Page 3

Carson

"Let's run it again!" I shout through the groans of my teammates on the pitch.

"Carson we've literally been training non stop for the past week, you can't just give us this one day off." My best friend - Kade - pleads, the other guys on the team nod eagerly in agreement.

"No." I state pulling up my shirt to wipe the sweat off my forehead, by doing so a group of girls by the bleachers whistle and hoot and I immediately pull it back down.

"C'mon cap!" One of the guys shouts from the from the floor, half the team is lying down grasping their chest dramatically.

"We have ten minutes left of practice! So get up and do it again!" I shout, this time they all immediately get up and start running around the pitch.

I follow behind but quickly start overtaking each one at a steady pace. "You coming to the party tonight?" Kade asks as he runs up next to me out of breath.

"Maybe."

"I heard Ellie is going to be looking for you." He waggles his eyebrows suggestively and nudges me in the ribs.

"Great." I deadpan.

"You're seriously still not interested in her?"

"No" I may have gone on occasional hook ups in sophomore and junior year but I never really was interested in the hook ups, I was detached.

I don't find the joy I once did in football, it doesn't feel like an escape anymore, it just feels like a chore.

Besides I haven't gotten with a girl in months contrary to everyone's expectations, not since I saw her at the diner.

I didn't expect her to lash out, not after she went pink just staring at me. A small smile tugs the corners of my lips as I think of the memory. I wanted to go after her then, tell her that Bryan is a jackass - who I kicked off the team. I wanted to stare into her amber eyes, eyes that seemed broken and haunted.

What am I even thinking? I don't even know her name.

"Practice is done." I shout, my thoughts are consuming me right now and I'm not going to be able to be in the right mindset until their gone.

"You're going soft." Kade remarks as he walks towards me with James in tow, they both surround me as I make my way towards the locker rooms.

"I'll remember that next time."

"Hey Cap." James nods at me, "Taylor" I acknowledge. I've been friends with James since high school although we've never been as close as I've been with Kade simply because he boasts about his wealth.

While I do know I come from a very wealthy family, it's not something I like to chat about even though it would probably please my mother since I would be following the path she set for my future.

Marry a conservative women - preferably my mothers best friends daughter, Lola -, join the NFL, have one kid, die.

Doesn't that sound wonderful.

I've spent my whole life planning for that future, building the steps up to it. I can't say no now.

I walk through the odour filled lockers and head straight into the showers. Being 6'4 in a shower made for everyone is NOT ideal, I usually have to suffer the fate of being flashed 24/7 because the walls on the showers are so short.

"Hey Cap." Max - an eager freshman - greets me from the shower next to me, I don't flinch like I used to in freshman year when he accidentally flashes me his junk.

Exactly my point.

"Max, nice footwork today." I compliment him, contrary to what some of the guys think I do care about them. Most of them, not the ones who are total dicks.

I take my time washing the sweat off my body and ignore the suggestive locker room talk the sophomores are commenting about, only stepping in to hit one of the guys on the back of the neck when he starts describing his events with a girl from last night.

"Hey! What was that for?!"

"My sister raised me right. Zip it." I say as I walk past him, a towel wrapped around my waist. I quickly change into a pair of sweats and a muscle shirt, my duffel bag draping over me as I squirt water into my mouth and wait for Kade to come out.

"Hey Carson!" A girl with blonde hair smiles at me with her friends, because I'm a dick and don't know her name I just nod at her. Her friends all giggle and shuffle away at the same time Kade comes out of the changing rooms.

"Hey girls!" He calls out to them, all of them turn around immediately, blushing and giggling before they walk away.

"Stop taking all the girls man." He teases me, we walk in sync towards the dining hall. Our other teammates surround us from the front and back.

"Funny."

"Your mum still trying to make you procreate with Lola?" I choke on my laugh at his use of the word procreate, ever since he heard someone in the mall use it a couple days ago it's been his go to word.

"Yep, I don't have another fate seemingly. I'm just trying to put it off for as long as possible." I gulp down another chug of water.

"Carson-"

"No, stop. I'm not talking about this anymore, it's not up for discussion." I cut him off sternly. I watch him eye me but he thankfully lets it go as we approach the dining hall.

"Hey Eli, what's up man?!" Kade shouts at a well built guy, I recognise him from the hockey team, I've chatted to him a few times at parties but that's all it's gotten to.

"Nice to see you, man. Carson, how's the team doing?"

"Good. What are you doing down here?" I ask, normally the hockey team training ends much later then ours and it's quite rare to see them at the hall.

"It's our old captains sisters first day, and we were ordered to observe from afar. Half the team is here believe it or not." He chuckles.

"I've got to get going, see you guys at the party?"

"Yeah, see you there man." Kade says as we enter the doors to the dining hall.

"Stop looking so bitchy dude." He says punching me hard in the ribs. I retaliate by punching him in his shoulder, he stumbles forward and narrows his eyes at me.

"How the fuck do you get girls?" He mutters,

"Sweep them off their feet." I wink at him as he his eyes narrow further amusingly, I nod to a few people who call out my name and smile at the others.

I can't remember what my real smile looks like anymore.

When I am about to risk my own sanity and smile at someone again, my eyes get caught on a brunette girl.

Her back is to me but instantly I feel pulled towards her, she turns around sharply and meets my gaze.

Oh shit.

I know her, that's the girl. My girl. Her eyes widen in surprise when she sees me, and she makes this cute face. She's fucking gorgeous. Her eyes quickly scan the people around me and her surprised face turns into a scowl.

That's new.

Someone nudges my shoulder and I look next to me at Kade, who's eyebrows are furrowed as he looks at me. I am snapped out of my trance and look back at the place the girl was except now she's gone.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck.

As soon as I take in her empty seat I am turning on my heel and scanning the staring people in the dining hall, I become frustrated when I don't see her face.

"Yo, you good?" Kade slaps the back of my head, I glare at him. He motions at the table filled with our teammates. His face saying 'what the fuck are you doing?'

What the fuck was I doing?

Mentally slapping myself, I walk myself towards the table. Trying to ignore the aching feeling I feel in my chest at the loss of the girl.

I wanted to find out who she was, I wanted to ask her a million questions.

I wanted her, selfishly.