Football Love

This story is 100% fiction. Not meant to offend anyone

I am lying down in the class room bleeding; but no one pays attention to me. I gasp for air and try to speak so someone can look down to me. Nothing comes out I try to move but no one pays attention they just stare straight ahead paying attention to the lecture at hand. I start to cry out loud and cry out help but no one cares….no one cares. I wake up to the sound of my alarm; the alarm echoes through the dorm room. I get up slowly I always find the first day of class the hardest don’t ask me why. I have the room to myself I really didn’t want a roommate and yes I can afford it. The mother that I had left me some money and let’s just say that it’s enough to get me through college and a few decades on. I get on my own private shower; I just stay motionless under the hot water. I get ready for the day pick up my back pack and head out to the campus. I am getting some breakfast when someone pokes me from behind and I turn around.

“Hey loner” Monica says. I have no friends but what’s the need when I have my best friend since I known since I was little. Monica is my best friend; I laugh at her because she is more of a guy than anything. “First day of class yay!” she says bouncing up and down. I look at her weird “I got laid this morning shut up” she says with a smile across her face as she takes a bite of her apple. “What’s wrong Alex?” Monica asks me as we sit down. “Nothing just had a bad dream” I say taking a bite of my breakfast. “The Dying one again?” Monica says taking another bite of her apple. “Yeah, I hate it when I have it ruins my day” I say kind of still uneasy. I just shake my head and change the subject.

Monica and I are majoring in Sport Medicine; both of us always loved the football game. I guess football was the reason we became friends; now that we are juniors we should begin to be on the field with the players. “Look” Monica whispers to me while tapping my hand to break me from my thoughts. John Steel walks by us; he is the quarterback of the team and the most desired guy of all the campus. John is your typical all American boy. Dark short blond hair, piercing big blue eyes, a strong jaw line, facial hair that enhances his masculinity and the body of a guy that likes to work out but it’s not his whole life. Everyone in campus knows who he is; so it’s no surprise that random people call him by name. Monica stares at him hard; as he walks by us he looks at Monica for a second and then he looks at me longer. We stay looking at each other until John hears his girlfriends voice; Sabrina the all American bitch.

I heard around campus that John is actually a nice guy which makes me wonder why a nice guy would be dating a bitch like Sabrina. She likes to kiss John in front of everyone showing off her status around campus to everyone. Everyone and I do mean everyone guys and girls have some sort of crush on John but me; I just don’t see what everyone else sees in him. I mean it’s just rumor right that he is a nice guy; I have met people like him. They are the popular kids because of their looks and their ability to throw a ball at a good distance. As for me I am just an average guy dark brown hair, brown eyes and a decent body; not to fat but not too skinny either. I don’t think anyone like John will go for an average guy like me guess that’s why I am the only one in campus who doesn’t have a crush on him.

The day goes on pretty normal; Monica and I have the same classes except one. It’s a class that deals with nutrition and Monica didn’t register on time for us to get the same class together. It’s a small class with ten lab tables; “so good of you to join us” the teacher says as I walk in. “Sorry couldn’t find the room” I say as I take off me earphones. I was lying the real reason I was late was because Monica and I were checking out hot guys around campus. I almost blushed because everyone was staring at me; I don’t know why but my heart skipped a beat when I saw John in the same room. “You can sit next to Palmer” the professor says pointing to right hand side of the room. I just took a deep breath; Matt Palmer was on the football team and thought he was the shit. Palmer has short black hair, brown eyes, has a full muscle body a bit bigger than John and this face always looks like he is sad or something. I also happen to know that Matt is a very good friend of John; I take my seat and the teacher begins to talk about the class. I was paying attention and writing down some notes until Matt starts bugging me for random things. I couldn’t tell if he was trying to be funny or bullying me.

Matt started poking me thinking that it was funny I told him to stop but he just kept going at it. Matt was starting to piss me off and I was about to go off on him until John stepped in. all John had to do was say Matt’s name in a serious tone and Matt stopped. I turn around and glance at John for a second; his blue eyes stare at mine. Matt was my partner for the class but it’s a good thing that John is on the table behind us. I then put my attention to the teacher who is still talking about the class and what he expects of us. The teacher talks about our assignments and that all of them will require a partner. As the professor finishes his lecture all I hear is “Well good thing I have a nerd for a partner” Matt says as he slaps my back hard. I just lost it I really don’t know what came over me. I just grab Matt’s shirt and pull him close to my face “Listen you dumb jock I work too hard for too long to get into this program and I am not going to jeopardize my career over a jock who can’t pull his own weight” I say with a serious tone and looking into Matt’s eyes “Now you either pull your weight with these projects or I will ensure that you won’t play football ever again CLEAR” I say and let go of his shirt. Matt has this surprise look on his face; he didn’t even say anything to me. I just get up get my things and start to head out the door quickly because I didn’t know if Matt was going to hit me or not.

