Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Enzo
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are down to the final seconds of the last quarter of the championship game between Harper Valley University and Angel Elite University. The Twin Dragons of Harper Valley have the ball at the 30 yard line as this is their last attempt with the game being tied!”
Breathe, the clock is ticking, the crowd is cheering but in my head the crowd is silent. Nothing in this world is moving as time has just stopped around me. All that matters is the ball that is in Wilson’s hand, the center that will snap the ball to me and I will find the teammate running and fighting for my attention to get this ball. There’s a plan right? Sure but plans change, nothing is solid. This game should be an improv show, no one knows what will happen. Breathe, just breathe, I need to live up to my potential, I didn’t get to be the starting quarterback for Harper Valley University by kissing ass. I worked my ass off, I was inspired by others, I’m a fucking freshman starting this game because our starting quarterback got injured in the last game. I can’t screw this up now.
“Freshman quarterback Enzo Nevarez has a lot on his plate right now as the clock starts to whine down. Will he succeed or will he cost his team the win. Let’s watch!”
Breathe, I got this! “HIKE!” I shout as the ball is snapped and I step back to scan the chaos in front of me. I can’t screw up my only opportunity. I got scouted for a reason. I must show the world what I can do on this field. I just need an opening! Seconds feel like years as I finally found an opening that I need. Make eye contact, lock on, breathe and launch!
“He throws the ball to Swanson, and it connects! No one would have guessed the pass to Swanson! As he runs towards the end zone with the Angels not being able to catch him!” Watching is all I can do once that ball leaves my hand. I watch as this was my final decision to win it all or be an epic failure. This is where I jump as Swanson runs and scores! “TOUCHDOWN! THE TWIN DRAGONS HAS WON THE NATIONAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP! THEY DID IT!”
I jump as the team pours onto the field and tackles me as I just won the championship game! I can’t believe it! This is a dream right? No way, the team crowds around me as they lift me up and at that moment I felt the wind blowing on my skin.
“HOLY SHIT HE’S NAKED!” The crowd gasps and I look down and see my clothes have disappeared! What the fuck!? I start screaming as I try covering my junk.
“SLAP THE SHIT OUT OF HIM!?” A familiar voice yells.
“Hold on, I got this move over dumbass!” Another familiar voice says as I feel cold liquid hitting my face and I start gasping for air. “See, it’s another Alec foolproof plan!”
I open my eyes and start shaking like a wet dog to see my best friends and roommates Jackson and Alec glaring at each other.
“What?” Alec says, throwing the bucket up in the air and catching it.
“The plan was to wake him up, not to give him hypothermia!” Jackson shouts as he snatches the bucket from Alec’s grip. “Enzo, are you alright?”
I simply stare at them with a look that could kill them for waking me up with a damn cold bucket of water. “What time is it?”
I reach for my phone which is on the floor, “It’s about 7:50 AM,” Jackson replies as he grabs my phone from the ground.
“WHAT!?” I fall out of my bed and just groan from eating shit. “I’m going to be so late for Dr. Diamante’s class!”
I get up as I start removing my wet tank top and stripping out of my shorts as I rush towards my closet.
“Are we simply going to ignore the fact that you were screaming bloody murder?” Alec says as he goes over to my desk and starts packing my laptop and supplies in my bag. “Because I thought you were waking up from a hookup gone wrong.”
I try to laugh at his comment but I’m focused on trying to find some damn jeans! I can’t be late to Dr. Diamante’s Critical Theory in Literature Class again. The dude freaking hates my guts, I swear! It probably doesn’t help that I’m late all the time because I’m staying up all night learning new plays and trying to keep up with my schoolwork. If I want to be a future lawyer like my family I need to keep up with my studies.
“Do you ever think about what comes out of your mouth?” Jackson says as he gets my sneakers, wallet and phone towards my bag.
“Why? I’m just trying to get the scoop on one of my best friends,” Alec snarls.
“Correction, I have been his best friend since we were in diapers! You just became his best friend last year when we all shared a dorm together. Did a baseball hit your head that you forgot you perv!” Jackson shouts.
Alec rolls his eyes as he smacks Jackson behind his head.“Hey don’t call me a perv! Just because I have someone riding my dick every night doesn’t make me a perv!”
“Do you hear yourself?!” Jackson fights back.
Alec chuckles as he gets Jackson in a headlock, “Enzo, you better hold me back because I’m about to use my bat on Ice Ballerina here!”
I zip up my jeans and find a shirt to put on as I stare at my two friends about to go at it for the millionth time. I swear those two would’ve killed each other if they had the chance.
“What’s with all the yelling?” Paulo, an amazing soccer player, walks in with a bowl of cereal in his hands.
“Oh we woke up Enzo from a nightmare and now he’s running late like always to get to his class but Ice Ballerina is wanting to fight early in the morning!” Alec explains as he doesn’t back down from his starting contest.
“Guys, as much as I appreciate all of you for helping me out by waking my ass up with cold water, I kind of have to hurry my ass!” I explain walking past them as I grab my backpack that they packed and rush towards the bathroom to brush my teeth.
“What was the nightmare about?” Paulo asks, taking another bite of his cereal.
“We don’t know because late ass over here won’t share,” Alec walks out of my room and heads towards the living room area of our dorm.
I quickly brush my teeth and spit out the toothpaste. I wipe my mouth and rush towards the living room with a kitchen right there as well where Andres Gomez, future basketball legend, is standing drinking a protein shake.
“Running late again?” Andres asks as he places a protein shake on the counter with a granola bar as well.
“Does he really need to answer that question, basketball pole? Of course he’s late!” Alec replies as he peels an orange.
“I feel so supported right now,” I say as I put the granola bar in my bag, take my keys and grab the shake Andres, the dad of the group, prepared for me.
