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Chapter 101: Milestone

Chapter 101 - Milestone

Andrew walked out of the locker room and, already outside the stadium, ran into his family.

Mitchell was the first to approach, with Cam right on his heels.

"That was the most beautiful pass I've ever seen in my life!" Cam exclaimed, as dramatic as always, opening his arms to hug him and trying to lift him off the ground.

"Dad, you always say that..." Andrew said, letting himself be hugged.

But when Cam tried to lift him, he barely managed to get his heels off the ground before stumbling backward with a strained grimace.

"Oh, dear God, you weigh like a tank! What are you eating? Cement? Where is all that weight coming from?" he asked, letting him go with a puff and trying to figure out where his son's weight was hiding.

Andrew stood 6 feet tall and weighed 180 pounds. His build was athletic, with broad shoulders, a well-trained torso, and powerful legs (thanks to constant training since childhood and favorable genetics). He wasn't gigantic, but he was heavy and strong enough that lifting him wasn't exactly easy.

"Muscle," Andrew replied with a smile, shrugging his shoulders.

"Great game, son," Mitchell said, more sober than Cam but with a genuine, proud smile.

"Thanks," Andrew replied with a smile.

But then, as if making a grand entrance choreographed only in his own mind...

"Wheeere's my faaavorite quarterbaaack!?" Phil sang out, walking toward them with strange steps—a mix of hip-shaking dance moves and an improvised march that followed no recognizable rhythm.

He was wearing a custom cap that read "PHS Eagles – QB #1" in shiny embroidered letters. Clearly something he had made himself... probably on some custom merch website.

"Phil, please..." Claire muttered, placing a hand on her forehead, unable to hide her secondhand embarrassment.

"That's family spirit, Claire!" Phil shot back, pointing at her without missing a beat.

He stopped in front of Andrew and extended both hands, getting ready for an elaborate handshake.

Andrew played along. He bumped fists with Phil, then palms, then knuckles, and finally a chest tap, like a celebration after a touchdown.

"That's it!" Phil said excitedly, giving him a pat on the back.

"Gotta keep the show alive," Andrew replied with a smile.

Phil smiled with pride. Not just because of the game... but because Andrew always played along. He never made him feel silly. And that, coming from a teenager, was pure gold.

"Teach me how to feint like that! It looks more fun than throwing the ball!" Luke shouted with enthusiasm, mimicking Andrew's moves as he dodged imaginary defenders.

"Learn to tie your laces first," Alex said with sarcasm.

"Or talk without drooling," Haley added.

"Or..." Alex was about to continue, but stopped when she caught her mother's look, one that clearly said, "Quit teasing your brother."

Luke, oblivious to the tension, kept practicing his clumsy jukes off to the side, mumbling something about being the next Eyeshield 21.

And then Jay appeared. He didn't say "good game" or go in for a hug.

"You ran more than usual," he said, straight to the point.

Andrew looked up. He knew exactly what he meant. Jay wasn't dumb, he had noticed that a few plays had been salvaged by Andrew scrambling, when ideally the receivers should've gotten open.

"I know..." Andrew replied, glancing around. "The new receivers aren't sharp. And Steve... he's playing badly, even though he's got the skills. He doesn't run his routes, doesn't adapt. He's making things harder."

Jay didn't say anything for a few seconds. He studied his grandson's face. The seriousness, the composure, the ability to analyze a game that had just ended.

Then, what looked like a crack in his expression turned into a faint smile.

"You did good. Not every game is won with everything working perfectly. And even so, you made sure this one was won."

Andrew looked at him. Jay wasn't one to give out easy praise.

"Thanks, old man. Getting sentimental or what?" Andrew said with a small smirk, knowing how rare it was to hear a compliment from his grandfather.

"Shut up, kid," Jay said with a dry chuckle, giving him a firm slap on the back before heading toward his truck.

Gloria and Manny also congratulated him on the game.

"You played like a tiger, mi amor. So strong, so brave!" Gloria said, overflowing with pride as she hugged him tightly.

"Thanks," Andrew replied, silently wondering how Gloria could be so strong.

"I want to host a dinner tomorrow at our place," Gloria announced, looking around at everyone. "Colombian food, from my ancestors. So you can all taste what real family seasoning is like."

"Ooh, Colombian food! Awesome, I've always wanted to try that cuisine!" Phil said enthusiastically, already picturing tomorrow's delicious feast.

"Yeah, of course, we'll be there," said Mitch with a nod. "But... why the sudden urge to throw a Colombian feast?"

"My grandmother, may she rest in peace, appeared to me in a dream and told me I'm losing touch with my roots," Gloria replied dramatically, placing a hand over her heart and looking up toward the sky.

Cam nodded as if it were a sacred revelation.

Mitchell, on the other hand, blinked slowly. "Sure... That makes perfect sense," he muttered to himself.

As the conversation continued, Andrew looked up and spotted his girlfriend, Pippa, in the distance. She was with her friend Cara, and—as always, the weird but inseparable combo of Leonard, Howard, Zach... and Willa.

A group that made no sense on paper, but somehow worked perfectly in practice.

Willa had joined the group a few months back, when they met her at Comic-Con. What began as a showdown between her and Andrew over a Green Arrow figurine turned into an unexpected friendship.

And since she didn't seem to truly click with any other crowd, neither in Hollywood nor at school, she started hanging out more and more with the trio. Eventually, she became part of the bigger group that included Pippa, Cara, Zach, and Haley.

When Haley met her, being a huge Gossip Girl fan, it was instant friendship.

Haley and Willa spoke the same language: fashion, sarcasm, and confidence.

As for Pippa and Cara, they had no problem welcoming her into the group. They found it odd that a 17-year-old Hollywood actress could be such a geek and beat Leonard, Andrew, or Howard in Star Wars debates.

