Junior year, Woody Anderson had been promoted to the varsity football team. But the leap from junior varsity to varsity was a big change Woody didn’t prepare for, or if he did prepare, he didn’t prepare for it well. He was second-string quarterback, but even so, he could feel the constant pressure of town’s expectation for the team to win the state championship. That year, their team had gone to sub-state, but for some reason, the starting quarterback James Royster had frozen up during the middle of the game. The coach pulled Royster out and sent in Woody, three minutes before the game was over…the score was 7-21. 

After one failed pass, Woody assisted a touchdown. The score became 14-21 with a minute and thirty seconds left on the clock. The ball was punted for the rival team, but Woody’s teammate caught the ball and ran a first down. On the next play, Woody was pummeled by the defensive lineman before he could pass the ball. But on his next play, Woody narrowly sidestepped the linemen and went straight through the opening and ran all the way for a touchdown. With only 10 seconds remaining, the kicker failed to add the extra point…so the game ended 20-21. They lost a chance to go to state.

James Royster and the kicker found themselves chastised by the whole town, but suddenly Woody Anderson became the new hopeful for next year.

So now his senior year, Woody became the starting quarterback and a Captain of his team. He could just feel the pressure, the expectations, the demand of his hometown for the team to win the state championship. Southwind High School had the best records in the state’s division. For the last twenty years, they had never gone an average of more than two years without winning State. But the last time they had won was four years go when Ethan White was the star quarterback…and the high school and hometown wanted, needed the win this year! 

At every game as he stepped onto the field, Woody could just sense…not just see, but actually feel…the hundreds of people’s eye dissecting him. Both people from the stands and from the sidelines figuring him out, trying to pick at his flaws. Under the school’s chants, under the noise of their claps, he could tell people were murmuring doubtfully at him: Lightweight. Not quick enough. Pathetic. 

But there was on particular set of eyes, deep blue among the crowd, that wasn’t dissecting him, but rather, they were the force keeping his body from shattering into a million pieces. It was his clear strong baritone voice that Woody could hear rooting for him as he made his way down the football field. It was the voice still encouraging him even after he made a failed pass or got pummeled by an opponent. Woody never acknowledged his eyes or voice by looking at the man up in the stands, cause he had vowed to never have anything to do with Ethan White again.

****

Woody stood on the porch steps in front of a small white-sided house. He waited ten seconds but what seemed like perpetuity before the door opened. The tall, handsome man behind it tilted his head back, very much surprised, not yet believing that the person on his porch step was for real. “Sherwo—Woody?”

“I don’t know why I fucking came here,” Woody had told himself not to cry, but his eyes had already begun to water.
“Are you okay?” asked Ethan, “Do you want to come in?”

“No, I don’t!” Woody said shortly, his breathing became more erratic, “I can’t stand it no more. I can’t stand every man, woman, and child nagging me—telling me I have to win or else... It’s too much. I’m quitting the team!”

“You can’t! You’re going to sub-state next week!”
“You…it’s all your fault,” Woody accused, glowering at the college senior, “I keep hearing…they keep comparing me to you. They keep saying I’m not good enough…how could I be? I mean, your records…were best in the state…hell, it was the best in the fucking country. A 94% pass rate…that’s insane…I can’t live up to their expectations….I can’t live up to you.”

“Don’t worry…you haven’t lived up to me yet!” Ethan chuckled. “You’re far from it!”
“Fuck you!” shouted Woody, “I came here thinking you would say something supportive and you’re just being an ass.”
Ethan frowned, “Wait, you haven’t heard the story?”
Woody shrugged and shook his head, “What story?”

Ethan snorted, “If you don’t want to come in, stay here, let me go get something…”
Woody stayed put on the porch step, watching the tall college senior disappear into the dim living room. A moment later, he reappeared again, holding what seemed like a photo album. Ethan stepped out onto the front porch and flipped through the pages. It was actually a scrapbook with newspaper clippings, “My mom put this together for me as a graduation present. Read this article.”

“Quarterback hurls more than ball; his stomach-contents…” Woody quickly scanned the article, but the headline said the gist of it. 

