Page 1 of Afterglow
Chapter 1
August
Theodore Knight
Ican breathe again.
Lakewood University in Arizona is a breath of fresh air compared to my home state. Though, eight hundred miles isn’t enough distance to combat the guilt pounding in my chest.
I was ecstatic when my father came up with some stupid excuse, so he didn’t have to help me move. Although it paints me as an awful son, I can’t bringmyself to care.
My dad—Matthew Knight—reluctantly agreed to pay for my college degree and living expenses after I cleaned my image up over the summer break. My senior year of high school was disastrous to say the least with only two things on my mind: alcohol and girls. The aim was to drown my grief and demons.
To be honest, I couldn’t believe Lakewood still wanted me.
I was forced to overcome a new obstacle everyday, whether it was numbing my shattered heart or hiding each emotion that bubbled underneath my skin.
The pain of losing my favourite person was all-consuming and never ending, yet I’ve discovered, death and misery don’t discriminate. Even after a year, I’m still searching for a way to heal.
All I wanted was someone to see through me, but my father didn’t care until it affectedhisreputation. Now, he is overjoyed I can continue in his and my grandfather’s footsteps.
They both played in the NFL for our home state, Texas, but I plan on staying the hell away from that place. I want to play football out of Matthew Knight’s demanding shadow. So, choosing to attend a university away from my father was always the plan.
“Theodore Knight,”
My name echoes in the cosy cafe, shaking me from my thoughts. I smile at the barista as I collect my coffee. The plastic is freezing against my palm, while I grip my house keys in the opposite hand.
My apartment is located five miles away from campus, though it is still recognised as student accommodation. Yesterday was my official move-in date after two days of continuous driving.
I was planning to tour the campus today as I want to be prepared for all of my classes before the semester begins next week. The university administration, however, had other plans. Two guys are moving into my apartment so I figured it would be best to introduce myself.
Although, I’m annoyed my plans were disrupted, elation builds in my chest as I park my car. If I was to live on my own, I would go crazy.
The walls of my apartment are a blank canvas leaving no evidence of who lives here and I have no intention of changing it. When I first arrived, I thought it was strange people weren’t already living here as the place has three bedrooms. The place is modern, with up-to-date kitchen appliances and a loft space for one of the bedrooms.
I claimed that one.
Some boxes are stacked in the corner yet to be unpacked, while the only true personal items I own are hidden away, under my bed. The photos of my mother and I are stored in a brown cardboard box with barely legible handwriting on the top.
I flip the lid of the box off, placing it on the floor next to me. Every now and then, I relive the painful evidence of the past. My heart races as I clutch the photographs close to my chest.
My fingers brush over a photo. It depicts my favourite memory with Vivian Knight:
We are dancing around my childhood home, a fort in the background and ‘A Whole New World’ filling the living room.Aladdinwas and still is my favourite movie. Mum and I would watch it every Friday night. The film has been unwatchable since she killed herself.
The upcoming date: November 29th will mark the second anniversary of her death.
Continuous knocks ricochet throughout the house, stopping me from remembering the moment I found her.
I open the front door, revealing two guys, one with blonde hair—similar to mine. The other has a buzz cut, only a small layer of cedar brown hair. I’m six foot, but that seems short compared to these boys, who are at least an inch or two taller.
“It’s Theo, right? I’m Austin and this is Colton,” The blonde says.
I smile, flashing my pearly whites. “Yeah, that’s me.” I guide them inside, showing them to the makeshift living—it has a two-seater couch and a glass coffee table. In the email the campus administration sent me, they said the boys were involved with football, so I asked:
“Are you both on the team?”
“I am,” Austin replies. “Colt isn’t but he used to play in high school. Lakewood offered him a spot on the team, but he turned it down.”
