"Matt Barkley?" Phil blinked in confusion.
"Who?" asked Gloria.
"Forr quarterback at Mater Dei," Mitchell answered before Andrew continued, "In 2005, he beca the first freshman QB to start since Todd Marinovich. He threw for 1,685 yards and 10 touchdowns that year. Got injured in the quarterfinals, so his season ended there."
Mitchell would’ve never known this on his own, but he had done extensive research on Mater Dei and took football very seriously ever since his son turned out to be a prodigy at the sport.
"Ten touchdowns?" Haley cut in with a grimace. "That’s not much. I an... Andrew threw sixty this year. I saw it with my own eyes. I don’t know much about leagues or whatever, but... I’m not impressed."
Everyone looked at her.
"You do rember it’s an elite school, right? You can’t compare it to Palisades," said Alex, rolling her eyes.
"Of course I rember!" Haley replied, frowning and crossing her arms. "I’m just saying the gap sounds way too big. I doubt that Matt-whatever guy could throw seventy-two touchdowns at Palisades, take the team to the finals, win it all with a team that didn’t even make the playoffs before... and with a defense that sotis looked like it was made of papier-mâché."
"Fair point," Alex admitted.
Andrew turned to her with a grateful smile. "Thanks for believing in , Haley."
Haley smiled softly and leaned over to hug him briefly.
"Anyway," Andrew continued, "Barkley threw 11 touchdowns as a sophomore. But in 2007, as a junior, he threw 35. Over three years at Mater Dei, he totaled 57. And we’re talking top-tier competition. If I had been there since freshman year like at Palisades, I would’ve earned the starting spot my first year."
He paused, looking around confidently.
"And if I join now, with that offensive line, that team, that staff... maybe I don’t throw 60 or 72, but I’ll sign 50 touchdowns right now, anywhere."
Jay let out a loud laugh and slapped his thigh with enthusiasm. "That’s what I wanted to hear! Now that’s the spirit!" he exclaid, his face glowing with pride.
The others looked at him and laughed, surprised but proud. Claire smiled openly, Phil’s eyes sparkled, and Cam put a hand over his chest like he’d just heard a love confession.
"And the scholarship?" Claire asked imdiately, not losing her practical focus.
"Annual tuition is $14,000. And they offered a full scholarship. One hundred percent covered," Mitchell said clearly.
There was a collective murmur of approval and nods all around the living room. The cost was high, but the fact that it was fully covered reassured everyone.
"But... there’s one thing I can’t ignore," said Manny, raising his hand like he was in class. "We’re going from the sky blue and white of the Eagles... to deep red. It’s like betraying your colors. It’s harsh. Very harsh."
Everyone looked at him. And slowly, they began to nod. Even Phil seed to hesitate.
"Yeah, it’s a big shift," said Alex, analytical. "Like going from an indie pastel-toned movie to a Michael Bay action blockbuster."
"But the cheerleaders are gonna look amazing in red," said Luke with total conviction, as if that were the most logical takeaway from the entire discussion.
Claire turned to him with a raised eyebrow and a mother’s tone on the verge of boiling over. "If you ntion cheerleaders again during this eting, you’ll lose TV for the entire week."
Luke raised his hands in surrender as everyone laughed.
"Yeah... it’s like going from a religious priest to a satanic cultist," Andrew said with a half-smile, picturing his old uniform. "From sky blue and white like heaven... to red like hell."
Haley, sitting beside him, laughed and gave him a playful elbow. "Still, you’re gonna look amazing. Red gives you that bad boy vibe. Turns heads. Way better than that depressing brown," she said with a teasing tone.
"Definitely," Alex agreed. "Red pops. Brown just begs for help."
"Okay," said Claire, raising a hand like a grade school teacher asking for quiet. "Let’s review: best league in the state, probably the country. Full scholarship, none of that 70% like Notre Da. Top-tier facilities. Elite dical and coaching staff. Televised gas. The decision is obvious."