Ethan further explained, “Right at the first snap, vomited all over the ball and some on my teammate Wilson’s shoes. The coach pulled me out of the game and didn’t let me back in until there was only five minutes left in the last quarter. We lost…to say the least. It was in a crucial game too; it would have made us number one in the district. But since we lost, there was a three-way tie. So it came down to a coin toss…” 

“A coin toss?” Woody was surprised.
“Yes,” Ethan nodded with a sigh, “The three leading teams tossed the coin to see which two teams would go on to the playoffs. Odd man out. It was pure chance that we got to the playoffs,” Ethan admitted, “You see, I almost threw up our chances at even dreaming about going to State…it was a coin toss that saved me from being stoned to death by the crowd. So relax, Sherwood, you’re miles ahead of me. I haven’t seen you taken a wrong step this season. You’re the most graceful player under pressure I’ve ever seen. I don’t know who you’ve been listening to, but everyone I’ve talked to thinks you’re amazing.”

“Thank you,” Woody put on a smile, “I appreciate you telling me this.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll glad my barfing could cheer you up.” Ethan said. “Do you wanna come in?”

“No, I’m gonna go out to the field and practice.”
“You know what? I haven’t thrown a ball in ages,” said Ethan, rotating his throwing shoulder, “Can I come with and pass a few balls around? I’ll show you exactly where I puked!”

Woody found himself nodding slowly, and couldn’t believe he did so. The last time he was with Ethan, a year and a half ago, it was the most humiliating moment of his entire life. He had given himself to the man, but the older man wouldn’t accept it. He had sworn to never speak to Ethan again, and now he found himself riding in the blue-and-white Chevy truck…the same truck where he began forming this unmentionable feeling for the driver. Soon, they were out of the truck and on the green field, running up and down it passing the ball to each other. Every once in a while Ethan had suggested the younger man a technique to better throw the ball or avoid being tackled, but for the most part, they just played casually.

By the end of the day, Ethan was the first to talk about that incident, “I’m so sorry for what I did. I thought it was the best for us, but I know you’re still hurt. Still, is there a chance, a slight chance that you could ever forgive me?”

Woody gulped, shaking his head, “I don’t know…I don’t wanna think about it right now. All I know is that I need you to come to the last two games. I need to see you in the audience, cause you’re the only thing that’s keeping me together out there. Everyone else is just prying me apart…I need you!”

Ethan nodded and promised that he would be there for the last two games. 

****

Woody led his team to an easy win at sub-state, and during that game, had looked up at least once to acknowledge Ethan in the crowd. Ethan was also there for the banquet before the big State game, making a rousing speech that even brought big, full-grown men to tears…tears of laughter, as he retold the story of particular queasy game. For the majority of his talk, he was looking straight at Woody, sending with his eyes beams of powerful energy, radiating and making Woody’s body soar. Woody hoped this amazing energy could last forever, or at least til the State game.

As Woody changed into his uniform in the loud locker room, a fellow teammate tapped his shoulders and said that his cell phone was blinking. Woody sat down on the bench and flipped open his phone. It was a text message from Ethan. Woody opened the message: I’m sorry I can’t be there. Believe in your team. Don’t just lead them; let them lead you! 

Woody could just feel his life-force draining as he read the message; his body was about to crumble even before stepping foot onto the field. As his team huddled together for prayer, Woody could barely form words to start it, and the coach had to start it for him. Woody was carried by the ocean of players out of the locker and into the field. Usually he would be first to tear through the banner, but now he simply walked out behind his teammates. Cheers and applause erupting at his entrance. 

Woody looked all around him, one side of the stadium gold and green, the color of his school, the other side of the stadium purple and white, the color of the rival Knights. Woody desperately searched for Ethan, knowing full well he wouldn’t be found among the thousands of fans. How could he do this to him? He had promised he would be there for him. Woody had given him all his trust in knowing that the Ethan would be there. And yet, he just sent a text massage saying he couldn’t make it, without a damn good reason. The more Woody thought about it, the more blood boiled in his vein, and the more he felt disgusted in himself. He had waited nearly eighteen years for this moment to stand in Angelo Dome, and so Woody closed his eyes and absorbed in the cheer of the crowd. There was no snickering or snide remarks…these were real cheers from adoring fans. And he wasn’t going to let one insignificant person ruin this for him…ruin his team’s chance of glory.

The ball was in the air and Woody ran to meet where it would land. He caught it, but soon three big bodies crashed into him, stopping him at the thirty yard line. The defense was stronger than Woody had imagined, he nor any of his teammates could move a yard before being pummeled. And soon after four failed plays, the ball was relinquished to the other team. But not two minutes after having the ball, the other team fumbled and Woody’s teammate recovered it. The game was a constant struggle for the ball, and by the end of the first quarter there was no score.

