American Football: King of the Bay Area

Bathed in the evening glow, the basketball gym was brightly lit. Every corner overflowed with a palpable party atmosphere, and with streamers and balloons everywhere, it looked just like Disneyland. Right in front of the main entrance, a dense cluster of colorful balloons formed a large, eye-catching arch. Beside it, two inflatable tube men, taller than the building itself, danced wildly.

The flashing neon lights reflected off young, energetic faces, and the joy and excitement of the high school students pulsed in the air.

”So? Seeing the basketball gym, does it feel nostalgic?” A smile returned to Julia’s face as she asked cheerfully.

Lu Ke chuckled. ”It’s fine. Actually, the year I graduated from elementary school, they started building a basketball gym. I heard it was a charitable donation from some tycoon.”

The elementary school Lu Ke attended back then didn’t have a gym or a basketball team. And that’s why he ended up choosing football.

”Fate is funny, isn’t it? If that had been two years earlier, would the 49ers have lost their star quarterback?” Julia winked playfully, and they both exchanged a smile. ”Honestly, I can’t picture you on a basketball court.”

Lu Ke shrugged. ”Most people can’t picture me on a football field, either.” Then, he spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. ”And now, it looks like they’re doomed to be disappointed.”

His casual words carried an air of forthright confidence, and Julia couldn’t help but burst into a cheerful laugh.

They passed through the arch and the main doors, only to be met by a long, bustling queue at the entrance, causing a bottleneck:

Two students of unidentifiable gender—one tall, one short; one plump, one thin—were wearing a single conjoined raccoon fleece costume. They moved awkwardly, each step a massive undertaking. The costume took up so much space that it was causing a backup in the line.

Further in the line, a boy was dressed as the Headless Horseman, a plastic fake head dangling from his shoulder. He wore a knight’s costume with high, wide shoulders that concealed his own head, making the whole getup bulky and awkward.

Another couple had painted themselves green and dressed up as the main duo from ”Shrek.” Even more curiously, they were leading a donkey—an inflatable one, not a real one.

A tall girl showed off her stunning curves in a corset and high-waisted pants, which she paired with a scarlet cape, looking every bit the part of a vampire countess.

The most over-the-top costume belonged to a boy in a flesh-colored bodysuit with a skeleton pattern that glowed in the dim light, making him look like a dancing skeleton. Moreover, he wore a vibrant cloak and an intricately patterned hat, all inspired by traditional Mexican culture.

...

The costumes were a dazzling, eclectic mix. It seemed every student had put a great deal of thought into their outfit, scheming to be unique and steal the show at tonight’s homecoming dance. Before he’d even entered the hall, Lu Ke was already struck by the palpable cultural difference.

”Were your high school dances not this crazy?” Julia asked, noticing the surprise and curiosity in Lu Ke’s eyes.

”Nope.” Lu Ke shook his head and chuckled softly, as if recalling scenes from high school. ”My senior year, homecoming was a retro party, a fifties-to-seventies theme. And, you know, the whole dance floor was full of ’The King’ Elvis Presleys and Marilyn Monroes.”

”I remember, Logan was Michael Jackson!” Julia’s own memory was sparked, and she added with a brilliant smile.

Lu Ke nodded emphatically. ”We were all Michael Jackson. In fact, I think there were eight or nine Michaels there that night. Then, during the dance, everyone competed to see who had the most authentic moves.” ’It was only four years ago, but thinking back now, it feels like another lifetime.’

”Dancing?” Julia covered her mouth, looking Lu Ke up and down in disbelief. She absolutely could not picture him dancing. When her skeptical gaze met his, he threw up his hands in surrender. ”Tonight, I’m in charge of being your escort, but the duties of a dance partner aren’t part of the deal.”

The look of mock horror on his face made Julia giggle.

As they chatted, the line gradually shortened. Every student arriving at the event had to register, not only to check in, but also to vote for the homecoming King and Queen.

The registration process served two purposes: first, to receive a ballot—only one per person—and second, to confirm attendance. Only the votes from students who had officially checked in would be counted.

Julia stood on her tiptoes to peer ahead, then looked at Lu Ke and asked, ”It looks like the line will still take a while. Why don’t we just go straight in? I’m not interested in voting for the King and Queen anyway.”

”Are you sure?” Lu Ke glanced ahead as well. With his height advantage, he could see everything clearly, even from where he stood. ”There are only three groups in front of us. It’s just that guy in the raccoon head who seems to be taking up a lot of space.”