Phil and Jay nodded. Even Manny seed to swallow his internal conflict about abandoning Palisades’ colors.
But then Cam dramatically raised a finger. "Wait a minute. You’re all forgetting sothing very important."
Everyone turned to him expectantly.
"The distance."
A brief silence followed.
"How far?" Claire asked, frowning.
"Twenty-five kiloters..." Cam replied with a sigh.
The mood shifted. Several glances were exchanged. So looked down, as if suddenly rembering an inconvenient little detail.
"That’s like... twenty-five, thirty minutes by car," Mitchell explained. "And if there’s heavy traffic, which is pretty common in the morning, it can easily be forty minutes. Just one way."
"And then the ride back," Claire murmured, looking at Andrew with a hint of concern.
"Does the school bus go that far?" Phil asked, clinging to a shred of hope.
Mitchell shook his head. "No. There’s no direct route to that area from here."
Phil grimaced. Claire crossed her arms.
"Could you drive him every day?" Jay asked Mitch.
Mitchell shook his head again. "No. I’d lose almost an hour per trip, be late to work every day, and I wouldn’t be able to pick him up either."
Jay pressed his lips together, as if considering offering himself, but he said nothing. It wasn’t realistic. He had his own job. And even if he was his own boss, he had responsibilities.
The room filled with a kind of silent resignation... until Andrew spoke.
"It’s not a big deal," he said with a shrug and a half-smile. "I already knew about the distance. That’s why I didn’t get too excited. It’d be a great experience, sure, but Notre Da is still an elite school. D1, good infrastructure, strong league."
Everyone looked at him, surprised by how calm he was.
"Yeah, it’s a step below Mater Dei. But it’s still one of the best. And if we make it to the regional or state playoffs, there’s a high chance we’ll face a Trinity League team. And that’s when I’ll show them who the real champion is."
Jay nodded slowly with a proud smile. Claire narrowed her eyes in a thoughtful but satisfied way.
"Whoa, so humble," Alex said with a slight smirk, though she didn’t think her cousin was bragging. He didn’t need to.
Jay, however, then furrowed his brow slightly, as if sothing didn’t sit right with him. He raised a finger and pointed at Andrew.
"Wait a second... I’m missing sothing."
Everyone looked at him.
"Your birthday’s in June, right?" Jay said, raising an eyebrow.
Andrew looked at him, sowhere between resigned and amused.
"Yes, Grandpa. My birthday’s been in the sa month since you t when I was five."
"And I already taught you how to drive," Jay continued, ignoring the remark. "Which ans when you turn sixteen, you’ll be able to get your full license. See?"
Andrew raised his eyebrows, catching on, "Yeah... but I’m missing sothing important for that."
"What?" asked Luke, sitting on the floor.
"A car."
Jay leaned back on the couch with a small smile, "Then problem solved. I’ll buy it. Your birthday present. In June."
Andrew froze for a second. Claire slowly turned her head toward her father.
"Are you serious?" she asked.
"Of course. This kid earned it. He deserves it, and that way he can go to one of the best football programs in the country," Jay said firmly, like he’d already made the decision long ago.
Andrew didn’t know what to say for a few seconds. Then he smiled, a mix of gratitude, emotion, and a bit of disbelief, "Thanks, Grandpa. Really."
Jay let out a satisfied grunt, "Just pick the right color. I don’t want you driving a brown car. We’ve had enough of St. Francis."
As the laughter died down from Jay’s comnt, Andrew settled into the couch and looked at Haley.
"But there’s sothing else..." Andrew said, drawing everyone’s attention.
"I don’t want it to feel like favoritism... Haley also learned to drive and she’s turning sixteen too. So I propose it be a shared car. A gift for both of us."
Haley looked at him, blinking in surprise, then tilted her head, genuinely touched, "Seriously?"
