player | e.d

fourteen

trinity west

i look around for ethan, soon spotting him leaning against the wall with a cigarette in his mouth. "what the fuck are you doing?" i snatch the cigarette away from him and he just simply pulls another one out of his mouth pack and i shake my head.

i take the pack away from him and stuff it in my back pocket while i glare at him, folding my arms across my chest. "you're literally so fucking bipolar. you're worse than a girl." i scoff and he avoids all eye contact with me.

"we literally just went over this, this morning. why are you suddenly ignoring me all over again. when i try to have fun you have to ruin everything and try to get my attention but when i give you some you pretend i don't even exist!" i rant and he just laughs as if it's some sort of joke.

"everyone's right about you, you know?" i pause and he finally makes eye contact with me, curious about what i have to say. "you're a real douchebag. you don't care about anyone but yourself. i could really see the good in you, but maybe that's what i thought."

i sigh and throw my hands in the air. "maybe this is just what you do to all the other girls. pretend you're nice and bring up your past to make them feel bad for you and then once they start actually falling for you you throw them aside like a dogs ruined chew toy!"

his eyes meet the floor as he rubs at his eyes. "i'm officially done trying to figure you out. my dad was right, i'm just like every other girl to you. another new game you like to play but eventually get tired of. goodbye ethan." i turn to leave but then turn back around.

"i know what my dad told you something. i'm not sure what it was but ever since that day you left my house you've been distant. what did he say to you? i just want to know." i whisper and he takes a deep breath in and out before he pushes himself off the wall.

"i'm not sure what he was planning on doing. but he said it was best for me to stay away from you. i'm not sure if it was a threat or not but-" i cut him off by laughing. "and you're doing what he told you to?"

he runs his hands through his hair, "look, your dad is my coach. football is a hobby i love and if he sees me with you, he could kick me. i bet he wouldn't hesitate either. it's too risky."

"he shouldn't scare you. he may be intimidating but he's too much of a pussy to actually do anything." i inform him and he shrugs. "you want to know what i want to do when i get into college?" he pauses and i raise a brow and he chuckles.

"i want to go to college with a football scholarship. i want to play football for a long time, it's not just a sport that i'm temporarily doing in high school just for the fun of it. i eventually want to work my way up to the nfl. i wouldn't be able to do that if your dad kicks me."

i can see tears forming in his eyes as he continues speaking. "football was my escape, you could call it, when my dad died. it reminds me of him actually." he laughs and wipes at his eyes. "he taught gray and i how to throw a football and how to catch one."

i feel my eyes start to get watery and smile as he reminisces on memories with his dad and football. "i'm sorry." he continued to wipe away at his tears that were now falling down his face. "you have nothing to be sorry about." i remind him as i pull him into a hug.

as soon as my arms wrapped around his large figure he let it all out. he sobbed into my arms as i continuously reminded him that it's okay to have feelings. "i think it's a beautiful thing that you show your emotions. not many guys are so willing to openly express their feelings." i whisper to him.
-
i thank ethan for the ride home before planting a small kiss on his cheek. "you're gonna be okay." i smile warmly at him and he cracks a smile, nodding his head. "get inside before your dad sees me and kills me."

"bye dolan." i take a step back as he drives away and i bite my lip, stopping myself from smiling too wide. i turn around and walk up to the front door, slowly opening it and softly shutting it behind me.

"hey honey." my mom calls out from the kitchen. "hey mom." i walk over to her and sit down beside her, watching as she types away on her computer. "i feel like i don't see you anymore." she states and i shrug, "it feels like that with you." i reply and she laughs. "i've been very busy with work this week. sorry honey."

i purse my lips together and my head turns to watch as my dad walks down the stairs with a newspaper in his hand. i roll my eyes and look away when he makes his way into the kitchen.

"where were you?" he asks without even looking at me. "i was out with some friends." i stand up and grab myself a water bottle from the fridge. i jump when i hear my dads voice raise all the sudden.

i shut the fridge door and look at my dad, who's holding ethan's pack of cigarettes.

well fuck.

"look i can explain-" i start but my dad throws the pack on the ground. "what's wrong with you?" he screams and i flinch as he raised his hand in the air as if he was about to smack me. "they aren't even mine!" i quickly say before he gets more mad than he already currently was.

"bullshit. then who's are they, huh?" he cackles, staring at the pack on the floor. "they're eth-" i quickly stop myself, remembering what ethan had told me earlier. "elijah's" i recover and my dads face turns a dark shade of red.

"you were with ethan? dolan? the one i told you to stay away from? what's is going to take for you to listen to me?" he yells and i look over at my mom, who was watching in shock at the scene in front of her.

"yeah i was with him and i know what you said to him. are you kidding me? threatening him? how fucking low can you be?!" "language, trinity west." he warns and i snicker, "who gives a shit about that right now?" i finally snap.

"and you know what?" i cross my arms across my chest as i stare my dad down. "whatever you try to do to make me stay away from him won't ever work. you wanna know why? because he makes me happy."

"don't you see i'm doing this because you're my daughter and i love you and worry about your well being!" my dad shouts once more and i cry as i poke a shaking finger into his chest multiple times, "if you loved me you'd let me be with who i love!"

his face falters and i quickly grab my water bottle and run down the stairs and into my room.

what even just happened?
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