Untimely Love

Chapter 18-Leo

Practice went well minus a few hiccups where a few of my teammates blew chunks on the field and tried to regain their composure. Coach wasn't too pleased that several of the guys showed up hung over, but he certainly got his revenge as they started blowing chunks and collapsing on the field. I swear I almost saw him chuckle when a few couldn't get back up. "Let's call it boys! Hit the showers."

I'm in the shower talking to a few teammates in nearby stalls when I hear blood thirsty screams. The stalls go quiet as if someone was just murdered in a horror movie. "Mendez, get the fuck out here...your girl is here" someone yells. I quickly turn the faucet off and slid my sweatpants on, with my body still wet from the shower and run barefoot to the locker room. I can't believe my eyes...the sight that's before me. Gabe is holding on to Jade who is barefoot, matted hair, streaks of tears down her face, and I think I notice a busted lip. I rush over to my girl and pull her into my lap as we're both on the floor. Everyone is staring in disbelief as this young beauty looks like she just got tossed out of a speeding van. I can't stop her shaking, her crying, and her attempts to catch her breathe. I'm trying to soothe her and not ask her yet what happened when Gabe grazes over her body and stares at me intensely "Bro, she has bruises all over her."

Jade buries her face in my bare chest and curls up in the fetus position. Coach Jensen walks in "What the fuck—"he gasps at the site. "Everyone get your shit and get the hell out" he demands. Quickly all of my teammates leave us behind, besides my three roommates who I know Jade trust...who I trust.  Jade is still shaking but now she's choking and coughing as she's trying to breathe. "Baby...Baby, what the hell happened" I ask. She twists her body and arches her back, her head falling over my arm with her mangled hair...And that's when I see it. Her lip is bruised and cut open, blood is smeared on the corner her mouth, and her left cheek and eye are already turning dark shades of purple. "What the fuck" I whisper. I graze down to examine the rest of her body and there's bruises in shades of black and purple along left thigh and her feet are black as if she ran all the way here into my arms.

I look up with in tears in my eyes and I see Coach Jensen on the phone calling EMS. Taylor and Devon try to assist me in consoling her, but nothing is working. As EMS arrive, Jade finally stops choking and coughing and tightens her grip around my waist. My boys back away and as a paramedic tries to touch her and she flinches away. "Don't fucking touch her" I yell. "Leo, they're here to help" Coach Jensen sighs. Coach Jensen tells them to wait outside and I ask him to leave. My boys follow suit and soon it's just me and my girl on the locker room floor. Her head finally rises and lifts her chin to meet my eyes. With tears in both our eyes I ask again "Baby...what...happened? I'm begging you." Her eyes are bloodshot red and the bruising continues to worsen. "He found me Leo...he fucking found me" she whispers. My eyes fill with anger and my grasp around her tightens. "He fucking found you" I whisper back knowing exactly what she means.

"Baby, the EMS need to take you to the ER to examine you—"No, fucking way, I won't go" she shouts. She tries to flee from my grasp as if she needs to run but I don't let her. I cup her left cheek with my hand and she winces with pain. "Baby, then you don't have to go...but we do need to talk to the cops." She nods in agreement. "Coach!" I yell. Coach Jensen pops back in like a bullet "Mendez, what does she need?" "Coach she's refusing to go to the ER, but she knows she needs to talk to the cops. Can they talk to her here?" Coach nods in agreement. A second later two female cops approach her still in my arms "Mam, I'm Officer Penny and Office O'Neil... we need to take some pictures and get your statement."  Jade, hesitates but finds strength in my arms and turns to face the officers.

After twenty minutes of pictures and intense questioning the officers leave. I can't bear to let Jade go so I scoop her up in my arms and take her barefoot my car. I ask Gabe not to leave her sight as I run back to grab my things. I'm alone in the locker room and I start throwing punches at the doors. I'm screaming with rage and all I see is red. "Mendez!" Coach yells. "Calm down" he signals taking a deep breathe. I try to regain my composure and take a deep breathe or two. "Coach...her dad fucking found her and did this to her!" I spit. "I know...I know" Coach whispers back. "I kept her safe until now...I—"I break down in tears myself and I feel that my Coach has hugged me yet again in my darkest hours "Kid, I'm sorry your girl got hurt. It's not your fault. But what you do now is make her feel safe and protect her like you have been." I push back from him and wipe the tears from my face. "Okay" I mutter and throw a tee shirt on, along with my shoes.