The Team - Chap 2

[luvyalots]

Previously on The Team...

Dan Wilkins, the star quarterback of his high school JV football team - and self-professed All-American jock stud - receives the disappointment of his life when he gets kicked off the team for taking steroids.

link to Chapter 1

Chapter 2: Direction

Dan pushed his food around on his plate, not having the appetite to finish his dinner. He couldn?t stand the glances his parents kept giving him as they all sat there in silence. He wished he could just hide?like the peas that were hiding in his mashed potatoes. It had been three days since he was kicked off the football team, but things hadn?t gotten any less tense at home.

?Dan,? his mother said quietly, ?you have to eat something. You?ve barely eaten in two days.?

?I know,? he grunted, poking his chicken with his fork. Normally, he?d be starving after a full day of football practice and wolf down the meal. But no, there was no football practice anymore?ever. He had been cut from the team and worse, had suffered the embarrassment of being the first victim of the school?s no-tolerance policy on drugs. He wished he hadn?t looked at his teammates? faces as the athletic director escorted him out of the locker room. They all knew he had been juicing and they looked betrayed ? even the ones who had been juicing just like him. Fucking hypocrites! In anger, Dan threw down his fork and it clanged against his plate.

?DANIEL!? his mom scolded.

?Sorry,? he muttered, looking down again to avoid her glare. Silence again.

?Dan,? his dad spoke up, looking cool and collected as if nothing was wrong and they were just a regular family having supper. ?I was thinking we?d re-stain the deck tomorrow. Heaven knows it needs it.? Now it was his mother?s turn to drop her fork onto her plate.

?Honey, he?s grounded,? she not-so-gently reminded him.

?True, but he can still do things around the house.?

?You don?t seem to understand the seriousness of what he did,? she went on, turning more fully toward her husband and emphatically pointing her finger at him. ?Your son has been taking steroids for a year...?

?My son?? Dan?s dad fired back. ?He?s your son too, you know.?

?Well, why do you think he did what he did?? his mom immediately jabbed. His dad looked shocked that his wife would accuse him like that.

?Are you saying it?s my fault now?? he asked, his voice suddenly rising.

?Whose fault do you think it could be? You pretty much encouraged it??

?Encouraged it? I??

?STOP IT!? Dan shouted. He parents immediately froze and looked at him.
?Stop talking about me like I?m not here!? He sat at the table opposite them, seething, his chest heaving up and down. His fists clenched up. He felt like he wanted to hit something, to throw something, punch something, anything. But his mom would probably say something about roid rage and make him even angrier. Instead, he got up without a word and headed out of the room.

?Daniel,? his mom pleaded remorsefully, though still with authority, ?come finish your dinner.?

?No,? Dan stated, already halfway up the stairs. He slammed his door as he entered his bedroom, trying not to listen to his parents continuing their argument downstairs. Why had he been so stupid? So naive? A year ago, he had thought that roiding up would make his life better. Well, it made his lifts better, his all-important stats more impressive. But how important were those stats now? His football career was over.

His life was over.

Dan grabbed a pillow off his bed and threw it across the room as the rage that had built up inside of him was suddenly let loose. It smashed against a shelf full of trophies, knocking several of them off. They clattered against the hardwood floor, breaking into dozens of pieces.

?FUCK!? he screamed in frustration, just letting it all out. He swung his body around, grasped a floor lamp and tossed it to the ground, hearing the tinkle of the bulb breaking. Dan next moved on to his desk, sweeping his muscled arm across it, bulldozing its contents and causing them to fly in every direction. Glass shattered, paper tore and wood splintered as Dan trashed his bedroom in fury.

When all his anger was finally released ? and there was nothing left to destroy ? Dan collapsed onto his bed in exhaustion. His body was covered in sweat, his face in tears. He shut his eyes and dug his fingers into his hair, his jaw quivering uncontrollably. He almost jumped when he heard a knock on his door.

?You done in there?? his dad asked calmly. Slowly, the doorknob turned and his father cautiously stepped into the room. Wading through the debris on the floor, he made his way to his son?s distraught body. Dan turned his head away, feeling as crushed as the little plastic trophy football players that now littered the floor below him.

