Chapter 1: Nice Surprise

I laid in bed for quite some time, even though I knew that my alarm had been going off for quite some time. It was annoying to listen to it, as I had hit the snooze button at least 5 times as it was at this point so far. At this point it had to be a bit past 6 am, and I knew that I needed to get ready for school.

It was the first day of school for one thing, but also the other thing was the fact that I knew that we were going to be having football practice until late in to the evening, so that coach could figure out who it was that he was going to cut from the squad. I was not worried about getting cut at all, even if I did in fact have a garbage practice, as my coach had known me for a while, and he was close friends with my father who also worked at the school.

What I was worried about from having a garbage practice, was the fact that a lot of the scouts that were going to be at the place, were going to be quite a bit disappointed in me. I was raw talent, and I knew it. I was simply starting on my Junior year, but I was already a 4 star recruit, and I was in the ESPN top 100 for this upcoming class.

I had to thank a lot of people for it, for giving me the motivation to get me to this point in the first place, as one of those was the fact that I could thank my parents for the fact that they had always supported me, not just in the fact that the mentally supported me, but they financially supported me so that I had trainers, and that I had a work out routine at the exact same time as well.

I smiled, as it felt like nothing could go wrong for me at this point. Not only was a top tier athlete in the country, but I also was a top tier student as well, as it had a lot of eyes on me at schools like Stanford and UCLA, which were the main schools that I was looking at going at this point. I knew that I could not make money from sports whilst in college, but I knew that my mother would support me for sure, as she owned a pretty popular business in the city of San Diego.

I rolled my self over a little bit at the exact same time too how ever, as I knew that I could not let the grind stop there how ever, as I knew that I had to get ready to go to school. I could not be late for the first day of school for one thing, but also the other thing was as well, I also knew the fact that I had to keep up my grind, as there was still plenty of room for me to improve, as I could very well be a Top 10 athlete if I put in my hardest work.

I just felt like that had a lot to do with the fact that our school had a garbage QB how ever, and I was just good at being a receiver and a CB on the defensive side of the ball. It did where me out, but I had plenty of stamina built up, due to the fact that I worked so hard night in and night out. I was ranked a top 500 prospect on the CB list, but that was not what I wanted to play football for.

I just had to hope that we had a good QB this year, or maybe I would have to switch my positive over to a CB on the defensive side of the ball, which would be quite a bit annoying, but I could show the team that I went to in college, that I could easily be a receiver for that team. I just needed to get some more scholarships to those type of schools though, as I had heard that an Oregon State, and a USC scout were going to be at our scrimmage today.

I already had scholarships to schools such as ECU, Wake Forest, and Utah State, but that was really not the place that I wanted to spend 3 years of my college life at. I wanted to be by the Cali beaches, which were my home. I let out a bit of a soft sigh all at the exact same time as well, as I groaned at the exact same time too, as I did my best to pull my self out of the comfortable bed that I had slept in last night.

I felt kind of a bit weak if I was not going to lie, as I felt like maybe yesterday would have been a good idea to take a break, due to the fact that I had been on quite a bit of a grind to get in to a big name school this year. I knew that at some point that they would look out me, due to the fact that my grades were superb, and the fact that I was probably the best player in my high school.

I also knew at the same time too, that I had to calm my self down just a little bit, and that I needed to be a little bit more humble, as I felt like I might be going a little bit too over the top on my self at the exact same time too, even if I was a good athlete, I could not be going around the school flexing about it, as I did not want to make my self look to be a bit of a jock.

A lot of people thought of me like that, but that was not the case at all. I knew that I dated the girl that was the leader of the cheerleading squad this upcoming season, but that did not mean that I was going around the school bulling any nerd that I seemed to cross paths with. I was happy with my girl and that was that. I smiled a little bit at the exact same time too, as I also knew another few reasons as to why today was such a special day for me.

For one thing, it was my birthday none the less, as well as the fact that I had a lot of scouts eyes on me, but there was also another thing that made me feel a lot better, which was of course the fact that I had some thing special planned for my girl friend in the middle of the lunch room around that time. Yes.. I knew that the both of us were 16, but I really did not care one bit if I was not going to lie, as we had been dating for nearly 2 years at this point, and I was fairly certain that she was in fact the love of my life.

I had already talked in through with my father, and whilst he had some doubts at first, as any father should be for their son even at any age, he did in fact think that it was a good idea, as he loved my girl just as much as I did. She was a special lady to my heart, and I felt that this was going to be the perfect day for this to happen, as she would be expecting to surprise me due to the fact that it was going to be my birthday, but in reality, I was going to be the one that was surprising her.

