My junior year of football was fairly successful. We won most of our games and had high hopes for an even better senior year. However, I broke my leg in the third practice and have been sidelined ever since. I won't see varsity action ever again.

Truth be told, I don't mind all that much.

Kyle's having a great season, though, and I'm happy for him. We're not as close as we used to be, and don't hang out that often. He and Lisa broke up awhile back.

"You're lucky to have Ang," he told me right after their break up.

For some reason, hearing him say that really got to me... really bothered me. I don't know why. It just did.

Angie and I are still together, although it was rough going after the night with Steve. Angie took it pretty hard, and her mom took it even harder, not allowing us to see each other for nearly four months. I think she blamed me for the loss of her daughter's innocence, for the horror she had to witness. Hell, I think she blamed me for all of it, including what Steve did. But like Steve said, there's always a way to fix things, and Angie and I are doing our best.

Two things have definitely changed, though. For one, I've never touched another beer since that night. Not one. And Angie? Well, Angie never forgets anything anymore. She wishes she could, but she can't.

About Tom Waltz

"I was born and raised in Clinton, Michigan, and I currently make my home in San Diego, California, where I work as an Electronic Commerce Analyst for a company called Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC). I am married and a father of a wonderful daughter. I'm a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, having served and fought in Operation Desert Storm. I was honorably discharged at the rank of Sergeant in August of 1991. I now serve in the California Army National Guard with the 649th Military Police Company. I recently began working on my first novel, and continue to write short stories. I have been published in Mesa Visions, PurpleProse Magazine, Underworld Magazine, The Harrow Magazine, Alternate Realities Webzine, ReggieJackson.com, 3 A.M. Publishing.Com, Images Insight, The Wayfarer Online, genrEZONE Magazine, Outsider Ink, HotRead.com, 3 A.M. Magazine, and The Absinthe Literary Review."


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