?I?m sorry, dad,? he whimpered, surveying the devastation of his own wrath.

?You had to,? his dad replied knowingly. ?You had to let it out.? Dan smirked, a small puff of air escaping his nose.

?Did mom tell you to come up here,? he said, ?or did you decide to do it on your own?? He peered at his father cynically; it was obvious his old man was uncomfortable.

?Dan, we?re just worried about you.?

?You guys sound more worried about how I make you look,? he shot back grumpily. ?You!? He turned his head away again; this conversation was finished as far as he was concerned.

?Dan,? his dad went on regardless, ?everybody makes mistakes??

?If you call ending your football career by taking illegal drugs a mistake,? Dan interrupted. His father flexed his jaw nervously, realizing his poor choice of words.

?Ok,? he consented, ?maybe I should say?misjudgment.? And a gross one at that, Dan thought. ?But son, you still have your whole life ahead of you. You?ll find something else. You?ll find another direction.? Dan glared at his dad with a baffled expression.

?What are you talking about?? he wondered aloud.

?I know you may not want to admit it right now,? he began to explain, ?but you had ? have ? a lot more than football going for you.? The man sat gently on the bed, his broad body looming over his son?s. ?You have good looks, you?re pretty smart, though your grades could be a little better.?

?That came from mom, didn?t it?? Dan asked, motionless. His dad cleared his throat anxiously.

?Yeah,? he answered. ?But most importantly, Dan, you have parents that love you no matter what?even if you screw things up every now and then.? He lowered his voice to a near-whisper. ?You must remember that.?

In the silence that followed, Dan sighed, admitting ? to himself ? that his father had a point. He knew that there was nothing he could do that would make his parents stop loving him?even if it was fucking up a bright future. He wanted to say something, but he didn?t know what?or how. He simply lay unmoving on his bed.

?Get some sleep tonight,? his dad let out a gentle smile. ?But you should start cleaning this mess up before your mom finds it first.? Dan then heard the rustling of his father getting up and heading toward the door.

?Dad?? he spoke up before he left the room, turning over onto his back. His dad stopped and met his gaze. Dan opened his mouth to speak, but couldn?t. He wanted to say thank you but didn?t know how without it sounding awkward?like a bad TV sitcom. After a few moments, his dad gave him a knowing smile and quietly left the room, leaving Dan lying on his bed alone.



13?14?15?16?

Dan hoisted his sculpted body up and down over and over again while hanging from the chin-up bar in his closet door. His breathing was rhythmic and mechanical, his eyes fixed and focused, as he powered through a third set of chin-ups. With each rep, he could feel his upper back muscles shifting beneath his skin, his lats flaring out under his armpits.

25?26?27?28?

Dan sensed the familiar burn spreading through his muscles, the burn that used to always psych him up, letting him know those muscles were going to grow some more. But after all that had happened, he didn?t feel anything; that burn meant nothing to him now.

29?and?30.

He forced out the last two reps with a grunt and hopped down to the floor, scowling. Working out used to be a rush. No more. It felt like just part of the daily routine, like brushing his teeth.

Dan rolled his shoulders forward, numbly watching his muscles pop and flex in the mirror. Just then, his cell phone buzzed on his desk. He glanced at it briefly before bending down to pick up a pair of 20-pound dumbbells. It was probably Marcus or one of his other football buddies ? check that, former football buddies. He hadn?t hung out with or spoken to any of his old teammates all Spring Break. The last thing he needed was more ridicule?especially from guys who were still obviously juicing like he had. He could just imagine Marcus stacking all summer like he had been planning and ending up jacked out of his mind by the start of the football season.

?Fuck!? Dan hissed as he threw himself into a furious set of bicep curls, his face scrunching up angrily with each rep. This was how he got through his workouts nowadays ? sheer anger. Suddenly, his phone went off again, rattling persistently against his desk. ?What?? Dan fumed, dropping the dumbbells with a clang and storming over to it. He looked at the display.
Oh. It was Carly. Dan bit his lip guiltily. He hadn?t been talking to her lately either.

