But for now, rest
Nice, easy rest.
11:03 AM
Text from Alec
ethan
i’m at the hospital now
i’m in the waiting room but i’m going to see teddy in a little while
he’s coming out of it and was awake last night with his eyes open
also i wanted to tell you i kind of talked to the therapist lady about what happened
i had to
i’m sorry
i didn’t say any names though i swear
she said she would leave my name out of it but my mom is asking me a lot of questions
it’s like she knows something
i want to tell teddy’s parents before they find out some other way
unless you want to?
if you want to, let me know
text me back soon though okay?
DAD
Teddy
The doctor is right
I don’t think we’re doing you any favors with all these visitors
I know what everyone said, stimulation is good
But it’s too much
It’s been way too much
So now I’m making a decision
A decision to—
MOM
Jim
I just talked to
Why didn’t you tell me—
DAD
You what?
You talked to who?
Sarah, we agreed
Please don’t—
MOM
Teddy
Teddy, I know you can hear me
I know I said I don’t care about that other stuff right now
And I don’t want you to feel alarmed
I don’t want any stress, I really don’t
But I
I just got a call from Alec’s mom
She said she saw his phone
His texts
There was definitely some sort of planned thing
There is a boy who hurt you
Who hurt you deliberately
This was not just about football
This was about some contest
Some disgusting contest
This was an organized
I mean I
It’s almost impossible to believe but apparently it’s true
Apparently the police are looking into it
The police!
This was intentional
Someone hurt you intentionally
As some sort of—
DAD
Sarah
You’re not
What did we talk about?
Please
MOM
Jim
I’m just trying to protect my son
Something happened, now we know for sure
I want answers
If Teddy can tell us somehow
Give us a sign
Nod, blink his eyes, I don’t care
I want to know
I want to know who did this
Who did this to our son
You might not care, but I do
DAD
Are you serious right now?
After you leave, after you walk out on this family
I could almost laugh, I really could
How dare you say I don’t care
How dare you
I called the coach, he’s coming here
He is absolutely heartbroken
He will give us answers
MOM
You called the coach
He’s heartbroken? Please
Scared out of his mind maybe
You go ahead and call the coach
Maybe you can ask him when Teddy can play football again, since you seem to think he can
DAD
I don’t think that
I wasn’t thinking straight
This is not getting us anywhere
This is not helping our son
I don’t want to
Let’s go.
Tuesday at 11:19 am
Eric I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Somebody must have ratted. Somebody broke code.
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Tuesday at 11:28 am
James Whoever you are, you need to not show up at school. Seriously we will find u.
8
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Tuesday at 12:02 pm
Caleb Shut up you guys.
2
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Tuesday at 12:23 pm
Amanda Ur bullies that’s what you are.
6
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JANEY
Teddy, hey
Um
Can you open your eyes again, like you did yesterday?
That was awesome
Are you sleeping?
I hope you didn’t hear Mom and Dad
It was like after dinner in the old days, when we would be sitting in the TV room
Remember?
Covering our ears, turning the TV up to block it
out It was just like that
But is it true, Teddy?
I was with some friends who heard the same thing
Like you were beat up or something
Some kid attacked you
Is that
Do football players really do that?
Do they really beat each other up for fun?
To act cool?
Like, do kids really do that to each other?
That is like
That doesn’t make sense
I don’t get it
And if somebody beat you up, I’m going to beat them up
I swear I will.
ALEC
So hey
Teddy
Can you like
Can you like hear me right now?
This is getting crazy
It’s getting real
Your parents are in the waiting area
They started asking me all sorts of questions
Your mom is like a little insane right now
Your dad was telling her to calm down
They were talking to some other guy too
One of the therapists I think
This is getting crazy
It’s blowing up online
I don’t know how long I have before your parents get back up here
But I wanted to tell you a couple things
It’s uh
One is that I wasn’t brave enough to tell people the truth
But I couldn’t hold it in either
I couldn’t not say anything
So I lied
I mean I told the truth but
I went online and pretended to be someone else
I mixed up the letters of my name and pretended to be some random girl named Clea
And I pretended that I’d heard rumors and knew something
So other people would want to know too and they would start talking and asking questions
I had to
And then also
Um
This therapist I’ve been talking to
I kind of told her too
I guess I couldn’t hold it inside anymore
I didn’t say anyone’s name or anything
But I did tell her about the Rookie Rumble and the Hit Parade
I kind of told my mom too
It just came out after she saw some of my texts
I texted Ethan to tell him, but he’s not answering
It’s like he disappeared
Someone heard that he might be moving away, like to another town
That would be so crazy
All because of this
I guess his parents are, like, getting hassled or something
So they might move
I feel so bad for them, you know
But maybe it would be good, right?
