The One That Got Away Read Online Free Page B

on the back of his hand. When did that happen? I’d seen those hands twist barb wire into shape one day then sooth a struggling heifer as she gave birth the next.
    I looked into his eyes and saw a glint of something I didn’t understand.
    “Actually Mr. Turner. I don’t believe you can punish Scott, it didn’t happen during school or on school grounds,” My grandfather said as he leaned back in his chair.
    Turner looked as if someone had let the air out of him and stared at his hands.
    “It might not have happened on school grounds. But I can sure do something about it.” Coach Carlson said from his perch behind us. “Scott signed a contract at the beginning of the season, all of the boys did and promised not to do anything that hurt the team cohesion. I think this qualifies. Scott is off the team. Period.”
    My gut clenched into the tightest knot. I figured this would probably be the case. To actually hear the words felt like a helmet to the middle. I stared out the window like it didn’t mean a thing. Hell, I’d have taken an expulsion if it meant I could have stayed on the team. They couldn’t do anything worse.
    “What’s more,” Coach continued. “I plan on calling Coach Steven’s at the university and letting him know what has happened. I’m pretty sure you can kiss that scholarship goodbye.”
    I swear to god he sounded like a little kid.
    Well there it was, the final whistle, game over.  I’d been waiting for it ever since I threw that first punch the day before. My one way out, my one dream, gone. Just like that.
    I felt a new loss, one more thing piling onto all the losses. This was different. Losing that scholarship was letting my dead parents down. They’d met and gotten married while at the University of Nebraska. Both of them would light up like roman candles whenever they talked about their time there. They’d shoot each other a secret glance and smile at some shared memory.
    I wanted to go to Nebraska so bad it hurt. I wanted to start for their football team. I wanted to be what Keith Jackson had famously dubbed “A Big Ugly up front.” Hell, secretly I wanted to parlay that into a pro football career. I know I might be stretching it a little, a guy could dream couldn’t he? Or at least I could until I threw that first punch.
    An empty, hollow dullness descended over me. It felt like a hole had opened inside of me, sucking my soul into a giant chasm. My mind searched for an out, anything. But there wasn’t a thing I could do about it.
    My grandfather stood and threw Coach Carlson a nasty look. I thought he wanted to say something. He hesitated, then shook his head. “If that’s it, we’ll be going,” he said as he turned and walked out the door. I looked at Turner and Coach before I jumped up to follow the old man out.
    Battle Ax Betty looked like she was going to swallow her tongue. I’m sure Turner would fill her in later. I caught up with Grandfather at the front door and followed him out to his truck parked at the front of the building. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do now. My thoughts were tumbling around like a clown in a barrel.
    “You don’t got to tell me, but, I’ve got to admit I am dying of curiosity,” Grandfather said. “I mean, it’s not like you and Danny to get into it like this.”
    He’d caught me flat footed. I hadn’t thought this through, or at least not to a way that made any sense. How could I tell him that I had lost control? Especially about something like this. A chill traveled up and down my spine when I thought about saying the words.
    The birds were chirping and I could taste potential rain. I realized I was stalling. The old man stood there with his hands behind his back patiently waiting.
    I took a deep breath and told him everything. About how I found them. About how Gina had never wanted to do anything more that kiss, and how she hadn’t even seemed to like that. When I finished I hung my head and stared at the ground. The