To many people, Dan?s relationship with Carly seemed superficial, just another feather in his cap of female conquests. But in reality, they truly cared for each other. She was probably the closest thing he had to a true girlfriend. They were next-door neighbors and had known one another since they were little. And while Dan went through numerous partners on the side, he always came back to Carly. Sure, the sex was great ? she was one of the hottest girls in his class ? but it wasn?t always about the sex with her like it was with other girls. Carly felt safe, comfortable somehow. He felt like he could have a complete conversation with her, tell her anything. Of course, none of the guys ever knew this soft side of him; he wouldn?t let them. Sighing, Dan flipped open his cell phone and read Carly?s text message.
u alright?

im cool, he answered back quickly. Seconds later, his phone vibrated again.

can I come over? came her next message. Dan hesitated for a moment. She might?ve wanted sex or something. They both could always count on each other for that if nothing else. But then why would she ask if he was alright? Oh, what the heck?

sure, he texted back.

Dan tossed the phone onto the desk and fell back onto his bed, rubbing his hands over his face and through his hair. He lay there motionless, only his stomach silently moving up and down, the fabric of his wife-beater sticking to his sweaty abs. He was still in the same position when Carly arrived.

?Dan?? she said, making him bolt up.

?Hey,? he grunted, lying back down again once he saw her head poking through his bedroom door.

?Your parents told me what happened when they let me in,? she continued, slipping her slender body fully into the room and softly closing the door behind her. ?Everyone on the team is wondering where you?ve been.? Dan propped himself onto his elbows and stared at her blankly.

?As if they really care,? he muttered bitterly. His old teammates were probably all in the weight room right now, pumping themselves up, showing off their muscles. He was most likely already forgotten.

?I care,? Carly offered. Dan peered directly into her eyes. He could always read her, know her thoughts somehow. And right there, standing in front of him, he knew she was telling the truth. ?The steroids,? she added, ?I was against them from the start, despite how fantastic they made you look...?

?Don?t go telling me ?I told you so,?? he pleaded, rolling his eyes. He had gotten enough of that kind of attitude from his parents.

?I?m not,? Carly explained, sitting down on the bed next to his sprawling body. Dan looked up at her again ? she was still gazing concernedly at him. Most girls would just be staring lustfully at his body by now, wanting him to fuck them senseless?but Carly wasn?t. Her fondness for him was far more than skin-deep.

She drifted her gaze down to his lower abs?where his wife-beater had ridden up slightly, revealing the contour of his chiseled obliques. Gently, she caressed the exposed spot just above his pelvis, her fingers sliding easily across his sweaty skin. Immediately, Dan felt the warmth chill sweep down his spine and he began to relax. He sighed and slowly closed his eyes. Carly knew exactly what turned him on and she was the only girl that could make him feel this way.

?Relax,? she whispered in his ear, her head having already moved next to his, her body lying alongside his on the bed. He turned to look into her round, brown eyes. ?Everything?s gonna be alright,? she assured him. Dan let out a half smile and leaned over to kiss her. Their lips met, their tongues touched, both letting their passion out. Dan turned over and slipped his hand around Carly?s waist, his fingers gliding up her spine. She moaned as he settled on the back of her bra, unlatching it. She rolled on top of him as they continued kissing. Her hips ground lightly against his and Dan felt his cock begin to harden.

?Take off your clothes,? he breathed, gazing up at her.

?You sure?? she asked him. Dan nodded.

?Yeah,? he replied. Sex was always a release for him, but he needed a different kind of sex tonight. Obeying, Carly sat up on her knees and pulled her top over her head, letting her unhooked bra falling off her full breasts. Dan held her flat abdomen, his right thumb delicately massaging the small birthmark next to her naval, the only blemish on her otherwise perfect body.

?Come here,? she urged him, wrapping a hand around the back of his neck and guiding him up to her to resume kissing. She helped him strip off his wife-beater, her naked breasts pressing up against his bare pecs ? soft flesh against hard muscle.

