Someone Will Remember Us

It Was Real

Chapter Twenty-Two

We're losing.

We go back into the locker room at halftime and we all look exhausted.

Zach has let me play and I'm doing better than I thought I would be. Letting my anger out in a healthy way.

I've done something stupid.

He hasn't been in school all week and I know I shouldn't, but I worry about him.

He wouldn't just skip school, not without a good reason.

So I may have done something stupid but I had good reason to.

I keep on checking my phone to see if he's replied. He hasn't.

Delivered.

Monty: Are you okay? You haven't been in school for a while.

Monty: I think we need to talk.

Monty: I need to apologise.

Monty: I didn't mean what I said.

I'm such an idiot.

I barely listen to Zach's speech about how they can't break us, we're the Liberty tigers blah blah blah.

None of that matters.

I just wanna go back out there and tackle some guys.

Charlie keeps on glancing at me but he hasn't said a word about you know who since Wednesday. Neither has Scott.

But they're not treating me like a child, they're not walking on eggshells around me. I just need to pretend hard enough and it almost feels like everything is okay.

Tyler is still on the field with his camera when we come back out. I kind of wished they'd swap at half time. I know, pathetic.

***

I smile because that's what people expect me to do.

Charlie and Zach carry me on their shoulders like I'm some kind of God.

"You're my fucking hero!" Charlie tells me and I laugh and I ruffle his hair with one hand.

At least the team doesn't think I'm completely useless.

They eventually let me down because Zach has to go talk to the coach and I walk across the pitch with Charlie towards Scott who's already waiting for us with a big grin on his face.

"Good catch, eh?" Scott says and he pats me on my back as we walk towards the locker room. "Watching you on the field...just wow."

And I know that he's exaggerating but I smile at the compliment and Charlie tries jumping on my back for a piggy ride.

I manage to take two or three steps with him on my back and then he slides off. He's heavier than he looks.

"So...Luke's party," Scott says and I know where he's going with this. He wants me to go out, have fun, forget.

"Yeah, should be fun. Right Monty?" Charlie asks me and he grins at me but it's a forced smile.

I nod. I'm getting better and better at pretending that everything is okay. I'm sure that I'll start believing it soon.

"But I gotta do something first," I tell them and they frown at the same time.

I'm not sure what they think about this whole situation, whether they think it's me who messed up or if they think it was him. Either way, they're on my side and they just wanna make sure I'm okay.