Chasing Changes

"Thank God, hell week is over!" Mark raised his beer mug and smiled at the lot of us. "This is our season boys! Work hard and play harder!" The guys all laughed and followed him in downing their own beers. He sauntered over to me and threw an arm around my shoulders, "Not drinking tonight, Joshie?"

I shook my head and laughed at his drunken state. "Nah, man. Season has started and unlike you fools, I don't like to drink crap that'll make me dehydrated."

A round of boos and complaints came from the guys throughout the bar. JP's wasn't the closest sports bar to our college campus, but it was big enough to hold most of the team that came out tonight to celebrate the end of hell week. Our football team trains most of July and August, but the last week before school starts is always declared hell week since it's the last chance for the coaches to kill us with three practices a day so they go hard. This year we only lost a couple players to injuries this past week so it was pretty successful.

Mark took a seat next to me at the bar, and placed his empty mug in the bartenders reach, "One more, good sir!"

I rolled my eyes as the bartender went to refill his mug, "Guess that makes me designated driver for the night."

He gave me a mega-watt smile. "Of course, roomie. I think it's great you don't drink during the season. I'll always have a dd to take me home since we go to the same place." Mark wasn't just my teammate, but also a good friend and now roommate since my last roommate graduated early. I moved into a room in his apartment this past summer so I could also save money, since he isn't even asking for rent.

"It's the least I can do." I shrugged. Mark has done a lot for me these past three years, even when we weren't very close. He comes off as a frat boy with his personality, but he's pretty loyal to his friends. I watched as he took out his phone and checked it for the millionth time since our last practice ended. "Waiting for a booty call?" Mark is the king of sluts. New girl every week is an understatement for the pretty boy.

He sighed and set down his phone. "My friend said she would be coming out tonight, but I guess she bailed. She's been busy with her new boy-toy this past summer so we haven't hung out in a while."

I squinted at him. "Is this real life? Mark Pullman sighing over a girl? What friend? Do I know her?"

He rolled his eyes and laughed, "It's not like that with us. She's my sister from another mister. Been tight since freshmen year kind of friend. You probably saw her around the team a bit during our freshmen and sophomore years since she was dating Colin."

"Colin Straus?" My eyebrows shot up as he nodded, confirming it was our quarterback a few years ago. "I didn't know he was dating anyone, to be honest." And I was his back-up.

"Yea, I'm not surprised. He was pretty low-key and kept to himself a lot. That's why I thought they were perfect when I set them up, but that relationship crashed and burned." He glanced at his phone. "She still kind of holds that against me."

I nodded. Colin was drafted to the other coast, from North Carolina to Washington, that's almost three thousand miles. No doubt the relationship ended due to distance, plus with him being a professional now, the girls will be all over him.

Mark downed the rest of his beer and stretched out a bit. "You ready to lead us losers to a bowl game this time?"

"To the National Championship bowl game." I corrected. Last year we lost the league championship game to our rivals across town, and lost out on a chance to go to a bowl game. But this year, I want it all. I'll need it if I ever want to get scouts to notice me so I can pave my way to the NFL.

Mark smacked my back, "That's the spirit! Better throw me all the touchdown passes this year!"

I laughed, "In your dreams. The tight end should be a utility guy, not the star of the team."

"Tell that to Gronk from the patriots." Mark scoffed.

I was about to brush that off, but the glow of his phone caught my eye. "Hey buddy, looks like your girl is calling."

He straightened up and took the call, "Where you at, dude?" I started to laugh to myself. Take the boy out of California, but can't take California out of the boy. I watched as his usual cheerful face turned into a frown. "What hospital?" I straightened up as well. That can't be good news. "I'll be there in ten." He listened a little longer. "You can tell me more when I pick you up." He hung up and swung out of the stool and started making his way through the crowd to get to the exit.

I threw down a couple of twenties in front of a teammate. "This is for Mark's drinks. We have to bail." I didn't spare a glance back as I rushed to catch up to Mark. I met him at his ford escape. "Give me the keys."

"I'm good." He clicked the unlocked button and tried opening the driver side door, but I pushed it close. "Really, Josh? I'm in a hurry."

"I can tell. Now hand over the keys so we can get there safely. You won't be very helpful if you're in the hospital yourself." I held out my hand.

He smacked the keys in my hand and grumbled. "Fine, to O'Connor hospital." He jogged to the passenger side and we both got in the car. I started the car and we got moving. "She said she'll be at the emergency room entrance. Apparently she's signing her release papers right now."

"Well, that's good news." I sighed. "If they aren't holding her overnight then whatever happened can't be that bad."

His face darkened. "I don't know about that. She wouldn't ask me to pick her up if nothing was wrong. She would have driven herself home or taken an uber. She doesn't usually rely on others."

