Today I move into Jack’s house. The guys are coming to help me pack my stuff later, but I figured I’d get a jump on them. I start packing up the bookshelves, and I find a yearbook from my Freshman year of high school. This is the only yearbook I have. I never saw any point in getting one, we moved around too much. This was the one school I felt at home in. Tinley Park High School in a suburb of Chicago. I spent my entire Freshman year there, it had my first love, it was perfect, it was home. However, my first love was unattainable, and I knew it. He was a Senior and I was only a lowly Freshman. I had always wondered, whether it was chance or fate that had brought him and I together. As I flip through the pages I realize it was fate. When I find the picture I look at the corresponding name-Jack O’Neill. Who knows if I hadn’t of had the Varsity football coach as a first hour teacher I might never had met Jack.
*********
“Class can I have your attention please?” Mr. Trimmer asks us. Doesn’t he realize it’s too early in the morning for us to pay attention to anything. “The Varsity football team needs a manger. I’ll give anyone who volunteers ten points extra credit for each day you show up.” He says. I raise my hand, but I really don’t know why. I already have a 100% in this class. It’s super easy, anyone with an I.Q. over seven can do it.
“Great. Samantha just finish up your work, and when you bring it up here we’ll talk about what you’ll be doing as manager.” Finish my work, okay. I write Samantha Carter at the top and walk up to his desk.
I walk onto the field my first day, just like Mr. Trimmer told me to. All the players are running. It’s here that I see him. Number 52. He was running at the front of he pack, but not so far ahead that he could be signaled out. I could tell that he would be a leader someday.
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And he is. I learned his name quickly-Jack O’Neill. Star running back and second baseman, he was easily the most popular kid in school. He was unobtainable, yet as the season went on we became acquaintances. Soon football season was over, and I thought that I would never see him again. I tried out for basketball, and I made the team. Jack ended up being the Varsity manager. I guess his girlfriend was on the team or something. By the end of basketball season we had begun to be friends. I had begun to fall in love with him. Softball season rolled around. We saw a little less of each other. After all Jack was playing baseball, and I was playing softball. We caught as many of the other’s games as possible, but it was a bit difficult seeing as how they were usually scheduled for the same day. By the end of the school year it felt as though I was leaving my best friend. And in a way I guess I was. When I was with Jack I felt at home, and I had never felt at home anywhere before. We moved away two days after the end of the school year. I never saw Jack again. Not until I walked into that briefing room four years ago. I never knew it was him. Maybe that’s why Jack and I hit it off so well at first. I wonder if he knows. Who knew his ‘Oh I adore you already’ comment would turn out to be prophetic. My thoughts are interrupted by the voice of the man I love.
“Space Monkey...” Uh oh, that’s Jack’s warning tone. I wonder what Daniel has done now.
“Hey Jack, why DID you become the girls basketball manger?” I ask, trying to stop the storm.
“Because there was this girl who I was absolutely in love with. It was my first love actually.” He says and I can feel my heart begin to drop. I knew it was something like that. “Yeah her name was Samantha Carter. But I don’t think she ever liked me more than a friend. And to think I might never have met her if it wasn’t for my football coach.” I know I’m smiling by this point, just like he is. Hey my smile goes with my tears of joy. I guess I’ll always have to wonder whether it was chance or fate that led me to Jack-not only once but-twice. However, now I’ll never have to wonder again why I felt so at home with Jack right away four years ago. He had been my home for over twenty years, and to tell you the truth I really didn’t mind. After all he was my first and only love.
Story Notes: Feedback: Look at it this way: if you like it positive feedback can get me to write more, and if you don’t like it then flames can get me to stop.
Authors Notes: I found this in my spiral today. I have no idea how long ago I write it. Enjoy!
Authors Notes: I found this in my spiral today. I have no idea how long ago I write it. Enjoy!
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]