A Summer To Remember

Football

Football season was almost over. Our team was good but not good enough to make playoffs and win the championship. We did it my freshman year but only ever got as far as playoffs in the years following. I didn't think I was enough to change the outcome but maybe things would have been different had I still been able to play.

I'd distanced myself from the team after my accident. I didn't want pity or for them to treat me differently so I removed myself from the friend group and practically shunned them from my life. It was a shitty thing to do and when my coach called me out on it one day after school, I realized how dumb it was.

My friends were my friends and I knew they cared about me. It would have been awkward at first with everyone, including myself, trying to understand my disability and my new inability to function as normal. But they would have made me feel like myself again and I hated it took my coach to remind me of that.

So when he invited me to go to the practice and stay for the Friday night game, I couldn't turn him down.

Jade lingered on the sidewalk, not far from where Jake had dropped us off at.

I took her hand in mine, forcing the sleeve of her jacket up to reveal her hand. "Are you nervous?"

She exhaled quickly before speaking. "Well, duh. No one at your school is used to some girl with one arm."

"At least you have legs."

She glanced at the football field in front of us and bit her lip.

"If you don't want to be here, I can call Jake and have him pick you up."

She leaned into my side. "No, I want to stay."

I kissed the top of her head. "Remember, we're dealing with teenage boys. There's going to be a lot of testosterone going around."

"Testosterone or Axe body spray?"

I rolled my eyes. "Come on."

The sound of music came from the stadium before we were even close to the speakers. The guys loved practicing to music to get them 'hyped up.' I never noticed it doing anything for my performance but didn't bother me so I didn't worry about it. But it was a nice reminder of my time on the team.

As we walked onto the track that surrounded the field, a bit of sadness found its way into the front of my brain. I missed the way the soft ground felt under my feet and running from it to the turf-covered field.

Jade squeezed my hand as one of the guys, wearing padding and his uniform, jogged up to us. I thought he was going to run into me but he stopped just before reaching us.

"I never thought you'd come back, dude. We really miss having you out on the field." Kenneth said.

"It's kind of hard playing football when you don't have legs."

He laughed and punched my shoulder. "Doesn't seem to be a problem for you now."

I lifted my pant leg to show him the metal prosthetic I had on. "I'm still working on it."

He glanced at Jade and whistled, causing her to blush. "I don't think I've seen you around here before. I'd remember a girl like you."

"She doesn't go to school here."

"I go to the all-girl school."

He laughed. "Tell me you don't have nuns."

"They cane us if we're bad." She said with a laugh.

I rolled my eyes. "Kenneth, this is Jade. Jade's my girlfriend."

"Dude!" He punched my shoulder again and I pulled my hand from Jade's to rub it.

"Damn. Not so hard next time."

"I never would have expected you to get with someone so hot."

"Dude."

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not being mean."

The whistle blew and he glanced behind him.

"Go. We'll be here after the game."

He started to walk backward after hearing the whistle blow once more. "Don't ghost us again, dude. We like having you around."

I watched him walk away with wide eyes. I didn't expect my friends to care that much about me. My life had changed so much. I wasn't the same person anymore. I was okay with it but I didn't think my friends would be. They wanted the old Dylan, not this new, handicapped version.

Jade squeezed my hand before she started walking, dragging me along behind her. "Come on. I want to watch."

"You're into football?"

She laughed. "Heck no. I just want to sit down. I'm a little cold."

"And you laughed at me for bringing a blanket."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

I followed her up the ramp to the bleachers, reminding her that I couldn't climb steps well in my prosthetics. She picked a bench on the bottom row and we got comfortable under the blanket.

Jade had little interest in the game but she never complained. She was more interested in getting a soft pretzel from the concession stand. Which I thought was pretty funny.

We waited to call Jake until after we hung out with some of the guys. We didn't want to piss him off until we absolutely had to. We just didn't know when we'd be ready to go.

Jade sat patiently while I talked with some of the guys, enjoying my chance at catching up and promising I was going to hang out more. I tried not to take too long since Jade was shivering from the cold. That was one thing I didn't miss about football season.

I leaned against the chain link fence while we waited for Jake to come. She still had the blanket wrapped around her tightly.

"Have fun?" She asked, looking up at me. Her head was rested on my shoulder.

"I'm glad we came."

She squeezed my hand. "Do you think I'd fit in here? I don't really like going to a different school than you and Jake."

"I don't think going to a school with both sexes is a good idea."

"Why?"

"If you start here, you might meet a guy you like better than me."

She sat up and looked at me with wide eyes. "Do you really think I'd do that?"

I shrugged. "It's hard to have a lot to offer when I'm missing so much."

She kissed my cheek before leaning back into my side. "That wouldn't happen. I love you and only you."

I slid my arm around her and pulled her close. "I love you too."

Headlights appeared in front of us and Jake pulled up beside us in mom's car.

She grinned as she straightened. "Jakey's here."

I rolled my eyes. "I really wish you wouldn't call him that."

She slapped my arm as she headed for the car. "Tough."

I shook my head and followed after her. She always got her way. It didn't take any more than two weeks for mom to get her enrolled in my school and for her to start taking classes. Even though I was adamant at first, I loved seeing her more. I couldn't get enough of her.

- - -

The End.