"Just because your football career ends in high school doesn't mean your life does."

His words pounded around inside my head.

I wasn't good enough.

I would never be good enough.

I didn't have another shot.

They were going after Shane, "the monster," not me.

Because I wasn't good enough.

I was never good enough.

My voice wasn't good enough for NYADA.

My quarterback skills weren't good enough for Ohio State.

I just wasn't good enough.

I wasn't good enough for Quinn.

I wasn't always good enough for Rachel.

I wasn't good enough for NYADA.

I wasn't good enough for Ohio State.

I just wasn't good enough.

Never.

I wasn't going to get out of Lima

I was going to be a Lima Loser for the rest of my life.

I was going to be stuck working at the freaking tire shop for my entire life, while the love of my life would be in New York, the place of her dreams.

All because I wasn't good enough.

The cold water ran down my fully clothed body as all of those voices in my head screamed and shouted and argued with each other and I slammed my fist against the wall, probably breaking my hand.

But that wouldn't matter anyway…

Because I wasn't good enough.

Those freaking voices in my head wouldn't shut the hell up.

"You suck, kid. Face it."

"No, he doesn't!"

"Yes he does!"

"He ain't never getting out of Lima."

"He's gonna be a Lima Loser!"

"Lima Loser!"

"Lima Loser!"

"Lima Loser!"

"NO!"

I couldn't take it anymore. I screamed out of rage.

I slammed my broken hand into the wall.

I'd never be good enough.

Stomping my foot.

Slamming my fist.

Ready to hit my head against the wall.

And I almost did.

Because I wasn't good enough.

I stepped out of the shower and pulled off my soaking wet McKinley High Titans t-shirt and threw it at the gym lockers.

I took in a heavy breath through my mouth, taking in the sweat and cologne and all of those lingering things in the air.

I punched my gym locker.

I thought about all of those pre-game pep talks.

Those post-loss lectures about all of those things that we did wrong, that we needed to "do better" and "work harder." All that crap.

The post-win talks about all of the things that actually went right.

How worthless they were now.

Because I wasn't good enough.

Thanks for reading and PLEASE review! You KNOW you want to. The temptation is absolutely KILLING you. YOU ARE DYING TO PRESS THAT BUTTON! You know what I think? You should ;)

-Emma :)