I didn't know what to say so I just left it alone. It was already strange to see Mark actually worried about something. For an easygoing guy like him, life is a joke. I got us to O'Connor in record time and slowly pulled into their lot looking for his friend. Right outside the emergency room entrance were quite a few people standing around either smoking or on the phone. None of them really stood out as a girl that Mark would even talk to, let alone be interested in.

"There she is! Wait here!" He jumped out of the slowly moving car and rushed to a short figure standing all alone. I put the car in park and studied their interaction. Mark rushed to her, grabbing her shoulders and kneeling down to look her in the eyes. She looked to be a foot shorter than his 6'2". Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail that hid under a baseball cap. Mark finished chatting and walked her back to the car. Surprisingly, he held the front passenger door open for her to get into, and then jumped into the back. Kind of strange.

"Josh, take us home." Mark demanded and leaned forward onto the center console. "Riley is staying with us for a bit."

I looked at the girl next to me. She was a tiny thing, drowning in baggy sweats and a long hoody.

She turned to look at me and I caught sight of her right eye that was swollen and turning a shade of blue and purple. Right under her eyebrow was a couple of stitches. "Nasty cut. Ten stitches?"

She cracked a smile. "Close. Only nine."

"Only nine?!?!" Mark repeated, sounding upset. "Don't sound proud of getting the crap beaten out of you. This is serious. You should be reporting this to the police."

I hesitated before pulling out of the parking lot, "Should I be heading to the station? Did someone hit you?"

She pulled her hat lower to hide her face and looked away, "It wasn't intentional. I was just shoved a little, and then I clumsily fell onto the corner of the coffee table with my face. I'm just unlucky."

I didn't head anywhere just yet. "Who pushed you?"

"Just some loser. It doesn't matter. Just take me to Mark's." She relaxed into the seat and took a deep breath. "I'm so tired. I just want to sleep for the next two days before school starts."

Unsure, I looked at Mark. His eyes met mine and he nodded. "We'll go home for now, but this conversation isn't over just yet."

I nodded and took the three of us back to the apartment. Mark's place was close to our university and in the good part of town. Apparently his parents gave it to him as a high school graduation gift, but it must have cost a pretty penny. Downstairs was a simple kitchen, which had a breakfast bar, a living room, and a laundry room. Upstairs was two bedrooms separated by the bathroom. Mark said it was too empty with just him so he didn't mind me staying rent free.

I didn't know Mark's money or family situation, but it sounded like he had plenty in both departments, especially compared to me. I have no money and no family. I'm not ashamed of either fact. Scholarships and loans are getting me by for now, but hopefully the draft will bring me good fortune.

A light snore jolted me out of my thoughts and I glanced at the girl to make sure she was really asleep. It had only been a few minutes since we left the hospital and we were almost home.

"She's a heavy sleeper. If she says she's tired, then she definitely passes out the first chance she gets." Mark sighed. "She won't be waking up any time soon either."

I looked in the rearview mirror to catch his eye. "Do you know who pushed her?"

He scratched the scruff on his face. "My bet is on the latest boy-toy. She hasn't let me check this guy out so she must be hiding him because she's ashamed. Oh well. We'll definitely settle this tomorrow."

I pulled into his parking spot and turned off the car. "Why do you keep saying boy-toy? Can't you accept that she has a boyfriend? Or are you too jealous?"

We both got out of the car and he shook his head at my questions. "I told you it's not like that. Besides, Riley hasn't seriously dated since getting dumped by Colin. Now she just uses a boy here and there, but never gets too attached to them." He rounded the side and opened the passenger door. He unbuckled the girl and put his arms under her to carry her in.

I blinked in surprise and closed the car door for him. "So she's like you?"

"Yes and no. I guess." He led the way to the front door. "I sleep with a different girl every time with no strings. Riley just likes to use these guys for free food and drinks. Or to do chores around her apartment. Once they find out that they aren't get any from her, physically or emotionally, they leave on their own. Colin broke her, but she's putting herself back together." We went in the apartment and he took her upstairs.

"She's sleeping in your bed?" I asked in amazement. Mark doesn't letting any girl stay the night so no one but him stays in his bed.

"Yep." Was his only reply before going in his room, and shutting his door.

So not only she is staying in his bed, but he's staying with her? Come on. Try and tell me one more time that 'it's not like that'. Mark has it bad and he can't even see it. After locking up, I headed to my own room and closed my door. I kicked off my shoes and emptied my pockets to put the junk on my desk. Then I collapsed on my own full sized bed.

Mark says she's putting herself back together, but I would say otherwise. It's more like she's self-destructing. Oh, but I guess it's only self-destructing if you're sleeping around. Maybe it's more like she's putting a band-aid over her current situation and pretending it's fixed? Who knows. The kid sounds like a train wreck, just like Mark. They could be perfect for each other in that aspect.