Chapter 19
It was Friday again meaning I was up on the table at lunch stomping and clapping with Jessica and Tara. The teachers have been trying to make us stop but they gave up. This week, though, they were right there with us because we were playing our biggest rivals, the Howley High School Dogs. The rivalry has been going on since before my dad's time at the school.
"What day is it?" I yell after we finish the song.
"Game day." The school answers.
"I said what day is it?"
"Game day!" They scream even louder.
After that I stayed pumped up. I was ready to kick butt. The classes that followed were a blur. I was in the girl's locker room putting on my gear. I was digging through my bag looking for my sock when I pulled out that pocket knife Zach had given me. I put it in his truck and forgot about it. He must have put it in my bag. I hide it in my bag. I didn't want to get in trouble for having a freaking weapon at school. I found the sock and then laced my cleats. I slipped my shoulder pads and jersey with my number and name on. I grab my helmet and mouth guard.
"I'm so glad they let you play." Richie slapped my back. Fun fact about Richie, he is Jessica's younger brother. I found that out at Jessica's house homecoming day. His name is actually Richardson but he likes Richie, I don't blame him Richardson is a mouthful.
"Yeah me too. I really thought I wasn't ever going to play again after all those laps I had to run." Coach Kemp made me run many laps. He knew what I did was right and he was happy I stood up for my teammate but he said the way I did it was a bit violent. He also said, off the record of course, it was pretty badass.
I heard our band play our fight song.
"What day is it?" Zach and I yell.
"Game day." They yell.
"I said what day is it?"
We finish our chant and run out of the field house and onto the field. Our crowd screams hard, the band plays loud, and our cheerleaders scream. We make it to the sidelines and the Dogs are introduced.
"Watch this." Zach says to me as the other team runs onto the field. They start barking, making screeching noises, some of them run on all fours. It was... strange. Zach laughs at the confusion on my face.
"I mean if their goal was to shock me then they succeeded." In all my years of football, and I have been playing since little league, I have never seen a team do that.
The whistle is blown starting the game. The Dogs won the coin toss and chose to receive. No touchdown was made when it was the offence was ready to go on field. I take my place in the line. Just before I yelled hike the defense side started barking at us. I didn't let is distract me, I yelled hike and started the play. When our receiver was tackled they circled around him and barked until he got up. I glanced at Zach.
"Why didn't anyone tell me these people are crazy?" I whisper to myself. "We are Ravens what if we just started screeching and yelling cawcaw."
"Why you calling them crazy? You're the one muttering to yourself." Richie laughs as he runs by.
"It was a whisper not a mutter." I catch up to him.
It was now the last quarter. The score was tied 7 to 7. They put up a hard fight. I have never played a game like this. I have never been so 'on the edge of my seat' before. It was crazy. I glanced to the crowd, mom, Tony, and Dexter were sitting on the bleachers down the fifty yard line, Dean couldn't make it because of work. I was looking at all of the people cheering for us. Then I saw him.
Gavin.
My heart dropped. I felt like I couldn't breath as we looked each other in the eyes.
"Dylan." Zach called snapping me out of my trance.
"Hmm?" I turn around.
"Richie and Jessica are throwing a party later, I was going to swing by. You can come with if you wanted."
I glace back at Gavin who was watching me. "Yeah, I'll go."
"Dylan," Coach Kemp run up to me. "there is only time for one maybe two more plays. You need to keep that in mind."
"Yes, sir, don't worry." I put back on my helmet and put in my mouth guard.
I yell hike and start the play. No one was open but I saw a clear path. I take off running. I weave through groups of players. I jump over some one who was on the ground. I know I'm not the fastest but running felt like flying. I felt my braid fall from my helmet but I kept going. I felt some one going to grab my hair but they only took out the braid. My hair fluttered behind me as I ran. I was almost to the touchdown when a dog lifted me into the air. I stretched out as far as I could. I slammed into the ground, my upper half in the in zone.
The crowd loses it. They got so loud I could hardly hear the while that sounded as the clock hit zero. I was lifted from the ground and put into the air again but this time it was my team. Relief filled my body. We won. We did it!
Once home I showered and changed into back pants, a plain white crop top, my jean jacket, and those warn out tenny shoes. As I left my room Zach stopped me and handed me that knife.
"You aren't very good at keeping this on you." He whispers and slips it into my back pocket.
"You aren't very good at staying out of my stuff." I cross my arms.
"Better safe than sorry."
"Let's go." I narrow my eyes.
He looked good even though he was in jeans and a tee shirt. Something so simple.
By the time we got to the party it was already loud. Zach and I ended up splitting up as he went with some of the players and I was dragged off by Jessica and Tara. The three of us were on a table, why we always ended up on a table I have no clue. I moved and swayed to the music with a drink in hand.
The drink wasn't mine, I don't think it was, it was Tara's. I think. How did it even get in my hand. I wasn't going to drink tonight. I didn't know why but I just didn't want to even if Gavin made me want one. I wasn't going to give into him again. Never ever.
I now have better. I have friends who did not need payment to be with me. I have a Zach and he was pretty awesome.
As Zach crosses my mind he enters the room. My heart pumps to the beat of the new song that is being played. It was my favorite song. The upbeat melody nearly cancels out the sad words of loss and heartbreak. The words of disaster and only being able to say I love you when she was dragged into his world then killed because of his sins. He was selfish, he sings, he was only thinking about how much he loved her. He never though his sins would kill her. The dark shadow of his past coming down the stairs and taking her from him.
Zach lifts me from the coffee table and carries me away. I hold onto him tightly.
"We need to leave." He whispers then sits me down in his truck.
"what's going on?"
"I need to get you home."
"Zach?" but instead of answering he kisses my forehead before closing the door.
We drive in silence, I have so many questions that I need answered but I don't speak. Maybe I should. I take a breath and open my mouth but he says something first. "Call your mom, tell her we on Wintersfield road and are on the way home."
"Why?"
"Please don't ask questions and don't let her off the phone until we are inside your house."
I take out my phone. My hands shake. I glance up and see someone following close behind us, they are so close that I almost couldn't see their headlights. I look back to my phone and pull out my mom's number. I was just about to hit the call button when the car behind us comes onto the side of us. I cant see into the car but a scream leaves my lips as the swerve at us. The car hits the truck. Zach losses control for a second but regains it. I press my mom's number just before we are hit a second time. She doesn't answer. We are hit on the side again and we are run off the road. once in the dirt Zach loses any control he had. We hit the ditch and begin to roll. I close my eyes and the world spins in darkness.
When the truck stops spinning we are thankfully right side up. I look over to Zach, he is slumped forward.
"Zach?" I put my hand on him. "Zach please wake up." I unbuckle my seatbelt and climb out of the truck. The second my feet hit the ground I fall. I can't stand back up, the world is still spinning. I crawl to Zach's side. I open the door and pull myself to my feet.
I put two fingers on his neck. I didn't really know what I was looking for so instead I hold my hands by his bloody nose and feel for his breath. I sigh in relief as I feel the air leaving his body and some going back in.
I hear two sets of foot prints crushing dead leaves. I look behind me. Two hooded figures. I jump over Zach's body into the truck. I search for my phone. the blood on my finger won't let it unlock, I can't even do anything on the screen. I scream out as I felt hands yank me out of the truck by my hair. Arms wrap around me. I start thrashing around, he had I tight grip.
"This time you won't be saved by Zachery." The guy holding me says. I instantly recognize the voice. This was the guy who put me in Zach's locker. I stop struggling for a second. My kidnapper uses his moment to hit me in the head with something. The last thing I was the stars being covered by two masked men.