Modern Family: New Life-Chapter 252: Steve’s decision

"You have my respect, man," Steve said, his tone somewhere between sincere and amused, as he extended his hand to Andrew.

"Thanks," Andrew replied, accepting the handshake with a relaxed smile.

At that moment, Andrew was in the backyard of Kevin’s house, sitting on a lounge chair as the sun was beginning to set. Steve was beside him in another lounge chair. Archie and Reggie had left about fifteen minutes earlier; it was already past six in the evening, and they’d been together since four.

Steve had said that after Andrew showed him a photo of Jade. He told him he was seeing her and showed him the image she had as her Facebook profile picture.

"A goth..." Steve commented, a faint smile forming on his face.

"Surprised?" Andrew asked, raising an eyebrow as he took a sip from a glass bottle.

Steve let out a low laugh. "Yeah. I didn’t expect you to be into that type. I thought you were more into super smart girls."

Andrew smiled slightly. "Just because I’ve had two smart ex-girlfriends doesn’t mean I have a fixed type," he replied. "Though Jade is smart, just not in the sense of wanting to be the top student in school."

Steve nodded. "Still, you’ve got to be careful. Goth girls are... intense, and probably very jealous."

Andrew looked at him curiously. "Sounds like you’re speaking from experience. Did you have a goth girlfriend and never tell us?" he asked.

"I wish..." Steve said, making a face. "But no. Unfortunately not. They’re hard to approach, hard to read, and hard to flirt with without looking like an idiot."

"They are," Andrew agreed without hesitation.

Andrew and Jade had only gone on two dates and exchanged several chat conversations. She wasn’t easygoing or predictable. But that was precisely what made it interesting.

When they managed to connect, the dates had been genuinely fun. And there was something about her personality that clicked with his, beyond the physical or the aesthetic.

It was undoubtedly very different from the artificial connection he’d had with Madison. That had been casual and, in the end, annoying. Ending it had been more of a hassle than he’d expected, and that made it clear to him that those kinds of relationships weren’t for him.

Compared to Pippa and Nancy, his ex-girlfriends, he wasn’t sure where to place Jade based on the initial connection. Was she on the same level? A bit below? Maybe even above? It was hard to measure those things.

And Andrew, for better or worse, tended to analyze them.

He didn’t like dating just for the sake of it. He wasn’t interested in wasting his time building something artificial that would end prematurely.

If he got involved with someone, he did it wondering whether that relationship had a future.

Steve drifted into his own thoughts. "Though if they’re intense, they must be intense in bed too..." he murmured to himself.

"Damn it, I want to date a goth!" Steve suddenly blurted out, turning toward him. "Jade has to have a goth friend! Get me a date, please!"

Andrew shook his head, smiling. "Why do your favors always end up being about getting dates?" he muttered, amused.

He sighed and raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, I’ll see what I can do. But I promise nothing and if her friend has even a bit of Jade’s personality, she’ll probably want to kill you within ten minutes," he warned.

"Thanks! A risk I’m willing to take," Steve said with a wide smile.

Steve, unlike Andrew, didn’t take every romantic relationship so seriously. It wasn’t that he was a womanizer or someone who constantly dated different girls, but he didn’t think too far ahead either. He didn’t analyze every conversation, every gesture, or every possible scenario before deciding if it was worth it.

He just went for it and saw what happened. He acted like a normal teenager in that regard.

"Are you two still here?"

Andrew and Steve turned their heads at the same time when they heard a new voice. At the entrance to the backyard stood Kevin, arms crossed, with a clearly tired expression.

"Tomorrow’s an important day for the three of you. Go home," Kevin said irritably, motioning for them to leave.

Steve put a hand to his chest and made an exaggerated expression of pain. "Our own friend kicking us out of his house, and with that tone," he said dramatically. "This hurts, Kevin. It really hurts."

"Yeah," Andrew added, placing a hand over his heart. "It burns and wounds deeply."

Kevin shook his head, though a faint smile slipped out. "Come on," he clicked his tongue. "Girls now, huh?"

Steve laughed as he stood up. "Relax, we’re leaving. By the way, Andrew’s dating a goth."

