I. Heart Of Gold (Uneditied) ✔️ ORIGINAL

Six - Game Time

Maddox's POV:

My mind was foggy since the argument with Zach. I couldn't get the fear in Emmi's eyes out of my head. She never flinched when I touched her shoulder earlier during the day, but I did notice when Zach did she grew stiff. Could he have hurt her physically and not just emotionally? Could he have done that to Jamie too? Maybe she did flinch and I didn't notice.

"Evans!" I heard Coach yell. I looked up at him out of my funk. "Your head needs to be on the game. Not somewhere else."

"Yes, Coach." I mumbled. We were in the locker room waiting for game time. If it was just Coach and I, he would have been a little more concerned. He was like that with all us players. Showed more concern in one on one than as a whole team. Probably made it easier for us to confide in him.

"Evans, come with me please." Coach Gibbons requested. The team looked at me confused, but Wes could tell something was going on in my head.

I followed him and sat down in the chair at the front of his desk. He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "You good? You seem off. Home okay?"

I nodded, "Home is fine. Just thinking a little too hard on some things that happened today. Looking into it a little to deeply."

Coach raised a brow, "Girl issues?"

I went quiet. Emmi wasn't my girlfriend, or even my friend really. At least I never considered her a friend. More like the girl I enjoyed lightly picking on during Geography. But seeing that bright, big smile on Emmi's face when she accomplished that triple toss a few hours ago made my heart swell and made me just as happy as she was. A smiled form on my lips just thinking about it. But I felt it fall as soon as my mind went back to the fear I saw in her eyes from Zach.

"Maddox?" I was pulled out of my thoughts once again by Coach. But he never used my first name unless he was really concerned.

I cleared my throat, "I guess you could call it girl problems? But...I'm not seeing anyone. I'm just worried about one...probably more than I should be."

Coach chuckled softly, "I don't think so, Evans. You don't have to be seeing someone to care about them."

He did have a point. But if I was in denial of actually caring about Emmi, how was I supposed to admit that to her? It wasn't going to be easy, that's for sure. I shook my head vigorously, getting the thoughts out. I needed to focus on one thing, and one thing only. The game. "I'll be fine. As long as I concentrate on the game, it'll go smoothly."

"Good, now get back in the locker room and change. You're slackin', Evans."

"Yes, Coach." I got up and went to change quick. Throwing my equipment on and then my jersey, I looked in the mirror. I imagined Emmi wearing my number next to me and my heart beat quickened. I ran my hands over my face, scrubbing it genlty. I looked back at the mirror and the image was gone. "Focus on the game, Mad. That's it." I growled at myself.

Wes came up behind me with raised brows, "Everything okay over here?"

I looked him with frustration in my eyes, "Yeah," I said cooly. I pushed past him and sat on a bench waiting for Coach to do our normal pep talk before we walked out.

It was a quick talk, but efficient. Got me back to focusing on the task at hand. I'm the quarterback, I can't have my head elsewhere during the game.

We headed out onto the field and I looked in the stands. I saw Emmi eating her sub with her friends and I noticed a little boy that was sitting next to her, happy as could be eating the other half of the sub. Must be Brooks. But I'm glad she's finally eating and smiling. I smiled to myself. I went to sit on the bench and Wes sat next to me.