I was enraged and ashamed of what I just did; I don’t know what came over me. I am not like that I am a nice guy but when it comes to defending myself I just don’t think. Somewhere in the middle of my thoughts I hear someone yelling my name but I don’t pay attention to whom it belongs to. I was about to open the door that leads outside of the building when someone steps in front of me. I come back into reality; once again my heart skips a beat when I see that it’s John. I just stare at him just to make sure that it’s him in front of me. “Listen I just wanted to tell you…” John’s voice is so manly I almost blush “Matt is a really nice guy once you get to know him” when I hear Matt’s name I just become angry again. “It’s fine don’t worry about it” I say a little to bitter. “Well I was just wondering…” John begins to say “Look no offense but do you always have to step in for him” I cut John off. John looks at me with a hard face but says nothing. “Not all Jocks are dumb you know” John says with a serious tone. “Right” I say while I circle around him and head out the door.

Monica almost beats the shit out of me when I tell her how I treated John. “Why would you do that he’s a nice guy” Monica says almost as if I ruin her chance of her going into bed with him. “Because he’s a jock….they are all the same no matter what” I say as I grab my backpack. “Fix it Alex you can’t just be a dick to him” Monica says with a hint of anger. I just look at her and walk to class; as I sit down Matt just nods his head at me but doesn’t look at me. John just stares at me but I don’t look at him all I do is stare straight ahead to where the professor is getting ready for the lecture. I can feel John’s eyes on me but I just keep looking forward. Maybe Monica is right John did try to apologize for Matt’s behavior and I just blew him off bad. But then again John has most likely gotten everything he ever wanted by his looks and what if just this one time he didn’t get what he wanted. Obviously he tried to apologize for Matt so I can be nicer to Matt but that isn’t going to happen anytime soon. A half smile spreads across my lips as I revel in the thought that this time John doesn’t get what he wants.

Several weeks pass and surprisingly Matt pulls his own weight with our assignments. But both Matt and John haven’t spoken to me since the first day of class but that doesn’t bother me. “All right guys the assignment won’t be due until next week because of our first football game tomorrow” the professor says as he wraps the class. I take in a deep breath simply because I am excited about my first football game down on the field with the players. To tell you the truth I want someone to get hurt bad so I can see firsthand the injuries football can offer. I just get up and walk out of the class with my mind racing with ideas on the game. The first game is actually the most exciting one besides homecoming; everyone goes crazy.

As noon comes all of the students on campus make their way to the stadium after having a blast tailgating. As for us we are getting ready for the game and since we are the new ones Monica and I load up everything. “First game yay” Monica says as we load the last Gatorade jug unto the cart. “Have you apologized to John yet” Monica says quickly changing her tone from exited to serious. “I um….” I stuttered I really didn’t want to tell her that I am been a dick to him just to prove a point that not all the things good looking people want get. “Hey that has to get to the field before the game starts let’s go” Jesse our head trainer yells at us. Monica and I get into the cart and head for the stadium; I keep the subject off of John and into anything else. Monica and I have been to the stadium before but for some reason it seems different when we are actually in the field itself. We are playing some college that isn’t too far from this town but it’s the first one. The first game is actually the most important because it tells everyone how well it will go for the team for the rest of the season.

The game starts and we kick off first; my heart races with excitement because some how it feels like this is my first game. During the game we check the players for any fractures or sprains but nothing is too serious. Monica and I mostly give the players some Gatorade but still manage not to miss any second of the game. We would score and they would score; we made a field goal and they made one a couple of minutes after. It’s a close game and everyone is on their feet screaming at the top of their lungs; as well as Monica and me. Monica is the one who attended John and Matt I just avoided them as much as possible. Sometimes I would pretend to be too busy to attend either of them; maybe I am been just a little bit too much of a dick to them. It was near the last quarter with only a minute left and we are down by one. But the other team has the ball; the quarterback from the other team yells ‘hike’ and the players crash into each other hard. The quarterback throws the ball but a member of our team gets it and starts running towards the end field. Everyone is on their feet yelling at the top of their lungs at the turn of events.

