It Started With A Concussion ✔️

Chapter 18

"Oh c'mon Jackson he's wide open!" Lily yells from beside me.

I laugh lightly at her encouragement seeing for myself that he's missed a wide open slot. Getting chased by the defense, he's forced to throw the ball out of bounds.

"That's the third time he's done that today." Lily points out.

"I know. He's not playing so well is he?" I mention, trying not to sound as harsh as I usually do.

"No he's not. He's just lucky the passes are getting completed." Lily stresses.

"But they're late." I add.

Extremely fucking late.

"Exactly, and the more time he waits, the more likely he's going to get hit. I know I tell him how much I don't want him getting roughed up, but he just seems to love it." she explains to me.

"Well, that's the game." I sigh looking at my newly polished nails.

"I understand, but I would like for him to avoid unnecessary contact." she rephrases.

"I get it." I shrug. "He is making it harder than it should be right now. We should be crushing them."

"Let's just hope we can pull through." Lily gave me an optimistic look before turning her attention back to the game.

It was a gloomy day by the field, slight drizzle, overcast. The team we were playing was really no match for us, yet the score says otherwise.

The main reason being the quarterback. Jackson hasn't been playing as well as he usually does. His offensive line is doing all they can, but he's waiting so long he doesn't throw it until he's being chased.

He's running like a chicken with its head cut off.

I can hear his coach yelling at him after he misses El downfield. It was hard to watch, but we got through it.

After returning home with Kayla, I rinsed off and waited for Elliot to finish showering. It was half past two when the car was packed. Kayla was heading down with us, but that also meant Jackson was coming with us too.

But at least I was prepared for that. It was a logical decision.

"Do you want me to drive?" I ask Kayla.

"Sure. Let those two get some rest." she sighed and crossed her arms.

I turned my head over to both of them. They were in conversation not far away, but they both looked exhausted.

"I don't want to be mean, but..." she trailed off, not wanting to say what was on her mind.

But I had a pretty good idea what she was thinking. "Yeah I know, he played pretty bad." I whispered.

"I've never seen him play like that before." she gave me a weary look.

"Maybe it's just...a bad day." I guess. "I don't know."

I shrug it off and call both of them over. Our parents said their goodbyes and "stay safes" before we got into the car.

Kayla and I sit in the front while the other two sit in the back. The beginning of the drive started off smoothly, but soon, we hit traffic and the longer we were in it, the more it started to worsen.

Three hours in and constant whining from a famished Elliot, I found a McDonald's off the highway. I pulled into the parking lot and the three of us got out. Jackson had fallen asleep in the car and no one felt like waking him.

"What does he usually get El?" I ask as the bell chimes above my head.

"A twenty piece and fries," he responds.