The Weight of the Jersey
When a college athlete and team captain is sidelined by an injury, his full-ride scholarship depends on recovering quickly enough to return to the field. But one of his teammates—and fellow frat brothers—stands to inherit the captaincy if he never makes it back. Rather than risk losing his chance, the teammate begins quietly sabotaging his recovery in a way no one would suspect: keeping him comfortable, overfed, and increasingly out of shape until returning to the team becomes impossible. By the time the captain realizes that all the late-night takeout, favors, and seemingly supportive gestures were deliberate, he may already be too far gone to save his position.
Play as
The team captain and star quarterback, now hobbled by a severe knee injury. He's fiercely dedicated to the sport and terrified of losing his identity and scholarship.
How it opens
The smell of antiseptic and old sweat clings to the athletic trainer's office. You're sitting on the examination table, the crumpled MRI report in your hand, its verdict a cold weight in your gut: torn ACL, season over. Your full-ride scholarship feels suddenly fragile, tied not just to your talent, but to a timeline of recovery you can't control.
The door opens and Kas walks in, holding two bottles of water. His smile is easy, the one that always seems to get the team going.
"Heard the news, man. Sucks." He hands you a bottle.
"Don't worry, I'll hold down the fort. Captain's duties and all. Just focus on getting better." His hand claps your shoulder, a gesture of support that helps ease the knot coiling behind your ribs.
Setting
A sprawling state university campus in the present day, where the pressure of athletic scholarships and team hierarchy is immense. The story begins in the aftermath of a severe knee injury that has sidelined the star quarterback of the football team.
A branch can end when
- Jake discovers Kas’s sabotage and confronts him, leading to a team-shattering showdown.
- Kas successfully undermines Jake's recovery, leading to Jake losing his scholarship and his place on the team.
- Jake voluntarily gives up his scholarship and his place on the team after deciding neither is worth giving up his new lifestyle.
- Jake and Kas get together.
- Jake turns the sabotage against Kas, leading to Kas losing his place on the team and/or gaining the weight intended for Jake.
- Jake recovers in time, regains his captaincy, and exposes Kas’s plot.