Kevin froze for a second and looked at Andrew. "Seriously?"

Andrew stood up as well, ready to go, and nodded. "Yeah."

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and, with a couple of taps, opened Jade’s Facebook profile picture, the same one he’d shown Steve earlier, and showed it to Kevin.

Kevin whistled, clearly impressed. "The dream," he commented with a crooked smile.

"Exactly," Steve said.

Andrew put the phone away and shook his head, amused, as the three of them headed toward the exit.

Already on the porch, Kevin leaned against the railing and looked at Steve with a smile full of competitiveness. "May the best man win tomorrow," he said.

It wasn’t a random remark. The next day they would face each other in the Southern Section quarterfinals: Notre Dame High School, Steve’s school, where he was the starting wide receiver, against Loyola High School, Kevin’s, where he played as a starting offensive lineman.

Steve smiled immediately, that confident smile of someone who had known him forever.

"If you lose, don’t come crying afterward. We’re too old for that," Steve said, giving him a light pat on the shoulder.

"I’ll sack your quarterback four times, you won’t catch a single pass," Kevin said.

"We’ll see tomorrow," Steve replied.

"See you," Andrew said.

Kevin nodded. "Bye."

Steve and Andrew walked down the porch steps as Kevin went back inside his house. Tomorrow they wouldn’t be friends chatting in a backyard. Tomorrow, he and Steve would be on opposite sides of the field.

"Tomorrow’s the day," Steve said as they headed toward the cars.

"The routine," Andrew added.

Steve nodded. After so many years, Fridays were still that: football. They always had been. Important, yes, but at the end of the day, just another game. Andrew would be playing in the other bracket: Mater Dei against Los Alamitos.

"And the day after, the visit to Missouri," Steve added with a slight smile, resting his hand on his chin. "I can’t wait to see how they sell us their program."

Andrew wouldn’t be the only one officially visiting the Tigers. Steve would too. Missouri was among his real options for the future.

And not because Steve had done a deep analysis of the program, or because he had sat down to compare statistics or coaching staffs. The reason was simpler, and firmer, than that: he had decided to accept the same visits as Andrew.

Wherever Andrew went, he would go. That was his choice, clear and unmovable.

Besides, his situation as a prospect was excellent. Playing at Notre Dame High School, one of the most prestigious schools in the Southern Section, and being the starting wide receiver since the previous year had put him on the national map. A high four-star, brushing up against five. Top 10 receiver in the country. Top 3 in California.

That was why he had offers from across the Pac-12: USC, Oregon, UCLA, and also several from the SEC, something uncommon for a West Coast receiver. Normally, Southern colleges didn’t put much effort into recruits so far away.

But with Steve, it was different.

Not only because of his baseline level, which was already elite, but because of his past, the one he shared with Andrew.

At Palisades they had been an unstoppable duo: quarterback to receiver, instant reads and perfect timing. They had known each other since they were kids. They knew where the other would be even before looking.

Even though they hadn’t played on the same team for two years, the chemistry was still there. And more importantly, Steve had proven he could succeed without Andrew. He had performed, produced, and shined in a different environment.

That validated his talent on its own.

For the coaching staffs, that made him the ideal complement.

Because coaches also thought in terms of ecosystems. About who performed best with that quarterback. About how to speed up adaptation. And Steve was a proven link, a high-level receiver who already understood Andrew and who, on top of that, didn’t depend on him.

Bringing both of them made sense not only athletically, but also on a human level. Two friends entering the SEC together, into a demanding environment, far from home. They wouldn’t be completely alone.

Andrew didn’t mind at all that Steve wanted to go to the same college as him. In fact, he thought it was great.

They had real football chemistry. Andrew was convinced that if he were playing with Steve now, his numbers would be even better, surpassing what he had achieved the previous year with Victor. And that was saying something.

Victor had been a four-star prospect, with an accepted offer from USC. They had played together at Mater Dei the year before, when Victor was in his final year. The connection had been very good: clean routes, solid timing, and trust.

Now Victor was already in college.

