Date: Mon, 13 Nov 2006 22:47:51 +0000 From: Jacob Latson Subject: Washington Academy25 Disclaimer: This story will describe the life of Robert David Mathews from his time as a teenager, through prep school, and into military service. If stories involving sex between consenting teenagers, including both straight sex and gay sex, offends you, go back to the Archives and pick a different story for your reading pleasure. There has been minimal research for this story therefore, names, places, dates are mostly fictitious and similarities to real life are coincidental. Some companies and organizations mentioned actually exist, but references to the activities, policies, programs and procedures are fictitious. I was not a SEAL and have limited knowledge of the force. I am writing this story from imagination and a little research, not from personal experience. My editor, Bill, is a dedicated friend. His improvements in my writing style are greatly appreciated. Readers: Brace yourselves for this one!!!!! Washington Academy Chapter 25, Celebration and Disaster Life at the Academy was full of surprises for everyone. Robbie had made another trip to the Joke Shop at the mall, and had a few surprises for his friends at the academy. The first prank that he pulled was to add a chemical to the supply of coffee in the Faculty Lounge. The chemical was tasteless, but anyone who drank the brewed coffee was shocked when his or her urine was bright green. Dr. Linda Miller was flooded with faculty members who feared that they had developed some strange urinary infection, and she was alarmed until she figured out that all of the infected faculty members had consumed coffee in the lounge that morning. She tested the coffee in the large urns and found the strange chemical. Robbie had organized his classmates to pull pranks on the First Class Cadets. Several of their dorm rooms were filled with wadded up newspapers, making it impossible for the upperclassmen to even open the door to their two man rooms. Bars of soap left in their shower rooms looked normal, but when they were used during showers, their bodies were covered with black dye. Even Vincent Brown was a victim. He had a box of expensive cigars on his desk, and several of them had been carefully unwrapped to allow for insertion of a piece of rubber band and then re-wrapped. When the Chancellor lit his favorite brand of cigar, the rubber burned and filled his mouth and throat with the nasty fumes. Guy Stephens and Derrick Harmon usually went outside to smoke their own brand of expensive cigars. They were both shocked when the ends of their cigars exploded, leaving them furious at being the victims of another prank. The cadets and faculty tried to find out who had pulled the pranks, but Robbie escaped the wrath of the victims. He had enlisted the help of Trip and Tracker in pulling the pranks, but all three professed innocence when questioned. "I bet my life that our Little Brothers whacked us," Drew said to Keith Phillips and David Burtram. "Robbie buys crap at that Joke Shop at the mall, and I bet he was the ring leader! We'd better tell our Little Brothers to cool it, or they could get expelled!" Keith and David agreed that their Little Brothers were the prime suspects in the string of pranks, but they laughed at how all of the pranks were pulled on the same day and had hit them along with the faculty. Vincent Brown was in his staff meeting when he addressed the disgruntled administrators. "Well, we've been had!" he began. "We all know that pranks are an important part of life on this beautiful campus, and we just witnessed a series of pranks that have never been achieved before! At first I was pissed that my cigars were loaded with rubber bands, but after hearing the other pranks on our campus, mine was minor. Some of you may not know that someone got into the Washington Hall and turned on strategic lights in rooms that spelled out a vulgar expletive. I roared when I saw the message that was spelled out. (The lighted rooms spelled out 'FUCK U'). I don't want a repeat if we have nighttime visitors to our campus, but our security staff needs to recognize where we need to improve our lockdown procedures. I know many of you have tried to identify the culprits, but I think we should just relax and enjoy the best year in the history of this fine academy, and hope that the pranks stop for a while. Let's get down to business!" The baseball season had started, and Robbie was thrilled that he made the starting lineup in the shortstop position for the second year. Drew and Tracker were talented pitchers, and Keith Phillips was the power hitter. Before one of the practices started, Robbie looked around and saw Coach Pahls talking to Guy Stephens and Derrick Harmon. He decided it was time to tell a joke. "Coach Pahls, did you hear about the blonde girl who went fishing with four Navy SEALs" Robbie asked. Immediately the ears of Guy Stephens and Derrick Harmon perked up. They were both Navy SEALs and wanted to listen to their favorite cadet. "No, I didn't hear about that," Terry Pahls said honestly. "She went home with a red snapper!" Robbie said with a straight face. All three men laughed out loud! They loved jokes and this was a great one! "Mathews, promise me that you won't tell that joke to my son, Eric," Guy begged. "That's an easy promise to keep," Robbie began, "Because Eric's the one who told me that joke!" Guy's face went pale! His son was only 12 and he didn't know that his son was trading vulgar jokes with his friends and the cadets. "Welcome to parenthood!" Derrick teased when he saw the expression on Guy's face. He slapped his boss on the back and repeated the punch line of the joke so they could both enjoy it again. Terry Pahls, History teacher and Baseball Head Coach, was thrilled with the talent of his players, and met with Guy and Derrick before the daily practices. "We've got a great team this year!" he said to his two friends. "Robbie was great last year at shortstop, and he's even better this year! I'd love to have a Conference Championship in baseball to put an exclamation point on the best athletic year in the history of the Academy." "You've done a great job with the cadets to build a competitive team," Guy replied. "If we're as good as you say, we just might have another State Championship trophy in