My Visitor

Chapter 38 Another confrontation:

     "Alright, I'm cheating on you, we're breaking up, and I'll see you at Natalie and Jackson's wedding because let's face it they're going to get married."
     And with that Andrew McNeil walked out of my life, again, and I sure as Hell wasn't going to let him back in. Apparently it was shame on me.
     I called Jess, who was at the driving range. I couldn't call Jackson because he didn't even know that I had been dating Andrew again... I was glad he didn't know, and Dallas... yeah, picking that scab now will make it bleed like a bastard. I went down my contacts and found Josh, that's not what his contract said but I don't feel like sharing that out loud.
     "Joshua."
     "Hi, Josh."
     "Haley... Are you okay?"
     "You were right. Andrew never grew-up."
     "I'm sorry."
      "It's fine, I just can't believe I didn't believe the man that saw it coming."
     "It's okay, do you want to come to football practice? It should help get your mind off it."
     "I can't... Drive."
     Why is that so hard to swallow? I'm choosing not to learn.
     "I'll be there in 5."
     "Okay, I'll text you the address."
*****
     I put on a sleeveless shirt with knee length pants and tennis shoes, let's face it I'm going to a football field. 5 minutes later Josh's black GMC truck pulled up into my driveway. The lift kit was impressive, if I do say so.
     "I like that shirt."
     "I like your truck."
     "Thank you." He said, "And why didn't you answer my text before lunch?"
     "I wanted you to ask me in person."
     "Fine."
     He pulled into the parking lot.
     "Come on. My dad will be mad at me. I have to go put on all of my padding."
     "Okay, I'll go to the stands."
     "Wait, Haley, will you go out with me?"
     "I'll think about it." I said walking away, "and stop staring at my ass."
     "I am not." He said catching up with me, "okay, I was, but it's a nice ass."
     I walked over to the bleachers. He smacked my ass as we split up.
     "And you wonder why I don't want to date you."
     "This is just the show. If I get you I'll show you my true colors."
     "That's either really good or really bad."
     "You'll have to see to find out." He called out to me.
     I walk up the stairs of the home side bleachers, sat on the bleachers, and looked out at the field. I was never that into football because Jackson wasn't into it, and my dad was never around with it on the TV. I understood just about everything about baseball. The only thing I understood about football was the ultimate goal. I was getting bored, and me being bored with two ex's was a bad thing. I started mulling over everything in my head.
     What is wrong with me? Why doesn't anyone like me? Am I not worth it? Will Jackson disown me if he finds out that I... Slept... Never mind. I'm not picking at that scab right now. Maybe I deserve the way that...
     I was ripped out of my thoughts by a football to the face.
     "FUCK!"
     It hurt, like bad. I mean I've been hit by a baseball to the face before, and in the eye, but that was a close second. I was doubled over with a hand on my cheek. I heard someone running up the stairs.
     "Are you okay?" Josh asked.
     "Oh yeah. You get hit with a baseball. That's a nice black eye." I said, "This is a close second."
     "Well, you're going to have a nice bruise on your cheek."
     "Wonderful." I said, "Jackson is going to kill me."
     "Why?"
     "My cheek bone is turning purple."
     "I noticed." He said moving my hair away from it.
     "Okay."
     "Okay what?"
     "I'll go out with you."
     "Awesome! You won't regret it!"
     That's what Andrew said.
     "Are you okay?"
     "Yep, just peachy." I said smiling a small smile.
     Even that hurts already, just great.
     He picked up the football from the bleachers.
     "I have to go finish practice, but I'll take you home then I'll help with your face." He said walking away.
     "Wonderful."
*****
     He handed me an ice pack.
     "So, what do you do for fun?" He asked sitting next to me on the couch.
     "I don't know, not much."
     He faced me.
     "How fast do you want to go?"
     "Like not very fast at all."
     "Okay, so hug you for the first couple of months, a kiss on the cheek after its healed, and I get to cop a feel?"
     "No, you don't. Not even Andrew and Dallas got that much."
     "Fine."
     It was quiet for a minute.
     "So..."
     "I can't believe you just asked me if it was okay to cop a feel."
     "In my defense I've never gone past second base, ever. Ask anyone on the team."
     "Yep, and I thought that Dallas was still a virgin, but look what happened."
     "I swear. I am. My mother will kill me, and so will my dad. I'm supposed to be focusing on football. Not girls, or parties, or other activities involving my little friend."
     Then why do you throw parties sometimes... Or maybe he just put his name on them and didn't show-up.
     "Please stop talking."
     "Line crossed and noted." He said moving my hair, "Haley, why are you so pretty?"
     "I'm not that pretty."
     "You're right. You're beautiful, and they haven't treated you like the gem you are. So I will. And I know that you'll have a hard time at first because of what they did to you, but I hope that you can trust me."
     I don't know. There was something different about him. The way he spoke it was like I could believe him, but the fresh wound left by Dallas wasn't going to go away so easily.