I didn't go to the game that night, not in uniform as Coach Craig had insisted, and not to sit in the stands to show support. We lost. Our winning streak since the start of the season broken by the first loss. I was never going to live that one down. Wouldn't putting that on me give me far too much credit and power? I would think even Coach Craig would want to avoid that as much as any of the players with any self-pride in their own ability. I took it as Murphey's Law.

That, or the team Bullard promised to be this year with zero losses of their own simply meant it wasn't hype, and the best team won. I couldn't consider the obvious fact that if I had just played one more game, I might have given them a victory tonight. Sure, and I could have also ended up benched with an injury that would take me out of track.

I couldn't think like that. It wasn't how the fork in the road worked. A decision had been made and I had made it. I didn't even tell my dad how poorly Coach Craig had reacted. Even with his threat to call my dad. He knew nothing of my father and that we didn't play those bull shit games. My dad set me up for the kind of success he wanted for me, but he always left decisions like that to me.

It was a rare thing, and the opposite of what he grew up with. My grandfather was far more pretentious than this town and had his hand in everything my dad did. I was way too grateful for my dad's respect and the way he treated me than to tell him how hard coach made it for me. All because he was a neanderthal and Principal Sabella neutral but still hoping I'd change my mind and play.

Thank God I had the weekend to give Coach Craig to cool off. It would have sucked to see him the very next day at athletics. It was late Sunday night. I had a full weekend with family stuff, and it wasn't until I noticed the headlights from Lynn's dad's car pulling up their drive next door that I realized I hadn't talked to Lynn all weekend. She lived next door, and I could always see whether she was home or not from my bedroom window.

I felt bad, I know she had called to check on me multiple times. Reagan had even called, once or twice, so it must have been an intense display for them to be so concerned. What an idiot that guy. Some fucking coach. Lynn knew I was going to quit before last week's game, she was the first person I told after my dad. Still, it was weird that we hadn't talked about what went down with Coach Craig, and that the last time I saw Reagan and her was when they stood there in those ridiculous outfits watching the scene. Oh. Yeah... those outfits. Shit. Jesus!

Was I so self-absorbed with no longer being a part of football that I forgot that happened? What did happen exactly? Nothing, right? She didn't even notice probably. I hit the lights and turned off the late-night TV. The reruns of Cheers always allowed me to clock how late it was. I had it muted in the background while I caught up on homework like most nights.

I tried to replay that moment in the office as I hit the sac. I went over and over what exactly happened while coach thought he was ripping me a new one. I saw her face in my mind as I turned toward her just after, and as I remembered where my hand was on her waist and how close I stood above her... I had an unexpected physical reaction to the replay. No way! It couldn't have been as significant as all that.

I'm sure I was just trying to make sure she didn't get trampled by the fire breathing coach.

July?

And it was July's face in that ridiculously tight, shiny blue uniform that I saw all night as I tossed and turned into Monday morning. Whatever. I'm sure I was subconsciously looking for any distraction to keep my mind off the team and the coach and the shit talk I would get from quitting them.

As I headed down the hallway after first period, I saw Reagan, Lynn, and July walking toward me. July peeled off into a classroom without making eye contact. I don't think she saw me, but Reagan and Lynn picked up the pace to ran smack into me.

"Oh, my God! Oh, my God! What the entire fuck! What happened in there?"

Reagan demanded. Lynn stood beside me with less enthusiasm but had a curious expression on her face.

"Look. We do everything they ask of us, when it's humanly impossible sometimes. If they truly want us to get the memo about excelling, if that's what all this is for... our futures, then I'm responding the way I should. It's time to strea—"

"Streamline and get your ducks in a row for college." Lynn interrupted, mocking. "I have to be straight with you and tell you, not that I'm on his side for his behavior, but did you really expect Coach Craig to wrap his brain around that on game day with Bullard? You know you could have done it the Monday before even... but on game day?" Lynn's point was valid, she was ever the voice of reason.

"That was a dumb ass move on your part. But, he probably didn't have any other opportunity Lynn."

"Thank you, Reagan. Always on my side, no matter how backhanded it may be to get there." I'd known these two my entire stint at Pure Pines, and our AP classes had pushed the three of us closer together since the eighth grade. Most guys I knew spent their high school career trying to figure out what girls thought or what made them tick... I couldn't get away from being told exactly what was on the minds of these two. It was a blessing and a curse.

The three of us as individuals had our own status, but it didn't hurt being grouped together as often as we were. They were both gorgeous and although the extent of our friendship had resulted in them being off limits to me romantically... I could never think of them that way, especially Lynn. She was basically my best friend. When our parents thought of us home alone together, they imagined us in a sandbox in diapers. Still, it was nice to see cream of the crop upper classmen and underclassmen alike salivate when they saw them flock toward me in the hallway.

"Are the guys upset?" Lynn pressed on.

"Honestly, no. I mean, I don't think they are allowing me the satisfaction of their disappointment, if you get my drift." Lynn patted me on the back.

"It's a long way away 'til track season... But they'll forgive you by then."

I smiled a half smile. Lynn's sarcasm was more factual than she knew. I was embarrassed to admit that I was literally going to have to count on that.

"Absolutely! Once you take 'em to state in track it'll all be bygones." Reagan was motivating when she wanted to be. You just had to catch her when she meant it. "They're not mad that you left them. They are pissed because you're exposing they weren't' good enough to make it to state in football regardless. If Bullard hadn't of beat us this last Friday night, they would have beat us the Friday after that or so on."

"Alright, enough." I said flattered. "Keep your voices down, or they'll have you for high treason, and we'll all be back in that office again."

Lynn looked up at me a little too quickly on "back in that office..." The curious look back on her face. I wanted to ask when they would see July again today or say something lame like... Is that July I saw walking with you earlier? I had to pipe down. No need for them to be privy to the dreams I had all last night. Lynn already looked suspicious or as if she saw me grab July. Why don't I just give myself away and hand it to them on a silver platter? This is stress and the whole football thing. That's what's happening here.

I'll admit there was something about July that did it for me to a certain degree in her JV cheerleading uniform, but for a girl that really wasn't my physical type, even I had to consider I was acting strange. I liked blondes mostly. Dirty, platinum, didn't matter. I had an affinity for all shades of that category. Well, and that one bombshell brunette, dark hair, dark eyes, that's so elegant they could drown out a sea of blondes, but that's rare to find.

I was also... dare I say a leg guy? I liked them tallish, with a slim build. Not too tall. 5'5" to 5'8," was good. Just tall enough to have that physique. I wasn't really into short and curvy or short and cute. July was, well, I... I stood in the hallway staring after the bell rang. I didn't even remember saying bye to Lynn and Reagan or anyone else I passed moments before.

She was not quite her full height yet, I suspected and... the kind of girl that you were curious about, as in waiting to see what turned out or was underneath, but there was something there. The hidden not yet obvious part made her seem innocent, almost, even though she had a bite to her and could go head-to-head with anyone. Trust me, I'd seen her in debate.

It was honest to say I didn't know what sparked this sudden fascination or odd behavior over July, but it wasn't the first time I had been a little more than curious about her. Let's just say this had been the first time in a while it came back up.