[Pritchett House]
Andrew was sitting on one of the sofas in his grandfather's spacious living room. He had finished dinner a few minutes ago and was already wearing his Halloween costu, ready to head to his uncles' house, where the party awaited.
That year, he had chosen a classic: Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th. He wore a tattered jacket, loose, deliberately worn-out clothing that looked grimy and battered, and a machete that, at first glance, looked far too real to be just a prop. Beside him rested the iconic hockey mask, waiting for the mont to complete the outfit.
Compared to his costu from the previous year, when he dressed as Michael Myers, there wasn't much difference. In both cases, he wore a mask and loose, faded clothes, giving off a gloomy air that made him look like he had stepped straight out of a horror movie. And, of course, a homicidal weapon.
Now he was just waiting for the others to finish getting dressed: Jay, Gloria, Manny, Leonard, and Howard.
His two friends had eaten with him and had co prepared with their costus packed in their backpacks, costus that were much more elaborate and detailed.
His parents were at ho, changing as well, and waiting for the babysitter to arrive to look after Lily, since the little girl couldn't stay up that late.
As for Willa, she had gone with Haley to their uncles' house, since both were helping each other with makeup and costus.
While Andrew waited, he pulled out his phone to distract himself for a bit.
He couldn't help but open Twitter to read about the ga. Although the ga had only aired regionally, the plays were already circulating in clips, and the na Mater Dei was trending alongside his own.
He began scrolling through several tweets on his screen:
@HSFootballCA: Playoffs, Round of 16. Mater Dei 59 – Crespi 14. Andrew Pritchett-Tucker with 7 touchdowns. Can anyone be more dominant?
@Scott27: 8 gas played, 42 TDs. Andrew already passed Matt Barkley's 35 TDs in his junior season (2007) with one ga less. Next goal: Jimmy Clausen's 49 TDs in 2006.
@StatsHSFB: With 13,228 passing yards combined between Palisades and Mater Dei, Andrew is only 1,230 yards away from breaking Ben Mauk's all-ti national record (14,457). It could fall this year.
@WDTrevor: What this kid is doing isn't normal. Junior year, already a five-star breaking Barkley's records and chasing Clausen. We're not just watching California's best QB, we're watching the best in the nation, even over the seniors.
@Lincon77: Most-watched regional ga ever? It's only a matter of ti. If ESPN doesn't start putting this kid on national broadcasts every week, they're losing ratings.
@FordRN: Who's Crespi's #43? The one who picked Andrew off. That corner's got a future 🔥🔥🔥
@ChandlerBing: Soone tell Crespi's boys the ga already started and now it's over.
@Josh1974: Yeah, Mater Dei crushed us, but credit where it's due, that QB is a monster. Respect. Our #43 got an interception, and that alone's a point of pride.
@aaroncletus4: That score hurt, but I was there in the visitor stands, saw Andrew in person, it's like watching a college QB play against kids. Different speed and different power.
Andrew scrolled calmly, used to it by now. He liked reading the stats he sotis forgot himself. Ben Mauk's record: 14,457 yards, was insane, but within reach. He had already accumulated 13,228 since starting at Palisades.
A high-school QB gets four years to build up his stats, though it's common not to play much as a freshman. Andrew didn't know Ben's specific case, whether he started from year one or took longer to earn the spot.
In Andrew's case, he had been a starter early on at Palisades. In his two years there, he surpassed 5,000 yards each season. This year, at the pace he was going, he was set to repeat it, another 5,000-yard passing season. Maybe even more. And now, at the highest level.
He could end his high school career with 20,000 passing yards, leaving Mauk far behind.
However, Andrew's eyes stopped on one tweet in particular. The userna read: @ChandlerBing.
By sheer coincidence, out of the thousands of tweets he had scrolled through, he happened to read that one. His brow furrowed, he knew this guy for several reasons.
First, because he was Chandler Bing, the eternally sarcastic friend from the show he'd watched countless tis in his past life.
Second, because in the video Rachel had sent him, the one showing Monica's excited reaction upon receiving his shout-out, Chandler had also been there, sitting casually in the living room as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
And third, because it was Chandler who had coined that ridiculous nickna that went viral: Jesus Christ of High School Football.
He found out thanks to Rachel. During one of their talks, he had ntioned that he didn't like the nickna. She imdiately told him Chandler was the one who ca up with it.