But with Steve, it was different. Andrew had polished him since they were five years old. He had taught him his way of playing, his reads, and his almost imperceptible signals. They had grown up understanding the game the same way, anticipating each other without needing to look. It wasn’t just chemistry, it was shared memory.

That isn’t achieved by playing one or two seasons together. It’s built over years. That’s why Andrew saw Steve going with him as a competitive advantage. And on top of that, he was one of his best friends, it would be fun to share college and the locker room again.

And Steve hadn’t been exaggerating when, during the ESPN special, he said he wanted to play with Andrew again. He meant it.

With Kevin, Archie, and Reggie, it was different. Even though they had also made similar comments during the special for ESPN, none of them was really inclined to follow him wherever he went. Nor were they accepting the same five official visits as Andrew.

Kevin, as an offensive lineman, had other very clear interests. The Big Ten attracted him especially, programs with a huge tradition in developing offensive and defensive lines, where that type of player was a priority and could grow steadily.

And Reggie and Archie, as running backs, were more independent by nature. Their performance didn’t depend as much on the quarterback as in a QB-WR duo. They were looking for specific systems, roles, and opportunities.

Each of them was taking his own path, and that was completely understandable.

What Andrew found curious, and, at a certain point, funny, was how literally Steve took his decision: he was going to go wherever he went.

No matter which college Andrew chose. Without doing his own deep analysis, or sitting down with his family to debate pros and cons, something that in most cases carried a lot of weight in the final decision.

Andrew had already talked to him about it. Steve had been clear: he would accept the same official visits, and when Andrew made his decision, he would choose that university.

If Andrew ended up at UCLA, a program with a coaching staff on shaky ground, Steve would follow him without hesitation. And the same would happen if he chose Missouri, a team considered mid-tier, which was about to make the jump to the SEC, a conference far more demanding than the Big 12.

At no point had Steve seemed nervous. Nor had he tried to influence Andrew to choose safer or more powerful options. So far, the confirmed visits were only three: UCLA, Georgia, and Missouri. And, honestly, given the level both of them had, those weren’t exactly the ones most people would expect, except for Georgia.

They could have been visiting absolute giants like USC, Alabama, Oregon, or LSU.

But Steve didn’t seem to care about that. In fact, he appeared almost apathetic toward the names. There was no anxiety or awe, as if the weight of the logo wasn’t what motivated him.

Maybe, without realizing it, he had absorbed part of Andrew’s mindset. He had played at Palisades and been key in turning the school into a high school powerhouse. He had experienced firsthand what it was like to build something from scratch.

For him, the idea of going to a team that needed a golden era didn’t sound like a risk, but like an opportunity, and if he went with Andrew, he saw even more chances to make it happen.

"Do you have a tradition dinner with your family?" Steve asked before opening his car door.

"Yeah," Andrew replied, nodding. "What about you?"

Steve made a thoughtful face. "Do all families do that kind of tradition?" he murmured.

He had noticed that Kevin’s family was also having a special pre-game dinner before tomorrow’s game. By contrast, at Steve’s house the pre-game dinner didn’t have much ritual to it.

"No," he finally said. "My dad’s probably going to order pizza."

Andrew stopped for a second and looked at him. "Then come over to my place," he said. "If you want, I won’t charge you."

Steve looked up. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," Andrew replied. "My dad always cooks too much."

Steve didn’t hesitate for half a second. "I’m in. Your dad’s food is amazing."

"Good," Andrew nodded. "But first we need to stop by a store to buy some sodas."

"Deal."

Andrew got into his Camaro, while Steve climbed into his ’83 BMW 733i. The engines started almost at the same time, and without saying anything else, they headed toward the store.

They arrived at a shop near Andrew’s house, parked, got out of the cars, and went inside. The place was lit by cold white lights, and the refrigerators lined up against the wall hummed in the background.

While Andrew opened one of the glass doors filled with drinks and grabbed a bottle, Steve walked down the aisles in front of the different refrigerators, looking over the options.

"Should we get beer?" he asked casually.

Andrew glanced at him sideways. "My aunt’s going to be there," he said, simply.