Carly?s hands drifted to Dan?s waist, pulling down at his shorts, letting his erect cock free, its head already peeking out from beneath the waistband. At the same time, his hands unbuttoned her jeans and began tugging them off her legs, his triceps flexing impressively with each movement he made.

?Lie down,? she said, easily pushing him down onto the bed. Almost instantly, his cock slipped perfectly into her, making her gasp, her body tensing slightly. She was tighter than most of the girls Dan slept with; she didn?t sleep around like he did. In fact, he was the only guy she had ever been with?and she had been his first. That was probably why she was different to him ? they had both taken each other?s virginity; he had a connection to Carly that no one else ever could.

Dan gently held her shoulders in his hands, silently easing her toward him. Slowly, she began to relax on top of him, her tits once again touching his chest. Then, he began pumping her, their lips interlocked once more, their hands gently groping one another?s bodies.

For nearly ten minutes, Dan fucked her, letting himself be overcome with the serenity that only Carly seemed to have the ability to give him. All the while, her body melted more and more into his, their limbs entwined. Suddenly, he began to feel the pre-cum seep out of his dick. It was time.

?I?m almost there,? he whispered calmly into her ear. She gave him a look of understanding and lifted herself off him enough to let him pull out. Almost immediately, his thick cock erupted with a torrent of jizz that splattered against her inner thigh. Dan?s butt and abs tensed involuntarily with each orgasm. This had been their agreement whenever they did it without protection ? coitus interruptus it was called. They had to be careful, especially since her father would have her head if she ever became pregnant.

When it was finally all done, he let out a huge sigh. Carly collapsed onto the bed beside him, her face resting against his smooth pec. For a long time, the two just lay there together, breathing in unison, until they fell asleep.



The next morning, Dan awoke to the sun streaming through his window, blinding him temporarily as he opened his eyes. Instinctively, he reached his arm to the other side of the bed, feeling the emptiness next to him. Carly had left in the middle of the night. Dan didn?t think anything of it; her parents had never been too keen about her sleeping over at his place and always insisted she be home by midnight or something. Dan could only hope she got home before they woke up.

The previous night had been amazing as usual. Sex always made him feel better, but sex with Carly was different?how he could never explain. He always felt a sense of calmness, of peace, the morning after. Maybe things were going to be all right after all. Maybe football didn?t have to be his life. Maybe his life could successfully go in another direction.

Sighing serenely, Dan stretched his arms behind his head and smiled for the first time in a long time. Yeah, he thought to himself, it?ll eventually turn out ok.

?Dan, you up?? his father?s voice called from down the hall, coming toward his room. Dan jumped up and climbed out of bed, still naked from the events of the night before. Frantically, he glanced around his room for his clothes. Carly usually put them?yeah, there they were, draped over his desk chair. He quickly grabbed his boxers and slipped them on just as a knock sounded on his door.

?Yeah,? he answered.

?You alive in there?? his dad asked merrily, in the tone of voice he usually reserved for when he was about to corral Dan into doing a chore.

?I?ll be out in a minute,? he replied, hastily yanking on a pair of shorts and lunging to his closet to search for a shirt.

?Actually, can I come in?? His dad?s voice lowered and had suddenly grown more serious. Dan paused, wondering what this was all about.

?Uh, yeah,? he answered, ?sure, I guess.? Mr. Wilkins came in, looking a little nervous, though with a broad smile on his face. Dan turned away, almost embarrassed about how silly the smile made his old man look.

?You look like you?re feeling better,? he began.

?I am,? Dan muttered, pulling a T-shirt over his head. His dad cleared his throat, apparently not sure of exactly what to say next.

?Well, uh, I thought we would stain the deck today,? he went on. ?It?s a beautiful day outside.?

?Yeah,? Dan answered automatically. A strange silence snuck into the conversation. Dan bit his lip uncomfortably. He was about to just say something ? anything ? to break it, but his dad beat him to it.

?You remember what I told you the other night about starting in another direction?? he blurted. Dan looked at his father with a puzzled expression, wondering where this was going.

?Yeah,? he said cautiously. ?You said that there is more to life than football.?

