All the Small Moments

colter

Colter watched Presley and Drucella the rest of the week of school. They were almost inseparable. Today was the last day of their junior year, and Drucella left early to cover the early evening shift at the convenience shift, from what Presley told him.

Presley and Colter were walking around the football field. Colter was watching the rookies run into the tackling dummies. He blew his whistle. "Bend those knees! Again!" The rookies adjusted the tackling dummies back into their positions.

"I haven't gotten to talk to you much. How is Drucella doing? She looks good." Colter turned the corner, kicking at the turf with Presley by his side.

"You probably don't want to hear this, but she is doing better than I expected she would. She's doing okay."

Colter shouldn't have felt like Presley punched him in the gut, but it did. He was glad Drucella was doing good, indeed. But it hadn't been long at all. He was suffering without her. Colter was walking around like a lost puppy without Drucella.

"But," Presley added, "I know you aren't doing good, man." And there it is. Colter had been hiding from Drucella but not well enough from Presley.

"I messed up," Colter admitted it. Within the following day of his mistake, he knew he screwed up. But he wasn't brave enough to do anything about it. The error wasn't superficial; it was cheating on her—one of the biggest betrayals.

"You think?" 

Presley always gave it to Colter straight. That was one of the best things about Presley. He was blunt. If Colter didn't want the truth, he knew better than to ask him. Drucella was blunt too, but she was more leary about hurting someone's feelings, not Presley. Colter would lie to see a smile on someone's face, especially Drucella.

"What do I do?" Colter turned to stop Presley.

Presley huffed. "Nothing."

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly as I said. Nothing. Zilch. Nodda."

Colter's jaw dropped. "Why?"

"Because you two still need space. She needs space?" Presley shoved his hands in his pockets.

"How do you know what she needs?"

"You knew what she needed a week ago. So I am just doing what you told me to do. Listen, you haven't even gone to football camp yet. Just give it until you get back from there. Okay?"

Colter contemplated. Presley did have a point. He remembered his conversation and how admitted he was. He folded and folded too quickly. Thankfully Presley was there to keep him from jumping over the ledge. "Okay."

The two started walking again, watching as the tackle dummies were barely getting a beat down. "When do you leave?" Presley asked.

"Tomorrow evening. You will be all alone with Drucella for six weeks. Good luck." Colter patted Presley on the back.

Presley chuckled deeply. "You're the one who will be surrounded by tons of testosterone and sweat for weeks."

Colter's face scrunched up. "Good point."

"What are your plans?" Colter asked Presley.

Presley shrugged. "Ride around. Thankfully Drucella could live on the Harley." Presley pointed out towards the field. "They have no idea what they are doing."

Colter looked over. The freshman's shoulders were too low, and their knees were barely bent. He shook his head. He'd have them in top shape by the season, hopefully.

Colter felt much better about the Drucella situation when the practice was over. He didn't need to be rash and jump head first like he always did into trying to win Drucella back. Colter was confident Drucella would be waiting on him when he got back. Presley will make sure of that.

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Colter awoke the following day with dread in his stomach. He was leaving Crest on bad terms with Drucella. Nothing about this was right. He had a momentary lapse in judgment during the drought. That had to explain doing something was so out of character for him.

He got up and rummaged in his closet for his football duffel bag. Pushing aside shoes he had thrown on top since the last time the bag had seen daylight. He dusted off the collected dust before shoving clothes in.

Once the bag was filled, he was satisfied with everything he had packed until he looked at the mirror on his dresser. Colter grabbed the picture that was stuck in the corner. The Polaroid was the first picture he had ever taken on his camera.

Drucella had a toothy grin. She was looking at her little sister Meredith who had taken her first steps. Colter knew this moment needed to be documented because it was rare for Drucella to flash one of her smiles that could brighten up even the coldest star.

Colter tucked the picture in one side pocket of his phone charger.

"Let's go, champ." Colter's dad yelled through the other side of his bedroom door.

Colter threw his bag over his shoulder and left his room.

"Are you ready to train all the freshmen?" His dad walked in front of the red pickup truck.

Colter threw the bag into the back before focusing his eyes on Drucella's house. He scanned her window. The curtains were closed shut. Colter couldn't make out any movement beyond them.

His eyes moved to the kitchen windows. He saw Drucella standing at the island, eating a strawberry. Her face was lit up with laughter. Colter scanned the kitchen to see where the source of her laughter came from. He saw Lousia sitting on the other side of the island with a mug in hand, telling some story with her hands flying in the air. 

Colter heard his dad's thundering voice coming from inside the trunk. "Stop staring a hole through the girl, and come on."

He huffed but didn't hesitate, opening the door more forcefully than necessary.

"It's not like we are late, Dad." Colter slammed the seatbelt into the lock.

His dad looked back before taking off into the street. "Breaking up with her was the best choice you ever made."

Colter's family never liked Drucella. All they ever saw from her was her parents. The drug dealers. They could never see past the parents' sins, no matter how much Colter had pleaded. It had been difficult for Colter to coexist in his relationship with Drucella and his parents.

"Don't even start right now, please."

"I am just saying. She doesn't look sad about it." His dad grunted.

Colter stared out the passenger side window. Red mountains in the distance went by in a blur. Clouds seemed to stay still in the speed. Colter would never admit this out loud, but Drucella did seem happy. He was glad, but he guessed he expected a little more sadness.

But he also knew she was good at hiding emotions. Either way, he wouldn't let his dad get to him. Everything would return to normal soon, no matter his parent's wishes. Colter and Drucella would be the class couple again. His parents could fight all they wanted, but the town loved the two together. That is why his parents didn't say anything about it publicly. They had to make good impressions, after all.

All the town saw was a boy saving a girl in despair. He hated it but loved it at the same.

The truck pulled into the school parking lot beside the bus. Football players were shoving each other into the bus, being boys.

Colter's dad clasped his shoulder. "Have a good time."

Colter half-grinned. "Yea, I will call you later."

He was glad to see Crest in the rearview mirror for now.

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