My father had helped me make the ring for her, as it had cost us a few grand, but it had been made perfect for us, as I had made the letter G & K on it for, G for, Grant, which of course was my name, and then K, which was of course for the name of my girl, Kimberly. I knew that she was going to love it so much, and she was going to be in complete and utter shock about it as well. I just could not wait to see the look on her face when I pulled it out.

I had already made plans to the fact that the high school band was going to play music, singing her name in it, which I knew was going to confuse her quite a bit, but as soon as she saw me get down on a knee, than she would be so happy to see just what it was that I was going to be giving her. I could not wait, and now that I was so excited about all of it, it seemed to give me some sort of energy to life my self out of the bed.

I knew that I needed to head in to the bath room, so that I could take a shower, as I knew that I was covered in sweat due to the fact that I had such a rough work out session last night, that I had been on call with her on to, for several hours none the less. I made sure to not give her any sort of hints at the exact same time too, which was a lot of the reason that I was so excited to even surprise her with it in the first place, as she was not going to be seeing in coming for sure.

I nodded to my self at the exact same time too, as I got my focus off of all of those thoughts all at once how ever, as I stared over at the the bath room that was connected to my bed room that I had, in this nice studio apartment that I had been living in with my parents for the last 5 or so years. I missed the old place, but when my mother had started up her own business, she had decided to move to San Diego, which of course in the end had helped me a ton.

I had a bit of interest in football back then, but now that I had moved to San Diego, I had grown a huge attachment to football, as my favorite team has become the Chargers, even if they did not play in San Diego any more. I always wanted to go to San Diego state for football, but in the end I decided not to, due to the fact that I knew that the other teams that were in the PAC 12 had a bigger name for themselves.

I sighed a bit to my self, as I then shook off all of those thoughts at the exact same time as well, as I kept my eyes locked on to the bath room door that I always closed at night, due to the fact that I was still fearful of the fact that some thing was going to pop out and then kill me. It was mainly due to the fact that I had a lot of bad night mares when I had been younger, that for some reason so many people had felt bad for me for, even though I knew tons of people that had been through worse at a young age.

I shook off those thoughts how ever at the exact same time too, as I also knew that those were beside the point as to what it was that I was thinking about in the first place. I knew that it was a fair bit past 6 now, and I needed to be out of the house before 7, so that my father could take me with him over to his school, which of course had to be on the other side of San Diego. At first they had been a bit hesitant to let me go there, due to the fact that I was not in their region.

When they had seen how good of an athlete that I was how ever, they were quick to change their mind. It always felt a bit strange to me, that people treated me with such high respect, simply due to the fact that I was a very good athlete, but at the same time too though, I also knew that it was also beside the point once again, as I got my focus back on the the closed door way to the bath room all at once as well.

I lifted my self off of the bed all at the exact same time too, as I then began to walk over to the bath room at the exact same time too, as I let out a bit of a soft sigh all at once, as I then opened the door. It did not scare me as much at this very moment in time, than it did in the middle of the night, simply due to the fact that it was a bit bright in the room that I was in right now, so that too of course also made me feel quite a bit better none the less.

I shook off all of those thoughts all at once how ever, as I then flicked the light on to the room at the exact same time too, as I looked my self in the mirror all at once. I stared my self down for quite a bit of some time, not due to the fact that I knew that I was a good looking good, but more due to the fact that I noticed that I was starting to grow a bit of a mustache, which I felt like I might need to shave soon, due to the fact that the hair was starting to get a little bit of color.

I let out a bit of a soft sigh all at once too how ever, as I then shook my head at the same time as well, as I figured that I would worry about it some other day, due to the fact that I did not have any razors, and I was not going to go and bother my father whilst he too was getting ready to go to school him self, but for a much different reason than me how ever, as I knew that my father was a teacher at the school that I went to.

I did my best to try not to get my self signed up for any of his classes, as that was the one class that I made sure not to take an AP in. Me and my father got along just good, but at the same time as well, I also did not want it to seem like he was treating me nicer than the rest of the students that were in the class, so I shied away from all of that. I let out a bit of a more rough sigh this time, as I then looked away from the mirror all of the sudden, as I then turned my head over to the bath tub.

I stared at it for a few moments in time, as I kind of felt like taking an ice bath at this very moment in time, if I was not going to lie to my self, due to the fact that I felt so worn out right now, and I felt all sorts of aches all across my body as well. I stared at the tub for a little bit of some time, as I was tempted to grab some ice from my freezer in my bed room, but I shook my head, as I then shook off all of those thoughts at the exact same time too.

I knew that I did not have time for an ice bath, due to the fact that I had woke up so late this morning. I would be lucky if I had time for a quick and hot shower if I was going to be honest with my self. I looked over to the counter of my sink, just to make sure that I had left some clothes out for me in the morning, such as I usually did for my self most of the nights where I knew I was going to wake up late.

