“I want your word that you’ll leave him alone,”
“Coach, I don’t give a shit. I’m outta here after one more year anyway.” He relished the hurt he saw on Murray’s face. He rose to his feet.
“Cam...” Murray appeared to be struggling to find words. “You know that I’m here for you too, right?”
“Sure,” He spat the word flatly. Why do you treat that kid like you care about him? I’m so done with this place. I’m done with being the town slut’s son. I’m just done with it all.
“Cam?” Murray asked.
“I got stuff I gotta do tonight.”
“All right. We’ll talk another time.”
Cam awoke abruptly, flinching against the pain which swept through his body. Odgers. The guy had haunted him for years. Coach loved the kid and even his girlfriend couldn’t seem to get over him. It was a nightmare. When’s it going to be about me? Just me?
Chapter Twelve
New Friends
~ Galen ~
Galen stared down the field, trying to find an open receiver, but no one was open. He danced back to avoid a lineman coming right for him. He shimmied left. Still, there was no one open. He started to run. Just out of the corner of his eye, he made out a body hurtling towards him, then he hit the ground hard and lay there sucking air. Thankfully, this was the final play of the game.
He rose to his feet. For once, he was relieved that the game was over. This Wisconsin High School All Star football game had been rather one sided. His team had been smaller, weaker and slower. It hadn’t even been a good battle. Galen loved football, loved to play the game, but this had proven to be something of a disappointment, and not even one member of his family had been able to come, though Ben had come. Pulling off his helmet, he wiped his dripping brow on his jersey as he made his way to the sidelines.
“Yo, Odgers,” an unfamiliar voice called out to him.
He spun to face Marvin Richardson, the highly recruited defensive back from Madison Memorial. Richardson had sacked him several times in the game.
“Yes?”
“Damn! The Bearcats are going to be pretty fierce with the two of us next year.” Marvin grabbed Galen by the shoulder pads and hugged him.
Why is this guy hugging me? Where do I put my arms? Weird?
“Just think, me, Marvelous Marvin Richardson and Galen Odgers on the same team. No one is going to be able to touch us.”
“What?”
“I’m going to Illinois U, too.” The immaculate white grin flashing in that chiseled, black face was contagious. Galen felt himself grin back. Marvin kept his arm around Galen’s shoulders as they continued down the tunnel towards the locker rooms.
“The way I see it, you and I got to get to know each other. ‘Cause we’re like brothers now. We gotta stick together”
As they made their way down to the locker rooms, Marvin did all of the talking and Galen just listened. He saw that Ben stood waiting for him just outside the door.
Ben glanced curiously at Marvin, but addressed himself to Galen. “Tough game, huh?”
“Yup. Some good players out there.”
“You got that right,” Marvin broke in.
Ben was nonplussed, unsure of how to respond to the presence of Richardson, Galen’s nemesis in the state championship game and now in this all-star game. “How long do you think you’ll be, Galen?”
“Probably be a while yet. We have to talk to the reporters. The whole nine yards. I wish I could pass on it.”
“What are you talking about,” Marvin admonished. “This stuff is just as important as how you play. From now on, the scouts are going to be looking at us to see if we are potential pros. You gotta play the game... What’s the name of your boy here?” Marvin held out his hand to Ben. “I’m Marvin Richardson.”
“I’m Ben Happe.”
“You going to Illinois U, too?
“No,” Ben shook his head.
“That’s too bad. Cause you’re going to miss out on going to a school with a National Championship football team. Well, it was sweet meeting you guys. Galen, be seeing you in Chicago. Take care of that arm.” With that, he sauntered out through the opposing team’s locker room door.
Both Galen and Ben stared after him.
Ben was the first to recover his composure. “What was that all about?”
“I guess we’re going to be teammates next year.”
“Wow. That guy is certainly not lacking confidence.”
Galen nodded, chuckling. “We’re bonding, I guess.” Then, he caught sight of a group of journalists moving as one body towards them. “I’ll see you in a little bit,” he said to Ben. “Let me get some of this gear off and talk to them.”
Ben nodded in understanding. “I’ll be here.”
* * * *
Kjersten picked up the phone, then set it down on the receiver. She picked it up once and stared fiercely down at the numbers. Slowly, hesitantly, she dialed the eleven digits. The phone rang once, twice, three times.
“Odgers.”
Kjersten recognized Kyle Odger’s voice. “Hello. Is Galen there?”
“One minute... Ga-len,” she heard him shout. She heard some distant incoherent answer and then Kyle said, “You have a phone call.”
“Hi, this is Galen.”
“Hi Galen... It’s me. Kjersten.” Her hands felt clammy and her heart was racing.
“Kjersten?”
“Yeah, um hi. How are you?”
For a moment, he didn’t answer.
“Well, uh, I didn’t mean to bother you... I mean, if you’re busy.”
“No, I’m not busy... Don’t go, Kjersten. I wanted to talk to you, too. I stopped by your house that day after the fair, but you’d already left.”
“I left early that morning.”
“How come?”
“There were ... reasons. You really came to see me that morning?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Oh, I didn’t know.”
“Your dad didn’t tell you?”
