Steamroller

by Mary Calmes

All it took was some freak accident and his career would be over before it started.

Foreshadowing?

“I bet you’re sorry now, aren’t you, you conceited piece of crap?”

Asshole

“Holy fuck, that’s Barbara!” He couldn’t even breathe behind me. “Wait,” I said, piecing it together. “I swear to God your life is the suckiest movie ever.” “That means the biology TA that my best friend’s girlfriend was fucking behind his back is the guy I like?”

Oh my!

“Well, we’re gonna date, right?” “Date?” “Aren’t we?” “You wanna date me?” My voice sounded high and squeaky. “Uhm, yeah.” He chuckled, stepping closer, tipping my head back. “I’m not gonna just let you kiss other guys… sleep with other guys…. I like you, why would I do that?” “You met me last night.” “But I’ve wanted to talk to you for over a year.” “Which is slightly psychotic, right?” “Yeah, but only slightly.” He sighed, bending to kiss me.

“That was exactly how I knew it would be, and that’s exactly how I need it to stay. I get it, I’m bi. I can feel every part of my body right now, every centimeter of skin, all of it, and I can’t remember the last time that happened. Ever since I saw you yesterday, I feel like I woke up, and I won’t go back to sleep, Vince. I can’t.”

how there had been talk of the Heisman this year, but now…

The Heisman is given out in early December based on the season that just ended. Otherwise you mean the Heisman next year.

If I had to guess, I would suspect that Dr. Kline had no time for people who second-guessed him or, more importantly, medical facts.

Football is done, Henry. You need to come to terms with no longer being famous in his reflected glory.”

Don’t mess around with a Mama Bear! Love Amelia!

“I’m not insinuating anything,” she reproached him, “I’m saying it flat out. You love being in the spotlight, and that’s over now. You have to find something else to be other than his manager, and if you want to forge any kind of relationship with that amazing young man right there, you better get off the football train and figure out how to be a real father.”

Yes! Go Amelia!!

“I don’t think all the noise is good for Carson.” Everyone went instantly silent. “I agree,” she said with a sigh. “Who are you?” Mr. Cress barked at me, his face getting splotchy and red with anger. It had to be hard. He’d gone from having all the control to having none in less than a full day. His life as he knew it, just like Carson’s, was changed forever in an instant.

Got it. Father is a controlling Dick and Mother has had ENOUGH!

As I watched everyone go, I understood something very clearly—tensions like that did not erupt overnight.

Fun times. And Vince, the gay “friend” gets to be caught in the middle of it.

it was Mrs. Cress, like a lioness protecting her cub, who had my heart. I was in her corner a hundred percent.

“I was terrified that you wouldn’t come. I mean, I must’ve checked a hundred times to see if you used your ticket, and when the game started and you still hadn’t, I—” “I’m so sorry.”

Then why did you not contact him after you left him sleeping after your night together?

“Carson—” “I needed you.” “You don’t even know me.” “I know enough. Gonna keep you.”

“I always figured it was Dad, ya know, who liked me.” Her eyes scrunched up as she bit down on her bottom lip. “I mean, you were so busy with all your stuff and… we weren’t close, yeah?” Furious nodding. “But….” His eyes filled fast, and it was just heartbreaking to see a man who was so broken let his emotions swell and swamp him. “It’s you. You listened when I thought you weren’t.”

😢

“I’m so sick of expectations—I won’t have them anymore.” She was irritated, but not with me, and her voice was firm. “From now on, we’re going to do what we want and not hide. Let the chips fall where they may.”

“My life just changed,” he informed me, and we were so close, nose to nose, his hand once again on the back of my neck. “And I’m about to lose more, because my father will not have a gay son, and—” “Oh, baby, I’m so—” “Stop,” he hushed me. “I’m so lucky. Every day kids tell their folks they’re gay or bi or trans or something and they get thrown out on the street like garbage. All that history between parent and child just disappears because of who they choose to love.”

And he doesn’t know that it happened to Vince.

“And yeah, it’ll be enough, idiot. That’s what I’m trying to tell you.” “How?” “Because I finally made you stop and look at me.”

“So we’ll get married,” Carson declared, his smile bright. I couldn’t breathe. “I’ll get you a ring. A really nice one. They have them for guys at Tiffany’s now, did you know that?” I didn’t know that, but more importantly, I was going to pass out. I just knew it. “Whatever you want that will make you say okay.” “Carson, you—” He grinned up at me. “Yeah, I love you.”

“You need a partner in your dream, and that’s me. I’ll do the for richer or poorer thing with you, since you’re doing the in sickness thing with me right now.”

“How come you didn’t call me last week at all?” “That eating at you?” “Little bit.” “Think it means something? Think I was working things out in my head?” “I have no idea what you were doing.” “But you weren’t surprised I didn’t call. You figured it was what it was, a one-night stand, even though we talked all night.”

Well duh, what was he supposed to think?

“Not once last week was I ever alone,” he told me, gesturing for me to move closer. “And I knew if we talked that I’d beg you to let me come over, and there was no way I was putting you under that kind of microscope. It’s wasn’t fair.”

And you couldn’t at least send a text?! Sorry, that’s lame.