No Surrender

Prolouge

Prologue

Ask anyone around this small town, they will tell you, 2007 was the glory year. It was the year we got a new mayor, Mayor Sharpe, the year we re-built the high school, but the biggest thing that happened was the 5th graders winning their 5th Super Bowl undefeated for 5 years running. That was also the year I met my 5 best friends, Joseph "Joey" Aims, Sean Peres, Matt Rymes, Hunter Donovan and Ethan Quinn. I am Nathan Waters. We all played on the same football team, my dad was the head coach, along with Joey's dad, who was the assistant. We sure were the rowdy bunch out of the whole team. We would hang out every Friday after practice and sleepover at Hunter's house, watching our favorite movie "Remember the titans" and annoying Hunter's sister, Mallory, who was almost always be on the phone. One Friday, in October of 2007, our lives changed forever.

"HEADS UP!!!" Sean screamed as the football hit Matt right in the head. The night seemed colder than usual, but the boys didn't care, they were laughing and running around, having the time of their lives.

"Next time, Sean, actually tell people WHEN you are throwing something at them?!?" Matt yelled, throwing the football back to Sean with such force that it hit him right in his stomach, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"So Hunter, is Mallory still dating that kid, what's his name, Brett I think?" Asked Joey, who had been asking a lot of questions about Mallory lately. I think he has a crush on her, Joey is the romantic lover out of all of us.

Hunter looked over at Joey and gave him a grin.

"Well well well, does someone like a specific 15 year old?" Hunter said, mockingly. Joey looked down, his face bright as a red stop light, and just didn't speak. I knew he liked her, I have known Joey since I was 3. He's my boy.

"Hey, where did Ethan go?" I say, standing up and adjusting my Tom Brady jersey that my aunt got me last Christmas.

Everyone shrugged and continued doing what they were doing. Sean and Matt were tackling each other and passing the football across the yard and Hunter was tackling a practice dummy, that had YOU SUCK written on it with white paint. Joey came with me as we looked for Ethan.

"Uh, Nate?" Joey said, looking down at his rugged shoes and kicking the fallen leafs.

"What's up Joe?" I say, looking over at the cow farm that was across the street from Hunters.

"I kinda do like Mallory." He confessed, turning red again from humiliation. "Please don't tell Hunter."

" I won't, but why don't you like someone your own age, like Fiona Bass? She is kinda hot" I say, looking over at Joey, who was smiling after I mentioned her.

He shrugged and gave a smile "I guess your right bu...." But his words were cut short after we came across a horrible sight.

We found Ethan, laying beneath a tree, with a empty bottle of Aspirin next to him. We rush over to him and turn him over. Ethan's face as pale and cold.

"HELP!!! SOMEONE HELP!!!" Joey started screaming, he then got up and ran into the house to call 911. I try to revive Ethan, but we were too late. I sat there motionless, then, I started bawling my eyes out. One of my best friends, my team mate, was laying under this old oak tree, unresponsive and not breathing.

"C'mon buddy, don't leave me now. C'mon dude, just keep holding on" I say, pressing his stomach to try and revive him.

The others came running and were as shocked as we were.

"Oh my..no..." Sean stammered and then proceeded to throw up behind a bush next to Hunter's house. After he was done, he started bawling his eyes out. Sean never cried before and this was shocking. Matt looked as white as a sheet and fell to his knees, and said something in a soft voice that only I could hear "dude, why?" And he lost it, he started shaking and crying and swearing under his breath.