I'm not a popular girl | ✔️

Four - Karma

Carden

Carden watched his iPad intensely as a figure in a white uniform threw the football in his hands for nearly sixty yards and the receiver caught the ball. Most people would watch the receiver with glee but Carden's eyes were on the quarterback.

The camera zoomed in on him as he ripped off his helmet, a cry of relief escaping from his lips as the team formed a giant excited huddle. The player had dirty blonde hair that was glistening with sweat and the same light brown eyes Carden saw in the mirror.

Except these weren't broken.

These eyes were filled with happiness and excitement for the future to come. A future where he would go to Alabama and get drafted in the NFL draft and hopefully go to the Tampa Bay Bucs or Green Bay Packers.

These eyes would see a glistening Super Bowl ring on his finger and confetti raining down on him as the pressure he had been holding dissolved. These eyes would see his little brother become a superstar, just like him. He'd seen his brother throw his first football and he'd watch him throw his last.

"And the Clarkston Badger's are state champs! Lead by senior, Jared Ash!" the announcer cheered with a hint of static. People flooded the field and Jared was lifted up on the shoulders of his teammates, his little brother laughing hysterically next to him.

Tears threatened to spill over as Carden pressed the power button on the iPad. The image of his brother during one of his best moments died, just like him.

Those eyes would never see that ring full of diamonds or his own brother uphold his legacy. Those eyes were closed and buried six feet under nearly a mile from where Carden sat now.

He put his head in his hands. "Why did you have to go?"

The only response was the rustling of the wind outside his window. The wind was continuous, always coming and going and taking things with it. If only it could take thoughts with it as well. Thoughts that caused the strongest to cry. Thoughts that could ruin a person so easily.

Carden jumped off his bed and the electronic lit up brightly at the movement. A picture of Jared with little Carden, maybe six or seven, on his broad shoulders sat in its wake.

It had been a good day that day.

He sighed and shoved the memories deep into the shadows of his mind. They belonged in the dark, away from the light and reality all itself. The past was supposed to stay in the past, wasn't it?

*****

Girls stared at Carden with teary eyes and droopy lips as he passed them in the hallways, Chloe's group looking the most depressed. Guys around him smiled with relief like they were finally glad their girls wouldn't want him anymore.

Ever since Chloe had started the "word wildfire," his phone had been blowing up with texts from his teammates and girls from Chloe's clan. Most of his texts ranged from "Woah! Since when?!" to "How dare you!"

Mostly the latter though. He had to start getting rid of some contacts.

The things going on around Carden didn't get under his skin though. He mind was preoccupied with something ten times more important. Actually, more like someone.