Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity by Drew Brees Read Free Book Online Page B

away, walking across the parking lot toward the apartment. She was with a friend of hers who knew one of the guys on our team. I just stared at her and wondered, Who is that? She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. And look at the way she carries herself. It’s hard to describe the feeling that came over me at that moment. My legs became weak, my mind halted, and my heart just melted. I knew right then that I wanted to marry her.
    At one point during the evening I got up enough nerve to talk with her. I was acting stupid because of the alcohol, throwing out every cheesy pickup line in the book. It’s humiliating to even recall it. I remember Brittany looking at me and just shaking her head before she simply walked away.
    I found out later that when I left, she was thinking, Who is this young idiot who’s so full of himself? Somebody told her I was the quarterback of the football team, to which she responded, “Then who is this young idiot football player who’s so full of himself?” Turns out my cheesy pickup lines had sent her running, and the fact that I played football pretty much solidified I would never get a shot again. Football players don’t have the greatest reputation for being good boyfriends, and she wanted nothing to do with me.
    When I woke up the next day, my head was pounding and I was kicking myself. I’m such a jerk. I blew it. I figured I’d probably never see her again. Actually I hoped I wouldn’t run into her because of how embarrassed I felt. I was sure I’d ruined any opportunity to get to know her.
    However, for the next six months I saw Brittany everywhere. On the way to class, out to eat somewhere, at a party, in the library—wherever I went, she was there. On a campus with thirty-five thousand students, this was no small feat. I wasn’t sure why this was happening, but to me it seemed like more than chance. To hear Brittany’s version of things, she figured I was a full-blown stalker at that point. She thought I was creepy; I was sure it was destiny.
    Every time I saw her, I watched from across the room (okay, so maybe a little creepy), thinking, I really want to talk to her, but she thinks I’m an idiot. I might have been confident on the football field, but I was really shy in these kinds of situations. I started scheming ways to make up for my embarrassing first impression. The truth was, even though I’d been drinking the night I first met her, I didn’t go out a lot. I wasn’t a big partyer. I was grateful to be at a good school, and I was focused on my education and my commitment to the football team. Now I just had to get Brittany to see that.
    Six months later I was going to summer school and heading into summer training. Brittany was there for the summer too since she had a job there. On June 25, I was invited to a friend’s apartment, and one of the guys from the team went with me. It was our first night back from break, just before we started our practice schedule in the Midwest heat. I was talking to some guys and having a great time but was about to call it a night because of some early commitments I had the next day. Just then Brittany walked in the door with two of her friends. This was it—my chance at redemption.
    For all this time I’d been scared to talk to her. But maybe, just maybe, enough time had passed to make her forget my stupid behavior in January. As the crowd mingled, Brittany’s two friends left her side long enough for me to make my move. I kind of snuck up to her and confidently said hello, pretending we were meeting for the first time.
    Sure enough, she hadn’t forgotten. I couldn’t quite place the look on her face. Was she surprised? startled? maybe even a little scared? Regardless, I had her cornered, and she was forced to talk to me. I introduced myself and started over.
    With the loud music and conversation, I knew this wasn’t the best place to get to know her. I wanted to find out more about her, and I really wanted her to