After the Panthers lost their best player, everyone went home, hoping to forget their defeat that day. Don Billingsworth walked home, taking as much time as he needed. He did not want to face what was there, though he knew it would come sooner or later. As soon as he stepped in the door, his dad walked up to him. "Why can't you hold onto a football, huh?!" He screamed at his son. Don walked away. "Leave me alone." he said quietly. But Mr. Billingsworth persisted. "I want a f***ing answer! I want to know why you make damn fumbles every time you hold-or rather drop-a ball! Is there something wrong with you?" he shouted. "Godddamn it! Leave me alone!" Don cried, on the verge of tears. He went into his room and slammed the door, and fell onto his bed.
The next night, after a football practice, Don drove home. His heart was not as heavy as before. Tonight, things would be different. This girl he was seeing (He didn't want to call her a 'girlfriend' just yet), Jay, was coming over to his house tonight. He parked the car and got out, fingering his high school football championship ring nervously. Just then, her car pulled up. He took a deep breath and went to meet her. "Hi, Don!" she said enthusiastically. She gave him a warm hug, and for a moment with Jay, Don felt like he was ina place where someone really loved him, fumbles or not. He walked to his house, and they sat down on the couch. They fell into a passionate kiss, and were about to do someting more passionate, but then Don's father stormed into the room. "What the hell are you doing?" he yelled, as usual. He grabbed Don by the arm and pulled him to his feet. Jay sat on the couch, watching in stunned silence. "I saw another fumble today!" he said. He walked away and rustled through some drawers, and finally came back with a football and some tape. "Dad! Dad! What are you-" Don was cut off as his father shouted back at him. "Can you hold on to the ball now?" he asked, wrapping tight layers of duct tape, and binding the football to Don's hands. Jay tried to pull Don away, and for a long while all you would have been able to hear inside of that house was shouting. Finally, Jay got Don out of his father's clutches. She grabbed both of their coats, and pulled a still screaming Don outside. She dragged him into her car, and jumped in as well. Revving the motor, she sped away to a small park a few blocks away from Don's house. She shut the car off and turned toward Don. Taking his shaking hands in her warm ones, she started tenderly unwrapping the duct tape from his hands. Finally, the football and strands of duct tape fell to the floor of the car. "Come on." Jay said to Don gently. "put your coat on." she helped him into his coat. Don still sat rigid, shaking with hidden emotions. Jay pulled him out of the car and they made their way to a park bench near a lake. "Don, "Jay said, "I still love you. I'll never love anyone else." Don finally turned toward her. He took a deep breath, opened his mouth to say something, and turned away. Don fell to his knees and retched onto the grass. "Don!" Jay cried. She rubbed his back until he was done, but as she tried to help him back onto the bench, he shyed away from her hand. "Don't." he said, sitting back down on the bench. Jay sat down as well, and tentatively reached for his hand. She took it in hers, and to her astonishment, he burst into tears. "I can't help it that I fumble! Goddamn it all! Why do I have to be perfect! All I do is try! I don't-I can't-do this..." he broke off and statred sobbing again. Jay embraced him. "I can't do anything about your dad, Don-but-you don't have to do this alone." She raised her hands to wipe away his tears, and her eyes widened as he flinched, perhaps imagining his father. "I'm never going to hurt you, Don." Jay whispered. she wiped his tears away.