Disclaimer: The following is a prequel to Choices The Freshman and The Sophomore stories. It is a fictional adaptation. I do not work for Pixelberry Studios, the game developer or own the rights to the characters Chris Powell, Jo, Kyle or Nicole. All of the characters, story line and events were originally developed by me, some areas in part with @maxattack-powell, in conjuction to her adaptation of The Freshman.
Chapter 4: Hometown Glory
Coach Madison sat behind his desk in the Cherryfield High athletic office. He lifted his visor and scratched at his balding head before pulling the cap back down. Coach Madison was slightly overweight in his early 50’s, and his ill-fitting polo and khaki pants were customary daily attire. He wore New Balance sneakers, the same pair he had worn for the last football season. There was a rip forming on one side of his shoe, but he didn’t care, they were comfortable. He gripped the paper in his hands and sighed before placing it back down on his desk.
He received communications from teachers of his players frequently, asking them to notify him immediately if any of them should slip up and step out of line in class. He was trying to not only create great ball players but young men of character. A transgression in class might result in some extra wind sprints after practice or even bear crawls. Sometimes they just needed a heart to heart and to know an adult cared and would listen to get them back on track.
The notice today was concerning because part of the message was not from a teacher but from the school’s principal. For the second day in a row, Chris Powell was not at school.
The clippers were playing Harrington on Friday and the winner of the game would ultimately win the district championship and secure a top seed in the playoffs. They needed their star quarterback on the field. The problem was, if Chris missed one more day of school, he would be ineligible to take the field even if he attempted to show up on Friday. It was Wednesday and Chris still had not responded to any of the coach’s texts or phone calls.
A knock at the door causes coach to drop the paper on the desk and look up. He was expecting the young man at the door to arrive.
“Come in,” he says in his low, gruff voice. The sound of it was much worse than the personality behind it. Years of yelling out plays and at a few players had made it deeper and harsher sounding than any of the words coach was actually saying.
Ryan swings the door open. “Coach? Sup? I got your message to come see you before lunch?” Ryan says entering the office.
“Yeah Ryan, have a seat,” Coach points. The running back tries not to show worry or concern but usually a call into coach’s office isn’t good. Ryan quickly sits down, leaning forward slightly, staring back at his coach.
“First of all, what’s going on with Chris? I’ve heard some rumblings about girl trouble, but I try not to let student gossip get in my head too much,” Coach questions.
Ryan nods. “Actually, yeah. Nichole broke it off with Chris and he’s pretty down in the dumps. Ethan and I went to see him last night and….” Ryan trails off not wanting to say too much. “He’s just not in a good place right now, Coach.”
Coach exhales and nods as he thinks. Some would write off Ryan’s statement and Chris’s feelings as a case of puppy love that wasn’t to be regarded. Coach knew differently. Chris had trouble with people walking away from him.
“There’s something else, other than Chris. It’s about you,” Coach says and looks up at him.
“Me?” Ryan’s eyebrows lift.
“Yes. Mrs. Woodson said you didn’t pass your Physics quiz on Monday and that right now your average is a 65,” Coach looks up at him.
Ryan winces. “Yeah…I’ve been having trouble in that class. But I swear I’m not goofing off Coach. I actually really like science,” Ryan admits honestly.
“I didn’t think you were,” Coach replies. “But progress reports will go out in 2 weeks and I need you eligible to play. I don’t have to remind you that there are a couple of college recruiters coming on Friday night to see you and Ethan. If this goes well, you could get some more looks before the end of the regular season. But you will get nolooks if you don’t get your grade in Physics up.”
Ryan nods slowly a bit dejected. He really did like the class but all of the math was driving him nuts.
“Mrs. Woodson is going to assign you a tutor. A student in the class who is making all A’s. You will work with her every day before school,” Coach looks up at him. Ryan is about to object, knowing he’d have to wake up earlier than he normally does to meet with a tutor and to lift weights before school. The look on Coach Madison’s face lets him know it is non-negotiable.
“Yes sir,” Ryan says and nods. “I’ll take care of business.”
“Good. Because we may not have my leading quarterback and we can’t afford to lose you too,” Coach says pointedly. Ryan nods slowly, hoping that Chris will get himself together and soon.
***
Coach Madison knocks on the door and waits, slowly pacing the porch, his hands on his hips. After a few minutes the door opens.
Even in his dejected state, Chris’s face registers the emotion of his surprise.
