Andrew arrived at the living room and stopped at the threshold, arms crossed, one eyebrow raised. His entire family was already there.
Phil was wrestling with a projector aimed at the white wall, while Jay stood beside him, hands on his hips, grunting instructions as if he knew more than any technician, or more than Phil himself, who was smiling despite the grumpy commentary.
Mitchell was holding several notebooks filled with notes and speaking with Claire in an animated tone, gesturing as if they were solving a diplomatic crisis. Andrew overheard something about "academic planning" and "college trajectory."
Gloria was seated on the loveseat, elegant as always, listening with an excited smile to Manny, who was reciting a poem with one hand on his chest and the voice of a bard. Pride gleamed in her eyes.
Haley was sprawled on one of the side chairs, scrolling through her phone with a bored look, while Alex, book open in her hands, read in silence with a resigned expression. It was clear they were both already used to the family chaos.
Luke was playing with a blue ball, bouncing it against the wall, completely focused.
Cam arrived with Andrew and entered with theatrical energy in every step.
Andrew greeted everyone one by one. Then, Cam turned to Phil, "Is the projector ready?"
"Ready!" Phil replied, enthusiastically plugging a USB drive into the side of the device. "Get your eyes ready, family. This isn't just any decision."
"And that is why," said Cam, raising his hands solemnly, "as host of this assembly-"
"Self-appointed," muttered Mitchell from the couch without looking up from his notes.
Cam ignored him and continued, "I officially declare the Extraordinary Meeting for the Future of Andrew Pritchett-Tucker open."
Gloria and Phil clapped enthusiastically. Claire did too, more calmly, but with attentive eyes. Jay sat up straight, hands clasped, wearing a very serious expression, few things he took as seriously.
Andrew rolled his eyes and sank into the single armchair next to Haley, who made room for him without saying a word.
"This is gonna be long…" he murmured.
Haley glanced up from her phone and looked at him, almost with a faint smile. "You know it. We could be here till sundown."
Though she didn't say it out loud, there was a hint of sadness in her expression. She and Andrew had gone to the same school forever. Same grade, same friends. Technically not blood relatives, but they'd grown up like cousins, or even siblings, given how close they were. The thought of him going to another school… she didn't like it. But Haley would never be the type to say that out loud.
From the nearby couch, Alex looked up from her book with a frustrated expression.
"Tomorrow is Monday," she said quietly. "Is no one else worried this is cutting into my study time?"
"Escape through the window without anyone seeing you. Maybe you get away, or maybe your mom notices and punishes you," said Andrew.
"Ha, ha, very funny, star quarterback," said Alex sarcastically, returning her attention to her book.
Cam remained standing, with the posture of a reality show host.
"Okay. All of you know Andrew had an amazing season. Well… two amazing seasons. But since the CIF isn't going to promote Palisades and he needs to keep growing… we decided to open the door to other opportunities."
Alex raised her hand without letting go of her book.
"Yes, Alex," said Cam, granting her the floor with theatrical seriousness.
"Why am I here?" she asked bluntly. "I mean, it's Andrew's future. Shouldn't he be the one deciding?"
Cam blinked, slightly thrown off. But it was Claire who responded calmly.
"It's not like we're going to decide for him, sweetie. We're just going to share our opinions. Talk about what we think of each option. After all, we've all been part of this from the beginning."
"This?" repeated Alex.
"The Friday games," Phil chimed in with a smile. "Since he was in elementary school. We never missed one."
"And we're not going to miss any next year," added Claire, firmly. "Or the year after. So yes, Alex… it affects us. Even though Andrew has the final say, we all have something to contribute."
Alex huffed and closed her book with a resigned gesture. "Fine. Just… make it quick."
Haley smiled, amused. "Translation: I agree they're right but don't want to admit it out loud."
"Shut up," Alex replied without looking at her.
Cam, smiling, regained control of the situation. "Andrew received four offers from top-level high schools."
There was a general murmur. Except for Mitchell and Andrew, no one knew which schools they were. Even Haley and Alex exchanged a surprised, curious glance.
"Four?" asked Claire, eyes narrowing.
"Division?" Jay asked gruffly, directly, like someone demanding a military report.
Cam, clearly enjoying the tension, raised an eyebrow and let a few seconds pass before answering, "All Division One."
There were a few impressed "wow"s, even from Luke, who was chewing on something only he knew. Gloria clapped once, an automatic reaction. Manny straightened his shirt seriously. Jay nodded in approval, it was expected after all of Andrew's accomplishments; no one knew that better than him.
Andrew crossed his arms and, not wanting to ruin Cam's dramatic flair, added calmly, "Even though they're all D1… there are still differences. Not all of them compete at the same level."
