"Are you recording?" Andrew asked, a little impatient, looking at Howard, who was holding a cara. Leonard, standing beside him, was giving instructions that weren't very helpful.
The last ga of the regular season was about to begin. As for what Andrew wanted to record, it was his first video for his newly created second YouTube channel.
He had spent a long ti debating whether or not to start this new channel. In the end, he went through with it.
His new YouTube channel bore his na: Andrew Pritchett-Tucker. Here, he would upload content about his life as an athlete—training sessions, gas, his daily routine, etc. But that wasn't all; there would also be room for other things—vlogs, funny videos with his friends if they happened naturally, anything that seed fun and worth recording and editing.
His first video would be the highlights of this final regular-season ga. His journey from high school would be docunted, though he wouldn't record every single ga—only the most important ones.
This would also help scouts and college coaches notice him early if he managed to go viral. Plus, it would be a way to start building his personal brand.
"Co on, I should be warming up," Andrew urged.
"Hold on, be patient... This piece of junk is harder than I thought," Howard muttered, turning the selection wheel with exaggerated concentration.
The cara he was holding was a Sony HDR-SR11. Even though he was just as tech-savvy as Leonard and Andrew, his experience was mostly limited to video gas, computers, and phones—not this kind of video cara.
"You have to put it in recording mode first... I think it's that button," Leonard said, pointing with his finger.
"I know, I know, get your ugly finger out of my way—I can't see anything," Howard grumbled irritably, giving Leonard's hand a light slap to move it out of his sight.
Leonard frowned slightly at having his finger called ugly.
"Who would've thought that you, a professional stalker, wouldn't be able to handle a video cara? I an, this should be one of your main tools," Leonard comnted with a smirk.
"Go to hell, Leonard," Howard shot back, unfazed, too focused on the cara to be truly annoyed.
"Alright, alright, less fighting and more recording," Andrew said with amusent. "Or do I need to call an adult to help you? Even my dad knows how to use one of these."
"Shut up and say what you need to say. Okay, we're good now. Action!" Howard said, pointing the cara at Andrew.
Andrew took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second before looking at the cara with a smile.
"Hey everyone... friends?" Andrew began with a slightly uncertain greeting, unsure of how to address his viewers.
"Friends? I doubt so fat guy watching this on his computer in the middle of the night is your friend," Howard said with a smile.
"It's just a way of speaking, genius. I don't think that fat guy watching at three in the morning actually believes Andrew is his friend," Leonard added, looking at Howard as if he were an idiot.
"I know... but it's weird for soone you don't know to call you a friend," Howard tried to justify himself, shrugging.
Andrew rolled his eyes. "Welco to the Internet. Now do your job as a caraman and stop talking."
"Alright, take two!" Howard announced, refocusing the cara.
Andrew took another deep breath. "Hey... netizens!"
"Netizens? What are you, my grandma?" Leonard asked with a weird expression, a small smile starting to form on his face.
Howard couldn't hold back and burst out laughing.
"I don't know! It was the first thing that ca to mind," Andrew said, slightly frowning. Talking to a cara was way harder than recording a gaplay.
"Next thing you'll say is, 'Greetings, cybernauts. Today I bring you a transmission from the network of networks,'" Leonard said, and Howard's laughter grew louder.
"Alright, geniuses, then what should I say?" Andrew asked.
"I don't know, it's your channel," Howard replied, trying to suppress his laughter.
"Take three!" Howard added.
"Hi... my na is Andrew Pritchett-Tucker. This is the first video on this channel. I'm the quarterback for Palisades High School in the state of California..." Andrew started with a smile, giving a brief summary of who he was and where he played.
"You'll see the final ga of the regular season. We're facing... Jefferson High School. If I'm not mistaken, they're fourth in the standings, we're first. The number one spot is pretty much secured for us. We'd have to lose by a blowout, and that's impossible," Andrew continued but suddenly paused.
"What happened?" Leonard asked.
"Should I sound confident but friendly, or more humble? What do you think?" Andrew asked.
"Mm, just do it as yourself. Be yourself," Leonard replied.
"Even though it sounds kinda cliché, it's true. No need to overthink it," Howard agreed.
"Yeah, sure, be myself," Andrew huffed.
Howard and Leonard exchanged glances, confused. They didn't quite get what he ant.
Andrew was extrely competitive. His current abilities were far beyond what they were in his past life—and back then, he had been a starting quarterback at the most elite school, leading his team to the state championship final and winning the ga in the last minute. Though, technically, he didn't beco the state champion... since he died.
Now he was facing a team of a much lower level, and although his team was in the sa division, they had players like Reggie, Steve, Archie, Kevin, etc., who could easily play in higher divisions since Andrew himself had trained them from a young age.