With a mix of resignation and curiosity, Andrew entered Chandler's profile. He started scrolling: there were countless tweets comnting on his gas, replying to people, even to haters. Every line dripped with sarcasm, but also with an attention to detail that made him seem like a genuine fan.
'What the hell? Since when did Chandler Bing beco a die-hard follower?' thought Andrew, puzzled.
'Monica and Chandler, my two biggest fans?'
Andrew hesitated only for a mont. Then, with a smile, he hit Follow.
He pictured the scene: Chandler seeing the notification and tweeting sothing absurd a few minutes later like, "Jesus Christ heard my prayers and now follows on Twitter."
And yes, no matter how much he hated the nickna, Andrew knew he wouldn't get rid of it that easily. Better to take it with humor. Easier to joke about it than fight against the tide.
Suddenly, he realized sothing else: he'd been talking to Rachel a lot. Ever since the Bosco ga, they'd been in touch every day. Always through chat, of course, since they lived on opposite sides of the country.
Their conversations were light and everyday. They usually started with a simple "How was your day?" and from there could go in any direction, comnting on a movie, talking about so random topic, sharing sothing funny that happened that day, and things like that. Nothing major, but surprisingly pleasant.
Andrew was struck by how naturally everything flowed. It was like having a long-distance friend, but also sothing different. There were no blatant flirtations or suggestive exchanges like most teens had over text. None of that. Just a constant, and entertaining back-and-forth.
He realized he looked forward to Rachel's ssages. Not because there was anything explicitly romantic, but because he genuinely enjoyed talking to her. It was strange, almost anomalous for soone like him, who had always been more guarded with his ti and attention.
He didn't want to overthink it. He knew hours had passed since he last checked their chat, so he opened the conversation.
There were several ssages waiting:
[Rachel: Congratulations on the win 👏👏👏! It's a sha I couldn't watch the ga, but luckily Twitter is full of your plays. Another 7 TDs, crazy!.]
[Rachel: Justin Bieber tweeted about you! Though I think so of your subscribers won't like that 😂]
[Rachel: By the way, do you have your Halloween costu ready? I do 🙈.]
The last ssage ca with a photo. Rachel was standing in front of a mirror, holding her phone in one hand and posing with the other on her hip. She was wearing a short black dress with lace sleeves, dark stockings, and a pointed hat.
She was dressed as a classic witch.
Andrew was surprised to read that Justin Bieber had tweeted about him.
However, that thought quickly faded into the background when he opened the photo Rachel had sent.
'She looks good… too good,' Andrew thought.
He sat up more comfortably on the sofa and began typing:
[Thanks. Hopefully ESPN airs the next ga nationally so you can watch it with Monica.]
[Yeah, I've got my costu ready. I'm Jason from Friday the 13th this year. Mask and real machete, just in case.]
[Your costu looks great. What did Monica dress up as?]
After sending the ssages, he reopened Twitter. And there it was, on Justin Bieber's official account:
@justinbieber: brooo Andrew just dropped 7 touchdowns?? that's insane. great ga, I watched it until the end. #beast
The tweet had already racked up over 120,000 likes in a short ti. Not surprising.
Justin Bieber, like Andrew, was sixteen years old, but the scale of his fa was on another level.
His album My World 2.0, released in March 2010, had debuted at #1 on Billboard, making him the youngest male solo artist to do so since Stevie Wonder. His single "Baby", released in January, had beco a worldwide phenonon, reaching unprecedented viral numbers on YouTube and becoming the most-viewed video on the platform.
That sa year, he had already begun international tours, appeared on TV shows across the U.S., and Europe, and was among the top three most-followed people on Twitter, with over four million followers.
Justin could easily be considered, the world's most famous teenager in 2010.
Andrew, for his part, was in the midst of his own rise: over 3 million YouTube subscribers, 2 million Twitter followers recently reached, ESPN gas with record-breaking ratings, and total dominance in the toughest league in the country. But the comparison made it clear, his fa, while massive, was still a rising phenonon compared to the global hurricane that was Bieber.
And as for Rachel's ssage saying that so of Andrew's subscribers might not like it, he understood why.
A portion of his YouTube audience, guys who looked up to him as a symbol of discipline, strength, and masculinity, were the sa ones who often mocked Bieber.
To them, Justin represented "music for girls," a pop idol too soft and polished, while Andrew embodied the opposite: the unstoppable athlete, the competitor breaking records through hard work and raw talent.