Grant Hall!!" "Anderson is the first cadet in the history of the Academy to be elected captain of the football, basketball and baseball teams," Harmon added. "He's the best athlete I've ever seen, and we sure will miss him when he heads for Michigan State University. The three coaches were excited about the potential for another championship, and carefully planned the lineup for the first game of the season. The first game was against Traverse City North High School, and was played on Wilson Field on the George Washington Academy Campus. With Drew pitching, the cadets won by a score of 12 to 2. Keith Phillips hit 2 home runs and drove in 6 of the runs. Drew and Robbie both had solo home runs to add to the lopsided score. Everyone was impressed with the expert play of Robbie Mathews, who speared a line drive for one out and turned two double plays during the game. "Mathews is like a vacuum cleaner at shortstop!" Stephens said to Pahls after the game ended. "His uncle has always said that baseball is Robbie's best sport, and David was right!" "He's a great hitter too!" Terry added. "He went 3 for 5 in the game and drove in 4 runs! I bet he could start for any college team in the nation, and he's only a sophomore." Robbie, Drew, Tracker and Keith celebrated after the first victory of the baseball season, by heading to the mall in Traverse City. They ate at the food court and did some shopping before the movie started. "Stay out of that Joke Shop!" Drew ordered. "You could have been expelled for pulling those pranks on the faculty, and my First Class buddies will retaliate if you mess with us again!" "What makes you think that I pulled those pranks?" Robbie asked innocently. "You're not supposed to lie to your Big Brother!" Drew stated bluntly. "The same goes for you!" Keith said to Tracker. "Fess up! We won't rat you out, but we need to know!" Robbie and Tracker admitted their guilt to their Big Brothers, and explained how they got into the Chancellor's office and the faculty lounge. Keith and Drew were pleased that their Little Brothers admitted their guilt, and complimented the two renegade cadets on coming up with unique pranks that had never been witnessed on the campus. "You should have seen the faces on Stephens and Harmon when they saw the lights on in Washington Hall!" Drew said. "I had just left a meeting with Coach Pahls about the baseball team lineup, and all three coaches went nuts! I thought that they would choke on their cigars!" "Did the cigars explode?" Tracker asked. "JESUS! I hope you guys didn't load their cigars again!" Keith exclaimed. "If you guys pull one more prank, you'll be on detention or expelled. Please! Back off!" "I was just teasing," Tracker replied. "I still have some itching powder that I planned to use, but we realized that we might have gone over the line so we called a truce for a while." The four cadets enjoyed their meal together and then went to the movie theatres. Whenever the cadets went to town, they always enjoyed carbonated beverages that were severely limited on the George Washington Academy Campus. They each bought the largest size of popcorn and Coca Cola, and finished everything before the movie ended. Robbie had noticed that Drew was spending a lot of time away from the campus, and finally pinned his buddy down when they were talking at the fountain in the Quad. "Where are you going when you leave here?" Robbie asked Drew. "You used to hang out with us in the gym or in the Break Room, but no one seems to know where you go." "I promised not to lie to you," Drew began, "But I don't want you giving me any shit for telling you the truth. I've been spending a lot of time with Allison Smith and her family. I think I'm gonna ask her to marry me!" "HOLY SHIT!" Robbie exclaimed. "I knew you liked her, but I didn't think you were getting that serious. The girls in East Lansing will be pissed if you are engaged or married when you start at MSU next fall. Am I gonna be invited to your wedding?" "I'm gonna ask Keith to be my best man, and I want you to be one of my groomsmen," Drew replied. "I hope you aren't pissed at me for asking Keith to be my best man, but he and I have been through a ton of shit together, and we're really tight." "Keith's a great guy and I think he's the best guy to hold you up so you don't pass out during the ceremony," Robbie teased. "I hope you have some cute bridesmaids so I can nail one or two of them!" "You always think with your dick!" Drew teased. "Little Robbie always demands my attention," Robbie replied. "Speaking of Little Robbie, have you given up on guy sex? It's been a long time since I made you my bitch!" "Ally and I have cut way back on our sexual activities lately, so I'm ready to drill that cute ass of yours right now!" Drew said. "Let's hit the Equipment Room and exchange some body fluids!" Robbie was excited about having sex with Drew again. He had several other cadets who were always ready and willing to visit the Equipment Room with him, but he cherished the sex with Drew the most. Robbie and Drew walked to the Equipment Room and saw that the sweatband was hanging on the doorknob, indicating that someone was using the secret room for sex. They thought about going somewhere else until they heard the door open. They were both surprised to see Elwood Bluestone come out of the room with Jason Martin following closely behind. Jason blushed deeply and wanted to hide from the two talented athletes. He was having trouble walking, and both Robbie and Drew suspected that Elwood had shoved his 10 inches of cock up the small ass of the bashful cadet. "Ooopps!" Elwood exclaimed. "I guess you guys know my boyfriend, Jason. >From the bulges in your Dockers, I bet you're gonna do everything that we just did!" "If Drew would graft two tits on his back, I'd marry him!" Robbie teased. "My Big Brother is the biggest slut on campus!" He yelped when Drew cuffed him on the back of the head and then grabbed his crotch. Jason laughed and tried to relax after being embarrassed. He was thrilled that Elwood had called him his "boyfriend" for the first time, but still didn't want all of the cadets to know about his sexual preference for guys. "If you had that monster down your throat or up your ass, I'm surprised that you aren't dead!" Robbie teased Jason. "My Little Brother is HUGE in the pecker