“No, he didn’t.”
“Why?”
“Why what?” Galen asked.
“Why did you come by?”
“When I saw you at the fair, I wanted to talk to you. But you were with Cam.”
“Yes.”
“Are you still with Cam?”
She hesitated for a moment. “We broke up.”
“Oh,” he paused for a moment. “Really?”
“Yeah, it just wasn’t working.”
“So, how come you called today?”
Kjersten shook her head. I’m done chasing after you. If you want to get back together, you are going to have to come after me. “I was just calling because you’re one of my oldest and closest friends. I want us to still be friends.” The words cascaded out of her.
“Friends?” Galen’s response sounded cold even to him.
“Yeah. Do you agree?”
“Sure.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” The silence dragged. “I heard that you are going to be playing football next year at Illinois University.”
“Yeah.”
The silence dragged on awkwardly. “Um, I’m sorry that you won’t be coming to Great Lakes. It would have been great to see you around.”
“The Coyotes already have a quarterback.”
“Well, maybe we’ll run into each other in Eagle River some time. I’m planning on going home more often now.” The line went silent once more. How do I get through to him? Nothing came to mind. Galen obviously doesn’t care about me. Say something, her heart silently screamed.
“So, we’re friends then?” He interrupted her musings with the blunt question.
“I was always your friend, Galen. You’re the one who didn’t want me in your life anymore.”
“I know,” he hesitated, but couldn’t resist adding, “but things were messed up then and I never thought you would get together with him. We made fun of him in high school. Remember?”
“It
’s not like you haven’t dated other people,” Kjersten protested.
“Yeah, but he’s such a jerk. He’s the Cam Fawst, and he’s his own biggest fan. He is all he thinks about.”
“I agree with you.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.
“Then, why were you with him?”
“Galen, I was a mess when you just cut me out of your life. I was lonely and miserable, and he can be charming. He seemed to care about me when you obviously didn’t... Look, I already told you, I don’t want to talk about Cam. I just called to make sure that you and I were still friends.”
“Sure. We’re friends.”
“Well, see you.”
“Bye.”
Feeling immensely dissatisfied, Kjersten set the phone back down. That didn’t go at all the way I wanted it to. I’m totally over Cam, but clearly Galen isn’t.
* * * *
Galen heard the click of the receiver being set down. Why had Kjersten called him? Did she really think that he would simply forget it all, sweep it under the carpet? Let’s be friends. If that wasn’t a crock of shit. There was no way they could ever be “just friends,” but he’d used those same words on her when he had cut her out of his life after his mother died.
He waited for it to come, the satisfaction that she’d called, that he had real evidence that he still mattered to her some. But it never did. He felt even more hollow and empty than before. He stared down at the receiver desperately wanting to take back his coldness, wanting to really talk to her, the way they had before everything had gone so wrong. Should I call her back? But what could I say? That I still love her? That I cannot stop thinking about her.
Suddenly, the phone rang. He snatched it up.
“Hello?”
“Hi, is this Galen Odgers?” It was a female voice, but not the right one.
“Yes?” His pounding heart began to slow. He swallowed disappointment.
There was a feminine giggle. “I don’t know if you remember me. We met the other night at Sal’s. In Eagle River.”
“Oh yeah, Sally. Right?”
“You did remember.” She sounded pleased. “I was just wondering if you want to get together on Saturday night? I’ll be in Eagle River, staying at my Aunt’s.”
Even though Kjersten and Cam were broken up, she’d said she wanted to be `friends’ with me. I am not sure that she wants anything else. She certainly hadn’t said so. Friends?
“Well? Are you available?” the girl asked again, sounding nervous.
“Yeah. Sure... What?” Still, she called me. Obviously, friend or not, Kjersten still thinks about me.
“What do you want to do? Wanna go to the drive in Saturday night?”
“Yeah.” Maybe Ben knew what was going on with Kjersten. I’ll call Ben.
“That’d be great,” the girl had tittered. “I’ll see you Saturday. Around seven?”
“What?” Galen finally tuned into the conversation.
“The drive in, Saturday, right? Or did you just remember you have something going on?”
He nearly groaned into the receiver. Hearing the disappointment in her voice and aware of his own part in it, he said: “No, Saturday sounds good. Where can I pick you up?”
As Sally rambled on, he tuned out. Kjersten. How do we get back to where we were? Can we ever go back? Has too much happened already? Is it too late?
When the conversation with Sally was finally over, Galen placed the receiver down. Damn. He hated himself for his deliberate cruelty to Kjersten. I don’t want to go out with Sally. I want Kjersten. But there’s no way to go back and fix things. Is there? It was like he couldn’t help himself. The pile of shit just kept getting bigger and the mosquitoes swarmed. How had it all come to this? Now I have a date with one girl while I can’t stop thinking about another girl.
Chapter Thirteen
Training Camp
~ Galen ~
Galen hauled his two duffle bags out of the bed of the pickup. I can’t believe I’m finally here at Great Lakes University training camp. He had graduated from Eagle River High in June and summer had flown by with training and working. He had been so busy he hadn’t had time to think. And then suddenly, it was mid-July and time for the football players to report for the pre-season.
