For The Love Of The Game

Chapter Seven

The rest of the week passed quickly, my bed had arrived at the new house and man was I glad. The couch was about to kill me.

As far as me and Emily we were becoming closer, and even though we would catch each other checking each other out nothing more was coming from it.

I had truly never had a best friend, and now I knew how it felt to be able to talk to vent and have someone listen, and I had done the same to her.

Now it was the fun part of Friday night I was in the dressing room getting ready to put my pads on when I realized I needed help. My back was still sore and I ended up getting a bandage to add more padding but was struggling to get it on. I called Emily and of course she came to the rescue again.

She knocked on the door and I just laughed, "Emily I'm the only one in here."

She pushed the door open and stopped her eyes focused on my abs before looking up. I was standing in nothing but my football pants and a sports bra. I held up the bandage, "I need you to put this on."

She took the bandage from my hand as I turned my back to her, her arms wrapped around my body as she was maneuvering the bandage. "I don't want to hurt you."

I looked over my shoulder, "I know but it has to be tight and on there for the extra protection."

She shook her head as she tightened the bandage, I winched from the pain but thankfully she couldn't see my face. "I don't know why you just don't skip this game, it's not district so it doesn't even matter."

I just shook my head as she finished I then tossed her a roll of tape, "I don't miss games Emily." She wrapped the tape until I was satisfied, and I slip on my shoulder pads and grabbed my helmet, "it's game time."

We were playing at home again this game, so of course the announcer asked for a moment of silence in rememberance of my parents. I rolled my eyes and looked over my shoulder, a familiar pair of blue eyes were already staring at me.

"You okay," she mouthed and I just nodded before ducking my head before anyone else realized I didn't give a damn.

So second play of the game, I'm in the shotgun, the play is my decision I can either run or pass. I know my receiver is ten times faster than the man guarding him so I just have to buy time to let him get down field.

The ball is snapped I drop back roaming to my right to get behind my blockers, my receiver comes open as I loft the ball in the air. The ball has been in the air for a good second when I feel a straight helmet into my back.

I drop to the ground, and reach for my back, I can hear the announcer screaming, "now that's a dirty a play.". My teammates huddle around me quickly trying to help me up.

I make it to my feet, "what fucking number."

The guys looked around and they already knew what was coming, "55," I called the play and looked over. Emily was down at the fence and I just put up a thumbs up to her.

I hiked the ball, 55 came barreling through untouched, I cocked my arm back, and thrrw the ball downward as hard as I could throw the tip of the ball catching him square in the nuts.

Everyone was laughing as he dropped to his knees screaming in pain, I stepped over him and bent down, "two can play that game fucker."I slapped him on the helmet to make it look like I was apologizing but I was not.

Once again we beat them at halftime, I didn't do my normal routine and talk to people I just made my way to the locker room, I sat down on the bench and placed my face in my hands.

I tried to get my shoulder pads off with no luck, I could barely lift my arms I sighed in frustration before hearing a knock on the door. "RJ it's just me."

Emily rounded the corner and leaned against the wall, "you were right okay, I shouldn't have played, and now I'm stuck in this damn uniform."

She walked over to me helping me with my shoulder pads, once freed I bent over and I heard her gasp, "RJ your back is covered in blood."

I stood turning my back to the mirror the back of my white shirt was now bright red, the wounds must have reopened from the hits and all the movements.

I grabbed a pair of scissors, "well let's see how bad they actually are." I cut away the tape and bandage, before taking a look in the mirror.

There wasn't as much damage as I thought thankfully, I really didn't need to hear a lecture any time soon. Her eyes were on me, "I'm gonna shower and get cleaned up. I'll see you at home okay."

She was just as relieved as me to see it wasn't that bad, this time though I actually got to see her eyes when they locked on my back because I was watching through the mirror.

Rage had flashed through her eyes, and I knew she cared, but I didn't understand why it made her so angry and wondered if that's how she felt everytime.

She agreed to meet me at the house, I quickly showered and changed, before heading home myself.

It was still weird walking up to the house and not knocking before I entered, even though I lived here to me it was still Emily's house, and I always felt I was invading her space by just barging in.

She was sitting on the couch with her book when I entered the room, "hey, how are you feeling."

I sat down in the recliner beside the couch, "good actually, not as sore as I expected."

I kept looking at her, I wanted to know why she was so angry earlier, but I was also afraid of the answer. I must have thought about it took long, "ask me Rj."

I just shook my head, how the hell does she do that?  "Earlier I watched your expression when you saw my back, I could tell you were really angry. I just want to know why?"

She placed her book down in her lap and looked at me, "I just can't believe that someone would do that to you. The more I get to know you, the angrier I get thinking about what he did.

You are an amazing person RJ, you are wise beyond your years, your funny, and beautiful inside and out. I get mad because after I found out the truth sometimes I think they got an easy way out, and didn't have to suffer like you had."

I found myself mesmerized by her words, the way she spoke you could tell she was being genuine and meant every word she was saying.

I had asked more about her parents, and couldn't help but feel jealous of the fact that her parents completely accepted her for who she was even from day one. They still loved her just as much, even though she was gay.

I didn't speak, I honestly didn't know what to say. Other than Alice I had never had anyone care for me in a way that I could truly see and feel it.

I was lost in my thoughts, and Emily had went back to reading her book. She had learned quickly not to keep pushing, that I would talk when I was ready.

I was startled out of my thoughts, by my phone ringing. I didn't recognize the number, but answered anyways. As the voice on the other end of the line began to speak, my heart sank out of my chest.

Judging by my reaction, Emily knew something was wrong, and when I hung up the phone she was just looking at me.

"That was the hospital, Alice is gone, she passed away a couple of hours ago."

Emily knew my feelings about Alice and had met her a few times. Alice always nagged me when Emily wasn't paying attention on how perfect she was for me, she didn't even care that she was my teacher.

This time hearing news that someone passed away wasn't a relief, this time my heart broke in a million pieces. Alice was a mother, or a grandmother I never had, she loved me like I was her own, and I loved that woman more than anything in life. Now she was gone.

I could feel the tightening in my chest, and knew a panic attack was coming soon.  I jumped up grabbing my motorcycle keys, I could hear Emily's voice calling me, but I was to upset to care.

I started the bike, sending dirt and gravel flying as I peeled off back towards town, and for the first time in a long time I needed a drink.