The Assistant Coach (BOOK 1: OMEN KING SERIES)

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Leia Welsh

The first game of the season is fast approaching, and I can't help but feel a mix of excitement and nerves, even though I'm not the one playing.

As I walk into Coach Johnson's office, I observe him slathering baby oil on his head – a sight that never fails to amuse me. His office is a haven of cool air, making it a welcome respite from the blistering heat outside.

I muster up the courage to make a suggestion, knowing full well that the adults at this college seem to cower in fear whenever I ask for a favor. Maybe it's the resting bitch face I never knew I had, who knows?

"Coach, do you mind if I give you a suggestion? You can turn it down," I say, trying to sound casual. He looks up from his oily endeavor and gives me the go-ahead.

"Instead of practice, should we give the team a break and celebrate their progress with a pre-game party?" I propose.

"I don't think that's a good idea," he starts, making me nod. "But what if they practice and then celebrate?" He suggests.

Genius. Why didn't I think of that sooner?

"That's a good idea. I'll tell Ari to set it up," I say, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

I'm happy at the thought of getting closer to the team, but Coach's sudden horror-stricken expression quickly wipes the smile off my face. Do I really have a resting bitch face?

We both head out of his office and into the rink with our skates on. The guys have cut me some slack, but underneath it all, I know they still despise me. Maybe if I can worm my way into their good graces, I can chip away at the walls they've built up against me.

I claimed I didn't care, but the truth is, there's something about their hard work and determination that has started to tug at my conscience. I feel like I owe it to them to do my part in bridging the gap between us.

As I watch the boy's running drills on the ice, I grin from ear to ear. They're running the exact drill that I had shown them, in the positions that I had assigned. It's like they've finally embraced my coaching style and are making it their own.

I quickly shoot a text to Ari about the party, then skate over into the rink. With Coach Johnson looming behind me, I blow my whistle to get the team's attention. Am I overstepping my boundaries and acting like I'm the head coach?

"You should tell them, you're the coach after all," I say with a smile, watching his belly jiggle softly as he laughs.

"You're not overstepping, Leia. Keep going," he says, and for once he doesn't look terrified.

What it is about my face that sometimes scares them. I'll have to work on my smiling skills later. But for now, back to practice.

"You guys still suck-"

"Leia," Coach Johnson interrupts, causing me to cough.

"Alright, listen up, you punks. Your first game is fast approaching, and I expect you all to put in the work. But hold onto your hats, because after today's grueling practice, Ari is kindly arranging a little pre-game party for you. And guess what? You're all going, no ifs, ands, or buts about it," I declare to the team, who stare at me with a mix of curiosity and resignation.

"Let's get one thing straight. I need one-hundred and ten percent effort from each and every one of you. None of this lounging around in the middle of practice," I call out, shooting a pointed look at Miller and Ant, who both look like they give a rat's ass.

"And don't even think about using Ari's irresistible charm as an excuse to slack off during scrimmages," I add, shooting a warning glance at Tim, who suddenly finds something very interesting on the ice.