Wild Play

by Harper Lauren

  “Hey, you know what, I’m starting to get the hang of it!” he exclaimed. We’d almost finished all the rides.

  “I told you so!” I said with a laugh. This was by far one of the best dates I’ve ever been on. I could feel our bond strengthening, our relationship deepening.

  We were having so much fun that we weren’t aware of the clock ticking until way past sundown. When Stryder dropped me off at home, he was already in a hurry to drive away. He looked a little bit worried, and I suspected it’s because he received a message earlier from his dad. He hadn’t wanted to share the details with me, though.

  “Good night, Tasha,” he’d said curtly, giving me a kiss on the lips. “I really had fun. But I have to go ‘coz football practice starts early tomorrow.”

  “Yes, of course,” I said with understanding. “Good night, Stryder. Thank you for a wonderful night.”

  When I went inside my apartment, I knew a silly smile was still plastered on my face. Despite the fact that he couldn’t stay, I was still very much elated. The past weeks had been more than glorious for both of us, and I could sense him opening up a whole lot more than before.

  I had just leaned back on the sofa to rest, relishing the beautiful day, when I heard pounding on my door. “What the—” I muttered in surprise, my eyes lighting up. He must have changed his mind.

  I excitedly threw the door open, eager to rush into my boyfriend’s arms. But a different face greeted me—that of my friend and co-stuntman Corky.

  “Corky! What a surprise!” I exclaimed.

  He grinned at me with his arms wide open. “Come here, Tasha,” he said. I went to give him a quick hug, careful not to let him linger. “God, I’ve missed you,” he whispered openly, taking a whiff of my hair. His hand casually dropped down the side of my bare shoulder, his fingers fleeting across my skin.

  Although I was used to his stolen touches and open flirtatious gestures and words, this time I stepped back uncomfortably. After all, I was already committed to someone else. It was different because I was now exclusively dating again.

  He slightly frowned. “What’s the matter?” he asked.

  I smiled, ushering him inside. “Nothing,” I said in a friendly way. “But tell me… What brings you here?” He actually looked damn excited. The last time I had seen that look on his face was when we were asked to do an intimate scene together while hanging from a helicopter.

  We sat down on the couch. He seemed to be holding his breath, which made me laugh a bit. It was a good thing his focus had shifted to his “good news” so he wasn’t making a move to snuggle closer to me.

  “Well?” I asked, waiting for him to spill the beans.

  He took a deep breath before opening his mouth to speak. “Tash, you won’t believe it! Earlier I got a call from Willow Productions…” He actually paused to let that sink in. We both knew how huge that production house was, known for creating world-class movies.

  “And?” I probed. His excitement was contagious. The suspense was killing me.

  “It’s a dream come true for stunt people like us!” he said in a rush. “They’re getting me to do the next Superman movie!”

  My mouth dropped open. “Oh, my God! You’re kidding!”

  “Nope, it’s real. It isn’t a dream. I’d already slapped my face and punched myself several times! It’s real!”

  I laughed at what he said, but felt totally thrilled for him. “That’s amazing, Corky! When will the shoot start?”

  “Next week,” he said, his eyes shining brightly. “But get this… It’ll be in different parts of Europe! They’re going to pay for everything, of course. And the talent fee?! Oh, man!”

  “What?!” I demanded.

  “I can live like a millionaire and I won’t need to work for a whole year!” he almost shouted, his whole face lighting up. Of course, it was probably an exaggeration, but I could tell the offer’s really, really big. After all, he was going to stand in for Superman himself! And the movie will probably take about a year or so to finish.

  “Wow,” I breathed, “I’m totally happy for you, Corky. You deserve it.”

  “But here’s the much better news, Tasha…” he continued.

  “You mean there’s more???” I exclaimed in surprise.

  He nodded excitedly, moving in closer as if he was about to let me in on a huge secret. “It’s not just a Superman movie. He’s going to be joined by Wonder Woman and other Justice League big characters!”

  My mind began whirring, my heart pounding in anticipation.

  “Do you realize what that means?!” he added.

  With eyes wide, I nodded slowly. “They’re going to need other stunt people for the big roles.”

  “That’s right,” he said, grinning. “And guess who I recommended to stand in for Wonder Woman?”

  “Holy shit! No way!” I screamed.

  “Yes way!” he said, nodding. We both shouted in delight, laughing as we jumped up and down like crazy little kids.

  Then I suddenly stopped, feeling like the whole world was crashing down on me. “Wait a minute,” I said. “So does this mean we’ll have to be on the Europe tour for a whole year?!”

  “Not really,” he said. “Actually, I’m not sure. But most likely, almost a year, yes.”

  I found myself hesitating then, my excitement dwindling. My first thought was of Stryder. The two of us were just beginning to enjoy our newfound relationship, and I certainly didn’t want to leave all of a sudden and destroy what we’d built so far. Besides, he was only starting to explore being in a real serious relationship. Getting thrown apart could endanger that. Even I wasn’t amiable to long distance relationships, as I had experienced with Brad for a while.

