blind-sided

chapter seven

THE WHISTLE FROM THE COACH echoed on the field as the football team ran drills, the sun disappearing behind the horizon as the minutes ticked by. I had been sitting on the bleachers for nearly two hours now, all my homework finished. I was trying to read my book to pass the time, hoping practice would just be over with so I could go home.

The coach kept yelling out plays, making the boys repeat it until the it was perfect. Bored with my book, I watched them for a while, noting how Jamie communicated with his teammates during a play.

Though, Jamie ended up getting tackled on this last play and I sucked in a breath. That must've hurt. It looked like Owen pulled him back up, the coach blowing a long and hard whistle.

The football players huddled up in a circle, the coach saying a few words until he dismissed them. The boys dispersed unevenly as some stayed on the field while others jogged off, pulling their equipment free and heading to the lockers.

"Hey Finn!" I looked over to where Jamie was waving his arms and wondered what he wanted.

"C'mere!" He cupped his hands around his mouth, trying to project his voice. I didn't really wanna walk all the way down there, but I didn't really have a choice either. Jamie was stubborn enough to keep standing there until I'd show up.

I shoved my book into my backpack and slid it over my shoulders, leaving the bleachers and heading down to the field. Instead of turf, we had actual dirt and grass, and everyone seemed to think it made our team tougher. I just thought it was more of a safety issue.

"What do you want, Thompson?" I wasn't in the mood for this as I finally reached him and Owen, the football still in Jamie's hands.

"Go down there," he pointed and I furrowed my brows at him.

"I just walked all the way down here."

"Yeah, now go over there," he lightly pushed my arm in the direction he wanted me to go, and reluctantly I complied.

I stood about twenty feet away from him now when he gave me a mischievous smile, suddenly chucking the football at me. My eyes widened and I ducked, covering my head as it landed nowhere near me.

"You're supposed to catch it!" He sassed at me and I whipped my head over to him.

I went to go get the ball and picked it up, gripping it tightly. Before I threw it, I hollered, "Bite me!" and flung the ball to where he was, nailing him straight in the face.

I clasped my hands over my mouth as Jamie fell back, Owen suddenly bursting out into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Jamie was going to kill me. I swear, he was.

"Jamie! Jamie, oh my God, Jamie! I'm so sorry," I ran back over to them and watched as he sat up, his hand covering his eye as he groaned.

"Damn McGowan, didn't know you had such an arm," he grimaced, sucking in a breath from the pain.

"Shit," I muttered, sitting down beside him as he finally lifted his hand from his eye. I could see the bruise already forming and I felt terrible about it.

"Is this gonna affect your playing?" I panicked and he shook his head no.

"But it'll sure as hell impress the ladies," and that made me chuckle. How did he have his sense of humor at a time like this where I almost popped his eye out?

"You good to drive?" Owen finally sputtered out after his laughing fit and Jamie waved it off, getting back up to his feet with his eye still shut.

"I should be fine. I drove Finn over here with me, so she can be my extra pair of eyes as I drive her home," he grunted, both Owen and I giving each other a look before putting our attention back on Jamie.