Kickoff for Love (2 page)
Authors: Amelia Whitmore
“Hey girlfriend!” Lindsey exclaimed as she sat down next to me in homeroom.
“Hey! How’s it going?” I asked.
“Fine, fine. How about you? How were all those delicious football players?” She asked, as her eyes took on a faraway look towards the end of the room.
“It was good,” I said vaguely, leaving it wide open for her to ask why. She didn’t disappoint.
“Tell me!” She practically yelled, causing our teacher to give us a funny look.
I laughed and put my hands on her shoulders. “Calm down. It’s really not a big deal,” I said.
She gave me a skeptical look. “Tell me anyway.” She insisted after a moment.
I sighed, thinking of Andy. “So basically, I get there and these guys come up to me. The first guy, Chris was completely your type; surfer hair and all,” I say, knowing that although her boyfriend was completely the opposite. Lindsey was attracted to guys with long blonde hair and dark tans.
“He’s the quarterback and totally friendly. Then there was Mike. He seemed nice, kind of shy, though. Craig has an accent, totally sexy. But later on in the practice, I learned about his wife, Mindy, and their little girl, Nell. So that was a bummer, but I’m happy for him.” I paused to take a breath. Lindsey loved my theatrics, that’s why we were great together. I can be excited about things like this without her thinking I’m a freak.
“Then, I met Andy,” I said. I’m sure my eyes were sparkling just thinking about him. “He’s the team captain and the most attractive guy I’ve ever seen, after Heath Ledger, that is. Seriously Linds, he’s so cute. Then, when I had to play football with them, he refused to tackle me. Instead, he held me in his arms and stared into my eyes!” I gushed.
“Aww,” Lindsey screeched. “That’s so freaking cute!” She said as she pulled me into a hug.
“What’s so freaking cute?” I heard as Bryan slid into a seat behind our table, kissing Lindsey as he sat down.
Bryan is Lindsey’s boyfriend and was basically a package deal with her. Bryan’s best friend Paul is Lindsey’s twin and polar opposite.
Paul was possibly the biggest jerk I’d ever met. He was egotistical, arrogant, and rude. He thought the world revolved around him. He also happened to be a complete and total pervert and proved so very often by staring at my breasts or legs. It was even worse when I slept over at Lindsey’s house because he’d always find a reason to be around me.
Paul asked as he sat down on my desk, “Yeah, were you girls talking about me?” I scoffed.
“Definitely not,” I said seriously.
He smirked as he leaned forwards and rested his hand on my lap. “Aww babe, you don’t need to pretend anymore. I know you want me” he said as his hand moved higher.
“First of all, who’s pretending? Second of all, get your hand off of me in three seconds or I’m going to make sure you never make children.” I warned and counted to three. When his hand moved closer to my crotch, I grabbed it, stood up and yanked his body from my desk before planting my knee straight into his groin. He crumbled to the floor.
“Miss Hovey, principal’s office, now.” The teacher ordered.
“But I warned him.” I said, throwing my hands up.
“We take sexual harassment very seriously at this school. Go.” She ordered.
“Yeah, so do I; serious enough to kick them in the balls!” I snapped as I stormed out of the door. I was so pissed, I was seeing red.
I plopped down in the front office with my arms crossed and a scowl on my face. The principal called me in. “I like to give students one chance to explain themselves before expulsion. Please begin.” I rolled my eyes. This was not a formal court hearing, contrary to his belief.
“I don’t just go around kicking people in the testicles, Mr. Hutcher. Paul had his hand on my leg. I even warned him what I would do. When he didn’t move, I kicked him. I understand that I probably over reacted, but I simply don’t appreciate being touched after I say no,” I defended.
He rubbed his hand over his face and pressed the button that connected him to his secretary. “Bring me Paul West please.”
We sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes before the door opened and Paul strode in. Mr. Hutcher motioned, “have a seat and please tell me your side of the story.”
I was almost shocked when Paul told the truth. I’d expected him to lie.
“Alright,” our principal said after a moment of thought. “You’re both suspended for the remainder of the day, and you’re going to write apology letters to one another. Am I clear?” He asked.
We both nodded.
“Mr. West, you’re free to leave. However, Miss Hovey, as you’re only seventeen I need to contact your parent or guardian.”
A wave of dread whipped itself over me as I realized I’d have to tell my Dad. I nodded then said softly, “you’ll need to contact my father. My mother lives in Oklahoma and my stepmother is at home with her babies,” I explained. Mr. Hutcher nodded and called Dad. I could practically feel the disappointment, and he was only on the phone.
Coach’s phone rang during practice. It never did that, so I wasn’t surprised when he answered it.
When he hung up, his face was hard to read. “I’ve gotta go get Ashley. She’s got herself into trouble.” He announced, before explaining to the other coaches something about suspension and harassment. I couldn’t believe my ears. The sweet girl I met yesterday got suspended for harassment? I guess you really can’t judge a book by its cover. I thought, shaking my head in disappointment.
About half an hour later, our practice was disturbed by Coach and Ashley walking in. “Dad, just hear me out,” Ashley pleaded.
“Not now. I raised you better than to act like this,” he said.
She stopped in the middle of the field. Tears could be seen in her eyes and her voice cracked as she spoke. “You’re right. The weekends you chose to take me; you did teach me better than this. You taught me to face my issues head on; to never say ‘not now’. You taught me to give people a chance to explain. Most of all, you taught me never let a guy take advantage of me, or make me feel uncomfortable.” By the time she was done, tears were streaming down her face. I hated seeing her cry, but I was intrigued by what she said.
“What?” Coach asked quietly, with a confused face.
