Caught Off Guard: A Sports Romance Novella

by Kira Blakely

  Here lies

  Jason Thompson

  1987-2014

  Once met, never forgotten

  “Hey, buddy,” Chad said, sitting on the ground so he was eye-level with Jason’s headstone. He placed a beer bottle in front of it and raised his own before putting it to his lips. “I hope you don’t mind I took a swig already. Your sister’s kind of a mouthful,” he said, only half-joking. He remembered how he used to drink with Jason whenever he had something troubling him or when he and Nicole got into a fight, since Jason usually served as the mediator between them.

  Hell, it was Jason that had introduced them to each other in the first place by setting them up on a blind date with each other. He remembered when he and Jason were at the field back in his college. He had been training hard all season so he could get drafted onto Jason’s team, and Jason had offered to help him train. It was that night when Jason had told him all about his sister, Nicole, who took up education because she couldn’t get in ABA.

  “ABA?” Chad asked.

  “American Ballet Academy,” Jason answered.

  “There’s a ballet academy?” Chad asked blankly.

  “It’s in New York, dude.” Jason looked at him like he was stupid not to know about it.

  “Okay, okay. So she didn’t get in. That’s unfortunate and all, but what's that got to do with me?” he asked.

  “Well, I figured you were a nice guy, my sister's a nice girl,” Jason trailed off.

  “Hold up, man. You want ME to take your sister out?” Chad asked in disbelief. Jason shrugged.

  “Why not?” He asked.

  “I don’t know who she is! And I don't even know what she looks like!” Chad cried, throwing the football towards Jason, who caught it easily.

  “Details, details. Besides, that’s why they’re called blind dates, genius,” Jason said. He threw the ball back at Chad and sighed. “Look man, just do me a solid and take my sister’s mind off of that stupid academy for a while. I promise you’re gonna like her,” he pleaded, shining his puppy dog eyes at Chad and the latter raised his hands up in defeat. He was never able to resist when Jason used that look to get his way. Chad sighed and looked at Jason square in the eye.

  “Your sister better be hot as hell for what I’m about to do for you,” he told him. Jason raised his hand, the other drawing a cross over his chest.

  “Oh, you won’t be disappointed. I promise.”

  And he was right. Nicole was every bit as gorgeous as Jason had told him she would be. But the idiot inside him was convinced she was going to be a lame date, and he didn’t bother trying to impress her. He’s only realizing now that he should have.

  Maybe if he had taken her some place nicer – like that restaurant by the beach that Christopher had taken her to – things would be different now.

  He remembered when he had gotten into one of the most difficult arguments he had ever had with Nicole. They had spat insults at each other and Nicole had reached her limit when he told her she was never going to become a prima ballerina. She went completely quiet and ignored him for days. When he finally went to Jason to ask him what to do, Jason had shaken his head.

  “Why don’t you just admit you’re in love with her? It’s pretty obvious,” Jason pointed out.

  Chad had laughed it off back then, thinking that it was impossible for him to fall in love with his best friend and that the very thought was hilarious. But now…

  “I think you were right, buddy. I think I am in love with your sister,” he said. He blinked rapidly a few times, trying to stop the stinging in his eyes but the tears didn’t stop from falling.

  “I’m really stupid, Jason. I should have gotten it before. And now, I think it’s too late.”

  Chapter Five

  It’s game day, and the team had been looking forward to it because they were facing off with their biggest rivals in the league. They had trained long and hard for this face-off, and they were pumped up and ready to go.

  Chad had given them all a pep talk earlier and was feeling pretty good himself. But while he was adjusting his shoulder pads, Christopher walked over to him and effectively ruined his good mood.

  “I need to talk to you later after the game,” Christopher said stiffly.

  “Why?” Chad grunted, not bothering to turn around and face him properly.

