Wishful Thinking by Elle Jefferson

blew his nose. He crumpled up the tissue and stuffed it back in his sweatpants pocket. He put the clipboard down next to his foot and looked at us.  
    “As you heard a few weeks ago a student at Jefferson High passed out on the field during a game against Middleton. He died last week.”
    What?
    A few different students asked typical questions. "How?"   “Was it related to the game?" “What about the handsie coach?"
    Coach Renly raised his hands and patted the air shushing us. "I know there are a lot of questions, but there aren’t a lot of answers yet. The MPA interscholastic division is looking into the matter and until they come up with a ruling the Rugby program is ‘on break,’” Coach used air quotes. “Until further notice practice is suspended consider yourselves benched for a while.”  
    That explained Coach’s frustration yesterday and even why Dean acted so nervous. He was privy to the information before we were and obviously it disappointed and overwhelmed him. With the mystery solved now I wouldn’t have to nag him anymore.
    “When will they have a decision?" Caleb asked.
    “Don’t know, but they are having a town meeting to discuss options before they make a vote."
    “And if they rule to end the program then what?" Tyler asked.
    “You’ll be stuck with La Crosse or baseball or something." Coach took some sheets off his clipboard and passed them around. “This is a new physical form that must be returned by all of you, even if the program gets canceled I want those back. You won’t be able to play until I do.”  
    We passed around the sheets and then Coach dismissed us. That was about the perfect ending to a craptastic day.

Summer rested her head against my shoulder rubbing her cheek back and forth exposing her neck. We were hanging out in the loft upstairs in my house. The Dark Knight Rises was playing on a cable station. My attention, however, kept being drawn to Summer’s exposed neck. Her hand rested on my knee kneading it.  
    I invited her over as soon as I got home from school. The announcement Coach made earlier today had me beyond depressed. Rugby was my lifeline. My problems, my stresses, were left in the locker room while I was on that field, usually. All expectations of my future were ignored for those glorious hours spent practicing and running plays. My hang-ups and insecurities didn’t follow me there.  
    Without my stress-reliever I needed Summer. Her being around usually cheered up my fowl moods.   “Thanks for coming over,” I said, tilting my head so the unmarked side of my face could rub against the top of her head.  
    “There’s no where else I’d rather be, besides, I said I’d take care of you—” she stopped playing with my knee and lifted her head, “—and I am a woman of my word.”
    She stared up at me with those hazel eyes, “You know that black eye kind of makes you hotter, makes you look tough.”
    “Yeah,” I said nuzzling her neck.
      She moved her hand higher up my thigh where her fingers lightly circled along the inside of my thigh. Her brown eyes were looking into mine and she leaned forward and kissed me while her hand simultaneously moved higher, until she had all my attention.  
    I pulled back, “My dad will be—”
    “Shh,” she said putting a finger to my lips, while her other hand was still continuing its assault. She licked her lips. “I want to take care of you," she murmured and kissed along my cheek. She moved closer leaving no space between us her hand still garnering my full attention. She kissed me on the lips once more and then said, “Now just relax.”
    Famous last words.  
    Her kisses continued down my neck, my chest. “Summer you don’t have—” her kisses went lower silencing me. My eyes closed. My head lolled back. Tension built up in my body and I moaned, “Summer I’m—"
    “Junior you up here,” came my dad’s voice from somewhere downstairs.  
    My eyes flew open. My dad was coming and so was I.