Team Player

Behold Sadness and Anger

The next day is a dreary one. Jimmy has a cast on his wrist and everyone has a frown on their face. 

"Oh come on, guys! Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll go be a psychiatrist or something," Jimmy jokes to try and cheer everybody up.

"But football was your life," Gareth says as he take a bite of his lunch, "it was going to be your career." 

"Great job on making him feel better," Jess whispers to Gareth. He just shrugs in return. I can't even manage to speak today. I can't eat, I can't sleep and I can't think from the lack of sleeping and eating. 

"How can the paramedic make such a statement like that after ten minutes of examining?" Gareth asks "No one makes a diagnosis after 10 minutes!"

"Well," Jimmy starts "After the game we went to the hospital to get it fully checked out and they said the same thing as the paramedic. I can't play football anymore. Or any sport for that matter."

I feel tears run down my cheeks every few minutes but refuse to make a sob. No one even notices me until Jimmy puts his arm around me.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" He asks softly. I nod and bite my top lip whipping away tears with both hands and finally making a sound by sniffling "It's okay. I'm fine. Don't worry." He reaches in for a hug. For a minute I stay exactly as I am. The second he starts to pull away I finally let out a loud sob and hug his as tight as I can. As I cry into his shoulder he rubs my back reassuringly but I continue to bellow. 

"Oh, Michelle. It's going to be okay honey" Jess runs over with Brandon following right behind "We're all going to be okay."

Brandon and Jess join in the hug.

"We're here for you. Don't cry," Brandon says in his most soothing voice.

Gareth finally joins the group hug. Eventually I look up and realize that all of the people I care most about are surrounding me. It makes me feel so much better.

"You alright now?" Jimmy asks his hands holding my arms. I nod but don't break my streak of not speaking because if I do, tears will come flowing out again. 

"I think I am going to have to punch Brad a few more times," Brandon announces in a joking way but he is also dead serious about it. I let out a little chuckle. 

"Speaking of punch," Jess adds "we need to get the ingredients to make it. I'll go to the store tonight and grab the stuff for the punch and the chips."

Later that day, all 5 of us go food shopping for the party instead of just Jess (No reason we all need to be there, but I think we all feel a little more emotionally stable around each other).

While Jess, Brandon and Jimmy are talking, Gareth is reaching to get some berries for the punch, and I am standing awkwardly allowing my eyes to wonder around the store when I spot someone who I am, for once in my life, happy to see.

I break out into a sprint, zooming past isles that just look like a blur from the speed I am going. My heart is pounding and my hands are up. The person turns in my direction just in time for me to punch him right on the side of his face. I fall to the floor from the power that I had while running and I look over to see Brad, yet again, on the floor, and probably just as bloody as the previous time I punched him. 

Gareth and Brandon help me up and lead me to the exit before anyone can kick us out of the store. 

I look back to see Brad slowly get up. Still trying to comprehend what happened, he looks up at me and everything clicks in his mind. He wipes some blood on his sleeve and starts running after us, but I give his a look that I would kill him if I was given the opportunity and he backed off. 

Outside, we wait for Jess and Jimmy to come out with the food and hop in Gareth's car. We drive to my house to make the punch. Jess is sitting in the front with Gareth while Brandon, Jimmy and I sit in the back. I am leaning on Jimmy's shoulder, which is very comfortable for such a muscular guy. I fall asleep just as we arrive. 

"Michelle," Jimmy shakes me softly "Michelle. It's time to get up." My eyes slowly open. Jimmy helps me out of the car and we head to the kitchen to start making the punch. 

I still haven't said a word all day besides the sobs that bursted out during lunch. Even when attacking Brad

"Michelle, go to bed," Jess instructs leading me to the stairs "You need to get some sleep. I think you lost a lot of energy when you traumatized Brad. Up top!" I give her a lazy hi five and go to bed.