Change Your Ticket

It was very rare that there was ever a dull moment at Mass High. This week was no different seeing as it was Homecoming week. While usually I enjoyed the week of spirit and excitement for the game, this time I was dreading it.

I had been spending every free moment on the field, which meant instead of working on my photography editing in first I was on the field practicing kicking. Don’t get me wrong I was grateful for the help I was getting but this never would have happened if it weren’t for Chase’s little meltdown.

With only a few days left, practices became no nonsense. After a half hour warm up, plays were ran until half an hour before practice time was called. It was exhausting. I know understand why Parker and Jayden used to complain so much when it was a big game week. It was easy being hyped when you weren’t running drills for hours a day.

After hour two of practice things got a little ugly. When you’re with a team for so many hours you get irritated with each other, especially when those people are constantly tackling you to the ground or getting in your way. Of course the more experienced players ignored this, but Chase was not one of those people. He took a bad tackle from on of the defenders, causing him to mumble profanities under his breath. Coach benched him for the next three plays, meaning he was sitting next to me.

Last season when any of the boys got benched at practice I tried to help them understand what they did wrong. It was a lot easier to see the mistakes the players were making when you were watching from the sidelines.

“You were half a second late taking off, that’s why you got tackled.”

“Excuse me?” Chase sneered.

I should have known better then to offer my assistance to him. He didn’t even want me teaching him plays, why would he want to hear what he did wrong. Chase was a good player but his ego was infuriating. Never had I witnessed a more vain football player in my life.

“Maybe you should worry less about my skills and work more on yours.”

I knew better than to argue with him, but I sure as hell wasn’t going to let him get away with talking to me like that. Biting my hostile words, I turned to face him. “Thanks for the concern but we won’t be losing the game because of my foot. If you keep getting tackled when Asher throws you the ball then we’ll lose.”

Chase’s eye grew wide. I was starting to get the feeling this kid wasn’t used to people talking back to him. He had some attitude and ego for a freshman, god help the team when he was a senior. Thank god I won’t be here. It took a moment for him to find a rebuttal but when he did he let it out.

“At least I’ll be playing in the games, unlike your boyfriend.”

“Excuse me?” It was my turn to be taken aback. I had no idea what he was talking about or how he knew I had a boyfriend. I never talked about Parker around the field, I hardly talked about Parker at all. The only time I ever brought him up into conversation was with the guys who knew him and Chase was definitely not one of those guys.

“You’re dating Parker Daniels, aren’t you?” Chase smirked.

His smirk led to the rise of my temper. Whatever he was going to say about Parker wasn’t going to be kind. He could talk shit about me all he wanted but he had no right to talk about Parker, he didn’t even know him.

“Damn, I would have thought your boyfriend would have told you that he’s second string quarterback this year. I guess he’s not as good of a player as everyone thinks he is around here.”

Coach was motioning for Chase the minute he stopped talking. He smirked again before pulling his helmet over his head, running back on to the field. I was left on the bench dumbfounded.



Every Wednesday after practice Max and I would go back to his house to discuss what the team still needed to work on. Sometimes Ava and Miranda would tag along but today they had to finish their cheer routine for Friday.

Following Max to his house, I thought about what Chase had said. At first I didn’t want to believe it. USC had scouted Parker solely for the reason of making him a quarterback. Why would they give the position to someone else? Parker had been acting weird lately. I didn’t want to believe that Parker was lying to me again.

Max and I were in the midst of organizing a new set of plays to show Coach. The silence that was between us allowed my mind to wander back to Parker. I needed to know if there was any truth to Chase’s words.

“Has Parker said anything to you about how football is going?” I tried to bring it up nonchalantly, keeping my eyes focused on the playbook.

“What do you mean?” Max asked, calmly.

“Chase said something about Parker not starting this season. At first I thought it was a lie but he has been acting weird with me lately.”

Max let out a loud sigh. Nothing good ever came from one of Max’s sighs. Which could only mean one thing, Chase was right. I immediately regretted my decision to ever bring it up. The pit in my stomach growing heavier as the news processed.

“I told him to tell you,” he groaned.

“Yo-you knew?” As if Parker lying to me wasn’t enough now Max wasn’t being truthful with me. I knew I was going to start crying, I needed to get out of there.

“It’s on the internet Jos. I didn’t think it was my place to tell you,” he pleaded.

I had nothing more to say to Max. It was clear that he was more willing to keep Parker’s secrets than be a friend to me. I quickly finished writing out the play I was working on before leaving Max’s house.



I contemplated calling Parker the minute I left Max’s house. The only reason I didn’t dial the number right then and there was because of the stupid time difference. I knew Parker was going to be at practice for another hour, leaving him unreachable.

