The Player and The Freckled Girl

This is probably the best day of my life and nothing can change that

"have you ever thought about your future much?" Kelley asks as we sit at our spot underneath the tree at school

"I don't think I have, I've always been more of an in the present type of person," I say not knowing what to say since the last 3 years I've been so focused on my dad's murder

"I've been thinking about it a lot recently" Kelley admits to me

"what part exactly" I ask

"College mostly, I really want to attend Stanford its been my dream school since I was little" Kelley says making me chuckle

"why are you laughing?" She asks me confused

"that's the school my mom went to, she'd always tell me stories about all the things she got up to when she was there," I tell Kelley who turns to listen closely knowing I don't talk about my mom or dad much

"What did she say it was like?" Kelley asks me

"she said it was like going to a holiday camp for 4 years, the best thing she ever did. She joined as many clubs as she could and actually played softball there, their best player in Stanford history apparently." I tell Kelley a small smile on my face as I ever the time's mom would tell me stories about it all

"I never knew your mom played a sport, did she carry it on once she left?" Kelley asks

"no she didn't, she met my dad in her last year and when she graduated she found out she was pregnant with me, dad was already working for his company so she quit everything to raise me" I explain

"that must have been hard for her to do, stop her life just like that" Kelley says

"she was always such an ambitious person but family came first so if it meant her getting a job or looking after me it would always be the latter," I tell her.

"do you think you'd want to go to college too, like your mom?" Kelley asks

"maybe, it's something I've never put much thought into really," I say honestly wondering if it is something I could do.

I'm clever enough to get in and I play sports so maybe I could get a sports scholarship too. What if we haven't solved everything by then, I can't go off to college and forget about everything I've worked so hard on.

"Dan! You're going to be late!" I hear Zach shout from behind me, I check my watch and see the game is starting in 20 minutes and I've completely forgotten about it

"coach is going to kill me," I say collecting all my stuff up off the floor

"good luck babe, I'll be cheering you on," Kelley says kissing my cheek as I run off with Zach.

I meet Tobin in the locker room who throws me my pads and helmet having opened my locker to get them ready for me.

"you do realise how big of a game this is right" Tobin says to me as I try my best to change quickly

"yes I do Tobin, I was trying to keep calm with Kelley and lost track of time" I tell my wide receiver who's currently glaring at me

"Okay I'm ready, let's go," I say and run out to the boys who are all warming up.

I throw the ball back and forth with Serv, warming up my arms and we do quick sprints and basic passes, nothing to tire us out too quickly

"This is the game lads, we win this and we've got another national championship under our belts but we've also secured a place at worlds. This is something every payer dreams about doing so we go out there and play like it's our last time, everything you have goes into today" Coach tells us seriously, we all nod in an agreement wanting nothing more than to be the team representing the USA at worlds