“Coach? What…what are you doing here?” he stutters.
“The question Chris is what are you doing here and why aren’t you at school today? Why weren’t you at school yesterday?”
Chris looks down at the floor. He’s wearing the same worn t-shirt and faded pajama pants that he has been in since Monday night. He opens his mouth to speak but stops.
“I’d like to come in and talk to you for a minute,” Coach says.
Chris steps out of the way, letting him in and closing the door behind him. Coach Madison takes a seat in the recliner and looks over at Chris waiting for him to have a seat as well. He shuffles over to the couch, not making eye contact as he lowers himself down.
“What’s going on with you, son?” Coach Madison asks. The endearing term has always meant so much to Chris. Coach Madison filling a void and role in Chris’s life that would otherwise be vacant.
“Nichole broke up with me,” Chris sighs.
“What happened between the two of you?” Coach questions.
“She’s going to go to school out in California…to UCLA,” Chris bites his lip. “She uh, she just didn’t want to be tied down to anything here.”
Coach Madison shakes his head slightly, knowing Nichole’s reasoning was surely a source of added pain for Chris.
“I’m sorry to hear that Chris, I know she was very special to you,” Coach says earnestly.
“She is very special to me, Coach,” He finally looks at him.
Coach nods. “You know who else is special?”
Chris clinches his eyes for a moment and shakes his head, knowing the lecture that is about to come.
“You, Chris. You are a special young man. You are a good kid and an excellent ball player,” Coach says. “You have a special talent and you’re smart too. You also have a special opportunity to play college football.”
Chris says nothing but keeps his eyes trained to the floor waiting for coach to continue.
“You know the rules. If you miss three days of school this week, without some extraneous situation behind it, you can’t play Friday night,” Coach says. “So that being said, I expect you at school tomorrow morning. Chris, I know you are heartbroken but you can’t throw away your future and the futures of your teammates over this. Hartfeld monitors your progress weekly. If you don’t play, there are going to be questions. Plus, Ryan, Ethan and Alex, they need to shine on Friday night. They need your help to get scholarships. The team needs you to win the district title. Aaron is a good kid, but I swear if he tries to throw another 40-yard pass when I didn’t call it I’m going to have a heart attack out on that field.” He smiles some at the joke, but Chris is unmoved.
Coach huffs. “We need you out there. I need my team leader on that field.”
“I don’t know Coach. I just, I don’t want to be at school right now. It’s just too much,” Chris runs his hand over his hair and rubs at the back of his neck.
“Look, I know it’s hard on you. Having someone turn their back on your especially after-“ Coach pauses when Chris looks directly at him, not wanting him to mention his first taste of abandonment. “With what happened,” Coach continues. “But I need you to pull yourself together and get back out there and play. You come to school, yeah, you might see her and it might be rough. You get out on that practice field, toss the ball around, get moving, you’ll feel better. I guarantee it.”
Chris leans back on the couch and looks at his hands.
“So can I count on you to be at school tomorrow?” Coach Madison asks.
Chris reaches up and tugs at his lip, not answering.
Coach Madison takes one more deep breath. “Chris…we’ve got to move forward with practice this afternoon and I need to know if I’m going to have my starting quarterback or not.”
Chris still doesn’t answer or return his gaze. Coach Madison stands up. “Alright then. Maybe the only way to get through to you is this. At school or not tomorrow, you’re benched.”
Chris’s head jerks up. He stares wild-eyed at Coach Madison but then slowly the expression fades and he returns to a quiet stoicism.
“I can’t have you as a question mark. I also need you to have your head in the game and it’s clearly not there. Maybe letting Aaron start in your place will be the wake-up call you need,” Coach says.
Chris sighs slowly and shakes his head. “Whatever….”
Coach Madison tilts his head to the side. “Chris, I don’t think in all the years I have known you, I have ever been disappointed in you until now.”
***
It’s dark and Ryan curses to himself as he parks in the student lot at school. They lift weight beginning at 7:15 a.m. and he has to meet his tutor at 6:20. It’s just about 6:15 when he arrives. He notices a motorcycle and a few cars in the teachers lot, but for the most part, there are very few signs of activity at the school.
Ryan couldn’t help to think this morning what a colossally craptastic week this has been. First, Betty Parris dumps his best friend; second, Coach announced yesterday at practice that Chris was benched; third, he found out he was flunking Physics; and fourth, he has to wake up before dawn to work with some tutor. If none of this goes well, he may not get a scholarship and be stuck in Cherryfield forever.