“If you would have given me a chance to explain,” she paused and looked at all of us. Her eyes stayed on me longer than they did on anybody else. Her voice was softer when she spoke the rest, but I was close enough to still hear her.
“The guy that I ‘sexually harassed’ only got kicked there because his hand kept moving higher and higher on my leg. I warned him, and counted to three. When he only moved it higher, I kicked him in the balls.” She wiped her tears away again.
I glanced at some of the other guys. They all had a mixture of uncomfortable and angry looks on their faces. No girl should be dealing with that, but it felt wrong to be listening in on their conversation.
“Honey, I... I just…,” Coach rubbed the back of his head.
“You just didn’t listen, and that’s fine. I just won’t be put down for this Dad. You can’t make me feel any worse about how I handled this than I already do. It was immature and I shouldn’t need to injure people to get my point across.” She ran a hand through her hair and closed her eyes, sighing.
“I’m just going to go out to the truck. See you in a bit.” Although I’d only known her for a day, I knew that the forlorn expression on her face was a seldom appearance.
Coach just watched her walk away. After all the times my sister and the few girlfriends I’d had, had walked away from me looking like that; I knew what I needed to do.
I started jogging towards her.
“Richmond, get back here,” Coach yelled.
“I’ll take the extra killers Coach, I gotta do this,” I yelled back to him as I got to the exit. Ashley heard the clicking of my cleats and turned around.
“What are you doing?” She asked in surprise.
“I need to know that you’re okay,” I said, falling into step beside her. She broke eye contact and looked away.
“I’m fine,” She murmured.
“No, you’re not,” I told her.
“You’re right, I’m not. But I will be.” She gave me a reassuring smile; as though I was the one who needed comforting.
“You don’t need to be strong right now,” I said softly.
“I always need to be strong. I just don’t know how well it’s going for me right now.” She said softly.
“What do you mean by that?” I asked.
She paused, thinking for a moment. “I guess that I mean I’ll always be strong for the people around me, either mentally or physically. I just don’t know if it’s working out in my favor anymore. I just got suspended for a day and my father didn’t even ask why. It’s as though he somehow expected this to happen someday.” She paused for a moment.
“Maybe the strength that I want to show mentally is being shadowed by physicality?” She shook her head and waved her hand. “Never mind, I’m just rambling now.” The smile on her face was fake I could’ve told you from a mile away.
“No, you’re not rambling. You’re processing and sometimes everybody needs somebody to talk to.” I told her softly.
“I have plenty of people to talk to,” She murmured.
“Yes, but can you actually tell them anything?” I asked quickly. She stayed silent. “I thought so. Listen Ashley, sometimes all we need in the world is for somebody to listen to us when we say things; to know that we’re not alone in a crowd even though it feels like it.” I told her, lightly rubbing her shoulder with my left hand.
She nodded, and then smirked playfully. “You’re pretty wise for a football player.”
I smiled. “Yeah well, you’re pretty girly for somebody who plays football as well as you do.”
She scoffed and looked down at herself. She was wearing a pair of basketball shorts, a ‘Cal Poly University Mustangs’ gray hoodie and black flip flops. Her hair was flowing freely and the only makeup she was wearing was some mascara. I’d never seen anybody more beautiful.
“Right, because I’m just the belle of the ball right now.” She said sarcastically.
“I like the way you look.” I told her, trying to be as nonchalant as possible.
The blush that grew on her face was adorable.
“You realize my father’s going to make your life a living hell tomorrow for coming after me, right?” She asked.
“Yeah, but my sisters have always been dramatic and taught me at a young age to go after a distraught girl.” I chuckled, but the smile on her face all but disappeared. “Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked, immediately concerned.
She gave me another fake smile and said, “Oh, it’s nothing. You should probably get back in there.” She waved me back towards the field doors. “I’ll see you tomorrow or something.” She called out as she practically ran away.
The rejection I felt cut like a knife. The only thing I could do was make a lonely walk back to the field, preparing for any punishment Coach might deal out.
‘No wonder he followed me, I remind him of his sister. He thinks I’m being dramatic.’ I thought bitterly to myself. I really should have known, though. I mean, he’s the captain of a college football team. Why would he waste his time with a senior in high school, one who just got suspended for the day for sexual harassment?
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a runner. Not in the physical motion way, but in the 'I prefer to leave all of my problems behind me by pretending that they’re not there' kind of way.
I was at home later that same evening putting the finishing touches on my apology letter. I thought that my letter was impressive. I just doubt that Mr. Hutcher or Paul will agree.
I heard my phone start singing Teenage Dream by Katy Perry; Lindsey’s tone.
Me: “Hello?”
Her: “I’m so sorry about my obnoxious twit.”
Me: “Calm down. I’m fine.”
Her: “I can’t ‘calm down. He crossed the line today. He’s gotta go down.”
Me: “He already went down, remember? I kicked him in the balls hard enough to bring him to his knees.”
Her: “Come on, even you know that doesn’t make you even. What’s wrong with you? You sound so down Hun. Usually, you’d be all over this with me.”
Me: “I’m just kind of bummed, but I can tell you about that tomorrow. You wanna hear what I’m writing in my letter to your brother?”
Her: “Um, YEAH!”
Me: “Okay, here it is.”
Paul,
I apologize for kicking you and saying that I hope you never have children. However, I can’t say that I’m sorry for any part of it. I would gladly face expulsion again if it meant that you would stop being such a douche. Actually, now my well thought out letter is becoming trashy, and that wasn’t my intention. I hope that if anything, you get from this that I’m in no way sorry about what I did. I’m only embarrassed about how I conducted myself and for that, you deserve my apology.
Ashley