I nodded to my self all at the exact same time too, as I noticed that it was in fact the case, as I then began to turn on the shower, putting it on the hot water, even though I just wanted a cold ice bath right now. I sighed a little bit at the exact same time too, as I knew that I was going to have plenty of those as soon as this upcoming football season was to start with us, so I suppose that I should save them for later.

I blinked my eyes a few times, as I then reached my hand in to the water, to make sure that the water was warm enough for me to hop in to at the exact same time too. As I stared at it for some time, I then began to feel it start to heat up, as I then all of the sudden began to take off the pajamas that I had slept in last night, from off of me. I let out another soft sigh this time, as I then slowly, and achingly began to walk in to the shower.

As soon as I was in to the shower at the same time too, I then began to close my eyes all of the sudden, as I breathed in just a little bit of the steam. I knew that I had to rush this shower just a bit, but for some reason I just felt like I wanted to sit hear and wait forever. I was tempted to ask my dad if I could skip school for the day, but at the same time too, I also knew that this was an insanely important day for several reasons as well.

One of those reasons of course, was the fact that it was in fact the first day of school, and I had to go and meet all of my new teachers. Another thing was too, I also knew that it was my birth day none the less, and I was sure that there was going to be quite the stir going all around the school about me, which I knew for a fact that I could not miss out on either.

Then of course, there was also the fact that I was going to be proposing to my girl friend none the less, and also after all of that, there was going to be a whole bunch of scouts watching in on the fact that I was going to be at practice with the rest of my team. I knew that I could not miss out on any of this, as I shook my head, doing my best to try to shake out all of those thoughts from my head all at the exact same time too none the less.

I dipped my head across the shower wall, as I then opened my eyes at the same time as well, remembering that this had to in fact be a quick shower, as I had a busy day ahead of me, and I had already gotten off to a late start none the less. I turned my head around, as I then began to get my day started all of the sudden as well, smiling at the same time, as I knew that I needed to come in to my birthday thinking optimistic.

I began to put on my socks all at once, as, as soon as I had done that, I then began to lift my self out of the comfy bed that I had been sitting on. I knew that any longer I sat on that mattress, the more likely I was going to fall back to sleep. I felt like I very well could do such a thing, as I knew that I had every thing ready for school, besides the fact that my shoes were at the front door to the house, as my mother did not like it when I walked around the house with shoes on.

I knew that I could, but I knew at the same time, that I probably should not do such a thing, no matter how much I was tempted to, as I knew that I needed to get some food in my system before having a long day ahead of me as well, as I would already not be off to a good start if I did not eat before I went to school. I shivered a little bit to my self, as I was not all too sure as to what it was that I was thinking, as it felt like I was thinking like I did not want to be a star athlete at all.

I rolled my eyes just a bit to my self at the exact same time too, as I then began to lift my self out of my bed, and over to the front door to my bed room, so that I could walk over to the kitchen, which I could already hear my dad moving around in at this very moment in time as well. Once I was at the front door to my bed room, I swiftly opened it, and I began to join my father in the kitchen, as I could tell that he was on call with my mother, based off of the fact that he was using words like 'love' and 'hun'.

Once I was in to the kitchen with my father as well, I then began to head over to to fridge, which had a bunch of different types of cereal and oatmeal on top of it as well. I felt like today would be a good day for me to get a thing of some warm oatmeal, which felt a bit strange to me at the exact same time too, due to the fact that I had not wanted to get my self in to a warm shower, but I all of the sudden had decided that I wanted to eat some warm food.

I lifted up the pack of oatmeal, as I then grabbed a bowl from the cabinets at the exact same time as well. Once I had got all of that done, I ripped open the oat meal, and I grabbed a gallon of milk from the fridge, and I then began to pour it all in to the oatmeal that I had basically set up for me already. I nodded to my self, as I then all of the sudden began to put it in the microwave at the same time too.

Just as I had got all of that done, I then heard the voice of my father begin to speak up from not all too far behind me, as I began to turn my head over to him, as I was a little bit lost, due to the fact that I had heard him speaking to my mother no less than a few seconds ago. As I turned my head over to my father how ever, I saw that he was now putting his phone in to his front pocket now, as it was clear that he was done with the phone call.

I felt a bit more safe now, now that I knew that me and my father were going to actually have a man on man conversation with one another, as I then nodded to my father, to let him know that I was paying attention to him at the same time too. My father then nodded back to me, as he then continued to speak to me, as I then began to listen as to what it was that he had to say to me in the very first place any ways.

"You feeling alright son? Good morning to you by the way..." He said, as he seemed to switch up what it was that he had said in to 2 different sentences, which did in fact confuse me quite a bit, if I was not going to lie to my self either. I let out a bit of a soft sigh how ever, as I did my best to try not to focus on that, though I felt like the question of the fact that one of us was not alright, should be asked on him.