The image of Claire immediately came to Steve’s mind. "I’ll pass, then, I don’t want to get punished," he joked

Andrew smiled faintly as he closed the refrigerator door with the drink in his hand. "Besides, it’s not like you’re much of a drinker."

"I know," Steve replied with a shrug, "but once in a while doesn’t kill anyone."

"And you’re not old enough to buy it," Andrew added, looking at him. "Or do you happen to have a fake ID?"

Steve shook his head.

"Although..." Andrew continued, "you can buy that."

He nodded toward a six-pack on the shelf.

Steve looked at it and raised an eyebrow. "Why would I be able to buy those?"

"Because it’s non-alcoholic beer," Andrew replied.

Steve frowned. "But... is it beer?"

"Yes. Without alcohol," Andrew confirmed.

Steve looked at him oddly, processing it. "But if you drink enough... I mean, if you drink a lot... do you get drunk?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Andrew shook his head, "No. It’s non-alcoholic. That’s the fucking point. My dad buys it sometimes."

"I’m not a scientist," Steve said with a genuinely confused expression, "I don’t understand what the fuck you’re talking about, but it sounds like a scam."

Before Andrew could respond, a hoarse, deep voice sounded behind them:

"Want me to buy you guys some beer?"

They both turned around immediately.

In front of them stood a tall, broad-built man. He wasn’t taller than Andrew, that was statistically unlikely, but he was well over six feet and had a heavy presence.

He didn’t impose by height, but by build and attitude. Broad shoulders, a big chest, and a confidence that was obvious just from looking at his face.

Steve eyed him with narrowed eyes, wary. "That’d be great, but, why would you do that?"

The man smiled slightly, pride clearly visible, already pulling a pack of real beer off the shelf as if the decision had been made beforehand.

"Because I’m a Florida Gators recruiter, and I came to talk to both of you."

He said it as if that were introduction enough.

Steve’s eyes widened in surprise. "Florida?" he repeated. "Like... Tim Tebow’s Florida?"

The man’s smile widened. "That’s the one. The Florida that’s won the national championship twice in the last five years and plays in the most competitive conference in all of college football."

Andrew said nothing.

He just observed him. He knew it couldn’t be a coincidence that this man had found them there. He was from a state thousands of miles away, he didn’t just randomly show up at a neighborhood store on a Thursday night.

What did surprise him a bit was the how. The timing. The place. Too precise to be casual, even for a recruiter.

’Almost like a stalker,’ Andrew thought, almost amused by the "coincidence."

It wasn’t completely far-fetched. At this stage of his career, these kinds of situations were starting to become routine. Recruiters, offensive coordinators, and quarterback-focused coaches, not head coaches, but still important pieces, met with him, showed up at his school, even went to his house and rang the doorbell. Brief, direct conversations, all with the same goal: to convince him to accept an official visit.

They never crossed the line into being stalkers, because they weren’t idiots.

They knew that if they became too pushy or repeated those "casual" encounters, the only thing they’d achieve would be the opposite effect: making him uncomfortable, raising red flags, and, in the worst-case scenario, getting ruled out immediately.

With a player like Andrew, pressure wasn’t applied through saturation. It was applied more intelligently. One well-calculated approach was worth more than ten clumsy attempts.

The man paid for the beer. Andrew paid for his own items. Then the three of them walked out of the store and moved a few steps away, stopping near the cars.

The men extended his arm and handed the pack of beers to Steve, who took it with a strange, almost wary expression.

"Thanks, man," Steve said, then looked at Andrew as if silently asking: Is this how they do things in Florida?

"My name’s Ray Holloway. Florida Gators recruiter," the man introduced himself, with visible pride.

Andrew repeated the name in his mind. It was the first time someone from Florida had approached him in person. He’d already received formal offers, emails, and calls, but nothing direct like this.

"Are you the one who recruited Tebow?" Andrew finally asked, breaking the silence.

"Exactly," Ray replied with a confident smile. "Tim was close to accepting a scholarship from Alabama. But I managed to show him that Florida was his best option. And time proved me right."

