The sun rose over Kingston Bay, a small but growing town tucked away along the coast — the kind of place where everybody knew everybody, but you could still carve out your own name if you tried hard enough.
Inside a modest house on the east side of town, Marcellus "Marc" King was already awake, staring at the cracked ceiling of his room. The morning heat seeped through the windows, buzzing fans doing their best to fight it off. His heart raced — today wasn't just another Monday. Today was the first day of high school.
The first step toward everything he ever dreamed about.
Football, college, making a name for himself… it all started now.
A knock came at his door — three short taps — followed by the familiar voice of his sister, Cheyenne.
"You alive in there or what?" she teased, jingling the car keys in her hand.
Marc chuckled under his breath. "Yeah, yeah. I'm up."
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, feeling the rough carpet under his toes. He caught a glimpse of himself in the dusty mirror across the room — skinny, a little rough around the edges, but something burned behind his dark brown eyes. Determination.
He wasn't the biggest kid. He wasn't the flashiest.
But he knew one thing: he was going to make it.
Scene: Breakfast at Home
Downstairs, the smell of toast and fried eggs filled the air.
His mom, Ms. King, stood by the stove, hair tied back, still wearing her work scrubs from the night shift. She glanced over and smiled, tired but proud.
"You ready for your big day, baby?" she asked, flipping an egg onto a plate.
"Yeah, Ma," Marc said, grabbing a seat at the table. "First day, first everything."
Cheyenne strolled in, wearing ripped jeans and an oversized hoodie. Her keys jingled again as she tossed them onto the table, grabbing a piece of toast.
"Better hope you don't get lost in that jungle they call a school," she said, laughing.
Marc rolled his eyes, but deep down, he was grateful she was there. Even if she was annoying sometimes, she always had his back.
Their mom sat down briefly, her eyes softening. "Listen… you stay focused. You hear me? School first. Football second. Keep your head down and do your thing."
"I will, Ma. I promise."
And he meant it.
Scene: The Drive to School
Cheyenne's car coughed to life — an old green 2008 Honda Civic, a little beat-up but reliable. Marc climbed into the passenger seat, adjusting his backpack on his lap. The radio crackled as Cheyenne pulled out of the driveway.
Kingston Bay High School wasn't far — just a 10-minute drive — but to Marc, it felt like a road stretching into a whole new world.
"You nervous?" Cheyenne asked, glancing over.
"Nah," Marc lied.
She smirked. "It's cool to be nervous, you know. Just don't let 'em see it."
They drove past the downtown strip — little diners, a comic book store, the old movie theater that still had $5 matinees on weekends. Marc watched it all flash by, feeling the weight of everything about to happen settle onto his shoulders.
Scene: First Day Jitters
When they pulled up to the school, Marc swallowed hard.
Kingston Bay High was massive compared to his middle school. Red brick buildings stretched across the campus, banners waving in the breeze.
"Welcome Class of 2029!" one read.
Kids swarmed the front steps — some laughing, some moving nervously in packs.
And somewhere inside that building… was the football team.
His future.
Marc grabbed his bag and stepped out. Cheyenne leaned over and smirked again.
"Good luck, lil' bro. You're gonna need it."
He flashed a quick smile, then turned toward the entrance.
This was it.
No looking back now.
Scene: Meeting the Coaches
After making it through homeroom and a blur of first-day chaos, Marc found himself standing outside the gymnasium, clutching the football tryout form in his sweaty hands.
The JV coach, Coach Reddick, was waiting inside, barking orders at a group of boys already doing stretches. He was a tall, wiry man with a buzz cut and sunglasses pushed up on his forehead.
"You the new freshman?" he called out as Marc walked in.
"Yes sir," Marc said quickly.
Coach Reddick looked him up and down, nodded.
"Marcellus King, right? Heard your name from the middle school coaches. You played receiver over there?"
"Yes sir."
Coach scribbled something on his clipboard. "Alright then. Let's see if you can run with the big boys."
Marc's heart pounded, but he nodded confidently.
Scene: Jersey Pickup
After drills, after sprinting until his lungs burned, after running route after route to prove he deserved a shot — Coach Reddick called Marc over.
"Son," he said, tossing him a fresh white jersey with a bold navy number stitched onto the front.
#14.
"This is you for the season. Keep it clean, earn that spot."
Marc clutched the jersey like it was made of gold. His first real team jersey. His first step onto the real path.
#14. Kingston Bay High JV Football. Wide Receiver.
He would never forget the way it felt in his hands — the way it symbolized a future that was finally within reach.
