Return What Was Lost

Chapter 10

"Do you want to talk about the game?"

Julian was sitting in Coach's office after practice. He twisted the ring on his thumb as he attempted to avoid Coach's question.

"I don't blame you," Coach said softly.

Julian looked up at him. "Why not?" he asked back. "You should. I messed up big time, maybe I should be benched permanently."

"That is not how this works, Julian," Coach said. "I don't just give up on you after a bad game."

"You should, it would be easier," he muttered.

"For who?" Coach asked.

"You," Julian said. "I promised I would work hard in practice and win that game and you got me out of detention only for me to let the whole team down."

"Okay, first of all, you did not let me down," Coach said seriously. "It is a team sport for a reason, but second of all, I think there was something going on that night that you aren't telling me."

"I just don't get people," he muttered.

"Ah, okay so we are still on that whole 'why do people pretend to be happy' stuff," Coach said leaning back in his chair.

"That's not the only thing though," Julian said, crossing his arms. "I just don't think I read people well."

"That's not the worst thing in the world," Coach replied.

"Yeah, but how am I supposed to trust people when I don't know what they're thinking."

"Isn't the point in trusting people?" he asked. "You trust that they have good intentions."

Julian sighed. He didn't think he would ever be able to trust people.

"I got to go," Julian said as he checked his watch.

"Julian, hold on a minute," Coach said seriously.

He sat back down.

"Look, I'm going to be honest with you, I don't want to involve myself in your business, I don't want to invade your privacy, but you're worrying me," Coach explained. "I just want to remind you that Doctor Hopkins is great at what she does and I could set up an appointment with her."

"No way," Julian said, shaking his head. "I don't do shrinks."

"Just think about it, okay?" he asked.

Julian nodded once before getting up and leaving. Nikki had invited him over to watch a basketball game, he figured that Brady and Cole had been invited, or even Avery would be there, but when he arrived it was only Nikki in the room.

"Where's everyone else?" Julian asked.

Nikki frowned. "I thought it would just be us."

Julian shrugged and they began watching the game,

However Avery showed up a few minutes later all frazzled and nervous.

"Do I look okay?" she asked Nikki.

"Gorgeous as always, why?" Nikki responded.

"Archer's coming up to see me," she said shyly, looking at the ground.

Julian frowned. He did not like this one bit.

"Oh, that's so exciting," Nikki said happily.

"I know, I'll see you guys later," she said as she checked her hair in the mirror.

Julian watched as Avery tossed her bag on the couch before leaving the room. He noticed her father's jersey also laying there.

"Did Avery tell you her father went here and played basketball under the same number as me?" Julian asked Nikki.