He opens the front door and passes the campus secretary who is just hanging up her coat about to start her day.
“Good morning Ryan,” she greets in her way-to-enthusiastic-for-this-time-of-the-morning voice.
“Hey Mrs. Towns,” he replies trying not to grumble. It’s unusually quiet. The only sound in the hall is from the fluorescent lights buzzing over head in the hall. He makes his way to his Physics classroom and opens the door.
A dishwater blonde he recognizes from class is sitting at one of the lab tables. She’s wearing a brown leather bomber jacket with a cream colored wool color. Here face is bare, no makeup applied. He knows she sits near the front of his class but he’s never spoken a word to her. In fact, he doesn’t know if he’s ever heard her speak. Her green eyes are large, doe-like and her lips are full. She wears flat-cut bangs. He notices a pair of glasses lying on top of the table beside her. There is something oddly beautiful and comforting about her. She doesn’t appear to be trying too hard like the other girls at school. If she is even trying at all. He remembers one of the girls saying something about her once. She’s from Pittsburgh and her senior year at Cherryfield will be her first and only.
“You my tutor?” he questions, swinging his backpack off his arms and on to the table. He unzips it and retrieves his Physics book.
“Yeah,” she says. “I’m Taylor, but people call me Tay,” her voice has a mature quality to it. She doesn’t sound like some teenage bobblehead.
“I’m sure you know, I’m Ryan,” he nods and climbs onto a stool.
“I know because I was told you were who I’m working with and you are in my class. For no other reason than that,” she says pointedly.
He looks over at her. He’s already annoyed. It’s way too damn early. He’s sleepy and Rebel Nerd Barbie is giving him attitude.
“Look let’s just get started, okay? I need to be in the weight room at 7:15,” he says with no attempt to hide his irritation.
“So what is it you are having trouble with?” She asks. She grabs her pencil and taps it against her notepad.
“I’m not so great with the math stuff. Remembering some of these formulas, I have trouble with that,” Ryan says.
“Have you tried to use key phrases or terms to remember what formulas go with what solutions?” She asks.
He licks his lips. “If I was doing that, I probably wouldn’t be failing, now would I?” He retorts.
She puts her pencil down and folds her arms over her chest.
“What?” He asks and runs his fingers through his hair. He knows he’s being obnoxious but everything about her is bugging him as well. He twirls some of the longer pieces of his hair around his fingers, not looking at her.
“You need my help,” she says. “I’m up early, which I don’t want to be, to help you because allegedly you are important to the school and you need to pass—“
“Allegedly?” Ryan frowns.
“So you’re a football player, but why should you get any extra help over any other failing student?” Tay retorts.
“What is your deal?” Ryan asks. “I’ve been here two minutes and you are on my case.”
“I need you to take this seriously, okay?” she frowns at him. “You’re not the only one that would rather be doing something else right now. So if I’m going to be here, I need you to do the work.”
Ryan’s head jerks back. “Yes sir! Let’s get to it then!”
She rolls her eyes and sighs. She opens her book to the chapter they are currently working on.
Ryan rests his chin on his hand as he looks over at her. It’s going to be a long six weeks.
***
He knew he had to tell his mom but he didn’t want to let her down. Chris didn’t want to think about the look on his mother’s face when he told her he was benched, that he would not start in what was to be their biggest game so far of the season. It is part of that reluctance, and knowing he disappointed Coach Madison that pulls him temporarily from his state of misery.
Not long after his brother and sister get home from school, he showers. It’s the first time in a few days and even he had to admit to himself the warm water cascading over him felt good. He shampooed his hair and put on some clean clothes. Money was tight, but he had a few dollars to order a pizza. He’d surprise his mom so she wasn’t worried about cooking a dinner for the four of them when they got home.
When she opens the door, she is greeted by her children sitting at the table and enjoying the pizza. Chris gives a head nod and she walks over, hugs him and ruffles his hair as she did when he was a boy. He looks a bit more like himself.
She listens intently as he cautiously tells her what happened with Coach Madison. She does not judge or criticize, only encourage him to learn from this and see the lesson his coach is trying to teach him. Jo tells him she is still going to cheer for him on Friday, even if he’s sitting on the bench. Kyle just encourages him to start again next week.
The family continues to eat pizza together when there is a knock at the door. Jo hops up, expecting it to be Ryan and Ethan as they often show up unannounced.
