This Obsession of Mine (Raine Series #5) (7 page)

Joey

I knew I was goin’ to be late my first day of practice. It wasn’t as though I planned it that way, but for some reason or another, I always found a way to be late my first day of, well…everything. I was late the first day of third grade, which I guess I could argue wasn’t entirely my fault. No, yeah I would like to blame Glenn for that one, so scratch that one off the list. It was, however, most definitely
my
fault for being late the first day of my first job though. Yeah, that one I’ll take complete credit for, and her name was Sarah. Sarah was well worth being late for that day. Of course I almost got fired my first day, but luckily the manager was some sort of sick pervert who actually winked at me and nudged my arm when I explained to him that I was “busy” with her when I realized what time it was. Mind you I was only fifteen, so it was most definitely creepy on his end.

But today, today I didn’t want to be late. I wanted to be early, and as hard as I tried, unfortunately it just didn’t work out that way. So now here I was, runnin’ across campus, tryin’ to get to the locker rooms before I got my proverbial ass chewed by my new coach. As I passed by the large fountain in the middle of the courtyard, I felt my shoulder connect with a beautiful girl who looked exactly like,
Diem
? I quickly turned around to see if she was okay, but she had fallen into another guy’s arms, and she looked quite happy to be in those arms. That’s when I realized my mind was playin’ tricks on me, and there was no way that was really Diem. So I turned and continued to haul ass towards the locker rooms.

When I
finally
came barrelin’ into what I assumed was the coach’s office, I was completely out of breath and ready to fall on the floor to die.

“Well look who finally decided to grace us with his presence. Nice of you to finally show up, Mr. Green.” Coach Reed seemed pissed, and rightfully so.

“I’m so sorry, Coach. Woke up late, hit a pretty girl, almost fell, and more running.” I was still breathing heavily, but he didn’t seem to care.

“Mr. Green, now you know it’s not nice to hit pretty girls, but I like that you tell the truth. Get to your locker and get changed. Be on the field in ten or you’ll be back in that one horse town quarterbacking for some shit league, wondering where your life went wrong. Got it?”

“Yes, sir. I mean yes, Coach.”

Without another word he was on his way out of his office, and I was stuck in the locker room all alone tryin’ to figure out where in the hell my locker was. “Son of a bitch!” I slammed fist against a random locker, and let out a loud audible sigh. Leave it up to me to ruin every good thing that comes across my path. I swear, one day I was goin’ to do
something
right.

“Hey, sorry to interrupt your little punching session or whatever it is you’re doing, but your punching
my
locker. Yours is around the other side, number fifty-five.”

“Thank, man. I’m Joey Green, but everyone just calls me Jo.” I held out my hand for him to take it, but he just slapped it away and pushed me to the side.

“Wish I could say it’s nice to meet you,
Jo
. But unfortunately, your taking my spot on this team, so it’s very
unfortunate
to meet you. I’m pretty sure you’re down to five minutes now.” He smirked. “Just keep making it easier for me to get my spot back.” He laughed as he ran backwards out of the locker room with a menacing look on his face.

Man, I was just makin’ friends left and right around this place. As I strode out onto the practice field where everyone was apparently waitin’ for
me
, I couldn’t help but feel completely out of place, and hated by every single member of the team. I hustled over to where I assumed I should be standin’ and waited for Coach Reed to do his thing.

“Alright everyone, let’s start out today with a little hello to our new quarterback, Mr. Joey Green.” The sarcasm and disdain dripping from his every word wasn’t lost on me, but I just let it go. “Mr. Green is going to be taking over for Mr. Thompson for a while.” A combined moan rolled through the crowd, “I know, I know, but we are a team. We treat each other as equals, and I don’t want to hear of any ill will or pranks headed Mr. Green’s way because of this. This was not his call, and therefore should not be punished for it. I know how you all work.” He pointed out across the crowd. “Now, whether you are upset or not, we still have a season to play, so I’m going to need each and every one of you playing at your best. I don’t want any excuses, any lies, and I definitely don’t want any tardiness. Understood?” Everyone nodded in agreement, and surprisingly not one dirty look was thrown my way. “Offense you’re going to be downfield with Coach Stern, defense, you’re gonna be up field with me and Coach Dennis. All right, what are you all doing just standing around? Let’s play!”

As much as I hated to admit it, Coach Reed seemed like a pretty awesome coach, and I was most definitely looking forward to playin’ for him. I wish I could say the thought was mutual, but I wasn’t quite sure just how he felt about me yet. Either way, I had to keep my head in the game and on the prize. I was here for one reason and one reason only, to get drafted in the NFL and hopefully get to play for the Niners one day, and I would do best not to forget that fact again.

Practice went about as well as I thought it would. For being a quarterback who rarely if ever gets hit, there was an extra bit of contact goin’ on today. I hadn’t felt this sore since I first started peewee league back when I was eight. It was amazing how college aged boys could act like tiny whiny girls when things didn’t exactly go their way. It’s not like I purposefully came here to take stupid
Thompson’s
place, I came to get a better education and do exactly what he was setting out to do, make it in the NFL. Hopefully come springtime, I would be out of his hair and he would never have to hear from me again.

I thought about takin’ a shower here, but by the time I made my way back to the locker room, I honestly just didn’t feel like dealin’ with anymore shit from the big bunch of babies huddlin’ around the lockers. I quickly changed into my street clothes, and started makin’ my way out to the parking lot. Thank god it was already Wednesday, because I wasn’t quite sure how much longer I could take being around all these pansy asses before takin’ out my aggression on the other team. And trust me when I say, I have an extreme amount of aggression.

