Hearts on the field

Game day blues

It was game day, and the atmosphere was far from festive. The sky was a gloomy shade of gray, thick clouds looming overhead, promising rain at any moment. Jake sat on the edge of his bed, his expression dark and brooding. He stared out the window, lost in thought, his usual enthusiasm for game day nowhere to be found.

"Jake, come on," Emily urged, walking over to him and placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You have to go. It's your team, and they need you there."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck in frustration. "I don't know, Em. What's the point? I can't even play. It's just going to be a miserable day."

"Maybe so, but if you don't go, you'll regret it later," she insisted, her voice steady and persuasive. "You're a part of this team, and they need your support. Plus, I'll be there cheering you on. You'll feel better once you get there, I promise."

Jake looked up at her, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. "What if it just makes it worse?"

"Then we'll deal with it together," Emily replied softly, squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. "But you can't just hide away. Let's get through this, okay?"

After a long pause, he finally nodded, resigned but willing to try. "Fine. I'll go. But if it gets too much, I'm out."

As they arrived at the stadium, the air was thick with anticipation, but for Jake, it felt suffocating. The game started, and it quickly became apparent that things were not going as planned. Missed passes and failed touchdowns plagued the team, and the tension was palpable. With each play, Jake's frustration grew, feeling the weight of the loss bearing down on him.

As the final whistle blew, marking the team's first loss of the season, Jake's anger boiled over. He stormed off the field without a word, leaving Emily standing on the sidelines, heart sinking for him.

"Hey, you okay?" Maya asked, approaching Emily.

"No, not really," Emily admitted, rubbing her arms as the wind picked up. "He's taking this really hard."

"Marcus is trying to cheer him up," Maya said, glancing towards the locker room. "He should have some sense knocked into him soon."

Emily watched the boys, concern etched on her face. "Do you think I should go after him?"

"Honestly? I think he needs you," Maya said thoughtfully. "But you know how Jake can be when he's upset. He might push you away."

"Marcus thinks he'll regret it if I don't go," Emily replied, her mind racing.

"Then go! He might just need a good hug from you to pull him out of this funk," Maya encouraged, nudging her gently.

Taking a deep breath, Emily decided to follow her instinct. She quickly made her way to the boys' locker room, hoping to find Jake there. After a quick chat with Marcus, who assured her he would keep an eye on Jake, she decided to take a shower to clear her mind. The hot water cascaded over her, washing away the day's anxieties and doubts.

After drying off and changing into comfortable clothes, she slipped into a pair of track pants and a tank top. Realizing she'd forgotten a warm layer, she asked Marcus if there was a hoodie in Jake's locker. He returned moments later with a black university hoodie. As she slipped it over her head, a wave of warmth enveloped her, and the scent of Jake wrapped around her like a comforting hug. "Thanks, Marcus. This is perfect."

"Go get him, Em," Marcus encouraged as she turned to leave.

With newfound determination, she headed to Jake's house. When she knocked on the door, she heard him shouting, "Leave me alone, Marcus!"

"Jake, it's me," she called softly, opening the door just a crack.

When he didn't respond, she pushed it open further to find him lying on his bed, tossing a football up and down, clearly lost in his own thoughts.

"Hey," she said, sitting beside him. "I just wanted to check in. It wasn't your fault today, you know that, right?"

He caught the football mid-air, his expression unchanged. "Just leave me alone, Emily. I don't want to talk about it."

Hurt shot through her as his words cut deep. "But—"

"Just go, please," he snapped, his tone sharp.

Stung, Emily got up and left, feeling a mix of disappointment and sadness as she walked back to her dorm. When she entered, she found Maya and Marcus huddled on the couch, watching a movie.

"How did it go?" Maya asked, concern etched on her face.

Emily plopped down beside her, feeling the weight of the day crashing over her. "Not great. He just shut me out. He told me to leave him alone."

Marcus frowned, clearly upset. "I'm going to talk to him. He shouldn't be treating you like that."

"No, Marcus," Emily said, shaking her head. "I don't want you to fight. He just needs some space."

Marcus sighed but ultimately nodded. "Okay, but he's being a jerk, and I'll make sure he knows it."

Emily settled into Maya's bed, seeking comfort in her friend's presence. "I just don't get it. I thought I could help him, but it feels like I'm only making things worse."

Maya wrapped her arm around Emily, pulling her close. "Sometimes guys need time to process their feelings. It doesn't mean he doesn't care about you. He probably feels like he let everyone down, especially you."

"Yeah, but I wanted to be there for him," Emily murmured, staring at the ceiling.

Maya shifted, turning to face her friend. "You can't fix everything, Em. You've been juggling a lot with cheer practice, classes, and Jake's recovery. It's okay to take a step back for your own sake."

Emily sighed, her heart heavy. "I just hate seeing him like this. It scares me."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Maya offered gently.

Emily took a deep breath, finally feeling the release of pent-up emotions. "I miss my family, especially now with everything going on with Jake. I feel like I don't have anyone to lean on."

Maya nodded, her understanding evident. "You always have me, you know that, right? We'll get through this together."

As they talked late into the night, sharing their thoughts and fears, Emily felt a sense of comfort return. Even in the midst of chaos, she had her best friend by her side.