Mrs. Perkins, Myra, and Mike were all sitting on the bleachers as the game had progressed into the fourth quarter. Having been absent since halftime, Mr. McKenzie was finally making his way back to the seating area.

“Oh, hello Mrs. Perkins,” he said.

Mr. McKenzie found a spot to sit on the bench row in front of the group.

“Wait, you know Mrs. Perkins?” Mike asked.

“She’s on the parent-teacher association,” Mr. McKenzie answered.

“Oh,”

Mike returned his focus to the game on the field. Since the touchdown at the start of the second half, the only scoring which had occurred was a field goal by the visiting team to make the score sixteen to ten.

“Let’s see if we can’t get a defensive stop,” Mrs. Perkins said.

“Oh, that’s right, your nephew is on the team, Mrs. Perkins,” Mr. McKenzie said.

The visiting team had the ball, but were currently in their own end of the field and on a difficult third down. The opposing team ran for a run play, but the defense sniffed it out, forcing the visitor's punt unit to come onto the field.

“Alright, let’s see if we can’t score to win this game,” said Mrs. Perkins.

Myra leaned over towards Mike and quietly said into his ear:

“She’s really into it, isn’t she,”

“Her nephew is on the special teams, apparently,” Mike said.

The visiting team punted the ball, setting up the home team with a few minutes to go most of the field to try to win the game. The offense - led by Johnny - came onto the field to try their best at making that possibility happen.

“Hey, what does your nephew think of Johnny?” Myra asked.

“Hm? They don’t interact too much, why?” Mrs. Perkins said.

“Because he’s been a total pain in the ass to me and Mike,” added Myra.

“Really? I’ve heard he’s given trouble to some people, but…”

“He’s an ass is what he is.”

Meanwhile on the field, the offense had a run play stall out after a few yards. On second down, Johnny whipped a pass to a receiver near the sideline, darting out of bounds a yard after getting a new set of downs.

“His buddies tried to gang up on me… it was kinda scary,” Mike added.

“Did he? What’s he want with you?” Mrs. Perkins asked.

“Me,” Myra snarked.

“Oh,”

With a new set of downs, the offense set up for another pass play. A receiver broke free downfield, and Johnny calmly tossed a pass on target for a big gain, setting up the offense just past midfield.

The student section cheered loudly, hoping to keep the momentum going into a potential game-winning drive. Both Mrs. Perkins and Mr. McKenzie reacted positively to the development as well.

“Hmm…” Myra mused.

“What’s up?” Mike asked.

“...I have to admit, he’s pretty good at this sport of football,” she said.

“He’s not the star of the football team for no reason,”

While the offense moved upfield for the next play, the larger conversation continued between the group.

“I’ve heard some complaints about him recently as well,” Mr. McKenzie said.

“You want to bring it up at the next parent-teacher meeting?” Mrs. Perkins asked.

Mr. McKenzie sighed.

“I’d rather be grading…”

The offense had moved upfield, now within the twenty-yard line with under a minute to go. The first down was a pass play - deflected for an incompletion.

“C’mon…”

Mrs. Perkins had turned her attention fully to the game on the field. She didn’t like her nephew’s team losing, so she had some amount of personal bias in the outcome. Myra’s bias was against Johnny - but couldn’t help but be caught up in the general support for the home team as well.

On second down, Johnny spotted a receiver break free, and lofted a pass into the endzone for a clear catch. The game was now tied sixteen all. The entire contingent of fans for the home team cheered the loudest they’d had in a while.

“C’mon, let’s get the field goal…” Mrs. Perkins said.

Her nephew took the field to cover for the punter, who was one kick from virtually sealing a comeback win. The attempt began, and the kick sailed clean through the uprights, giving the home team a one-point lead with mere seconds to go. The roar of the crowd was loud - almost a little too loud for Mike, who covered his ears in reaction.

All that remained was one last attempt to make something happen from the visiting team. The ensuing kickoff sailed across the field, and was called for a fair catch. A nervous energy waved over the crowd, as the visitors ran a hail mary. The pass landed incomplete, ending the game at a final score of seventeen to sixteen.

Mike and Myra walked over to Mrs. Perkin’s car after the game. Both of them told relevant parties about the change in plans.

“I’m sorry about getting loud near the end there,” Mrs. Perkins said.

“It’s okay… I usually don’t go to events like this,” added Mike.

“I still don’t like Johnny… but I guess I can see why he’s on the football team,” Myra mused.

“He’s one of the best high school quarterbacks in the state, from what I’ve heard,” Mrs. Perkins added.

“Wow… well, not that I want anything to do with him. Well, I suppose it’s time for me to give that lesson.” Myra said.