OKAY! Wait….. Hold the f**king fort Ellie! Good god what am I doing? I had to shake my head to clear my thoughts. I was practically undressing my brother’s best friend in my mind.

No! I will never let myself be hurt again by another man. My mother was right; no one would ever want me and Ryan was proof of that. I was never going to let another man into my life to hurt me ever again.

Just then I was brought back to the real world by Ari asking me to let her see my hand. When she got there I have no clue.

“OH FUCK….. ELLS! Jeff! We need to get Ellie to the hospital like RIGHT NOW!” Ari was screaming trying to get Jefferson’s attention.

“Dude listen to me, your sister is hurt. We need to get her to the doctor. Don’t worry about this f**k wad Jeff. We can take care of him later” Gunner said as he gave Ryan a look that oozed out hate and disgust. If I had not known better I would have thought he wanted to kill Ryan more than Jefferson did.

Jefferson’s body relaxed in an instant. I have never seen anyone calm my brother down that fast. Jefferson walked over to Ryan and leaned in close enough so that Mr. Watson did not hear but I sure as hell heard it.

“I will be back for you bastard.”Jefferson hissed.

“Let’s go Jeff” Gunner said as he guided Jefferson away from what Ari was now calling ‘the crime scene’.

We started to walk down the hall to go outside when Ari started her famous rattling ways.

“They are for sure not going to let you walk now Ells…oh my god, what the hell were you thinking hitting him and doing it right here in school in FRONT of everyone?? I mean I know you are third in the class but they might not let you walk!!! I can’t be up there giving a speech knowing my best friend is not going to be walking with me on the same stage! Have I not taught you a damn thing?! I mean, you needed to wait…..”

“Arianna! Please, shut the f**k up will you?” Jefferson shouted.

Even though my hand was so swollen and hurt like hell, I had to giggle. Jefferson and Ari had a love/hate relationship. Ari loved Jefferson and Jefferson seemed to hate Ari. It was not always like that though.

When I was ten years old Ari became my best friend in school after she moved from Dallas to Austin. Jefferson was thirteen and used play with us and tease the shit out of Ari. Then something changed when we were in ninth grade and he was a senior. He would barely look at Ari. He never wanted to be around her and that made life a bit difficult for me. I know he cares for her like a sister though. When Brad Roberts bragged that he was going to take Ari out to her parent’s lake house one weekend and take her virginity, Jefferson found out about it and beat the shit out of Brad. Ari of course took that has a sign of his undying love for her.

I took it as he was protecting his little sister’s best friend because Jefferson just does things like that. That is why I needed him so much and would be lost without him.

Ari and Jefferson continued to bicker back and forth all the way out to Jefferson’s truck, I just tuned them out because my hand was hurting so much otherwise I would have been annoyed with their bickering.

Jefferson helped me up into the back seat of his Ford F250 . Gunner ran up behind him and handed me a bag full of ice. HUH? Where and when did he get that?

“Thank you ah, um, Gunner.” I stuttered out.

Jesus what was wrong with me? I could not even talk right. Why did he give me such weird feelings? Just when I thought it could not get any worse he smiled at me.

Fuck me….those beautiful sky blue eyes and perfect white straight teeth to round out the most beautiful smile I have ever seen.

“No problem Ellie. Try to keep it up above your heart sweetheart and here, take these Advil.” He handed me Advil and water.

Gulp, I could not even speak. Ari leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Breathe Ells, Breathe.” I sucked in a long breath and managed to thank him for the ice, bottle water and Advil.

“Hey, I’m Ari by the way, Ellie’s best friend.” Ari said.

Gunner gave her the sweetest smile then leaned in a bit closer to me.

“Let’s get you to the doctor, what do you say?” Gunner whispered against my ear. The feel of his hot breath against my face caused my body to start to shake.

“Ahhh, yep okay, doctor sounds good, yep let’s go, let’s roll, let’s do this thing.”

Okay why was my mouth still talking when clearly my brain had checked out the moment he smiled at me? He shut the door and jumped into the front passenger seat. Jefferson started his truck and of course, Tim McGraw’s “Truck Yeah” started up. I swear to God if I had to hear that song one more time I was going to hurl.

I looked over to Ari who had a shit eating grin on her face. She leaned over and said low enough to where only I would hear her. “Okay that boy wants in your panties!!!”

I just gave her my best SHUT THE HELL up look and said “PESH…You’re crazy! Have I told you lately you seriously need therapy? Seriously….. you do Arianna…I am beginning to get scared for you.” I bit back at her.

Ari threw her head back and laughed. “Bitch, you can’t tell me I am wrong on this one. Matter of fact, I would bet you that Coach purse you have been eyeing the last three months, that that boy wants you.”

I had to let out a laugh which caused my hand to start throbbing even more and my heart to break.

You will never be wanted by anyone……….

“Even if I could afford to take you up on that, I know for a fact you are dead wrong on this one.” I stated just a little too loud.

