Colby
But then the crowd suddenly erupted in a frenzy of cheers and screams, and I heard the unmistakable chant: “Goal! Goal! Goal!”
However, my excitement was short-lived. The referee’s whistle pierced the air, and I saw him striding towards me, his face stern and unyielding. He held up the red card, and my heart sank. I knew I was in trouble.
“Red card!” the referee shouted, his voice firm and authoritative. “Colby, you’re ejected from the game!”
I felt a surge of adrenaline mixed with frustration and disappointment. I knew I had to leave the field, but a part of me wanted to argue, to protest the referee’s decision. Instead, I took a deep breath, nodded curtly, and walked off the field, the red card still waving in the air.
As I sat on the bench, I couldn’t help but think about what had just happened. I didn’t regret my decision to push Harry it had been instinctual, a heat-of-the-moment move. And it had paid off, after all. The goal had counted, and the Black Wolves were now leading. It also meant that I, Colby Banks scored the fucking goal and not fucking Harry.
But as I watched the rest of the game, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease.
The game finally came to an end, and the Black Wolves emerged victorious with a score of 3-2 against the Red Devils. As the crowd dispersed, the cheerleaders celebrated with their usual energetic dance routine.
I followed my teammates into the locker room, where Coach was waiting for us. Despite our win, he looked far from happy. His eyes narrowed as he glanced at me, and I kept my head down, anticipating his reaction.
“Colby, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?” Coach asked, his voice stern.
I shook my head, not daring to meet his gaze.
“What the hell happened out there?” he demanded. “What’s wrong with you? Why would you push Harry, your own teammate, to score a goal?”
I glanced up to see Harry glaring at me, his eyes blazing with anger. I whispered, “Nothing.”
Coach’s expression turned incredulous. “Do you have a beef with Harry? I know you two are close, best friends… what’s going on?”
I said nothing so he turned to Harry, his eyes searching for answers. “Is everything okay between you two?” he asked.
“I have no idea, Coach,” Harry replied, shrugging his shoulders. “We were good yesterday.”
Coach’s expression turned stern. “Well, something’s not right. I need to know what’s going on.”
The room fell silent, with no one daring to speak up.
Then he let out a deep sigh. “Well, you two had better solve your issues because I wouldn’t want this to happen again. It’s all about teamwork and good relationship here! Anyway, I’m glad we still won, but I was expecting more teamwork and support from you guys. Colby, you failed in that aspect.”
The tension in the room was palpable, but Coach quickly shifted gears. “That doesn’t mean we won’t celebrate, though. Tonight, we’ll be having a party at the bar. We’ll eat plenty of BBQ chicken, pork, the rest and drink as much as we want.”
The team erupted into cheers and laughter, with someone shouting, “Hey, can we bring our girls?”
Coach smiled, and nodded saying, “Bring your partners, whoever they are. I’ll send you the location, and we’ll catch up tonight.”
I caught a glimpse of Harry smiling and I gnashed my teeth so much that my jaw actually hurt.
With that, Coach left the locker room, leaving us to our own devices. As I began to change and prepare for a shower, Harry approached me, his eyes serious.
“What’s up, Colby?” he asked, his voice low. “Is there a problem between us?”
I ignored Harry’s question, scrunching up my face in disgust. I continued to undress, stripping down to nothing. Harry looked away, then back at me before his eyes scrolled down and when he finally looked at my face again, I shot him a dirty look and smacked the locker room bench before heading to the shower.
After my shower, I dressed in a new set of clothes and left the locker room without a word to anyone. I didn’t want to hear their questions or concerns. I just wanted to be alone.
I drove myself home, lost in thought, and when I arrived, I found a note on the table from my dad. It read:
“Sorry, son, that I didn’t come to see you play. Mom and I decided to go out instead. I’m on a business trip, and she didn’t want to let me out of her sight. I’m really sorry, and I promise to be at your next game.”
I scrunched up the note in disgust, shredding it into pieces. My dad’s absence was nothing new, and I wasn’t surprised. I trudged upstairs to my room, flopping onto my bed and staring at the ceiling.
As I lay there, I couldn’t shake off the memory of Harry kissing Sally at the field. A low grumble rumbled in my throat, and I clenched my fists, feeling a mix of anger and frustration.
Suddenly, I heard a knock on my door and wondered who it could be. I got up and opened the door to find Sally standing there, looking concerned.
“What happened at the field?” she signed, her hands moving quickly as she asked.
I just stared at her, silent.
“Are you okay?” she signed again, her brow furrowed with worry.
I didn’t respond. Instead, I reached out and held her face, pulling her close. I kissed her, biting onto her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. The metallic taste filled my mouth, and I felt a rush of possession.
Sally pushed me away, covering her lip. “What the hell was that?” she signed, her eyes wide with shock.
I looked at her, my eyes burning with intensity. “I told you, these lips are mine,” I said, my voice low and husky. “Didn’t I?”