More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
“I’m fine.” Fine. Like a nuclear meltdown was fine. Like the sun about to go supernova was fine.
Hell, he was called a worthless faggot online just for dropping a pass or not breaking through the linebackers. Was told to choke on a dick and get himself fucked in the locker room to teach him a lesson.
My God
“Promise me you won’t quit.” “I would quit for you.” “Which is why I want you to promise me you won’t. No matter what. Say it. Say you promise.”
The whole time, he’d been grinning like an idiot, to the point that Coach asked him what fairy had shit glitter in his cereal that morning.
Justin winced. “I think football is human bowling. The return of Roman gladiator death matches. How am I going to watch when you get tackled?”
You were doing those spin things, from Swan Lake, in your solo. Wow. You really did pay attention in Paris. Of course I did. It’s important to you so it’s important to me.
He’d said that he was living under a microscope, but Justin hadn’t expected to feel it so clearly at seven-thirty on a Monday morning. “Is it always like this?”
He thinks I’m insane for going into public health. Way too much studying for him. I told him I wanted to fight zombie outbreaks, and I think he believed me.”
For the past week, Justin had stayed up late watching YouTube videos about football. Football 101 and Football for Dummies. What Does This Mean in Football. He’d even texted his dad a few questions.
Awww
Around nine, Wes messaged. I was showing off for you.
Yeah. I’m going to win this game for you. <3 I’m going to win every game for you, mon amour.
Wes’s singing sounded like a camel being strangled. Turned out, there was something he wasn’t good at. In fact, he was downright awful.
They exploded out of the tunnel as if the entire offense had been given cocaine and sugar water.
LOL what
“What are you talking about?” “All the chicks that are always trying to get your attention! Dude, you’re a pussy magnet. Especially in that ridiculous hat.”
Leave the hat alone lol
He was one man, with one heart—and that heart belonged to Justin, while the world wanted it to belong to football. But it didn’t, and he couldn’t force it. He didn’t want to. He just wanted to love Justin.
“Do you have plans later tonight?” Wes asked, almost shy. “Wes, you’re my plans. You’re my boyfriend. I don’t do anything without you. I don’t want to do anything without you.”
one memorable evening, going at it in the locker room when Wes purposely stayed way late after practice and Justin sneaked in.
That’s way too dangerous
What about a girlfriend? Any special lady in your life?” He ducked his head and pressed his lips together, trying to force a smile. “That’s a little personal, ma’am.” “So you don’t kiss and tell?” “No, ma’am.”
A Cowboy in Paris: The Secret Life of Wes Van de Hoek By SportsWorld Staff Writer Geoff Brady
WHAT
That’s Wes Van de Hoek, holding hands with his boyfriend, right in the center of Paris.
Why would you do that to somebody’s life???
Pictures of them on campus.
Wes coming down the fire escape outside Justin’s window.
Somebody’s been following them?!?!
You fucking looked me in the eyes and lied to me. Fuck you.
Waking this walk,
Typo but who cares
After he’d locked the door and made sure Justin couldn’t see, he’d checked the message boards and Twitter and found exactly what he’d feared: vitriolic hatred. Shock. Disgust.
Threats against Wes,
Promises to come and find him, find Justin. Show them what faggots deserved.
It was so, so much worse than he’d feared.
Colton’s last text messages had told him to fuck off forever, that Colton didn’t know him, had never known him. That Wes was a liar. A fraud.
It looks like there’s going to be an investigation. No one really understands what you’ve done.
HUH??? He didn’t fucking shoot somebody!
The perfect day for the end of everything. No more football. No more scholarship. No more college. No more future.
“You’ll warm up on your own before today’s game. Run, Wes. Run until I say stop.”
They lost the coin flip. The captains of the other team only shook Colton’s hand. They left Wes hanging, his hand in the air, as if he didn’t even exist.
Never, in his whole time at the school, had their team been booed. Shame ran thick and hot in his blood as he set up on the line.
“Hey fag.” One of the Mississippi linebackers leaned over his defensive end. He blew Wes three kisses. “Coming for you, fag.”
He looked away from Wes, curled over the ball, and took the sack, hitting the field with a sick crunch, pads on pads.
Wes pushed himself up slowly. Ten yards behind him, Colton was doing the same. Art helped Colton to his feet. No one helped Wes.
When he blocked, he was left all alone, isolated, and the defensive guards tag teamed him, steamrolling him to the ground and leaving him choking on dirt.
Omg this is making me cry
The rest of the team joined in, and the locker room descended into the beginnings of an all-out brawl.
Grabbed his duffel and his cell phone. No one moved. No one tried to stop him. No one said a word as he stormed out of the locker room.
All he could do for the team now was walk away and try to take the pain with him.
Justin took his hand and led him out of the stadium for the last time.
“One of us should have a decent future. You’re doing great with your clinicals. You’re going to be a great nurse.”
He and his dad made ends meet, but they never had extra. Not for something as expensive as tuition. This had been his chance.
“But doesn’t Van de Hoek, if what was printed is true, deserve a little bit of a break? Doesn’t he deserve a private life?”
The man hocked a huge wad of spit at Wes’s face. “Faggot!” He bellowed. “That’s right, I said it. That’s what you are. You’re nothing, boy! Ya hear me? You thought you was something, but turns out you’re nothing!”
“What kind of fucking fairy shook his gay ass and made you think that was better than a sweet, juicy pussy and twenty million NFL bucks!”
This couldn’t be his end. This couldn’t be their end.
There was an echo, though, around him, something Wes caught hold of. It reminded him of his dad after his mom died, the way he’d bounced around in a life made for two, suddenly become one.
Wait….
He’d gone around the world to find adventure, and he’d found a football-playing cowboy who stole his heart and ran away with it. Well, Wes could keep it. He could keep it for the rest of his life.