"Of course," Andrew nodded. "Although I’d need to use it Monday through Friday to get to and from school. But after that, weekends and weekday evenings after five or six, it’s all yours if you’re okay with that setup."
"Of course I’m okay with that!" Haley replied imdiately. She knew her grandfather was doing this thinking about Andrew’s future.
She also knew Andrew wasn’t exactly the life of the party every day. If she got the car on weekends and most evenings, it was more than a fair deal.
Jay watched him in silence for a few seconds. Then he nodded slowly, with an expression that mixed pride and a hint of restrained emotion.
"That... that’s fair," he finally said. "Very well thought out, kid."
Haley leaned over and hugged Andrew tightly, this ti not like a cousin, but like a true ally.
"I love you, nerd," Haley murmured, smiling against his shoulder.
Andrew smiled too.
"I know... too. But seriously when we go pick out the car, no bubblegum pink, no lavender, no glittery sky blue. I’ve got a reputation to maintain at my new school."
Haley rolled her eyes and pulled away with a mischievous smile, "Okay, okay. No promises... But cherry red sports car is definitely on the table."
"Better that than looking like a Barbie on wheels," Andrew shot back, while Luke gave a thumbs-up in approval of the color.
But before anyone else could weigh in, Alex frowned and raised her voice, visibly indignant.
"What about ? I want a car too!"
Haley looked at her, eyebrow raised and smirking, "Then you should’ve been born two years earlier, Calculator Girl."
Alex huffed, "That’s not fair. I’m the most responsible one here!"
"Yeah, but legally you can ride a bike," Andrew said with a smile.
"Ugh!" Alex groaned, crossing her arms. "This world doesn’t reward intelligence."
"Or late birthdays," Haley added with a victorious smile.
Claire looked at Andrew seriously, but with the warmth of a concerned mother/aunt.
"Just rember, Andrew... you’ll be driving every day, between 50 minutes to an hour round trip. Sotis more if there’s heavy traffic. Are you sure you want to do this?"
Andrew nodded without hesitation, "Yes. Really. I can handle it, literally and figuratively. Besides... driving has its charm. As long as I don’t end up in traffic hell."
Jay let out a short laugh and settled back into the couch, "Alright, now that everything’s decided, what’s the next step?"
Everyone looked at Mitchell, who leaned forward in his usual efficient tone.
"Now we have to respond to Mater Dei. Sign the acceptance papers, confirm the scholarship, and make sure all docuntation is submitted before the deadline."
"We should also schedule a campus visit to tour it with Andrew, et the coaches, review the academic program, and possibly talk to the athletic director."
"And when would that be?" asked Cam, who clearly preferred leaving all the logistics to Mitch.
"We could call them tomorrow to set it up," said Mitch. "The goal is to finalize everything before March so his spot is secured."
Cam pressed his hands together like he was praying, "Perfect. Let’s go to Mater Dei!"
"Let’s go cheerlea—!" Luke began, but cut himself off the mont he felt Claire’s glare. He instantly rembered the warning: a full week without TV if he brought up cheerleaders again. He shut his mouth slowly and looked away, pretending to be innocent.
And just like that, the family senate eting ca to an end. Against all odds, they had reached a unanimous decision, no shouting, no extra drama.
As for the car, even though Andrew’s birthday in June was still months away, Jay had already made up his mind. They’d buy it at the end of the school year, as a shared gift for Andrew and Haley.
That way, during the sumr, Andrew could get used to the vehicle, and by September, he’d be ready to start his new school life behind the wheel.
The next day, Monday, Mitch took action. He used a break at work to call the admissions office at Mater Dei.
With his usual clear, formal tone, he explained that his son, Andrew, had decided to accept the full scholarship offer, and that they wanted to begin the enrollnt process as soon as possible.
By noon, he had an answer: an appointnt scheduled for Friday, February 12th, at 10:00 a.m.
The secretary was kind, even enthusiastic, recognizing Andrew’s na not just because of his football record, but also thanks to his YouTube videos with millions of views.
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