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The parking lot was full but silent, every car eone inside

Inside, the crowd roared anddown the door to o

And I was fucked

Racing past stadium security at the teaed One of the special teams’ coaches walked in as I laced up my shoes and shook his head Not a word, but the look said ‘way to throw your future away, kid’

The biting cold was no better inside the stadiuiant heat cannons on the sidelines provided momentary reprieve, but once I stepped out of their line of fire, it was back to icicles

Everyone on the sidelines stared at me as I walked toward Coach

“Don’t do this” Keyton jumped up from the bench

The first half ended and the offensive line came off the field Everyone headed back toward the tunnel and into the locker rooms for the half time motivational speech

Coach jogged straight past h me like I wasn’t even there His clipboard in his hand and headset still on, he side the team

“Coach, I need to talk to you I’m sorry I’m late” I spun to catch up

“I don’t have tiht ahead “I only have tih about this tearound out those words and blew straight past

Standing outside the locker rooainst the cinderblock walls

“You thought not showing up was enough to save your ass” Johanssen’s labored breathing to ht pushed away the pain and provided a laser focus for the building storm inside my head

“This has nothing to do with you I wasn’t here andyour ass They didn’t even need me”

“How’s it going to end up once they realize you’ve fucked theht red jersey like waving a flag in front of a bull