A/N: WOW! Chapter 5 already, I am devoted to this story.

I think it is bc I get reviews. It gives me inspiration!!

Chapter 5

"Kip Tyler is their star player." Ray was telling me on the way to the game.

"I know, everyone has been telling me that, but our offense will do fine."

"Only because of me. I am the greatest offensive lineman on that team."

I smiled. "A bit arrogant I see."

"Maybe. Just a little. Okay maybe a lot" He chuckled to himself. We had finally pulled up, I walked him to the entrance of the locker room.

"Good luck honeybee, play your best!"

"I always do sweetheart!" He gave me a kiss on the forehead. I stood on my tiptoes and wrapped my arms around him so I could give him a kiss. "Heather, I love you."

I smiled. "Do you really?"

"I do, I really do love you. You mean the world to me."

We'd only been dating for two and half weeks. I knew I loved him I just wanted him to be sure that he loved me. "I love you too, play hard!"

He smiled at me and walked into the locker room. I waited for the game to start. I saw the team coming out doing their new dance, everyone watched in amazement, even Groveton.

Finally, it was time for kick off. Everyone was right, Kip Tyler was amazing. He sacked Rev time after time. It was almost half time. I saw Tyler get past Ray and Rev went down hard, and didn't get back up.

"Oh my god! I hope he's okay, I said to Ray's dad." He dad shrugged at me. I saw Boone and the medic help him up. Ronnie walked up to Coach Boone. "They're putting Ronnie in, I can't believe it!"

"Ronnie?"

"Yeah, Ronnie Bass, he has an amazing arm!" I said. His father nodded and said that we would see.

Ronnie's very first play he took out Kip. I cheered for him. "GO SUNSHINE!" I screamed he looked over at me and smiled. I knew that he had heard me.

The game ended in the Titan's blowing out the Groveton Lions and the team had Ronnie to thank for that. And even Ray had many completions! "You were right, that kid has one hell of an arm!" Mr. Budds said to me.

I ran to the exit of the locker room. I sat by the door, I saw the team coming out, for some reason though Gerry was lurking, I thought he was waiting for someone, maybe Julius. Then I saw Ray walk out. "Ray?" He said. "You're out."

"What?" He said.

"I'm not going to let you play for this team anymore." I saw Ray's expression. He wasn't happy. I froze.

"Oh yeah? Jerry Lewis, gonna go and tell Coach Coone what to do just like last time? But then that's right he is your daddy now isn't he? Boone don't cut anybody...remember Gerry."

"I had you cut Ray." Gerry hesitated.

"Your willing to just throw away our friendship for them." Gerry didn't answer. "You can keep em!" I saw him walk out of the locker room. I looked at Gerry. "What was that about?"

"He missed that block on purpose, so he could put Rev out."

I looked down and ran after Ray. "Ray!" I yelled, I was running to catch up with him. Sunshine came up to me. "Wow, just like old times huh?"

"Yeah, good job, look I gotta go, see ya!" I continued to run after Ray.

He was already in his car. "If your getting a ride, you better hurry up." I heard him yell. I sprinted to the car. I got in and sat down.

"I can't believe this, I miss one block and I'm out?" He was fuming. His knuckles were white he was gripping the steering wheel so hard! I looked down. "Plenty of people miss blocks. What makes me so special. I swear Gerry has had it out for me since him and Julius became friends. Our friendship wasn't as important, well you know what he can keep all of those animals."

"I'm sorry Ray."

"Why, it's your fault. I missed that block for you, I wanted to make you happy."

I cut him off, "You do make me happy honeybee."

He didn't smile. "You wanted Sunshine to play so I missed it. Hoping Rev would get benched not hurt. I did it for you, big mistake there."

It hurt when he said that...a lot. "I didn't mean for you to do something like that."

"Then that just gives you a reason to go talk to him, if you wanted him to play that bad why don't you go back to him, wear his ring around your neck."

I was close to tears. "Ray, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I...I don't...I'll talk to Gerry."

With that he slammed on his breaks, my head went forward and hit the dashboard. "No! You won't, you don't tell him about this, understand."

I was scared. Ray was reminding me of my dad. I nodded. I didn't want to make him anymore mad then he already was.

"I'm sorry..." I said.

He gunned his engine and I flew back. I was really scared, I wanted to get out and walk but I knew that would only make him even more mad. We were at his house, he ran inside, I followed and walked up to his room. He was throwing his trophies every which way. "Ray, I'm sorry...this is all my fault."

"You're right, it is."

I looked down. I didn't know what to say. "Ray, I love you. I didn't want this to happen."

I hoped that would calm him down, for a second it seemed like it did. "No, you love Sunshine. So I have an idea, why don't you go live with him and get the hell out of my house."

"I don't-" He cut me off.

"GET OUT!" He was walking towards me. "GET YOUR SHIT AND GET OUT!"

I was crying by now, I couldn't take anymore. I grabbed my bags and left. He was behind me, "I'll be back to get my boxes" I choked out between tears. I left and started walking to Sunshine's. I collapsed halfway and just cried. I didn't know what else to do. Everything that had happened was overwhelming.

It took me an hour to walk almost three blocks. I saw Sunshine in the front yard doing his Tai chi. He saw me and ran to me. I was still crying, when he reached me I broke down again and started sobbing. He took me inside. "Heather, what's wrong?" He asked me. By then Colonel was in the living room.

"Ray.." Was all I could say.

Colonel looked at me. "Did Ray do that to your forehead?" I looked at him confused. "You have a whelp, its bruised too."

"Oh, we almost got in an accident, he was upset, he didn't hit me though, he would never do that." I was still crying.

