Even The Playing Field | BOOK #1 IN THE PSU SERIES

Three

Naomi Black

Tonight was going to be a good night. For starters, I've been steadily tipsy for the past four hours. I don't know how I haven't collapsed. By the end of the game, the girls and I split up. Natalie and Sloane went to the lion statue. I went to go pee and I'm pretty sure Finn went to say bye to her parents.

Those restrooms seemed like ages away from the stands but they were right next to the locker room. After I went to the restroom I was staring at the huge crowds ahead of me of families smiling, laughing, and hugging high off the first win.

I was so consumed by the happiness it kind of made me sad.

These families look so happy. This is where my dad once stood after a game. His games to be more specific.

My dad was a standout football star and he was the quarterback for Penn State in 1994. After his sophomore year, he got the third overall pick in the NFL Draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers. My dad met the love of his life on the field he said. Her name was Karla, she wasn't my mother.

My dad cheated on Karla with my mother. My mother at the time was a stripper in an Allegheny County club and she baby trapped my dad- or so I've been told. My dad never let me live that one down.

When Karla found out in the media she left my dad and ultimately my dad turned to drugs because Karla was his other half. Granted he did it to himself but still, he was in shambles. The hard drug addiction took over and he was unable to be a parent to me and play football anymore.

My mom had sole custody of me but life wasn't any better there. Different guys coming over every night and she would take money from them. I was the only pregnancy she ever had though.

She died of an overdose when I was seven. Some one night stand laced her meth and I found her.

After that, I moved into my dad's parents' house. Which meant I grew up with the life lessons of old people. Throughout high school, I was known for my last name because my dad was phenomenal at football as the records show. It's very embarrassing though, imagine having your life made for you and you just throw it away.

Of course, Penn State and the girls know who my dad is but other than that I don't like the attention. I see my dad very few times every few years. I wouldn't even call him my dad, Ben. Ben Black. I see Ben Black very few times every few years.

I was in deep thought for so long that I didn't even have time to block myself from the steel door to the football locker room that was swinging open and collided with my body.

Just my luck.

"Ouch," I muttered.

I looked up and saw the one and only quarterback.

I can't believe he just hit me with the fucking door. But at the same time, this is my first close-up look at him and he could hit me with anything and I would say thank you.