Chapter 9: The Day of Reckoning
As dawn broke over Hoover, Jackson returned home from his early cultivation session, feeling deeply invigorated by the Sun Qi. He then followed his morning routine with a sense of urgency.
After a lightning-fast refreshing shower, he dressed in casual blue jeans and a T-shirt and headed to the kitchen. Evelyn was already bustling around, preparing for another demanding day at the hospital.
"Morning, Mom," Jackson greeted, grabbing a bowl of cereal.
"Morning, sweetheart," Evelyn replied with a smile, barely pausing from her preparations. "I'm running late today, just like yesterday, I won't be joining you for breakfast. Another busy day at the hospital."
"That's okay," Jackson said, nodding in understanding. "I'll manage."
He wolfed down his breakfast, the ticking of the hands of the kitchen clock growing louder in his ears. Time was slipping away fast as he returned to his bedroom. After grabbing his books, he hugged his mom goodbye before dashing out the door and heading to school.
The morning air was crisp, filled with the sounds of birds and the distant hum of traffic. As Jackson walked briskly, he felt both nervous and expectant as today was the day the coaches would release the list of those who made the football team. The thought made his stomach twist with a mix of excitement and anxiety.
Arriving at school, Jackson tried to focus on his classes. Math, history, and English passed in a blur. He struggled to concentrate on equations, historical dates, and literature discussions to the point that even his teachers noticed his distraction.
"Jackson, you seem once again distracted in my class," Mr. Stanley, his math teacher, stated during class. "Is everything really alright?"
"Yes, sir. Just a lot on my mind with schoolwork," Jackson replied, not wanting to mention the football tryouts. His straight-A reputation was something he preferred to maintain.
"Well, if you need any help or extra time, just let me know," Mr. Stanley offered with a rarely-seen kind smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Stanley. I'll be fine," Jackson assured him, though his mind remained elsewhere.
Throughout the morning, Jackson also exchanged polite, brief conversations with classmates. But he mostly kept to himself, buried in his books, trying to distract his racing thoughts. The minutes dragged on, each class feeling longer than the last.
Finally, the lunch bell rang, bringing a much-welcome break from the monotonous lessons. Jackson's heart raced as he packed his things and exited the classroom.
He headed straight to the main noticeboard near the school office, a central hub where all the crucial announcements were posted. However, his anticipation quickly turned to disappointment when he didn't see the expected list.
Letting out a deep sigh, he decided to head to the cafeteria. The bustling noise of students chatting and laughing filled the place, creating a vibrant atmosphere that was the very opposite of his anxious thoughts. He grabbed a tray of food—chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, green beans, and a carton of milk—and found a quiet corner to sit.
Like always, he enjoyed his food quietly, basking in the calm away from the other noisy students. But just as he was close to finishing his meal, someone suddenly sat across from him. Startled, Jackson lifted his head, only to see Liam Thompson, the fellow student and football enthusiast, grinning at him.
"Hey, Jackson," Liam greeted cheerfully. "Mind if I join you?"
"Uh, sure," Jackson replied, once again surprised by his friendliness. He was so unlike those typical students with the potential to become star athletes.
Liam smiled and soon dug into his lunch, a similar tray filled with food before him. "So, how are you feeling about the tryouts?"
Jackson shrugged, trying to hide his nerves. "Just waiting to see if I made the team."
Liam nodded understandingly. "Yeah, it's always nerve-wracking. But you did great out there, and I think you impressed the coaches, especially Coach Reynolds. I'm pretty sure you have a good chance."
"Thanks," Jackson said, feeling a bit more at ease. "How about you? I saw you acing all the drills. You must be confident about your chances."
"I guess I did alright," Liam said with a confident grin. "But you never know until the list is out. Speaking of which, any idea when they'll post it?"
"No clue," Jackson replied. "I checked earlier, but there was nothing."
They continued talking, their conversation flowing naturally. Liam's outgoing personality made it easy for Jackson to open up. They discussed the previous day's tryouts, their favorite football teams, and the upcoming season. Jackson found himself enjoying the conversation, a welcome distraction from his anxiety.
They eventually finished their meals and walked out of the cafeteria together. The noise of the bustling lunchroom faded behind them, replaced by the excited chatter of students in the hallways. As they approached the main noticeboard again, they noticed a crowd gathering.
"Think the list is up?" Liam asked, exchanging a hopeful glance with Jackson.
"Let's check it out," Jackson said, his heart pounding.
They pushed through the crowd of students, their excitement growing with each step. After some struggle, they finally reached the front, eyes scanning the noticeboard eagerly.
Jackson's heart raced as he first looked at the list of those who made the Junior Varsity team. His fingers quickly traced down the list of names, nerves bubbling up inside him.
He saw familiar names of those who attended the tryouts with him yesterday, including fellow students like Mark Davis, Tyler Jenkins, and Brandon Lee. They had all made the Junior Varsity team, but Jackson didn't see his name on the list.
Negativity tried to creep in as a little voice at the back of his mind whispered that he might not have made the list. But he quickly suppressed the pessimism.
The conversation he had with Coach Reynolds close to the end of the tryouts flashed through his mind, and some hope started budding within his mind. He quickly turned to the list of those who made the Varsity football team.
But just as he stepped forward, ready to inspect the names, Liam spoke excitedly.
"Jackson, we both made the Varsity team!"
Jackson's mind blanked out for a second or two as he processed what Liam had just said. He quickly followed Liam's gaze and saw that close to the bottom of those who made the Varsity team list were three names: Liam Thompson and Jackson Ryder, just beneath Xander Johnson's name.
Relief flooded through him, followed by a surge of excitement. He had made it. He now had a place on the football team and no longer had to be just the nerd. A wide grin spread across his face as he turned to Liam, who was equally excited.
"We did it!" Liam exclaimed, clapping Jackson on the back. "I knew you had it in you!"
Jackson couldn't contain his joy. "Thanks, man. This is amazing!"
As they left the noticeboard, they discussed what was next for them as new football team members, including the potential practice schedule and their first training session.
"So, what do you think the first training session will be like?" Jackson asked as they walked back to class for their afternoon lessons.
"Intense, for sure," Liam replied. "I heard that Coach Harris doesn't mess around. But it's going to be great. We'll get to learn a lot and improve together."
"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it," Jackson said, once again feeling both excited and nervous.
The rest of the afternoon classes flew by. Jackson found it hard to concentrate, his mind constantly drifting to the upcoming practice. His teachers noticed his distraction but didn't press him further, likely assuming it was just a typical case of post-lunch lethargy.
Finally, the school day ended. Jackson hurried to the locker room to change into his football gear. The anticipation was almost unbearable as he joined the other new team members, including Liam, heading towards the football field.
As he approached the field, Jackson took a deep breath, feeling the weight of that moment. This was it! This was the beginning of his journey with the football team.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Mujunel_the_Mystic
Mujunel_the_Mystic After carefully considering the matter, I have decided to change the names of the cultivation realm Jackson is in from "body-refining" to the "meridian-opening" stage. This change reflects the fact that Jackson's progression in this realm involves opening up more meridians in his body. I apologize for any confusion this adjustment may cause.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone