Perfect Season Read Free

colleges. He never imagined Ty would trade all that for the broken-down Summit football program.
    â€œReally?”
    Ty looked at his older brother. Thane pulled his lips back from his clenched teeth and tilted his head. He cleared his throat.
    â€œWhat?” Ty asked him.
    Thane gave Troy’s mom an embarrassed look. “I . . . uh, we sure can talk about it.”
    â€œOkay,” Ty said, “let’s talk.”
    Thane flashed his little brother an annoyed look. “Later.”
    â€œI think your brother is right, Ty.” Troy’s mom finished her DQ sandwich and wiped her fingers on a napkin. “You can’t just change where you’re going to school to play football.”
    Thane’s face flushed. “Seriously, I’d really be happy to work something out with you, Tessa, so Troy could go to St. Stephen’s, too. I know these guys have big plans.”
    Up went the hand again. “It’s nice, trust me, I appreciate the thought, but no. I can’t. Absolutely not. So are you two still ready to have dinner with us tomorrow night? I make a mean plate of spaghetti and meatballs. Right, Troy?”
    â€œShe does.” Troy tried to sound enthusiastic.
    â€œOur mom used to be this great cook,” Thane said, “and she’d get mad at me because spaghetti and meatballs was all I ever wanted to eat.”
    â€œI love it, too,” Ty said. “Hey, can Troy go with us to the Jets tomorrow? He and I can throw the ball on the practice field.”
    They finished their ice cream and milk shakes, making plans for Ty and Troy to get together the next day, and said good-bye. On the car ride home, Troy couldn’t help himself.
    â€œMom, he wants to help us. I’m going to make a ton of money in the next three years.”
    She sighed. “And when you do, and we have money to spend, we’ll change schools. Troy, it’s not easy being a single mom. I’m not complaining, but part of how I’ve done it is sticking to certain principles, and this is one of them. Now, if you want to spend time with Ty and Thane this summer, you’ve got to promise me this will be the end of begging to go to St. Stephen’s. It’s not going to happen. I worry about you. I know a lot of exciting things have happened, but you’re still young.
    â€œYou have to stop trying to manipulate everyone and everything around you. Some things are just meant to be, and you playing for Summit this year is just one of them. Do you get it? Are we done now?” She ended with a low growl.
    â€œYes. We’re done.”
    That’s what Troy said, but in his mind, he already had a plan of how he just might fix things without changing schools.
    When they got home, he did some chores that his mom asked him to do, then took his iPhone and set off on a walk down the street. When he got away from the house, he dialed and waited for an answer.
    â€œHello?” said a man’s voice.
    â€œHey. It’s me, Troy.”
    â€œHey, what’s up?”
    â€œWell, you know how you said if I ever really needed you, all I have to do is call?”
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œWell, I need you.”

CHAPTER SIX
    TROY’S EXPERIENCE TOLD HIM that adults could be relied upon only up to a certain point. After that, they were as unpredictable as a fumble. You never knew which way they were going to bounce. He tried to push the phone call out of his mind and focus on his trip to the Jets facility. It was no small thing, being hired as a twelve—now thirteen—year-old kid by an NFL team. The Jets’ owner hadn’t done it without thoroughly testing Troy, and, at the time, Troy had been pretty puffed up about his talent and the way he was using it to help his favorite team in the entire world—the Atlanta Falcons—become world champions. So when he had to prove his worth, he’d done it with great pride. Predicting play after play while