Marry Me

Chapter Seven

Graham

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*This is Nico North coming at you live on this beautiful, sunny, Friday morning from 93.9 fm. Get out of bed and face your day. This is Cruise, by rising country music stars, Florida Georgia Line.*

I groan, loudly. When I open my eyes, I jump up from my bed, but when I realize where I am, when I am. I crash my face back into my pillow and groan. Why am I still here?

After about ten minutes, my dad comes in my bedroom. "Graham, you're going to be late for school. You've got a big game tonight."

What? I had a game yesterday, in my fifteen year old body. Okay, that still sounds insane in my head.

"I'll be up in a minute," I mumble into my pillow. I'm so confused, but I don't want to have to process it in my head. It's too early for thinking.

"Come on champ, get up." He slaps my back, jolting me awake now.

"Shit Dad," I touch my back. Damn, that hurt.

"Don't you dare use that language with me, boy." He says sternly, but I know he's half joking. I kind of forgot I was only fifteen for a second.

"Dad, what day is it?" I ask.

He looks at me like I belong in some kind of mental hospital, which I probably do.

"It's Friday, September 20th." He answers. He shakes his head as he walks towards the door, mumbling, "Kids these days."

"You better get ready Graham, you don't want to be late for school."

Am I actually living through the same day three times?

I get ready for school like I did yesterday, well technically yesterday. My calendar still reads September 20th, 2012, like everything yesterday never happened. Today, I have to meet Lexie the right way.

I head downstairs and say good morning to my brother. I sit next to him and he ruffles my hair. "Dad tells me that you didn't want to get up today, aren't you ready for the big game tonight?" He asks.

I shrug and my dad and him go on to have basically the same conversation as yesterday, talking about how I might start tonight.

When we get in the car, Charlie gives me that same pep talk as he did yesterday, but as I sit there and pretend to listen, I'm thinking. "Charlie, what would you be doing if you didn't get a football scholarship?"

He looks at me weirdly and replies, "Well, college would be completely out of the question, that's for sure."

I nod, been there, done that.

"Graham, do you not want to play football in college?" He asks.

"I've just been thinking that football isn't my only goal." I reply to him.

"Well, it's not," he laughs, "Especially not for you. Despite how much attention dad gives to football, he knows your grades. They're straight A's Graham. That's so much more than what I ever could have gotten. When you get into college, make sure you're studying to do what you want. You can have a bright future after your football career."

I think about what he said. Charlie's always been supportive of me, even when I chose Lexie over college. I never knew though, that he cared about my grades. Maybe I could become something after football.

When we got to school, Jason closed my locker again annoyingly.

"Are you ready for tonight?" He was as excited as yesterday, like a kid by a toy store. I can't help but smile. I missed Jason.

He was my best friend. I met him back in kindergarten when I defended him against a bully who was in an older grade.

He was being picked on by this kid. I was always taller than the other kids in my grade and knew how to stand my ground since I had an older brother. I saw Jase being made fun of and I stepped in and told the bully to go away. He tried to push me and I shoved him to the ground. Long story short, I broke his nose. I ended up getting a black eye and a detention, but I also gained a new friend.

I always defended people if they were being attacked, even if they were strangers, like Jase was. My dad taught me to stick up for people. I always stuck with his word. Lexie always loved that part about me.

"I guess I'm ready," I say answering his question. I'm going to think about the plays all day during school so I don't mess up like I did yesterday.

We get to Mrs. Nixon's English class. Today, without paying attention to her lesson, I review the play sheet I asked coach for after the game yesterday.

"And what's your take on this Mr. Hoffman?" I hear Mrs. Nixon say. I could feel the whole class staring at me at once. I squint up to the board. Yes, we're reviewing the context of To Kill a Mockingbird. A classic that I remember like the back of my hand.

"Well I believe that an important theme of the novel is the whole fact that we are being told the story from a naive point of view. Scout, our narrator portrays a young girl who is naive to the segregation in which her and her family live. Atticus, her father resembles a wise person since he knows everything there is to know about the case that's at hand. Scout is learning this first hand, therefore us as the readers are learning it that way too." There, I can still say intelligent things even though I'm only a mechanic now, a below minimum wage job.

"That was a beautiful statement Mr. Hoffman, but my question was what is your take on the meatloaf for lunch today in the cafeteria?"

"Oh," So much for intelligent. I slump in my chair. A few kids giggle. I feel my face turning red, but why should I care? I'm a twenty one year old man and all of these people are fifteen. I should be making fun of them. Except, I don't. It's not the way I was raised to be.

After English, Jase and I head to lunch. As we wait in line, I can't help but think about how our whole school day revolved around lunch time, a chance to hang out and talk with my friends. I don't think I even have one friend anymore.

When we get up to the counter, Jason in front of me tells the lunch lady, "I'll have one Scout and Atticus Finch please." And cracks up at his own joke.

I shove him, "Oh grow up." But the truth is, I don't want him to grow up. He has too much pain from the broken knee. Giving up his football scholarship was probably the hardest thing he ever did. It's not like he had a choice, but I sometimes just wish he had another chance.