Not sure that's how anyone would want to start their senior year trying to get a Power 4 offer
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Captain Canada
Topic author - Posts: 6164
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Captain Canada
Topic author - Posts: 6164
- Joined: 01 Dec 2018, 00:15
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Season III | Chapter II - Dozen Red Flags
By the time Zane walked through the front doors of Upper St. Clair, the world felt tilted.
Not because the building had changed - it hadn't - but because he had.
Last year, he had been able to move through these hallways like a ghost. Hood up. Head down. Just another guy with pads in his locker and potential no one was quite sure about yet.
Now?
Now, eyes followed him.
Whispers didn't even bother pretending anymore. Heads turned. Teammates slapped his shoulders in passing. Underclassmen stared a beat too long. Teachers smiled with that knowing look - like they were watching something unfold in real time.
Top of the food chain.
His body protested every step. Hamstrings tight. Shoulders sore. Lower back barking reminders of double sessions and conditioning tests that sill lived in his bones. Training camp had wrung him out, and game week was already looming, heavy and expectant.
Zane had handled it well on the surface.
inside was different.
Have I done enough?
The question bled in quietly, persistent.
Enough to be noticed. Enough to earn the offers. Enough to make Michigan real - to stand beside Bianca instead of watching from a distance.
And even worse: Should that be the goal at all?
He pushed the thought aside as he slipped into his first-period Political Affairs class.
The room buzzed with unfamiliar voices. New faces. New energy. Seniors who suddenly looked older, sharper, like they understood this year was different too.
He spotted Abdul first - a defensive back he had shared a locker room with but never much else. Abdul nodded once in recognition. Respectful. Distant.
Then Brock Xavier.
The left tackle took up space like small building, shoulders brushing desks he clearly wasn't meant to fit behind. Despite the size, Brock smiled easily, waving Zane over.
"Morning, Z" Brock said warmly.
Zane smirked. "What's going on, boss"
Brock leaned closer. "Try not to let all of the attention get to you, man."
Zane exhaled through his nose. "Trying not to."
Then he felt it.
The look.
He turned slightly and saw.
Rebecca Stevens sat two rows over, legs crossed, posture perfect in that effortlessly preppy way. Brunette. Sharp features. Striking in a quiet, deliberate manner - like she knew exactly how much attention she commended without needing to ask for it.
Her eyes met his and didn't waver.
She smiled.
Zane offered a polite nod, nothing more.
A few minutes later, as the teacher - Mr. Jefferson - fumbled with the projector, she leaned back just enough to catch his attention.
"You're Zane Jones, right?" she asked softly.
"That's me" he replied.
"I'm Rebecca."
"Yeah, I think we had Chem together last year."
Her smile widened at that. "Oh, yes. It's all coming back to me now. Big year, huh?"
"So they say."
Rebecca tilted her head. "I like you, you seem - I don't know - grounded. That's rare at our age."
Zane blinked a moment and then simply shrugged. "Got good people around me."
She glanced at his hands, then back to his eyes. "Girlfriend?"
The question was casual, but the interest wasn't.
"Yeah, you remember her. Bianca Anthopolos?" Zane asked without hesitation. "She was a senior last year, and now she's at Michigan."
Something flickered - not quite disappointment, but something related to it - but she managed to recover quickly.
"Lucky her," she said. "Guess I'll just have to admire from afar like all of your fans."
Zane smiled politely again. Guard up. Walls intact.
The rest of the class zoomed back. Simple administrative stuff. Class expectations. Mr. Jefferson bumbled through his typical monologue.
New year. New weight.
And no matter how high he had climbed, the questions still followed - waiting to see if he had earned the right to stand where everyone now believed he belonged.
By the time Zane walked through the front doors of Upper St. Clair, the world felt tilted.
Not because the building had changed - it hadn't - but because he had.
Last year, he had been able to move through these hallways like a ghost. Hood up. Head down. Just another guy with pads in his locker and potential no one was quite sure about yet.
Now?
Now, eyes followed him.
Whispers didn't even bother pretending anymore. Heads turned. Teammates slapped his shoulders in passing. Underclassmen stared a beat too long. Teachers smiled with that knowing look - like they were watching something unfold in real time.
Top of the food chain.
His body protested every step. Hamstrings tight. Shoulders sore. Lower back barking reminders of double sessions and conditioning tests that sill lived in his bones. Training camp had wrung him out, and game week was already looming, heavy and expectant.
Zane had handled it well on the surface.
inside was different.
Have I done enough?
The question bled in quietly, persistent.
Enough to be noticed. Enough to earn the offers. Enough to make Michigan real - to stand beside Bianca instead of watching from a distance.
And even worse: Should that be the goal at all?
He pushed the thought aside as he slipped into his first-period Political Affairs class.
