TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "RED" - NEW EPISODE, NEW STORY

 

And another Tuesday rolls around! This week we are starting a new story. It's a sports romance story with no name as of yet. Hopefully one will come to me in the next week or two. Here's the first episode. I hope you enjoy it. Don't forget to read all the Tuesday Tales stories. Find them HERE. Thanks for stopping by!

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Tyler Bentley parked in his parents’ driveway. The house was dark, nobody home. Oh, yeah, his family would be at the tree decorating party at the firehouse. One of the biggest Pine Grove events of the year drew everybody from babies to grandpas.

Stupid hick town. Tyler kicked some loose stones as he made his way to the street. No sidewalk on Cedar Road, but he’d go for a walk anyway. He zipped his jacket higher against the icy wind blowing off the lake, probably frozen by now. He bent his head to protect his face and trudged down the road.

In the light of the streetlamp he noticed his fingers getting red. He shoved his hands into his pockets and kept going. Ty wasn’t headed anywhere, maybe the cold would help him figure out how to tell his family.

Of course, they’d watched his disastrous performance at the last game. Twice he’d muffed the kick for the extra point. Twice! Probably a new failure record for the Connecticut Kings. And then there was the kick for the field goal he’d blown. He’d single-handedly cost the team five points. They’d lost by fourteen, but the glares in the locker room didn’t help.

He’d hid out the next day, sleeping late, and hanging around his apartment, trying to muster the courage to face the team when he got the call.

“Coach wants to see you.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Now.” Click.

Uh oh. Nope, it couldn’t be good. He’d jumped into his sweats and drove to the stadium. He knew he’d get yelled at. Maybe fined? Possibly put on the block to be traded?  

Waiting outside the Coach’s office, sweat moistened his underarms. He wasn’t the first guy to have a bad day, to fuck up, and cost the team the game. Or at least some points. What’s the worst thing they could do?

“Come in,” the Coach called.

Tyler placed a sweaty palm on the doorknob and twisted it.

“Bentley, what the fuck happened out there?” Coach rose up from behind his desk.

“I don’t know, Coach. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

“You’re right it won’t. Because you’re fired. Clean out your locker today. Last check is being cut now. Excuse me. I’ve got a meeting.” The Coach pushed past him and out the door.

Open-mouthed, Tyler turned and watched him leave. Now on the freezing walk, he searched his mind. What would he tell his mother? Or Uncle Charlie?