“Hey, Green. You too good to shower with the likes of us?”

Just the sound of his voice made me want to haul off and punch anything I possibly could, him included. “Ha ha. I’ve got somewhere to be, that’s all.” As much as I wished he would just walk away, I had a distinct feelin’ that he was about to follow me all the way home if he could. I slid my key into the truck door, and silently prayed that this dickhead didn’t start somethin’ that I knew I couldn’t finish if I wanted to keep my spot on the team. And then it dawned on me.

“Come on Green, why are you
really
here? You came all the way from Texas to accomplish what? You really think your dumbass is gonna get called up in the draft? Ha!”

“You know, Thompson, I’ve dealt with guys like you my entire life playin’ this sport. You think you’re better than everyone else because what, your daddy has a lot of money? Oh wait, because you have to prove that you can actually do somethin’ physical, because your brain just ain’t smart enough?” I made sure to put a hillbilly twang on every last word I spoke, because I knew deep down, that’s exactly what he thought of me.

Thompson came runnin’ at me, pushin’ me up against the rusty metal door on my truck. “Stay out of my way,
Green
. You can only fake who you are for so long. Not everybody is going to buy into the whole, nice southern gentlemen act for too long. I know who you are deep down, and you’re no better than the rest of those white trash hillbillies that you call family.”

I closed my eyes tightly shut, and took in a deep breath as I convinced myself to play it cool. “It is what it is, Thompson. I’m not gonna fight you, even though I know that’s exactly what you want me to do. Do you really think I’m dumb enough to fight you, and get kicked off the team? I have fought far too long and far too hard to get where I am, and I’m not gonna let some insecure piece of shit like you ruin it for me. Guess we’ll just have to see who the better man is.” I placed my hands on his chest and gave him a gentle shove, “Now get off of me.”

I jumped into the cab of my truck, and started the engine. I glanced out my window to see him standin’ there, deep in thought as I pulled away. I wasn’t sure what his end game was when it came to me, but my future meant far more to me than the satisfaction of knowin’ that I kicked his ass. As I made my way through the winding parking lot, I found myself thinkin’ back on all the good times I had playin’ ball in middle school and high school. I was one of
those
guys, the ones that made football their entire life, and never took the time to actually
get
a life. Sure I had dated my fair share of girls, but nothin’ ever stuck, and I was finally starting to realize why. Without football, there was no way I could make anything else work in my life.

Diem’s beautiful face flashed through my mind as I drove around thinkin’ about all the girls I could’ve settled down with. Unfortunately, none of them were her, and now that I’d met her, I knew there was nobody else out there for me, and if I couldn’t have her, well, then I didn’t want anyone. I thought back to earlier today when I ran into that poor girl, and I started to feel like an even bigger ass for not stoppin’ long enough to apologize. I could’ve sworn it was Diem, and on any other day, I probably would’ve stopped to see if it was, but football had consumed me, and I was obsessed. Obsessed with bein’ the best, bein’ the first one there and the last one to leave, and making sure everyone else knew I was the best as well. It was pathetic, I know, but sometimes you don’t get to choose your obsession. I sure as hell didn’t get to pick mine.

The next few days went by at a glacial pace, and I was literally countin’ them down until game day. Knowin’ that I needed to prove myself to my new coach, my new team, and to all the scouts that were most likely going to show up was almost more pressure than I could take. I was really startin’ to feel the pressure, and that’s when I decided to call the one person in my life that could always talk me off the ledge. I wasn’t sure if she would answer my call, but I kept my fingers crossed as the phone began to ring.

“Joey?”

“Oh my god, I’m so glad you answered.” I let out a sigh of relief.

“Of course I answered. Why wouldn’t I?”

“I don’t know. I know you’ve got a life, and you’re busy and all that good stuff. I’m not botherin’ ya, am I?” I held my breath as I waited for her answer.

“Of course you’re not bothering me. What’s going on, Jo?”

“I don’t know, Kayla.”

“Wow, I haven’t gotten a
Kayla
from you in forever. Must be something serious. Give me one second, I’m going to make sure Madison can keep an eye on Mia for me while we talk. Just give me one second.”

“K.” I sat there tapping my fingers against the steerin’ wheel, nervous as all hell to even talk about my feelings, let alone talk about them with Kayla of all people.

“Okay, sorry. Let me just go out on the porch.”

“Drink a glass of wine for me too.” I laughed.

“Ah, you know me all too well, Joey Green. So what’s up?”

“I’m just havin’ a rough go at it so far. I came out here chasin’ a dream, and I know it’s only been a week, but I feel like I’m already failin’ at that dream. Honestly, I just want what all of y’all have. You, Glenn, Madi, Cami, y’all found what you wanted in life, and actually got to keep it. It would be awesome if I just had someone to come home to. Someone that would support me no matter what, and loved me for me, flaws and all. Sounds cheese, I know.”

“Oh Jo, it’s not like we all didn’t have to fight to get there. Look at what your brother and Cam have been through. Those two have more heart and strength than I have ever seen. It just takes finding the right person, for you. Even Madison and Me had a hell of a time. It’s not normal to have to go through the things that we’ve all gone through, and especially not at this age. You’re only twenty, Jo. You’ve got plenty of time to achieve your dream
and
find
the one
.”

“That’s the thing though, KJ. I’ve
already
found
the one
. I just can’t have her, and that’s what is killin’ me.” And then suddenly I remembered that I had yet to tell her about my
one
.