Balls: A Second Chance Sports Romance

by Lolita Lane

  "I'm breaking up with you. I'm ending our relationship."

  "Bruce, what?" Tears were already welling up in my eyes. "No, Bruce, you can't, I love you."

  Were there tears in his eyes too? "It's not fair for me to keep calling you mine when I'm three thousand miles away. I want nothing but the best for you, Noelle. The best for you isn't me, I know that much."

  "We've been together for four years, Bruce. We've spent weeks apart before."

  "Weeks, Noelle. Not months. Not seasons. Not years. You deserve someone who can be in your life, someone who can hold you and care for you. I can't, not anymore. Maybe, in the future, when we're done with this school thing, if the desire is still there, we can find one another again."

  "I won't let you, Bruce. Don't go. Tell the UCLA people to go to hell. Please. For me."

  "You can't force me to stay, Noelle. We're young. We're stupid. We probably weren't meant for one another anyway. We can't make decisions about our life based on teenaged hormones."

  My heart was wanting to escape my chest. I slid off the chair. I was looking for words to say to him, anything to say through the tears. Something that would make it clear that my love was unconditional, and that I wanted to keep him. That I would do stupid stuff, that I would give up my own studies to follow him. "Please," I managed to say, without anything else.

  "I'm sorry, Noelle. Be happy for me. Be happy for you."

  I started to walk away, my thoughts trying to process what just happened. I was just dumped. By the man I loved, by the man I wanted to marry, by the man who I wanted to have kids by. By the man who I had given my virginity to, and even let him take me bareback as he did so.

  I was still trembling. The reason for my trembling, started to change as I realized just what was happening. "You – you expect me to believe all that?" I turned to face Bruce.

  "Believe what?"

  "That you magically got an offer to flee across the country, the very morning after I gave myself up to you?"

  "Noelle, no, I didn't know they would call. If I did, I wouldn't of..."

  "You fucking liar," I said, softly yet violently at the same time. "You played the long con. You already go off and tell them about how you finally deflowered me? Probably calling me a frigid prude too for all these years."

  "I have no idea what you're talking about Noelle." His eyes were wide.

  "You're just as scummy as the rest of them, the rest of the teenaged morons who I didn't want to give myself to. I thought you were special, Bruce, I thought our love was real."

  "It is real, Noelle."

  "You don't throw something real away like this!" I yelled at him. "You're a disgusting slut of a man, Bruce! I hope you enjoyed your chase, because all I was to you was prey, wasn't i? You got some sick pleasure out of pretending to care, tricking me into actually think you loved me? To make me think that I loved you, just to show me that I loved a lie."

  "Noelle, I..."

  "Shut up!" I called out, pointing at him. My voice was loud enough to silence the rest of the people at the cafe. All eyes were on me. "Shut up, shut up, Shut up! You're a pig! You're a fucking pig! I hate you, Bruce, I never want to lay my eyes on you ever again!"

  I turned from him, but out of the corner of my eye, I could see him sulk. For a moment, I felt pity. Shame that I had yelled at him like that, and I wanted to rush over to soothe him, apologize.

  Some twisted part of me still loved him. It didn't make a damn bit of sense, since I now knew exactly what he was after, and that I had played so perfectly into his hands.

  The entire cafe's eyes were on me as I stormed out of the building. I kept those angry steps the whole way home. As soon as the door was closed though...

  I collapsed into a heap on the floor. Sobbing, lying face down on the floor, because I didn't feel much higher than that. I was an idiot, an absolute fool, who was expertly played by a player. I was nothing he told me I was. I wasn't beautiful, I wasn't sweet, I wasn't lovable. I was just a sap.

  A worthless idiotic fool who fell in love with the wrong person.

  Love was a lie.

  Chapter Five

  ***Six years later...***

  I collapsed into my office chair, and proceeded to idly spin it around a few times. What a day it was. I had to cover a story about some terrible business that tried to make sneakers for dogs, and act like it wasn't ridiculous. I could barely keep a straight face on, watching as the mutts tried to tear the things off their paws, not understanding their purpose.

