The Win Isn't Always On The Scoreboard: Circle Square Services

By Mickey

J is an 8th grader with big dreams. Star athlete, scholar, and popular at school, J seems to have it all. Everything changes when his family has to move from the comfort of Braxton, and he lands in the den of his archrivals, The Langford Lions. Moving to a different city is one thing, but J has to survive a new school, a new team, and worst of a

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jaden Mickey
• Release date: Mar 1, 2023
• ISBN: 9781958977057

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Touchdown!!!

I hate family meetings. I’ve always hated them. The last one we had was a few years ago. Mom and Dad sat us down and told us that we had to put down, our family dog, Solo. It was awful and sad. Solo had been in our family for my entire 13-year life. He was a black and white Bulldog with floppy ears and a short, stubby tail. Solo was more than a dog. He was a member of our family. He even appeared on our Christmas cards. There he’d be with a matching sweater or handkerchief that complimented whatever theme my Mom had chosen for us to wear for the holiday greeting. When I was younger, Solo went everywhere we went. He was even a welcomed spectator at my football games and became the unofficial mascot of the Braxton Pee Wee Bulldogs.

That day, during the family meeting, I cried a little. I knew he was sick, but dying? No. I remember that we all sat on the couch as Mom held him and tried to give us a pep talk through her tears.

He’s tired, guys. We have to do what’s best for him even if it hurts us. Mom said.

That evening, my Dad wrapped Solo in his favorite blanket and took his weak body to the vet. When he came home later that night, empty-handed, it became real. Solo was gone and I vowed never again to sit through another family meeting. There was never good news that came from them.

*****

Michelle and I got the text message at the same time as we sat at the kitchen table choking down the oatmeal that she made for us.

Geez Mick. This stuff is gross! What’d you use to make it, cement?

With my eyes closed and my nose plugged, I heaped another lukewarm, tasteless spoonful into my mouth.

Shut up J! Mom told me to make it that way. If you don’t like it, throw it away.

Michelle, or Mick as I called her, is 2 years older than me and a bit of a pain in the butt. She’s taller than me by a full foot but she weighs 20 pounds less. On many occasions, Mick has tried to pin me down or put me in a headlock. Her height gives her an advantage, but my strength spoils her feeble attempts at domination. We fight, as Mom says, like cats and dogs. I would never admit it to her, but even though she is my nemesis, Mick is also my best friend. She drives me crazy, but she’s my sister and if she needed a kidney, I’d probably give her one of mine!

Like all big sisters, Mick has made it her mission in life to make my life miserable. She is always trying to get me in trouble. She has the uncanny ability to make our parents believe that she never does anything wrong, and everything I do is. What’s worse is that if she does get in trouble, she sucks up to our parents, or cries until they start feeling sorry for her. Gross! I could NEVER get away with the stuff that Mick gets away with.

My phone buzzed. Mick’s did too.

It always made me laugh when Dad would text, Love Dad in his messages. For whatever reason, he wrote texts like they were a letter from a stranger. He was only 40, but he texted like a much older person.

Oh crap. Family meeting? I said under my breath.

I and Mick looked at each other, What now? I said as I rolled my eyes.

All I know is that it better not last long. I have the stuff to do. Mick said flippantly.

Mick was popular at school and the stuff that required her urgent and thorough attention was likely talking on the phone to her loser friends about what they were going to wear to school the next day, or who said something about someone else. She was gossip to the thousandth degree.

Geez. I hate these things. I said as I plopped my spoon in my bowl. I stood up to walk to the sink, then felt the oatmeal hit the bottom of my stomach like a brick. I heard it grumble and it felt like an alien was trying to escape from inside me.

Uhhh…can you handle this bowl? I said while rubbing my protruding belly. I think I need to drop the kids off at the pool! I dropped the bowl in the sink and ran to the steps.

You’re soooooo gross J!!! Mick said as I jumped the stairs two at a time Don’t stink it up! I still have to do my makeup. She yelled as I made my way upstairs to our shared bathroom.

Ten minutes and three flushes later, I emerged relieved, feeling 1,000 pounds lighter. I bounded down the steps, grabbed my backpack from the coat hook by the back door, and made my way to the garage for my bike. I hopped on and headed to Braxton Middle School.

Not gonna think about this family meeting…not now!

Braxton was my spot! I had just been named captain of the 8th-grade football team and I was a favorite with the teachers and administrators. I was the most popular kid in school, had a ton of friends, and was a legend on and off the field. Oh…and the girls kinda liked me too! They made their feelings known through cryptic, emoji-filled text messages, notes in my locker, and giggly stares in the hallways.

Dad told me to ignore the attention of girls, but THAT was darn near impossible! I hadn’t paid too much attention to them in the 6th grade. I thought they were kinda annoying. But over the summer, going into 7th grade, my friends and I went to the community pool at Braxton Park. For the first time, I SAW girls! I’m not sure if they changed or I changed, but over that summer, something changed…for the better! I talked to my Dad after he overheard me and my friends talking about how they looked in their bathing suits, who was cute, and who didn’t stand a chance of ever getting a date. He told me that at my age it was natural to like girls and admire them, but it was more important to respect them.

Son, you must always honor and respect women. He admonished. Treat all women the way you want your mother and sister to be treated. My Dad was always giving me life lessons. Whether it was how to block on the field, how to tie a tie, or how to treat girls. He was constantly teaching me. His lessons were finally starting to make sense and I found myself listening more intently. I was growing up and I needed to start acting like the man my Dad was trying to mold me to be.

I decided that 8th grade was going to be an epic year. We were two months away from the end of 7th grade, and everything was working out for me. My game was tight on the field and my grades were equally impressive. Yep! 7th grade was great, but 8th grade was going to be the Best Year EVER!

CHAPTER TWO

Join the Parade

Riding to Braxton every day was like being the grand marshal of a parade. Kids would wave and dap me up as I made my way through the parking lot toward the bike racks. A symphony of "Wassuuupppp J’s!!!" filled the air as I walked through the halls to my