More

VII

Instead of going back to the diner to eat, we headed over to the only fast food place in town, Wendy's. I drove through the drive through and ordered chicken nuggets for myself while Dawson ordered a burger. I picked up the bill and just told Dawson he'd have to take me back to the diner some time. We drove over to a park to sit and enjoy our food.

"How's your burger?"

"It's good," Dawson replied with his mouth full of food. It reminded me of my mom and how she would have had a spasm if I ever did that. I decided not to comment on it though.

"So, tell me about yourself. All I know is that you're some big time football player who mysteriously transferred here from Charlotte."

"You really want to know my story?"

"I guess I do," I smirked, "I'll tell you mine in return."

Dawson lightly chuckled, but I could tell it was half-hearted, "Well, I moved here with my mom from Charlotte partly because of a football scholarship, but mostly because of an abusive husband."

I was biting into a nugget as he said that, and I nearly spat it out. Of course I didn't, I just looked up at him and slowly continued to eat.

"My dad was a drunk. He is a drunk. He would come home from work, have a case of beer, and then take his day out on my mom," he gulped as he continued to finally open up to me, "And he's done that for as long as I can remember."

Some silence went by and I realized that I should say something.

"I'm so sorry Dawson," I looked at him hoping he would return my gaze and see how true my feelings were, but he didn't. He just stared at the picnic table as he played with his french fries.

"Don't be. I was a coward. I never really stood up for her until recently. Last summer on the Fourth of July I had enough. My mom and I had come home after watching the fireworks and I could practically smell the alcohol from our front yard. I knew what he would do to my mom and I just got so angry. I stomped up our front porch and into the house. Before I knew what I was doing, my dad was on the ground and bleeding bad."

Dawson paused once again before he could continue.

"And now we're here," he laughed a little, "We packed some bags and went to my grandparents house. They set us up here with a small house big enough for the two of us. It was generous of them, but it was all they could afford, so now my mom has been working nonstop to keep up with the bills."

I had no idea what to say. If anything, I felt more distant from him than closer. He had shared some pretty heavy stuff with me, but I couldn't relate to any of it. I just continued listening to him until he was done sharing.

"That's why I want to make it big so bad. Baylor is a reputable school and they had made me a previous offer, but I didn't take it because I wanted to finish my high school football career with the guys I had started it with. After what happened with my dad though, it was our only option to get out of Charlotte within reason. Now I have my scholarship to Fordham, and football means a lot to me, but I mostly just want to earn a degree in business so I can get a career to help my mom."

"What will you do after college?"

"I probably won't draft for the NFL. I'll only be playing football at that point for the scholarship, so I can actually afford college. I want to move to New York after school. Make connections and hopefully find myself on Wall Street."

"And your mom?"

"Hopefully I can influence her to go to the city with me, but if not, I'll send her a good portion of what I make so she can pay off the house here. She grew up in the area so I doubt she'll want to move to another city again."

"What draws you to New York?"

"I've always had a fantasy about it. There's so much diversity and endless opportunity. I can just picture myself dressing like a guy from GQ and walking along the streets to work. I can picture myself meeting someone settling down and hopefully residing in Manhattan. A penthouse would be pretty sick," he finally started laughing.

"I'm sorry for asking so many questions," I smiled a little bit and finally looked away from him and directed my stare towards some kids on the swings.

"How else would you get to know me?" he laughed again, "So enough about me. Tell me about you now."

"There's not really a lot to know. I've been here my whole life. Yes, the country accent is real," Dawson laughed at my comment, "I blame it on my mom. She's originally from Alabama and my dad is from Tennessee."

"How'd they wind up together?"

"They went to college together. Good ole' Vandy."

"Is that where you're going?"

"Where else?" I dryly laughed.

"Did you have a say?"

"Yes, of course. But they did influence me a lot to choose Vanderbilt. I almost wish I could be like you though. Escaping to a big city sounds pretty good right now."

"What you're not having fun with me?" He cheekily smiled and threw in a wink.

I couldn't help but laugh at him.

"No that's not it. I just want to get out of here already. So I'm going to Europe actually."

"What?!"

The shock in Dawson's face was hard to decipher. I couldn't tell what he was feeling or what he meant by his sudden eruption. So, I laughed...awkwardly.

"Yup! Nicole and I are going for a month. All over too. We're starting with Spain and ending in France."

Dawson was looking down at his food once again. It was silent for a few more seconds.

"When do you leave??" He asked with a burst of eagerness.

"In two weeks," he was finally making eye contact with me, and even smiling this time.

"Then I guess I have two weeks to make your summer the best yet."