The Quarterback

Chapter 14

"70-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 Liam 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 Liam score the touchdown. We won the game. I look at the side to see the cheerleaders cheering and look at Lauren. She kisses her new boyfriend, Nico, our Linebacker. I haven't looked at another woman other than Lauren since our breakup. I can't. I quit smoking and have limited my drinking. We have a bunch of classes together so our break up makes it awkward. We make eye contact for a brief second before I was being ambushed by the team. While everyone is celebrating, I take off my helmet and sigh.

It's been a month since our break up and I failing my classes. I haven't been able to sleep and I'm so stressed. 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. Liam has a reputation for hosting too many parties and tonight he's hosting another one. I get changed into my jeans, a white t-shirt and a bomber jacket. I walk out of the change room to hear a voice behind me.

"You played well tonight." I turn around and see Lauren in her cheerleading uniform. I put my hands in my pockets and look at her.

"Thanks," I reply. There's an awkward silence between us. I can see that she kept my ring.

"Are you going to Liam's party?" I ask, trying to make a conversation.

"No. Not my kind of scene," replies Lauren. "What about you?" she adds.

"I am but I don't want to," I admit. Another awkward silence fills the room. "It was nice talking with you, Lauren," I say before turning around.

"Nick, wait," she says. I stop and turn around.

" I-I know that you didn't mean to cheat on me. I know that Alec spiked that beer that night," stammers Lauren.

"How'd you find out?" I ask.

"Liam told me," she responds.

"Oh." That's all that I can say.

"What I'm trying to say," Lauren steps towards me "I um. I forgive you and I-I'm not mad at you," she says. I just nod. I don't know what to say.

"I have a question," I say after a couple of minutes.

"Ask away," Lauren says.

"Do you regret it?" I ask.

"Regret what?" asks Lauren, who has a confused look on her face.

"Us. Us dating. Me taking your virginity," I say. Lauren thinks before answering. "No, I don't. I'm glad that you were my first," Lauren says. I nod and with a small smile. "How are you and Nico?" I ask.

"Um. We are constantly fighting," Lauren says. Suddenly, she burst into tears. I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight. I place my head on top of her. "He abuses me," Lauren sobs out.

"What?" I ask.

"He puts me down and he tells me that I'm worthless," Lauren says. I clench my jaw. "You want me to do something about it?" I ask. She just nods into my chest. She gets her phone, opens her messages and hands me the phone. I look at the messages and with every text message I see, blood boils. I call the number. It rings once, twice and Nico finally picks up.

"Hey, baby. Where you at?" he slurs.

"Listen up here, Andrews. You either treat Lauren right or I'm coming to get you," I threaten.