Read Online Isolation Play (Dev and Lee) by Kyell Gold - Free Book Online

run out to the field.
    I don’t think the practice squad guys would have been as eager for just me or Carson, but the smarter ones know how much Gerrard talks to the coaches. Being seen working your ass off for the team when you don’t have to scores you points. Sometimes, when the three of us practice, we just do two-on-one, one of us defending while the other two play quarterback and wide receiver. If we can get practice squad guys, though, that works better ’cause it allows us to work with each other, which is what we really need to work on at this point. Also Carson and I suck at throwing the ball.
    So five practice squad guys play offense, and we defend with a couple more guys in front of us for a defensive line. Gerrard tells the practice QB to run basic plays and improvise when he wants to. It’s exciting for me, almost like a real game, ’cause I don’t know what’s coming. They get some of the same rush. When they beat us for a score, they whoop and trash-talk. When we stuff ’em, we taunt ’em right back. And Gerrard, in between coaching me and Carson, points out to the squad guys things they could be doing better.
    By the time the session ends, we’re all hot and panting, even in the cool evening air. Still trash-talking, shoving and play-punching each other, we head to the locker room and strip out of our uniforms.
    Ever since I came out to the team, I’ve taken to waiting to take my shower until most of the team is done. Gerrard and Carson don’t mind, but I don’t know about the practice guys. Anyway, Fisher’s still in the weight room, and I wanted to ask him how to deal with reporters. My voicemail box is full again.
    When he finally gets out, a few of the backup guys who stayed for extra work are showering, too. I hesitate, but Fisher just jerks his head at me to follow him in. We grab showers on the empty side of the room. Across from us are Pike and Kodi, a polar and brown bear who are backups on the defensive line. The only other guy in the shower is the otter who’s our backup kick returner, a little ways down. I know Pike and Kodi from when I was a backup and we worked out together with the second team. They’re both huge, half a foot taller than me and probably seventy-five pounds heavier. Pike, actually, backs up Fisher’s position. He’s stronger, but not as fast, even though he’s probably eight years younger.
    They mostly ignore us. Pike’s talking about how much he benched this week, so loudly everyone in the shower can hear. Kodi’s mumbled responses are only audible to the polar bear, who keeps the conversation going. The otter finishes up and walks out while we’re talking.
    I tune them out while I ask Fisher’s advice in talking to the media. “Just be bland,” he tells me. “Tell them everything’s great. Talk in roundabout ways. Don’t tell them anything hard and factual, because they’ll take it out of context. ‘The team is supportive’—probably you shouldn’t say ‘behind me’—and ‘I love the fans,’ always get that one in there, and ‘it’s all about what I do on the field.’ That oughta be good enough for ’em. Soon enough they’ll get bored.”
    I feel a little bit of a pang. There’s some panic in having all these people after me, sure, but it’s a nice feeling, in a way. “What if they ask me about,” I glance at the bears and lower my voice. “Lee?”
    Fisher shrugs. “Same thing. Bland, positive.” He looks up at the bears as they turn off the shower.
    Pike raises a paw to us, walking by, and nods to Fisher. “Hey, your shoulder doin’ okay, there?”
    “ It’s fine.” Fisher lingers a moment longer, staring after them.
    Pike’s eyes pass over me on their way back to Kodi, walking behind as the brown bear makes a remark about going to the Sea Shack for dinner. Kodi does hesitate in the middle of his sentence as he goes past me, but only for a second. If my coming out bothered him, he’s making an effort to keep it hidden. I