department, and not many guys can handle what he's got!" "Jason does just fine!" Elwood replied while kissing Jason. "He lifts me up and carries me around while he fucks me!" Jason admitted. "I love it!" "He told me that you were his first," Elwood said to Robbie. "Thanks for introducing him to gay sex! He's the best fuck I've ever had!" "Enough small talk!" Drew interrupted. "I need to get rid of a load of cum, and I don't see any sheep around here, so you'll have to do! Let's go. Maybe I should say, 'Let's cum'." Robbie and Drew were both very horny, and quickly got into the Equipment Room and undressed each other. They shared several passionate kisses before getting into the 69 position. Their orgasms were quick and simultaneous. They both gulped down the loads of warm cum and then collapsed on the mats to kiss and talk. "I'm really gonna miss this after you graduate," Robbie admitted. "You've been a great Big Brother to me, and I'll be lost without you around." "Life goes on," Drew replied. "I felt the same way when my Big Brother graduated and got married. You'll have Tracker and Trip to occupy your time, and Elwood really needs you to keep him out of trouble. I really thought that both Jake and Elwood were straight, but I guess the 4-F party proved me wrong. I still can't believe that Jason can take that huge cock of Elwood's." "This cock is plenty big for me!" Robbie exclaimed while grabbing Drew's semi-erect cock. "Fuck me!" Drew laughed and then led Robbie over to a stack of chairs in the Equipment Room. "Bend over and prepare to be fucked!" Drew ordered. "You're my bitch now!" Robbie loved Drew unconditionally and quickly complied. He felt Drew spread apart the cheeks of his ass and apply a generous coating of K-Y Jelly to his rosebud. He loved anal sex with Drew when they were facing each other so they could kiss, but he knew that Drew preferred the "doggy" position. He moaned when the head of Drew's cock popped past his sphincter muscle and slid deep inside. "God I love fucking this cute ass of yours!" Drew exclaimed. He and Robbie had shared anal sex many times, but he was always amazed at how muscular Robbie's ass cheeks were when he was boning his Little Brother. He buried his cock to the hilt and waited for Robbie to adjust to the anal invasion before beginning to satisfy his prurient desires. The sounds of Robbie moaning and flesh slapping together filled the Equipment Room. The unmistakable aroma of sweat mixed with body fluids filled Robbie's nostrils, and he wished that this moment would last forever. It felt like someone had shoved a telephone pole up his ass, but he loved the pain and pressure of coupling with his Big Brother. He didn't know it at the time, but it would be the last time that he and Drew would be intimate together. Both guys were exhausted when they left the Equipment Room. They had blown and fucked each other, and wanted to shower before it was time for supper. When they left the Equipment Room they laughed when they saw Trip and Mark Jenkins waiting for their turn to share intimacy. "Have fun!" Robbie said while kissing Mark on the lips. "Your Big Brother is a total slut!" "Hey, don't rag on my Big Brother!" Mark retorted. "We're lovers!" Drew and Robbie both knew that Trip and Mark had bonded closely together, and seemed to be in love. Several cadets at the Academy had found life partners in the past, and Mark and Trip were perfect matches, both physically and with their cross-country interests. The next day the cadets gathered together before the start of baseball practice. Robbie always had a joke to tell the coaches when practice started, and this day was no exception. "Coach Pahls did you hear about the new law in Michigan where a man over 50 can't be charged with rape?" Robbie asked seriously. "No, I haven't heard about that one," Terry Pahls said. He knew that Guy Stephens and Derrick Harmon were listening intently and decided to play along with Robbie. "It's considered assault with a dead weapon!" Robbie joked. "You little smart ass!" Guy Stephens exclaimed. "Five laps for the jokester!" When he saw the other cadets laughing along with Robbie he sent everyone out on the track for five laps. "You have to admit that was a good one!" Terry said to his boss and Athletic Director. "I love that kid like he was my own son," Guy began, "But I can't let him get away with teasing me because I'm over 50! I can't wait for the Staff Meeting tomorrow so I can tell everyone that joke!" "Robbie always has a good joke to start practice," Derrick admitted. "His uncle was always a jokester, and Robbie learned from Uncle David. Humor always makes a day more enjoyable!" The cadets molded together and soon had a baseball team that any coach would love to have. Drew was a fantastic pitcher, and Tracker was gaining control of his fastball and threw a great curve ball. With Pat Leahy as the 3rd pitcher in the rotation, the cadets dominated their league and won the championship. They progressed thru the playoff series and ended up in the State Championship Game on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. "We welcome the radio and television audiences to this key Class A Baseball Championship game, pitting the Eagles of the George Washington Academy against the Patriots of Pontiac Central High School," Thomas Smith began. "With me is my partner in broadcasting for ESPN2, Michael Stuart, the former star pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. Michael, you've seen both of these teams play during the playoff series, so please tell the audience how you think they match up." "Tom, it's a great pleasure for me to cover this championship game here at Burton Field on the campus of the University of Michigan," Mike Stuart replied. "The Eagles are trying to do something today that no team in the history of Michigan high school sports has accomplished. If the Eagles win today, they will have run the table and collected trophies for State Championships in football, basketball and baseball in the same school year! Andrew Anderson has been elected captain of all three sports, and he's the best high school pitcher in the country as far as I'm concerned! If he's on his game today, no one can stop the Eagles from setting the bar high for all high school teams in the future!" "The George Washington Academy has