For those fans, Bieber praising him was almost a contradiction.
However, Andrew didn't share that irrational hate. He didn't listen to Justin's music, but he had no reason to despise him either.
In fact, thanks to Rachel, he had ended up learning more about Justin: that he was breaking records in music, that he'd listened to a few songs besides Baby, and that he was also a big sports fan, especially basketball.
What would those radical fans think if they found out he had listened to more Bieber songs unironically?
Besides, since Andrew ca from the future, he knew that Bieber would go through so rough tis in the industry, so he actually felt a bit sorry for him.
Rachel, for her part, did listen to Justin's music, though not obsessively. She had told him herself that she couldn't understand how girls her age could cry or nearly faint from seeing Bieber, or scream like maniacs.
Andrew looked at the tweet again and smiled slightly, an idea forming in his mind. He decided to follow Justin on Twitter.
And not only that, he replied directly to his tweet:
@AndrewPritchett-Tucker19: Appreciate it bro 🙌 Glad you caught the ga.
He wanted to see what would happen, whether his more radical fans would tolerate him interacting with the Canadian singer they all seed to hate for no good reason other than that air is free.
It wouldn't be the first ti Twitter went up in flas over sothing stupid.
The first notifications started rolling in within seconds, but Andrew noticed that Rachel had replied, so he switched to their chat.
[Rachel: Monica is organizing your fans to make noise on social dia and pressure ESPN to broadcast the next ga. Should I join? Lend the machete to put so pressure on them.]
[Rachel: Thaaanks, glad you liked it! I really went all in buying the whole outfit. JASON?! Obviously I need a picture. I sent you mine, it's only fair.]
[Rachel: Oh, and as for Monica, the best I got was convincing her to throw a white sheet over herself to be a ghost. Better than nothing. She hates dressing up, so stubborn.]
Andrew smiled as he typed back quickly. Then he stood up, put on the mask, grabbed the big knife, and snapped a quick mirror selfie in the living room.
He had barely taken off the mask and sat back down on the sofa when Rachel's reply ca through.
[Rachel: OMG, you look GREAT, and terrifying, with the mask, but… I need to see you without it now. It's unfair that I sent a photo with nothing covering my face and you didn't. Identity check.]
[Andrew: You're demanding, but fair point. Give a second.]
He took another photo, this ti without the mask, and sent it.
She replied instantly.
[Rachel: Much better without the mask… you look great like that. Better than my photo. Identity confird.]
Andrew raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, the conversation had taken on a different tone, closer, with lines that felt like subtle, shy flirting.
[Andrew: You look better, trust .]
Andrew was just about to type his next ssage when he heard a familiar snort that distracted him.
"My goodness… at this rate, we're going to leave when the party's already over. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
It was Jay, walking into the living room with a frown caught sowhere between impatience and resignation.
"What's with that face?" Jay asked, noticing Andrew's goofy smile as he looked at his phone.
"Nothing…" Andrew replied, slipping the phone into his pocket and forcing a neutral expression.
Jay dropped onto the couch beside him. He was wearing a cheap vampire costu, the only decent part was the cape; the rest looked like a last-minute clearance grab from the costu store.
"They're still not ready?" Andrew asked, glancing at the clock on the wall.
"No," Jay huffed. "You know how Manny is with clothes. And Gloria's still doing her makeup like she's about to shoot a Hollywood movie."
Andrew shook his head, he was used to waiting, especially for his dad, Cam.
"And what about your friends…" Jay continued, eyeing him sideways.
"Leonard and Howard, Grandpa. Those are their nas."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. What's taking them so long? Are they making the costus or what?" Jay grumbled, waving his hand impatiently.
Andrew took a mont to phrase it in a way Jay would understand.
"Let's just say… they're as ticulous as Manny when it cos to clothes. Though in their case, only when it cos to costus."
Leonard and Howard were cosplay enthusiasts, a term Jay, of course, wouldn't know. They weren't professionals or anything, but when Halloween ca around, they took it seriously. Their costus were always far more elaborate and detailed than the usual store-bought ones.
Jay clicked his tongue. "In my day, a costu was just a bedsheet with two holes in it, and that was that," he scoffed, shaking his head.
Andrew looked at him with a small grin. "They had Halloween in your day?"
Jay paused for a second, raised his eyebrows, then let out a dry chuckle.