  “You’ll find out soon enough,” he sneered, and walked away from him, bumping Chad’s shoulder in the process. Chad glared at his back and imagined throwing the football right at his head during the game, hard enough that the hit breaks through his helmet and pierces his skull. He shook his head, getting rid of the thought before slamming his locker door shut and putting his helmet on.

  He needed to get out there and beat some people. NOW.

  “What are you all waiting for, you little pussies? For pigs to fly? Let’s go!” he bellowed, and his team yelled in reply before charging the field with him. They crashed through the huge banner and the spectators roared at their arrival. Chad started to search the crowd for Nicole out of habit, but he thought that she was probably still going through some stuff and hadn’t been able to come watch the game again.

  He was wrong, though, and was surprised to find her sitting in the front row, waving a foam finger in the air as she smiled widely. Chad immediately smiled back and moved to run towards her, when he spotted another player heading in the same direction, the name on the back of his jersey reflecting the sun so Chad couldn’t see it. Chad slowed to a stop and watched the player take his helmet off, and Chad was finally able to read ‘Bartlett’ written on the player’s jersey.

  Chad frowned once more as he watched Christopher wrap his arm around Nicole’s waist and then lifted her up for a kiss. He turned away from the sight, his foul mood coming back in full force and he clapped his hands loudly to start the huddle.

  She didn’t come here for me, he thought, clenching his fists tightly. She came here for him.

  He didn’t bother waiting for Christopher to come back. If he could afford to celebrate prematurely, then he could deal with missing out on Chad’s words of wisdom.

  Chad played like a madman on a mission. His teammates were shocked at how different he was playing but as long as they were scoring, they weren’t going to complain. He constantly put Christopher to work in catching touchdowns until he used plays where he ran the ball towards the end zone himself.

  The visiting team didn’t even stand a chance.

  The crowds cheered as the home team obliterated their opponent, mostly due to Chad’s leadership. Nicole couldn’t bring herself to join them, however, because she could tell something serious was going on.

  She had been watching the game like a hawk ever since it started, mostly paying attention to Chad and Christopher as they played. There was an obvious animosity between the two of them, judging from the way they avoided looking or talking to each other unless it was absolutely necessary, but even then the messages were relayed by another player. She knew that Christopher was just trying to compete with Chad in his own way, and she thought it was both stupid and unnecessary. But attempts to dissuade him were misread as defending Chad, so she stopped trying to convince him to let it go.

  As for Chad, she could see that there was a certain hostility directed at Christopher, and that was seriously affecting the way he played the game. She was becoming increasingly worried about him and she hoped that the end would come faster, fearing that Chad may get seriously hurt or worse.

  She was immediately reminded of the day she lost her brother. Ironically enough, Chad was now playing the exact same team that he and his brother played against that day, and none of them had ever thought that that was the day they would lose Jason forever.

  The crowd had gone wild in about the same way as this one, and the team was winning, too. The field goal didn’t fly and Chad ran the ball towards the end zone. There were still 17 seconds on the clock and they 20 yards away. She knew Jason was going to have to score, and she waited with baited
breath as the team went into position.

  Chad got the ball and moved back a few paces, crouching low to evade an incoming pass rusher. He saw Jason’s signal and immediately tossed the ball towards him, sending it like a rocket into Jason’s arms. Jason almost looked like he was flying as he ran towards victory with just a couple of players to stop him. They charged toward him and he decided at the last minute to jump over them.

  It doesn’t end well.

  They collide with his leg, the sickening crunch heard and he spins into the ground head first. The whistle blows and everyone cheers as the word TOUCHDOWN flashed on the big screens. Chad raises his arms and celebrates. Nicole is smiling at him and she looks back towards her brother, expecting him to be up and doing one of his celebratory dance moves.

  Her smile slips off her face as she realizes Jason is still on the ground.

  Jason isn’t moving.

  Chad must’ve realized it, too, because he called the medic as he ran towards her brother, the opposing team already crowding around to check. The paramedics were already there by the time Nicole got down from the stands, but when she saw them gently place a cloth over his head as they placed him on the stretcher, she collapsed onto the ground, unable to comprehend what just happened.