a list of alumni that no other high school in the nation can match, and many of those graduates are here today to watch this big game," Thomas Smith said. "Before the game, I had the chance to talk to Michael Edwards, the Personnel Director for the George Washington Academy, and here's what he said." The commentators showed a videotape of Michael Edwards explaining the history of the Academy and listing the distinguished alumni. He listed the accomplishments of the football, basketball and baseball teams, and said that Andrew Anderson and Robert Mathews had been recognized in the All State and All American baseball teams. "Mike, which team do you think will win this game today?" Thomas Smith asked Michael Stuart. "I'm picking the Eagles to make history today by winning their 3rd major sport State Championship in the same year!" Stuart replied. "With the 92 miles per hour fastball of Andrew Anderson, the expert play of Robert Mathews at shortstop, and the power hitting of Keith Phillips, the Patriots will end up taking home the Runner-up Trophy today!" The commentators then discussed the best players on the Pontiac Central High School baseball team, and what they did to progress to the Championship Game. David and Marie Mathews joined a group of Eagle fans in the stands along the 3rd baseline, and shared their excitement about seeing their boys compete for another state championship. Tom, Carol and Jennifer Anderson were thrilled to be at the game, and hoped that Drew would pitch a good game and accept the cherished trophy. Terry Pahls, Head Baseball coach, was excited about leading his team to victory in this critical game. He had won State Championships before when he was coaching a high school in Lansing, Michigan, but this was his first time to lead the Eagles to the highest level of competition. "This is it!" Terry said to his excited players. "The whole State is watching, and it's time for you men to show everyone just how good you are! Win or lose, I'm proud of you for what you've accomplished this year. Pat, will you lead us in a brief prayer?" he asked Pat Leahy. "TEAM!" the cadets screamed after the prayer ended and they had huddled together. The baseball game was filled with excitement. High School teams played a total of seven innings of baseball, and used aluminum bats. The rules were basically the same for high schools and colleges in Michigan. Drew pitched a great game, but two errors had left the cadets trailing by a score of 3 to 1 at the bottom of the 7th inning. "The Patriots are 3 outs away from a State Championship," Thomas Smith announced. "Andrew Anderson has pitched a great game, but one error by Josh Freeman on a long fly ball and another by Kerry Wilson at 3rd base allowed three runs to score. Without those errors, the Eagles would be ahead by a score of 1 to nothing after the towering home run by Keith Phillips." "The Eagles will have to put at least 2 runs on the scoreboard in this inning or the game will be over, along with any hopes for a record year for the George Washington Academy," Mike Stuart added. "The first three batters to face John Carpenter are Patrick Leahy, William Henderson and Mark Tipton. Carpenter has been solid with his split-finger fastball and has fooled several Eagle batters when his curve ball is working." Pat Leahy struck out, and Billy Henderson walked. Mark Tipton hit a single to left field to put runners at 1st and 2nd bases. "The Eagles now have the tying runs on base, with Phillip McDonald coming to the plate," Thomas Smith announced. "Robert Mathews is 'on deck' and John Carpenter would love a double play to end this game and claim the State Championship!" David Mathews was concerned that the Eagles would lose this game and the chance to make State History. He remembered his own days of competing at the Academy and wished that he could turn back the clock and be a young cadet again. He hugged his wife and expressed his concern that the Eagles were on the verge of losing the baseball game. "You've never been a quitter, so think positive thoughts!" Marie commanded her husband. "We're gonna win this game and the State Championship!" "Coach Pahls is giving last-minute instructions to Phillip MacDonald, and the junior cadet steps up to the plate!" Thomas Smith announced to the television audience. "MacDonald hits the first pitch to the shortstop, and Marty Jeffers scoops it up and fires to 2nd base!" Mike Stuart announced excitedly. "The relay to 1st is NOT IN TIME! MacDonald beat the throw, and the Eagles dodged a bullet, but the Patriots are one out away from the State Championship Trophy!" Coach Melvin Jackson heads to the mound to talk to his pitcher, while we take a quick commercial break with the score, Pontiac Central High School Patriots 3, George Washington Academy Eagles 1!" Thomas Smith announced. "OH GOD! ROBBIE"S UP TO BAT!" David Mathews yelled excitedly. "HIT THE BALL, ROBBIE!" Robbie was filled with emotions of excitement and fear that he might make the last out of the game. He thought back to the time that he dropped a critical pass in a football game that ended the chances of progressing in the playoff series, and prayed that he would get a hit. "Robert Mathews is the leading hitter on this talented Eagle team, and Keith Phillips is 'on deck'!" Michael Stuart announced. "Mathews has two hits in this game and flied out deep to left field on his last time at bat. It's all up to the talented shortstop to rally his team to victory! With two outs, the Eagles need a hit or walk from Mathews to keep their championship hopes alive!" "John Carpenter winds up and delivers a fastball that is high and inside!" Thomas announced. "Robert Mathews had to hit the dirt to avoid being hit by that pitch, and the sophomore looks rattled." "John Carpenter lost control of that fastball and nearly hit Mathews!" Stuart added. "I'm sure that the Patriots don't want Mathews on base with Keith Phillips in the batter's box!" "With two outs, it's all up to the talented shortstop to get on base for Keith Phillips proven power!" Thomas Smith added. "The count is one ball and no strikes, with Mathews digging in at home plate!" "Here's the windup, and Carpenter tries to pick off MacDonald at first base!" Michael announced. "MacDonald hits the dirt to get back to 1st base safely, and this game was nearly