Coach

I can't believe that this is happening, I lost everything. I won't ever be able to forget that night, I will have the scars to prove them; that and I will have the games as a constant reminder that I won't ever become the person I want to be. How is it that one moment, one split second change everything? 'I am lucky' is what people keep telling me. But what is so lucky about losing your parents. It's been a 2 weeks since I was let out of the hospital and 2 months since the wreck. I live with my Coach, well my old Coach, because now I can barely walk for too long let alone try to play a game of lacrosse.

Living with Coach isn't so bad I guess. He is nice, well to me anyway. He can't really cook so I guess it is a good think I am there. But it is so hard to look at him; he has my dad's looks, the dark hair, chestnut eyes, and the nose that has a permanent crook in it probably from an old lacrosse injury like my dad's. He never asks me if I am okay because he knows I hear it all too often these days. I walk; well no, hobble my way to school because I refuse to go in any car since the accident.

As I get to the school I can feel their eyes burring into me as though I was a hydra coming to terrorize the village. I try to ignore them but they were slowly getting to me. They weren't angry or even the 'you're a freak' glares, they were sympathy stares. To have people pity me is something that would break me down faster than the accident did. I quickly push myself through the sea of people and go towards my home, the field. I look at all my teammates working hard. I can see Jack tackle Gatlin to the ground. I can't believe after all of that hard work of getting on the team was for nothing.

I make my way to the players bench when Derek seen me, and because he wasn't paying attention he was tackled to the ground. Once he gets up he walks up to me and takes his helmet off and throws both his stick and helmet to the ground, picks me up and spins me around. See Derek and I have been best friends for as long as I can remember, in fact he is one of the reasons I have made it to the team. He helped convince Coach to let me join the boys' team, because of the lack of girls' team. Derek puts me back on the ground and picks up my discarded crutches. "Hey Red, what are you doing here I don't think you can play with crutches?"

"And I thought you couldn't play at all but look you are still on the field aren't you," I say whist giving him my best 'I am so better than you look' before I burst out laughing. Derek glares at me and but smiles back all the same anyway. We walk back to bench and sit down. I throw my crutches as far away from me as I can and groan loudly.

Derek chuckles obviously amused at my frustration, "No need to become violent Red."

I glare at him but quickly my face softens, he is right; but I just can't stand the fact that I am stuck here on the bench because Coach doesn't want me to get hurt. The doctors said I could start doing go back into my normal routine as long as I take it easy, but no Coach refuses to let me practice with the guys. "I am just so frustrated Derek. I mean, I loss everything in that crash, my parents, my little brother, my future... me. I feel like I am losing everything that is important to me; and soon I will lose myself completely," I feel a tear starting to fall but Derek quickly wipes it away and makes me rest my head against his shoulder while rubbing my back comfortingly.

He continues for a little the stops and makes me look to him, "Ruby, you they won't ever be gone they are there with you even when you can't see them. I mean let's face you look almost exactly like your mom did at your age, and you are a great lacrosse player and you never back down just like your dad. As for your brother you may not see it now but you treated him as if he was your son and when the time comes when you have your own child you will see that your brother taught you more than you think. Red you think this crash ruined your future but it hasn't, I mean you will only be gone for the season then when you come back you will upstage all of the guys and make us look bad in front of the hot chicks again," He says while chuckling at the last bit, "and it might seem as though you don't have anyone but you have you team, Coach, and let's not forget that handsome dark hair mysterious green eyed piece of a man known as Derek right here. You will never lose me I promise,"