If You Could See Me

26

"It's going to be okay"

"I'm not so sure" I tell Christen as we lay on the couch. She got the call, and so did Julie. So far everyones going, and I'm yet to find out. Christen lays her head on my chest, she cuddles closer to me. It's been 7 hours since they got the call. I know I'm not making it.

Julie walks over to me and kisses my temple "I hate when you bring yourself down. Your going to be on it"

Christen's phone dings, and I get out of the cuddle to go into my room. It hasn't been a good day for me, I want to have alone time. I close the door behind me, I know Chris and JJ are here for me but they wouldn't understand. I walk to my closet and pull out the most very special jersey. Martin #10, my dads jersey for Real Madrid. The jersey he wore for his first game.

Flashback

I'm dribbling the ball around cones, back and forth on our front porch. Cars passing by, one by one. When I hear a car approach I look up to see it,  hoping it's my dad. I do 6 more laps around the cone, I run from the block back 4 times. Lungs are burning, sweat soaking my shirt. I squat and look up to catch my breath, someone honks causing me to look into the direction a came from.

"Hey Champion, ever catch a break?" I shake my head. They come out of the car with a box in their hands.

"It's your birthday! And I brought you cake" my dad tells me with a grin waving around a box of ice cream cake. I run to my dad, jumping into his arms, luckily not dropping the cake. He holds me with his one arm. When I pull away, he ruffles my hair.

"What am I going to do with you kid" he chuckles, we walk inside the house. My mom coming out of the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron. She kisses my dad, and hugs him. I smile at them, that's what I want. Someone to come home too, who's always happy to see me no matter how many days and years we're with each other. These two human beings taught me what love means, and how to love. I've never had a broken heart, and I'm sad some girls say their first heartbreak was their dad. David Martin taught me, how a real man should treat you and respect you. It's weird to say that my first date, was my dad. He took me out to dinner, and he talked to me about how a man should treat you. He held the door for me, tucked the chair in for me. He showed me what to expect from a good guy or a bad date.

"Make a wish honey" my mom tells me cheerily as she records me. I stare into the burning flames of the candles, I take a deep breath. I wish 10 years from now, I'll be the best soccer player in the world. My dad pulls out a blue box from under the table, he happily hands it to me.

"Did you wrap this?" I ask him

"Yes.. well I tried" he chuckles, the wrapping was a mess. He had tape all over it and the ends were sticking out. It's my dad efforts that counts. Finally ripping through and opening the box. Christiano Ronaldo Manchester United jersey. I run to hug my dad. He knows me well. I'm not like most girls who ask for girl things, I don't ask for nail polish or a new set of color pencils or crayons. My dad encourages me in anyway he can, my favourite player. He knows.

End of Flashback

I'm thrown out of my thoughts to my phone ringing. Jill's name flashing on the screen, I take a deep breath. I pick it up and answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey Blaise, how are you?"

"Fantastic, what about you?"

"Oh good! I'm doing wonderful. I called to give you some news"

All I hear is my heart beating fast, everything else is quiet. Jill's voice is muffled over the sound of my heart beating. Come on Blaise, calm down. Focus. After a good second, I don't hear jill anymore.

"I'm sorry what?" I ask her

"You made it" she repeats. My heart dropped, and my eyes water up, and cover my mouth with my hand. We bid goodbye, and I sit there. Crying tears of joy, I did it. I made the roster, man I don't even know who to tell.

I stare at my dads Jersey in the glass frame. I brush my hand on the glass.

"We did it" I whisper to myself, and I cry harder.

Random song, because even though it sounds like a happy beat song. It isn't.

Said you'd follow me anywhere
But your eyes
Tell me you won't be there

I got to learn how to love without you
I got to carry my cross without you

-Avicci