Page 44 of The Backup Plan

“I don’t know what’s going on there. I mean, he’s great, right? We’ll see.”

“Avery?”

“Cameron?”

“A little dark humor?”

“Bring it.”

“My twin brother’s name was Jordan.”

FIFTEEN

They Bring the Heat

CAMERON: WEEK 4 (3-1)

Cory

Paging @group-active. Seminar tonight at 9 p.m. CST. If this ain’t your first rodeo, you’re excused.

Cam logged in at 8:55 p.m. and opened a jar of peanut butter and a bag of jerky. Still dragging after the loss, his body screamed for protein and hydration. He hoped the podcast Shelby scheduled for the next morning didn’t involve video, because if it involved video, it involved makeup, and if it involved makeup, it involved Pippa complaining that he was difficult to blend when he didn’t shave five minutes before he arrived.

He dug in for a scoop of peanut butter. To amp up his team, he had to start with himself. He had to be good enough to fake it, at least. But when half of his economics class decided to make suggestions about his game management and how he should be able to hit a receiver in double coverage when he was falling backward mid-sack, he couldn’t even muster the energy to tell them to fuck off with his best Southern manners.

“Thank you. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Cameron

How are you feeling, Thatch? Ethan told us about the broken ribs.

Cory

When you’ve got skin in the game, you don’t feel no pain.

Dale

My dude, those are narcotics singing.

Hayden

I’d offer you some of the hard drugs, but those are for Saturday.

Cameron

Excuse me?

Hayden

It was a joke.

JK I’ll save you some.

Cory

I feel okay, Cam, thanks.

Hayden, despite popular opinion, I do not have to be doped-up to sing.