over!" Guy Stephens, the Athletic Director for the Washington Academy is the coach at 1st base, and I'm sure that he warned MacDonald to be ready for another 'pickoff throw'!" Smith added. "Carpenter winds up, checks the runner at 1st base and delivers another fastball that's high and inside! Mathews hits the dirt again, and Coach Pahls has called time out to complain to the home plate umpire about the pitcher!" "You don't have to say it!" Jim Morrison, the umpire, said to Pahls. The umpire called the Patriot coach to the mound and warned the pitcher that another wild pitch would result in the pitcher being thrown out of the game. "Coach Melvin Jackson is arguing with the umpire, but he won't win the argument!" Smith announced. "The count to Robert Mathews is two balls and no strikes, and Mathews looks rattled. Coach Pahls is talking to his batter to try and calm him down, but it looks bad for the Eagles right now!" "He's trying to intimidate you!" Terry said to Robbie. "It's working!" Robbie exclaimed. "That last pitch nearly hit me in the head!" "You said you want to be a Navy SEAL," Terry said to his talented shortstop. "What would a SEAL do if someone tried to intimidate him?" "Intimidate him right back!" Robbie replied forcefully. "Then do it!" Terry said to Robbie. "Intimidate that bastard and get a hit!" David Mathews was afraid that Robbie would crumble under the pressure of the important game, but didn't want to tell his wife what he was thinking. He was angry with the pitcher and coach for an obvious attempt to scare Robbie away from the plate. Robbie closed his eyes and focused his mind and energy on the pitcher and the importance of his batting. He smiled at coach Pahls and walked towards home plate. Before getting into the batter's box, he stretched out his left arm and pointed the bat at the left field stands that were filled with cheering cadets in their dress white uniforms. "I don't believe this!" Thomas Smith announced. "Robert Mathews has a determined look on his face, and he just imitated the legend, Babe Ruth, who pointed his bat at center field before hitting a home run! THIS CROWD IS GOING WILD!" "Mathews is showing no fear on his face, instead, he looks ready to kill John Carpenter!" Mike Stuart added. "Mathews steps into the box, but calls 'time out' to collect his thoughts and rub some dirt on his gloves! If John Carpenter didn't see Mathews pointing his bat at the left field stands, Mathews just repeated the act to the screams and cheers of the cadets sitting in the left field bleachers!" "OH MY GOD!" David Mathews exclaimed. "I don't know what Terry said to Robbie, but our boy looks ready to kill!" "He learned that damn SEAL look from you!" Marie Mathews scolded. "HE'S GONNA DO IT!" Jennifer Anderson exclaimed. "HE'S GONNA GET A HIT FOR SURE!" The cadets in the left field bleachers were going ballistic! Their hopes for a championship were riding on the back of Robbie Mathews, and they screamed their support for him and the rest of their baseball team. "John Carpenter checks the sign and waves it off!" Thomas Smith announced. "Here's the windup and the pitch!" The loud clank of the aluminum baseball bat hitting the ball echoed around the baseball field. When Robbie connected with the pitch, he knew he had swung harder than he had ever swung before, and immediately flipped the bat, end over end, until it landed on the ground. He watched the ball sail out to left field and saw the left fielder standing at the fence and looking up. He was so excited that he was jumping sideways towards 1st base, and watching the ball sail over the head of the left fielder. "YES!" Robbie screamed. "YES, YES, YES!" "IT'S A LONG FLY BALL INTO LEFT FIELD! Thomas Smith said excitedly. "IT'S GOING, GOING, GONE! Robert Mathews has just lived up to his intimidation of John Carpenter with a three-run homerun that wins the game and State Championship for the George Washington Eagles!" "MY GOD HE DID IT!" David Mathews screamed when he saw the ball go out of the ballpark. "OUR BOY DID IT!" Jennifer Anderson had tears of joy flowing down her face while she hugged her parents and David and Marie Mathews. She couldn't wait to give Robbie a big hug and kiss to celebrate the home run! "Robbie had tears of joy flowing down his face, but knew that he had to run the bases to end the game. He touched 1st base and received a swat on the butt from Guy Stephens. He yelped and raised his fists in the air to celebrate his home run. "Don't miss a base!" Guy Stephens warned his favorite cadet. "Robert Mathews has just electrified this sellout crowd with a 3 run home run to win this game for the Eagles!" Mike Stuart said excitedly. "Mathews rounds 2nd base and is pumping his right arm like he's pumping water out of a well! That ball sailed over the top row of the left field bleachers, and the cadets are streaming out on the field like a swarm of ants to celebrate this important victory!" "Mathews rounds 3rd base and is headed to home plate where his coach and teammates are waiting to celebrate this special victory!" Thomas Smith added. "Mathews has to step on home plate to end this game and claim victory! What an exciting conclusion to this Championship Game!" Robbie could barely see his coach and teammates waiting to congratulate him for winning the game. His eyes were filled with tears of joy, and he was on top of the world! He paused in front of home plate and jumped in the air with both feet landing squarely on the plate. "GAME OVER!" The home plate umpire yelled when Robbie jumped on home plate. "EAGLES WIN!" Terry Pahls grabbed Robbie and lifted him into the air and turned him around. The other coaches and players swarmed around Robbie and celebrated their victory. Drew and Keith fought through the celebrating cadets and put Robbie on their shoulders and carried him out to the pitcher's mound to accept the cheers of the fans. They both loved Robbie and were thrilled that he had ended their high school athletic careers with another State Championship. They turned Robbie around so he could see all of the cheering fans and realize that he was on top of the world along with all of the cadets. "What an exciting conclusion to a great baseball game!" Thomas Smith announced to the television audience. "The final score of the Michigan Class A High School Baseball Championship