Seneca State University - Sophomore Year - The Beginning

Chapter 10. That Good Life

"Umm...Brent who is that?"

Brent frowned at the guy he'd just knocked over who was just laying on the ground on his back, his head turned sideways, as he stared off into the distance. He'd just finished moaning in pain about how hard Brent hit him and now he seemed to have forgotten about it, his attention was focused on the bleachers.

Brent, who was bent over resting his hands on his hips, sweat running down his face like rain, slowly stood up and turned his head to the figure on the bleachers. He'd know her voice anywhere. He couldn't believe she was here. He blinked, his mouth dropped open as he stared at Cathy jumping up and down on the bleachers, cheering him on with a poster in her hand that read "Brent's #1 Fan."

"Whoo hoo! Go Brent! You can do it! You're going to make it to the NFL!

Brent's heart literally stopped for five seconds and then it began to race. He could feel the blood pumping through his veins strong and powerful. It nearly killed him. He stumbled back clutching his chest wondering if he was about to have a heart attack.

"Yo, Brent isn't that the girl you were with at the party?"

"That your girlfriend?" Another guy asked.

"No," Brent said hoarsely.

"Well, why the hell not? A girl do that for me, I'd be all over her," another guy said.

"Come on, you all know Brent don't do the "girlfriend" thing. Dude, can have any woman he wants, why would he settle down for one woman?"

"I almost feel sorry for her. She's trying too hard."

"She's cute. I think it's sweet."

"Says the guy who lets his girlfriend pick out his clothes every day."

They laughed.

Cute? Brent thought. She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Her hair was down and blowing in the wind. Her fragile figure seemed to be barely holding up the gigantic sign as the heavy wind threatened to topple her over. She stopped when she saw him watching her and waved excitedly.

Brent couldn't stop the huge grin spreading across his face as he waved back at her.

His coach suddenly appeared in front of him blocking his vision of the girl who'd just made his heart change...into what, he didn't know, but something had changed.

"Practice isn't over, you lazy good for nothings! Get back in position," Coach Maddox yelled at them.

He stared at Brent, then at Cathy. "Don't go falling in love son, I know that look when I see it."

Brent barely noticed him walking away as he continued to stare at Cathy.

Love? Was that the feeling he felt? A feeling so strong it nearly brought him to his knees. His heart was still beating with echoes of it.

He was Brent Jaggers. He did NOT fall in love!

"Move! Brent!" His coach yelled at him when he continued to stand there watching Cathy. He shook his head and forced his mind and body to turn from her.

Throughout practice he couldn't stop himself from glancing up at her. Every time he looked up, she was doing something different. When she'd gotten tired of yelling and bouncing around with that ridiculously gigantic poster, she'd sat down and just watched while she drunk a bottle water. When he glanced at her again 20 minutes later, she was lounging on the bleachers reading a book. Another 15 minutes he'd looked up and she was chasing the poster that was flying away.

He couldn't help but smile even though he was worried she was going to trip and hurt herself. The poster flew over the bleachers and out of sight...she turned to him and shrugged with a sad face that caused him to burst out laughing.