The Assistant Coach (BOOK 1: OMEN KING SERIES)

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September
Leia Welsh

The scorching heat outside is absolutely unbearable.

Colorado's winters may be brutal, but the fall is no joke either. School has already started, and the heat is just too much.

My denim shorts are practically glued to my skin, causing my thighs to chafe uncomfortably.

I can feel the sweat trickling down my back, making me wish I had opted for a shower instead of just deodorant this morning. My green tank top does little to provide relief; I might as well be walking around naked in this heat.

The fabric sticks to me like cling wrap, highlighting every imperfection and sweat stain. I can practically hear my sunscreen sizzling as it tries to protect me from the UV rays.

The sunglasses perched on my nose are sliding down with each step, threatening to fall off and leave me blinded by both the sun and my own clumsiness. The air feels thick and suffocating, like trying to breathe underwater.

I glance enviously at the ice cream truck parked on the corner, the colorful treats melting faster than my will to live.

"Good lord, I'm melting here," Ari, my best friend, says as she walks alongside me, wiping sweat off her forehead and fanning herself with the hem of her yellow and white flowered sundress.

I nod in agreement, feeling the same way. "Tell me about it," I reply, pulling my curls up into a messy bun in a feeble attempt to cool down.

I notice a couple of nosy onlookers giving me the side-eye and muttering to each other, causing me to instinctively glance over. The lump in my throat starts to feel more like a grapefruit as I imagine them gossiping about my tragic history. Even when I feel like that part of my life was so far long, it stings remembering that I evaporated into thin air, all because I didn't have the strength to return.

"Whose bright idea was it to go out today?" Ari's boyfriend, Henson, interjects, throwing his arm around her.

"You did," both Ari and I say simultaneously, irritation clear in our voices.

I never would have imagined Ari dating a guy like Henson Parker. He's a bit of a know-it-all, majoring in Business and always trying to argue with me on every little fact. Look-wise, he's pretty ordinary.

With his pale skin, almond eyes, and short brunette hair styled in a buzz cut, he stands at just two inches taller than Ari's five-foot five height. He's often seen in cargo pants and a polo shirt, rocking the typical nerd look.

Sometimes I wonder if I'd let myself die alone because I've never had a boyfriend. It's not like guys haven't asked me out or anything, it's more like I never had romantic feelings towards any of them.

Maybe I'm just broken?

Or maybe men are just not worth it.

Both are plausible.

Ari and I met back in high school when her parents took me in after my mom kicked me out for breaking into school for some hockey practice. I sometimes wonder if my mom regrets it, but then again, who knows what goes on in her mind. I prefer not to dwell on the past, especially when it comes to her.

Aria Evers is the opposite of me in every way possible. She's like a ray of sunshine, while I'm more like a thunderstorm.

She's always the one to wake up bright and early, while I struggle to even open my eyes before noon. She's the kind of person who sees the good in everyone, while I tend to be a bit more skeptical.

She's always smiling and spreading positivity, while I'm more likely to crack a dark joke or two. And she's twenty, a year younger than me. Ari really is stunning though, surpassing all standards of beauty. She's a real-life Disney princess, Ariel from 'The Little Mermaid' to be specific.