?Exactly,? Mr. Wilkins stopped short as if he had forgotten what he was going to tell his son. ?Well,? he restarted, ?it?s good?that you know that. And, um?? his hand went to the back pocket of his pants ?well, uh, I found this in the paper this morning.? He continued, pulling a newspaper clipping out of the pocket. ?I cut it out on a whim, thinking that maybe it might be something?different.? Curious, Dan took it from him and unfolded it. He blinked when he read it.

?You?re joking,? he said, nearly breaking into laughter. He couldn?t possibly be serious. ?The Allentown Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps?? His dad had finally done it; he had finally gone over the deep end. ?You mean, like a marching band? You can?t actually expect me to join a marching band.?

?They?re looking for support staff,? he hurriedly explained, noting the look of disbelief on his son?s face. ?They need people who can load trucks and carry heavy instruments around. I figured they?d be able to use someone with your strength.? Dan stared at his father incredulously.

?What?? he ridiculed. A drum and bugle corps? What was he smoking? True, Dan needed to go in another direction ? the football route certainly wasn?t going to work out anymore ? but this? He made a skeptical face, shifting his jaw back and forth.

?It?ll get you out of town, get you away from things for a while,? his dad continued. He paused. ?And you?ll still get to be on a football field,? he added with a sheepish grin. Dan sighed loudly. He couldn?t believe this was happening.

?This is crazy,? he muttered.

?Dan, just go this weekend, you know, give it a try,? his dad proposed calmly. ?If you don?t like it, you won?t have to go back.? He shrugged. ?Your Uncle Joe was in marching band in college and he always says how much fun he had.? Dan looked up at his father?s eyes and bit his lip in thought. Oh, what the fuck. What was the worst that could happen? His reputation was tarnished as it was. And he did feel like he owed his parents something. What did he have to lose? No one had to know.

?Fine,? he answered reluctantly. His dad smiled and clapped him lightly on the back.

?I?m sure you?ll love it,? he assured him, though Dan wasn?t sure whether to believe the expression on his face as genuine or not. God, he said to himself, I?m going to become a band geek.

[Synth.x]

great chapter, luvyalots.

One question though:
Obviously a writer of your talent knows what he's doing, but if "The Team" is focused on Dan, and Dan is no longer on the team but actually on the corps... lol?
Just something I thought I'd point out, I'm sure you have your reasons hehe.

[dimarvalc]

At first, I was a little bit skeptical about that way of telling a story. But then, I realized that you're just separating the events that will lead, ultimately, to a crossover between the two stories

Separate stories for 2 separate points of view.

Well, it's clicking together now, with this chapter.

Cool! I'm liking this a lot

Thanks!

dimarvalc

[tagsnola]

the plot thickens and the TWO plots come together!

[Ender]

Okay, we have the link now. Although I'm not sure how Dan will fit in to the dynamics of Evan and Dylan.

I am reminded a bit of Rowan's "Saved" and the triangle of Gabriel, Tristan and Azra. A kid looking for something but not sure what, a good guy and a "bad" guy (right now I see the self absorbed Dan as a likely Azra)

We'll know more when we get the three together, but if Dan wanted to he might be able to "mentor" Evan into the becoming the jock-stud football player Evan dreams of being... That could be good for both of them but I doubt Dan has any willingness to give anything to anyone right now. My guess is that Dan is going to treat Evan like shit because he's a short fat wimp. Dan's and Dylan's likely relationship is a lot more problematic. Since Dylan is built like a jock, Dan will most likely be decent to him but it's seems likely that the position of leader of the truck crew will quickly come between them.

Dan sees himself as an alpha male and he won't feel obliged to submit to a younger shorter Dylan's, who is the guy that has experience, direction. And that will lead to conflicts. Will Dylan's dad promote the older Dan to be the boss of Evan and Dylan? Maybe if Dylan messes up bad or is made to appear to have messed up... Right now Dan setting up event to frame a someone especially a rival to advance himself would come naturally to Dan.

Ender

[lanceschindler]

I love it when muscular guys have hot sex with hot sexy girls... please... more on that!