Page 1 of Day

Prologue

Leon

2005

“Tonight you’re going to get the big score,” Romy moaned into my ear as I grabbed my helmet from the bench. From her tone, I knew I was going to get a piece of her at Richie’s after game party tonight. Two big, double D handfuls.  I grinned and left without acknowledging her statement.  I just had to win the game tonight, and then it would be off to celebrate with Romy, and by the look her cheerleader friend is giving me, my night might turn into a ménage.

Football.

The only thing in my life that was stable, besides my grandparents, who were screaming their heads off for me in the stands.

I loved the smell of the freshly painted field, and the gleam of the bright lights as they shone down on us. It was the best heaven I could think of. Football and sex—the two things I couldn’t get enough of.

I stretched my legs out as I made it to the huddle. My body had been aching like I’d been hit by a truck all day, which was weird for a sixteen-year-old. But I did put my body through hell with training for football.

My eyes found each of my teammates, and I gave them the best pregame speech I had. It was simple.

“Kick ass, get some ass, and let’s play ball!” They hooted and then I told them our first play. We had scouts in the crowd tonight watching us, so I wanted to give each of the guys a play that would show off their skills. Tonight we were playing the Benders, our rival team from the south of Seahill. They sucked, though, so we would beat them into the ground easily.

“Good luck,” Charles, my best friend, whispered as he walked by me.  He was the best tight end I’d ever seen. He and I made a pact that we would always be on the same football team—college and the pros.

“Jaybird forty-three. Jaybird forty-three. Hut. Hut!” I called out to the line, reading the blitz the other team was going to try.  Once the ball was tossed back to me, it was game time.  Even though my wrist was killing me, I threw the perfect spiral pass to Charles, who made the first down.

We moved quickly on down the field, and time flew. The first half of the game was almost over.

My head started pounding, but I pushed through.

We had to win the game. My body taking a dump on me would have to wait.

The ball was in my hands, and the pocket was closing in. I had to try for the win. I gripped the ball tight against my body and took off for a quarterback sneak, running as fast as I could, dodging the other team’s poor tackles.

Charles was about to block the safety, who would have been the one to stop me, when all of a sudden my vision became blurry, and I felt my feet move faster than ever before.

I was out of control, and moved like a bullet—right into Charles and the safety.

A loud crack echoed in my head, and I was scared shitless that I’d hurt someone. With my distorted sight, I watched as people came running out into the field, checking to see if everyone was okay.

When my vision cleared, they were trying to get the guys to stand up. One was fine.

But Charles.

He was trying so hard, but his legs weren’t moving.