  “What’s wrong?” Corky asked.

  My face fell. “I don’t think I can be away for that long.”

  “It’s your boyfriend, isn’t it?” he asked, frowning. “But I’m sure he’ll understand. If he really loves you, he won’t let you miss this once-in-a-lifetime chance, will he?”

  “He won’t,” I said with great confidence. “But you don’t understand… We’re just starting our relationship and getting off to a good start… Long distance is a no-no.”

  “Oh, come on, Tasha,” he urged. “I recommended you first instead of Lia or the others.”

  “Yes, and I really appreciate that, Corky,” I told him honestly. “But just… Just give me time to think this through.”

  He breathed deeply. “Okay, but you’ll have to decide fast. They need the answer in a few days, or they’ll call on someone else. You know, some of our other friends are going to be there, too. It’ll be so fun!”

  “Yeah…” I said wistfully, not sure how to feel about all the confusing news. Various emotions were churning inside me. “Anyway, let me think about it, Corky. I’ll also talk to Stryder first.”

  “Sure thing,” he said, standing up. “Anyway, call me soon.”

  “I will,” I promised as I walked him to the door and we said goodbye.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Stryder

  Standing on one edge of the football field, clad in complete uniform, I peeked at the crowd right before the game started. The bleachers were packed, the tension in the air evident. There was an excited buzz going around, on top of the upbeat music playing and the past games of Windfield Warriors and Freshwood Fighters being played on the big screens.

  I couldn’t spot Tasha in the crowd, but I knew she was there. Knowing she was watching gave me a surge of renewed confidence and strength. We were going to nail this first championship game.

  My dad was of course my biggest “fan,” if you could call him that. He was on the front row of the bleachers, eager to see me squash the opponents and get the highest form of recognition I could get. His presence should have been comforting, but this show of support wasn’t for unselfish reasons. This is why the very thought of him sitting there, watching me with an eagle eye, greatly bothered me and made me uncomfortable.

  Nonethe
less, I tried to shake off the discomfort and instead focus on the game ahead. As the team’s center, there was a lot resting on my shoulders, too. I had to keep myself focused at all times.

  The announcer suddenly spoke, informing everyone that the game was about to begin in a few minutes. I went inside to join my teammates as we awaited the start of the opening ceremonies.

  When our team name was finally called, we all broke into a loud cheer, chanting “Hut! Hut! Hut!” as we chugged on outside to the middle of the field. The crowd went wild. It wasn’t as invigorating as it once was for me, perhaps because I had gotten so used to this already.

  The flare of the sun streamed down toward one part of the field, casting a dramatic shadow on the cheerleaders as they waved their pompoms in the air. That very scene suddenly etched itself in my head, triggering the artist within me. I felt an itch to pick up a camera and take a snapshot.

  That thought almost made me chuckle. Perhaps it was a result of how much I’d been immersing into my photography the past few days, constantly encouraged by my girlfriend.

  Funny how the vision of taking photos of this event seemed to have a magnetic pull on me. There was a part of me that wanted to be in the sidelines, capturing special moments, instead of being out here on the field as part of the football team. I mean, I still love the sport, but perhaps I just wanted change. I needed a fresh perspective, something new and exciting in life to pursue and build on my own.

  Positioning myself in the center of my teammates, carrying the football in my grip, I felt a surge of adrenaline pumping in my body. In just a second, traces of my yearning to be a photographer in the background melted away as I narrowed my eyes and focused on the game ahead.

  This was a very important game, after all. I wanted to dedicate it to myself, to prove to myself that I could still be great in this sport and that I deserved to be playing for Windfield Warriors during this championship match. After all, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be playing again for a long time.

  As soon as I snapped the ball between my legs toward our team quarterback, all the players broke apart from their initial formations. I positioned myself strategically with the offensive line, all my senses on super-alert mode.

  The first few minutes of the game were already filled with action, the two teams eager to outdo each other and score a touchdown. The football kept on getting intercepted before reaching the goal, though. It was a tough match, both sides playing their best. I myself was trying to keep up, working off a sweat as I ran and dodged players and plunged right into the scrimmages.

  By half time, I was already exhausted. I went with the guys to the locker room to rest. When I checked on my phone, the news that greeted me shocked the life out of me. I took in a sharp breath as my eyes absorbed the macro photograph I had taken at Green Meadows while we were on that hike. It showed a dramatic photo of a unique-looking bug nestled in a bed of mossy leaves—certainly one of my most striking snapshots. And now it was on Facebook for everyone to see. What’s even more shocking was that the photo had been published in an international online magazine for photography!

  Tasha, a voice in my head whispered silently. I immediately knew that she’d been the one to submit this photo to the magazine. Without my permission.

  I clicked on the magazine feature and was even more shocked to find a short write-up about me—a professional football league player who dabbles in photography as a hobby. The perspective of the article was a little bit personal, which bothered me a lot because I had always been a very private person.

