The bandage around Mike's neck had just been for show anyway. Now that the whole fight thing was nicely wrapped up, he didn't need to keep pretending.
Because of the clash on the field earlier, Coach George was personally giving Mike a crash course in football basics today.
[Football Experience +10]
[Football Experience +8]
[Football Experience +5]...
Coach George was like a walking treasure chest of know-how. Every time he got serious about teaching football, little glowing orbs kept popping off him.
In no time, Mike's football skill level hit Lv2—he was now solid enough to actually play in a real game.
And that wasn't even the end of it. Once the team started contact drills, Mike picked up a bunch more orbs from the other guys.
[Strength +3], [Speed +1], [Football Experience +2]...
A good workout pumps out endorphins, which sneakily make you feel happy without even trying.
That buzz had the whole team unknowingly feeding Mike more little orbs.
Coach George spent a full hour giving Mike theory lessons, then called over Aaron, the chill team captain.
After giving Aaron a few instructions, the coach sent Mike off with him for some hands-on contact practice.
Compared to Sam's cocky attitude, Aaron was way more laid-back.
He started by walking Mike through the key points and little tricks for tackling, then let Mike play offense while he defended.
Another hour flew by, and Coach George called an end to practice.
It was Friday, so when he yelled "We're done!", the guys cheered and bolted off the field.
Aaron clapped Mike on the shoulder and said, "You've got real potential in football. If you ever have questions, hit me up anytime. And if you wanna get some extra practice in over the weekend, just give me a call."
He flashed a grin, waved, slung his bag over his shoulder, and headed out.
You could tell—after that hour of sparring, the team captain had totally warmed up to Mike.
Not long after Aaron left, little George came wandering over, acting all buddy-buddy. "What were you two talking about?"
"Nothing big, just training stuff," Mike replied.
When he realized it wasn't anything juicy, little George shook his head, then suddenly perked up. "Hey, come over to my place tonight. We can sneak some of Meemaw's booze."
Every weekend, George and Mary would ditch the kids for a little date night getaway.
That's when little George and his siblings got Meemaw to babysit.
With Meemaw's laid-back vibe, the kids could get away with all sorts of stuff their parents would never allow.
Mike's plans with Katie weren't until tomorrow, and he had nothing going on tonight, so he was about to say yes to little George.
Just then, Lena showed up at the edge of the field. Her eyes lit up when she spotted Mike, and she jogged over.
"Mike, you free in a bit? I've got two movie tickets..." She was a little out of breath from running, but her face was beaming with that bright smile.
Little George eyed the gorgeous girl, shot Mike a jealous glare, then wisely took a couple steps back.
"Yeah, sounds good. Let me change real quick," Mike said, barely hesitating a second before going with Lena's invite.
By the time Mike showered off in the locker room and came out, little George had vanished. Lena was waiting cutely by the door.
She couldn't help swallowing hard when she saw Mike's thin T-shirt clinging to him from the water he hadn't fully dried off.
Their movie was the 6 to 8 p.m. slot, and it was only 5:30, so they had plenty of time.
They decided to walk to the theater.
The whole way, Lena chattered away like a happy little bird.
They talked and laughed, making it to the cinema just before six.
It was the weekend, so the place was packed.
Mike grabbed a huge bucket of popcorn and two Cokes before they headed into the screening room.
August Rush was a total feel-good flick—pretty much a rom-com with some music thrown in.
Mike and Lena's seats were off to the side. Not sure if she'd planned it, but almost everyone around them was young couples.
Once the lights dimmed and the steamy soundtrack kicked in, Mike could hear Lena's breathing getting heavier beside him.
Mike was usually a gentleman, but after his "lessons" with Jennifer, he knew exactly how to handle this vibe.
Two hours later, Mike couldn't tell you a thing about the plot.
When they stepped out, the sun hadn't set yet. Lena's cheeks were still flushed, but compared to the heat in the theater, she'd switched back to her usual bubbly self.
Mike walked her home like a good date. Her place was a bit out of the way, but the standalone apartment looked way fancier than Meemaw's house.
There was even a classic heavy-duty truck parked out front.
"We've got a small ranch—my parents are probably still out working it..." Lena licked her lips, giving him a flirty look. "Wanna come in for a bit?"
Women—always keeping you guessing. Mike thought to himself, Little minx.
But he stuck to his three-date rule: third date before going all the way.
"Next time, for sure," he said. He'd already stolen first base today—pace was perfect.
Watching Mike walk off, Lena stomped her foot. She knew reeling him in this fast wasn't gonna be easy.
Mike wasn't looking to tie himself down to one girl just yet either. Felt a little bad for stringing Lena along, but he figured playing the long game was smarter.
By the time he got home, it was getting dark.
He glanced over—Meemaw's place was dark, but the lights were on and it looked lively at little Sheldon's house.
Figuring Meemaw was probably over there, Mike headed across the street.
In the yard, he caught little George lighting off firecrackers one by one.
Little George was surprised to see him back so early. "What, you didn't hang out longer with Lena?"
Lena was the junior class beauty, after all—people talked.
"Nah," Mike shook his head. "Meemaw over here?"
"Yeah, she's playing with Sheldon right now." Seeing Mike didn't wanna dish on Lena, little George switched gears. "House is full of old folks and kids. Wanna light some firecrackers with me? I'll share a few."
"Pass—I'll go check on Meemaw," Mike said. Firecrackers weren't his thing.
Inside, he walked in just as Meemaw was shamelessly hustling little Sheldon, cleaning him out of all his poker chips.
[Gambling Experience +100]
Total surprise bonus—Mike's gambling skills jumped straight to beginner level.
"Well, look who's back!" Meemaw was on a hot streak. After sending the broke Sheldon packing, she turned to Mike. "Wanna play a few hands? I'll spot you some chips."
"No thanks," Mike said firmly. He stayed away from gambling and drugs—hard pass.