Chris hears her stammer a bit as she welcomes whoever it is. “Uh, yeah, come on in,” Jo says.
Jo rounds the corner into the dining area in the kitchen. “Chris, somebody’s here to see you,” she says with wide eyes.
Chris frowns at her response and then looks up as the guest stands near the doorway. Morgan, wearing a beanie, pea coat and gloves shifts nervously on her feet.
“Hey,” she says.
Chris’s chewing slows. “Hi….” He stares at her and Kyle, Jo and his mother stare back silently as well.
“I um, didn’t realize you were eating, I just came to see how you were, I can go—“ She says. She regrets her entire decision to stop by. In dance practice after school and at the grocery store on the way home, all she heard were rumblings about Chris being benched. Her worry for him deepened. She talked herself into driving over, feeling brave in the car. Now, standing in his house with his family staring at her like an alien invader, she wants to flee into the night.
“No, it’s okay Morgan,” he says chewing quickly and finishing what’s in his mouth.
“Aren’t you best friends with Nichole?” Jo asks, her contempt evident in her face and words.
“Jo!” Chris snaps.
“What? Isn’t she?” Jo retorts and cocks an eyebrow at her.
“I…I was,” Morgan says slowly. “Not…not anymore,” she doesn’t make eye contact with Chris.
“Morgan, it’s good to see you,” Mrs. Powell says trying to ease the tension in the room and change the subject.
“You too, Mrs. Powell….” Morgan trails off.
“Did you, want to like, talk?” Chris questions. She only nods and shoves her gloved hands into her coat pocket.
Chris wipes his mouth with a napkin, takes a quick drink and stands. “Down there Chomper,” he says playfully shoving Jo’s shoulder. She is still giving Morgan the stink eye.
“Well, see ya,” Morgan waves and turns quickly. She follows Chris in the living room and finally takes a breath.
“Do you want to go for a ride or something?” Chris asks her. “It’s just…with my kid brother and sister…and it’s freezing out-“
“That’s fine,” Morgan nods. She looks him in the eye for a split second but then looks quickly down at her shoes. “I can drive.”
“I’ll be right back,” Chris says. Morgan studies the Powell living room as she waits. There are pictures of all the kids. She smiles to herself when she sees a picture of Chris from kindergarten. She remembers the young, snaggle-toothed blue eyed boy that was in her class.
He emerges a minute later, wearing shoes and a coat.
She walks out ahead of him and he shuts the door. They climb into her Mustang and Morgan cranks the car up, quickly turning the heater on the highest blower speed. She shudders slightly from the cold night air. She turns the radio off.
“Any place in particular?” she asks him. It dawns on her as she talks to him. Chris is in her car. He’s ridden with her dozens of times before, but always with Nichole. Tonight, it’s just him and her. She questions her decision again to come over and check on him.
“Maybe the park?” He suggests.
She nods and puts the car in drive heading towards the center of town where the community park is located. They ride in silence for a while. Morgan is surprised Chris was so willing to come. When she sat with Ryan and Ethan again at lunch and they mentioned how depressed he had seemed the night before, she thought surely he would reject any offers for support.
But Chris’s presence isn’t just about getting out of his own funk. He wants some answers, too.
“So back there you told my sister you and Nichole aren’t friends anymore? Why’s that?” Chris questions slowly. He rubs his nose and rests an elbow on the door. He watches mindlessly as their little town passes outside the window.
“Well, the other morning, we were talking and….she said some things, some pretty mean and awful things. Didn’t really seem called for,” Morgan says vaguely.
“What prompted her to say those things?” Chris asks.
Morgan pauses for a long moment and then begins. “We were talking about you. About what happened and why she chose to end it. I just didn’t like the things she said and it escalated from there ,” Morgan says. She turns onto a road to head towards the park.
“What things did she say?” Chris turns and looks at her. Morgan can feel him studying her profile. She keeps her eyes on the road.
“Chris….” She cautions.
“I want to know Morgan,” he states strongly. She glances over and can tell he’s not going to back down.
She drives on and doesn’t answer for a while. He turns his attention back out the window.
“I think Nichole just has these big ideas for life in LA,” she says after giving it some thought. She wants to cushion the blow. He’s out and maybe feeling better. She doesn’t want to set him back again. “She was dreaming out loud and I…I just kept wondering how you were feeling about it all.”
