Chasing Home (NFL)

The Split

"One in the same

Never to change

Our love was beautiful

We got it all

Destined to fall

Our love was tragical

Wanted to call

No need to fight

You know I wouldn't lie

But tonight, we'll leave it on the line"

– "Leave it on the Line" by Demi Lovato and Joe Jonas

Chapter 55: The Split

The Giants ended up beating the Packers, but that was hardly on my mind the following afternoon. I had been given the day off because of the game, so I was at home with Freya watching the TV, waiting for Tom's press conference. I shifted nervously, wondering what he had planned.

"It will be fine," Freya said, giving me a gentle smile. "Tom is a smart guy. I'm sure he's thought of something brilliant."

I smiled weakly in return. "Yeah, sure." Why did I feel so agitated? I should trust more. My breath hitched when I finally started. Tom answered a few questions before he was finally asked if he and I were going out and why we had kissed.

"No, we're not dating," he said. "Are we attracted to each other? Sure. She's a beautiful girl. We got caught up in the heat of the moment."

"You've never wanted to date her?" said a reporter.

"Of course I have," Tom said with a smile. "Peyton would have a good time with that. Getting her to join the Patriots was good enough for me. We don't want to do anything unprofessional. We're just coworkers." He refused any more questions.

My heart squeezed as I turned off the TV. "That was kind of harsh." Why was he acting like we were not even friends? I understood not wanting to disclose our relationship, but why say we weren't close?

"He probably just wanted to get them off the trail," Freya said. "I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it."

I ignored the doubt in my mind and forced myself to nod. "You're probably right. I'll talk to him about it the next time I see him." He was putting on an act for the press. There was nothing else to it.

***

Classes started the following day. I was glad I only had one semester left at school. I had already applied to and been accepted to a university for graduate school, and I could take my classes online so it did not matter where I lived. Right now, I was planning on staying in Massachusetts.

It was hard to concentrate in classes with everything going on. To make matters worse, I heard people whispering about me in the hall. Until Tom's conference, the media had been spreading rumors and making wild speculations. They compared me to my father and then my mother, which made me angry. They had no idea what they were saying.

I was not in the best of moods as I arrived at work. I needed to talk to Tom, but I did not see him on the field warming up. I noticed Rob near the bench, so I jogged over to him. "Hi!" I said, forcing a smile.

Rob beamed at me. "Hi, Lauren! How's it going?"

"Fine. Where's Tom?"

"He's in the locker room. Hey, what are you doing?"

I waved him off as a sprinted the other way. "Don't worry about it! I'll talk to you later!" I slowed down when I neared the locker room. I knew better than to barge in there, so I leaned against the wall to wait for Tom. Then I heard voices coming from the room.