Zach's Promise
Author's Note: It is recommended that you see the movie Run the Race before reading this, as it will contain massive spoilers.
August 2012
Zach Truett had just finished packing his bags. He was getting ready to go to Florida to be a Gator.
The past two years had been rough. He had lost his mother as a high school sophomore and had torn up his knee as a senior, ending his season. And his brother, Dave...
Zach didn't want to think about that too much. It had been five months since Dave had died from a massive seizure, sustained while Zach was at a state track meet. He still remembered how much joy he had been feeling after finishing second in the race, only to get the crushing call about Dave. Although Zach had recently turned back to his faith and that had helped him through that loss, some days were still tough. This was one of them.
One good thing that had come out of the past two years was Ginger, a nurse intern at a local hospital. She and Zach had started dating shortly after he hurt his knee, and she had been a help after Dave's death, along with Nanny and his recently reconciled father.
Just then, Zach was brought out of his thoughts by Ginger coming in.
"Hey, Zach. How are you doing?"
"I'm all right," said Zach. "Just getting ready."
"You're going to do great," Ginger told him.
"I hope so." Zach would be walking on the football team in the hopes of later getting a scholarship. His plan was to redshirt to allow his knee to fully heal and start playing in 2013.
"Are you okay?" Ginger asked. She knew how hard the last few months had been for him.
"Yeah," said Zach. "It's just...Dave and I were supposed to be going together. We'd always been together. We were less than a year apart in age and had always been put together. I don't know how I'll manage."
"You'll be fine," Ginger told him. She knew it was hard for Zach. She had only known Dave for a few months and had been saddened to learn of his death. She could only imagine the devastation Zach had faced.
"Hey, look at this," said Zach, going over to his bed and picking up a small photo album. "These are some old pictures of Dave and me."
"Which one of you is this, with the teddy bear, you or Dave?"
Zach smiled. "That's Dave. He loved that 'Bear-Bear' and was very possessive of it. My mom told me when he was a toddler, she swore she saw him grow fangs if she or Dad ever tried to take it away from him."
"No! Dave, really? Grow fangs?" asked Ginger, laughing.
"He could be quite scary when he was determined to keep something," said Zach.
Soon it was time for them to leave. But Zach had a stop to make first.
"Where are we going?" asked Ginger.
"To the cemetery," Zach told her.
At the cemetery, Zach went to the plot that said Truett. He knew just where to go.
He soon found the plot he was looking for. He quickly found the headstone and looked at the name on it.
David Anthony Truett
July 9, 1994 - March 3, 2012
Zach paused and looked up and said, "Well, this is it, Dave. I'm going to be a Gator."
He paused and added, "I want you to know something. I'm going to get that scholarship and make you proud. That's a promise, Dave."
Zach headed back to the car, ready to start making good on his promise to his brother.