Andrew and Steve couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

Tim Tebow had been Florida’s quarterback for four seasons, from 2006 to 2009. In his first year, he was a backup, but not just any backup. He was a key piece of a team that went on to win the National Championship. Even without being the starter, he left his mark on a historic season.

In 2007, he took over as the starter and delivered a legendary campaign, despite many doubting his ability as a passer. He finished the year with 32 passing touchdowns and 23 rushing touchdowns, 55 total, playing in the SEC.

Florida ended the season 9-4, and Tebow won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the first sophomore ever to do so.

In 2008, he didn’t repeat as Heisman winner, but his level remained elite. That year, the team responded even better: Florida won the SEC Championship in a final against Alabama and secured the No. 2 spot in the BCS rankings.

That sent them to the BCS National Championship Game against No. 1 Oklahoma. Florida won 24-14 and claimed another national title. Tebow finished third in the Heisman voting, behind Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford.

After that season, he could have entered the 2009 NFL Draft. He didn’t. He chose to stay and play his senior year.

In 2009, he put up solid numbers again, though no longer at his individual peak, and the team failed to repeat its success. They lost the SEC Championship Game to Alabama, which knocked them out of national title contention. Still, they closed the year by winning the Sugar Bowl, another major trophy.

In December 2009, Tebow graduated from the University of Florida. For many, it was one of the greatest, and most influential, college careers in the history of college football.

"And I was also the one who recruited Aaron," Ray added, as if mentioning a minor detail.

Steve’s eyes widened, instantly recognizing the name.

Aaron Hernandez had been just a year younger than Tebow, but he was part of the same golden era at Florida. He played for the Florida Gators from 2007 to 2009 and, unlike his quarterback, chose to enter the draft after his junior year. From the tight end position, he was one of the most outstanding players in the country: a key piece of the offense and a constant connection with Tim Tebow.

Together, they were instrumental in winning the SEC and the BCS National Championship in 2008, and they closed their college careers in 2009 by lifting the Sugar Bowl, a fitting ending for both of their collegiate runs.

The tight end is an offensive player who lines up near the offensive line, usually next to the tackles. His role combines two fundamental responsibilities: blocking and receiving.

On one hand, he must have the strength and size to help with blocking, protecting the quarterback or opening lanes for the running game, almost like an offensive lineman. On the other, he needs reliable hands, coordination, and speed to run routes and catch passes, acting as an additional receiver.

That dual role makes him a key piece of the offensive scheme. Defenses have to decide whether to cover him with a linebacker, who is usually slower, or a defensive back, who is often smaller and weaker in contact. Either way, a well-used tight end creates a mismatch for the defense.

In offensive systems like Florida’s, the tight end wasn’t a complement, it was a central weapon, capable of impacting the game both on the ground and through the air.

Aaron Hernandez was one of the best tight ends in all of college football.

"Whoa, you’re really good at your job," Steve said sincerely.

Recruiting those two names couldn’t have been easy. Tim Tebow and Aaron Hernandez weren’t hidden gems or fringe projects, they were extremely sought-after high school recruits, with major offers on the table. Convincing them had required more than just prestige.

Andrew said nothing. The name Hernández sent his mind elsewhere. Not to the great career he had had, but to something he knew didn’t exist yet, something that would come. Something dark and inevitable.

"Yeah," Ray replied. "I do my job well. And I know how to recognize talent."

He lit a cigarette calmly, as if the moment belonged to him, and took a drag before continuing.

"I’m not going to lie to you," he said. "You’re not stupid. You know what the situation with the Gators is right now."

Andrew and Steve nodded without speaking.

"New head coach," Ray continued. "Will Muschamp. First year. A transition season. A weak start for what we are."

Another drag.

"But the defense is solid. Very solid. The problem is on the other side," he said, pointing at Andrew with the cigarette. "We need offense and an offensive leader."

He looked straight at Andrew. "And that’s where you come in."

Andrew held his gaze without saying a word.

"Imagine leading Florida into a new era," Ray went on. "Not learning from the sidelines. Playing and leading. Changing the identity of the program."

