"Bambi, check out that hottie!"
"Hold up, there's a stud over there too!"
"Bambi, looks like you're playing for both teams, huh? Got quite the appetite!"
The teasing never stopped, but Luke didn't even flinch. He just turned around and yelled at his teammates, "Maybe worry about your own butts instead of mine."
Everyone cracked up instantly. Logan's voice cut through the laughter, "Marcus, you got the perkiest butt, better watch out." The laughter got even louder. They'd just won the biggest game of the year, and everyone was in high spirits, joking and celebrating.
Luke left the group and walked off to the side. Jay came up and gave him a solid punch on the shoulder, "Dude, that game was epic! That pass? Insane! You're the man, leading the UCLA Bruins like a boss!"
Luke gave Jay a serious look, then sighed, "Alright, spill it. What do you want? You in trouble again?" It was clear Luke and Jay weren't exactly tight, and Jay only came around when he needed something.
Jay stammered, "Hey... man, what's with you? I just, uh, wanted to interview you. You know, after that game..."
Seeing Jay all flustered, Emily noticed the playful glint in Luke's eyes and figured out what was going on. They shared a quick look and both burst out laughing.
Jay looked confused, glancing between Emily and Luke, and then it hit him: Luke had pranked him, and he fell for it hard. Jay rolled his eyes, "Great, you and Logan are always ditching friends for a pretty face." He put on a mock-hurt expression.
Emily wasn't buying it. She extended her hand to Luke, "Hi, I'm Emily Pulver, editor-in-chief of the school paper."
Luke ignored Jay and shook her hand, "Hey, I'm Luke, just a nobody."
"If you're a nobody, then all the fans at the Rose Bowl would disagree." Emily flashed a charming smile, eyeing Luke.
His tall, slender frame, a bit lean for a quarterback but standing tall like a pine tree; his wet short hair, clear brows, and bright eyes like a clear lake; his calm gaze full of wisdom and agility, as if stars could fall into them.
Then Luke shrugged, looking straightforward, "Alright, so who am I?"
Emily's mouth opened slightly, not expecting to be outmaneuvered. She lifted her chin a bit, a stubborn glint in her eyes, her competitive spirit ignited. But she had to admit, she was caught off guard and wasn't ready to back down.
"I know, you're number eleven, the backup quarterback. You just threw four touchdown passes, leading the UCLA Bruins to beat the Trojans! You're the hero of the school now! You're the second quarterback in ten years to pull this off."
Emily rattled off everything she knew, then blinked, "Now, everyone's trying to figure out who this superhero is! What's his story, and why's the team been hiding him? That's why Jay and I are here."
Luke pursed his lips, nodding slightly, "So, you're saying I'm a nobody. Guess my intro was spot on." He saw Emily's slightly furrowed brows, a glint of amusement in his eyes. Then he raised an eyebrow, "Wait, you don't know my last name, do you? I just introduced myself."
Emily sensed the mischief in Luke's words, making her open her mouth to retort, but she couldn't.
It was a trap. He'd only said "Luke," no last name. So even if she answered with his first name, it wouldn't count because she didn't know his last name. She hadn't done her homework before the interview, a big no-no for a reporter.
But how did she get herself into this mess? Emily couldn't quite remember, and a smile spread across her face, "Alright, mister, know when to stop. Don't push your luck, or you'll be single forever."
Luke raised both hands in surrender, wiped the smile off his face, and said earnestly, "Alright, hit me with your questions. I'm ready."
Looking at Luke, Emily felt a weird vibe. Even though he had surrendered, why did she feel like she had lost? "Alright, first question..."
The interview kicked off but wrapped up in under ten minutes. It was just for the school paper, not ESPN or the "Los Angeles Times." They needed a story, an intro, and a bit of a miracle, and that was enough.
A quarterback from Avalis, a school that had never had an Asian quarterback in its history; a practice squad QB who'd been overlooked for two years and barely made it as a practice player in his third; a backup who got his shot in the fourth year’s training camp because two QBs were MIA; a relief QB thrown into the game when the starter got hurt and the coaches were clueless.
Any one of these keywords would be enough to shock the whole campus, and now all these factors converged on one dude.
This was Luke! This was the answer to everyone's question: Who is this guy? The newcomer who burst onto the scene like a comet, the backup who threw four touchdown passes in the fourth quarter to complete a comeback, the hero who defeated the school's arch-rival. His existence was a legend, a myth, a miracle, like something out of a fairy tale!
Watching Luke's back as he walked away, Emily couldn't help but exclaim, "Who is he?" After saying that, she couldn't help but laugh, "I don't mean his name, his identity, or his background, but where did he come from? Jesus Christ, he's like a genie from Aladdin's lamp!"
Jay, standing next to her, laughed smugly, "Emily, remember at the beginning of the season, you said no one would care about that backup player from Avalis, no one would pay attention to that news report."
"What?" Emily's eyes nearly popped out of her head. She grabbed Jay by the collar, fiercely and urgently saying, "He's that backup from Avalis?"
The news from five months ago hadn't caused any ripples, and Emily had long forgotten about it. Now, suddenly connecting the dots, she felt a storm of emotions she couldn't calm. After getting a confirmed answer from Jay, she blurted out without thinking, "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh my God!"
Seeing Emily's utter shock, Jay felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.
It was the end of the school term, and it was foreseeable that starting tomorrow, the entire campus would be buzzing about this game. All the students would be excited about this game, and Luke would be at the center of this storm, the first quarterback from Avalis in UCLA Bruins history, making a dazzling debut!
Jay gave Emily a slight smile, lifted his chin, and said, "I forgot to tell you, Luke is also a journalism student." With that, Jay swaggered away.
After being hit with so many shocks, Emily actually started to laugh. At least one piece of the puzzle was solved: why his reactions were so quick, why his eloquence was so good, why she got so easily wrapped up in his words.
The key point was, Emily's memory was coming back. The fragments in her mind were piecing together. They were all seniors, and they had taken several classes together. She had a distinct impression of him; he often arrived late to some classes, even studying, looking like a slacker foreign student, but his end-of-term reports were outstanding and impressive. She had even inquired about his name.
Luke Howard.
Now Emily finally remembered his name. At the time, she had marveled at how smart those students from Avalis were, seemingly able to complete their studies effortlessly.
Emily couldn't help but laugh. The more she thought about it, the funnier it got, and she ended up laughing brightly. Life is indeed interesting. Maybe today's report wasn't the end; it could continue. However, the NCAA season was over, and the four years of college football were temporarily at an end. If the story were to continue, it would be in the professional league!
Thinking of this, Emily's mood brightened. She had a hunch that she might see Luke in the professional league in the future. Who knows?
Back in the locker room, all his teammates were in the shower. Luke didn't rush in but sat on the bench, savoring the hard-won victory. Then he summoned the system in his mind.
The game was over, the task was completed, and now it was time for his rewards! As soon as the system was summoned, messages started pouring in, like a beautiful symphony. Luke loved victory and loved moments like this.