If he moves?
That would be good, right?
Oh
Oh hey
WILL
Hey, Alex
ALEC
It’s Alec
WILL
Oh sorry, man
Is it okay uh
Do you mind if I talk to Teddy for a minute?
ALEC
No, of course not
That’s totally cool
Uh
Teddy, I’m gonna go
I’ll be back later though
I promise.
WILL
Yo, hey, Ted
I don’t
I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to be here
I don’t have a lot of time, and I don’t know if you can hear me
Can you hear me?
I really hope you can
So
It turns out people are starting to ask a lot of questions
And, uh, I think it’s gonna get out, what happened
But I just wanted to come by and tell you
I know you might not ever play football again, which totally sucks
But I hope you stay on the team
I hope you stick with us
People on the outside don’t get it
They don’t get how being on this team is the greatest thing in the world
I wish none of this had ever happened, bro, I really do
I wish it so bad
But this was an accident
A horrible terrible accident
And it’s not fair if everyone gets blamed
Or everyone starts saying the whole system or everything has to change
It’s not right to penalize the whole team
You think that too right, Teddy?
I know you do
You’re a good kid, man, a tough kid
And I wanted to tell you too
I know I told you I thought the Rookie Rumble was so cool, and it was
But when I was a freshman and the captains told us about the Hit Parade, man we were all so nervous
At first I didn’t want to do it
But
But I did it because it was tradition, you know?
We all did
And no one got hurt and it was awesome
And it reminded us that we’re all in it together
And no one’s ever gotten hurt like this during the Rookie Rumble
It’s just so freaky, I wish so bad this didn’t happen
And now people are starting to talk
I have no idea how, but it’s all coming out
And it sucks for this kid Ethan
He’s not a bad kid
And he loves football
But someone said he’s moving away
Unbelievable
Anyway, Teddy, I should go
You’re going to get out of here really soon
And I hope whatever happens, you stay a Walthorne Wildcat
Because we’re the pride of Walthorne
Winning the Walthorne Way
That’s who we are and what we do
You’re going to walk around school and people are going to look up to you
And you’re going to say to yourself, I’m a Walthorne Wildcat
Seriously, you are
And you know what? You’ll be right.
JANEY
Hey
Uh
Excuse me
I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to be here
Who are you again?
You were here the other day
WILL
No, it’s cool, I’m leaving
Dude
Teddy
I gotta go
Stay brave, dude
Walthorne Wildcats forever.
Tuesday at 1:12 pm
Susie Has anyone talked to Ethan? I heard he was talking to the cops.
Like · Reply
Tuesday at 1:42 pm
Sammy Ethan hasn’t posted and no one has talked to him or heard from him so maybe he blabbed and now he’s like hiding or something.
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Tuesday at 1:49 pm
Kevin That makes no sense why would he say something to the cops? Isn’t he the one that hurt Teddy?
Like · Reply
Tuesday at 1:56 pm
Amanda People have tried to reach him but he’s not answering.
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Tuesday at 2:07 pm
Kelsey Maybe he’s on the lam from the law #RunEthanRun
5
Like · Reply
Tuesday at 2:14 pm
THIS THREAD HAS BEEN DEACTIVATED
BY THE ADMINISTRATOR.
WALTHORNE DEPT. OF EDUCATION
PARTIAL TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO RECORDING
TUESDAY, AUGUST 30 AT 3:58 PM
MR. RASHAD: Ethan, Hello.
ETHAN: Hey.
MR. RASHAD: I was surprised to get your call.
Usually it’s your parents who call.
ETHAN: I . . .
MR. RASHAD: Are you okay?
ETHAN: Yeah.
Not really.
So, are you like, a psychiatrist or something?
MR. RASHAD: No, I’m not. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor. My training is as a therapist.
ETHAN: So you—
You can’t tell me if I’m crazy?
MR. RASHAD: I’m pretty sure you’re not crazy.
ETHAN: I think maybe I am.
I can’t sleep and I can’t think and I can’t turn off my brain.
MR. RASHAD: I completely understand. I want to help you. That’s what I’m here for.
