"Welcome to the San Francisco 49ers!"
Logan was bouncing around like a kid on Christmas morning. He took a few steps back, sprinted forward, and leaped into a chest bump with Marcus. Marcus, caught up in the excitement, spread his arms wide and started gliding around the empty parking lot, making bomber noises. Their laughter and shouts echoed, turning the empty lot into a lively scene.
But then Logan noticed something was off. Where was Luke? Why wasn't he joining in?
Logan's excitement turned to worry as he walked over. Luke was buried under a pile of something, with just a few strands of hair sticking out. His hand and calf were visible but completely still. Panic set in. "Bambi? You okay?" No response. "Marcus, why isn't Bambi moving?"
Marcus stopped in his tracks, stunned for a second, then rushed over. "What's going on?" He dropped to his knees and started digging Luke out, pushing aside what turned out to be a mountain of condoms. He joined Logan in the panic. "Bambi? Bambi?"
Suddenly, condoms flew everywhere as Luke sat up like a zombie coming back to life. He started chucking condoms at Logan and Marcus, who were totally caught off guard.
False alarm. Logan and Marcus had planned a prank, but Luke's counterattack nearly gave them a heart attack. They were both a mess, legs almost giving out from the shock. But they quickly recovered and started fighting back.
The three college grads, acting like kids, turned the parking lot into a battleground for a "condom" fight.
Exhausted, they finally collapsed on the ground, staring up at the vast sky. It felt like the whole world was theirs for the taking. The sky was the limit.
"Today's prank wasn't just from Marcus and me. The offensive line guys pitched in too. This is a little gift from the San Francisco 49ers to our new quarterback," Logan said loudly. "Fifty boxes, Bambi. You can use them for a long time."
"That's just a month's supply for me," Luke said calmly, making Marcus howl with laughter, and Logan joined in. A smile crept onto Luke's face.
Rookies are always at the bottom of the team hierarchy. Every year, teams have a tradition of pranking the newcomers. It's the same for college teams and the pros. The whole rookie season is a time of trials.
The mildest pranks might be washing socks or polishing helmets; moderate ones could include cleaning the trophy cabinet; severe ones might involve getting a bizarre haircut or even some physical and mental torment. The pranks are endless and unavoidable. Rookies can't defend themselves, and those who refuse to cooperate often become the team's enemies.
Rookies who can't take a joke, act like divas, or are full of themselves will find that veteran players have countless ways to make them suffer. Each year, about 250 rookies join the league, but only a fraction make it.
Today, Luke had only received a welcome gift.
After the laughter died down, the three of them lay there, watching the clouds roll by. The vibrant colors of the sunset spread out magnificently, breathtakingly beautiful. San Francisco's sunsets are always stunning.
"A few months ago, could you have imagined this? Us, together again, lying in the 49ers' parking lot, surrounded by condoms, officially becoming professional players?" Logan marveled, his voice barely concealing his excitement.
Marcus's sharp laugh rang out. "It's amazing. After everything we've been through, we're back together." He turned to look at Luke and Logan. "As professional players, the way things have turned out is truly unpredictable."
In the draft, the 49ers picked Logan in the third round, then Marcus in the sixth. Now, after all the twists and turns, they had signed Luke as an undrafted rookie. The farewell after the Rose Bowl was still fresh in their minds, the sadness of parting hadn't even fully set in, and now they were reunited.
Fate is full of surprises.
A grin spread across Luke's face, getting bigger and bigger. "Looks like the Bruins' trio is back in action. One day, we'll be fighting side by side again."
A quarterback, a running back, and a tight end—the offensive trio. They had once taken down the USC Trojans and the Wisconsin Badgers. Now, they were reunited with the San Francisco 49ers!
"The Three Musketeers!" Logan shouted, "The three of us are back together. Let's make a name for ourselves in the Bay Area!"
Marcus pumped his fist in the air, "A triangle is the most stable and strongest shape, right? Bambi! Let's team up again. One day, we'll dominate the league, sweep through everything, and charge towards the Super Bowl!"
"Marcus, you better speed up and catch up. Logan and I are about to accelerate," Luke said with a smile, adding fuel to the fire.
"Shut up!" Marcus elbowed Luke, annoyed. "You should worry about yourself first," Marcus grumbled. "We've been training for three months, but you just joined today. You're way behind. You wouldn't believe how thick our playbook is; it's scarier than the Oxford Dictionary."
"Have you even looked through the Oxford Dictionary?" Luke teased, making Logan laugh out loud. Marcus sat up, annoyed, and put Luke in a headlock. "Damn you, Bambi!" But after a moment, Marcus laughed too and said, "Alright, I haven't." He released his hold and lay back down.
In such a self-deprecating posture, the parking lot echoed with joyful laughter once again.
Three rookies, three newcomers, this was their first year in the league. As Marcus mentioned, for the quarterback position, there was Colin Kaepernick first, then Alex Smith, and then Luke. In this intense competition, Luke had no advantage.
Not just Luke, but Logan and Marcus were in the same boat. They had achieved remarkable results in the NCAA, but entering the league meant starting from scratch. Even the most talented Logan was only a third-round pick in the draft.
Joining the league was the first step in their professional careers. Whether they believed it or not, this was actually the easiest step.
"Bambi, do you think one day we might stand on the Super Bowl stage? I mean, the three of us," Marcus mused, looking at the colorful sunset, unable to resist dreaming about the future.
"Super Bowl?" Logan repeated, then chuckled. "Why do I feel like I'm more excited about the Super Bowl halftime show than the game itself? Do you think Beyonce might perform at the halftime show?"
The Super Bowl halftime show, America's biggest annual event, features only top-tier stars performing in front of 150 million viewers.
"Beyonce? Logan, I never thought she was your type," Marcus exclaimed. "I always thought you'd be into Anne Hathaway."
"If it were Annie, I wouldn't say 'no' either," Logan replied, a slight smile playing on his lips.
The conversation didn't continue, and the topic slowly dissipated into the air. The three of them couldn't help but chuckle. They were nobodies for now, but they were already painting a hopeful future.
"It will happen," Luke suddenly said without warning, drawing puzzled looks from his two friends. "The Super Bowl, one day, the three of us will stand on the Super Bowl field, showcasing our talents and abilities, and then we'll win the Super Bowl. I'll get the Super Bowl MVP, and you guys will get to perform on the halftime show stage with Beyonce. It will happen."
No one spoke; they just let the silence spread. The fiery sunset gradually dimmed, much like their future—brilliant and bright.
"Where did you guys park? I didn't see your cars earlier," Luke sat up and nudged the two beside him. "Get up. What are we going to do with all this stuff? I can't drag it home. If my parents see it, they'll lose their appetite at dinner."
Even after living in America for over a decade, Avalis people are still Avalis people.
Logan imagined the scene and chuckled, "Let's put them in the truck bed for now, cover them with a tarp, and then take them to a party someday. I bet they'll think you're Jesus."
"Our cars are in the parking lot on the other side of the field, the management's parking lot," Marcus explained. Then, looking at the condoms scattered all over the parking lot, he chuckled, "If you don't need them, we could put them in a candy box and leave it in the lobby. People can help themselves as needed."
The Three Musketeers, their first official reunion after graduating college, wasn't about dreaming of the Super Bowl or gathering for training, but cleaning up condoms in a parking lot.