Touchdown

Chapter 17

Ellies POV

The week flew by since Colton officially asked me to be his girlfriend, I found myself falling deeper for him with each passing day. He had this effortless way of being the perfect boyfriend, showering me with thoughtful gifts just because, spending endless hours by my side, and making every moment together feel like a cherished memory. One evening, Millie and I convinced Colton and Garrett to join us for a fun pampering session. We put face masks on them and painted their nails, much to their playful protests. Colton sported pink nails afterward, a colour surprisingly complementing his rugged charm. The moments between Colton and I were endless. 

We haven't seen each other the last few days because of their game tomorrow. The upcoming game had us all buzzing with excitement.

Millie and I planned to make signs. Our outfits were meticulously planned, with cute white jean shorts bedazzled with the boys' numbers on the back pockets. Wearing their jerseys completed our look. "We look so hot," Millie says fixing her hair in my mirror. I hear my phone ding and check it. There's another notification from the random account. "You're nothing but a slut. He's going to go through you like he does with every other girl." 

"Millie" I show my phone to her and she gasps. She sharks her head at the text. "It's nothing but some jealous girl Ellie, Don't pay attention to it." I nod and try to put the text out of my mind.

 "I'm starting to like the jersey," Millie smirks at my comment. "I knew you'd give into him eventually." We arrived at the Game and the energy was insane. The match against Washington started smoothly, and we cheered enthusiastically as California showcased his skills on the field. But then, in the final quarter, everything changed. The stadium buzzed with energy as the game reached its climax, but my focus shifted abruptly when I saw the defensive player's brutal tackle on Colton. My heart clenched with fear, mirroring Millie's gasp as we held onto each other tightly.

"Oh god," Millie's voice was barely a whisper, her grip on my hand tightening.

I felt a surge of panic as Colton was swiftly carried off the field by medics. Millie's urgent gestures towards the tunnels where they took him spurred me into action. I dashed through the bustling corridors, my heart pounding in my chest, desperate to find him.

The room where they had taken Colton felt suffocatingly quiet compared to the chaos of the game outside. Seeing him lying there, vulnerable and in pain, sent a wave of anguish through me. His strained smile as he reassured me only deepened my sense of helplessness.

"Colton," my voice quivered as tears welled up in my eyes, and I settled beside him.

His gaze met mine, a mixture of pain and determination flickering in his eyes. "It's okay, Ellie. I'll be fine," he spoke softly, trying to ease my worry despite his obvious discomfort.

"I'm going to need to borrow him for a minute." a deep voice enters the room behind me, and I look back to see Colton's coach.

"Yes, of course, I'm sorry," my voice trembled with emotion as I glanced back at him.

"Ellie, wait—" his call echoed in the room, but I couldn't bear to see him in pain without being able to help.

I step out of the room, the worry for Colton still heavy on my mind, and lean against the cool brick wall in the hallway. The echoes of my footsteps are drowned out by slow clapping, drawing my attention down the corridor. There he is, Jacob, strutting towards me with that familiar smirk, accompanied by someone I don't recognize.

"What's a beautiful lady like you doing down here?" Jacob's tone is laced with arrogance, and I feel a surge of annoyance. He knows he's not welcome near me, so why does he keep pushing?

"Leave me alone, Jacob. I don't have the patience for you right now," I reply firmly, trying to keep my voice steady despite the rising tension.

He chuckles, bending down slightly to meet my eye level. "That wasn't the only picture I have of you," he taunts, and my heart skips a beat. What else does he have? We've only been around each other once, and that was more than enough.

I instinctively back up, my eyes darting around for Colton. He's not coming out here. "Aren't you going to ask me what I have?" he brings up his phone to show me. He flashes it towards me holding a hand out so I can't grab his phone. It's a video. Jacob looks me up and down and presses play. It's a video of me from the same night the photo was taken. The video shows Jacob pushing me back on the bed and rolling up my top. My boobs are on display but you can't see my face, you can hear someone barge in, and the video stops. "You see princess? You wanted me. So forget about him, and come fuck me instead." he leans down to try and kiss my neck, I take a step back and slap him straight across the face. "You little bit- Just then, Colton emerges from the room and throws a punch straight to Jacob's nose. "Did you forget what I told you, Jacob?" Colton's voice carries a warning, his protective instincts kicking in.

Jacob shakes his head, a mocking smile playing on his lips while he wipes his bloodied nose. "I was just complimenting the beautiful lady," he retorts, reaching out to touch my hair.

Before I can react, Colton lunges forward, and Jacob retreats hastily down the hallway. Relief floods through me as Colton stands by my side, his presence a comforting anchor in the midst of uncertainty.

Oh god, how do I tell Colton this?