Chapter 32
Dasher
The game is brutal in more ways than one. I’ve been pushed around on the field, mocked for my choices. I was even booed.
We lost the game, and things were thrown at me as I walked back to the visiting locker room. No one blames me. In fact, some of the offensive line got into fights over what they said to me or did to me. I appreciate these guys.
But now I’m doubting my relationship with Raine. Am I going to experience this for the rest of my career? The whole ordeal did affect my game today and that’s my career.
I shuffle onto the bus to take us to the airfield in silence, my thoughts consuming me.
I won’t go back to Poppy, not after what she did. But do I stay with Raine? Should I care about what people think?
I try to sleep because I have lots of things to think about and I don’t want to think right now.
I wake up when the plane lands and shuffle to my car, lost. I’m lost.
I don’t drive to my house because she hasn’t left yet, but I don’t go to Raine’s either.
I drive around town and all the way out to Overton, just trying to clear my head.
I drive until it’s dark outside and everyone has called me forty-some-odd times.
Raine, Tyler, Jester, my parents, even Poppy. I ignored everyone.
Eventually I turn back toward Vegas and Raine’s. I’m not sure what I’m going to do. In reality, I’m probably overreacting. It was one game. It’s not Raine’s fault.
It’s mine for letting this go too far. It’s Poppy’s fault for leaking the information to the press.
Before I go back to Raine’s, I stop at my house. Lights are on, her car is in the driveway so she’s home. Without knocking, I open the door with such force it bounces off the wall, startling Poppy. She was sitting on the couch, TV on to the news.
She starts to speak, but I cut her off, “you have forty-eight hours to get the fuck out of my house.”
She sneers at me, “oh, are you upset about your little secret getting out.”
I scream at her, “what the fuck happened to you? Did the bright lights and big city go to your fat head? You were never like this. Or maybe you were, and I missed it. Get the fuck out of my house. I’ll be calling your parents in the morning to make it happen faster. I never want to see you again.”
Something I said must have gotten through to her because she started crying and saying she made a mistake, but I’m not giving in.
“Get out, Poppy.”
I storm back out and then head to Raine’s. I think I need some space from everyone, including myself at the moment.
The drive is short or seems short because I’m so fired up. He’s waiting for me in the living room and based on how I walk in, he knows something is wrong.
“You okay?” he asks, and I shake my head.
“No, I’m not okay. I’m going to stay in a hotel for the time being. I just want to be alone.” Without another word I go to the guest room and pack my shit. He follows, watching, “you don’t have to leave.”
“Yes, I do. I let this go too far. It was fun,” I say, and I watch the hurt cross over his face. Fuck all of this.
I take my suitcases and leave, not looking back. I just want to be alone.