A large banner was being held over the arch on the school signaling that football tryouts would be held later that Monday afternoon. It was the first thing that caught my eyes when I arrived and the only thing I found myself thinking about for the rest of the day.
I had always planned on playing high school football. I knew I was good enough; my dad always talked to Mr. Styles about it and everyone agreed that I basically had a spot from day one.
Of course, that was until Harry decided to switch from running back to quarterback-to my position-before our freshman year.
When tryouts came around the past two years, I couldn't fine it in me to go out for the team, to play the sport my dad loved, to play the sport he had died playing, the sport that held so much more emotional meaning than a competition ever should.
Maybe it was a sign of weakness or maybe it was a sign that I just wasn't ready to face Harry again. I could live my life painfully standing by, watching as Pine Creek climbed the rankings in high school football with Harry in shotgun. The glory belonged to him, and I hated it.
Now... two years later... maybe...
"I should kill you for not calling me this weekend, but I decided against it since you're my only best friend." Olivia Carrington said while walking beside me, interrupting my thoughts. "And I want to know everything that happened this weekend."
I gave her a weak smile and turned my head the other way. "Sorry," I said coolly, "It was... okay."
Olivia raised her eyebrows. "Okay? Tyler Brooks has been your crush since... forever! How was it just okay?"
"Fine," I said with a sigh. "When you put it like that, it was much worse."
"Uh oh." Olivia grimaced. "What made it so bad? Him asking you out what the highlight of your year!"
I shrugged not knowing what to say. "Luckily it's still September. He has a personal stockbroker. Buy low, sell high. Strike when the metal is hot. Invest in Victorino Homewares pronto, but sell any automobile I have unless I want financial problems well into my twenties and possibly beyond."
Olivia snorted. "Really? Huh, Tyler doesn't look like he would be such a nerd. I thought he was going to be the one for you Mags, honestly. Maybe he was just nervous."
I shrugged again. "I don't know what it is but it's fine, I'm over it."
"Good." Olivia paused. "Okay. So you know I have to ask for both of us. What are you going to do about tryouts?"
"Tryouts?"
"Oh come on, Maggie! You need to let go of the past and stop letting that jerk take all the glory. You and I both know you're a better nickelback that he is." she firmly replied.
"It's quarterback but look, even if I was Sammy Baugh in his prime, I don't think there is much of a point in trying out, "I protested. Olivia raised her eyebrows again but stayed quiet. "And even if I did tryout, who do you think Coach Hedge would play, hmm?"
"Harry, I guess. But that's only because-"
"No, no buts. He would play Harry without giving mea second glance, so why bother?"
"Oh, I don't know. Because you're good! Just do it. Oh! Jack!" Olivia reached out, grabbing Jack Wilson by his sleeve.
He looked up, startled. "Oh, hey." He said and pulled out the blue headphones he was wearing. "I didn't see you."
"Obviously." Olivia said while rolling her eyes. "I'm trying to convince Maggie to go out for the football team."
"Oh. Yeah! Do it!" Jack said turning his head towards me.
I sighed. "It doesn't matter what the two of you think, it matters what coach Hedge thinks. I wont get the starting spot over Harry. In fact, I wont get any spot at all!" I huffed and mumbled, "It just wont happen."
"Come on Maggie, just do it. Do it for your dad." She said and I looked up at her.
"Yeah," Jack chimed in. "If you wont do it for yourself, at least do it for your dad. You know it's what he would want."
The end of the day came much faster than I wanted it to. All day I haven't been able to think about anything but tryouts. I had no idea what to do about them. I kept thinking about Jack and Olivia's words. They were right but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
When the final bell rang, I had no choice but to call my mom. "There are some tryouts happening this afternoon I'd like to check out," I said into her voicemail. "I'll be home later than usual so don't wait up."
There was an unusual number of people heading towards the PE department and I had a strange feeling that they weren't interested in earning a varsity letter with the cup stacking team.
"Maggie." Kendall Black, Harry's super popular girlfriend, fell into step beside me as I made my way to the girls locker room. I frowned, Kendall didn't always make a point to talk to me often but when she did, I never enjoyed it. "Please tell me you aren't coming back to the soccer team. We haven't really missed you much at all."
"Never in your wildest dreams." I said hoping to end the conversation as quickly as I possibly could.
Things with Kendall and I have never been exactly friendly. I wasn't sure why exactly. She always felt the need to be rude to me all of the time. It wasn't like I posed a threat to her and Harry's relationship so why did it matter? He hadn't spoken to me once since long before he met her.
"So, then, tell me. If not soccer, what sport will you fail at this time? Volleyball? Tennis?" She laughed a little. "Football?"
"I'm not going to fail at football." The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them.