Chris chews at his nail and the car is silent again. After a few more minutes, the park is in view. It’s dark and just a few scattered street lights illuminate it. Morgan pulls into a parking lot, but leaves the car running for heat. Chris unbuckles his seat belt.
“Was she upset at all?” Chris questions and looks over at Morgan. She feels like she will wither from the intensity of his gaze.
“That night…when it happened, she text. We text back and forth. So I don’t really know how she—“
“Morgan,” Chris’s glare is intense. “Don’t baby me.”
They stare back at each other, the sound of the motor all that can be heard. She nods slowly.
“Chris she’s fine. I’m sorry to tell you that, but…she’s really pretty proud of herself for ending it with you and that’s why I got angry with her. If you want to know if she regrets it or is rethinking it…I can tell you, she’s not,” Morgan runs her fingers through her hair and exhales.
Chris leans his head back against the head rest. She can hear him breathing deeply.
“So she seems happier now than when she was with me?” he asks softly.
“I don’t think what Nikki is feeling right now has anything to do with you Chris. She wants out of Cherryfield and away from everything associated with it. That includes her parents, me…and yeah, you too….”
“That night at her house, I asked you if she had said anything about us. You brushed it off then, but I’m going to ask you again Morgan. Did she ever say anything to let you know she was planning to do this?”
Morgan rubs at the spot between her eyebrows. “Yes,” she says slowly. “She wondered if she got into UCLA if she could continue to date you and be happy. I guess…I guess when she found out for sure she was in, she knew already in her mind what she was going to do. But Chris, I was surprised like you. I didn’t think it would be right now or if she was even that serious about doing it really.” Morgan shakes her head, her voice almost pleading with him. She doesn’t want him to be angry with her too.
“It’s okay….” He says in a hush.
They are silent again and Morgan studies the park in front of them. It’s a place with so many happy memories for her. She can’t help but think of how unhappy all of this feels right now.
“I just, I need to know one more thing and I’m not at a place where I want to see her, talk to her or especially ask her,” Chris says scratching the back of his head.
“What is it?” Morgan asks. She feels in her heart like she already knows what’s coming.
“Did Nichole really love me? I mean, ever? Did she love me?” He frowns and looks over at Morgan.
“Chris, I-“
“You were her best friend. You have to know something,” he interrupts.
She opens her mouth to speak and then closes it.
“Say it,” Chris almost demands.
“It’s just…people love in their own way. The way Nichole loves someone is different from how you….or even I would….would love somebody,” Morgan replies.
“Dammit! Could you give me just one straight answer and stop talking in riddles!” Chris suddenly shouts. “Let me ask it again,” he says trying to calm down. “Morgan, do you, as Nichole’s best friend, current or former or whatever, doesn’t matter. Do you think Nichole really loved me?”
Morgan looks down at her hands in her lap. She bites her lip and feels her nostrils flare as she tries to fight off her own emotions. “No….”
Chris stares at her stunned. He badgered her into saying what she thought but he still held on to hope the answer was yes. She had spent so much time with Nichole that surely she would have some insight into his question. The fact that she didn’t believe Nichole ever had really been in love with him was almost as hurtful as his own realization.
He looks out of the front window and says nothing. Slowly he exhales and his shoulders drop. She sees it physically consume him. He bends over and puts his face in his hands.
“Chris,” Morgan says feeling his distress.
She unhooks her seat belt and leaning over, wraps her arms around him. He keeps his face in his hands but she feels him lean in against her, comforted by the embrace and her warmth. He still isn’t letting it all go. She can feel it, his back his tight. He is fighting a breakdown. She rubs his back in small circles, her head leaning against his as she holds him.
“I’m sorry,” she whispers. “I’m so sorry. She…didn’t deserve you,” she says. Her lips are close to his ear and she continues to rub his back.
He rests his head against her shoulder for a minute and then the tension is instantly back. He sniffles and sits up quickly.
“Let’s go back,” he says, freeing himself from her arms.
Her lips fall open in shock, but she knows he doesn’t want her to see him cry. He doesn’t want to be vulnerable in front of her or anyone for that matter.
He quickly rubs the side of his hand under his cheek, swiping away a tear as if it were a piece of hair. His move trying to disguise his pain from her.
She sits back in her seat. “Okay,” she says softly.
She puts her seat belt back on. Chris doing the same. Silently, she puts the car in reverse and turns to head back to the Powell home.
They say not one word for the return trip. When she slows in front of his house, she has barely come to a stop before he throws off the seat belt and exits the car, slamming the door behind him.