Peak

Ch. 11: Stand Up Eight

Lauren and I talked for a little while longer before going home. Well, I just went to Willy's, but that's nothing new. What is new is I got her number.

The whole time I was talking with the guys at Willy's I couldn't stop thinking about my conversation with Red.

I know Jimmy's not a quitter, I can see it in his eyes too.

What if I talked to him? Last year I visited his house desperately trying to convince him to not quit, maybe I was just gonna have to do that again.

I acted on impulse and found myself at the front door of the Adkins residence. I rang the doorbell where a few seconds later I was greeted by Jimmy's dad.

"Sam Delmont, it's good to see you!" He said with a smile.

"Good to see you too, Mr. Adkins, how have you all been?" I greeted politely.

"We're all good, and yourself?"

"I'm better, thanks." I nodded. "Is Jimmy home? If you wouldn't mind, could I maybe go talk to him?"

"Sure, sure, of course. He's upstairs in his room."

I thanked him and made my way up the stairs to the second floor. I went to his door that was cracked open and knocked. Silence. I knocked again, wondering if he wasn't home or if he just didn't care. I decided to reach my hand through the crack and knock on the inner wall of his room.

"Come in." I heard his voice say.

When I walked in he was taking headphones out. So that's why he didn't hear me. I noticed he still had pictures and trophies from back when he played football in his room. When he saw it was me, he wasn't happy or shocked or disgusted, he just had this emotionless expression.

"Why the hell are you here, Sam?" He asked in an impatient tone as he looked back down at some photographs in his hand. It took me a second to answer because honestly, I didn't have one. I didn't even think he'd let me in. "Listen, whatever I said to you at that party, completely disregard, alright?"

"Play football again, Jimmy." I blurted out. He snapped his head back up and gave me a look of annoyance.

"We had this conversation, and I really don't want to have it again." He said.

"Honestly tell me if you want to play again." I said with a more serious tone.

"I gave you that answer months ago and I still don't give a damn."

"Red Teigan told me in the press box that he can see you still care."

He chuckled cynically, "You're seriously gonna listen to a has-been like Red?"

"He's not a has-been. Maybe if you'd listen to other people every once in a while you'd see their good intentions. If you didn't care, there wouldn't be anything football here in your room. But there is. If you didn't care, you wouldn't be looking at those pictures from youth league. But you are. And if you didn't care, you would've told me to get the fuck out by now. But here I am." Jimmy just stared at me understanding what I'm trying to say. "Sorry to bother you, but at least I tried."

I figured I wasn't welcome anymore and started to walk out of the room.

"Sam," I heard his voice call. I turned around and walked back in. "Listen, I'm sorry for my behavior a year ago. I just, I shouldn't have let it get to me at that point in time. I was just frustrated and mad and took it out on you, and that's not fair to you. You want in on the truth? Whenever I get the chance, I tell my folks I'm going to a friends house, but that's not where I'm going. I go to the stadium and run through plays by myself. And honestly, I want nothing more but to have a team around me again." There it is. Red was right, you can see it in his eyes. When he talked about football, his eyes lit up.

I stepped forward and held out my hand for him to shake it, and he did.

"I miss my brother, Jimmy. It's not the same without you on the field...I'll see you around, bud." I said quietly. With that, I turned around and walked back out, finally with some answers.

Before I drove home, I pulled out my phone and called Lauren.

"Hello?" I heard her answer. I immediately smiled.

"Lauren, it's Sam."

"Don't you mean Shoes?" She giggled. I huffed amused.

"Who told you that?"

"I was at a redlight last night and Antoine was next to me and shouted 'call Sam Shoes, I wanna see what he does'." She laughed.

"I'm gonna kill him." I joked. "But, uh, if you're free tonight, do you wanna maybe grab something to eat? With me?" I think my voice cracked a little. Shit.

"Hmm, what's this Willy's place you guys are obsessed with?" I could tell she was smiling without even seeing her.

"You've never been to Willy's?"

"Not until tonight, I haven't." A huge grin spread across my face.

"Great, I'll pick you up around 7." I said.

"See you then, Shoes." She teased.

"See you then."

Back at home, I found my dad,

Tyler, and my mom all sitting in the living room watching the tv. I sat down on the couch to join everyone expecting to find a college football game on the screen, but instead I saw they were watching a movie.

"Isn't there a college game on?" I ask perplexed.

"There is life outside of football, Sam." My dad said turning to me. With a slight smile.

Author's Note:

I'm sorry to inform you guys that Peak will only have only more chapter after this. It's most likely gonna take place a few months down the road. IT'S NOT AN EPILOGUE TRUST ME EPILOGUES SUCK.

So yeah. I hope there are people still interested in this thing, it turned out pretty good :) Look Jimmy and his dad aren't really assholes anymore! Hoorah!

Til the last next time, Wattpad ;)