Game is George Washington Academy Eagles 4, Pontiac Central High School Patriots, 3! Mike Stuart is down on the field to interview Coach Terry Pahls and Robert Mathews after this tremendous ball game. Mike, take it away!" "I'm here with Coach Terry Pahls and the hero of the day, Robert Mathews!" Mike Stuart began. "Coach, how does it feel to win your first State Championship as an Eagles Coach?" "This is the greatest victory of my life!" Terry Pahls admitted. "This team has done everything that I asked of them, and I'm so proud that I can't express myself! Drew pitched a great game, but two errors could have ended our run for the best athletic year of any high school in Michigan!" "Robert Mathews, you seemed rattled after diving out of the way of two high and inside pitches!" Mike Stuart said. "What did Coach Pahls say to you to calm you down and point to the left field stands like Babe Ruth?" "He told me that their pitcher was trying to intimidate me," Robbie replied. "I told him that it was working! He knows that I want to become a Navy SEAL after I graduate, so he asked me what a SEAL would do if someone tried to intimidate them? I told him the truth! A SEAL wouldn't be intimidated and would intimidate him right back!" "When you pointed your bat to the left field stands, did you know that you would hit the baseball out of the park?" Mike Stuart asked. "I knew that I had to hit it solid," Robbie replied. "I swung as hard as I could, and God was watching over me and my teammates today!" "What will you do to celebrate this important victory and State Championship?" Mike Stuart asked Robbie. "I could use someone like you to buy us a case of Budweiser!" Robbie teased. "I don't think the television audience was ready to hear that!" Mike Stuart exclaimed. "We'll take a quick commercial break, but we'll be back for the trophy awards!" During the commercial break, Mike Stuart laughed with the cadets and coaches about what Robbie had said. He quickly realized that he shouldn't ask questions unless he knew what the person would say. After the commercial the commentary continued. "Coach Melvin Jackson and his team captain have accepted the runner-up trophy, and Jeff Midler, Michigan High School Baseball Commissioner is ready to present the Championship Trophy to Coach Terry Pahls and team captain Andrew Anderson," Thomas Smith announced to the television audience. "The Eagles have made history today by winning the trifecta! No school in the history of Michigan High School athletics has ever won State Championships in football, basketball and baseball in the same school year! This is a great day for the cadets of the George Washington Academy and their illustrious alumni!" "On behalf of the Michigan High School Athletic Association, it's my pleasure to award this trophy signifying that the Eagles of the George Washington Academy are the best baseball team in the State!" Jeff Midler began. "Coach Pahls, I congratulate you, your coaching staff, and your players for giving us the most exciting baseball game of the year!" Terry Pahls accepted the trophy and immediately handed it to Andrew Anderson who held the trophy high for everyone to see. He fought back his tears of joy and thanked the Commissioner for his kind comments. "Well folks, you've seen the best baseball team in all of Michigan!" Thomas Smith said to the television audience. We leave Burton Field on the campus of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with the final score, George Washington Academy 4, Pontiac Central, 3!" Jennifer Anderson fought her way through the throng of cadets who were congratulating Robbie on winning the game, and quickly gave him a big hug and kiss. The cadets hooted and hollered at the display of affection, and continued celebrating. Drew was getting his own affection from Allison Smith, who had traveled to Ann Arbor along with her parents to see her boyfriend compete. Allison was in heaven when she met Drew's parents and his sister Jennifer. Trip pushed his way between Robbie and Jennifer and handed Robbie a baseball. "I had to search through the grass to find the ball that you hit out of the park!" Trip exclaimed. "Thanks, Trip!" Robbie exclaimed. "I'm giving this ball to my girlfriend right now!" He handed the baseball to Jennifer and she had tears of joy running down her face when she said, "I think you should give this ball to your aunt and uncle. I'll take that jersey that you're wearing instead!" Robbie immediately took off his sweaty baseball shirt and handed it to Jennifer. She ignored the sweat and quickly put the jersey on to celebrate the victory and the fact that Robbie had called her "his girlfriend". The celebrations continued throughout the rest of the day and night. The Academy had rented a hall at the Holiday Inn, and a large banquet was in full swing when David Mathews recognized an old friend of his. "Arthur!" David exclaimed. "I didn't know that you'd be here! You remember Marie don't you?" Admiral Arthur Harrison was thrilled to see his old friends, David and Marie Mathews. He had graduated from the George Washington Academy before entering Annapolis where his Naval career began. "I came here to see your beautiful bride, not your ugly face!" Admiral Harrison teased. "Marie, you get more beautiful every day!" "Arthur, you've always needed stronger glasses!" Marie teased back. "Where's Connie? I haven't seen her in years!" "We just had our 11th grandchild, and Connie's changing diapers in San Francisco right now!" Admiral Harrison replied. "She wanted to be here with me, but our daughter had some pregnancy problems and the baby was born premature. I haven't seen Robbie since he was 12, and he's grown into a handsome young man! Where is he?" "He's probably sniffing around his girlfriend," David replied. "They've been attached at the hip ever since the baseball game ended." "David Winthrop Mathews, you stop saying nasty things about our boy!" Marie ordered. "He's not a boy anymore!" David exclaimed. "HE'S A MAN!" Robbie held Jennifer's hand while he circulated around the banquet hall and made sure that everyone met his beautiful girlfriend. He was on top of the world, and wanted the celebration to last for the rest of his life. Fate would have a different plan for our star cadet!!!! The cadets celebrated their baseball victory with