𝐃𝐄𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐘 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 | 𝐁𝐗𝐁

ＥＬＥＶＥＮ

"Benjamin Carter, you are being summoned from the counseling office."

I was walking down the hall to a conference on campus for the first time in a week when I heard this announcement. As fast as I can. There was a good chance I'd see someone from the team there, and since I blocked Matt's number, I didn't risk seeing him or his awful friends. I was hoping it would stay that way. I know we went to the same school, but I would avoid seeing them until the last drop of my blood.

Now wondering what was causing my name to echo through the crowded hallway, I ran toward the counseling office, turning bright red and hiding my eyes from the students perched on the edge of the lockers.

I quickly walked into Mrs. Peterson's office and gasped when I saw the person sitting across from her desk. "Coach?"

He licked his lips as he sent me a look, "Where are you, kid? You said you wanted to be on my team and then you disappeared. I had to turn away all the other students because I caught you, and now I can't help but feel like you're letting me down."

How was I going to tell him, the coach there, and the counselor what had happened to me? To anyone? It was impossible, but I knew I had to make something up. I looked down at my feet and took a few seconds to think. I coughed lightly to clear my throat, "I'm sorry coach, I don't want to disappoint you, but I have asthma."

The man slowly stood up and put a large hand on my shoulder as he stood across from me, "So you didn't know you had asthma when you told me you wanted to be on the team?"

Actually I would, I had no reason not to. If I wasn't red with embarrassment, I might have confessed to what Matt and the other guys on the team did to me. If I had done this, the incident would have resulted in strict disciplinary action, some even being kicked off the team or suspended from school for a certain period of time. I was pretty sure of that, but what happens next? I take the same classes as those assholes, we train together. Whether I was on the team or not, there was always something worse.

"I knew..." I avoided looking into his eyes and bowed my head, stammering slightly, "But that's not the only reason. I guess I must be ridiculously brave, forgive me coach."

"It's too late now..." The man shook his head in disbelief in protest, "I already signed you up for the team, kid. You can't disappoint me now."

How? I know next to nothing about basketball, but other than that, I can't do this. Not when I know Matt and his evil crew are there. I can't play with them, that would be my suicide mission. "But..." I babbled, raising my terrified eyes towards the coach, "This is impossible, so I can't be on the team."

"You already are," he warned, "I want you to come to the gym after class today for your first practice with your teammates."

I froze. I felt a strong vibration running down my spine. I was about to object, but the coach looked dead determined. After leaving the counseling office, I barely managed to go to the toilet. I walked into an empty room and locked the door before finding Luke's number and sending him a detailed report on what had just happened. The answer appeared on the screen in a short time.

Luke: "Let's meet in the garden after class. I'll come with you and be there for you during practice. And Ben, if anyone should be ashamed, it's him, not you."

***

I met Luke in the garden as he said. Walking into the gym with him felt both embarrassing and supportive at the same time. Apparently no one on the team expected me to come here after the terrible night they put me through. They stopped practicing because they looked at us both with wide eyes. They thought I would run away, whatever I had to do to hide from them. But here I am, not because I have the courage of a madman, but simply because the coach asked me to.