The room buzzed with unfamiliar voices. New faces. New energy. Seniors who suddenly looked older, sharper, like they understood this year was different too.
He spotted Abdul first - a defensive back he had shared a locker room with but never much else. Abdul nodded once in recognition. Respectful. Distant.
Then Brock Xavier.
The left tackle took up space like small building, shoulders brushing desks he clearly wasn't meant to fit behind. Despite the size, Brock smiled easily, waving Zane over.
"Morning, Z" Brock said warmly.
Zane smirked. "What's going on, boss"
Brock leaned closer. "Try not to let all of the attention get to you, man."
Zane exhaled through his nose. "Trying not to."
Then he felt it.
The look.
He turned slightly and saw.
Rebecca Stevens sat two rows over, legs crossed, posture perfect in that effortlessly preppy way. Brunette. Sharp features. Striking in a quiet, deliberate manner - like she knew exactly how much attention she commended without needing to ask for it.
Her eyes met his and didn't waver.
She smiled.
Zane offered a polite nod, nothing more.
A few minutes later, as the teacher - Mr. Jefferson - fumbled with the projector, she leaned back just enough to catch his attention.
"You're Zane Jones, right?" she asked softly.
"That's me" he replied.
"I'm Rebecca."
"Yeah, I think we had Chem together last year."
Her smile widened at that. "Oh, yes. It's all coming back to me now. Big year, huh?"
"So they say."
Rebecca tilted her head. "I like you, you seem - I don't know - grounded. That's rare at our age."
Zane blinked a moment and then simply shrugged. "Got good people around me."
She glanced at his hands, then back to his eyes. "Girlfriend?"
The question was casual, but the interest wasn't.
"Yeah, you remember her. Bianca Anthopolos?" Zane asked without hesitation. "She was a senior last year, and now she's at Michigan."
Something flickered - not quite disappointment, but something related to it - but she managed to recover quickly.
"Lucky her," she said. "Guess I'll just have to admire from afar like all of your fans."
Zane smiled politely again. Guard up. Walls intact.
The rest of the class zoomed back. Simple administrative stuff. Class expectations. Mr. Jefferson bumbled through his typical monologue.
New year. New weight.
And no matter how high he had climbed, the questions still followed - waiting to see if he had earned the right to stand where everyone now believed he belonged.
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Soapy
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not even gonna say nothingCaptain Canada wrote: ↑28 Dec 2025, 22:48"Lucky her," she said. "Guess I'll just have to admire from afar like all of your fans."
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Captain Canada
Topic author - Posts: 6164
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Good, keep that to yourselfSoapy wrote: ↑29 Dec 2025, 06:44not even gonna say nothingCaptain Canada wrote: ↑28 Dec 2025, 22:48"Lucky her," she said. "Guess I'll just have to admire from afar like all of your fans."
I know that's a damn lie.
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redsox907
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Bianca gets slammed by Darius, Zane pivots to Rebecca for the get backCaptain Canada wrote: ↑28 Dec 2025, 22:48"Lucky her," she said. "Guess I'll just have to admire from afar like all of your fans."
our boy ain't diabolical enough to cheat on poor lil' rich girl, but he sure as shit gonna smash thru the tears
#soxstradamous
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Captain Canada
Topic author - Posts: 6164
- Joined: 01 Dec 2018, 00:15
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Introducing Zane's eventual side piece this early in the storyline is more of a Caesar/Soapy archetype than my own, but I see the engine heating up, for sure.redsox907 wrote: ↑29 Dec 2025, 11:51Bianca gets slammed by Darius, Zane pivots to Rebecca for the get backCaptain Canada wrote: ↑28 Dec 2025, 22:48"Lucky her," she said. "Guess I'll just have to admire from afar like all of your fans."
our boy ain't diabolical enough to cheat on poor lil' rich girl, but he sure as shit gonna smash thru the tears
#soxstradamous
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redsox907
- Posts: 3836
- Joined: 01 Jun 2025, 12:40
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You probably missed the CB convo me and Caes had. But you have the opportunity to do the braziest thingCaptain Canada wrote: ↑29 Dec 2025, 16:01Introducing Zane's eventual side piece this early in the storyline is more of a Caesar/Soapy archetype than my own, but I see the engine heating up, for sure.redsox907 wrote: ↑29 Dec 2025, 11:51Bianca gets slammed by Darius, Zane pivots to Rebecca for the get backCaptain Canada wrote: ↑28 Dec 2025, 22:48"Lucky her," she said. "Guess I'll just have to admire from afar like all of your fans."
our boy ain't diabolical enough to cheat on poor lil' rich girl, but he sure as shit gonna smash thru the tears
#soxstradamous
Bianca is at Michigan