  This, this was my life now. Sure, it was an improvement over slaving away in the mail room, but not by much. Journalism was a perilous business in the modern era, and a love of writing and being able to interpret the news was the only reason that I even chose to go this direction. After all, a degree out of a community college wasn't enough to go right to the big papers, so I was grateful that the Norfolk Courier had even given me a shot.

  I was letting the story settle in my head, thinking about how to spin it in such a way that wasn't too cruel. After all, the owner was just a pet lover and thought it'd be nice to give something to dogs to cover their feet when walking across hot asphalt. I just think she executed it incredibly poorly. It wasn't exactly something worthy of me shouting animal cruelty at.

  As I righted myself on my chair and booted up my laptop, my focus was broken by a man walking in front of me. He was portly, balding, and not at all my type. Well, if I had a type anymore.

  "Noelle! Just the lady I wanted to see."

  "What's up, Chuck?" I said.

  "You know you're supposed to call me Mr. Richards, right?"

  I shrugged. "I can't help it sometimes."

  "It's fine. I got the perfect job for you. You've been looking for a big story, right?"

  "It's the only way I'm going to get any notoriety as a journalist, so yeah."

  "And you're from Franklin, right?"

  "Yeah. What's up? Nothing happens in Franklin. I doubt anything that'll be cared about on the national scale."

  He held a finger up, as if he had a brilliant idea. "Nothing happens there, but things happen to people from there."

  "As far as I know, I'm the most notable living person to come from Franklin and I'm not very notable."

  "Don't be so full of yourself, Noelle."

  "What, you're saying you know of someone else who did anything?"

  "The star quarterback of the Norfolk Knights is from Franklin."

  I was legitimately confused. "Norfolk Knights?"

  "Seriously? Have you been living under a rock?" He stared at me, as if I were just screwing with him. "The new big league expansion team? Damn near won the championship twice despite starting with no real star power?"

  "Football?" He nodded. "That's why. I don't pay that barbaric sport any mind, Mr. Richards. You know it's basically a bloodsport? With all the concussions it gives players? We shouldn't glorify violence like that."

  Chuck rolled his eyes. "You go off on that tangent every time someone mentions the damn game. It's like you rehearse it."

  "I don't," I lied, "I just feel very strongly against the sport, so I don't do it any justice by paying it any mind."

  "Well you need to get over it. Their star player is from there, and having an interview with him, an exclusive, will move papers like no one's business. I truly believe since you're a native of the town, you can give a better retrospective of how the town shaped his character and his love of the game."

  I let out a breath. "I really do hate football. Like, can you really trust me to not be biased and turn it negative? You don't want me to be responsible for a bunch of insane sports fans getting bent out of shape."

  "Noelle, listen to me. You're an incredibly talented writer. I'm not just saying that to flatter you because I want you to reconsider my date proposal."

  I laughed. It was how I knew he was attracted to me, after all. I wasn't a masterful mind reader or anything like that.

  "I don't know how long the Norfolk Courier is go
ing to keep going. You're young, ambitious, and talented. You need to jump on every chance you can to get noticed by the big national papers. I believe in you, you can create a fine narrative out of this story."

  A deep breath from me. "I hate it when you're right, Mr. Richards."

  "Good, I can count on you to stifle your football hatred then?"

  I nodded. "Yes, I won't launch into it's horrible history and how it promotes toxic masculinity."

  "I have faith, Noelle, I really do." He pulled his phone out of his pocket, and tapped a bunch of times on it. "I just sent you his address. If you have any questions about the project, I want you to feel free to ask. This is a big deal, Noelle."

  My laptop had finished booting up, and I clicked around to open my e-mail. I lost my breath for a moment, slamming down my laptop in a flash. "I've changed my mind. I can't do this article."

  "What? Why?"

  "I just can't. You'll have to get someone else."

