Healed by Evan Grace

Chapter Six

 

Colton

 

I step inside my old high school and am hit with a massive dose of nostalgia. All four years here were the best of my life. Of course, that was because I had my girl. Fuck, just thinking about what she said to me last week… “Do you see what being around you is doing to me?”

It was the kill shot, the one that showed me that we were really and truly over. I’d hoped we could start over, but there is so much history there—painful history that is all my fault, and she’ll never forgive me.

“Colton Winters.” I am pulled from my thoughts and turn to the principal, Mr. Kosher. “It’s good to see you, son.”

“You too, Mr. Kosher. The school looks exactly the same, but different.” I take his outstretched hand, giving it a firm shake.

“Yeah, we’ve done a little updating. The football field got a major makeover.” We stop in front of a display case, and I spot a picture of me with Heidi on my back after we won the state championship our senior year.

“Did the box of Atlanta Fire t-shirts and tickets arrive?” I ask as we walk down the hall.

“Yes, thank you, so much for that. The kids are all excited to come see you play.”

I follow him into the main office. There’s a woman standing by the counter, and when she turns our way, I can see that she’s pretty, with her long brown curls and big green eyes.

“Hi there,” she says with a smile before coming toward us with her hand outstretched. “You must be the football player.”

Mr. Kosher slaps me on the shoulder. “This is Jamison high’s all-star quarterback, Colton Winters. This is one of our teachers.” 

I shake her offered hand.

Her smile is big and bright. “Pleasure to meet you, I’m Leesa Jones. I teach AP English, and I’m in charge of the fundraiser.” Mr. Kosher leaves us, heading back to his office. “If you want to come with me, we can go talk in the teacher’s lounge.”

I pull the door open for her, and she grins at me as she passes by. I follow her out, and we walk side by side to the lounge. “I always wanted to see what it looked like in here,” I say with a laugh.

“Well, today’s your lucky day.” She opens the door, and I step inside. The space looks like your average breakroom. “Would you like some coffee?”

“Sure, thanks.” I take a seat at the table and stare blindly out the window, my mind trying to go to a place I’ve tried to avoid. I’m so lost in my thoughts that I jerk in surprise when Leesa sets a coffee cup in front of me.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you,” she says as she sits across from me.

I shake my head. “Sorry. I spaced out for a minute.”

“Girl trouble?” She picks up her cup and takes a drink. “Of course, that’s none of my business and probably unprofessional, but my boyfriend tells me I like to meddle in other people’s business.”

I chuckle. “This place brings back a lot of memories for me. Let’s save my girl troubles for another day.”

Leesa smiles and nods, then we get to work on the fundraiser.

 

***

 

The water boy hands me a bottle of water as I run off the field, and I squirt a healthy dose into my mouth. We’re playing Chicago in the last regular season game before the playoffs begin. and we’re up by six with two minutes left on the clock. I just threw a pass that led to a touchdown to put us ahead.

I pace the sideline as I watch our defense stop every pass and run. When there is a little over a minute left on the clock, I run out onto the field. We get into a position, and I shout, “686 Pump F-Stop on two.” I throw it to Sean, who catches it, and I watch as he runs it in for a touchdown.

The stadium goes wild, and we all run down the field. We pull our helmets off, thrusting them up in the air. After we celebrate on the field, I do a quick interview with the reporters.

The owners, Gordo and Nick, come down to congratulate us. It’s a damn shame that Nick is stepping down, but I heard what happened with one of the cheerleaders, and it almost ruined his relationship with Heidi’s sister, the mother of his unborn baby.

We finally head to the locker room, and I strip out of my gear, grab my shower shoes, and head back to get cleaned up. The guys are all rowdy around me, pumped up after our amazing win.

At my locker, I get dressed in my suit and am slipping on my shoes when a few of our defensive lineman stop to talk. “You gonna come out with us tonight?” Draven asks.

Normally I go out with Tyrell and then call it an early night. The single guys usually go out looking to get laid hell; some of the ones in relationships or married look to hook up too. That’s not my style. I prefer it mean something.

Which makes me think of Heidi, we were each other’s firsts, and I’d hoped we would be each other’s last. Fuck, I promised myself I wouldn’t go there. “You know what, yeah, I could use a drink.” They all look at me with wide eyes. “I know, I know.” 

I grab my bag and follow them outside. We head to Urban Fusion, which is owned by Nick. They usually put out a spread for the players, food and drinks, and then we usually get our own bartender.

I carry my bottle of Coors Light over to the table I’m sitting at with a couple of players when a blonde comes bouncing over. “Are you guys athletes?”

“We play for the Fire, sweetheart,” Bradford, he’s part of the offensive line, says. He gives her the smile that gets him girls all the time. “Why don’t you join us?”

I shake my head and drink my beer.

“I’m here with my friends,” she says as she gives Bradford goo-goo eyes.

“Well, bring them over, but you’re all mine.” He winks, she giggles and then flounces away.

I stay and have one more drink, even posing for a picture with one of the blonde’s friends. I’m beat, so it’s time to head home.

I drink down the rest of my beer and say goodbye to my boys. The guys all boo me as I walk away, so I lift my hand and give them the finger. Their laughter follows me out the door.

 

***

 

The sound of my phone pinging over and over pulls me from my sleep. I see that a girl tagged me on Instagram, and people have been commenting on it. I grab my phone and open the app.

I pull the picture up, and it’s the one I took with the girl at Urban Fusion last night. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t be on social media at all, but it’s good for the team and my image.

After I exit out of the app, I see that it’s only seven-thirty. I’m awake, so I decide to crawl out of bed. Since I showered last night, I throw some sweats on and then head out to the kitchen to start coffee and make myself a protein shake.

While I chug it down, I turn on the TV. When I’m finished, I toss my shaker bottle into the sink. I pour myself a cup of coffee and head into the living room to watch “Forged in Fire” on Netflix.

The only plans I have for the day is dinner with my parents tonight; other than that I don’t plan on moving from this spot. It’ll be a nice lazy day—just what I like to do the day after a game.

My phone pings a while later, pulling my attention away from the TV. I pick it up and see it’s a text from Leesa.

Leesa: Hey, Colton, I have some ideas for the fundraiser and was wondering if you wanted to grab lunch.

She has a boyfriend, but hopefully this isn’t some ploy to try to make a play for me. She’s beautiful, but I’m just not interested.

Colton: Sure, let me know where. Oh, btw, I have several other players interested in helping.

Leesa: Great to both. Blake is excited to meet you.

We make plans on where to meet, and then I press play on my show.