I Hate Football Players 3 | 18+

Chapter 114: Logan

"Take care of her Logan," Mom warned me before she squeezed her arms tightly around my neck in her usual chokehold hug. "Don't screw it up this time."

"I know," I groaned quietly and looked over her shoulder, where Ellie hugged her arms about Brody much more gently than Mom's python hold.

Brody's cheeks turned pink as his hands patted Ellie's upper back awkwardly in a few spots, like he had no idea where to put them, and mumbled, "Sorry about your dad."

"Thanks," Ellie replied in a flat, emotionless voice that I'd heard from her more than her normal, sweet-toned voice.

At the risk that I was insensitive, my girl's appearance also looked lifeless. Beneath her baggy clothes that hung off Ellie's already small frame, her shoulders and spinal posture slumped like the life was deflated out of her. Her skin's grayish tone highlighted the dark circles under her red-rimmed eyes, which were puffy and swollen like her nose.

Having lost all my grandparents, I sort of related to Ellie's situation and assumed how her argument with her dad was their last conversation compounded Ellie's guilt with her pain from the loss. But for every ounce of guilt she held onto, I had one ounce of love and another in stubbornness that I avoided repeating my past mistakes and backed off when Ellie obviously suffered internally.

Not this time. I'm in for the long haul.

This weekend, I'd only seen Ellie at the burial service and the wake, after which Mom and Brody took us to the airport for an early evening flight back to Seattle. Coach Peterson had let me skip Huskies' practice for personal reasons, which wasn't a big deal because the bye week meant no Saturday game anyways. So after my Friday morning classes, I switched last weekend's plane ticket to this one, caught Brody's Friday night football game , and stayed overnight at Mom's house.

Brody's speed had always been his best asset but this year his size bulked up. Either he filled in more of his lanky frame or had spent more time in the weights room. He still looked like he needed more muscle in his limbs but ran across the entire field with defenders left behind him all game.

And not surprisingly, all of Scotts Valley High knows Mom.

"And you." I pulled back from that very Mom and pretended I narrowed my eyes. "Go out with the lawyer."

Mom's mouth parted slightly as her eyes widened. "David Reynolds?"

"Yeah, him," I replied then looked over at Brody, who listened intently to our conversation. "You okay with that, Bro?"

His brown eyes rolled but in a bored voice, he replied, "As cool as can be since it's Mom dating... anyone."

"Oh, I don't - I couldn't..." Mom's hands flapped around animatedly the more flustered she got.

"Ask him," I offered and grinned at Ellie. "You know Mr. Reynolds, right?"

"I don't..." she started and rolled her lip under for a moment. "...Think he'd say no. He does work a lot."

"And has a daughter," Mom started the most ridiculous excuse I'd ever heard, she referred to Harper. One raised eyebrow from me was all I needed before her mouth clamped shut.

Pretty sure he's also kicking that daughter out at some point.

"Fine, bad example," Mom huffed quietly then flashed her eyes at Brody. "Brody and I need to start visiting schools."

"No one's asking you to get married, Ma," Brody spoke up with a slight shudder and pained expression similar to the one he'd worn through Dad's marriage ceremony to Olivia. "Or worse... procreate. You like the guy."