Catching The Tigers

The Ex

"What do you mean she isn't playing this week?!" Coach shouted at my mom while staring at the doctors note.

"She is my best defensive player! We need her this week," he said now looking at Mom.

"Charlie can start practice again next Monday. Just in time for the homecoming game," my mom said, trying to keep her cool.

It is now Tuesday. They released me this morning with some specially made Epi pens. They spent all of yesterday trying new things on me for it. Andy had told Coach I wouldn't be at practice for yesterday. Mom told Andy not to tell him about this week, she wanted to handle it herself.

I decide to walk over to Chip, our 2nd string safety.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" He asks with a smile.
"A lot better now that I'm out. They released me this morning," I say. He looks down and sees that I'm not wearing my practice gear. He opens his mouth to say something, but Coach cuts him off.
"Alright ladies, have your tea party another time," he shouts as the guys and I gather near him. "Charlie isn't playing in this week's game. Chip, you will be playing Friday. Alright," he says and claps his hands together. "3 laps around the field." We all take off. Andy runs up beside me.
"You know you shouldn't be running," he says and gives me a stern look.
"Just because I can't practice or play, doesn't mean I don't need the conditioning."
"Stubborn idiot," he says under his breath. I laugh and run faster. We raced against each other for the rest of the 3 laps. I beat him and of course he claims that if he wasn't wearing the gear he would have won. Doubtful.

For the rest of practice i helped Chip and showed him some of my technics. Andy took me back to the school and left his truck unlocked. I told him I would take a quick shower and after we could hang out. I walk down to my locker room and hear a snotty voice. The captain of the cheerleaders, Kristen. I don't have anything against her, but she seems very fake. Im sure she's a good person. She's always peppy.
"Uhh duhh, she's clearly never had a boyfriend. I mean, like, she's not even pretty, just an emo freak. Does she, like, know what a mani pedi or a hair brush are? And blue hair? Like what are you, 13??Charlie is just a gross boy who took over a female's body. OMG like is it even female?" She says in her pitchy voice. I hear a few other girls mumble agreements. Wow, and I was going for the "don't judge a book by its movie" (don't judge a person by their stereotype) but she blew that out of the water. What a snob!
I sneak into the showers and waste no time. I run to Andy's truck and get in. I accidentally slam the door, startling Andy.
"Feisty much?" He says and snaps his fingers in "Z Formation".
I sigh and tell him what I over heard earlier in the locker room.
"Yeah," he says while scratching the back of his neck. "She's just a jealous fake."
"Why would she be jealous of me?"
"Because," he says while pulling out of the school parking lot on our way home. "You have all the guys' attention... And we spend a lot of time together and she wants that. Uhm... Charlie, Kristen is my ex girlfriend." He says nervously.