“Is that so? Think you are a hot shot ‘cause you are some star football high school player? Bullshit! You are never going to make anything out of your life playing goddamn football! Nothing! Where could you possible go in your life? You think football is going to get you anywhere?” My father said with so much hatred I cringed.

I had yet to tell him about my scholarship and made my mother and grandfather promise not to tell him. I was going to wait until after football season but f**k it.

“Sir, I got accepted into The University of Texas. I got my letter this summer. I intend on going.”

My father let out a laugh that just about made my stomach drop. “How the hell you think you are going to pay for college? I’m not helping I can tell you that right now. “

“I got a football scholarship sir; and Gramps said he would help out with a place to stay in Austin.” I said with as much strength in my voice as I could muster. He didn’t need to know Gramps already said he would cover any other expenses my scholarship lacked.

“Is that so? Well, just to let you know. Do not call me when you fail. Which you will, I guarantee it. Do not call me when you need help. Do not call me when your little football plan does not work out. As of right now, I am done with you.”

4 Years later……

“Dude I cannot believe we only have one more year of college!” My best friend Jeff shouted over Tim McGraw’s Truck Yeah song. Shit, if he played that song one more time I might have to knock the shit out of him.

“No doubt! I’m just glad school is done. Man this year has been kicking my ass!” I shouted back over the damn song. Just then Jeff’s phone vibrated and lit up. We were at a stop light so he picked it up to read it.

“I’m getting a text from Ellie, that’s weird.” Jeff said as he turned the music down.

Jeff’s little sister Ellie was a senior in high school and was about to graduate in two days. I had never personally met her face to face but sure knew enough about her to feel like she was my little sister as well. He was throwing her a graduation party Saturday night. She had turned 18 in November and he had been putting off having her come to any of our parties until she was out of high school.

No one on the team was to meet her until then and even then, she was pretty much off limits. He was very protective of his little sister.

I was an only child so I didn’t get the whole tighter than tight sibling thing. I did know that Jefferson and his sister where pretty damn close though. They grew up with a drunk as a mother and Jeff pretty much raised his sister.

“Ahhh Shit, we need to swing by and pick up my sister. Something must be wrong if she wants to leave school early.” Jeff said as he made a quick U-turn.

“Holy shit…….you are actually going to allow me to meet your baby sister?! HOLY FUCK…. Let me write this shit down! I get to me meet the ever elusive baby sister of Jefferson Johnson!” I said as I let out a laugh.

“Shut the f**k up douche bag!” Jeff said as he punched me on my left arm. “Hey, I’m sorry, I know you wanted to stop by McBride’s and look at that gun.”

“I can take a look at it later today or tomorrow. No worries.” I had my eye on a Remmington Model 870 12 gage pump action for a few months now. I could always head over to McBride’s gun shop another time.

Jeff and I were planning on going out to my grandfather’s ranch in Mason in a few weeks to catch up with the old man and help out with some things he needed done around the place. Nothing made me happier than hanging out with my Gramps and helping out on the ranch. Most of the happy memories from my childhood are thanks to my grandfather and grandmother. There is nothing that I would not do for them. Nothing.

“What do you think is going on? I mean she never asks you to pick her up early.” I said to Jeff as I looked at my watch. His sister had to have at least another hour of school left.

“Shit I don’t know. I know she was happy the other day knowing everything was set for her scholarship to UT. She has worked her ass off in school. The money from our grandmother should help cover the additional costs that her scholarship won’t. I had it invested and it has done really well.” Jeff said as he sped towards Ellie’s school.

From what I gathered from hearing Jeff talk about his sister was that she was pretty damn smart. She was third in her class. Worked her ass off in high school taking every Pre-AP class she could get into and even took some ACC classes to get a jump start on her college classes. She already had enough college credits to enter UT as a sophomore. Jefferson was pretty damn proud of her and bragged about her all the time.

“Hey man, do me a favor….send her a text from my phone giving our ETA of five minutes will ya?” Jeff asked as he sped even faster towards her school. To say that he was over protective of his baby sister was putting it lightly.

For some reason my hands started to shake when I was punching in his message to Ellie. What the hell? I mean, I got a little bit excited at the idea of finally getting to meet Ellie face to face but come on? Maybe it was just my shoulder acting up. I hurt it during spring training and now I carry a bottle of Advil in my pocket everywhere I go.

Yeah, surely that was it! I mean come on, it is just Ellie, Jeff’s sister, for Christ sake. She had been over to our place a few times but Jeff always made sure I was never home when she was over. From what I can remember she looked like she was cute and I could tell she had a rocking body. I have seen her from afar plenty of times. She was really into yoga and even got Jeff hooked on it for a little while. Bastard kept trying to get me to go to some Yoga place downtown. Fuck that. The Yoga shit coach makes us do is enough for me thank you very much.

We had been sitting out in the parking lot for a few minutes and no Ellie. Jeff sent her another message but nothing.

