned his lesson.”
    Anthony stepped between Jason and Wade and put a finger on Wade’s chest. “You’re gonna get us kicked out of here if you don’t shut up,” he said. “And one of us is going to stomp you if that happens.”
    “Sure,” Wade said. “I’d like to see you try.”
    “I don’t think you would,” Anthony said. “It wouldn’t be pretty.”
    “I’m shaking,” Wade said sarcastically, but then he softened his tone. “Listen, I didn’t mean nothing about ‘his own kind.’ I got no problem with the rest of you guys.” But he glared at Jason again. “Don’t hold your breath waiting for the ball to come your way next week. I’ll be looking for a receiver who doesn’t fumble.”
    Wade turned to leave the restaurant. Miguel balled up a napkin and threw it at him. It hit him in the back and fell to the floor.
    “Biggest jerk I ever met,” Calvin said. “How did he get to be a quarterback?”

7
    Halloween
    C oach Podesta blew his whistle midway through Monday’s practice session and gathered the team around him. He hadn’t said a word so far about Saturday’s loss, just put the team through the usual routine of calisthenics, stretching, tackling drills, and passing. They’d been scrimmaging for about fifteen uninspired minutes, with Wade at quarterback and Jason at wingback.
    “I’m not seeing much life out there today,” Coach said. “You’re either dwelling too much on that loss to Bayonne or planning your Halloween costumes.”
    Many of the players laughed. Halloween was two days away, and Coach had said he’d end practice early on Wednesday so the players could watch the city’s parade that evening.
    “Let’s refocus, all right?” Coach said. “Palisades always gives us a tough game, so we’ll need everything we’ve got. Do we have enough?”
    “Yes!” shouted some of the players.
    “You sure?”
    “Yes!” yelled everybody else.
    “Okay. Back to the scrimmage. Fiorelli at quarterback. Let’s go.”
    “Wait!” Wade shouted as the players ran back to their positions. “You kidding me, Coach? You still haven’t given up on that loser?”
    Coach stared at Wade for several seconds. Wade turned red and looked away. “Sorry,” he said softly.
    “Take a seat, Wade,” Coach said. “We win and lose as a team. And I make the calls around here.”
    Coach walked over to the huddle and faced Jason. “The starting job is yours,” he said firmly. “Run the team.”
    Jason nodded and called for a handoff to Miguel. “I guess I’m the