the "Parade of Champions" at the campus of the George Washington Academy. The teachers had trouble controlling the cadets during classes, and Vincent Brown finally called off all classes for the week before the Graduation Ball and Graduation Ceremonies. Robbie and Drew relaxed together and enjoyed the warm air of May in Michigan. They knew that after the Graduation Ceremonies, Drew would be leaving for a brief visit at home before heading for his first football practice with the Spartans of Michigan State. It was a time of happiness when they relived their athletic accomplishments, and a time of sorrow when they realized that they would soon be apart. "I try not to cry when I think about you leaving here," Robbie admitted to Drew. "I'm really gonna miss you and Keith!" "You'll be a Second Class Cadet soon," Drew replied. "I recommended that you take my place on the Tribunal, and a new group of plebes will be arriving. Please don't pollute their minds!" "I've got all I can handle with Elwood," Robbie admitted. "I can't wait until I see you in Spartan Stadium throwing passes and winning football games!" At the time, Robbie didn't know that Andrew Anderson would never move from the campus of the George Washington Academy. Robbie was sitting on a metal folding chair, and wondered why his vision was so blurred and his head ached. For some reason, his hearing was clouded like his eyesight, but his sense of smell was overpowering. He thought he was dreaming when he took in the fragrance of White Linen perfume by Faberge` and Old Spice aftershave lotion. He knew that those were the favorite scents used by his aunt and uncle, and was vaguely aware that they were sitting beside him and hugging him. He had heard the bagpipes playing "Amazing Grace" but wondered where he was. He thought that he would wake up from his dream and be back at the Academy with his Big Brother and friends. His head ached, and he tried to lift his hand to touch the side of his head, but Aunt Marie kept him from doing it. "Don't touch your head," Aunt Marie said softly. "You're safe with your uncle and me." Robbie's mind couldn't focus on the monotone words being said by a man nearby, but he could smell the freshly cut grass, a multitude of flowers, and the freshness from an early summer drizzle. The only words he heard were, "Andrew Thomas Anderson, may you rest in peace!" Things weren't right! That man must be insane! Drew must be around here somewhere, and Robbie needed to find him! He struggled to get up, but his aunt and uncle held him down in the chair. Thoughts started flowing through his mind. He tried to push the thoughts out, but they kept coming back. Drew had showed him an engagement ring that he wanted to give to Allison Smith. Robbie remembered that they were in the Quad playing Frisbee when Drew came up to talk to him and Keith and showed them both the beautiful diamond ring. Robbie and Keith had congratulated Drew on his important decision, and went back to their friends after Drew left the campus. Robbie shook his head to try and clear his mind and vision. The motion caused his head to ache and he thought he was going to throw up. He jumped when the first volley of rifle shots echoed through the cemetery. It was the sound of a rifle salute that was traditional at military funerals. Marie and David Mathews held Robbie's hands and tried to comfort him. They had retrieved Robbie from the Bay Medical Center in Traverse City and had driven him down to Novi, Michigan for the funeral. They knew that Robbie hadn't accepted the recent events, and feared the worst for their loved one. The shots continued. Robbie's nose was filled with the acrid aroma of gunpowder, and he was confused. Thoughts flooded his mind! He tried to clear his mind, but he couldn't. He remembered being in the Break Room watching television with Trip, Tracker and Keith when Pat Leahy had come in to tell them that Robbie and Keith were wanted in Chancellor Brown's office. He had tried to remember what pranks he might have pulled, but he had promised Drew to stop pulling pranks on the faculty. More thoughts were coming back to him now. He remembered going into the Chancellor's Office and seeing the pained look on Mr. Brown. Mr. Stephens and Mr. Harmon were there, and both coaches looked like they were ready to cry. Robbie was confused. "There's been a terrible auto accident," Vincent Brown began. Immediately, Robbie realized that Drew had gone to propose to Allison Smith and was off the campus. "DREW!" He had blurted out. "WHERE'S DREW?" He vaguely remembered seeing the tears flowing down the faces of all three men in the room, and knew that something terrible had happened! "I'm sorry, men," Chancellor Brown said to Keith and Robbie, "Drew's dead." Robbie remembered how dizzy he became. He didn't remember passing out or his head hitting the corner of the coffee table in the Chancellor's Office. The gunfire had stopped, and the mournful sounds of "Taps" filled the air at the cemetery. A bugle was pausing after each three notes, and another bugle far away echoed the three notes. He felt the rush of a mixture of aromas that filled his nostrils. Cut Grass. Perfume. Aftershave. Gunpowder. Flowers. He looked towards his aunt, but couldn't focus on her face. He could tell that she was crying, and he wondered why. This had to be a dream and he would wake up back at the Academy. But it wasn't a dream. Andrew Anderson was dead! Robbie felt his aunt and uncle helping him stand up. He was dizzy and almost fell, but the strong arms of his uncle held him up until his mind recovered from the dizziness. He walked up to the shiny wooden casket and let his aunt take the single red rose out of his hand and lay it on the casket. He stumbled and felt the strong arms of Guy Stephens and his uncle grab him to keep him from falling. He needed to go to bed and sleep, hoping that he would wake up from the nightmare that he was living. "We'll go to the Anderson's home for a few minutes," David Mathews said to his wife, Robbie, Tracker and Trip. "NO!" Robbie said forcefully. Yelling that single word caused his head to ache and he was nauseated. "The Andersons are our friends and we need to be with them during this tragedy," David replied. "You don't have to say anything to anyone, but they all need you right now, especially Jennifer." When