The spirit of the fans soared higher during the second quarter and fed the players down below, and in return, the player let the fans have what they came for, a spectacular battle of skill, strategy, muscle and mind, and soon touchdowns were being scored every few plays. Woody’s team Southwind Cougars were down by seven at the end of the first half…21 to 28. After the coach’s speech in the locker-room at halftime, Woody told his defense to kick it up a notch, not let a person or ball go past them, and his teammates did as instructed. The Cougars came back during the second half tying the game 28-28 before the clock turned 00:00.

It was win-or-lose, make-or-break, do-or-die time. In the last six years of playing football, all the games they have played have been practices…this was the one true game that defined it all. From middle school on, Woody had played with all the guys he saw in front of him, it was these guys that made the difference…not anyone in the stands. Before the start of overtime, he hugged each one of them, knowing full it was them who had kept him together…not anyone in the audience. 

Right at kick-off, Ethan caught the ball and ran for it but was soon edged out by the defense at the 50 yard line. Three snaps later, they were still on the 50 yard line. The defense was fiercer and stronger than ever before. If they failed at the fourth down, they would lose the game. At the fourth snap, Ethan caught the ball, trying to find an unguarded teammate. But no one was left open. Cradling the ball in his arms, he edged aside the defensive lineman, quickly jumping over another oncoming opposition and made it through the tight gap that his teammate—his great teammates—had opened for him. He was free from then on, the player chasing after him never got within five yards of him. Touchdown! The crowd roared above the stadium. The SouthWind Cougars had won the State Championship!

The press junket after the win was perhaps even more demanding than the game itself. Immediately after showering and changing, Woody and his teammates and coaches spent half an hour—that seemed to last an eternity—sitting in the hot conference room answering questions that were rapidly fired at them. 

Since he was in seventh grade, Woody had imagined what he would say when he received the high school’s Most Valuable Player of the year award. He always hated the clichéd speech that athletes always give about how his teammates deserve to share the honor; but now that he had received the honor, he found himself joining the other athletes thanking his teammates and coaches…and it came sincerely from the bottom of his heart.

When the press in the front had no more questions, a hand shot up from the audience in the back of the room. When acknowledged, the tall brown-haired, blue-eyed young man stood up, holding up football and a black marker in front of him, and asked, “Could I have the autograph of the whole team?”

“Of course!” said the head coach, and the crowd cheered enthusiastically as Ethan White walked down the aisle towards the table of players. When Ethan handed the ball directly to Woody, the current football champion fought back tears and scribbled his name over the surface of the ball and passed it down the line.

“Were you in the stadium all along?” Woody asked quietly.
Ethan nodded.

Woody asked, “Why did you send that message?”
Ethan smiled, “So that you would realize, champ. It’s been you and your teammates who carried the undefeated season. I’m just one of the fans!”

****

The Sunday following the game there was a wild party, hosted by one of the football players. When Woody arrived at the party at 9 pm, he was immediately surrounded by a crowd of admirers, girls and guys alike. Everyone wanted a moment of his time, just to hear him say their names or to have him shake their hands gave them thrills, and Woody tried his best to please his fans.

The party was definitely wild and unsupervised. Music blasted around the house, girls and guys making out at every corner of every room, and of course, there was a surplus in booze. Woody held a can of beer in his hand and sipped it every once in a while, but hours later and the can was still half full. Woody knew someone had to be responsible and drive the others home, and the MVP accepted the responsibility without complaint. This was the type of thing, the type of coolish-foolish thing that Ethan would do, and Woody felt rather proud of himself for emulating his idol, staying above the influence.

“Woo hoo!” called out the inebriated host of the party, Chris Jones, jumping on the table, “I have a tape of Ethan White doing it with some girl. Who wants me to put it on the flat screen TV?”
“Hell yeah!” bellowed the drunken crowd.

Woody couldn’t believe his ears. He didn’t necessarily think it was wrong for couples to tape themselves having sex as long as it was mutual agreement, but Woody had to wonder how did the tape of Ethan and some girl get into the hand of the drunk football player. 

As the tape was put in the VCR, the big screen flashed blue for a moment, and in that moment, Woody of course thought this was a joke. No duh! This must be a prank. It had to be a practical joke. Most likely, it’s just a video of some fat guy doing an ugly girl. Yeah, that’s probably what they’ll see.

