A few of us snickered while Grady flipped me off behind his helmet.
“Any questions?”
“No, Sir.”
“Good. Don’t forget we have Miss Raine’s unveiling too. I want you to remember to show her some respect. She’s worked tirelessly on this project and I think I speak for the whole team when I say I’m excited to see what’s she’s created.”
My eyes went to Cam who had a goofy grin painted on his face. He was so gone over my step-sister it left a sour taste on my tongue.
“It’s just nearest and dearest Friday. Right, Coach?” I don’t know why I asked the question, and I instantly wanted to take it back when all eyes landed on me. Asher was smirking but Cam looked worried. I hadn’t told them about earlier with Felicity, but they knew something had happened because I’d been a dick during practice, taking my frustrations out on my teammates.
“Something you want to tell us, Jase?” Coach asked with a hint of amusement.
“Nah,” I kept my voice even. “Just wanted to make sure we weren’t inviting the entire class.”
“Rest assured it’ll be intimate, Son. The team, close family… girlfriends,” he scoffed at that, “and the cheer squad.”
A rumble of appreciation echoed around the field.
“Best behavior, remember?” Coach shot us a bemused look. “Okay, get out of here. Jase, a word please.”
I hung around, waiting, while my teammates headed for the showers. “What’s up, Coach?”
“All set for tomorrow?”
“Sure thing.” I ran a hand over my damp hair and down the back of my neck.
“I just wanted you to be aware. Principal Finnigan has asked your father to give a speech at the presentation.”
My spine stiffened. “I see.”
“Now, I know the two of you haven’t always seen eye to eye, but he’s your father Jason, and the town consider him to be—”
“A local hero.” As if I needed any more of a reminder.
“It’s out of my hands but I wanted to give you a heads up.”
“Thanks,” I grumbled.
“Piece of advice, Son. It’s important to know where you came from, but you don’t have to let it define you. You’ve earned this, Jason, and when we’re crowned State champs, you can rest easy knowing you made it happen. Not your father or his legacy. Football might be in your blood, but you have a rare gift that’s all yours, Son. Own it.”
“Thanks, Coach.” I barely got the words out over the lump in my throat.
He gave me a small nod. “Now get in there with the rest of them.”
As I walked off field, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to be normal. To walk out tomorrow with my family, a girlfriend maybe. People who loved me unconditionally, not because of who I was and where I was going, but for the person behind the jersey.
The person behind Rixon’s golden boy of football.
I couldn’t even remember the person I was before. Before Varsity football, and state records; before being scouted by some of the best colleges in the country. Most people spent their whole lives chasing their dreams, trying to turn fantasy into reality. Yet, here I was, barely eighteen, with the whole world at my feet. My dreams were right there for the taking. It should have been the best fucking time of my life and it had been until recently. Until I started to care. But I couldn’t afford to care. I couldn’t afford to open myself up to distractions. To make myself vulnerable. Not now. Not when I was so close.
Later that evening, I found myself in the last place I wanted to be: riding with Hailee in awkward as fuck silence. She didn’t mention Felicity and I didn’t ask. I figured her lack of third degree meant Felicity was keeping secrets from her best friend, which suited me just fine.
“Thanks for helping me do this,” she finally said as we pulled up outside the side entrance to the Arts Department.
“Yeah, well, Coach gave me no choice.” I dragged a hand down my face.
“I see.” Her expression hardened. “I just thought... It doesn’t matter, come on.” Hailee climbed out of my car and I let out a heavy sigh, thumping the wheel. It wasn’t supposed to sound so bitter, but it was too late now. Reluctantly, I shouldered the door and followed Hailee into the building.
“So there are nine portraits in total,” she said without looking at me. “Each one has been wrapped for transportation and Coach and Mr. Jalin already took the display equipment over to his house.
“Got it.” The Arts Studio wasn’t a part of school I was familiar with, but Hailee seemed completely at ease as she guided us through the network of adjoining rooms. The air was thick with the smell of paint and cleaning fluid.
“It takes some getting used to.”
Silence settled between us. But it felt suffocating.
“So art, huh? Cameron says you’re pretty good.”
“I hope so since it would be kind of embarrassing if Coach unveils the portraits and they resemble children’s artwork.” Her lips curved slightly, and I found myself smiling back.
“I guess it was a dumb question.”
“Not dumb,” she gave me a half-smile. “I know this is weird for you, Jason. Me being a part of your life. But it would make things a lot easier if we could at least try to get along?”
“It’d really piss our parents off.” I smirked. But Hailee’s smile was gone. “You want to forgive her?”
“I don’t want to forgive her, no, but I don’t know how much longer I can freeze her out. It’s senior year. I leave for college next year.” Sadness edged into her expression.
“So, what? They get a free pass just because we’re flying the nest?”
“Jason,” Hailee pinched the bridge of her nose. “Don’t you find it exhausting all the time?” When I looked at her with a blank expression, she added, “Holding onto so much hate and bitterness?”
“I don’t hate everything.”
She gave me a pointed look and I felt my jaw clench. “You don’t know what it’s like to never know someone’s motives, to not know who you can trust,” I said. “People think it’s so easy being the hotshot football player, but do you know how old I was when scouts first started approaching me?”
“Thirteen?”
“Eleven. I was in sixth grade. While most kids were playing king of the hill and capture the flag, I was running drills and working with my dad on conditioning programs.” Because there was no other path for me. I was going to fulfill his dream whether I liked it or not.
“I had no idea—”
“It doesn’t matter.” I shrugged dismissively, kicking the floor with my sneaker. “By the time you arrived in Rixon, I’d caught the eye of four Division One teams. Four. People started taking notice. Suddenly my life wasn’t my own; it was my old man’s, my football coach’s, even the town’s. When all I wanted was to play football.”
I always loved the game, that was never the issue. But I hadn’t realized back then, that one day, it would mean shouldering the expectation of an entire town.
A flicker of sympathy passed over Hailee’s face.