Struck by Lightning

Chapter One

"Hey, Sammy boy, heads up!"
Sam turned just in time to see the ball as it knocked into his head. He winced and glared toward the culprit. Paulie made a grimace as if he was the one who had dealt the blow.
"Dammit Paulie! Learn how to throw!" Yanking his arm back, he let off a perfect spiral, landing with a thud into Paulie's chest. He could hear the quick rush of air leave his lungs, but refused to feel guilty about it.
Now more steady on his feet, Paulie came walking towards him. "Jeez Morrison, I didn't mean anything by it. What crawled up your ass?"
Sam let out a breath. "Nothing. I'm just not feeling it today."
"Nervous about the game?"
He huffed. "No. It's none of your business. If you want gossip go talk to your goddamn boyfriend."
A hurt look flashed in his eyes, but he immediately covered it with a hardened expression.
"Fine. If you want to be an asshole, so be it. Like I give a damn."
He jogged away, his shoulders stiff and his jaw set. He was pissed.
Sam growled. His best friend had come out to him a year ago, but it seemed like he was always saying the wrong thing. He supported him, but his taste in.. well, guys, was total crap. His newest boy toy was a total loser.
But that wasn't the problem. Tonight was their first game against Richmond since their total massacre on the field last year. They had been creamed by a total of 28 points. It was humiliating. And now their team captain was dating his ex girlfriend.
If he didn't annihilate them tonight, the team would lose respect for him. Hell, he would lose respect for himself.
He was pulled out of his pity party as an arm slung itself over his shoulders. "Well howdy-doo cap'n. Ready for tonight's showdown?"
He felt like punching Seth for bringing that up, but settled for throwing his arm off of his shoulders. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?" He asked, aggravated.
"Well.. you do know your girlfriend will be there cheering for the opposing team."
"EX girlfriend." He growled out.
"Sorry, ex girlfriend. But everyone knows you've got more to prove tonight then just winning against those blood suckers."
He glared at the field in front of him, visibly angry. "Whatever. Shauna can do whatever the hell she wants with whoever the hell she wants, it doesn't matter to me."
Seth held up his hands in the old fashioned way of surrender. "Okay. But you know I'm right."
Seth turned around and began walking towards his girlfriend. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and leaned in for a long kiss.
Sam scowled and kept walking. Reaching the lockers, he threw his bag in and dug around for his Chem homework. Finally finding the right scuffed up book, he slammed his locker closed and walked to class.
Turning the corner as the bell started to ring, he collided with a junior from his AP history class. Her papers from her binder went sprawling across the marble floor, one slipping under his feet. He leaned down to retrieve it just as she yanked it out from under his shoe. "Hey, wait, let me help."
She continued frantically grabbing for the papers. "I don't need your help."
Her voice was so soft he almost didn't hear it. Confused, he started to stand up. Someone came through the doors at that moment, sending the remaining papers flying down the hallway.
He ran after them as they continued to slide on the floor's checkered surface. He started to pick them up, but the first image caught his eye and he froze.
It was a drawing of a girl, holding her hands over her ears. Her eyes were squeezed shut as if she were in pain, tears rolling down her face. There were colors swirling around her harshly, as if they were hurting her. His eyes widened. This was really good.
He was trying to figure out what the drawing was about when it was snatched out of his hands.
He stood there amazed. "Did you draw these?"
She kept picking up the papers as if she hadn't heard him. He tried again. "I mean, they're really good. I can't draw that good."
"They're just stupid doodles," she breathed out, sounding upset and a little angry.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to look at it, it's just.. it's really good." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Again, I'm sorry. I gotta go, so.. see you in History?"
She looked up, surprised. "I can't believe you even knew I was in that class. Most people forget I even exist."
She looked down and blushed, as if she had said something she hadn't meant to.
He went a little red as well. "Well, uh, they should remember you a little more often. You're pretty funny."
She lifted her gaze back up to meet his as her eyebrows scrunched together. "What do you mean?"
"Your paper on George Washington. You introduced it with a joke about Washington telling his men to get in the boat, and told us weird facts about him. It was pretty hilarious. I'm surprised more people didn't laugh."
Her eyes widened. "I can't believe you remember that."
He full on blushed then. "What can I say, it was really good. Anyway, I have to get to class. I'll see you around?"
She looked down, frowning.
"Okay, well, bye." He gave her an awkward wave and walked to class.
The rest of the day went by in a blur, and all he could think about was that picture.
Damn. He really needed to get his head in the game for tonight.