From Me to Us

Chapter Thirteen

DANIEL

As I stand in the middle of the field, the timer up, not even the roars of the crowd can distract me from the inner workings of my head. I take off my helmet and stare up at the dark night. I can't get Clarke out of my head, she feels too familiar. I hate it. It can't stand the sight of her at times. We just won our first game of the season and all I can fucking think about is Clarke.

But the thing that pisses me off the most is the fact that Clarke is a replica of her. Like I needed more of a fucking reason to be reminded of her. They somewhat look alike, yes, but it's more the fact that they act the same.

When I first met her at the beginning of our senior year in high school, she was exactly how Clarke is. The innocence was what lured me in. What trapped me and compelled me to do anything and everything for her. No questions asked.

I see that in Clarke and I despise it.

Exactly three years later, at the beginning of my junior year, I met another version of her, Clarke.

I know that there is a possibility of Clarke being nothing like her but they are too similar and it's alarming. I'm not about risk having my walls that I've worked so hard to build, broken down over a girl I barely know. I won't make that same mistake twice.

I can't get Clarke out of my head though and it infuriates me but it also confuses me. I never thought of her as much as I do Clarke. So, when I do get the chance to see Clarke, I usually take it out on her and you know what? I don't fucking care. I don't.

I don't even know her so why should I care about her feelings? She's just another manipulator. I can see it her eyes. She had my boys wrapped around her finger at the party. But I've tried to keep my cool around her and so far, I've been doing a good job. 

I'm so engrossed in the thought of these two women that I don't even see my team come running up to me, lifting me in the air while they chant and roar for our winnings.

I try to clear my mind so I can delve into the celebrations with my team. This is our year for football and I won't be distracted.

I make my way over to the bleachers with my team. We usually go to our families before hitting the showers and then the bar. Godfathers afterparty football game has been a tradition since way before I even enrolled in this university.

"Honey!" I hear my mother's gentle voice say from behind me. "You did so well!" she engulfs me in a hug and my brother, John, pats my shoulder.

"You did good little bro," he says.

"Thanks, Johnny. Has watching college football made you miss the sport?" I tease. Like myself, my brother was on the football team when he attended North Ryde except he was a Fullback, while I'm Quarterback.

"You know it little bro." He gives me a brotherly hug.

I've always been close to my mother and brother. Dad? Not so much.

"Where's Dad?" I ask, knowing full well where he is. His office. As usual.

"He couldn't make it, honey. He wanted me to congratulate you, though," My mother says, giving me another hug. I don't say anything else about it because I know that's a lie. He probably has no idea how my game went but it's no surprise that he isn't here.

I'm all sweaty but I don't want to leave my family after only talking to them for a few minutes.

"Go," my mother says, probably seeing my indecisive face. "We need to head off anyway, we just wanted to talk to you before we left. Don't forget we have that business ball happening in a month." She loves to remind me of these goddamn galas that my father's corporation throws to gain more investors and business partners.