Everyone is on their feet accept one person; I don’t know why but I look behind me and John is sitting down with a worried expression on his face. The cheer of the crowd brings me back to reality as I see that our team member has been tackled on the twenty yard line. I look up at the clock and it only reads eight seconds. The coach from the other team calls a time out and everyone is still cheering at the top of their lungs. ‘Just go over and talk to him’ I tell myself; I know that expression that’s on John’s face. Even though he is the quarterback and the leader of this team he is always nervous when everything depends on him. I take a deep breath and walk over to him; my heart races faster maybe because of the thought that I don’t know what I am going to say to him when I am right in front of him. As I am in front of him I just grab his helmet that’s in between his hands. He looks up at me with those big blue eyes. We stare at each other for a while and nothing is coming to mind to say to him. I take another deep breath “Prove me wrong” I say to him as I hand him back his helmet. John looks at me for a little while longer and a half smile comes across his face. He puts on his helmet not breaking our eye contact. He then runs past me and into the field; the crowd goes wild as the team forms the line. I take in a deep breath and look with anticipation. John hikes the ball and moves back; he looks around but no one is open. Out of nowhere a player from the other team heads straight for John “Look out” I yell at him as if he can hear me. The player leans forward and tackles John but not before John sends the football down into the end field. Those couple of seconds when the ball was in the air where the longest seconds of my life.

I take in a deep breath and hold it; as the ball looses altitude it’s clear that maybe no one will catch it. Out of the blue Matt dives for the ball at the last second and manages to catch it and barely crosses the line that marks the end field. Everyone including me goes wild; I cheer at the top of my lungs as the clock reads zero and the referee calls the game. In the midst of celebration I see John taking of his helmet and walking towards me. He was stop at every step with someone congratulating him on his final throw. It took a couple of minutes but he got to me. We were staring at each other; I just chuckle and stick my hand out for a hand shake. John looks at me with those big blue eyes and smiles himself. He actually has a nice smile; he was about to take my hand when someone jumps into his arms. It caught be off guard as well as John; it came to no surprise as Sabrina jumped into John’s arms and started kissing him. I just clear my throat and start walking backwards; I glance at John but quickly look away as I see that he is staring at me. I then see that Jesse is waving at me to help him load up the stuff that Monica and I brought just before the game.

After the game everyone celebrated; Monica and I were invited to a party to celebrate the victory but I backed out. I blamed it on school work and just stay in my dorm room I do the assignment that the professor gave us and just head straight for bed when I am done. I just lay there awake thinking about things that bothered me today. Sabrina is such a bitch any person could tell that John was extending his hand to me. But Sabrina just does what she always does….wait does that mean she is trying to protect John from me. I just laugh at the thought that Sabrina finds me as someone threatening to her relationship to John. But then I think of something else; after Sabrina interrupted John and me something happened that I didn’t really realize until now. John kept looking at me while Sabrina was kissing him; why would John do that? Maybe he just felt bad that his girlfriend got in the way of a thank you. But the way he stared at me didn’t fully say he was sorry. It almost looked like he was glad as well; maybe he was glad that I started talking to him again. Wait what the hell am I thinking John is straight and it doesn’t matter how he acts around me that fact of the matter is he is straight. I then just pushed those thoughts aside and decide to sleep.

About five minutes later I hear a knock on my door; “Damn it Monica” I whisper to myself as I force myself out of bed. It’s really my fault every time Monica goes out I force her to come to my room if she is too drunk to go home. “You know I was barely falling aslee…..” I say but stop when I realize that it isn’t Monica at my door. “Sorry didn’t mean to wake you” John says with a worried look. I try to say something but I just find myself stammering. “I just came by to thank you for what you did today” John says with his half cute smile. “Yeah….no problem” I say finding my voice. “I was actually looking for you at the party didn’t see you and asked Monica where your dorm room was” he says almost kind of nervous. I just look at him and think to myself that I am dreaming but I am not dreaming at all. “Ok that’s it I’ll let you get back to sleep see you on Monday” John says to me and walks away. I close the door and lean against it ‘WHAT THE HELL?’ I say over and over again. I try not to let my imagination run wild; he just came to say thank you for what I did at the game that is it. I then go over to my bed and pull the sheet just under my chin; I then force myself to fall asleep.

On Monday I take my seat next to Matt and congratulate him on his catch that won the game. “Thanks should go to you too” Matt says as he glances over at John. “What do you mean?” I ask looking at Matt and then at John. “Well if it wasn’t for you we probably wouldn’t have won the game” John says with a smile. “You’re telling everyone that” I say kind of annoyed but don’t show it in my voice. John and Matt just shrug their shoulders; I was about to say something when the professor walks in and begins the class. For the next couple of weeks I got to know Matt and John and for once the rumors where true about John. John was a really nice guy and everything about him was the next door type kind of guy. One day Matt was out of town due to some family business and John wanted to help me with my assignment. We went to the library and sat at one of the tables but John decided to sit next to me; a little too close to me to be precise. John starts to help me out with my paper when his phone goes off; just before he picked up from the table I saw a name. Sabrina was the one who was calling him; I saw her name and I know she wants him to show off her status again. John looks at his phone and rejects her call; then he turns it off. I quickly turned to my assignment pretending I didn’t notice any of this; I tried to look at normal as possible. ‘It means nothing’ I say in my head. John then clears his throat and goes on helping me pretending that no one called him.