Beating Heart •Luke Kuechly•

Chapter 22.

Luke's POV.

Five days later. . .

Callie's been acting different lately.  More distant.  I don't know what to think of it.  I've been busy with football practice so I haven't really had a chance to talk to her about it.  I just hope she doesn't want to end things with me.  These past few months have been amazing and my family really wants to meet her. 

After running some drills the coach blows his whistle and tells us we can have a break.  Jogging over to the bench, I get my gatorade bottle and lift the orange lid up after taking off my football helmet and taking letting the cold water run down my throat. 

I love football.  I love the adrenaline I get before every game whether it's home or away.  The people I meet, the fans, my teammates who have become more like my brothers, and coaches.  I'll forever be grateful to the Panthers who gave me a chance.  I don't know what I would have done if I didn't get chosen.  All I know is that my life could have been very different if I didn't.  If I didn't get chosen, then I would have never met Callie and meeting her has been one of the best parts of this. 

She's so different than any girl that I've ever known.  I had a girlfriend before her, Shannon Reilly, but that didn't end up working out.  She just wasn't the girl for me.  Were still friends and she still gets together with my family from time to time.  I'm glad that we were able to leave on a good note because I hear of so many nasty breakups where the girl or the guy end up hating each other and every time they see each other there's always drama. 

I see Cam hustle over to me and he reaches for his water bottle as well.  Coach gave us a twenty minute water break before we start back up again.  When he meets up with me we do our hand shake and rest for a little bit on the bench. 

"How have you and Callie been?"  He asks.

"Good, I guess?"  I try to state but it comes out as more of a question.

"What do you mean?"  He asks his eyebrows furrowing.

"I don't know," I shrug my shoulders, "I mean she's a great girl and all but she's been more distant lately."

"Have you tried talking to her?"

"No," I shake my head.  "I haven't been able to.  I've been so focused on football this past week that I haven't really been able to have an actual conversation or meet with her."  I frown.

The only thing that's hard about football is that it gets in the way of spending time with your family and loved ones. 

Especially for me. I'm so dedicated about the sport that I continuously want to do better. That means I spend more time working out, watching clips of previous games, and spend more time at the stadium than what's required.

Somehow I need to find that balance before I let those ones who I love slip through my fingers.

"Look man, just talk to her. Communication is key. Aaliyah and I have had fights before but that was because we didn't communicate good and things got blown out of proportion."

"Yeah."

Coach blows his whistle and we hustle back onto the field to get through some more practice.

...

Two hours later, I'm drenched in my own sweat. Letting out a shaky breath I pour the rest of my left over water over my head to cool me off.

Damn.

It was a grueling long practice but I couldn't seem to get one thing off of my mind.

Callie.

I'm in the locker room now and after I open mine up I see a picture of us that I taped up. It was recent. It was at the party her parents threw for her before she went back to KU. She was sitting on my lap and I have my arms around her waist as hers are snakes around my neck. We both have the biggest smiles on our faces.

Why did everything have to get so complicated?

I get out my shirt, pants, and shoes changing quick so that I can head home and rest. Closing my locker and grabbing my gym bag with my car keys I begin my drive home.

Arriving home I let out a sigh and wait in the car for a little bit before going inside.  Grabbing my bag I lock my car and head in. 

After getting settled in my house, I decide to turn on the tv to watch ESPN.  I had a long practice and as I start to feel my eyes grow heavy from exhaustion I hear the door bell ring and I furrow my eyebrows.  I'm not expecting anyone to come to my house so I have no idea who it is.  Walking through my house I reach the door and open it. 

"Callie?" 

"Hey," she replies fidgeting from one foot to the other., "can I come in?  I really need to tell you something."  Callie says nervously.

My heart feels like its beating fast at the turn of events.  The way her voice is shaking makes me edgy and I know that its something that isn't good.

__________________

I'm so sorry I haven't updated this in a while!  I haven't forgotten about it, I've just been really busy with school.

This weekend was our first male model day and I did a back treatment and men's facial on my brother & it was so much fun! 

What do you think Callie is going to talk to Luke about? 

Also I have four other stories that I am writing: Cowboy Take Me Away, Destroyed The Italian CEO (Billionaire Brothers Series #1), In The Spotlight (Prince Harry) fanfiction, & Not Always A Cheerleader (Brooks Brothers Series #1).  I would really appreciate if you guys took the time out to check them out as well!  

Thank you all so much for the love & support you guys give me on my stories, it means so much more to me than you'll ever know! :D

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