“Well don’t forget that we have the welcome ceremony today!” Jackson exclaims as he jumps on the couch next to Alec.
I look at the calendar we have on the wall and yep it’s the third week of school and Harper Valley’s Sports Welcoming Ceremony is in fact today. A giant prep rally to welcome all athletes, going over protocols and just getting us pumped in a glorified way. “Crap! This day can’t get any busier can it?”
Everyone just looks at each other to see if they should answer or not. I roll my eyes as I grab my skateboard by the door and wave at my confused goldfish. “See you guys later if I haven’t gotten killed by my professor.”
“BYE!” They all harmonized as if they were in an alley cat choir. Well that’s what happens when a basketball, soccer, baseball and hockey player try to be in a choir.
I run down the stairs of our dorm building and rush outside to jump on my skateboard to get my butt to class. If it wasn’t for this beauty, I would be walking a fifteen minute walk from the sophomore dorm building to the main campus. I get that sophomores can get some privacy and feel special with dorms that are designed like apartments but placing them at the end of campus is crazy. Makes me want to move back to the freshmen dorms, at least they are near the main campus.
I skate past people trying not to crash as I made it to Austen Hall. The buildings at the campus represent important people from literature, science or if you are going to a sports facility a famous athlete. I run down the hallway to the classroom where the door is shut. Nothing beats these awkward moments of the late student opening the door when class already started and everyone just stares. Whoever made that social rule was the original mean girl and is a bitch!
I take a deep breath as I open the door slowly and walk in hoping that Dr. Diamante doesn’t notice but with my luck--
“Glad you could join us twenty minutes late Mr. Nevarez,” the evil son of a bitch says as I smile walking in staring at the entire class who are snickering. The professor with the reputation of Medusa, glares as I place my board on the wall and run to an empty seat in the back. Can I choose the option of being turned into stone, now? “Class, I like to take a moment from our conversation of Kant to remind you that if you are an athlete at this university that your studies come first. All athletes need at least a 3.2 GPA to be eligible in any sport. There is no special treatment even if you are a starting quarterback this year.”
Yep I’m not going to make it to football practice anymore because this asshole pretty much called me out like I’m a damn wanted criminal. I hear snickers from my classmates as Dr. Diamante returns to his lecture. I take out my notebook and a pen to start taking notes. I swear this guy needs a damn life.
I’m about to start writing but the universe hates my guts and decided, “Enzo doesn’t need to take notes, let’s just kill his damn pen so he can fail so he doesn’t play football or live up to his family legacy of being lawyers.” Well fuck you universe! I try to look in my bag knowing damn well that Dr. Diamante is burning holes in my soul. I can feel my body boiling.
I put my bag down and noticed the guy sitting next to me with his laptop open, a pencil bag and a bunch of what looks like the last quiz we took. I hope I did well on that stupid quiz.
“Psst…” I say tapping my dead pen on the table near him trying to get his attention. “Psst…hey.”
The guy looks up from the screen and looks at me as I wave with a smile. I swear if looks could kill, I’ll already be dead with his cold blue eyes. “Hi?” he whispers back.
“Do you by chance have an extra pen? Mine ran out of ink and I could really use one for some notes.”
He sighs as he looks through his pencil bag and throws me a pen.
“Thank you.”
He simply nods as he returns to grading our quizzes. Can this day get any worse?
🏈
YEP THIS DAY GOT WORSE! I FAILED THIS STUPID QUIZ AND NOW I’M ON THE VERGE OF FAILING!
I open my bag to pull out my folder to find the syllabus for this class as everyone is exiting the room with either a huge smile or contemplating their life choices of taking this class. I’m about to join the latter half if I can’t get my grade up. I find the document and start scanning it as I see Dr. Diamante talking with the pen guy.
I walk over with a big smile knowing damn well this guy is going to strangle me, “What can I do for you Mr. Nevarez?” Even his tone sounds like he’s ready to kill.
“Yes, I was wondering about what you put on your syllabus about this opportunity of replacing a quiz grade with a critical review on an approved list of books that you placed here.”
“Is there a question in that statement?” His deadly blue eyes start turning my soul into stone inch by inch as I gulp in fear.
“I was wondering how long do I have to write that review? As well as if you could recommend a book?” I spit out as fast as I could. I swear the roadrunner from the Looney Toons would be impressed by that sentence.
“You have a week after the quiz that was returned to you to submit your review. Knowing you, it will probably be near impossible.” Okay asshole, I want to tackle your sophisticated ass to the ground if I knew that I wouldn’t get sent to jail. “As for recommendations, anything on the list are solid options even though they are quite rich with literature and vocabulary.” He packs his stuff and says goodbye to the pen guy with a smile and leaves the room.
I swear what is up his ass and why does he hate my guts?! “Paradise Lost is a great text and one of Dr. Diamante’s favorite pieces of literature on that list,” Pen guy says as he walks to the center table to put away some papers. “If you need help, I offer tutoring sessions but with your busy schedule.”
“Where do I sign up?” I startled the poor guy as he jumps and points to the sign up sheet on the table. I take his pen that is in my ear and sign up. This could be my saving grace if not, I might as well be a McDonald's fry cook. “Thanks, I’m Enzo and thanks again for the advice and pen. You are saving my ass right now.”
He takes the pen and puts it in his bag. He takes the sign up sheet and offers a super small smile but his body seems tense. “Anytime, I’ll send you the information for the tutoring session in an email.”
I nod as he starts walking out the door, “Hey what’s your name?”
“It’s Dante,” he says as he stops right at the door.
I nod as he walks away and I run back to my desk to pack up. I check my phone and have plenty of time before the ceremony, time to hit the library to read this book. I’ll prove Dr. Diamante is wrong by writing the best damn review on this book.