Adding himself to the mix—with abilities far superior to his past life—made the possibility of losing practically zero.
Victory was carved in stone.
If he said that outright in his video, he would sound absolutely arrogant and cocky. That could make people on YouTube feel apathetic toward him, and he didn't want that. It could even make scouts see it as part of his attitude that needed "reforming" or sothing along those lines.
"Well, whatever. Let's just finish this intro as soon as possible," Andrew finally said. He wouldn't openly show his competitiveness and confidence in crushing all the fifth-division teams. He'd show that on the field. In the videos, he'd present a more moderate and enthusiastic attitude—just as he naturally was.
"Alright, take three!"
Just as Howard was about to start recording again, the sound of multiple footsteps caught his attention, making him glance to the side. Leonard and Andrew did the sa.
Andrew imdiately recognized the uniforms of the three guys approaching. They were from Jefferson High School. One of them was wearing the number 1 jersey, aning he was likely their quarterback.
The guy in the number 1 jersey stopped when he saw Andrew, his expression shifting as he recognized him.
"You're Andrew Pritchett?" he asked, though his tone was more of a statent than a question.
"The quarterback of the number one team, huh?" he added, scanning Andrew from head to toe with a challenging smile.
"The number one... of the fifth division," Andrew muttered, his expression unreadable, though a hint of concealed disdain flickered in his eyes.
One of the quarterback's teammates took a step closer, studying Andrew in an unfriendly way.
"You're shorter than I expected," he said with a faint smirk.
"That's normal. He's in ninth grade, unlike you," Leonard responded, standing up for Andrew.
anwhile, Howard remained frozen in place, still recording everything with his cara.
'What!?' Howard thought, shocked that Leonard had spoken up so confidently against these textbook bullies.
'This... this was a major character developnt mont' he thought.
"What the hell is this nerd even saying?" said the guy who had mocked Andrew's height earlier, this ti glaring at Leonard with an unfriendly expression.
"You've got so weird friends, Pritchett," the rival quarterback comnted with a slight, disdainful laugh, glancing at Leonard and Howard.
Andrew frowned, but before he could say anything, the idiot of a quarterback kept going.
"I also heard you've got so strange parents... What's it like having two dads? You don't even know what it's like to have a 'normal' family, do you?" the quarterback said, a mocking grin spreading across his face.
The two guys beside him let out snickers, turning their eyes toward Andrew as if expecting so kind of reaction.
Andrew's expression shifted drastically. A rare seriousness settled on his face as he stepped forward, locking eyes with the confident-looking guy in the number 1 jersey.
"You talk like you're so big shot, but you're just a pathetic senior playing in the fifth division," Andrew said, his tone dripping with disdain.
"Your team is in fourth place—aren't you embarrassed to be this cocky?" he added.
The three guys' faces shifted to surprise and confusion at Andrew's scornful tone.
Before they could respond, Andrew continued without missing a beat, his voice sharper and more challenging.
"If you are lucky you qualify for the regional playoffs. But you know what? After this ga, your school is going to be without a quarterback and no playoffs,"
"What? What the hell are you talking about?" one of the guys asked, his brow furrowed, clearly annoyed and confused by Andrew's words.
"This will be the last ga of your pathetic sports career. You won't even want to play again after the humiliation you're about to suffer in a few hours," Andrew said, a slow grin forming on his face—one that made the three guys instinctively take a step back.
The Jefferson High School players felt sothing off—an unsettling, absolute confidence radiating from Andrew that left them shaken.
"Talk, you piece of shit. If I miss a single pass, I'll cut off my own hand and mail it to you," Andrew said, stepping forward again, making the three guys recoil further.
"Let's go. We need to warm up," the guy beside the quarterback muttered, eyeing Andrew as if he were so kind of lunatic.
Within seconds, the three of them disappeared down the hallway.
Andrew didn't move. He just watched them until they were completely out of sight.
'Who the hell are you!?' Howard and Leonard thought, completely stunned by how Andrew had just intimidated three senior players from a rival school.
They had always known about Andrew's fierce competitiveness on the football field. They knew he was an exceptional quarterback, but they had never seen him act with such contempt and intimidation.
They had witnessed his serious focus and unshakable confidence before, but seeing him display such a harsh, almost cruel attitude was a complete shock.
"Do you guys think I should show that attitude in the video?" Andrew asked with his usual smile, looking at his two friends—who imdiately shook their heads.
"You'd scare everyone!" Leonard exclaid.
"Although... maybe it could be good publicity. A personality like that might attract the masses since you'd stand out," Howard comnted, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"Let's do the last take, or I'll be late," Andrew said, checking the ti on his phone. He had already missed a few minutes of warm-ups, and that wasn't exactly setting a good example as the team leader.
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