All It Took

10.Alison

Obsession // Animotion

Over the past few weeks I've become a press box regular. I've never been so interested in football, not even with my dad's team. I helped out as a paid staff member, not out of love for the game. I didn't watch the plays with an analytical eye. I didn't gawk at the guys in their tight pants like half the girls in the stands trying to land one of them after the game. I just grabbed sweaty towels when players tossed them and refilled water bottles at half time.

This is different. And even I recognize that I've gone over the top with my obsession.

I'm rearranging my work schedule to ensure I can attend the home games.

I've made friends with some of the press I sit next to, so they save me a spot.

I bring baked goods for Marshall, the security guard,  so he'll let me in through the service gate. That way no one sees me.

And all of this for a guy who ghosted me after basically catfishing me. What else would you call it when he declared that he'd do whatever it took so we could be together only to dump me over text and then block me...

He lied. And I can't figure out why.

I never slept with him, and that would be reason numero uno. Bag the girl then drop her, right? It's dating for college athletes 101 with most of the guys I know. Jeff never even tried. He can't be tucking his tail from rejection because I never rejected him. I literally would have gone further with him if he'd ever initiated, but he didn't, so I didn't, and we just didn't.

Is there any other reason? Did my dad get to him in private? I can't imagine that either. Dad was pretty surprised when I told him what happened. He also seemed to mull over the game hits Jeff took during that Northern match. Declan on the warpath had to mean something and it seemed like my dad was working through that something in his head.

I just don't get it. And the only link I have is sitting in the press booth to watch each week with a bird's eye view of the game. What I'm seeing is making me sick.

You'd think it would be natural to lose my appetite when faced with the guy who broke my heart. But that's not even what's bugging me most about all of this. I'm not even mad at him right now.

Because after watching the last few home games, and knowing the stats from the away games, something is going on with him. And it isn't good.

I have to wonder if it's all related.

It's the fourth quarter of the game against Tennessee State. This is the only away game I've attended because it's over Thanksgiving break. If I hadn't traveled with my dad, I would have been alone on the holiday. Thankfully, he wasn't able to travel with the team and I wasn't sandwiched with Jeff on a bus or trapped in a plane within view. The support staff went with them because Dad had some kind of big meeting with the University President which delayed his travel time. That's the only way I was able to go with him. I would have either traveled alone or stayed home otherwise. I didn't want to have any interaction with Jeff. I don't even want him to know I'm here. I'm doing the same thing I always do at a game this season; sit in the press box. Being the head coach's daughter does have its perks when it comes to seating arrangements.

The game has been brutal. I don't understand what's going on with the Fallbrook team, but their heads aren't in it. Even I can see that something's really off, more so than with only Jeff.

He's been missing catches all season or dropping passes. My dad pulls him out after one or two plays and shoves in one of the other guys who doesn't do a whole lot better. Once in a while, he'll let Jeff catch for one of the freshman quarterbacks. That's the only time the team has a legitimate chance. The energy between Jeff and the other guy is seamless. But my dad ends up putting Reign back in after a few plays and it's all downhill from there.