  "Noelle, why can't you? Don't be ridiculous here. I know I'm being flexible with what jobs I let you take, but at least I'd like to know why."

  My heart was pounding. I was completely overwhelmed at that moment. "I – I can't. The man you want me to interview..."

  Chuck looked with concern. "What? Did he do something? Don't tell me... No, I know it's a problem with athletes, especially those who were in high school, but, what did he do? You can tell me, Noelle. We don't have to run anything you don't want us to."

  I glared at my boss, slowly processing what he was implying. When the dots connected, I spoke up immediately. "What? No, it's nothing like that. Nothing criminal. He was a boy scout, practically. Never even did something like underage drinking."

  "Then why on earth are you refusing to interview Bruce Flynn?"

  Just hearing the name made me shudder. "I – I just can't."

  Chuck was rubbing his chin, lost in thought. A very animated thinker, I saw right when he figured it out. "You were in a relationship with him, weren't you? With how you're acting, it wasn't just a short thing either."

  I nodded. "We were high school sweethearts. Together for four years. When we were done, I told him I never wanted to see him again, and my stance really hasn't changed."

  "Well then."

  "So that's why you need to find someone else to do it, okay?"

  "You're doing the story, Noelle."

  "What? I just told you why I don't want to."

  "You need to work through your issues. You want to be a nationally renown journalist, right?"

  I nodded.

  "Well 'Star Football Player Through the Eyes of His High School Sweetheart' is how you get there. It has everything. Hometown nostalgia, sports, competition, a rags to riches story, and of course, sex. That part always manages to sell quite a few papers."

  "You're not going to let me turn this down, are you?"

  "Unless you're going to tell me he's an unrepentant asshole rapist of some sort and you don't feel safe near him, no. You're a strong woman, Noelle. Go back, face your fears, be professional. You're not always going to like your interview subjects. Think of it this way, are you a fan of the king of Saudi Arabia?"

  "Not really."

  "Would you turn down an interview with him just due to your disdain of his politics?"

  I sighed. "No, not really."

  "Heartbreak is rough, but millions cope, Noelle. I have faith in you to deliver me an excellent story. I want you to have faith in yourself to do the same."

  The bastard didn't let me have a last word before he walked away. To him, it was settled.

  I sat in front of my laptop, thinking about how much I really wanted the future I envisioned itself and whether it was really worth the pain of seeing Bruce again.

  Ultimately, I summoned up my courage. The man has destroyed my heart. I wasn't going to let him destroy my dreams too.

  Chapter Six

  The things I did so I wouldn't have to report on a bakery that refused to bake cakes for Norwegians. I hated when my boss was right.

  I was driving to the outskirts of Norfolk. Apparently in our time apart, Bruce had been doing quite well for himself. He flourished in his school, and was his team's first round draft pick. He's been a full on star for the league, people comparing him to Michael Jordan, if Michael Jordan played football. He had countless endorsements, merchandise, and kids looked at him as a role model.

  I didn't know what to think of that. How I knew Bruce, though yeah, he was someone you'd want kids to emulate. There was that whole using me thing though, and it was hard to forget. It was hardly the best example a man could be putting on about how to treat women with respect and like human beings. Still, I guess that part of his personality hadn't come out yet. He'd been scandal free for the most part, the worst being that some asshole in an airport being incredibly angry that he didn't get an autograph for ambushing Bruce right as he got off a plane at 3 AM.

  The things you read about when doing research for your story.

  As for me, I didn't hate football as vehemently as I would have led Chuck to believe. It was mostly that it reminded me of Bruce, to the point where just seeing a pigskin filled me with memories, both sweet and sour. It led me to being completely ignorant of the changes, such as Norfolk getting a major football team in the past few years. It was probably not the best attitude to have if I wanted to become a world renown news reporter.

  Bruce's mansion was quite the sight. His success had brought him great wealth, and he wasn't being humble about it. He always talked about how he wanted the absolute best things in life, dreaming about owning his own helicopter, and how he would take me on rides with it and enjoy the views.

