The Quarterback

Chapter 5

"69-down!" I yell. We are down by two points and have less than a minute in the game. I have the football thrown to me and I scan around the field. I see Chris running like a manic to the other side. I whip the ball as hard as I can down the field before being tackled to the ground. I shove the player off me and stand up to see Chris score the touchdown. We won the game! I look at the stands to see the scouts jot down notes on their clipboards and nodding their heads with approval. I smile before being ambushed by the team and Chris, who was crying hysterically. He broke the record of 150 rushing yards and has set the record of 290 yards. I broke the passing yards, passing touchdowns and the game-winning drives records and have set new ones. Chris and I are making East Shore history. We have our records and records that we have broken and set in a small museum in Midvale that holds athletic records. Chris and I have broken a lot and we have set a new record so high that the manager said that it's going to be impossible for anyone to break them.

While everyone is celebrating, I take off my helmet and sigh. It's been one stressful week and next is to have the same amount of stress. Next game, Chris and I find out if we get scholarships to the top schools. I need a scholarship. My mom doesn't have the money and my dad doesn't care. I don't have enough money to pay for tuition and I can't ask Lauren's parents to lend me money. I have $20,000 in my bank account but I need $23,000. The season is coming to an end. We are heading off to State Championship in two weeks. Then the football season is done. By then, seniors are either receiving acceptance letters or applying. Lauren and I have this plan; I go on a full scholarship to an amazing school and she goes there on either a cheerleading scholarship or she applies as an out of state student and we do our four years together. Afterwards, I sign up for NFL Draft and once I'm selected, and get my paycheque, I'm proposing to her and we settle down, get married, have kids. I'm all for it but I'm nervous about the scholarship. If I don't get it, I can't go to college.

I look at my jersey before closing my locker shut. I'm the last one in the change room and I don't mind. I need the quiet to think. Chris has a reputation of hosting too many parties and tonight he's hosting another one. I sit on the bench and put my head in my hands and yell. I let out my anger, frustrations, nerves. I hear the door open and I look up to see Lauren standing by the door. I sigh as she walks over and sits down. "I'm scared. I'm scared that I'm not going to get the scholarship," I said shaking. "Nick, you are going to get that scholarship. I know it," Lauren says. I nod my head. I take a deep breath and stand up. "Come on. We don't want to be late for the party," I say.

When we arrive, the place is packed with a bunch of people either drunk, high or making out. I lead Lauren to the kitchen and asked her what she wants to drink. She yells a club soda because the music is so loud. I nod and went to the "bar" to make it. I grab two glasses and pour club soda into both glasses and was about to leave but was stopped by drunk Chris. "Nick! I wanna thank you for helping me break the record!" he yells a little too loudly. "No problem, bud! I gotta go!" I yell back. I walk to the kitchen to see Lauren had disappeared. I put the glasses on the counter and went to find her. I saw her being dragged by Ashford up the stairs. Except she wasn't in control, it looked though she was drugged. I followed them quietly up the stairs. I guess after all those years of sneaking around trying to hear what my parents were arguing about is paying off. I saw Ashford look around before closing the bedroom door. I tiptoed to the door to hear what he was doing. I heard a piece of clothing hit the door softly and some whispers. Blood boiling, I slammed open the door to see Colin on top of Lauren, kissing her. She wasn't kissing him back, however. She was trying to push him off her but Ashford was on top of her, holding his full body weight on her. I walk over to him pull him off of her and punched him in the face.

"I told you to stay away from her, Ashford!" I yell as I beat the shit out of him. "How dare you try to take advantage of her?!"

"Because I'm in love with her!" he yells. I stop punching him and stare at him. "Y-you're in love with Lauren?" I ask.

"Yes! I have since Junior year! I was the one who asked her to Homecoming!" Ashford yells. I lift him off the ground and dragged him outside of the bedroom.

"Yet you ditched her," I said once I closed the door.

"I know. I feel bad about it," he says. His lip was cut and his eye was swelling. "I was going to ask her out on a date but then you had to screw everything up."

"Me? What the hell did I do?" I ask baffled with my arms crossed.

"Everything! Evans, you have everything! What more do you need? You are the fucking quarterback and captain! You have the girl! You drive a goddamn Tesla! I have NOTHING!" he yells.

"I don't have everything," I admit.

"What?" he asks confused.

"I don't have a dad. I mean, I do but he's, abusive. My mom left him last year after years and years of abuse. I would always protect her when he got too violent," I say. "I work hard, that's why I'm the quarterback and captain. I have a girlfriend because I actually love her and I treat her with respect. I don't take advantage of her, especially when she has been drugged. The reason why I have a Tesla is that my father bought that for me before he started abusing our family. I drive it because as much as I want to find him and beat him up, he's my father. He bought that for me, with love. The car reminds me of even though I loathe him, a part of me loves him." I add. "So don't you dare say that I have everything when in reality, I don't."

"You may have everybody fooled Evans, but not me. One day, I swear, I will end you," Ashford says before storming off. I shake my head as I open the door.

I see Lauren lying on the bed asleep. I lift her up and carry her to my car. I gently place her in the back seat and drive to her house. I lift her and ring the doorbell. A couple of minutes later, Mr. Bradford opens the door in his pyjamas. I walk up to her room, place her on the bed, take off her makeup and pull the covers over top of her. I kiss her forehead and leave the room. I walk downstairs and saw Mr. Bradford waiting for me.

"What happened Nick?" he asks. I take a seat in front of him and explained what happened.

"We went to a party to celebrate mine and Chris' record-breaking and I left her in the kitchen to grab a club soda for me and her. When I returned with the drinks, she disappeared. I found her stumbling alongside Colin Ashford so I followed them. I then um, heard a piece of clothing hitting the door and a bunch of whispers so I slammed open the door. I saw Colin on top of her shirtless and kissing her. I know that Lauren would never cheat on me and I would never cheat on her. When I saw what was in front of me, I pushed him off of her and told him to stay away," I say.

"Well, I want to thank you for bringing her right away, safe and sound. You are a good man, Nick. I trust that you will also do the right thing," he says smiling.

"Thank you, sir," I say.

"Please, call me Alan. And my wife, Shannon. You deserve to call us by our first names," he smiles. I nod. "I better go. When Lauren wakes up, tell her that to call me," I say standing up. I shake his hand and left the Bradford household. As I got in my car I thought that I better report the incident to the Coach, the Principal and the Board.