School Spirits | I Don't Do Friends

2- "I'll Be His Friend."

Three times she thought about turning around and going home. First, as soon as she walked out the door, after managing to pry the damn thing open. Second, when she was outside the gate. Lastly when she took a seat in the first row of bleachers.

However she stayed, her fathers old varsity jacket wrapped around her, way too big. It's not like it would fit many people, the burly man hit his head on doorways and had trouble wearing a seatbelt comfortably.

She looked like a fool, sporting a way to big jacket from 1954 and a face of distaste. She couldn't help but think about how sweaty she'd be in all that padding, or the discomfort of a mouth guard. Being tackled wouldn't be comfortable either.

The team ran onto the field. She scoped for Wally, she reminded herself to say sorry for earlier after the game was over. She kept thinking about the last thing she said.

"I don't do friends." She sounded so pretentious. He deserved an apology. She just wasn't sure how to do it.

He saw her in the crowd. He stopped to wave and bounced on his heels. A proud smile decorated his face. She couldn't see it past the helmet. She gave a weak wave back.

That was until he was tackled, the first play after halftime. At first she just cringed thinking of all the bruises it would leave.
Soon she realized something was wrong.

He wasn't moving, people were crowding around him. Her instinct was to hop out of her seat and run for the gate onto the field. Before she touched the turf she was stopped by a referee.

"Ma'm you can't go on the field." He held his arms out to stop her from passing the fence.

"What's wrong? Why isn't he moving?" She leaned over to look past him. Paramedics were bringing a stretcher over.

"Take your seat, please." He instructed.

"That- that's my friend! Is he okay?"

She had her mothers "crazy eyes" in that moment. Desperate eyes.

"Okay how about this? You take your seat and as soon as I get word you'll be the first to know, okay?" The ref ushered her away.

She complied. Only because the anxiety was becoming debilitating.
She knew football was extremely dangerous. People get seriously hurt from tackles all the time, she read an article about some guy getting paralyzed from the neck down back in 72'.

She sat down on a bench near the entrance. Her leg bounced and she chewed her nails shorter, and shorter each passing minute.

An announcement came over the loud speaker. "Tonight's game has been canceled until further notice! Please make your way to the exit!"

Now she felt like throwing up.
"Fuck." She murmured and ran her hands through her hair.

She sat there for what felt like hours, it was only 20 minutes. The referee from earlier walked over to her.

"You're uh, Hank's kid right?" He asked, hands on his hips and a defeated look on his face.

She nodded. "Yes'sir."

The man sat on the other end of the bench with a loud sigh.
"I went to school with your dad, he was a beast on the field."

He figured a little small talk would make this easier.

"Yeah." Caroline was staring off into the distance.

"Clark's parents are at the hospital. I didn't get news from them yet." He informed.

Caroline looked over and saw he had more to say.

"I do know that uh, when he was loaded up in the ambulance, he didn't have a heartbeat and wasn't breathin'." His tone was sorrowful. He knew Wally was gone for good.

Caroline shuttered at the news and clutched the jacket around her.

The raf waited a moment before standing. "I'll call your dad." He went over to the other side of the gate to the payphone.

Wally took his place.

After the accident he quickly realized no one could see him, or hear him. He knew he was dead. It didn't mean he accepted it.

"Caroline." He called quietly. He knew it was useless.

She swore she almost heard his voice. She started to cry.
She clasped her hands together. "God, if you exist. You're a sick fuck." She closed her eyes.

Wally chuckled between sobs.

"And tell Wally I'll be his friend." Her voice broke.

It was the only thing she could've said that would have comforted him in that moment.

Caroline's father darted through the gate a while later. "Carol?" He searched.

Caroline hiccuped from the bench when she heard her father's voice. She stood up and ran over to him, pulling him into a hug. She doesn't hug much, she saves them for special occasions. Like holidays, birthdays, and deaths.

"Let's go home, kid." He rocked her.

She continued to cry, he wanted to make it stop.

"Come on." He lead her toward the parking lot. "Thanks Ed!" He called to the Ref.

"Get home safe Hank." He responded.

Wally was left alone again.

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Yeah that one made me really sad