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      “Okay, see, I’ve had enough,” I told her quickly, cutting her off. “Why are you being the over-jealous type?”

      When she looked down, unable to respond, I figured maybe every girl had it in her. I could relate. I was certain that I didn’t want to see her with another guy, but she shouldn’t just assume that I was dissing her. I knew that no matter what I said, there was no way I was going to win. “So you can’t answer me? You can’t respond.”

      She shook her head. “Naw, I know you won’t understand.”

      I said, “Try me. Say something. I don’t appreciate you trying to humiliate me.”

      “You care more about what everybody else thinks instead of what I think.”

      “No, you don’t respect me.”

      “Like you respect me,” she said. “Please, Perry, if you did you wouldn’t lie to me. We’d be together. You’d make me a priority.”

      She just went on and on whining. It was so annoying. I had a lot of pressure on me. A lot of people were pulling on me from all different kinds of directions. We said we were going to be an item, wasn’t that enough for her?

      “Just forget it, Perry. I don’t even know why I try. I don’t even know why I cared.”

      She left the restaurant. Like a nut, I followed her. I thought about my sister Payton. If there was one thing I had learned from her, it was that during a certain time of the month girls went cuckoo. Maybe that was the case with Savoy, so I went over.

      Gently, I stroked her soft brown hair. “So is it that time of the month for you or something?”

      “Why does it have to be all of that? Can it be that I just want you to care? I don’t understand why it’s so hard for you to understand.”

      “You can’t put limitations on me.”

      “I didn’t.”

      “I’d think you’d understand that I haven’t seen my friends or my family in practically months. With all that I have had to balance—from trying to be an A student to showing out on the field—it’s just been one thing after another. Finally, I get the good news that I’m going to have the chance to play in the big game and I can’t even celebrate.” I sighed. “I mean, if you want to know everywhere I go, if you want to sign off on every little thing I do, then honestly this might be too much for me.”

      “Okay, forgetting me, putting me aside, Perry, could you honestly say that the Lord would be pleased at what you’re doing right now? Don’t you think that He would see your actions as a little suspect for a guy who is supposed to have a girlfriend?”

      “Savoy, the Lord knows what’s in my heart and I know He wouldn’t condemn me because of something Damarius does. Yeah, he has five girls hanging on him, but they ain’t hanging on me.”

      “Whatever. They are not around him because of him. Everybody knows who you are. I have heard the buzz. Every girl in this barbeque joint wants you smothered between two slices of toasted bread. You’ve got ‘potential millionaire’ written all across your forehead. Are you stupid? Do you not see?” Savoy came at me worse than an attack dog.

      Standing my ground, I said, “I told you I didn’t want a jealous girlfriend.” It was almost like she was about to hyperventilate, so I paused.

      “Well, excuse me, but if you would be more of a boyfriend, and give me the same things that you expect from me, we wouldn’t have these issues. And to answer your question from earlier, yes, I’m on my period right now. So I’m sorry for hitting you in public and all that. I wasn’t trying to embarrass you. I was trying to get your attention; either you want to be in this relationship with me or you don’t.”

      “Well, it can’t be just your way. If you’re saying those are the terms, then bye.”

      She turned around and threw her hands up in the air. Deep down I cared a lot about her. Way more than I ever did for Tori. I loved her, I just wanted to be cautious and keep my heart guarded. I wasn’t trying to downplay all that she was saying, but I didn’t see myself as all that either. Maybe God could help me to check myself.

      Alright, Lord, if I’m wrong for having a little time for me, show me. If I’m supposed to be with Savoy, You need to show me how she and I can make it.

      Damarius and Cole walked up to me and Damarius said, “That’s what I’m talking about. Let her walk away. You the man!”

      When I was back at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, Coach Red addressed the team in a frustrated tone. “Men, I’m disappointed in you. You’ve got to be self-motivated to make it to the top. No one can give you the desire to become the best. You’ve got a National Championship game to play and I know most of you went home for the full week off I gave you. Now most of you look like you haven’t even worked out while away from our trainers and the facility.”

      The talk was that coach had been going crazy. We knew it was stress from sportswriters speculating that another team should have gotten in the big game, not us. We heard we got voted in because of the politics Coach played. He had a lot of pressure on him.

      I didn’t know why he thought we were unfocused, why he thought we didn’t care. Just because we wanted to be around our families didn’t mean that we weren’t taking this seriously. I scanned the room and knew every player in there had the heart to win. Saxon raised his hand.

      “Yes, Lee. What do you want?” Coach Red snapped.

      “Coach, I just wanted to say that you told us we could go home. If that’s not what you wanted, why’d you say it was alright?”

      “I wanted you guys to make the decision to stay. When you’re about to play in a big game, the biggest one you’ll ever play in your life, you forgo some things. This National Championship game is it; you’re getting a chance to play at the most outstanding level. I wanted my men to think, to be in the Championship game and to perform that night while millions are watching. You got to be on your toes. You got to be willing to sacrifice. If you say you want to win, you’ve got to give it your all,” he said, shaking his head. “Yeah, I told you you could go, but I didn’t think you would. But I can’t cry over spilt milk. Y’all are going to clean it up. Get out there and do a hundred suicides up and down the stadium steps.”

      We all grumbled.

      “GET OUT THERE NOW!” he yelled.

      Quickly, we fled out to the stadium. A line formed and we jogged the stairs. Of course, after twenty-five we were all tired.

      “This proves my point. You guys didn’t train hard enough this week. But that’s okay because we’re going to be ready for USC. Those Trojans are going to be ready for a war and we’re going to give them one. Strap on your swords, bees, and let’s lead ’em on to the hive,” he said as our team got fired up.

      Two days later, we were on a plane heading down to Miami. I had always heard that the bowl games were something special, but to be in the biggest bowl was something special all in itself. And to play in it as a freshman, I truly was psyched.

      As soon as we got there, the hotel’s upscale lobby was swarming with press like we were celebrities or something.

      Lenard came up to me with one of the other defensive guys and said, “Alright, bonding time.”

      “Just because we have the night off doesn’t mean we need to go out on the town,” I said, reminding them of the coach’s philosophy. Just because an opportunity presents itself doesn’t mean you have to seize it.

      Lenard grabbed me by my collar and said, “Quit being a wimp. You’re supposed to enjoy this time. You may have an opportunity to come back out here, but as seniors this is our last shot. We are up in the house and Miami here we come. You coming with us?”

      “Yeah, I’m coming to keep y’all out of trouble,” I said reluctantly. He was

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