Cam turned to him with a mock-offended look. "Andrew! Don't spoil the narrative tension!"
Andrew shrugged, "Just saying…"
"Silence in the room!" said Cam, and with a firm gesture, he pressed a button on the projector remote.
The screen changed. An aerial image of a campus appeared, with a blue and white logo on the side.
"The first option is Cathedral High School," Cam said in a deep, theatrical voice, "Located right here in Los Angeles. About fifteen kilometers from home."
Claire pursed her lips, already jotting down notes quickly in her notebook. "That's triple the distance from here to Palisades," she said, as if calling out a technical foul.
Cam didn't deny it. Andrew mentally noted it too. By car, the drive could take up to 25 minutes way depending on traffic. By bike… completely unfeasible. Over 40 minutes, not counting the return trip, and that's after intense football practices. An unnecessary burden.
"The school competes in a Catholic league with a solid level within Division 1," Cam continued, showing footage from past games. "But it doesn't go up against California's giants. Still, it's a serious and well-coached program, far superior to Palisades."
Claire nodded as she took notes. Jay watched the screen, brow slightly furrowed.
"And now," Cam said with a sigh, "the important detail that could change everything. Cathedral High School is a Catholic institution… but it's also…" he paused and extended one arm, "…all boys."
A brief silence fell over the room. Jay let out a faint grimace of discomfort. Gloria tilted her head, unconvinced, while Manny twisted his mouth in clear disapproval.
"Where am I supposed to see the cheerleaders if you go there?" Manny asked gravely, arms crossed.
Claire raised an eyebrow and looked at Phil, as if bracing herself.
Phil, as expected, wore a disappointed expression.
"Sorry, but cheerleaders are part of the show. It's like going to a musical without dance numbers," he muttered, more to himself than to the others.
Haley laughed and glanced at Andrew. Alex snorted in amusement.
"Well," said Haley in a teasing tone, "at least you'll have zero jealousy drama if there are no girls around. You know, with Pippa. That's a plus."
Andrew glanced at her sideways, annoyed, but said nothing. He couldn't fully deny it.
The first to speak up clearly was Luke. His face was red, outraged, as if he'd been personally insulted.
"Vetoed!" he exclaimed. "You can't go there. Cheerleaders are key!"
Andrew leaned back in the chair with a sigh and a slight smile, while Cam raised his hands, trying to calm the uprising.
"Come on, come on! We're just evaluating options," he said. "Besides, cheerleaders aren't the key. What matters is the program, the discipline, the athletic development. We need to be more logical…"
"That's just because you like boys," Luke blurted out innocently, without a trace of malice.
There was a beat of silence.
Cam looked at him… and smiled softly. "Your argument is very logical..."
Luke nodded, as if he had just won an argument.
"That's why we all want cheerleaders!" said Luke, raising his fist like he was starting a revolution.
Claire looked at him with narrowed eyes, already guessing that her son's enthusiasm had little to do with school spirit.
Jay let out a low, raspy laugh. "Finally, the kid says something sensible," he said, giving Luke a pat on the shoulder.
"I agree with the others. And honestly, an all-boys school for two years… I don't know. Sounds old-fashioned."
Cam finally let out a sigh and looked at Andrew. "Well… the final verdict is yours."
Andrew sat up in the chair, looking thoughtful. "Let's see… we haven't gone through all the options yet, but… the all-boys thing is already a downside for almost everyone here."
He paused and shrugged.
"And to be honest… I like cheerleaders too. I'm not gonna say it too loud because I have a girlfriend. But the show is part of the experience. I like it. I always have."
Everyone nodded. It was the truth.
"Also," Andrew continued, "the distance is another issue. It's not impossible, but it's more than 25 minutes by car. And while the program is respectable, it's not on the level of the elite D1 schools."
"What about the scholarship?" asked Claire. It was a private school, and those aren't exactly known for being cheap.
"Partial scholarship. It only covers 50%. And the yearly tuition is eleven thousand dollars," Mitchell replied precisely.
Claire went silent for a moment, processing.
Her face shifted from neutral to clearly disappointed.
"Fifty percent? That's it? With Andrew's stats? A quarterback with two championships, a YouTube channel with a million subscribers, public presence, leadership, flawless GPA… and only half?"
She shut her notebook with a snap and said, "Cathedral High School, out."
"Next!" cheered Luke, as if they had just won a game.
Jay chuckled softly, enjoying the kid's energy.
Haley clapped once with a playful grin, while Alex exhaled, fully resigned.
"Perfect. Next slide… Notre Dame High School," said Cam, aiming the projector remote.
The image changed on the wall, revealing a new school.
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