But they were already used to the idea of an elite quarterback being a total nerd, so adding a nerdy actress wasn't hard to digest.

Andrew and Haley began walking toward the group.

"Hey guys, where've you been?" Andrew asked.

But before anyone could answer him, Pippa had already stepped forward and, without saying a word, hugged him and kissed him.

"You played amazing," Pippa said, one hand still resting on his chest. "Even if you ran more than usual, you were brilliant."

She knew about Andrew's issue with his receivers, especially Steve. It wasn't just a one-game problem.

And while Andrew liked being a quarterback who could both run and pass, a true dual-threat quarterback, he didn't always want to have to do everything himself.

He liked solving plays with his legs when the play called for it, not because there was no other option.

A dual-threat quarterback is a player who poses a threat to the defense both through running and passing.

"Thanks," Andrew murmured, looking into her eyes with a smile.

The group fell silent for a moment.

Cara smiled faintly and looked away, whistling softly.

Leonard glanced down at the ground, as if he suddenly needed to study the texture of the grass.

Howard opened his mouth as if to say something... but didn't.

Willa stood in the same spot, arms crossed. She didn't speak, didn't smile, didn't frown. She just watched, with those eyes that always seemed to analyze more than they let on.

"Aren't you going to say hi to me?" Haley asked, stepping up to Willa with a grin.

"Oh, Haley..." Willa said, turning her head as if snapping out of a trance.

Then the two of them shared a small hug, like lifelong friends.

"What do you think of my outfit?" Haley asked as they separated. "Awesome, right?"

"Always so humble?" Willa replied with a small smile, eyeing Haley's outfit.

"Obviously. Modesty is my most underrated trait," Haley shot back, then greeted Cara, Howard, Leonard, and Zach.

Haley and the others began chatting, giving Andrew and Pippa some space as they remained in their own little world, arms still wrapped around each other, speaking in soft voices.

"Want to come over tomorrow for Colombian food? Gloria's cooking," Andrew asked, his hands still on Pippa's waist, his forehead nearly touching hers.

Gloria herself had told him he could invite Pippa if he wanted.

"Colombian food?" Pippa repeated, thoughtful. "Never tried it... but it sounds delicious. Of course, I'll come."

Pippa was just about to pull away and rejoin the rest of the group, because even she knew they were getting a little too clingy, when Andrew gently tugged her hand to keep her close.

"Wait," he murmured, lowering his voice to a deeper, almost conspiratorial tone.

"I need to tell you something else."

She raised an eyebrow, curious. "What is it?" she asked.

Andrew leaned in closer, as if he didn't want anyone else to hear.

"Archie... asked me in the locker room if he could come over tonight, to the hangout... and if I could help him connect... with Willa."

"Oh..." Pippa said, unable to stop her slight frown.

Friday nights after games, Andrew didn't go out partying. That wasn't his style, or Pippa's either.

Instead, he hosted what Howard had once called a "sacred gathering" at his house.

A relaxed space with real friends. No blaring music, no red solo cups all over the floor.

Board games, movies, junk food, random conversations, and genuine laughter.

The core group was always the same: Pippa, Zach, Cara, Leonard, Howard, Willa, and now Haley too. Since joining the group, Haley had started to really enjoy those quiet nights.

With no boyfriend, since Dylan had graduated and their long-distance relationship hadn't worked out, she discovered that this new group was exactly what she needed, and she wasn't so desperate to hit parties every weekend anymore.

Kevin, Andrew's loyal friend, was also part of it. He wasn't into partying either, and he genuinely had fun here.

Every now and then, Archie or Reggie would join in too. They were more into the party scene, but even they admitted these nights were actually a great time.

The problem with Archie's request was that Leonard had feelings for Willa.

Or at least, that's what Andrew and Pippa suspected. He never said it out loud, but Pippa was a good observer and had noticed. She told Andrew, and after watching more closely, he saw it too.

And now Archie, direct, impulsive, confident, wanted something with her.

"You can't not invite him. He's your friend, and it's not like he did anything wrong," Pippa finally said.

Andrew nodded, "That's what I thought."

"Don't be too supportive. You're not his cupid. Just letting him come to your house and spend the evening with Willa is more than enough. If something happens, let it be between them, not because of your interference," Pippa added.

"Yeah. Also, Leonard's known her for months and never did anything. He knows she doesn't have a boyfriend.. I'm not going to be anyone's emotional bodyguard," said Andrew.

Pippa nodded, satisfied with his answer, "Exactly. You've already got enough on your plate with your team, your training, and your life. No need to get caught up in love triangles."

Andrew looked at her for a second in silence, then smiled, "It's always good talking to you,"

And without another word, he wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her.

After that they separated and joined the group, they chatted a little more until each one returned to their home.

Before everyone arrived for their usual Friday night, Andrew had one important task.

He turned on his computer and started editing the video. Howard had already sent him all the clips, clean footage, good audio quality, and, of course, dramatic angles only Howard could capture.

It took him an hour to get the video ready, and without wasting time, he uploaded it.

[YouTube]

📺 PALISADES 50 - WEST VALLEY 28 | UNDEFEATED TEAM – WEEK 5 HIGHLIGHTS

👤 Andrew Pritchett-Tucker

📌 999,887 subscribers

👁️ Posted: 12 seconds ago

'Almost there...' Andrew thought, leaning back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head.

Knowing that in about thirty minutes Pippa, Haley, and the others would start arriving, he took a shower.

Twenty minutes later...

Andrew returned to his desk with damp hair and a towel hanging around his neck.

He refreshed the page.

The screen blinked for a second, and when he saw the stats, a smile formed on his face.