Page 51 of Pretty Broken Things

“A new chapter. I love it. I need one of those,” Tracy says, and I couldn’t agree more.

ChapterTwenty-Three

Ford

Four Months Later

I lookout at the football field at Playa Pacifica Community College with a mixture of disappointment and relief. The turf is pretty well maintained for a community college, but this is a far cry from where I saw my life heading almost a year ago. Then I had the strong possibility of a scholarship to UCLA, a home, and the woman I loved in my arms. All of that disappeared in a matter of hours.

An older man strolls across the fifty-yard line at a casual pace. When he gets to me he holds out his hand. “You must be Ford,” he says as we shake.

“Yes, sir. I had a message from my old coach, Jake Greer, to come see you today.”

Coach Wally Nelson, the Head Coach of Playa Pacifica Community College Sharks, takes his time sizing me up. “Well, he certainly described your size accurately. And you’ve healed from the physical trauma you suffered last fall?”

I nod. “Yes, sir. I’m really thankful for a chance to get back on the field.”

He holds up his hand. “Now, son, let’s slow down. I need you to be cleared by the team medical staff. Go on inside the facility and ask for Carmen, she’s one of our trainers. If she signs off on you, then welcome to the Sharks.”

I scratch my hand through my hair. “That’s it? You don’t need me to try out?”

He chuckles. “You weren’t aware that there was a competition between several universities to get you to come to their school, were you? Coach Greer made sure only the best programs approached you. I’m mighty sorry to hear that you lost your chance to go to UCLA, but you play like he said you can, and we’ll get you to a D1 university still.”

“Thank you, sir,” I say quietly, struggling to accept what he’s offering.

Coach Wally looks me square in the face. “Listen, I know what it’s like where you grew up. I come from a place pretty similar back east. I hear the gratitude in your voice, but knock that shit off. You are going to earn every fucking opportunity you get. What I want you to get into your head is that you deserve this chance. Now, get your ass inside and let’s get started on your comeback.”

His words echo inside my head my entire way across the field. It’s hard for me to think of myself deserving anything. Life is better than it was ten months ago, but I don’t let myself get too used to good fortune.

“About time you showed up.” I’m surprised to find Shane waiting for me inside the training center.

I flip him off. “What are you even doing here? I thought your days of playing football were over?”

After I got hurt, my back up QB, Carlton, stepped into my cleats. He was from Ocean Bluff and one of Blair’s crew. Needless to say he didn’t have the same grit those of us from the Park played with. Shane did what he could, but Carlton didn’t have my arm or eye for strategy. He threw incomplete passes, favored other Ocean Bluff players, and basically threw off the entire rhythm of the team. The season ended with one loss, the game that would have sent us to state if we won.

Losing the game isn’t why I lost the scholarship. Since I couldn’t join the rest of the UCLA football team in summer training, and it wasn’t clear when or if I’d make a full recovery, they chose another player to fill my spot. A few of the guys were given scholarships to college and were able to get out of the Park. The Ocean Bluff guys are probably binge drinking in a frat house somewhere wasting daddy’s college tuition money. Shane had an offer to UCLA as well, but for reasons I’ll never understand, he turned it down in favor of studying to become an electrician at the technical program here at Playa. I hope he didn’t pass on a life changing opportunity because I lost out.

He shrugs. “Like you’d know what to do without me.” I’m afraid he really believes that.

“I’m sure I could figure it out.”

“Like you figured out how to fix things with Tessa,” he mumbles under his breath.

My teeth clench. I’m so fucking sick of this argument. Ever since she left town like a coward when I was laid up in the fucking hospital, he’s been pressuring me to go after her. I know where she is now, but for months I wouldn’t let anyone even mention her name, let alone tell me where she went. I sure as shit haven’t reached out to her. If she wants to be gone, I’m going to let her stay that way.

“You know I’m seeing Jen, so lay off with the Tessa bullshit. She broke up with me, and I’ve finally moved on. Just be happy for me.”

“I would be if it were true. If I thought you could be happy without Tessa, I’d drop it and let you fool yourself into believing that your life is sunshine and fucking roses like you seem hell-bent on convincing yourself it is.”

“I’m not going to do this with you right now,” I snap and shoulder my way past him.

“You can’t run from this forever. She’s bound to come back someday, and then what are you going to do?”

I hold my arms out wide. “I’ve been right here this whole time. It’s been almost a year, Shane. Maybe you’re the one who isn’t over my relationship with Tessa, because I’ve moved on.”

“Sure you have. What is it that you like most about Jen? What do you really have in common?” he pushes.

I don’t know why he’s digging into this so deep. I’m nineteen, it’s not like either of us are looking to settle down. “What is your deal? Jen and I are having fun. It doesn’t have to be more than that, but if you miss Tessa so much, maybe you should track her down.”

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