PART 6
"Acceptance"
"Xander!" yelled Eric.
"Wad? Wad did I biss?" I said, sitting bolt upright.
This was obviously a mistake. As soon as I sat up, my nose started gushing blood at an alarming rate.
"Oly shid! Wad appened do be?" I asked, frantically.
"I think you broke your nose." said Eric.
"I know id's bwoken you dubby! But ow did I bweak it?" I sputtered, swallowing a large amount of blood.
"You took a football to the face," said Eric, "Don't you remember?"
"Dammit, Ostreicher! Take him to the school nurse already!" barked the Coach.
"Christ, keep your wig on..." said Eric, helping me stand up.
"Just oud of cuwiosidy," I snorted, trying to make sure I didn't swallow more blood, "Wen I god id in da face... Did id by any chance make me look particuwawiwy banly?"
"Sure, if you consider screaming like a girl manly." teased Eric.
"Bewy funny, did any ob the cheeweadews see be ged id?" I groaned.
"I don't know, I was paying attention to the ball," said Eric, "Something you ought to try one of these days."
By the time we made it to the school nurse's office, my face was completely red and some of the blood had started to get in my eyes. It probably would've hurt, except the only pain I noticed was what was in my nose.
"Oh boy, not another one..." said Mrs. Ives, the school nurse, "You didn't hit Xander, did you Ostreicher?"
"Are you kidding me? Xander and I have been best friends since pre-school and we're both 19 now... Wait, why do you always assume that I'm the one that breaks people's noses?" said Eric.
"Ub... Because it's twue?" I muttered.
"TouchΓ©," said Eric, "Patch him up good Mrs. Ives; he needs to be well enough to be at the party tonight."
"I'll see what I can do, Ostreicher," said Mrs. Ives, "But no promises, alright? His nose is broke pretty bad."
"Sobow dis isn't baking be feew any bettew..." I said.
*
One hour later, I woke up in a cot in a small dark room. I couldn't breathe through my nose, but at least the pain was gone.
"Oh good, you're up," said Mrs. Ives, "How do you feel?"
"Better, I guess," I said, thrilled to discover that I could pronounce things properly again, "What'd you do to me?"
"I set your nose and gave you some painkiller," said Mrs. Ives, "As long as you don't touch your nose for a while, it should heal up nicely. But you should still go see a doctor later."
"Thanks." I said, clambering out of the cot.
"There he is!" bellowed Eric, "Xander Abrams, are you ready for the Test?"
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Didn't I tell you?" said Eric, "There's a big party tonight celebrating the new football team and the new cheerleading squad."
"There's no way the teachers will let us have a party like that in the gym." I said.
"Originally it was two separate parties," said Eric, putting his arm around my shoulder, "But, everyone decided to play hooky so that we can all meet up on the beach and have one big party instead."
"Where does the Test come in to play?" I asked, letting Eric escort out into the hallways.
"Well, the cheerleaders already had an initiation, but the football team never did," explained Eric, now leading me to the parking lot, "So, even though all you newcomers made the team, you've got to pass a test tonight, if you can pass it, you'll be accepted by the whole team and treated as an equal."
"And if we fail?" I asked, dreading the answer.
"You'll still be on the team, but the other guys will treat the newcomers like crap," said Eric, as we approached his van, "Now, come on, let's head over to my place, I'll, uh... Help you look like you belong."
*
Two hours later, Eric and I were on the road, five minutes away from the beach.
"So who's all gonna be there?" I asked, looking out the window of Eric's van.
"Well, there's the two of us, the whole football team, all the cheerleaders, some of the gymnastics team girls will be there, then there'll be the Greasers, "Tripod Trevor", a few guys from the lacrosse and basketball teams and the older brothers or sisters of everyone I just mentioned." recited Eric.
"That's a lot of people, dude! Are you sure we won't get busted for having this party?" I asked.
"You worry too much, Xander," said Eric, "Why don't you let us worry about that crap. You've got more important things to think about. Like the Test."
"Hey, uh, do you know if Vivian will be there?" I asked, innocently.
"Oh, not this again, dude! Vivian is a total priss! She'll never put out!" groaned Eric, "Now, her cousin on the other hand..."
"I don't like Monica," I said, "She's too... Easy."
"What's wrong with that?" chuckled Eric.
"Nothing... Nevermind..." I said.
Upon arriving at the beach, Eric parked the van and hopped out. I couldn't see what he did, but it seemed as though he had made some sort of gesture with his arms. Then, within a fraction of a second, Big Jay, the school's giant, grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and pulled me out of the van through the open window.
"Argh! What gives!?" I screamed, trying to break free.
I knew this was part of "The Test", but did he have to grab me by my neck? Anyways, Big Jay carried me halfway across the beach before literally dropping me in the sand.
"Good, now all the newbies are here!" said Eric, who must've gone on ahead, "Boys, in fifteen minutes, the sun will start setting."
We all turned to verify the Sun's position.
"To pass the test and be accepted by the rest of the team, you must pick a cheerleader to mark at the party."
"The girl you pick is the one you have to get to AT LEAST, third base with, before midnight." continued Brody Magnum, the team captain.
"Um, are the cheerleaders in on all of this?" piped one of the newbies.
"No! That'd make it too easy!" said Eric.
"But, how will you know if we pull it off?" asked another one of the newbies.