Not A Football Player, But MY Football Player

The Beginning of My End

Please do not blame me for publishing another book. This one is like my life, except with twists and turns!

Senior year. Huh. This is where I'm going to make a big fool out of myself. Selene, Ally and Ella are dragging me to the football games and on the bench, where injured or benched football players sit. Yes, I am frightened because Nathan is going to be there.

"Girl just chill," Ally, Ella's step sister, said.

"Chill? Chill?! I might be facing the most fearsome thing in my life!" I whispered yelled.

"Ally's right," Selene agreed.

"Michelle, just calm down. It might not be as bad as you think." Ella smiled.

"You're right," I began, "It's gonna be much worse!" Selene wacked my shoulder.

"Shut up, he's coming!" I opened my locker to grab my books. Nathan walked down to his sister.

"Hey, little sis," he sweetly smiled and ruffled her hair.

"Hey!"

"Hi, Ally and Ella." Say my name please. I shut my locker. He smiled, glanced at us, minus me, and walked off. Great.

"Maybe next time," Selene whispered. We all walked into class.

"Maybe he just thinks I'm such a bookworm that he doesn't need to pay attention to me." I sighed hopelessly. "I mean, he doesn't realize that I'm even at the gym. Just darn the wig." I only wear a wig BECAUSE my hair is getting me bullied. The last time Nathan talked to me was when I was new.

"Mich, you can't let bullying get the best of you! Stand up for yourself." Ally yelled.

"But Ally, remember when Savannah cut half of my hair off? Remember when Kyle was jealous his girlfriend didn't have my hair color and pushed me in the school's pool? Remember when- " Ella put her hand to my mouth.

Selene sighed, "Michelle, you really must tell Principal Ying that you can't handle this."

"Fine then, but after class."
*****
I walked inside the office. Ms. Ying looked up from her file and smiled.

"I think I know why you're here Ms. Osborne," she said. "Are you sure you want to discard the wig and go back to the bullying?"

"Yes ma'am!"
*****
I braided my ginger hair into a side braid and went out the restroom. As soon as the door closed behind me, all eyes targeted my hair.

"Hey red head, did you just dye your hair ginger?" Leah, the cheerleading captain, yelled and laughed with her friends.

"Well no I didn't. Why did you ask? Jealous that my hair is real? And don't worry, I won't tell everyone in this hall way that you went through surgery just to have blonde hair! Oh wait, I just did! Sorry, not sorry!" I fired back. Everyone stopped laughing as I held my books and went into the cafeteria.

"Hey!" An unfamiliar voice shouted. I turned around and saw..... Nathan! Oh my goodness! Act cool!

"Um hi?" I awkwardly said. He smiled.

"I haven't seen you ever since you got to this school." Oh, he only realized me because of my hair...

"I've seen you a lot and you just don't really notice me. Usually you just say hi to Ally, Ella and your sister. I just stand there," I mumbled.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm the nerd, standing right there, waiting for you to say hi to me. But noooooooooo, you just walk right past me like I don't exist! You, you are a big fat jerk for doing that!" I stormed off to our table.

"Hey, how did you the talk with Nathan go?" Selene asked.

"I want my wig back," I whispered. Ally and Ella both chocked on their drinks.

"No!" They all yelled loudly.

"Mich, you have to let this happen. Maybe you should just leave this. You know, show the real Michelle. Michelle the nerd plus Michelle the red head," Ally explained. I thought for a moment. Do I go back to being a blonde nerd and never get Nathan to talk to me or stay as a red head and be bullied but also have Nathan talk to me? Ughh! Hmm, I think...

"I'll stay as a red head then."
*****
The night of the game. The last game in winter. I wrapped the warm blanket around myself.

"Isn't this better than staying home and sleeping way too early?" Selene asked. I nodded as our team made a score. Everyone cheered. Nathan did one of those bro hugs with another guy. The enemies team took off their helmets to get a drink. Suckers!

The game resumed. Nathan was quarter back. Sigh.
*****
Nathan got hurt. Oh my god. Ally, Ella, Selene and I ran up to the field.

"Nathan, answer me!" Selene screamed. Nathan got hurt when he was running. He got tripped on purpose by the opposing team. He wasn't saying anything.

"What the hell!" I yelled at the person who tripped him. The guy took off his helmet. Not just anyone. Mark. My step brother.

"Hey little sis!" He smirked. I stomped up to him and threw a punch straight at his jaw.

"Don't fucking call me that you asshole! You did that on purpose!" I kept on punching him. I finally stopped and let him hold his jaw.

"You still got that strong arm from the gym huh?" He asked.

"Yes I do stupid head!" I slapped him one more time.