A Second Chance

Chapter 1

I threw the stack of papers onto a desk that stood a few inches away from me. The loud noise echoed throughout the small office as my gaze lifted to meet a middle aged man's scowl. His glasses were propped against the arch of his nose, hanging low as his eyes narrowed at my innocent smile.

He hesitantly reached for the papers, his eyes briefly scanning over the words as he leaned back into his leather chair. His knuckles gripped the pages tightly as I crossed my arms over the other, patiently waiting for him to say something. "You weren't joking about this, huh?"

"Nope," I smiled, popping the 'p' as I discreetly scanned my surroundings. I was standing inside the head football coach's office at Fossil Creek High School. His door was wide open, so I walked in with my head held high, not bothering to knock. Coach was used to my persistent ways, so he wasn't too surprised by my actions.

"You certainly proved me wrong," he muttered under his breath, not meaning for me to hear his remark. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to hide the smile that threatened to slip out at his comment.

"You should know me by now, Coach Woods," I quipped, the sarcastic words easily slipping off my tongue. "You're too afraid to admit that you need my help. Especially a girl's help. Don't get me wrong, you're good at what you do, but some things need to be changed."

"I've been coaching this team for five years, young lady," he abruptly stood up as he pointed his slim finger at me. "I'll be damned if I let a little girl come up to me and boss me around. Not going to happen. Get out of my office and just stick to being a trainer."

I stared at him, my eyebrows raised. "It doesn't seem like you understand. Remember when the principal asked for my help because he knew this team was going downhill? It's a little pathetic that he had to ask a teenage girl for help, but it is what it is. He knows how much I love this sport, hell, my life practically revolves around it. If you really want to beat the record this year, then you'll set your ego aside and let me help."

Coach Woods clenched his jaw as he deeply exhaled. The fire in his eyes was enough to see how pissed he was. "Violet, although we haven't been on great terms the past four years, it doesn't automatically mean that I'm singling you out just because you're a girl. I truly believe that we don't need anyone's help."

I snorted, a low rumble in the back of my throat as I gently shook my head. "I've been involved with these boys since freshman year. I've been training and working my ass off to get to where I am now. I'm at every game and every practice, and even when I'm not helping them with their injuries, I'm studying how every player moves and who works the best with who. You know my father was a football coach for years, so this has been a part of life for as long as I can remember. It comes naturally."

Coach blinked at me, his nostrils flaring as he let one of his hands run through whatever hair he had left. We've never had the best relationship, seeing as though we met my freshman year when I argued with how it wasn't fair that he wouldn't let me help his team. I wasn't always this persistent, but with this team getting worse, and with the principles recommendation, I knew it was finally time for me to step in.

When I started high-school, I already knew what I wanted to do. Ever since I was little, I always loved football. My father coached high-school football for over ten years, and I was surrounded by the sport since I was five years old. Before my parents' relationship went to shit, my father would teach me everything he knew about the sport he once loved, when he was actually present during my childhood.