Chapter 1: A New Beginning
The sun rose over Kingston Bay, a small but growing town tucked away along the coast — the kind of place where everybody knew everybody, but you could still carve out your own name if you tried hard enough.
Inside a modest house on the east side of town, Marcellus "Marc" King was already awake, staring at the cracked ceiling of his room. The morning heat seeped through the windows, buzzing fans doing their best to fight it off. His heart raced — today wasn't just another Monday. Today was the first day of high school.
The first step toward everything he ever dreamed about.
Football, college, making a name for himself… it all started now.
A knock came at his door — three short taps — followed by the familiar voice of his sister, Cheyenne.
"You alive in there or what?" she teased, jingling the car keys in her hand.
Marc chuckled under his breath. "Yeah, yeah. I'm up."
He swung his legs over the side of the bed, feeling the rough carpet under his toes. He caught a glimpse of himself in the dusty mirror across the room — skinny, a little rough around the edges, but something burned behind his dark brown eyes. Determination.
He wasn't the biggest kid. He wasn't the flashiest.
But he knew one thing: he was going to make it.
Scene: Breakfast at Home
Downstairs, the smell of toast and fried eggs filled the air.
His mom, Ms. King, stood by the stove, hair tied back, still wearing her work scrubs from the night shift. She glanced over and smiled, tired but proud.
"You ready for your big day, baby?" she asked, flipping an egg onto a plate.
"Yeah, Ma," Marc said, grabbing a seat at the table. "First day, first everything."
Cheyenne strolled in, wearing ripped jeans and an oversized hoodie. Her keys jingled again as she tossed them onto the table, grabbing a piece of toast.
"Better hope you don't get lost in that jungle they call a school," she said, laughing.
Marc rolled his eyes, but deep down, he was grateful she was there. Even if she was annoying sometimes, she always had his back.
Their mom sat down briefly, her eyes softening. "Listen… you stay focused. You hear me? School first. Football second. Keep your head down and do your thing."
"I will, Ma. I promise."
And he meant it.
Scene: The Drive to School
Cheyenne's car coughed to life — an old green 2008 Honda Civic, a little beat-up but reliable. Marc climbed into the passenger seat, adjusting his backpack on his lap. The radio crackled as Cheyenne pulled out of the driveway.
Kingston Bay High School wasn't far — just a 10-minute drive — but to Marc, it felt like a road stretching into a whole new world.
"You nervous?" Cheyenne asked, glancing over.
"Nah," Marc lied.
She smirked. "It's cool to be nervous, you know. Just don't let 'em see it."
They drove past the downtown strip — little diners, a comic book store, the old movie theater that still had $5 matinees on weekends. Marc watched it all flash by, feeling the weight of everything about to happen settle onto his shoulders.
Scene: First Day Jitters
When they pulled up to the school, Marc swallowed hard.
Kingston Bay High was massive compared to his middle school. Red brick buildings stretched across the campus, banners waving in the breeze.
"Welcome Class of 2029!" one read.
Kids swarmed the front steps — some laughing, some moving nervously in packs.
And somewhere inside that building… was the football team.
His future.
Marc grabbed his bag and stepped out. Cheyenne leaned over and smirked again.
"Good luck, lil' bro. You're gonna need it."
He flashed a quick smile, then turned toward the entrance.
This was it.
No looking back now.
Scene: Meeting the Coaches
After making it through homeroom and a blur of first-day chaos, Marc found himself standing outside the gymnasium, clutching the football tryout form in his sweaty hands.
The JV coach, Coach Reddick, was waiting inside, barking orders at a group of boys already doing stretches. He was a tall, wiry man with a buzz cut and sunglasses pushed up on his forehead.
"You the new freshman?" he called out as Marc walked in.
"Yes sir," Marc said quickly.
Coach Reddick looked him up and down, nodded.
"Marcellus King, right? Heard your name from the middle school coaches. You played receiver over there?"
"Yes sir."
Coach scribbled something on his clipboard. "Alright then. Let's see if you can run with the big boys."
Marc's heart pounded, but he nodded confidently.
Scene: Jersey Pickup
After drills, after sprinting until his lungs burned, after running route after route to prove he deserved a shot — Coach Reddick called Marc over.
"Son," he said, tossing him a fresh white jersey with a bold navy number stitched onto the front.
#14.
"This is you for the season. Keep it clean, earn that spot."
Marc clutched the jersey like it was made of gold. His first real team jersey. His first step onto the real path.
#14. Kingston Bay High JV Football. Wide Receiver.
He would never forget the way it felt in his hands — the way it symbolized a future that was finally within reach.