Don't Go Through Life Without Field Goals

Cell Phone

"So, the food was that bad?" I widened my eyes.

"Oh yeah." Matt nodded. "Horrible. I thought I would puke every time it was shoved down my throat."

"Ew." Nicole whrinkled her nose. "That's nasty." I was sitting on our recliner while Matt and Nicole sat on our love couch. Perfict, right? The fact that we were watching NCIS helped everything.

"I'll get us some crackers and juice." I offered. I stood and walked into the kitchen, getting out a tray. When I opened the fridge, something fell right in front of me and landed in front of my feet.

"Connie? Everything okay?" Matt called from the couch.

"Yeah, just fine." I called, back. I bent over and picked up the object beneath me. It was my cell phone. I tried to remember the last time I talked to Austin. . . But I couldn't remember. I saw I had five text messages and six missed calls. All from Austin. I tucked the phone in my front pocket, set the juice on the tray, and brought the tray into the livingroom. I took off up the stairs.

"Connie? Where you going?" Matt asked. But, I didn't stop running.

"Oh, nothing. You injoy the food and the show. I'll be down in a second." I yelled over my shoulder. When I got to my room, I shut and locked my bedroom door. Then, with shakey hands, I dialed Austin's number and held the phone to my ear. It rang three time before I heard his wonderful voice.

"Hello?" He breathed.

"Oh, Austin! I'm so sorry about my dad being such a jerk and a pain. He doesn't mean anything by anything he says." The words rushed out like the puke that flowed out of Matt's throat when he ate at the hospital. Sorry. That was a little gross.

"Connie, don't worry about it. I know he doesn't know what he's saying. It's all good." He assured me. I sighed in relief.

"Do you want me to come over?" He asked. I stoped to think about it. Matt and Nicole would see him. . . Not if I snuck him through my window. . .

"Sure. Come to the back of the house and throw some rocks at the highest window on the right." I ordered.

"Got it. See ya in a few." He hung up and I smiled to myself, as I layed my phone on my dresser. The last time I saw Austin and, acctually, got to talk to him was. . . I don't even remember. I've missed him so much.

I heard something hit my window a few times. I jumped and ran to the window, tripping over my backpack in the prossess. Remind me to put that in my closet.

I opened the window and saw Austin, standing two story's below me. He looked up and smiled, his brown hair flying in the wind. I sighed.

"Hey." I whisper slash yelled down to him.

"Sup?" He tucked his thumbs in his back pockets. I held in a girly giggle.

"I'm guessing you want to come in?" I asked.

"I don't know. The weather is really nice." He nodded. "But, if you insist, sure."

"Okay. I'll meet you at the back door." I started to run down the stairs, until he called to me. "Yeah?" I went back to the window.

"That. . . Almost kiss. . . Before the crash. . . That didn't mean anything. Okay?" He said. My heart sunck. Like the Titanic.

"Oh. .  .That, um. . . Yeah. Totally. Didn't mean anything." I tried to hide the hurt from my voice.

"Okay. See ya at the back door." He walked to the door and I started to walk out of my room. How could Austin say it didn't mean anything? Doesn't he know how much that could hurt me?

"Hey, Nicole, can I ask you something?" I heard Matt ask, as he turned off the TV. I stopped walking and leaned agenced the railing, hopping they wouldn't see me.

"Of course." She nodded. Matt turned to face her, his back to me. Nicole showed a little worry in her hazel eyes.

"Look. . . I really like you. But. . . I think we should take a break." He finally said. My heart jumped out of the freezing water, it was sinking in, and blew up. What was going through Matt's thick scull?

"What?" Nicole asked, sounding as heartbroken as she looked.

"I said, 'I think we need a break'." He repeated.

"You don't mean that." Nicole shook her head.

"Yes, I do." Matt tried.

"No, you don't." Nicole raised her voice, a little. "Wait a minute. Is this because you blame yourself for the car crash?" It was silent. "Oh, Matt." She stood, walking away. Matt stumbled after her.

"Nicole, I just think it's best if we, meaning you, see other people." Matt reasoned. Nicole spun around to face him.

"What do you mean? Why do you think I should see other people? Are you that guilty?" She shouted.

"No." Matt barely mumbled.

"Then what is it?!" Nicole yelled. I flinched. The only time I've heard Nicole really yell, is if she's yelling a cheer.

"I just. . ." He sighed. "I feel like I'm holding you down."

"Holding me down?" Nicole lowered her voice. "By what? Your injury?"

"That. . . And my age." Matt stated.

"Your age?" Nicole raised her eyebrows. "What does that mean?"

"It means, sense I'm sixteen and your thirteen, you should see other guys. And, the fact that I'm injured, means I won't be able to go on cool dates, like you want. Like, bowling or skating" He explained.

"Age doesn't matter, Matt. It never did. Why is this, suddenly, an issue? And, as for the cool dates, you'll be able to do all that stuff when you're all better. I think I can wait a while for that." Nicole said.

". . . Goodbye, Nicole." Matt kissed her forhead, and went upstairs. Before he walked into his room, he looked over to me. I gave him an appologetic look, mixed with a little pitty, and he knew I hered everything. He just walked in his room, slamed the door, and locked it. Nicole stood there, pure shock spread across her face. That's the saddest I've ever seen her, and Matt, in a while.

I went to my room and opened the window.

"Austin?" I called.

"Hey, what's going on?" He stepped out into view.

"I'll explain later. But, can you come over some other time?" I asked. "I'm really sorry." He showed a little suspision, but left, without a word.

Then, the house was filled with silence.