the car arrived at the Anderson's home, the long driveway was overflowing with limousines and other vehicles. David Mathews knew that Robbie couldn't walk any distance and considered driving home until he saw Derrick Harmon waving to him. Derrick had saved a parking place right in front of the home, knowing that Robbie's fractured skull was still causing serious problems. When they got inside the home, Trip and Tracker took over and quickly led Robbie to a chair in the living room. They offered to get him a drink or food, but Robbie refused their kind offers. "David! Marie! How's Robbie?" Tom Anderson asked. "Tom, we don't know what to say to you and your family," David Mathews admitted while hugging his friend. "Robbie's doing okay, but he can't accept what happened to Drew. This is a terrible tragedy, and we wanted to be here for a few minutes to see if we can do anything for you and your family." "We're taking it one day at a time," Tom Anderson replied. "Allison Smith is in a mental hospital for a while. She had just accepted Drew's proposal and was on top of the world. One dope head truck driver has destroyed more than one life!" "I hope Barry Howell rips them a new asshole!" David admitted. "I know it won't bring your son back, but that driver had no business on the road for over 30 hours straight." Throughout the Anderson home, people were talking about the tragic events. A truck delivering furniture for Rooms R Us had run a red light and hit Drew's Firebird broadside. The powerful muscle car spun out of control and hit a guardrail before exploding into flames. Drew's body was burned beyond recognition and his dental records finally identified him. It had taken over a week to complete all the medical tests and autopsy so that Drew could be buried. It was a closed casket funeral, but the Michigan State University jersey that Robbie had bought Drew for Christmas was draped over the casket, along with Drew's graduation picture from the George Washington Academy. The delay in holding the funeral allowed Robbie to attend after spending five days in the hospital. The skull fracture was expected to heal, but everyone was concerned about the emotional impact on the blond cadet. Robbie was not talking to anyone and was not eating or drinking enough to maintain the body of a young teen. "I need to talk to Robbie alone," Jennifer Anderson said to Trip and Tracker. "I know that he's in pain so I won't take much of his time." "Jen," Robbie choked out. He didn't know what to say to the beautiful girl and felt dizzy. "Just let me do the talking," Jennifer said. "You and I both lost someone that we loved. Drew was my brother and best friend. We didn't have any secrets; so don't be mad at him. I knew about the trips that you and Drew made to the Equipment Room and I was jealous. I was jealous because he had sex with you before I did. Drew wouldn't want you to self-destruct, so you have to honor his memory by getting through this. I need you! Don't you give up! I love you, and I'll wait until the end of time for you to be with me." Jennifer leaned over and gave Robbie a kiss on the cheek before calling Trip and Tracker back over to sit with Robbie. "Please take care of him for me," Jennifer said to the two cadets. Robbie was thinking about what Jennifer had said to him. He had never expected Drew to tell his sister of their sexual activities, and he felt nauseated. Tracker saw his Big Brother, Keith Phillips sitting alone in the family room, and went to talk to him. Keith was a mess! His best friend was dead and he was devastated. He had been staying with the Anderson family and knew a great deal of information about the tragic accident. "That fucking driver was high on amphetamines," Keith said to Tracker. "The dispatcher and the Sales Manager knew that the driver hadn't rested in over 30 hours, but they demanded that he deliver a bunch of furniture to the home of Richmond Adams' parents. Do you remember Rich? He was the quarterback on the Traverse City North football team. Drew was killed instantly, but he was burned to a crisp." Tracker knew that Keith needed to talk, so he just held Keith's hand and listened. "Allison Smith and her parents had celebrated the engagement before Drew left to return to campus," Keith continued. "Now she's in a Looney bin! The truck driver staggered away from the wreck and was headed for a bar when the cops caught up with him. He resisted arrest and the cops beat the fuck out of him!" "We can't forget Drew, but we have to take care of Robbie now," Tracker offered. "Our buddy won't eat or drink, even after Dr. George Mathis tried to talk to him. I think Robbie's suicidal." "I talked to Stephens and Harmon and they agree that we need to get Robbie back on campus," Keith offered. "The Grad Ball was cancelled, but graduation is tomorrow. I wasn't going to attend, but Chancellor Brown said we have to do what Drew would want us to do. I'd like to hunt down that truck driver and beat him to death!" "He deserves that and more!" Tracker said. "Will you go with me to see Robbie? You always had a special bond with my buddy, and maybe you can get through to him." Keith Phillips walked into the living room and sat next to Robbie. He didn't say anything because he didn't know what to say, but he held Robbie's hand and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Robbie couldn't see well enough to recognize Keith, but the sheer size of his good friend told him who was sitting with him. "We're going to take Robbie home now," David Mathews said to Tom and Carol Anderson. "He just got out of the hospital yesterday, and the doctors said he needs a lot of rest." "We heard that you're taking him back to the campus," Tom Anderson said. "I know that Dr. George Mathis will continue to work with Robbie to get him to accept what has happened." "Robbie's in total denial," David admitted. "He still won't accept that Drew's gone. Is there anything that Marie and I can do for you?" "Just take care of Robbie," Tom replied. "We don't want to lose another son to this." Robbie Mathews would never be the same after losing his Big Brother. If you're enjoying this story, drive during the day with your lights on and write to me. If you don't like my story, drive at night with your lights off!!! Feedback is appreciated to jacob_latson@hotmail.com