Is This Our Second Chance

Chapter 3

"Zach, you mean to tell me that you have every day of this year to try and fix things with Stella?" Brandon punches me in the arm.

"C'mon! Stella herself used to say that everything happens for a reason. What is your plan? Tell me you have a plan!"

"Dude! Plan? Brandon, I don't have a damn plan. She walked into class and I could not believe what I saw. She was so thin; I knew right away she must have relapsed into her anorexia. The bruises on her arms are most definitely not from soccer. Not to that extent at least. Which concerns me. I can only guess what isn't visible under her clothes. Plus, she looked like she hasn't slept in weeks, which is not good for her POTS."

My frustration and anger rose faster than a bee sting causing me to punch the metal seat of the bleachers we were currently spending our lunch period. "I don't care what she's told people, she has not been getting any better. She has not been taking care of herself the way she needs to be. Regardless of all that though, it was like the whole place lit up for me as soon as she walked in."

I rub my hands through my hair in frustration feeling a migraine coming on.

This conversation was just not helping. Brandon seemed to be in too much shock over my luck of being paired with Stella in English to give any real advice. Granted I haven't told him she ran out of class in tears.... but hey, he may not need to know every detail. I think.

I look over to see Brandon staring across the football field from where we were sitting, at a group of friends throwing a Frisbee. I frown.

"Are you spacing out on me again?"

"No, but Zach. I have known you since we were in diapers. I have been there for you through pretty much everything. I was there when your dad walked out on you and your mom. I'm the one who has peeled you up off the ground when you were too drunk to stand on your own two feet. I was there when you tore your shoulder, ending your chances of college baseball last year. You are literally like my brother." Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I know you have a plan as to where Stella is concerned, but I also know you probably haven't thought it all the way through yet."

Brandon holds his hand up to stop me from objecting. "No offense man, but the stuff between you and Stella, really screwed both of you up. You need to understand that Kayla has been trying to help Stella keep herself together since everything went down."

I keep forgetting that Brandon and Kayla became a couple about a year ago. They were going strong and kept no secrets between them.

"Kayla told me last night that Stella is not in a good head space these days. She won't tell Kayla everything that's been going on anymore and Kayla thinks that she's trying to protect her from something."

"Now, I, myself, cannot speak for Stella, but I can speak for you. Your life went to damn shit after the breakup. I watched you make some poor and crappy choices. I watched you drown yourself in bottle after bottle and get lost in girl after girl. Now, as happy as I am that you finally had a coming to Jesus moment last year, you need to understand that Stella changed just as much as you did. She's not the same girl you knew 3 years ago."

I take a moment to digest everything Brandon just said. I know it's all true of course. I did not have to like it, but it's all still very much true. I give Brandon a nod in acknowledgement.

I look across the grass to see Stella sitting with Kayla texting on her phone. Stella has a boyfriend, I remind myself. I don't know much about the guy, but I make a mental note to change that.

I watch her for a few minutes, and I notice that she is biting her bottom lip. Maybe not so much a good boyfriend after all. Something's wrong. I squint my eyebrows trying to read any other facial expressions from her. Glancing around, nobody notices that anything is wrong.

I am clearly the only person who notices. However, as I watch, Stella takes a deep breath that is barely noticeable and clears her face of any worry before jumping back into the conversation that Kayla is now having with her. She did so without missing a beat.

I'm almost impressed by how smooth it all was. I can't help but think that when I do get her alone to talk that neither one of us will be able to hide. I watch more carefully, and I see how her eyes briefly get clouded and distant before focusing again. Cursing to myself I grip the bleacher to keep myself from stalking over there and taking care of her. She is about to have one of her passing out spells if she's not careful.

I frown to myself. How does Kayla not notice? I feel the answer smack me dead in the face. Kayla does know. Stella won't let her do anything about it.

The bell signaling lunch was officially over blasts throughout the high school and across the grounds. "C'mon, let's get to class." We stand up and stretch out our arms and legs. I catch Stella staring at where my shirt had risen. I see her eyes zero in on where my abs could be seen from where she too has stood up.

Brushing myself off I sling my backpack over my shoulder before turning to follow Brandon back inside to finish off the rest of the school day, but not before catching her eye and shooting her a mischievous grin.

***

As soon as the bell rang signaling the last period of the day was over, I headed to the locker room to get ready. The scrimmage was set to start at four, so we had about a half hour to prepare. I really need a good ending to this horrible day.

Once the rest of the girls joined me in the locker room it was easy to fall into the rhythm of getting ready. Talk of strategies and hopes of crushing the boys filled the locker room. When coach gave a whistle and told us it was time, we exchanged high fives and walked out to the field.

The whole school seemed to remember that the annual scrimmage was taking place. Most kids were cheering for the boys team, we didn't care though.

"Okay girls! Huddle up!" Coach yelled.

"Is it just me or does everyone seem to be cheering for the boys?" a younger girl on the team asked.

"Yeah, we plan to change that." I patted her on the back.

"Team on three!" I screamed.

"ONE, TWO, THREE TEAM!" We all screamed.

The game began. We started with the ball and my teammate passed it through a gap between the boy's defensive line. I ran towards the ball and started dribbling it as I ran. I kick; side to side, on my left foot than on my right foot making the moves complicated to anticipate.

Being so small made me seem extra fast. I'm breathing fast as I push my legs to go faster. The goalie comes into my line of sight as I start to visualize where I want to place the ball in the net.

It was like watching the ball in slow motion. I can feel the pressure of my blood pulsing in every part of me. My palms are sweating as I watch the ball go soaring into the top left corner of the goal.

I could hear Kayla screaming at the top of her lungs above everyone else. The cheers erupt all around the field as I am tackled to the ground by my teammates. We jog back to our side of the field and prepare for the kickoff. The intensity of it all keeping everyone on the edge of their seats. The second half was spent with each team trying to punch the ball in, neither team being able to. We were able to hold the boys to our 1-0 lead. Everyone knew that this game would be talked about for weeks to come.

As I was packing up my bag, I looked up and noticed Kayla taking to Brandon while she was waiting for me at the fence line. This wasn't a huge shocker, considering they were together. It was a shock to my system, that Zach was standing with them.

As I made eye contact with him, a few of his groupies surrounded him flipping their hair and pushing their chests up higher than normal. I pang of jealousy shot through me. Biting the inside of my cheek I shoved everything in my bag and grabbed my keys.

Not having the energy to deal with him, I send Kayla a text and walk in the opposite direction to the parking lot to head home.