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Annie had been blowing up my phone all afternoon. The last thing I needed to be worried about was where in the hell Samantha Hunter was.
“Shit, you can’t leave practice again, Coulter,” Rich looked at me with something akin to panic. “Certainly, not to look for that freaking psycho. Let it go!”
A fleeting picture of Elsa flashed across my brain. That’s what happens when your little sister is four.
I looked over at Rich dispassionately, “Catch you later man, or not.”
I honestly couldn't have cared less if I ever saw him again. He was more of Andy's, my roommate's friend. Or I should say - my old roommate's friend and he really was a dick-wad. Great, now I’m thinking about her.
Thanks, Hunter.
“You are going to get kicked off the team, Coulter,” his voice was raising to an uncomfortable degree. And I really wish to hell he would shut up.
“Coulter!” The coach’s voice boomed across the field.
“Thanks, ass-wipe,” I muttered flipping him off before turning and jogging over to where Coach Mullin’s was going over some drills with the quarterback. “Hey Coach, I’m sorry, but I have to go. It is an emergency.”
Coach Mullin had played in the NFL a hundred years ago, I’m not sure if he actually got much TV time, or if they had televisions back then. But I am confident he caused plenty of broken heads in his day, he was that kind of warm and fuzzy coach.
“Coulter, I told you yesterday we don’t do emergencies at JMU,” he got up in my face.
Apparently, he had liverwurst and onions for lunch. I’m more of a ham and cheese kind of guy.
I had never hated Hunter more than I did at this moment.
Where in the hell was she?
“I understand, sir,” I bit out, “but I still need to leave.”
I turned to go, and he growled at me.
Slowly I turned around. I guess we were still having this conversation.
"If you walk out that door - you are off the team."
I nodded, “Understood.”
I turned again and grabbed my duffle bag off the ground.
I could actually feel his blood pressure rising, that couldn’t be good. Maybe he had taken his little blue pill too early today?
That put all kinds of disgusting thoughts about old men erections lasting longer than four hours into my head. And the only kinds of erectile thoughts I wanted in my head were thoughts about my dick. Besides, something really could be wrong with Hunter. I needed to leave.
“Coulter? Did you not hear me?”
I didn’t turn around this time. I just kept on walking.
*****
WE HAD LOOKED ALL OVER campus. Every parking lot that she could have gone to. Every hangout that she might have been familiar with. That beat-up forest green Honda Civic was nowhere to be found.
Annie was in hysterics, and I finally asked Grant to take her back to the dorm. He's was my other roommate with Andy, back before budding WWE star Hunter changed my address for me.
There are things you need to know about Hunter and me. We go way back. We met in Mrs. Walker's first-grade class. I had glasses and a lisp. Hunter had this crazy long blonde hair that looked a bit ratty and these wicked green eyes. She peered up at me over the safety scissors and told me that she was my best friend. So, I nodded okay.
It was over the next few years that I began to notice that maybe things were different with Hunter and her family. They certainly were not the same as they were with the other kids in class.
Hunter sat by herself the morning Doughnuts with Dads came. I remember it distinctly because I was super excited for my dad to come and see my new classroom and artwork. I had it all planned where we would sit and that he would drink apple juice and I would have the grape juice.
I asked Hunter if her dad was coming, but she said that her dad was doing twenty-five to life. As a six-year-old, I thought that might be a board game. I dragged my dad over to meet her, but she ignored me like she was deaf.
My dad felt uncomfortable. My dad doesn't really handle uncomfortable situations well, so he tried to pat me on the head and told me he had to get to work. It made me mad. I was mad he was leaving and madder that she made him go. So, for the first time in our friendship, I yelled at her. I told Hunter that she was a ‘meanie' head and that she ruined Doughnuts with Dads for me.
Those wicked green eyes flashed with pain, and I knew even at six years old that my words were a terrible mistake.
Her fist came flying out of nowhere and the next thing I knew I was bawling to the school nurse, asking for ice on my boo-boo. And Mrs. Walker was trying to reach an adult in Hunter’s home because she was suspended.
But no adult could be reached. So, Hunter stayed in the office all day while after a moment or two I felt better and could go back to class to learn and play with the other kids.
My mom came and picked me up that afternoon, and we talked about what happened. Mom had a little bit more insight than dad. When I explained everything, including what she had told me about her dad, mom let out a loud sigh. She sat me down and told me that not everyone lived in a big house with a loving mom and dad with lots of toys.
I was dumbfounded.
She explained that maybe Hunter wasn’t upset with me, but maybe she was upset with her dad not being there for her.
This was a lot for a 6-year-old.
Mom said that she was proud of me for being Hunter’s friend.
I didn’t want to be Hunter’s friend anymore.
Shit, I did want to make mom proud.
The next day Hunter told me that only pussies ate doughnuts.
I had two doughnuts in my lunch that my mom had packed to share. I lifted them out slowly. I could see the indecision in those green eyes. But one thing was clear.
Hunter was a pussy.