  A fusion of emotions bubbled to the surface from within me. In my mind, I knew I should be pleased or perhaps appreciative of this gesture because Tasha probably means well. However, a bigger rage was forming in my heart. I felt violated, because she’d clearly stepped beyond my borders when I had specifically mentioned to her that I wasn’t ready yet to share any of my art publicly. She knew how I felt about it and yet she’d gone on and broadcast it to the world.

  My cellphone suddenly gave out a ping. It was Tasha, messaging me about the surprise, expecting me to be happy about it. She did apologize and was being real sweet about the whole thing, so I should probably just let it go.

  But I couldn’t. Anger was getting the best of me, my hand shaking as I read her message. I didn’t bother answering.

  Before I put down my phone, there was another message that appeared. This time it was from my dad. Of course, he’d already found out about the magazine photo and was infuriated. He asked why I was wasting precious time on this silly hobby when I could be working on my football career. Naturally, it added to the building turmoil in my gut. It stressed me out, and I suddenly felt like I was about to explode.

  Fortunately, a buzzer sounded, signaling the resumption of the game. I went straight to the dugout without replying to any of the messages. My head was swimming with chaotic thoughts, my heart heavy with mixed emotions.

  It was no surprise when I instantly shifted my anger and stress toward the sport, aggressively playing on offense and deliberately pouncing on the opponents with all the strength I had. I got away with some, but there were fouls called. The crowd booed, but some cheered. I was eventually sent out of the game, which was actually a big relief.

  I was still worked up even as I trudged toward the dugout. Glimpsing the disapproving look on my father’s face, I felt even more perturbed. I didn’t even want to finish the game. All of a sudden, my resolve to play my best was gone. In just a snap, I simply yearned to shrivel into nothingness without caring about the outcome of the game.

  As I watched the game unfold before me, with the other team scoring more than us, a pang of guilt began to hit me. I owed it to my teammates at least to do better. I owed it to our coach who’d worked so hard to train us. It was just painful not to dedicate my efforts to the people I most cared for.

  During the last few minutes of the game, I begged the coach to put me in. He relented, giving me a warning look. I nodded and muttered a “thanks” before getting out onto the field.

  The crowd was quiet, probably not sure what to expect of me. My teammates eyed me warily, but this time I was determined to win and finish strong.

  The final leg of the game saw a stronger, faster, wiser Stryder Cooper cutting through opponents and even helping score two touchdowns. Now, Windfield Warriors was leading.

  Everybody held their breath as the remaining minutes ticked off.

  I was damn focused, channeling all my energy toward the goal of winning the game. We were all in the zone, our movements connected, all leading us to a common destination we were determined to attain.

  Finally, the buzzer wailed. The championship game was over. We had won.

  I cheered along with my teammates and felt myself being carried on the shoulders of some of the other big guys. It was a glorious moment, but I felt a little bit hollow inside. I smiled and celebrated with the rest of the gang, but my heart wasn’t fully in it.

  From a distance, I saw Tasha approaching, making her way through the throng of people on the field. I felt my heart jump, but the reminder of her simple betrayal overpowered any fondness I had for her. All at once, I felt my blood rushing uncontrollably, my teeth gritting, and my eyes flashing with ire.

  She stood a few feet from me and actually stopped when she saw the expression on my face. I chose to stay silent, to look away, to just pretend she wasn’t there. Or that she’d never been in my life at all.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Tasha

  Was he angry at me? I wondered as I watched him being carried away by his teammates. A few other players who had done well during the game had also been hoisted on their shoulders.

  I wanted to press on, to talk to him about it, but my feet felt rooted to the ground. Had I just imagined that expression of wrath on his face? Had I really offended or hurt him that much by going against his will and having his photograph published in a popular magazine?

  Maybe there was another reason. I wanted to believe there
was. Or perhaps he was just really tired. I don’t know…

  I decided to just send him a text message, saying we could meet at The Den where the celebratory party was going to be held. My pounding heart finally quieted when I got a reply from him, even if it was just a one-word “Okay.”

  In just a few minutes, I found myself strolling through the front door of the football players’ favorite hangout place, my heart hammering against my chest. I scanned the crowd for my boyfriend and was surprised to find him standing in one corner, talking to one of the hot waitresses. My heart seemed to drop to the floor, but I mentally scolded myself for jumping to conclusions.

  I watched them for a while. This time, he didn’t look so bothered or even the least bit anxious or angry. He was relaxed, a bottle of beer in his hand, lazily chatting with a girl just like what he used to do.

  It’s funny how hesitant I was to approach or confront him, when I could so bravely take on different daredevil acts. I was known for my courage in physical endeavors, but deep inside I knew how cowardly I could be when it came to people I cared a lot about.

  At least he wasn’t making any move to touch her, even if she kept on sidling closer to him. My heart pumped harder as my blood began to boil. I was fuming inside as I pushed myself to close the distance between us.