  Jason had snapped his neck when he fell. His death was instantaneous, the doctors said. He didn’t feel any pain.

  It was only a small consolation compared to what they had all lost that day.

  Nicole had been inconsolable. She couldn’t stomach watching football for a long time, and Chad started to crumble. He got worse with each game that he played on and was ready to give up football altogether.

  It was Jason’s death that brought them closer to each other.

  Nicole blinked the memories away and looked around to see that the game was already over. She panicked and immediately looked for Chad and she sighed in relief as she sighted him walking back to the locker rooms.

  “Baby, we did it!” Nicole jumped and was immediately wrapped up in Christopher’s arms, who had gone straight for her as soon as the game ended. She hugged him back, and she peeked over his shoulder to watch Chad walk away without a word. That aching feeling in her heart came back in full force.

  Chapter Six

  Chad raised the bottle to his lips and took a long swig. He tried to look anywhere but at Nicole ad Christopher. The team had decided to celebrate at a bar, and he agreed to go because he wanted to drown himself in beer and try to forget about what he was feeling for his best friend.

  Meanwhile, Nicole was starting to feel like a chained dog on a short leash. Christopher had dragged her to this party without even asking her, and now he wouldn’t let her out of his sight. He kept close to her like white on rice, and she was starting to get extremely annoyed over his over-the-top behavior. She had stood up earlier to go get a drink and Christopher immediately sat her back down to get it for them, and she glared at his back as he walked away.

  Deciding not to heed his words, she stood up and walked around the bar, talking to a few of the players while looking around for Chad and Christopher – the former because she wanted to talk to him, and the latter because she didn’t want to be with him at the moment. She saw Chad making his way to the bar and she smiled, walking over to him. She tapped his shoulder and he turned around.

  Chad’s eyes widened as he looked at Nicole, wondering how she managed to escape her boyfriend. His fist clenched as he remembered that detail about her and he schooled his face to look like he was bored and slightly annoyed by her presence.

  “What do you want?” he asked coldly, making Nicole frown in confusion.

  “I haven’t congratulated you about the game yet. So, congratulations!” she said. She stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around him in a warm hug. Chad resisted the urge to hold her tight against him, choosing to pat her back awkwardly and then pulling her away from him.

  “Thank you. Now, if you’ll excuse me–” Chad started.

  “Are you avoiding me?” she asked bluntly.

  “What are you talking about?” he said, avoiding her eyes.

  “We haven’t talked to each other in a while. Every time I try to talk to you, you make up an excuse that you can’t make it–”

  “I really couldn’t make it, Nikki.”

  “Blowing me off to get the bottom of a bottle of Jack Daniels is not an acceptable reason, Stephens!” she cried.

  Chad scoffed and pushed her off of him. He wasn’t about to tell her the reason he couldn’t see her was because he didn’t think he could stand being with her while knowing she belonged to someone else. He didn’t trust himself enough not to confess that he was head over heels in love with her, either.

  “What is the point of all this, Nikki? I blew you off. I’m sorry. Done. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to get out of your hair before your boyfriend blows his gasket when he finds you taking to me,” he said rudely. He felt an ache in his chest when Nicole looked at him like she barely knew him before turning around and stalking off.

  Yeah, that’s the way to a girl’s heart, Chad Stephens. By pushing away the girl you love, he thought miserably. He went back in his search for the bar, desperate for a drink.

  He felt her staring at him from a few feet away, and fuck if he doesn’t like it and hate it at the same time. Her boyfriend was still a no-show and Chad knew it was only a matter of time before that douche came and took Nicole away, preferably away from him.