I drove around town for an hour. I could have gone home but I didn’t feel like having to worry about who was going to walk in the house while I was arguing with him. As much as I didn’t want to fight, I knew things were going to get heated.

I waited a few minutes past the hour before pulling into a random parking lot. I dialed the familiar number swiftly, not wanting to back out of this confrontation. He answered on the first ring.

“I know you’re mad at me,” he started.

I should have known Max would have given Parker the heads up. I was ready to argue with Parker not listen to him defend his stupid actions, again.

“Parker, you promised!” I cried. I really meant to yell at him, but I couldn’t control my emotions. How could I ever yell at Parker without crying. “You promised you wouldn’t lie to me again.”

“I know Jos, and I meant it,” he sighed. I could tell from the tone of his voice that he was on the very of crying himself. In my many years of knowing Parker he had never been a big crier. That was until this past summer. “I wanted to tell you, I did.”

“How is this relationship going to work if you won’t tell me things Parker? Did you not learn your lesson last time we broke up over you not telling me things?”

“I didn’t want to disappoint you,” he snapped.

“Do you honestly think I would be disappointed because you didn’t make the first string team? Do you really think I’m that shallow? Parker I love you for you, not because you can throw a damn football,” I hissed.

“I know it was stupid. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah Parker it was stupid. I would never be disappointed in you because of some sport but I am disappointed that you lied to me, again,” I mumbled. “How do you think I felt when I had to hear it from the freshman or from Max. You tell Max more than you tell me.”

“You have so much going on, I didn’t want to worry you.”

“You lying to me, worries me Parker. Do I even know you?”

“Fuck Josylne, of course you know me!” he pleaded.

“I don’t know Parker.”

“Jos, please don’t bre-”

I cut him off, “I’m not, I just need some space.”

“Jos you know I never want to do anything to hurt you. I love you so much sometimes it makes me act stupid. I know your mad but I love you, okay? Call me later.”

“Bye Parker,” I said hanging up the phone.

Apart of me knew I should have broken up with him in that moment. He’s lied to me twice now what more did I need? As much as I knew I should have left, I couldn’t. I loved him too much. Despite everything, I know he loves me.



“What do you mean you’re not coming this weekend?” Miranda cried.

Cassadee and Lexis had gone to meet Trevor for dinner, leaving the house empty. Well, it was supposed to be empty. The minute I walked in the door I could hear Miranda arguing. I tried to ignore it, until five minutes ago she started crying. When I knew she was off the phone I headed to her room.

Miranda was lying belly down, eyes swollen from crying. Her and Jayden didn’t fight too often, at least not to the point of crying. I made myself comfortable on her bed using her back as a pillow.

“Boyfriend troubles?”

She moved under me, causing my head to fall onto the mattress. Sitting up, she brought her knees to her chest. She didn’t need to say anything, I already knew she was fighting with my brother.

“He’s not coming down for the game,” she mumbled. “He was supposed to come see me cheer. We weren’t even going to the dance.”

For a moment I forgot all about my own problems. How could Jayden turn down Miranda? He hadn’t been back once since he left for a college a few weeks ago. He made it seem like he was halfway across the country when in reality he was few hours away. I always knew my brother could be a jerk but I never realized how much of an asshole he could be.

“I’m sorry Mir. Maybe he’ll change his mind. I can get him to change his mind.”

“No, it’s okay,” she chuckled. Wiping away her tears, she looked up smiling. This was the Miranda that was my best friend. “Boys suck.”

“Amen to that,” I sighed.

“Uh-oh, what’d he do now?”

Now it was my turn to be the emotional girlfriend. I knew I shouldn’t say anything. If he hadn’t told me, he probably hadn’t told Miranda either. In fact I knew he hadn’t because they haven’t talked in a week.

“He just confuses me. He does all this nice stuff for me and loves me but then he choses not to tell me important thing.”

“Look I’ll be the first person to tell you my brother is an idiot. He doesn’t know how to handle things, especially when it involves other people he cares about. He’s always been like that. He doesn’t know how to have a healthy relationship because he was never taught how. Our parents were always gone and even when they were home they’re dysfunctional. Don’t take it personally, he’s trying. He really loves you Jos.”

Listening to Miranda defend Parker lead me to regret my previous actions. I should have known better. Parker was just as clueless about healthy relationships as I was. Miranda’s words didn’t excuse Parker’s actions of lying to me, but they made me realize why he did it. It wasn’t just cause he loved me, it was because he didn’t want to lose me. Now Parker was going to be mad at me and it was all my fault.