A Real Crowd Pleaser

Jimmy...six years later

“It’s off season and you’re bringing up to a football practice?” I question my teammate, David Andrews, as we walk up to an arena in Atlanta. “Why are we even here? It’s off season.”

“Not for arena football as well as legends football also known as lingerie football.” He counters with a smirk. “I know the quarterback from the Atlanta Steam.”

“How the hell did you manage that?” Rob Gronkowski chuckles. “Didn’t you get engaged right out of college?”

“We went to school together.” He replies. “She’s like a sister to me. An older annoying sister that people for some reason have the hots for.”

“So she’s hot then, huh?” I chuckle. “Are you sure you want her around Gronk?”

“Dally can handle herself.” David laughs. “She hung around many guys who played football. Sure she was best friends with practically everyone on the O-line; she never needed us to save her. Annoyed the crap out of her boyfriend.”

“The fact she was around other guys?” I ask, earning a shake of David’s head.

“Aaron didn’t care who she hung out with. He really had this white knight complex and felt the need to protect her. When he realized he couldn’t do that they broke it off. He loved how independent she was but hated how she didn’t need him.”

“Well he’s confusing, now isn’t he?” Gronk chuckles. “So when do we get to meet her?”

“She’s doing an interview now but we’re allowed onto the field now to watch them play.” David replies. “So follow me I guess.” All of us laugh as David leads us to where the women, who are barely wearing anything, are practicing. This isn’t David’s brightest idea, I can promise you this.

**

We get down to the field and instead of scantily clad women, we see girls in normal workout wear. They vary in style but the color scheme is all the same; red and black. David guides us through press and various other players until we reach a blonde haired woman. “Leanne where’s Dallas?” He asks her.

“Still in the interview with some kind of magazine.” She replies with a shrug. “I hope she’s done soon, we need her tiny ass down here for practice.” As soon as she says that, a girl comes onto the field. Her face is hidden under a black hoodie but you can easily hear the slew of curse words coming from her mouth. Leanne and David just chuckle as the girl walks over to us.

“What are they saying about you now?” David asks the girl. “You’re fucking your trainer again?”

“They fucking called deflategate on our last game last season.” She growls as she rips off the hoodie. I can feel my heart skipping a beat when I get a good look at her. Same blue eyes, same forehead wrinkle she got when she was mad. Same everything…

“Dallas Danvers as I live and breathe.” I say, crossing my arms across my chest. She looks over at me, jaw dropping to the floor as she stares at me. “Six years and no phone call or anything. Six years and I find you in Atlanta playing football in your bra and panties. This was never you.”

“The Dallas you knew is long gone, Jimmy.” She narrows her eyes at me. “Plus the phone works both ways. I remember calling you my first day back from Thanksgiving. You blew me off to attend some bitches sorority party. You ignored every call I made from that day to the day I left to go back to Georgia so don’t you fucking dare blame this one on me.”

“You guys know each other?” Gronk asks at the same time David asks, “this was the guy that fucked you over?”

“I never thought I’d see you again,” she chokes out. “Especially not like this.” She turns to face Leanne, “tell coach something came up. I’ve got to get out of here." David glares at me before running off to catch up with Dallas. This leaves me alone with Rob and Leanne.

“What the hell was that about?” Leanne yells at me. “Who the hell are you and what happened between you and Dee?”

“How do you even know her?” Rob asks.

“It’s a long story.” I mutter as I race out of the arena; ignoring Rob’s calls for me.

Ten years prior

I walk home from summer football practice and see a family moving into Mrs. O'Donnell's house. There is a blonde sitting in the passenger seat of a moving van playing fetch with a tiny Golden Retriever puppy and completely ignoring her mother that is barking orders at her and her father.

“Dallas Ann Danvers, stop playing with that damn dog and start helping your father unpack the truck. I want to get everything in the house before nightfall.”

“Yea, yea, yea.” I hear her mutter as she jumps down and puts a leash and collar on the puppy. She must feel my eyes on her because she picks her head up and looks right at me. She offers a small, shy smile and a wave before running off to put the dog away. I shake my head and head back to my house. Just as I get to the front door, my dad walks out with a smile on his face,

“Get in the shower and change Jimmy,” he tells me. “Your momma is inviting the new neighbors over for dinner. They have a daughter that’s kinda shy so please be nice to her. She’ll need as many friends as she can get to survive high school.”

“Sure, no problem.” I say with a smile as I walk passed him and straight to the shower. It’s time to get ready to meet our new neighbors…