Coach's Daughter

36

I hang out with Steve and Laura Monday after Paige leaves for practice. We're still ignoring the awkward fact that we know about each other's rebellious relations.

I stopped by the gym a few times to see Paige. Never got the chance to talk to her though, my dad kept her busy today.

When Steve and Laura leave for the day, I go to the gym to see practice was over and everyone had gone home. Of course I hadn't checked the gym with all the workout equipment or the place with the pools, but the basketball gym was empty. I was disappointed that Paige wasn't here.

I turn around to go look for my dad when a voice stops me.

"Hey."

I turn back around to see Paige walking out from the storage closet.

"I thought you left," I say, walking towards her.

"I haven't got to talk to you all day," she says, "I would never leave without getting to see you."

I blush creeps up to my cheeks and we finally meet each other in the middle. Without thinking, we pull each other into a kiss. Our lips mesh together perfectly as she holds me by my waist and I wrap my arms around her neck.

It's like life is on pause until suddenly-

"Get away from my daughter!" An angry voice booms.

Me and Paige immediately separate as I turn around to see my dad standing at the entrance of the gym. My stomach drops as well as all the blood from my face.

Everything is quiet for what feels like forever until my dad breaks the silence.

"Y/n," he says in a stern voice, "go home."

What? No lecture? He's not going to yell at me? Not right now at least. I can't just leave Paige. Who knows what he'll say to her.

"No," I protest, "Whatever you want to say to her you can say to me."

"Go home y/n. Don't make me say it again."

I've never seen my dad like this. My heart feels like it's pounding out of my chest.

Paige nudges my back and whispers, "Just go."

The sound of her frightened voice makes me not want to leave even more. I turn to look at her and her worried expression breaks my heart. I want to reach out and touch her, but that wouldn't help anything.

"It's okay," she tells me.

Not wanting to make matters worse, I give in and start to walk away. I look back at Paige. She looks scared and alone and more than anything I want to go back to her and tell my dad off, but the peace keeper in me pushes me to the nearest exit door of the gym.

As I'm about to open the door, I hear my dad's voice bark, "Don't look at her! Look at me!"

It's like a knife to my gut the way he's talking to her. I look back one last time to see Paige standing up straighter. He can't hurt her I remind myself. He might be an overprotective and homophobic father, but he's not dangerous. The worst he can do is tell her to stay away from me.

The cool evening air hits me when I'm outside. I'll call her as soon as I get home I tell myself as I go to my car. They'll definitely be done talking by then.

Paige's pov

"I'm going to make this plain and simple," coach says in a low serious voice, "if you don't stay away from my daughter, you're off the team."

It's like reality comes crashing down on me all at once. In the beginning, I had a clearer head about me and y/n, but then I fell for her. I didn't mean to. But I did. And now my place on the team, my whole career, my future, hopes, dreams and my life as I know it are on the line.

"What?! Coach, that's crazy!"

"There's nothing crazy about it!" He shouts back.

He sighs and looks off. For a second I think he's calmed down.

"You know, when y/n was little and she told me she didn't want to play basketball, I was devastated. But there was one good thing that I thought would come out of it," as coach speaks more calmly, I feel myself become less tense.

"That she would be away from all the lesbians." Never mind. My body stiffens again.

"I guess you made sure they didn't happen though, right?" He continues. I had never in my life faced such overt homophobia. Why does it matter that we're both girls? Love isn't wrong or a sin, it's something to be celebrated. Yet some people fail to see it that way.

"She would've been gay regardless!" I argue. He's acting like I converted her or something. As much as I would like to flatter myself, that's just not how it works.

"No! Don't you say that!" He shouts.

"Look," he says, trying to calm down again, "you can be gay. The whole team can be gay. I don't care! Hell, I'm a women's basketball coach! I really don't care! Just not my daughter."

"Why not your daughter?" I ask him.

"Because it's a sin!"

His words are like a slap in the face. I was raised by a progressive christian family. In a progressive area. I had never been told to my face that me liking women was a sin. I feel tears start to well up in my eyes. I can't help it. I try to suck it up, but I can't.

I have good faith. I've always considered myself to be a good christian. I work everyday to strengthen my relationship with God. I read at least one bible verse everyday. I pray. I go to church willingly. I believe a hundred percent that God is the reason I have almost fully recovered from my injury and that I'll get to play next season. So, yeah, it hurt when coach tells me that something about me I can't change is unpleasing to God.

"So what will it be, Bueckers?" His voice calm but deathly serious, "You on the team or not?"

I know the choice I have to make.

"Fine. I'll stay away from her."