isn’t? Well, maybe I should put someone else in who isn’t so sensitive.”
“My head hurts,” I said, reminding him that I was playing his stupid game while barely recovered from a fucking concussion.
Coach took a deep breath. “I need you on that field, son, and I need you to focus. I know you’ve had a rough week, but you said she was awake now, so go out there and play that game for her.”
“Yes, sir, Coach!” I took a deep breath, knowing he was right. I had a job to do, and I had to put my emotions behind me no matter how hard it was to stop thinking about her being lonely in the hospital and put the other team out of their misery so I’d be out of mine.
I went back to the field, got into position, and ruled the next play. I scored a three-pointer and turned to look at my coach in the eye. He was busy clapping and returning the hard look.
But I would regret my smugness after the next play failed. I ended up missing again, this time an important pass, which made it all worse since I’d yelled at Carver and Motor for doing the same thing.
Coach pulled me off the field. “You better focus. We are so close to this opportunity being a reality, and you’re the one who is going to lose it for everyone.”
“I overdid it. I’m still sore from the wreck.”
“I don’t want your sob story, son. I told you not to get involved, and maybe if you had listened, she wouldn’t be in the hospital to begin with.”
I felt the sting of his words strike me so hard, it was as if my father had backhanded me, and coming from a man I loved and trusted, it was just too much. I went into defense mode and struck out, knocking my coach on his ass with the force of one punch to the jaw.
The rest of the team came crowding around to come to his aid and hold me off.
Paul pulled me away. “They just threw you out,” he said. I was too angry to know what was going on. “You’re done.”
I was more than done. I couldn’t believe someone I had actually respected could talk to me like that after all I’d been through.
I stormed off the field and went to the locker room to gather my things. I needed a ride out. I wasn’t about to take the bus back to the university and would pay someone if I had to.
But when I came out of the back, I found Will Tanner was standing by the door when I came out.
“Hey, I saw what happened. I wouldn’t go back out there.”
“I’m not. I’m going home.”
“Do you need a ride? I was just about to head back. There’s a big party tonight. I know you’ve missed a few.”
“And I’ll miss a few more. But I’ll take that ride if you’re sure that’s okay.”
“Yeah, sure, man.” Will waved me on, and I followed him to his truck.
He was quiet at first, but once we got on the road, he made small talk. “Man, that was some punch. Great form. What happened out there?”
I glanced over and could tell by his genuine smile he was impressed. “He mouthed off, and I didn’t have to put up with that shit.” I wasn’t going to put up with Will’s either, even if he was giving me a ride. I wasn’t in the mood for chatter and wished he’d just drive the truck and shut his fucking mouth.
But he kept on. “Coaches do that, man. You know, I’ve offered to let you spar. It would do wonders for your temper and give you an outlet for your anger.”
“I don’t have anger until someone does or says something that pisses me off. He was out of line. I took care of it.”
“Right, well, you are the one they kicked from the game.”
“Yeah, I take a lot of blame. I’m good with it. It’s not like I was doing the team any good anyway. Hell, Coach probably baited me anyway.”
“You do realize how weird that sounds, right?”
“A lot of things sound weird, but people don’t want to hear the truth. They want to process what they hear into something they can believe.”
“You mean those rumors about you?”
“Yeah, just like that. Not that it matters now. Avery and I are together, and that’s all in the past.”
“Until you get angry again?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”