Brown Eyed Boy

Accidents and Truths (Jessie POV)

The game was about to start when I got that nervous feeling again. I thought it was just because I was going to go on an actual date with Carlos but considering Jared’s words in lab, I should have figured it wasn’t. I sat on the third row in the bleachers and couldn’t help but feel a bit jittery and uncomfortable. I had been to one football game before this and I was so lost that I didn’t go again. At the time, Jared didn’t care much if I didn’t go but as the teams walked out to their benches, his eyes found me and I saw his jaw tighten. There was no doubting that he knew I was there for Carlos.

Carlos and Emmett came out not far behind Jared and spotted me almost as quickly. Emmett smiled and waved at me while Carlos just stared. I smiled at him uncertainly and after what felt like forever, he gave me a half smile back. I wanted to go over and wish them both good luck in the game but the coach called them over and they were both gone.

The game started off good from what I could tell and Carlos managed to get the team ahead, two to zero. I still didn’t understand much about who did what besides him but from what I could see Jared was supposed to be Carlos’ defense. And for a while he did exactly that; until he decided he didn’t want to anymore.

It almost seemed like it was moving in fast forward to me. One minute Carlos is standing there, throwing the ball across the field to Nick and the next he was being tackled from the side to the ground with five others piled on top of him. At first I wasn’t worried because I knew it was something that happened a lot during the game. But when Carlos didn’t get up right away and people began to crowd around him while others in the bleachers stood to get a better look, I knew something was wrong. I stood up and rushed to the bottom of the bleachers as Emmett and another team member helped Carlos limp over to the benches. The coach took a look at his ankle and when Carlos winced and bit back a pained sound at his prodding, he commanded them to take him to the locker room in the back. Carlos tried to insist that he was fine but the coach ignored him and sent him on his way.

“Masters, you’re filling in for Rivera. Don’t screw it up,” Coach Rosser told Jared as he slowly walked over.

“You got it, Coach,” Jared responded with a smirk. He almost immediately looked up at me and the look in his eyes said he couldn’t be happier. “Accidents do happen you know.” Jared was definitely right about that; especially when he was around.

*          *          *          *          *         

Without Carlos playing, I didn’t see much of a point in watching the game anymore so I left the bleachers for the locker room. Emmett opened the door a minute after I knocked and nodded without surprise when he saw me. “You know we aren’t supposed to let girls in here right?” he said.

“Yes,” I answered. “But no one is changing and if they are I will happily wait out here. I just want to check on Carlos.”

Emmett sighed and looked behind him before turning back to me. “Give me a second,” he said then disappeared. After another minute, he was back and let me through the door. “Carlos is back there but I have to warn you he’s a bit…crabby right now. So don’t let his mood get to you.”

“Right,” I said. Emmett started walking out of the locker room until I turned back to him. “Where are you going?”

He looked at me guiltily before answering. “Carlos asked me to step out,” he said. “But I’ll be outside the door. You know, to let you know when you have to leave.” I nodded at his words but felt worried about Carlos asking him to leave. Last time he didn’t want someone to hear what he said to me I got a lecture on being more confident. I turned back in the direction Emmett pointed me in and walked to where I saw Carlos sitting angrily.