The ride from Eagle River down to Chicago had been a quiet one for the two Odgers brothers. They hadn’t exchanged more than a handful of words by the time that they pulled up onto the downtown Chicago campus of Illinois University.
“Here, give me one of those,” Kyle hefted the green bag onto his shoulder.
Galen grunted in response.
“You haven’t said two words since we stopped in the Dells. You scared?”
“Nah,” Galen said and shook his head. He felt anxious. There were knots twisting in his stomach. It’s just something else to get through, but I’ll survive it.
The two brothers made their way out of the parking lot towards the dorm. The campus was green with summer lushness. It was also relatively empty. Some students were around for the summer term and all of the football players were on campus for training camp, but that was it. The air was heavy and damp, like inhaling a wet blanket, and the Odgers’ t-shirts clung wrinkled and damp to their backs. The pickup didn’t have any air conditioner, and the drive had been more than six hours long. Galen sniffed at himself. “I stink.”
“College kids stink the same as you or me,” Kyle mocked and then let out a low whistle. “Check out the scenery.”
Galen eyed the two long-legged coeds in cut off shorts and bikini tops who roller-bladed right past them on the side walk.
“The blond was checking me out! Did you see that?”
“In your dreams, Kyle. She was probably wondering if you were a stalker.”
“No way. She was definitely checking me out. I think that I’m going to like visiting you here, little brother. Chicks dig me.”
Kyle’s familiar lewdness elicited a weak smile from Galen.
“Excuse me.” Kyle waylaid a girl with books in her arms who was just passing them. “Is this Walker Hall?”
“Yeah, you’re in the right place. The third building, there.” She pointed across the quadrangle. “That’s where the football players live. You a ballplayer?”
Galen nodded.
“Well, I’ll see you around.” She smiled at Galen.
“Thanks.”
“See what I mean?” Kyle elbowed Galen.
The brothers made their way through the entrance foyer and checked in at the front desk. There, they got Galen’s room assignment, and headed up the steps. The dorm was new and spacious, though rather utilitarian in decoration. They proceeded down a hall, past a lodge which was occupied by several groups of young guys to room one thirteen. Galen unlocked the door and swung it wide. It was a decent-sized room with two twin beds, two dressers, two desks, and a big window.
“Not bad.” Kyle looked around, appraising the accommodations.
“Haven’t met the roommate yet,” Galen reminded him bleakly.
They stowed away his few belongings quickly. As a finishing touch, he pulled out a rolled up poster.
“Kyle, tell me when I have it straight,” Galen requested as he held up the poster against a wall.
“That’s okay, there.”
Galen taped the poster to the wall and stepped back to admire his handiwork. It was an old poster of Johnny Unitas, the legendary Baltimore Colts quarterback, in the classic quarterback pose with his arm drawn back. It was an old poster, frayed at the edges and faded in color.
“Can’t believe that you brought that piece of crap all the way from home. You should have a Packer poster up,” Kyle muttered. “Hell, at least go with the Vikings.”
“Coach gave me the poster. It’s lucky.”
“Whatever. Well, it looks like you’re about all set. You got a while until your team meeting. You wanna give me the grand tour?”
“I can try. I can’t promise you that I know much more than
you do. This place is huge. Wait until you see the athletic facilities. The weight room is unbelievable. They’ve got everything.”
Suddenly, the dorm room door swung wide to reveal a mountain of a human being. The man standing there was six five, and easily three hundred and twenty-five pounds. He was fleshy but underneath the fat was serious bone crushing muscle. A Bearcats baseball cap covered his shaved scalp. He was sweating profusely despite the air conditioning in the dorm. “You Galen Odgers?” a deep baritone rumbled.
Galen nodded.
“I’m Moe Johnson and I’m here for the team to welcome you and see that you get around okay. You’ll be my project this week.”
“You’re in deep shit,” Kyle muttered, clearly amused by this turn of events.
“What did you say?” Moe queried, as he moved his bulk into the room. The room suddenly felt very close and tight. Moe moved up to Galen and held out his hand. With relief, he gripped it firmly and shook.
“I’m Galen’s brother, Kyle. Pleased to meet you.” Kyle smiled up at Moe and Moe returned the smile. Moe’s smile was brilliantly white against the blackness of his skin and impossible not to reciprocate.
“You two finding your way around so far?”
“We were just going to go out and look around some,” Galen commented.
“If you need anything, let me know. I’ll help you out. I’m gonna look out for you.”
Galen nodded gratefully.
“Don’t forget that there’s a team meeting tonight. I’ll see you then. Good meeting you, Kyle.”
Moe closed the door after him as he left.
“He seems like a good guy. In no time at all, you’ll fit right in,” Kyle reassured Galen. “You already know one player.”
“Yeah,” Galen sighed and collapsed back on the twin bed.
“That thing’s about a foot too short for you.”
“You’re not kidding.” He stretched out in order to show how his feet dangled over the end of the bed.
“You oughta ask if they have any of those extra-long ones. You know what I mean? They probably do.”
“I’ll take care of it, big brother. Don’t worry about me.”
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