Game Changer ~ ZDH

Chapter 4

Tuesday, First day of senior year

I wear gray sweatpants with a black tank top and white jacket that I make hang off my shoulder. I let my hair hang in a high pony tail and put on some shoes.
I grab my bag and head downstairs for breakfast.
"Morning," I say to V and Aunt Rita. They look at me and smile, and V places a plate with french toast on the kitchen island.

"Eat up. You have your first game in three days," he ecstatically said.
I smile and sit down to eat.
After I eat I take a glance at the clock. Perfect timing. It's a fifteen minute walk to school and I have thirty minutes until school starts.
"Bye guys! See you after practice."
I put on my back pack, grab my gym bag, and leave.

I approach the school's street, waiting for the crosswalk to say I can walk. It turns to walk, and I cross, but a car honks at me.
It's starting to turn on the intersection even though I clearly have the right of way. I roll my eyes and speed up, making it to the other side.
I start walking towards the school, and that same car pulls up beside.

"What's up rookie," Crawford says from the passengers seat. I playfully scoff and roll my eyes, not answering them.
"Oh come on we're just playing. Do you walk to school and home all the time?"
I nod my head, still walking straight. I then turn to walk towards the entrance, leaving them to park.

As I enter, I see a lot of eyes staring and a couple of people whispering. I slowly look behind, hoping that it's not me who grabbed their attention, but there's no one there. I'm who they're looking at and whispering about.
I ignore everyone and just head to my first period class, science.

I take a seat in the middle row; not too close but not too far. I start to take out my notebook and pencils, and start to write. I've been writing the same story since sophomore year. My ideas for it just keep flowing out and I write them on paper. It's all just for fun though.

I'm just minding my own business, when someone comes up behind me and covers my eyes with their hands.
"Guess who?" He says.
I sigh, "Corbyn?"
"How'd you know?!"
I shrug, "Your voice is easy to pick apart."
He nods, then takes a seat next to me. "So we have science together. That's cool. I'm a science nerd if I do say so myself."
I giggle, "What kind of science are you into?"

"Space and astronomy," he replies.
I smile, at him and he starts talking about how fascinating the constellations and planets are.
But my mind can't help but wander to the voices behind me.

"Did you hear there's a girl on the football team?"
"How did a nobody like her become the kicker?"
"She's gonna fail, just like her family did years ago."

I take a huge gulp and start to feel uneasy. I've never been the talk of the school since.. well since my family did their crime.
don't let their words get to you. don't let their words get to you.
But I can't help it. I now have to prove myself to everyone in the school.. Again?

I sigh and lean on the desk, feeling my feet start rapidly tapping the floor.
"Summers? You okay?" Corbyn asks.
I bluntly look at him, not answering.
He then stops talking and starts looking around in the classroom, hearing everything people are saying.
He placed a hand on my knee and leaned closer, "Hey, don't listen to them. They're just jealous. It's not everyday a girl makes it on the football team here. You're making history! They're just jealous that they're not a part of it."

I sigh, "It's kind of hard to not listen to them when they're talking about me failing."
Corbyn waves the air and goes 'pfft.'
"You kidding me? You have one heck of a foot Summers. You're better than them. You won't fail," he reassures.
I shrug, "Thanks, but my whole life has been a fail. I wouldn't be surprised if this is one of them too."
I face forward and sigh. I see Corbyn's head nod from the side of my eyes and he doesn't say anything. I don't blame him. He barely knows me. How do you respond to something like that? The bell rings, and the teacher comes in.