Page 72 of Afterglow
“If you have something to say, Price just spit it out.” I say, returning his intense stare.
“If you weren’t so distracted for the past week, maybe we would have fucking won.”
My blood is boiling. I am trying to stay calm, take deep breaths and yet, all I want to do if break his fucking nose. Jake’s next comment sealed his fate:
“But I’m sure daddy’s influence will keep you on the team,”
Red.
I see fucking red.
I’ve never been one for violence but Price has had it coming since the beginning of the year. I stride over to him and block out all of our teammates’ yelling. I slam my fist into his nose.
The crunch of Jake’s bones echoes in the shed, he is holding his nose which has blood running out.
Jake Price is your typical rich asshole, who has never experienced any hardship in his life. Austin and Julian tug me away from Jake, while our other teammates pull Jake away from my reach.
“You don’t know fucking shit. Don’t mention my father again,” I breathe deeply, anger still coursing through me. I don’t register what I’m saying until the words are falling out of my mouth.
“Do you want to know why I have been so out of it this past month? It has been four years since my mum killed herself leaving me with a shitty ass father who only cares about me as a football player.”
My fists clench and my eyes become glassy with tears on the verge of coming out. “I don’t tell people who my father is for a fucking reason. And all you’ve done is throw it in my face for the past year. I’m sorry I played like shit and lost the game but some of us have things going on outside of a game.”
Silence consumes the room and you could cut the tension with a knife.
I can't stay here any longer.
I shrug off Austin and Julian—who were still holding me. I grab my duffle bag, leaving everyone else behind. I can’tbe here right now. All I want to do is be alone and stop thinking about everything.
Tears slip from my eyes as my mind wanders back to the changing rooms. I escaped as soon as I could. Forgetting everything, I came to my favourite spot.
It was isolated and hard to find behind the tree cover. The cliff looks towards the city, while the mountains could be seen slightly despite the distance. After finding it in freshman year, it became my secret hide away.
I rub my hands over my face, letting out a sigh. The game was a fucking disaster. Everything with my mum and my dad and—
Jazmine.
Fuck. She probably thinks I forgot about her. Digging through my bag, I found my phone.
Theodore Knight:
Princess, I am so sorry I ran off. I’ll send you my location, I don’t want you to worry.
“Theo, it’s okay.”
I whip my head towards the angelic voice. I must be seeing things. Jazmine Allen is standing five feet from me. I try to open my mouth, to speak, to say anything. Nothing comes.
Jazmine closes the gap between us and tugs me into a warm embrace. Instinctively, I wrap my arms around her waist as she tightens her hold of my neck. Unable to hold them in, tears descend on my face.
“I’ve got you Theo. Let it out,”
The sobs fall freely, tears running down my face. The grief and struggles that have clouded my head for thepast four years melt as Jazmine tightens her arms around me.
For once in my life, I’ve found a home outside the football field. Jazmine Allen is my home and I never want to leave.
“You’re here,” I whisper into her shirt. “I didn’t forget about you I promise. I was just—”
“It doesn’t matter. As long as you are okay, I don’t care.”
