The Ten-Year Game Plan

Chapter 39- Donovan / Josie

DONOVAN'S POV
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4 years ago: Senior Year of High School
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"You're staring," Winston's voice came from behind me.

"I am not— wait, at what?"

He snorted. "More like at who... she got into South Harmon University, did you hear?"

Maybe I should've objected a little more to his insinuation, but it was more effort than it was worth to lie to Winston. Especially, when I absolutely was staring at the blonde girl sitting two tables over in the cafeteria. She was laughing at something one of the guys at her table was saying. Something stupid probably.

"Good for her," I said, stabbing a potato with my fork. "And yeah, I knew. She told me yesterday right after she told me to fuck right off."

She always wanted to go there. Never changed her mind about the school it seemed, and I doubted she changed her mind about her plans after college either. When we were friends I always used to make fun of the fact that all she wanted to do was go to more school.

I wondered if she would change her mind if she knew that South Harmon was my top choice too.

Three offers from three schools. Two of them had amazing football programs that could take me far. One of them didn't. But it was the only school I ever wanted to go to when I was a kid. It was a dream I didn't have until I met her.

"What are you going to do?"

"Exactly what she asked me to do."

I glanced back over at the table and Josie seemed to sense somebody's eyes on her because she looked up suddenly. Green eyes that I used to know like my bedroom ceiling were staring back at me. Only for a moment, holding me in place, as if I'd gotten caught in her orbit.

"That's stupid," Winston groaned from beside me. "You're going to take one of the other offers just because some girl in high school—"

"She's not— I'm not only doing it because she hates me. Or because she told me she wanted me to be as far away from her as possible. These other schools have much better programs, better academics, and open up more doors for me."

They just didn't have her, and maybe that was a good thing.

"I don't believe you," Winston said simply.

I shrugged. "Believe me or not, it doesn't matter. Want to know why?"

My best friend didn't seem like he was going to give me the satisfaction of an answer so I merely continued on without one.

"I don't care if Josie Troutman hates me right now. I don't care if I move 2,018 miles away from her and she throws a god damned party because of it. Because, one day, she's going to want me to come back."

"And then?" Winston prodded. "What if she never does?"

"I'll come back anyway to convince her."

The two of us were quiet, the sounds of high school kids chattering as their lunch period ended surrounding us. Winston shook his head, giving me a sad sort of smile.