I already knew that my father was not alright though, so it really did not need to be asked on him at all how ever, as I knew that he was under a whole lot of stress at this very moment in time, due to the fact that my mother was out of town, as she was working on a court case where some one was trying to wrongfully sue her, as I knew for a fact that they had made up a whole bunch of lies about my mother, as she would not do stuff like that to her employees.

I did not blame my father, if I was not going to lie, as I was sure that he did not blame me all too much either, as I could tell that he was simply just worried for me, and that there was no reason for me to be upset with him. My father was a great father, if I was not going to lie with my self, and he was simply just worried about me, as it was clear that he could see that I had my head down low to the ground.

I let out quite a bit of a rough sigh to my self all at once none the less, as I did my best to try not too get too worried about my self right now. If I was not going to lie to my self, there really was not all too much wrong with me, besides the fact that I was aching from all of the hard and intense work out sessions that I had been having with my physical trainer over the last few days, as I knew those had taken quite a toll on me.

I blinked my eyes just a few times, as I kept my eyes, and my focus on my father. I knew that it was not only the fact that I was having aching joints how ever, as I knew that at the exact same time too, I also was having a bit of a problem with my self a bit in the mental aspect as well, as I had a whole lot of thoughts roaming free in my head, and attacking me like a bunch of maniacs, about the fact that there were going to be a bunch of scouts there, and most importantly, there was the fact that I was about to propose to my girl friend.

I sighed just a bit to my self, as I did my best to just try to shake off all of those crazy thoughts that were going on through my head at this very moment in time, as I all of the sudden shook my head, which I knew confused my father a little bit, as he was not all too sure as to what it was that I had meant by that. I blinked my eyes a few times, as soon as I realized what it was that I had done, as I then all of the sudden, began to speak up to my father, as I made sure that he was listening as to what it was that I had to say to him none the less.

"Yeah... I'm just worn out... All of the college scouts are getting in to my head a bit, and also the fact that I have the ring for my girl friend... I'm not scared to propose to her... I am just scared that she might reject me..." I said to him, as I felt like I needed to pour out the entire truth to my father, as I felt like he needed to hear just as to what it was that I was thinking to my self at this very moment in time as well.

My father looked at me for quite a bit of some time, as I saw a bit of a sad look on his face at the exact same time too, which confused me quite a bit as to what it was that it could be. I blinked my eyes a few times once again, as if I thought that it might all of the sudden send me in to a new and different dimension, as to where I could all of the sudden listen to his thoughts.

That was not the case how ever, and I was not all too sure as to what idiotic part of me even thought that could even be a reality any ways, as I rolled my eyes to my self all of the sudden, at the same time as well, as I got my focus back on to what was even going on in the room at this very moment in time, as I all of the sudden began to hear the beeping of the microwave not all too far behind me.

I stood there for a few moments, as my mind kind of drew a bit of a blank all at the same time as well, but it then hit me as to why the microwave even was beeping in the first place, as I all of the sudden lifted my self up from off of the chair that I had been sitting on for quite a bit of some time now, and I then began to head over to the microwave, so that I could pull the bowl of oatmeal out of there.

Once I got all of that done all at once as well, I then nodded to my self, and I then began to head back over to the table, which I could see my father sitting at, at this very moment in time, which was a bit rare for him, due to the fact that it always seemed like he was under a lot of stress. I was glad for it, as I then nodded to my father all of the sudden, and I sat down right beside him.

My father stared right in to my eyes for a bit of some time, until he began to tap his fingers on the table. I was a bit lost as to just what it was that was going on with him, as I tilted my head at him. Just as I did such a thing how ever, my father then all of the sudden began to speak up to me, much to my surprise. I was a little bit lost with what it was that was going on still, but I blinked my eyes a few times, and then I began to listen as to what it was that he had to say to me in the first place.

"She will say yes... It will be a bit of a surprise to her at first... But she loves you... There's no denying that at all..." He said to me, as I blinked my eyes just a few times once again, not for the first time in the last few seconds, as I kind of wished that I could go in to all of it with the exact same attitude that he had. It just felt a bit hard for me for some odd reason or another how ever. It felt like every thing went right in my life so far, up to this point, but I felt like at some point, due to the fact that my family was in fact quite a bit religious, that it was going to get down bad for me at some point soon. I sighed at the same time too, as I knew that I had to think on it with a more positive attitude, as I then saw my father nod to me all of the sudden, as it was clear that he was making sure that I had heard what it was that he had said for me. I breathed in heavily, but in the end I did in fact nod right back over to him, as he then all of the sudden began to continue talking to me. I looked at him right in to his eyes, as I listened as to what it was that he had to say once again. "But any ways... That is besides the point... Your mother is coming back tonight, and after practice, we've got you a nice surprise..."