Breadbox

Breadbox was a nickname Joey had earned his freshman year. Well, not earned, but been gifted. He got it one day when he was paying for his lunch and a $100 bill fell out of his front pocket.

"Whoa! That's some bread you're packin'," Louis said, "What are you? Some sort of breadbox?" Louis was one of the more popular students at Pine View High so the name stuck.

Joey was now a senior and his stomach was one massive, jittery butterfly.

"We're counting on you, Breadbox," Coach Ellis' voice haunted his thoughts, "Whether we win or lose, it's up to you."

Joey slammed his car door shut and then checked to make sure it was locked. He didn't think his beat-up Honda Civic would tempt any car thief, but you had to safe. He made his way to the football field, where his team would be playing their rivals, Gorman High School. Not only what is the rivalry game, but it was also the Homecoming game.

"You're late." Coach Ellis said.

The rest of his teammates were already on the field warming-up. Coach Ellis started lecturing Joey about the importance of responsibility and how his teammates were counting on him and blah blah blah. Joey practically had this speech memorized.

After a quick warm-up, the pep band started playing the national anthem. Then, Gorman kicked the ball and the game began. As Joey took his position on the field for the first play, the crowd roared and then started chanting, "Breadbox, Breadbox, Breadbox!" Slowly at first, but it got faster and faster the longer it went on.

The ball was hiked. Joey caught it, looked up, and saw a Gorman player jumping over Louis.

The next thing Joey saw was a giant poster that said, "Get Well Soon, Breadbox," taped to a light pink wall. He shook his head. The poster was still there. He was lying in a bed.

The sound of slow footsteps coming echoed in the hallway outside his room. They were getting closer. Soon, Coach Ellis walked through the door.

"Breadbox? You awake?"

"Yeah."

A wide grin and came over Coach Ellis' face. His eyes became shiny with tears. "Hallelujah," he whispered.

"Did we win the game?"

"That was three days ago. And besides, that doesn't matter."

It was important to Joey. So he asked again, "But did we win?"

"No."

There was a long silence.

"How could we have won with you unconscious?" Coach Ellis sat on a stool near the bed and continued, "I told you, Breadbox, whether we won or lost it was up to you."