Then he turned his head slightly toward Steve. "And you," he added, "I want you too. I’m not going to sell you smoke and say you might have a role. You’ll have one here."

Ray smiled, this time wider.

"I watched both of your highlights at Palisades. Freshman and sophomore years. The understanding you have isn’t common. It can’t be taught, and the individual level each of you has can’t either."

He took one last drag and crushed the cigarette under the sole of his shoe.

"If you choose Florida, you’re not coming to sit on the bench. You’re coming to play as true freshmen, in an offense that needs leaders from day one. And not just that..." he paused briefly. "You’re coming to build something bigger."

He looked at both of them, confident.

"An era better than Tebow’s and Hernández’s. I know it. Your level is higher, and we can develop it and give you the starting roles you deserve from the beginning," he concluded.

Steve couldn’t help but smile at the praise. Having a man who had recruited Tebow, Hernández, and who knew how many other names say something like that wasn’t a small thing.

"That sounds tempting," Andrew commented, though his tone was far from enthusiastic. It sounded correct and polite, but not bought in.

Ray watched him in silence for a second, sizing him up. Then he smiled broadly, showing all his teeth.

"The final decision is yours," he said. "You’d be playing in the best football conference in the country. And not everyone gets the chance to lead an SEC team, much less one with Florida’s history."

He pulled two cards from the inside pocket of his jacket and handed them over, one to each of them.

"If you want to talk more calmly, and know that I’m not improvising anything I said. I have the head coach’s approval. The roles are clear, and so is the path."

Ray took a step back, as if closing the meeting.

"Call me," he said simply.

And without giving them much room to respond, he turned around and walked away, leaving them there with the cards in their hands and the weight of the proposal hanging over them.

Andrew and Steve looked at the cards in their hands for a few seconds. It was Steve who broke the silence.

"I have to say, calling him is tempting."

From Ray’s tone, though he was clearly the typical recruiter who sold hype, he had made one thing clear: he had the program’s backing. He didn’t make promises that big for no reason. Not at that level.

Andrew nodded slowly. Even for him, someone who was looking for a team that wasn’t saturated with titles or already a finished product, the pitch had struck a chord, however slightly. Enough to consider accepting an official visit and seeing exactly what the Gators really had to offer.

"Florida’s stadium seats ninety-three thousand people, right?" Steve asked suddenly.

Andrew nodded.

Steve stayed there, imagining it. That stadium he had seen so many times on television, packed on a Saturday night. Everyone there to watch the two of them play. Andrew commanding the offense. Him catching passes. And more than ninety thousand people screaming, cheering, and roaring. The idea was insane.

"And sometimes they expand it for big games, getting close to a hundred thousand," Andrew added.

"That’s crazy," Steve murmured.

Andrew looked at him with a faint smile. "Did he really sell you on it? Do you want to visit the Gators?"

Steve snapped out of his daydream and looked at him. "Of course not," he said immediately, making a carefree gesture with his hand as he slipped the card into his pocket. "I just appreciate the free beer."

Then he smiled. "Let’s go to your place. I’m starving."

Andrew agreed, but before Steve got into his car, he stopped him.

"Just don’t mention Jade or any of that, okay?"

"Yeah, sure," Steve replied, not giving it much thought. "Why? Did you suddenly get shy about your new girlfriend?"

"No," Andrew denied. "I haven’t told them anything yet. They don’t even know who she is. They’ll find out tomorrow after my game. They’ll see her right there. I want to see their reactions."

Steve raised an eyebrow. "Reactions?"

"Yeah," Andrew said with a slight smile. "You know, when they see a girl who looks nothing like what they’re imagining."

Andrew wasn’t nervous for the usual reason. It wasn’t fear of family judgment or what they might think.

It was curiosity. Even amusement. He wanted to see their faces and witness the clash between expectation and reality. Jade’s gothic aesthetic, her rough personality, and her sarcasm were very different from his two ex-girlfriends and from the type of girl they thought he would be dating.

Something similar to what Jade had done when she told her father she was dating Andrew, the same guy Derrick wanted to recruit for his university.

And even more so knowing that his family were experts at sticking their noses where they didn’t belong when it came to his love life.

