Love Always (NG4)

11 - Sam's friend

Sam ran up the sideline. There was no way he could run as fast as Will, but he learned to anticipate when the quarterback planned to throw to his friend. He clicked the shutter continuously and captured the ball on Will's fingers, but it slipped through before he grasped it. The incomplete pass forced his team to punt. Sam kept clicking. He wanted to capture Will's emotion. His friend's stress level was at a high with scouts at the game. Sam walked down the sidelines and captured Will talking to his quarterback with his head bowed.

The next offensive drive Will made a great catch erasing his mistake. By the end of the game, his tall friend was flashing his perfect smile. Sam captured girls flocking around him. The football player acted immune to the attention. Will dated a girl a year before. Everyone knew his first girl was two-timing Cassie.

He followed Will to the trainer but didn't need to stick around. "I'm gonna head out."

Will said, "Wait. Can I come?"

Sam looked at his friend. "Yeah, but what about your team?"

Will often went to dinner with his teammates after games. Sam knew the two Dr. Drakes were in the audience. They always were.

"I need a break. I'll be with them all next weekend."

Sam didn't go to the away games. At the previous home game, he saw Ryan and Lana. He could have done without their looks of pity. The hardest part was not begging Ryan for information about his niece.

Sam spent a few minutes in the stands with them at halftime after he ventured up to film and photograph their reaction to Will. Ryan and Dr. Will Drake competed for who cheered the loudest. Charlotte was oblivious as she sat on her grandmother's lap. Liam sat on Ryan's and cheered when his Dad did.

So far, Will had stopped by Sam's apartment occasionally to see some edits, but hadn't hung out. "Mi casa, su casa." Sam took high school Spanish but remembered very little, except te amo, as he felt an aching in his chest.

"You okay? Damn, I need my pennies."

Without thinking, he said, "Use Rory's." She doesn't need them. She's not here.

"You sure?"

"Yeah." He dismissed Will's concern. "How long before you're ready?"

"About fifteen."

Sam nodded and scrolled through his digital pictures. He felt elated looking at some of his shots. Will was busy on his phone while the trainer worked on his hamstring.

Will looked up when he spoke. "She said she doesn't mind."

Sam looked perplexed. "What?"

"Rory. I texted her."

Sam's heart rate picked up. It was as if she was close. "Did she mention me?"

"No dude, sorry. I can ask her anything you want."

Did she miss me? Still love me? "Nah. It's okay."

Will's gaze didn't waver, and Sam looked down at his camera. A niggling feeling of resentment poked at him. It wasn't fair that Rory blindsided him and railroaded his future.

When they arrived at the apartment, Luke and Theo were hanging with their girls. They were always with the girls. Sam shook his head. They had senior projects to work on too.

Theo stood and shook Will's hand. "NFL! Long time."

Will smile with his green eyes sparkling. "I came to play."

Luke rubbed his hands together. "Ladies, get your pennies."

Grumbles followed. Sam scoffed. "We're not forcing you to play. Will prefers to play seven-card stud. You can watch."