Junior Year Box Set

“Yes. Do you mind?” Margaret asked.

Most reporters would have just ambushed me. I appreciated that Margaret had given me a heads-up about the topic of conversation. I quickly ran through what I should say to plug everyone I was beholden to.

“I’m with David Dawson, currently the number 1 recruit in the junior class, and wanted to ask him about something other than football. This winter you have a movie being released, Star Academy, and people might begin to know you as David Dawson, the actor, more than as a football player. I also see you’ve done quite a bit of modeling. How did all that get started?”

“By chance, actually. I’d been asked to escort a girl who was a friend of my best friend to her cousin’s engagement party. It turned out to be a big deal, and we were interviewed on one of those gossip shows. Sandy Range, of Range Sports, saw me and requested I be the face of their new Youth line of clothing. From that interview, Ford Models signed me to a contract, and I became the face of Range Sports. Since then I have modeled for several other clothing companies, including Jade and Dakora.

“My role on Star Academy was also an instance of being in the right place at the right time. I was invited to a fundraiser after a game at Kentucky and talked to Lori Winnick. She felt I would fit a part in Star Academy. I auditioned, and they liked what they saw. I was switched from my original supporting role to one of the four leads.”

“I hear that you’ve already been signed for your next movie based on what you did in Star Academy. What is that about?” Margaret asked.

“I worked with Halle James on Star Academy, and we became friends. She was cast in a new movie, The Secret Circle. Halle’s mother, Rita James, is involved in the project. We begin filming in a couple of months.”

“Are you and Halle dating?”

I smiled.

“No. I’m currently single. I’ve been holding out for Hannah Minacci. She promised me a prom date, but she seems to have backed out at the last minute due to scheduling issues.”

“Have you even met her?” Margaret asked with a lot of doubt in her voice.

“I did a PSA with Hannah and Adrienne for a group of nonprofits concerning unwed mothers.”

“You also know Adrienne?”

“Yes, she is a friend, mentor, and also one of my agents. She has semi-retired from modeling and started her own agency, AT Modeling. I met her at a Ford event in Chicago.”

“Has all this changed how people treat you?”

“Not really. I live in a great town where everyone has known me since I was little. I’m lucky they treat me like everyone else.”

“Thanks, David. I think we have enough for a short filler piece for during the game. When you start to narrow down your college choices, give me a call. I’d like to follow what you do, and hopefully you’ll let me report it,” she said, and then hurried off.

◊◊◊

The game would be starting soon, so we all exited the stadium to enjoy the pregame festivities. We stopped at one of the tents set up for alumni and recruits and got some brats. Kickoff was at 12:00, so there weren’t a lot of people at the tent to talk to. I found the rest of the guys and went to talk to Jim.

“So, what do you think so far?” I asked.

“It’s okay,” Jim said.

I could tell he wasn’t excited. There were a lot of people around, so I decided not to press the issue to see what was wrong. I felt someone tap my shoulder and turned around to find Suzanne standing there. I’d learned my lesson from last year and didn’t put her in a lip-lock. I did hug her, though. She took my hand and pulled me out of the tent so we could talk.

“I see Tami’s here. What’s going on with that?”

“I was as surprised as you are. She showed up this morning. Alan must have made arrangements because they had a game ticket for her.”

“Are you guys okay?” she asked.

“Sure.”

Suzanne hugged me because she knew I wasn’t okay with it.

“You planning on visiting me this weekend?” she asked.

“Are you dating anyone?”

“Maybe,” she said with a smile.

“Then no! I also don’t plan on letting your friends get me drunk and take advantage of me, either.”

“Please! Word’s out that you’re on campus. I have orders to bring you over tonight,” she said with a big smile.

I missed hanging out with her. We caught up, and Suzanne told me she had met a guy at a party when she got back onto campus. She was also excited about her classes. She’d gotten most of her prerequisite courses out of the way and was starting to take her business classes. Northwestern had an excellent management program, which was one of the reasons I’d picked them as a possible college destination.

Gus came out and found us, and we all went back into the stadium to watch the marching band perform their pregame show. Looking around the stadium, it seemed it had to be the smallest in the Big 10. It held about forty-five thousand and was maybe half full. The Northwestern marching band was purported to be the ‘Finest Band in the Land.’