We Come Alive 4

Unfriendly Co-Workers

Thursday late evening, Ethan was changing out of his facility jumpsuit and into a pair of sweatpants. He climbed into his bed and started to settle into a comfortable position when he heard the door open.

Ethan looked at the door and saw Craig pushing it closed with his foot. He was shirtless and in a pair of shorts and the flip-flops the facility provided them. Craig walked over to Ethan and pulled himself onto the bed. He sat in between the wall and Ethan's legs than glanced down at the Spanish teenager.

Ethan had gotten use to Craig coming into his room and bothering him when he was trying to go to sleep, so he just got comfortable with Craig's legs across his own.

"What's with you?" Craig wondered, pushing Ethan's hair out of his face. "You seem so...distant."

"I'm trying to go to sleep." Ethan mumbled.

Craig sighed as he leaned his head back. "I meant earlier. And yesterday. Damn near all week."

"My friend got shot." Ethan said bluntly. "If you need to know. He got shot."

"How?"

Ethan flipped onto his back and looked at Craig. "He was...my coach's house got broken into. So he and my friend went to go see what was happening. Plus, my coach's daughter is pregnant. Like heavily pregnant. Next thing we know, we find out my friend got shot. He went inside and they shot him."

"He die?"

Ethan shook his head. "Nah. He lived. But I can't go see him. He just...he was so chill about it but he could've died." He looked at the ceiling and let out a deep breath. "Who gets shot and is so calm about it?"

"Someone who's at peace with life. Or who's not scared of death." Craig shrugged, hopping over Ethan's legs and to the ground. "Go to sleep, Smash Williams. Last thing I need is you being all worried and tired on top of it."

~**~

Friday night rolled around as a home game for the Dallas Jaguars. While the starters worked hard through the first quarter, the second quarter wasn't as easy.

Manny sat with Diego on the sidelines with her legs in his lap. She was picking dirt off his jersey as he kept his eyes on the field.

"Having fun?" Diego wondered, looking over at the Mexican girl next to him.

Manny smirked and nodded as she continued to pick off tiny pieces of dirt off his jersey with her long fake finger nails. She looked up and smiled wider when she saw Ricky coming towards them. He was limping towards them and had on a sweatshirt since it was easy to get over his aching torso.

"Damn man, sit down." Diego said, getting up and giving Ricky his spot on the bench. "You got shot. You're supposed to be in bed. Your doctor said to stay off your feet for a week."

Ricky flopped down on the bench and looked up at the younger Latin boy. "I'm your coach—"

"Assistant coach." Manny corrected.

Ricky snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "Yeah, that. That means I'm suppose to be at all the games and all the practices. If I can save little miss over here and her baby, I think I can coach a football team. Plus, it's not the first time I've been injured. I've gotten the snot beaten out of me and went to school the next day. I got thrown down concrete steps, had three ribs broken, and had a concussion and still got up every morning to make myself breakfast. I don't like being bedridden. It's boring."

Manny rolled her eyes as she played with Ricky's hair as he spoke. He kept moving his head away from her, but after a couple times he gave up and let her touch him.