  Chad decided to push Nicole’s buttons some more by entertaining the women who’d been throwing him flirtatious glances and grins throughout the night. He had given them a cursory glance and chose a long-haired brunette with eyes that reminded him of Nicole’s and began his little game. He leaned closer to the woman and whispered some filthy things in her ear, and he watched as Nicole’s glare intensified. Smirking to himself, he decided to rev it up some more. He tilted his head and took the brunette’s lips into his own, giving her a smoldering kiss which she delightedly reciprocated, placing her palm on his cheek.

  The kiss barely reached ten seconds before he was wrenched away from her, and Nicole pried the brunette’s hand off of his face and pulled him away. The brunette opened her mouth to protest but the murderous look Nicole threw at her made her shut her mouth and look at her in fright. Nicole turned away from her and grabbed Chad by the arm, pulling him out of the bar and into the empty lot.

  “What the hell is your problem?” Nicole hissed, letting go of his arm.

  “Gee, Nikki. I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?” Chad said sarcastically.

  “Why are flirting with her? Screw that, why did you kiss her?” she yelled, pushing him in the chest with both hands. Chad’s eyes widened and looked at her incredulously.

  “What’s it to you? I can do whatever I want, I’m a free man! Why are you making such a big deal about it, huh?”

  Nicole’s mouth opened and closed like a fish, unable to give him an answer. Chad walked closer to her, his brows furrowed as he tried to read what was really going on with her.

  “Why are you acting like a jealous girlfriend, Nicole? Are you jealous someone’s kissing me other than you?” he whispered.

  Nicole gulped and turned her head away.

  “No, I’m not your girlfriend. You said it was the most ridiculous idea you’ve ever heard, remember?” she grumbled.

  Chad blinked. He opened his mouth to ask her what she meant, but he saw movement from the corner of his eye. He spotted Christopher jogging over to them, his face grim and stony as he looked at the two of them.

  “Excuse me, Stephens, but I need to talk to my girlfriend now,” he said, before pulling Nicole by her wrist, walking to the parking lot.

  Chapter Seven

  “I thought I told you to stay away from him,” Christopher said, his face turning red in anger. He had taken them back to his car with every intention of leaving the party, but Nicole stopped him.

  “He’s my best friend, Christopher! He’s been there
for me ever since my brother died! Hell, he’s been with me even before then! I can’t just throw away our friendship because you told me to,” Nicole said, and Christopher gave a harsh laugh.

  “I’m pretty sure Stephens has got a whole lot more than friendship on his mind,” he said dryly, and Nicole looked at him with her brows furrowed.

  “What’s happened to you? You’re not acting like yourself,” she said.

  “Well, maybe this is the real me, Nicole. Are you not liking what you see? Am I not good enough for you, huh? You want to run off and ride Stephen’s dick like the slut you really are?”

  Nicole slapped him hard across the face, biting her lip to stop herself from crying. She opened the door and got out of his car, slamming it behind her. She ignored his pleas to get back in the car and kept walking, wiping the tears from her eyes.

  She went back inside the bar and ducked her head, letting her hair fall down to cover her face. Chad saw her sneaking into the secluded part of the bar and, having a sneaking suspicion that she was crying, moved to follow her.

  He saw her sitting on the ground with her back against the wall, sniffing softly. Chad sighed, running his hand over his head and feeling guilty for what he did earlier. He sat down next to her and handed her a tissue, which she took wordlessly and dried her eyes. He let her cry for a few moments before opening his mouth.

  “Listen, Nicole. I’m… I’m sorry for what I said earlier. It was a real jerk move and I apologize for hurting you,” he said, and Nicole shook her head, blowing her nose.

  “It’s not your fault. I was a little out of line earlier, but that was just because,” she shook her head before continuing, “Christopher told me to stop talking to you,” she admitted.

  “I figured,” Chad replied wryly.

  “But I don’t want to! You’re one of the most important people in my life, and I’m not gonna give you up, no matter what he says,” she said adamantly, making Chad’s heart beat faster. He remembered what she said earlier during their quarrel, and he frowned.