ETHAN: And it’s wrong, you know? It’s like, so stupid that I can’t turn off my brain, and meanwhile, Teddy Youngblood is lying in a hospital and his brain isn’t even working at all right now, like how does that make sense?
MR. RASHAD: It doesn’t, Ethan. But I have heard that Teddy is improving.
ETHAN: Really?
MR. RASHAD: Indeed. He’s made remarkable progress in the last few days, which is great news.
ETHAN: Oh wow. That’s amazing.
MR. RASHAD: Was there something else you wanted to discuss?
ETHAN: Yeah . . . I guess people think I’m the one that started blabbing about what happened. But I’m not.
MR. RASHAD: Well, you certainly haven’t told me much at all.
ETHAN: And it’s not like this is the first time, anyway.
MR. RASHAD: What isn’t the first time?
ETHAN: Football is a great sport, you know? You love it too, right?
MR. RASHAD: I do.
ETHAN: But it’s not . . . It doesn’t always . . . Sometimes bad stuff happens. Kids do stupid things I guess.
MR. RASHAD: What kind of things?
ETHAN: Well, they say it’s for the good of the team. They say it brings everyone together.
MR. RASHAD: You mean like bonding?
ETHAN: I guess. But it’s more like you have to do it, even if you don’t want to.
MR. RASHAD: Right. I asked you about that this morning. I asked you about hazing.
ETHAN: I
I know what happened is part of football, right?
Isn’t it?
MR. RASHAD: Do you want to talk about it?
ETHAN: I don’t know. I don’t—I don’t know.
MR. RASHAD: Okay. It’s okay, no pressure. Maybe there’s someone else you can talk to.
ETHAN: Like who?
MR. RASHAD: Have you told your parents?
ETHAN: [INAUDIBLE]
MR. RASHAD: Sorry?
ETHAN: Not yet.
MR. RASHAD: Well, maybe that’s a good place to start?
ETHAN: I can’t. They would kill me.
MR. RASHAD: Don’t be so sure.
ETHAN: I just wish . . .
MR. RASHAD: Go on, Ethan.
ETHAN: I don’t know.
MR. RASHAD: It’s okay.
ETHAN: I wish I could talk to Teddy. I wish I could go back in time and make sure none of this ever happened. I just—maybe that would make everything okay.
M
R. RASHAD: Well, one of those things isn’t possible, as you know, but one of them you can do right now, if you want to.
ETHAN: What do you mean?
MR. RASHAD: You can’t go back in time.
ETHAN: I—huh?
Oh.
MR. RASHAD: You understand what I’m saying?
ETHAN: Yeah.
MR. RASHAD: You can’t undo what happened. But you can deal with it, and be honest about it, whatever it is that you did, whatever happened. That can help you move on and figure out how to heal.
ETHAN: Yeah.
MR. RASHAD: Go home. Talk to your family. Then go do what you have to do. And talk to whomever you have to talk to.
ETHAN: I will.
MR. RASHAD: I was at the hospital earlier, talking with Teddy’s parents. They are desperate and scared. They deserve to know the truth.
ETHAN: I know.
MR. RASHAD: Good luck.
ETHAN: Thank you, Mr. Rashad.
Thank you.
Uh
Can I ask you something?
MR. RASHAD: Of course.
ETHAN: Why do you love football so much?
Especially with all this stuff going on?
MR. RASHAD: That’s a good question. Sometimes I ask myself what is wrong with me for loving such a violent game. Where so many bad things can happen.
ETHAN: And then what?
MR. RASHAD: I don’t know. I guess the answer is simple—to me, it’s the game itself. It’s the most complicated and the most demanding game, with every player on a team playing a specific role and depending on one another. And the beauty of the great run or the great throw or the great catch or even the great tackle . . . it’s all of it. I watch it every weekend, because I love it. And I know that despite everything, despite all the problems, I’ll always love it.
ETHAN: Yeah. I get that. Well, thanks for your help, Mr. Rashad.
MR. RASHAD: Of course. I’ve really enjoyed talking with you.
ETHAN: Um
Before I go I just wanted to say . . . I know people think I’m moving away, or quitting football, but that’s not true. I’m definitely going to play next year. I’m going to play JV. I want to be a Walthorne Wildcat.
MR. RASHAD: I’m glad to hear it. And I hope we can fix the system for you, and for everyone who comes after you.
ETHAN: I hope so too.