  I shook my head loose of the nostalgia. I was here for business. I needed to ignore the thoughts that were lurking in my head, the part of me that foolishly forgot that it was all part of an elaborately long game to get into my panties.

  That he succeeded at. That I let him fuck me bareback, no less.

  I cringed at the thought, but was happy my risk ultimately resulted in nothing. I loathed the idea of having his child now, when once there was nothing I desired more. Even now, I still had that desire for motherhood, which was at odds with my complete lack of desire for men. It wasn't that I desired women now instead, I just didn't desire anyone. No one was worth the pain they could inflict on me via betrayal and heartbreak.

  Turning into his driveway, I saw the little helicopter that was sitting on top of his mansion. Of course he ended up getting one. I wondered if he knew how to fly it.

  Driving up to the door, I breathed heavily. Chuck told me he didn't know who was coming, just that he was expecting a journalist coming from the Norfolk Courier to come by and give him an interview. He was told we wanted him to discuss his life, his upbringing, his dreams and goals as a person. It was odd, but I was sure I could have probably wrote a solid story without even talking to him. When you're that close to someone for that long, you learn everything about them.

  Sometimes, though, people change. Six years was a long time. Sure, he probably wasn't radically different. He was probably still a bastard underneath it all. A good part of me wanted to turn my car back on and roar it right back out of here. I didn't know what I was going to feel when I saw him. When I ran from him in that cafe years ago, I was really close to smashing something over his head.

  Now? God, I didn't know. The uncertainty scared the hell out of me.

  Still, Chuck was right again in other avenues. He wasn't a dangerous man. In that sense, I could stand to be professional around him.

  A deep breath, and I opened my car's door. My legs felt like they were made of lead as a I walked up to the front door of the mansion. I wondered if he had servants running around. No, he wouldn't, remembering that he thought the idea creepy when we were watching TV all those years ago.

  I hated that I had such an encyclopedic knowledge of him. I wanted to purge him from my mind completely, but it seemed like it was an impossible task for me to accomplish.<
br />
  Pressing the bell, I contemplated knocking too, instincts telling me the bell sometimes doesn't work. That was usually for places that weren't worth several million dollars, however.

  Sweat beaded down my face. I hoped the bell didn't work. I hoped he wasn't home. Glancing over at the driveway though, there was a black sports car, window half cracked. He wasn't so dumb to leave it like that, so I knew that he was home.

  Footsteps were approaching. I felt the strangest inclination to dive into the bushes, but I managed to win out over my basest desires.

  The door opened, a shiver rolling down my spine.

  He was there. Stepping forward, clad in basketball shorts and a football jersey.

  God, he had barely changed at all. His face was a little more defined, and puberty spit up one more inch. He was a lot more muscular than he was before, but professional levels of training will do that. My glance toward him broke. He was even hotter than he was when he was eighteen.

  Chapter Seven

  "Noelle?" The surprise was clear in his voice. "Noelle, what are you doing here?"

  He placed a hand on my shoulder. Nothing in his tone was negative, accusatory, he seemed genuinely surprised and pleased, for that matter, to see me.

  It drew on me that he was touching me. That firm, strong yet gentle hand, and how I'd missed it. I couldn't be easily bent by such an empty gesture, I swiftly reminded myself.

  Pushing it off, I stepped back. "Uh, hi Bruce."

  "Noelle, I've missed you. I thought I'd never see you again."

  "Don't get any ideas," I said, trying to convince myself as well as him. "I'm not here to forgive you."

  "Forgive me? I didn't do anything."

  Anger was quick to replace what I was feeling. "You know what you did, Bruce. You used me."

  "I told you what happened, Noelle. Things changed fast for me."

  "Yeah, how convenient for you. Day after I finally put out, you have a reason to move on."

  "Noelle, why do you think that? Why do you think I would be with you for four years if all I wanted was sex? You know I turned down girls left and right because I was being true to you, right?"