But as the blue went away, Woody could see a powerful man’s chest onscreen. Ripped and tanned and beefy. Too the crowd it could be any built guy’s chest, but Woody knew he had seen this chest before. This was the only man’s chest that could spring him a hard-on. As the camera view zoomed out, Woody could see the man’s taut neck, pulsating with veins and muscles, and finally the undeniably beautiful, handsome face of Ethan White came onscreen. Blue eyes, dark hair, flawless complexion stretched gently over great bone structure. A sexy smirked on his face. 

Abruptly, the camera turned to the body of the girl underneath him. The crowd of guys went wild when they saw the smooth, soft peachy skin and supple large breasts. Usually, Woody would have cheered along, but for some reason, he wanted to the camera to return to Ethan’s body.

Before the camera could show the girl’s face, it shot right back at Ethan’s torso, and Woody felt his dick twitch excitedly. Now the camera was placed in front of him, so that you could mostly see Ethan’s chest hovering over the girl. He was now gradually sliding into missionary position. The crowd of males groaned disappointedly because a large portion of Ethan’s front could be seen and not enough of the girl’s chest. Woody usually would have joined in the complaint if it were any other guy on screen…but this was Ethan White’s magnificent body on display. Woody would later feel guilty for being turned on by Ethan’s overexposure, but at the moment, he didn’t care.

Since not much of the girl could be seen, Woody found himself imaging what it would be like to take her place. To have Ethan’s great body crushing on him. To feel Ethan’s large cock pummel inside his most sacred sanctum. Woody imagined it was his shoulders that Ethan was stroking right now; he shuddered for the sensation felt almost too real. The girl on screen was moaning so very loudly, her bellow shaking through the speakers, letting everyone know just how good a lover Ethan was.

Now the girl’s hands were sliding up Ethan’s hard, smooth chest, up his tight neck, until they covered his sexy face…Woody wished it was his hands that was on the screen…it was his hands running through Ethan’s lusciously thick hair…it was his hands now running along the muscles that wrapped around Ethan’s arms.

Woody could hear Ethan’s moan, his hard forceful grunts, his breathy utterance of pleasure, and wished Ethan was moaning because of him. But sadly, Woody of course knew it wasn’t him with Ethan on screen. Ethan was moaning for the girl, he was pleasuring this girl, and she was pleasuring him…whoever this girl was. Ethan was bringing this girl into an insane climax, indicated by her powerful screams that shocked everyone watching. Every guy in the room felt inadequate and embarrassed that they had never brought their lovers into that kind of orgasm, and every girl watching crossed their legs as they could feel themselves getting very wet.

Ethan pulled out of the girl, and now people could clearly see Ethan’s cock as he tugged off the soaking condom. Then Ethan grabbed the camera and pointed back down at the girl’s body. Ethan was creaming on her flat stomach, eight squirts full before he was done. And then he brought his hands down to lather the juices all over her breasts. 

And soon the camera traveled up the girl’s body, slowly but surely, and Woody felt something uneasy as the screen reached the girl’s throat. Five seconds later, Woody gasped as he saw his sister Laurie’s face on screen. Laurie had on the biggest grin and she stared straight at the camera, “Wanna join us, Woody?”

And then the camera flipped back to show Ethan’s face, his eyes sparkling hypnotically, his smirk devilish, as he said, “Yeah, join us Sherwood!”

Woody woke up panting and sweating. His dick was still hard…and his cranium was splitting open. It was morning and the bright light in the room was almost too unbearable for him. Woody sat up on the couch and looked around to see other squirming bodies around the living room. Apparently, Woody had not stayed above the influence after all, and had passed out on the couch after drinking god knows how many cans of beer…

Chris Jones came out into the living room and Woody quickly questioned, “Dude, where did you get the video of Ethan and my sister?”
“What video?” the host asked, “Can you help me wake up these guys?”

Woody was flabbergasted, “What do you mean what video? The VHS tape you were showing everyone last night?”
Chris Jones shrugged, “VHS…Dude, I don’t even have a VCR. Those things are old-school man!”

Woody gave a sigh of relief…he had just dreamt it all when he passed out. But then his feeling of relief turned into a sharp pang of guilt…why did he have a dream about Ethan having sex with his sister?