“How am I ever going to look anyone in the eye again after this?” she cried and turned the car toward home.
Her mom complemented her on being on time, but she didn't respond. She kicked off her shoes and threw her pom-poms down by the door before dashing upstairs to the sanctuary of her bedroom. Her whole body shook with sobs and she half hoped her mother would come talk to her. She strained her ears to listen for her to come up the stairs, but the sound never came.
Chapter 4: Jake
Jake rolled his eyes as the girl drove away. She was pretty, but her attitude definitely left something to be desired. What the heck did she think he wanted with her pom-poms anyway?
“No good deed goes unpunished,” he sighed as he limped across the parking lot to his truck.
His foot was still killing him and he just wanted a hot shower. Today had been a total wash-out. He had overslept and woke up with a headache that could have shaken the dead, and as if his pounding temples weren't enough to deal with he had stepped on a piece of glass from the broken vase as he dashed through the house to get ready for school.
Jake knew he should have told the coach and sat the game out, but his pride wouldn't let him. Besides, what sort of cry-baby would he sound like?
“Sorry Coach, I can't play because I cut my foot,”
Yea, that would go over really well. Wimps didn't get sports scholarships. He had suffered several injuries on the field and played through them. It's what athletes did. He climbed into his truck and kicked off his shoes. Jake didn't even have to look down to know that his foot was bleeding again. Sighing, he threw his helmet onto the passenger's seat and leaned his head back.
He was going to be in big trouble come Monday morning. The coach was going to tear into him for not staying for the after game talk, but Jake didn't care. He had too many things on his mind to be locked in the locker room with his teammates, especially, after he had let them down.
His coach told him again and again, if he wanted that sports scholarship, their team needed to go to state this year. That's where the college scouts would be. Jake had been hopeful, but the season had started out just as badly as every other had. What the hell was he going to do if he didn't get a scholarship? Live with his father for the rest of his life?
“I'm just going to have to work harder,” Jake mumbled determinedly.
The parking lot was beginning to come alive with first signs of people leaving the game. Jake turned the key and pulled out. He didn't want to be stuck in the mess that would soon form as everyone tried to leave at once. Usually, Jake would linger with his teammates until the traffic was gone, but tonight he just needed some time alone to think.
For the first time he realized that he might not get the scholarship and he had to come up with a backup plan. He thought about talking to his dad about it, but decided against it. Jake didn't think he could handle telling his dad that they had lost another game and it was his fault. Well, technically it went back to the photo album, but he had broken the vase. So at the end of the night, it was still his fault.
Jake drove through the drive thru window of the first burger joint he saw and began the hour drive home. Usually, it would only take thirty minutes, but the traffic from the game was thick and seemed to crawl.
Under normal circumstances Jake would be infuriated and impatient, but tonight wasn't normal circumstances. Tonight everything seemed different. His once certain future seemed to be slipping through his fingers.
His cellphone rang and he glanced down to see the coach's phone number. Jake pulled into the empty parking lot of the grocery store and answered it.
“Hey,” he said.
“Where the heck are you, Jake?” the coach demanded.
“Almost home,” Jake sighed.
“You should still be here,” the coach said, “I know you're upset, but you're part of a team, and teams stick together, Jake.”
“I just have a lot on my mind,” he said.
“Well, you best get whatever it is off your mind, Jake, if you want that scholarship,” the coach snapped.
Jake looked at his phone for a minute and then flipped it shut, ending the call. He'd deal with it on Monday, but right now he just wanted to get home.
He had planned to sneak in through his window, but his dad was sitting on the front porch when he pulled into the driveway. Jake's brow furrowed in confusion. His dad looked happy. Oh God, he thinks we won the game! Jake sighed and took a deep breath before getting out of his truck. He nearly forgot to kill the engine in his haste to get away from his dad.
“So how's the champ?” his dad asked.
“We lost the game,” Jake said avoiding his father's eyes.
“What do you mean you lost the game?” he demanded, “and why are you limping?
After a moment of silence his dad spoke again.
“The coach kick you in the shin for screwing up or something?” his dad laughed.