Modern Family: New Life-Chapter 89: Summer Tournament I

Andrew and company woke up at six in the morning. They had barely slept for four hours. The excitement about Comic-Con and the tournament plans had kept them awake longer than expected, watching Harry Potter and talking about McLovin aka: Eyeshield 21 until dawn.

"Dammit... do we really have to go to that tournament?" Howard murmured, his face half pressed against the pillow.

Comic-Con's Preview Night started at 6 p.m., so technically, they could have woken up later, slept more, and taken their time getting ready.

"Yes, we have to go. I spent fifty bucks to register," Andrew replied while putting on a sports shirt and preparing his bag with the helmet, visor, and spy camera he planned to mount. "This isn't a trip, it's a mission."

"A mission for a viral video," Leonard said, still with heavy eyes but excited to see Eyeshield 21 in action for the first time.

"Let's have breakfast before it gets too late," Andrew added, grabbing his backpack.

In a few minutes, the three of them left the room. Cam and Mitchell were already awake, sitting in the kitchen, knowing that the trio had a "geek adventure" planned in San Diego.

Cam had made breakfast for them: scrambled eggs, toast, fruits, and orange juice. While they ate, Mitchell looked at them as if he were sending them off on an expedition to Mars.

"Don't forget to text us when you get there," he repeated for the third time. "And don't split up. And if you see any celebrities, don't be weird. Just greet them casually."

After breakfast, Mitchell accompanied them to the train station, insisting that they be responsible, take care of their stuff, not trust strangers, and of course, not forget to send messages every now and then.

The train left promptly at 7:00 a.m. heading to San Diego, on a roughly two-and-a-half-hour journey. Each one had their signed permission slip from their parents, emergency contact numbers, copies of their IDs, and even a sheet with the day's itinerary, 'just in case.'

"Did your parents suspect anything?" Leonard asked as the train traveled through coastal landscapes.

"No," Andrew replied without looking up from his phone. "They just thought we wanted to get there early to explore everything and maybe spot a celebrity on the street."

"My mom thought the same. She said, 'Such dedication from young people to go that early!'" said Howard, imitating his mother's deep, voice.

"It's good to have a clean reputation..." said Leonard, but then his expression shifted. He fell silent for a moment, as if a memory had just hit him.

Andrew noticed the change. "Are you thinking about...?"

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"The great night we destroyed the Precious..." said Howard, with a smile that was equal parts proud and dramatic, as if he were telling an old legend.

"It wasn't a great night," Leonard said, frowning. After that night, he lost his girlfriend and got grounded for a long time.

"Come on, man, you have to admit, it was legendary. After that night, everyone at school knew your name. You weren't just Andrew's weird friend anymore," Howard said with a proud smile, like he was talking about a war medal.

The video of Andrew punching some thugs in an alley had gone viral, and in it, Howard, Leonard, and Steve could be seen shouting nonsense about protecting the Ring, defeating orcs, and so on.

But that wasn't all.

Steve uploaded even more clips from that legendary night, and those went viral too. Since they had already been punished, posting them online didn't really matter anymore.

The story even briefly appeared in a local news segment under the title:

[Three Students Embark on Strange Night Adventure Inspired by The Lord of the Rings]

The footage was shown alongside the headline:

[Harmless Prank or Youth in Peril?]

"We faced off against criminals, got chased by a homeless guy who looked like Santa, walked miles carrying a ring I stole from some girl at the party... and threw it into a storm drain like it was Mount Doom!" Howard said, recounting the events proudly.

"We faced off? I won the fight," said Andrew.

"Well yeah, but that's not the point. We became urban legends, Leonard!" Howard added.

"I'll admit that after that, people who didn't even know I existed started talking to me," Leonard nodded.

Ever since everything went viral, his popularity at school had improved a lot. He was no longer the invisible guy he used to be, or just the weird kid who was friends with the star quarterback.

The train ride continued as the trio chatted about that disastrous yet legendary night, about comics, alter egos...

...

Balboa Stadium — 9:45 a.m.

The sun beat down mercilessly on the grass of the old Balboa Stadium, a structure with over ninety years of history, built in 1914 and with a capacity of 34,000 spectators.

Though it wasn't full, there was a sizable crowd: family members, friends, curious onlookers, and students from different schools across California who had come to support the teams, or simply to watch the action.

In total, eight teams were participating in the tournament. All of them had been formed that very morning from the pool of registered players. Each team had seven starters, and the positions had to be decided on the spot with their randomly assigned teammates, requiring quick coordination and agreement.

