I am 15 chapters ahead on my patreón, check it out if you are interested.
https://www.patréon.com/emperordragon
_________________________________________
Chapter 17: Friday Night Lights… and Family
[Confessional – Jay]
"High school football. The smell of fresh-cut grass, the sound of a good tackle, and the absolute butchering of the National Anthem by some poor kid who thinks they're the next Mariah Carey. Takes me back."
"Tonight's Jon's first game. Kid's been training hard, and since he actually listens to me—unlike my actual kids—I figured I'd come watch. Also, Gloria would have dragged me here regardless."
---
The stadium is packed with students, parents, and alumni. The floodlights hum overhead, cutting through the crisp evening air. The smell of popcorn and grilled burgers drifts through the stands. The entire Pritchett-Dunphy clan has taken over a row of seats.
Jay, Gloria, Manny, Claire, Phil, Haley, Alex, Cam, and Mitchell are all there, each with varying levels of enthusiasm.
Gloria: "Ay, our Jon is going to be a star!"
Jay: "Slow down, he's not even starting. He's on the bench."
Phil: "That's how all the greats begin! Tom Brady was a benchwarmer once!"
Jay: "Phil, every player starts on the bench until they don't."
Meanwhile, Sam arrives, effortlessly drawing attention as she moves through the bleachers. She joins Haley and Alex.
Haley (grinning): "Well, if it isn't the most talked-about senior in school."
Sam (smirking): "You flatter me."
Alex: "She's not flattering you. She's stating a fact."
Sam shrugs, completely unbothered.
Down on the field, Jon sits on the bench with his helmet on his lap, watching the game intently. He doesn't look impatient—just focused. Jay likes that. No sulking. No whining. Just waiting for his moment.
The national anthem plays. As expected, the singer is awful. Cam visibly cringes.
Cam: "Oh, sweetie, no… start lower, start lower!"
Mitchell: "Why do they always pick someone who wants to show off?"
Jay: "Back in my day, they just got the band to play it. No risk, no wailing."
Phil places a hand over his heart, swaying dramatically. Claire nudges him.
Claire: "Phil, you don't have to close your eyes."
Phil: "I'm feeling the moment."
---
The Game Begins
The whistle blows, and the game kicks off.
Their team receives the ball first. Their quarterback, a lanky kid with a decent arm, jogs onto the field with his offense. Jay watches closely.
Jay looked up the last season, this team was a mess. No rhythm, no structure. But this year? They look… organized.
The first play is a quick handoff to the running back, who barrels forward for five yards.
Jay (nodding): "Alright. Decent start."
The next play, the quarterback drops back and throws a crisp slant route to a receiver. First down.
The family cheers.
Cam: "Oh! That was a beautiful pass! I feel like I'm watching Friday Night Lights!"
Mitchell: "You spent the entire time during Friday Night Lights talking about how their uniforms needed more sparkle."
A few plays later, Jon's team reaches field goal range. They don't take risks. The kicker comes out and nails it.
3-0.
Phil (pumping a fist): "Yes! We're on the board!"
Jay remains neutral.
Jay: "Yeah, but now let's see how their defense holds up."
The opposing team gets the ball. And immediately, it's clear why they made the quarterfinals last season.
Their quarterback is confident, poised, and throwing darts. Their receivers are fast. Their linemen hold strong. Within minutes, they slice through their defense like butter.
Touchdown. 7-3.
Jay sighs.
Jay: "Saw that coming."
The second quarter is a grind. The home team fights hard, keeping up, refusing to let the game slip away. Their defense tightens up, forcing punts. The offense finds a rhythm, answering with their own touchdown.
10-7.
The opposing team adjusts. They push down the field again, but the home team makes a goal-line stand, forcing them to settle for a field goal.
10-10.
Alex watches intently, particularly when the camera occasionally lands on Jon sitting on the bench.
Haley notices.
Haley (smirking): "Enjoying the game, Alex?"
Alex (startled): "What? No. Just… analyzing strategy."
Haley (laughing): "Oh my God, Alex, you're so obvious."
Meanwhile, on the field, the opposing team starts leaning on their running game. They break off a huge run, pushing into the red zone.
Another touchdown.
17-10.
Their team responds with another field goal.
17-13.
Jay notices something: the defense is starting to bend.
The other team smells blood. They start throwing deep. Their receivers torch the secondary, setting up another touchdown.
24-13.
Halftime is approaching. Their team needs something big.
They try to push the ball downfield, but the opposing defense is locked in. Their quarterback is sacked, and they're forced to punt.
Jay shakes his head.
Jay: "They're losing their grip. If they don't adjust, this game is over."
---
The whistle blows. Halftime.
Players jog toward the locker rooms, their body language showing the shift in momentum. The opponent team is fired up. Their team looks frustrated.
Jay watches carefully.
Then—he sees it.
The coach walks over to Jon. Says something. Jon nods. Stands up. Grabs his helmet.
He starts stretching. Then jogging in place. Then running sprints down the sideline.
Jay smirks.
Jay: "Well, well, well."
Alex notices too.
Alex (muttering): "Oh my God. They're putting him in."
Sam smiles knowingly.
The stadium announcer's voice booms through the speakers.
"Starting the second half at wide receiver… Jon Hale!"
The crowd cheers. The camera zooms in on Jon's face. He looks calm, focused, unreadable.
But Jay knows the look.
It's the look of a kid who's been waiting for his moment.
And now, it's here.