Hitting the Wall (UGA SERIES I)

THREE

Grant Carson

"And he says tells Billy to shut it!" Carter laughs. Novick and Logan all start cackling. They're just reviewing what's happened at practice. "You've got dibs I assume?" Carter asks me.

I shake my head, "No one has dibs, she's working for the team." I really hate the fact any of these guys thinks they have even a little bit of a chance with a girl like that. She's probably got a committed boyfriend, although I'm surprised he wasn't with her at the party.

"It's not dibs if she comes to me." Carter plays around. I won't let them go ruining coaches chance at making this girl the new student photographer. We haven't had a girl photographer for years.

Logan and Novick laugh at his jokes. I try to stifle my groan but I can't help it. "What's got you all so upset?" Logan asks, noticing my groan.

I'd say it was the way they're treating the photographer girl. But really it's more of the practice itself. Coach and I had a meeting after practice and once again I was late for this car ride home with my boys.

He was telling me about how I need to get rid on any distraction. Any problems I needed to distinguish. He would help me if it was with school. That had felt wrong. And he wanted me to keep away from partying.

I understand it all, I'm here to play football but not to have fun. The fun just came with the game, baby. You can't help it.

"Coach is up his ass." Novick explains to Carter and Logan. Novick was pulled in right before me probably to talk about watching me or something.

I turn and give Novick a frown. "What did he want with you?" I ask.

"He wanted to talk about me stopping distractions. I told him I don't have any." Novick explains.

"Do you not have any?" Carter jumps in from behind the wheel. Rotating driving schedule, Carters field practice, Logan is gym, Novick is anything else and I got games.

"Nope. No girls, no drink, parties to watch entertainment and I can't remember a day I didn't wake up before nine am." He tells us. Fucking perfect Novick Rylins, he's such a bitch for that.

He's always been like this though. The first day I met him he already knew my name, my positioning and what my favorite food was. He's just too put together. I think half the people in his life try and figure out when he's going to crack.

"I can't remember the last time I woke up before nine am." Carter jokes.

"This morning." Logan explains to him and we all let out a couple laughs.

I let out a sigh. I've got to start becoming a leader like coach is saying. "Seriously though guys, don't go for the girl." I tell them sternly. I really don't want to be dealing with anything being blamed on me.

Carter's the only one I'm really worried about not listening. He's my guy but sometimes he likes to do stuff just to piss people off. Like all his tats are just for making his parents upset.

"Cause you want her or cause you're captain?" Carter asks, I notice him clutching the wheel harder. His black hair is wet from the shower after and makes is head look bigger, angrier.

Carter was supposed to be team captain this year before coach just put me up for the role. He's jealous I know but can't do anything about it.

"Because it's wrong. She's working for the team for school she doesn't need to be taken advantage of. Before you ask I'm sending a mass email to all the players telling the same thing. It's not okay." I explain to them.

"Alright." Carter says after a few seconds of us all just siting there. His tattooed arm though remains clutched on the wheel.

I have to rush from practice to my next class which is for my major. My father and I always agreed being a business major would be easiest for me. He's grooming me for football not anything else but business helps make choices he'd tell me.

Me and my dad, well we've not always had the best relationship to be completely honest. He's always kind of had me on a path and before me it had been my older brother Nate.

I miss my brother. He had actually renounced my father when he was fifteen and went to live with his mom. He didn't think that he was leaving seven year old me to deal.

But family life aside I loved football. It's easy to love something you're good at. You always have to try but having it just come to you after some work is what makes it fun. Constantly putting in a ton of effort is draining.

I hope in my car. I never really liked the idea of walking to classes cause then you have to walk back. My phones dead and I haven't charged it so this is my chance to do so.

Siting in my car I type out the email on my phone once it's got at least a percentage and send it before driving off to class. I really hope these guys heed my warning. I didn't put any threats in the email but they're unspoken that getting caught meant possibly getting cut from the team. And no one wants to be cut from the team.

It's the first day of this class and I'm sitting next to a girl I recognize from somewhere. I really hope it's not from the bedroom cause that would fucking suck if I don't remember.

She's not paying me any attention though she's got a bag of candy she's eating and is scrolling through her phone. It's those little peach rings you eat when you're a kid and don't have again til your sixty. I'm surprised at seeing an adult college girl eat them.

"Do you want one?" She asks me curiously. I didn't realize I was staring at the candy. I turn and look up at her and that's when it clicks.

This is the girl that drag the photographer girl/party girl away from me last night. I cant fucking believe my eyes how could I run into the same people over and over again.

She's pretty but the other girl was more my type. She's not as striking as Lainey Buckwell. "No thanks." She looks tired like she was partying all last night, which she was.

She gives me another weird look and says, "Probably not a good idea for the D1 quarterback to be eating candy."

No, it's not a good idea. I maintain a pretty clean diet. It's mostly protein and veggies. I try and throw in a sweet or two though to keep my sugar levels nice and easy. "Probably not." I tell her flashing her another curious look.

"My friend from last night was rude. She's actually a pretty swell gal." She remembers the encounter surprisingly. But I guess my face is also recognizable so it's not that big of a surprise but she was really drunk.

I've also never head anyone under the age of thirty say swell gal before but she's also eating peach rings so I can't judge now can I.

"So I've heard she's going to be our new photographer." I don't know why I feel the need to tell her this. Part of me wants to brag on behalf of her friend incase her friend isn't the type to drag. This job is pretty hard to get especially when you're not yet a senior and I'm assuming she's not.

Peach girls face immediately lights up with a smile. "Oh, that's wonderful!" She seems giddy.

"Yup." I say back, this conversations starting to get awkward now.

She smiles at me before putting in her headphones and saying, "She's not really a football gal, but she's single." And closing her eyes and smiling before she sleeps through the entire class.

I've got to say that might have the weirdest thing to happen to me all day and it's only noon.