Steve laughed. "That’ll be fun. Too bad I have to play football."

"It will be."

Each of them got into his car and drove off.

While they were heading to dinner, Ray, the recruiter, was sitting inside the car he had rented to get around the city. He was parked a few blocks from the store, the engine off, his phone pressed to his ear.

"Yes," he said in a low but firm voice. "I’ve already spoken with Andrew and Steve."

He listened for a few seconds, resting his elbow on the window.

"It’s different in person," he continued. "Very different. Television and highlights aren’t enough to explain it."

Ray shifted in his seat. "He’s not an ordinary kid. He didn’t get impressed or rattled. He seems already used to hearing pitches like that, or he just has a cool head, not only on the field."

He stared through the windshield, thoughtful.

"The receiver," he finally said, "is different, more impulsive. But they fit. You can tell there’s camaraderie, that they’ve known each other since they were kids."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"And we know Steve is mirroring Andrew’s official visits. That means wherever Andrew goes, Steve will follow."

Ray allowed himself a faint smile. "That kind of package... doesn’t come around every year."

He spoke a bit more and finally ended the call. He set the phone aside and sat there in silence for a few seconds, staring into the night.

...

"It’s great that you’re joining us, Steve!" Cam exclaimed enthusiastically when they walked in. "It’s almost ready, go ahead and take a seat!"

And without waiting for an answer, he disappeared back into the kitchen.

Andrew, Steve, Haley, Alex, Manny, and Luke set the table. In just a few minutes, everything was ready.

"Why did it take you so long to buy two drinks?" Jay grumbled in his usual tone as he took a seat at one end of the table.

’You could help with something, old man,’ Andrew thought out of the corner of his eye as he arranged the silverware.

"We stayed a bit longer at Kevin’s and—" Andrew began to explain, but Steve jumped in before he could finish, unable to contain himself.

"We got stopped by a recruiter!"

Haley, Alex, and practically everyone else sitting at the table immediately sat up straight. Everyone except Luke, who kept staring impatiently at his empty plate.

"A recruiter?" Jay, Gloria, Manny, Alex, and Haley all repeated almost in unison.

Even Claire appeared from the kitchen. "What about a recruiter?"

"Which college?" Phil asked, more serious than usual, as he sat down in one of the chairs.

’Why is everyone so serious?’ Andrew thought, raising an eyebrow.

"Florida! The Gators!" Steve blurted out, dropping the bomb.

There was a second of silence as everyone processed the information.

’The SEC...’ Jay thought.

"Damn it, another one from that stupid conference," Haley muttered internally.

’So they finally made their move in person,’ Claire thought.

’Food, food, food,’ Luke thought

"Whoa, that’s a legendary program!" Phil exclaimed, momentarily forgetting his pro-Pac-12 crusade.

Alex kicked him under the table. Phil winced in pain. "But... you have to analyze everything carefully before accepting anything," he quickly corrected himself.

"Yes," Claire added. "You can’t let yourself be influenced and accept an official visit just because they came all the way here, you didn’t, did you?"

"Of course not," Andrew replied. "I wouldn’t accept any visit that easily."

"And that’s after he sold it really well in less than ten minutes," Steve added. "He said we’d be leaders of the offense as soon as we got there, and that their weakness right now is offense, that’s why they need us."

"You too?" Haley asked, surprised.

"Of course me too!" Steve exclaimed indignantly. "I’m a top-five receiver in my class. Obviously the Gators want me."

"I was just asking," Haley replied, raising her hands.

Jay fixed his gaze on Andrew, serious. "And did he tempt you enough to consider the Gators?"

Andrew thought for a second and answered, "I’d be lying if I said no. They’re the Gators, after all."

Steve nodded enthusiastically beside him.

"But they won the national championship twice just a few years ago," Gloria interjected. "They’re an established powerhouse. And that’s exactly what you said you weren’t looking for."

Andrew looked at her with a bit of surprise. Not because she was wrong, but because she had it so clear. He’d never hidden it, whenever people asked, he always explained how he thought.

