Getting called into school only a couple days before the start of my senior year
was not how I had planned to spend the last few days of my summer vacation.
First, Principal Kaus can be scary when he wants to be. (You don't get to be the
principal of the Circe School for the Gifted and Talented without being an
skilled adept, and I'm far enough along with my studies to really understand
what that means! And second, it's dangerous to be around those kids in summer
school, I heard that some of them have a mean sense of humor. But what I heard
when I got to Mr. Kaus's office really upset me.
"Mr. Stevens, during the summer session, the senior class advisor noticed a
discrepancy in your graduation application. While we here at the Circe school
know how hard you've been working these past few years to improve your grades so
you could get into a really good school like the Massachusetts Institute of
Thaumaturgy. As it stands right now, you will not be able to graduate with the
rest of your class."
"What!" I shouted, leaping from the chair. With a subtle gesture, Kaus froze me
in mid leap, and I fell back like a puppet with it's strings cut.
"Temper, Mr. Stevens" he intoned passively, "I will not tolerate such outbursts
this early in the school year. This is tough enough as it is. You sir are one
credit short for graduation. Remember, in your freshmen year when you were
morph-locked with a merman's tail instead of legs and feet, and you had to take
an incomplete on Phys. Ed? You need to make up a gym credit this year or you
can't graduate with the rest of your class. Sorry, but we can't change the rules
just for one student. It wouldn't be fair to your classmates."
"But Mr. Kaus, I have a full schedule for the next two semesters, I don't have a
free period to take another gym class!"
"I understand, and we sympathize, Mr. Stevens, and we do have a suggestion... Do
you play any sports? A membership on one of our fine school teams would earn you
the single credit you need. Why don't you think about it before the fall
tryouts."
"You mean like football or soccer? That type of sport... Does the Glee Club
count?"
"Yes it does, but you already have a credit for that in your junior year, and
the Drama Club, and your stint as a hall monitor... No, the only option you have
left is to play a sport. Take your time; you have until the end of the first
week of school to decide what you want to try out for. Dismissed Mr. Stevens, I
have lots' of work ahead of me to get ready for the new school year. See you
next week." And with a nod, Mr. Kaus, turned and picked up his phone.
*****
"Damn, Damn, Damn! " I muttered as I walked home. "I have to join a sports
team... Damn!" There was a reason I never tried out for the school teams... Well
two reasons really. I didn't like sports, and I was no good at sports. Here I
was just past my 17th birthday and I was only 5 feet 6 inches tall, and 145 lbs.
soaking wet! Sure, I was at the top of my class in applied magic, but that would
not help. Thought I was SOOO smart faking that morph-lock a couple years ago to
get me out of gym class.
So, what choice did I have, in the fall we have soccer and football. Well, this
shouldn't be too bad, I got good grades in shapeshifting, I'd just make myself a
body that was athletic.
Feeling good about myself, I headed on home and never gave my problem another
thought.
*****
[10 days later - the soccer try out]
It wasn't too hard to shift in to a combination of our four best soccer players.
I had grown about 5 inches and gained about 50 lbs in pure muscle. I had already
watched a few soccer files from the video store around the corner from my house.
I was all set. I even had added to my spell the mental adjustment needed to
become a champion player, confidence, a certain swagger to my walk, just like
the other players. I was all set to burn the field behind me.
I didn't. Soccer is a game of speed and precision, teamwork and skill. All I had
was the speed. It was REALLY embarrassing. I over ran my position almost every
time. Kicked the ball so hard that it flew past my teammates. Once, I even
tripped over my own feet! Not my best day. So it was not really a surprise to me
the next morning when my name wasn't posted in the team roster.
I was starting to get desperate; all that was left was football! Later in the
day I found out something else I missed. The coach took me aside and told me
that the inter-school rules stated that all team members are force-locked into
their forms for the entire school year. This is to ensure that each school
doesn't keep changing their roster. If I was to shift into a football player's
form, I better make it one I could live with until next summer. Because if I
made the team, I would have to wear it for the rest of the school year.
That did change my planning for the football try-outs. I had planned on becoming
a giant hulk of a student. Ensuring that I'd make the team because of sheer
bulk. I thought I could become an un-passable blocker that way. But I hadn't
planned on becoming a freak for the rest of the school year.
Football try-outs were to be over two days, and again I prepared myself. Six
foot two inches of pure Adonis. I got this shape out of the muscle-building
magazine I bought at the grocery store. This time I added the skills I thought I
needed. And of course the mental changes too. The first day everything went
perfect. I ran and passed with the rest of the team. We joked around, and soon
they seemed to forget that I used to be one of the school "nerds". It was so
good that we all went out that night for some fun.
I really enjoyed myself with the team. We didn't do anything special, just hung
out, but Tom Kern and I struck up a pretty good friendship. Man-o-man, it will
sure be good to be in the "In" crowd for a change.
The next day we broke up into squads, and scrimmaged each other. It went Okay...
I guess, but not as well as yesterday. I just couldn't remember the plays that
the quarterback was calling. I had spent all my time "boning-up" on the basic
skills, I didn't think about the rest of the stuff. It was a tough day. But
maybe I didn't do too badly, Tom and the guys still asked me to hang out with
them that night.
*****
Finding myself again in Principal Kaus's office the next morning was kind of a
shock.
"Mr. Stevens, I just got off the phone with both the soccer coach and the
football coach, and I'm sorry to say that we still have a problem. You already
know that you didn't make the soccer team, so this will come as no surprise. But
you were only chosen for backup on the football team. It seems that while you
have the skills for the game, your attitude and lack of team play worked against
you."
"Attitude? I had the same attitude as the rest of the team, I don't understand?"
"Exactly, you see, they EARNED the right to act that way, they are the regional
champions for the last two years. You on the other hand were never on the field
before. The coach thought that it would interfere with team morale to have you
there."
"But Principal Kaus, what am I to do, I got to graduate next summer, I'm already
accepted into MIT!"
"Well, there may be another way, if you're that desperate."
"Anything sir! I'll take it"
*****
[Six weeks later - at the football game]
This wasn't what I was thinking of when I tried out for the school teams, but
now I realize it's not so bad after all. I'm not the school nerd anymore, and I
still spend most of my time with the other guys on the football team. In fact
Tom and I have become really close. My parents were upset at first, they thought
I should have thought of a different solution, but once the principal explained
that this was the only way to get the extra credit, they understood. Dad's a bit
pissed, but said I brought it own myself by missing gym.
Life has settled down a bit, and I'm really enjoying my new popularity. Oops!
The football has changed possession again, and the offensive team is taking the
field. I got to go.
Every thing is just great... I just wish... well, that I didn't giggle so much!
"Give me a C, Give me an I, Give me a R, give me another C, give me an E...
What's that spell!