"Very funny," he said, but his mood had already lightened. He settled back on the couch, and after a brief silence, he said, "So, you're going to the UCLA ga tomorrow, huh?"
"Yeah," Andrew nodded.
"Should I go with you?" Jay asked thoughtfully, more to himself than to Andrew.
Andrew shook his head. "You can't, Grandpa. If you do, Gloria will kill you."
Jay already had an unavoidable commitnt: he had to take Manny to a date he'd scored with a classmate at an amusent park. The boy was only twelve, and though he fancied himself mature, they couldn't just leave him alone with a girl in an amusent park.
Jay and Gloria would have to stay nearby, like discreet chaperones watching from the shadows.
For Jay, the idea of attending a college football ga with Andrew as VIP guests, sitting in pri seats, sounded infinitely better than playing babysitter on a middle-school date.
'He's going with that girl anyway,' Jay thought, giving up on finding an excuse to go to the ga.
It would've been awkward to crash what was basically Andrew and Madison's date."
"You're not missing much. UCLA isn't at its best right now. When we go see the Oregon Ducks, that's going to be a great ga," Andrew said, trying to lift his spirits.
Oregon was on an incredible run, unlike UCLA. Andrew had even been invited to one of their gas, though scheduling and distance had kept him from going so far. He was sure he'd make it eventually.
"Yeah," Jay nodded, and this ti he sounded convinced. "That ga, I'm not missing for anything."
At that mont, footsteps echoed down the hallway, and when Andrew turned his head, he saw Gloria and Manny coming in. Both were dressed as vampires, but with costus far superior to Jay's.
Gloria wore a tight black dress with red velvet accents, a high-quality cape, and flawless makeup: bold black eyeliner, crimson lips, and remarkably realistic fangs.
Manny's outfit was a refined vampire ensemble, satin vest, white high-collared shirt, and a cape that nearly dragged across the floor. His makeup was impeccable too, pale with dark shading under his eyes.
"How do we look?" Gloria asked, striking a pose, while Manny frowned, having no choice but to play along with his mother.
This year, Gloria had insisted the three of them dress as a matching vampire family.
"Whoa, you guys look amazing. Grandpa costu looks like trash next to yours," Andrew said, genuinely impressed.
"Thank you," Gloria replied with a proud smile. "I'm lucky I even got him to agree to dress as a vampire, let alone wear makeup or anything more complicated."
Then she turned to Jay. "Here, you forgot your fangs."
"I don't need those. I already look ridiculous with this cape," Jay grumbled.
"I bought them for you!" Gloria snapped, handing him a small box firmly. "So you're going to wear them, do you hear ? Put the damn fangs on, Jay! Make an effort!"
Jay looked at her as if he wanted to argue, but realizing it was pointless, he finally took the box.
Andrew tried to suppress a laugh.
Just then, Howard and Leonard appeared.
Howard was dressed as the Joker from The Dark Knight: purple suit, green vest, a loosened tie, and flawlessly applied white face paint with the iconic red scars at the corners of his mouth. He had even temporarily dyed his hair bright green, completing the look in an unsettlingly accurate way.
Leonard, on the other hand, had chosen another Batman villain: Scarecrow. He wore a tattered brown coat, dark gloves, and a burlap sack mask with twisted stitches and black holes for the eyes and mouth.
Andrew looked at them with a mix of fascination and a twinge of envy. Their costus were excellent. Seeing them arrive together as villains from the sa universe made him feel slightly out of place.
It wasn't that his Jason costu didn't work, the mask, the large knife, and his height and build were imposing enough, but it didn't match theirs.
He simply hadn't had ti to prepare sothing that elaborate: between gas, practices, studies, and acting lessons with Willa, the costu had been the last thing on his mind.
Howard noticed him and smiled theatrically. "Why so serious, Andrew?" he said in a deep, exaggerated Joker voice, spreading his arms dramatically.
"They look aweso," Andrew said with an approving nod.
"Next year I'm joining you guys, but I'll be the Joker. Leonard stays as Scarecrow, and Howard can be the Penguin," he added.
Leonard burst out laughing, picturing Howard dressed as the Penguin from the 1992 Batman movie.
"All right, all right, that's enough," Jay interrupted in his gravelly tone, getting up from the couch. "Enough talking, let's go to the party."
His cheap vampire cape flared behind him as he headed toward the door, his poorly fitted fangs jutting awkwardly from his mouth, while the rest followed behind him.
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