But Gloria usually didn’t take much interest in that kind of deeper analysis beyond watching the games and supporting him, until now, it seemed.

"Yes, that’s true," Andrew admitted. "But it’s also where Tim Tebow played."

Andrew had always been a fan of Tebow. He had been even in his first life, when he hadn’t even been a contemporary of him. And he was in this new life as well, where he’d been able to follow Tebow’s college career with full awareness.

Tebow played the same position as him. And even though his style was very different, much more physical, run-heavy, and based on improvisation, everything he achieved in college, combined with his impact on people beyond football, still carried a weight that was impossible to ignore.

"But you’re not going to make a decision like that just out of admiration, right?" Alex asked. "That wouldn’t be very smart."

Andrew looked at her for a few seconds, thoughtful. He found it curious how in sync everyone was.

"No," Andrew replied calmly. "I’m not going to base anything on Tebow or Florida’s old legends. If I accept an official visit, it’ll be because of the current program, the development, and what they can offer me today. Not because of nostalgia."

Before the conversation could continue, a small figure appeared.

"Andy!"

It was Lily.

Andrew smiled immediately, crouched down, and picked her up. "Here’s my favorite person."

Lily wrapped her arms around him without letting go of her stuffed animal and rested her head on his shoulder.

"What did you do today?" Andrew asked.

"I played with Dad, and then with Luke," she replied.

"Oh, yeah?" Andrew said, looking at Luke with an expression of gratitude.

Lily nodded. "It was fun."

Luke smiled a little awkwardly and nodded as well, without saying anything.

Eventually dinner was served, and everyone, now seated around the table, began to eat and chat. The topic of the Gators recruiter was put on hold for a few minutes, until Haley couldn’t help herself.

She looked at Steve, who was eating as if it were his last meal, and asked:

"And you?"

"Me, what?" Steve replied without looking up from his plate.

Haley sighed and rolled her eyes. "The Gators. They want you too, right? Are you going to call him or not?"

Steve swallowed, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "If Andrew does, I will too."

"Are you telling me you’re going to do exactly whatever Andrew does?" Haley said, laughing as if no four-star prospect would ever take his college future so lightly.

Steve and Andrew looked at her strangely.

"That’s exactly what I’m going to do," Steve said, nodding, completely serious.

Everyone except Andrew, Lily, and Luke froze.

"What do you mean?" Mitch asked, his brow slightly furrowed.

"That I’ll go to the same college Andrew chooses, so we can play together," Steve replied.

"Yeah, this Saturday he’s coming to Missouri. It’ll be our first official visit together," Andrew added. The previous two hadn’t lined up on the calendar, which was why they hadn’t gone together.

The table fell silent.

Mitch, Cam, Claire, Jay, and the others looked at one another, all thinking the same thing.

’This changes everything.’

"You didn’t know?" Steve added, genuinely confused.

"No," Haley replied, still surprised. She looked at Andrew. "Why did you never mention this?"

Andrew took a sip from his glass and looked at her. "I don’t know, I thought you already knew. Sorry?"

Claire frowned slightly and looked at Steve. "Is your family okay with this?" she asked. "It’s your future, not just in football, but academically too."

"And for your playing career, you should be doing your own analysis," Alex added, adjusting her glasses.

Alex couldn’t believe there was someone who took his future so lightly and simply went wherever his friend went.

Steve raised his fork. "My parents are fine with it. And honestly, who better than Andrew to analyze a football program? I’m a receiver, wherever he goes, it works for me."

No one could refute that logic. Especially knowing how highly recruited Steve was.

Dinner continued, but with fewer conversations. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts. The silent crusade in favor of the Pac-12 had just become a lot more complicated.

Even if Steve wasn’t going to do an independent analysis or try to convince Andrew to go to X university, his mere presence following him changed things.

If Andrew had his childhood best friend by his side, maybe going to the SEC wouldn’t be as lonely as everyone had assumed. The odds could tilt more in favor of Georgia or Missouri because of that addition alone.

Dinner came to an end, everyone went back home, and Andrew went to bed early, since the next day was an important one.

Finally, the day of the game against Los Alamitos arrived.

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