“Ari is dead wrong on what Ellie?” Jefferson asked while pulling out of the school parking lot.

“Nothing Jefferson, she is just delusional that’s all. She is seeing things that are clearly NOT there.” I said as I narrowed my eyes towards Ari.

“Well, whatever crazy shit Ari is going on about I don’t care. I want to know right now what the f**k happened between you and Ryan!”

Ari shot Jefferson a look and rolled her eyes at him. I’m pretty sure I heard dick wad come out of her mouth also.

Shit….here we go. I have to tell Jefferson what happened and pray to God that he does not kill Ryan. I mean I truly did not care what the hell happened to Ryan anymore. I would rather like to see someone kick his ass but not Jefferson. Jefferson had to think about his scholarship and his future. Not about what some ass wipe had just done to his sister who probably deserved it. Gunner turned around and gave me a smile that melted my heart, not to mention my panties. It was almost like he was giving me the courage to start talking. I gave him a small smile back and my body actually felt like it was humming. I thought I was going to start having trouble breathing again but his smile seemed to make me forget about it.

What the hell?! I have never had a guy affect me the way this guy did. What was going on with me? I needed to focus here. I shook my head again to get these crazy thoughts out.

“Well, it all started when I got a text from Ryan to meet him in the auditorium……..

Chapter twoGunner……..

The moment he walked into the principal’s office the air turned cold. If the look that he shot me was any indication of how pissed he was, I was in for a good, long lecture. He always started out with “What you need is ROTC or maybe I should just send your ass to military school, make something out of the worthless piece of shit you are.” I’d love to be able to tell him not to pull that drill instructor shit on me, but he would probably knock the shit out of me and I would end up in military school anyway.

My father joined the military straight out of high school. He wanted nothing more than to get away from his father’s ranch in Mason, Texas. I’m pretty sure when he dies, he will still be in the Army. He is good at what he does, if he would only leave it at the front door when he got home. He worked long hours and was often in a piss poor mood.

I looked up as I heard the door open to Mr. Deets’ office. My father stepped out dressed in his Class A uniform and carrying his Campaign cover in his hand. Shit. He looked even more pissed then when he first walked in.

“Mr. Mathews, if Gunn…errr, um, Drew gets in one more fight, I am afraid we are going to have to suspend him from the football team. That is the last thing we want to do. We need you Drew to win State.” Mr. Deets’ said as he shook my father’s hand and winked at me. My father replied with a “humph” and turned to walk away.

My father hates the idea of me playing football. My grandfather and mother practically had to beg him to let me play when I was seven. Once I stepped out on the field I knew I found where I belonged. Football is all I have. I care more about football than I do girls….or the Army.

I stood up to leave and shook Mr. Deets’ hand before I turned to follow my father out the door. I knew he would remain silent until we got to his truck.

Shit! I don’t know why I hit Brad Jennings. Okay well I do know why. I saw the f**ker behind the school push his girlfriend up against a wall and it looked like he was about to hit her. No f**king way I was going to let some douche bag a**hole hit a girl.

So, I got involved.

There really was no use in trying to explain it to him. He wouldn’t understand. Even if he did he would still be pissed. It was the third fight I had been in since school started two months ago. This latest fight was the last straw with Mr. Deets’ saying I might get cut from the team.

Get cut from the team? Football was all I had. I had to get my shit together and get my head on straight. It was the first time in my life I ever felt accepted and needed…..the feeling was f**king great. The only other place I felt needed was at Gramps ranch.

Ever since my father got transferred to Fort Sill when I was just entering eighth grade, I had come to depend on football as my escape from my drill instructor father. That man lives to tell me I need to focus on my grades and go in the Army like he did. There is no way in hell I was going in the Army.

My plan was to take the football scholarship I was offered at the University of Texas and get back to my grandfather and the ranch. Some of my best childhood memories are from his ranch. Man I love that place. I could practically smell my Grams’ Chicken and Dumplins’.

I told my grandfather that my dream was football and to get into Architectural engineering. He is, of course, one hundred percent supportive which I think pisses my father off even more.

The minute the door shut to his F150 black truck I knew the shit was about to hit the fan.

“What the FUCK do you think you are doing getting into ANOTHER fight Drew? Your mother is going to be devastated by this!”

Sure, bring my mom into it you a**hole. “It’s Gunner, I like to be called Gunner.” I shot back at him a little too pissed off. I was mad that he was trying to bring my mom into this and guilt me yet again.

“The last time I looked on your birth certificate it clearly stated your name was Drew Garrett Mathews. Not f**king Gunner. Where the f**k did you come up with that name?” My father hissed at me through gritted teeth.

“Coach was telling the rest of the team how to play positions right. Said I made it down the field fast and made the most tackles and that I was an example of how to play the gunner position right. It just stuck. He started to call me Gunner and so did the guys.”