It was a dynamic, open format designed to showcase individual talent and build community, but with a serious competitive level: money was on the line, and several curious coaches had shown up to scout the games.

Brady Hoke, the organizer and central figure of the event, walked across the field with a determined stride. He carried a folder under one arm and had his sunglasses hanging from his collar. He gave instructions to his organizing team, checked the player list, and made sure everything was running smoothly.

As the new head coach of SDSU, this tournament was his first attempt to connect with young talent across California and to build ties with the local community.

A few meters away, in a reserved area near the track, Brian De Palma, a famous film director and friend of Brady, watched everything with interest. He sat with his legs crossed, fingers interlocked over his chest, eyes following the players already grouped into teams.

Next to him, Darnell Gregorio his couple, wore oversized sunglasses and flipped lazily through a fashion magazine, not bothering to hide her lack of interest in the event. Leaning on the railing with her arms crossed and the sun hitting her face stood her daughter, Willa, frowning as she watched the field.

"Did I really have to come?" Willa asked, not taking her eyes off the controlled chaos of the field. "I could be at the hotel, with air conditioning, watching TV and getting ready for Preview Night."

Darnell didn't flinch.

"It's good for you to get a little sun. Getting out of your cave once in a while does you good. Later you'll have all the time in the world to dive into your little geek event... or whatever it is," said Darnell without lifting her eyes from the magazine, using that relaxed yet condescending tone she always used when talking about her daughter's interests.

Willa slowly turned her head toward her mother, not even bothering to hide the mockery in her expression.

"Little geek event... or whatever. Such an accurate description, Mother. Is that how you introduced yourself to Brian when you met him? Did you win his heart by being so eloquent?" she asked, dripping with irony.

Darnell slowly lowered her sunglasses to look at her over the rim. Her expression wasn't surprise, it was resignation. She was used to her daughter's sharp tongue.

"Willa..."

"No, it's fine. I already know I can't expect enthusiasm for the things I like. Luckily, I get something out of it every time you get back together with Brian... and then break up... and then get back together again. At least he shows more interest in the things I care about," said Willa with a cynical smile.

Darnell slowly closed the magazine.

Just then, Brian, who had been pretending to focus on the field to avoid getting dragged into the argument, turned toward them.

"What's going on now?" Brian asked in a calm tone, raising an eyebrow like he already knew the answer.

Willa's expression changed instantly. She put on a sickly-sweet, completely fake smile and gave him an exaggeratedly tender look.

"Daddy, daddy..." Willa said in a syrupy voice, "Will you come with me to Comic-Con tonight at six?"

Brian looked at her for a second... and smiled. He knew exactly what this rebellious girl was doing, but he found it amusing.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss it for anything. I'll probably see a few familiar faces," Brian replied.

Darnell couldn't help but frown. They were supposed to have dinner tonight at a very expensive restaurant she had struggled to get a reservation for.

"Perfect, thanks," said Willa with a cheerful clap. "Nothing like going to a little geek event like that... or whatever... in good company."

Darnell turned her gaze back to the field, clearly irritated but saying nothing. The passive war between mother and daughter had just scored another point in Willa's favor.

Just as Willa was finishing her ironic performance with that fake smile that annoyed her mother so much, one of the registered players came running toward the area where Darnell and company were sitting.

The boy tripped over a small training cone on his way over, but quickly regained his balance.

"Do you need something? If you do, the event staff is right over there," Brian said, nodding discreetly toward the personnel in gray shirts.

"No, sir," the boy said, shaking his head, a little nervous. Then he looked at Willa. "Can I ask for your number?" he asked.

There was a brief silence. Willa stared at him without moving a single muscle.

She was wearing a fitted white top made of soft fabric with thin straps, wide cream-colored linen pants, and light sandals. Her gaze was intense—blue eyes that seemed to cut right through people.

"Do we know each other?" Willa asked, raising an eyebrow after a few seconds of tension.

The boy blinked. "Uh... no, but I thought maybe—"

"Then no," Willa said, smiling at him. Not a kind smile, one of those small, sharp ones.

The boy nodded, stepped back awkwardly, turned, and walked away quickly, trying to maintain some dignity.

Brian settled back into his seat and said, "You've got no mercy, huh, girl?"

"It wasn't personal," Willa replied, looking back at the field with a neutral expression. "I'm just tired of being treated like some prize to collect. They think just because they're slightly popular athletes at their little schools, they can get any girl they want."

-------------------------------------------------

Author's note: Willa Holland is an actress known for her role in the Arrow series, where she is the sister of the protagonist. This series premiered in 2012.

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