It was just another chaotic practice day. The sun was blazing, and everyone was sweating through their jerseys as we ran drills. I was trying to keep my head down, focusing on my kicks, when I noticed something that made my stomach twist.Across the field, Patrick Mahomes was chatting with Hadassah. At first, it seemed harmless enough. But as I looked closer, I noticed he was standing a little too close to her. Their heads were almost touching, and they were both laughing like they were sharing a private joke. I squinted, trying to convince myself it was nothing. They're just friends, I told myself. But as I watched them, my jaw tightened. It felt wrong—like there was a line that Patrick was crossing. Sure, he was friendly with everyone, but this felt different. I felt something knot in my chest. Was he flirting with her? Or was it more than that? I didn't want to think about it, but the more I watched, the more it gnawed at me. The way he leaned in, the way he smiled—it made my skin crawl. "Hey, Butker!" one of the linemen nudged me, snapping me out of my thoughts. "You good? You look like you just swallowed a lemon.""Yeah, I'm fine," I muttered, not taking my eyes off Patrick and Hadassah. "Right. Sure you are. Just don't let your crush get jealous if you don't watch out," he teased, elbowing me. "Shut up," I snapped back, my irritation flaring. But I couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort. I turned back to the practice field, trying to focus on kicking the ball again. I managed to connect with a couple of decent kicks, but my mind kept wandering back to them. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. I marched over to where Travis Kelce was standing, talking with a couple of the other guys. I felt my heart racing as I approached, knowing I had to say something."Travis," I called out, trying to keep my voice steady. "Can we talk for a minute?"He raised an eyebrow, looking concerned. "Sure, what's up?"I glanced back at Patrick and Hadassah. They were still laughing, and it made my stomach churn. "It's about Mahomes and Hadassah.""What about them?" Travis asked, leaning in closer.I took a breath, trying to find the right words. "I don't know, man. It just feels like Mahomes is getting a little too... friendly with her. Like, *really* friendly. I don't like it."Travis frowned, his expression shifting. "What do you mean? Friendly how?""He's always standing too close, and the way he talks to her—it's like he's flirting. It doesn't sit right with me. She's just a kid, you know?" Travis glanced over at them, then back at me. "You think he's being a creep?""Yeah," I said, my voice lower now. "I don't want to jump to conclusions, but it just feels wrong. We need to keep an eye on this.""Alright, I'll talk to him," Travis replied, his tone serious. "We can't have anyone crossing lines like that, especially with Hadassah. She deserves to feel safe here.""Thanks, man," I said, feeling a little relieved. As we stood there, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling in my gut. Hadassah might have been one of us now, but that didn't mean I was going to let anyone get too close. I would protect her, even if it meant facing off with someone like Mahomes. Because in this twisted world of football and fame, not everyone had good intentions.