“SHIT! I have a bad feeling.” Jeff said as he strained his neck to watch a side entrance for his sister.

“Come on, let’s just go in and see what is taking her so long.” Jeff said as he jumped out of his truck.

“Dude, do you think this is a good idea going into a high school? I mean don’t you have to do the whole check in shit so you don’t freak people out?” I said as I practically ran to keep up with him.

“Nah, I know where her locker is. They never keep this side door locked. I sometimes bring Ellie stuff to eat during her off period.”

It must have been between classes because kids were f**king everywhere. Holy f**k you couldn’t give me a million bucks to go back to high school. Just walking down the hall gave me memories I wanted to just push back down, way….way…. far down.

I noticed Jeff tense up next to me and I looked down the hall to see what he was looking at.

“What the fuck?” Jeff whispered. I followed his eyes.

What the hell? My stomach did a total dive when I looked and saw a girl standing with her side facing towards us. I knew in an instant….this was Ellie.

“Ellie what the hell is going on? I got your text honey, WHAT is going on?” I barely heard Jeff say to his sister. Ellie turned to look at Jeff and my breath caught in my throat when I saw her. She was the most beautiful thing I had ever laid my eyes on. Her beautiful blue eyes were red and bloodshot and she had a dazed and confused look on her face. I looked down and saw her holding her hand and it appeared to be hurt. I immediately balled my hands into fists. The anger that built up inside me knowing someone had hurt her shocked the shit out of me.

“What the f**k did you do to my sister you a**hole? I will KILL you if you have hurt her!” Is all I heard before I tore my eyes away from Ellie. Jeff had some douche bag kid pinned up against the lockers. I have seen Jeff mad but I have never seen him loss his temper like this.

Just then Ellie walked up and tried to pull Jeff off of the kid but she jumped back and let out a cry like she was in pain. No way was she going to get anymore hurt. I walked up and placed my hands on her shoulder to get her out of the way. The moment my hands made contact with her body I felt a jolt go from my finger tips to my toes.

What the f**k was that?

“Stand back here Ellie so you don’t get hurt sweetheart.” I said as I brought her a few feet away from where Jeff was going insane on some high school kid. Ellie turned and looked up at me. Her eyes widened in surprise. My god she had the most beautiful blue eyes. Her hair was a beautiful light brown and was wavy and just past her shoulders a few inches. All I wanted to do was run my hands through her hair. I could not even form the next words in my head.

By the way she was looking back at me, she felt the same way. She was staring at me like I was trying to take her soul. I felt her shudder under my touch and I let out a small laugh. She narrowed her eyes at me and looked over my shoulder at the commotion going on behind me.

There was some guy now yelling at Jefferson. I needed to get him out of here before we both got our asses put in jail.

I gave Ellie a reassuring squeeze, smiled down at her and then turned my attention onto Jeff.

“Jeff, take it easy man. Calm the hell down dude; he’s not worth going to jail for!” I said to Jeff in a calm voice. I knew he was upset and I needed to bring him down.

“I’m going to kill that f**ker if he hurt her in anyway Gunner, I.Will.kill.him!” Jeff shouted as he looked over at the douche bag.

Just then I heard another girl shout out; “OH FUCK….. ELLS! Jeff! We need to get Ellie to the hospital like RIGHT NOW!”

I looked over and saw Ellie’s hand swelling pretty quickly. The anger that started to build up inside me once again scared the shit out of me. I had not had this much anger since my senior year of high school where I took it out on a few guys by way of fighting. This f**ker did something to hurt Ellie and all I wanted to do was smash his head on the floor.

“Dude listen to me, your sister is hurt. We need to get her to the doctor right now. Don’t worry about this f**k wad Jeff. We can take care of him later” I said to Jeff as I looked over at the mother f**ker who hurt Ellie somehow. I wanted to kill him right there.

“I will be back for you bastard.” Jeff hissed through gritted teeth. I pulled on Jeff’s arm to get him moving, “Let’s go Jeff.”

Jeff and Ellie and the other girl started to make their way out of the school and to Jeff’s truck. I had seen that we passed the cafeteria on the way in so I ran in and quickly bought a bottle of water and asked the lady for a small bag of ice for Ellie. By the time I got back outside I was jogging back to Jeff’s truck. I heard Jeff and the other girl bickering about something. I thought I heard Jeff call her Arianna at one point.

Once Ellie was in the back seat I reached in and gave her the ice.

“Thank you ah, um, Gunner.” Ellie barely got out her words. Damn it she must be in a lot of pain. Poor girl can barely talk.

“No problem Ellie. Try to keep it up above your heart sweetheart and here take these Advil.” I said as I handed her the water and a few Advil from my pocket stash and tried to give her a reassuring smile. My god she was beautiful. Her friend leaned over and told her to breathe.

“Hey, I’m Ari by the way. Ellie’s best friend” I gave Ari a smile and looked back to Ellie.