They both sat down. "What happened. You have have to tell us." Sunshine said.

"Me and Ray got into a huge fight. I left. I hate this, we've been perfect, he's been perfect, but Gerry kicked him off the team and he was upset tonight..."

"What?"

I nodded. I started crying again. They walked into the kitchen to talk. About ten minutes later they walked back out. "Heather, I hate to tell you this but you have to go home for a few days. You can't stay here, for the same reason as last." Colonel said.

I nodded. "Will you give me a ride?" I asked.

Sunshine nodded and drove me to my parents. I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect. "Will you drive around for about ten min? My room is right there." I pointed. If you don't see my light on in ten minutes, something is wrong." He nodded. He understood the situation.

I went and used my key to get in. I saw my dad there instantly. "I knew you'd be back." He smiled.

"I'm sorry father, I shouldn't of left."

"You're right, this is all your fault." He sounded like Ray and that made me cry. "Don't start that crying bullshit, or I'll give you a reason to cry."

I couldn't help it, I kept crying. I saw him run over to me, I felt his fist coming into contact with my face and I hit the ground. I laid there, I couldn't feel anything. I knew that ten minutes had past. I heard someone banging on the front door. I heard Sunshine barge in and I felt him pick me up. "You're going to be alright Heather, we're going to the hospital."

"Why?" I asked. "Are you okay?" I was out of it

"Yes, but you aren't." I saw him take his shirt off and hold it to my head. I remember bits and pieces of everything. But I woke up the next morning in a hospital bed with Sunshine, Julius and Gerry sitting next to me.

"Guys, she's up!" I heard Julius yell.

"What happened?" I asked, I couldn't remember anything.

Sunshine hesitated. "Your dad..."

"Her dad did this?" Gerry asked. I saw the anger in his eyes.

Sunshine shook his head and Gerry understood that it wasn't the time. "Heather, what do you remember?"

I thought for a minute and then Ray's and my fight came back to me. I lost it and started crying. I couldn't stop. Sunshine hugged me. "Has Ray came by? I want to see Ray."

"No, I don't know if he knows..." Sunshine said. "I'll go call him, how does that sound?"

Sunshine left the room. Gerry started asking questions about what happened between me and Ray. I told him we had a fight, he was in a bad mood and that I had been part of the reason. He nodded, he knew what had been the cause of it.

The days went by fast. I was still there on my eighteenth birthday. It was Tuesday morning and I saw Colonel and Sunshine walk in with balloons and stuffed animals. They both told me happy birthday, Colonel had to report to base, but Sunshine stayed with me the entire day. "Has Ray came and seen you?"

I shook my head. "No, I wanted him to, I guess he just didn't care enough to."

"I'm sorry, I know that you really care for him, I honestly hoped he wouldn't disappoint you, or hurt you and it seems he's done both."

"Yeah, this isn't what I wanted, but I guess that's how love works."

"Love?"

"Yeah, love never works for me. It's a curse, not a blessing for me."

"Don't say that. Our love wasn't a curse."

"Now it is. Maybe not then. Lets not talk about this..." I paused. "I leave tomorrow."

"Yeah, all your stuff is at my house, I went and got it from Ray's."

"Why? He already thinks you still like me."

"What?"

"He basically said that. Your the reason he didn't come to see me."

"No, we got it yesterday..."

"Okay.." I was hoping I could blame Ray not coming to see me on Sunshine, but I knew I couldn't I knew it was Ray's own fault and to be honest it hurt a lot.

I slept the rest of the day and the next morning I was released just in time to go to school. My face was still bruised. But Gerry and Sunshine had gone around telling people I was in a car accident with a friend so that I could avoid peoples questions.

I went to my locker and put the combination in. I couldn't open it, it was still jammed. Gerry came out and banged it for me and it popped open. I got my books out and walked to study hall. I sat there and waited. I walked to my first hour, trig. I saw Ray sitting at his desk and I avoided his gaze. I didn't want to look at him.

I couldn't concentrate in class. All I could think about was Ray and how much he had hurt me. I put my head down and undid the necklace that held his ring on it. I had made my final decision on him. After class I ran out.

"Heather! Sweetie." I heard Ray running behind me. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be such a jerk."

"Yeah, you yelled at me for something I didn't mean to do...kicked me out...and you didn't even come see me in the hospital not even on my birthday."

"I'm sorry sweetie. I'll make it up to you."

"No, you won't." I held out his necklace.

"No!" Was all he could say. "No, I can't. I won't...please. I'm sorry. I love you, please don't."

"I have to."

I dropped it in his hand and walked outside. "Heather!" He ran after me again. "Please, I made a mistake..please. I love you." He had a pleading look.

I was close to tears. "I love you too, but I can't be with you."

"Yes you can. Please...just take this back. I can't lose you too. I've lost everything else."

I looked at him, "You've lost me too, now."

He had tears in his eyes. "Heather, please." His voice cracked, I knew he was on the verge of tears. "I lost my best friend...all of them actually. I lost football, I may lose my scholarship...I can't lose you too."

I looked at him. I felt tears falling. "Ray..."

"Please, sweetheart, I'll be perfect, flawless, I'll make it all up to you, let me try." I looked at him. "Please, just put this back on."

He held out his necklace. I gave him a weak smile and took it back. "Ray, I love you, I just don't want to go through this again."

He smiled. "You won't ever again. I love you sweetheart."

"I love you too honeybee." He gave me his smile and with that we walked back into school.

End chapter.

A/N: I love it!

Thanks to LTJM! You give me my inspiration!

Mary