Suddenly, a commotion erupted up ahead, apparently an argument, interrupting Lu Ke and Julia’s conversation. They instinctively turned to look. Over the blare of the music, they could hear voices raised in dispute.

”We’re just here to sign in, it’ll only take thirty seconds…”

”Then please get in line. You have to wait in line!”

”Lines are for losers. Do I look like a loser to you?”

”You’re a loser when you act all entitled and cut in line!”

...

The argument escalated, with neither side backing down. Before Lu Ke could even react, Julia had already shouted, ”Get in line! Please be polite and wait your turn!” Immediately, other students behind them began to chime in with undisguised complaints: ”No cutting,” ”Get in the back of the line,” ”What the hell,” and so on.

As the crowd’s complaints swelled, the commotion at the front gradually subsided, and they saw a guy and a girl turn around and walk back.

The path into the gym was wide, with the long registration line on the left and an open lane on the right for those going straight in. It seemed the two had just used the right lane to rush to the front and cut in, but now they had to retreat sheepishly.

”Julia? Is that you!” A surprised voice rang out beside them. An alarm bell went off in Lu Ke’s head. ’Don’t tell me… is some cliché high school drama about to unfold right here?’ ”That was you just now, wasn’t it? If you’re trying to get revenge, isn’t this a little too childish and stupid? Even elementary schoolers are more clever than that.”

The girl standing before them wore a white camisole with a white leather miniskirt and a pair of over-the-knee black boots that drew attention to the fine curves of her legs. Her ample bust was on prominent display, and her long blonde hair was draped lazily over her shoulders, adding to her provocative charm.

Unfortunately, her arrogant and provocative expression ruined the overall effect. More importantly, up close, one could see her face was caked in heavy makeup. The peacock-blue eyeshadow was particularly garish, making it look as if she’d just been punched in the eye.

Jenny Donaghen!

Julia’s hands clenched involuntarily, her muscles tightening. Rebuttals swirled in her mind; she knew exactly how she wanted to respond, but the words were stuck in her throat, and she couldn’t make a sound. This only made her more frustrated with herself, with her own awkwardness and hesitation!

”So, did you never go to school? Even an elementary schooler knows that waiting in line is basic courtesy.” Lu Ke’s familiar voice came from behind her. Julia let out a small sigh of relief, and upon seeing Jenny’s stunned, twisted expression, the corners of her lips couldn’t help but curve upward.

”You!” Jenny had only just noticed Lu Ke standing beside them. She frowned, about to retort, but then she realized she was in the wrong. Her words caught in her throat, leaving her hanging awkwardly.

”Julia, who the hell is this?” Jenny didn’t speak, but the guy standing next to her demanded, his eyes wide.

Lu Ke’s brow furrowed slightly as he sighed to himself. ’Are all high schoolers this clueless? They can’t hide a single thought—it’s written all over their faces.’ He paused. ’Wait, thinking back to my own high school days… I was probably, maybe, pretty much the same.’

The thought was fleeting. Lu Ke patted Julia’s arm to reassure her, then interjected, ”If I were you, I wouldn’t act so desperate in front of your date. Otherwise, it looks like you’re trying to have it both ways. Really not the wisest move.”

Lu Ke gave the boy a quick once-over. He was well-proportioned and sturdy, standing out among the other high school students. He was dressed in a formal black suit and a white shirt, with a Zorro-style black mask on his face. With his short, wavy blond hair, he looked roguishly handsome and carefree.

The boy, looking surprised and stunned, looked up at Lu Ke, and small flames of anger flickered in his eyes.

”You must be Mark Cotez?” Lu Ke realized. ’So it wasn’t a coincidence. More like rivals fated to cross paths.’ ”Julia, I thought you had higher standards.”

The subtext was clear: he was mocking Mark’s poor character, implying he was nowhere near good enough for Julia.

Julia tried her hardest to hold it in, but she couldn’t stop a snort of laughter from escaping. She then raised her head as if nothing had happened. ”High school girls can be so silly sometimes. Looking back now, I really dodged a bullet. Phew, lucky me!” After saying that, she even flashed a peace sign, her expression finally relaxing.

”Julia!” Jenny and Mark, both apparently provoked, shouted in unison.

Lu Ke nodded with a look of satisfaction. ”At least they’re well-matched. Good choice.” With that, the line moved forward again, and it was Lu Ke and Julia’s turn. Just as they were about to sign in, an indignant Mark strode forward and reached out to grab Julia by the shoulder.