The Assistant Coach (BOOK 1: OMEN KING SERIES)

|𝟸𝟾|

Kohl Warren

Leia wasn't at practice today.

She never misses practice, but today she decided to break the streak. The thought of her absence gnaws at me. Did something happen?

My curiosity gets the best of me as I stroll around campus, my nonchalant demeanor masking the concern that's bubbling up inside me. When I finally spot a redhead, I call out to her, and she waves me over with a bright smile.

I quickly jog to her side and get straight to the point. "Where's Leia? She wasn't at practice," I ask, my tone trying to be as nonchalant as possible.

Ari hesitates, looking down at the ground before finally meeting my gaze. "She's in our dorm, Twelve-B in the Walcott dorms. I don't think she's okay, she seemed mad when we were driving back here," she explains.

My eyebrow quirks up. Leia mad? That's no surprise, but I still want to know why.

I mentally debate whether or not I should check up on her. In the end, my curiosity wins out. I mean, I do want to know why she's mad, and if Leia asks why I'm there, I can always blame Ari for sending me. Though, I assume that's why Ari told me her dormitory building and dorm number.

"Thanks, water girl," I quip before jogging off towards the Walcott dorms, eager to get the chance to see her today.

I stand hesitantly in front of the dark door marked Twelve-B. My hand moves of its own accord, knocking tentatively. The sound echoes through the hallway, followed by a loud thud and a string of curse words from behind the door.

I hold in a laugh. She definitely tripped.

The door swings open, revealing Leia glaring down at her knee before her gaze snaps up to me. Her eyes widen in surprise, but I can see a hint of warmth in them. Fuck, her strawberry scent is overwhelming, and I resist the urge to bury my face in it.

"Come to gloat about me missing practice?" she says, biting her lip to stifle a smile.

I can't help but begrudgingly acknowledge her beauty. She's decked out in a way-too-big white sweatshirt that reaches her thighs, paired with biker shorts that are barely noticeable.

Those piercing emerald eyes of hers are practically sparkling, while her gorgeous black curls tumble around her face in a messy but beautiful way. "You're a real comedian, aren't you?" I mutter as she breezes past me into her apartment, I quickly follow her inside, shutting the door behind me.

Taking a quick scan of her dorm, I must admit it's not shabby. The kitchen is sleek and modern, mostly white with a few pops of gray here and there. The living room is spacious but not overwhelmingly so, with a cozy vibe that somehow manages to match the redhead's eclectic style.

"My therapist says it's a good way to cope," she says as she flops down onto the couch, letting out a loud yawn.

Her therapist definitely didn't suggest that.

I navigate my way around the heap of clothes on the floor and plop down beside her, adjusting the gray pillow as she continues to stare intently at the TV.

"You have a therapist?" I ask, unable to resist a laugh.

"Yeah, I'm my own therapist," she replies with a playful wink before turning her attention back to the TV screen.

The thought of her being her own therapist is slightly concerning, but hey, whatever works, right?

"Why are you really here?" she asks, clicking a video on YouTube, pausing it, then turning to look at me.

"You missed practice, and Ari thought you were upset, so she sent me to see what's up," I reply, casually leaning back into the couch.

"I wasn't upset, just... What's the word? Ah, yes, self-conscious," she says without a care in the world.

My eyebrow shoots up. Self-conscious about what? With looks like hers, any girl would envy her, and any man would jump at the chance to be with her.

"Why did you miss practice?" I ask, noticing the flinch in her body before she bursts into laughter.

"I was actually debating whether or not to cut my hair," she confesses, running her fingers through her long hair.

Seriously? She missed practice because she couldn't decide on a haircut. This girl never fails to surprise me.

"Don't," I blurt out, unintentionally letting my thoughts slip. Her smile in response sends a warmth through me that I can't explain.

"But what if I get into a fight and they pull on my hair? It's a shitty situation to be in," she muses, leaning back and staring up at the ceiling.

She's been in a situation like that before? I can just picture a cat fight between her and the other girl. I bet the other girl would come out looking worse, with Leia's stubbornness probably making things even messier.

"I highly doubt any girl would dare pick a fight with the ice queen," I quip, shaking my head in mock fear.

She bursts into laughter, the sound making me crack a smile. "You're not so terrible," she mumbles, tilting her head to look at me.

There's something in her eyes that stirs a strange feeling in me, so I quickly flick her forehead to distract myself.

"Do you want to tussle?" she challenges, rubbing her forehead before grinning like a maniac.

Without hesitation, she flicks my forehead back, but her flick is ten times harder than mine, causing me to groan and rub my head in response.

"Ice Queen behavior," I mutter, shaking my head as she nudges my arm with her elbow, laughing.

The room falls into a long, comfortable silence until the door suddenly slams open, causing my eyes to dart in that direction. It's Ari, accompanied by some guy I've never seen before.

He's wearing glasses, and that's pretty much all I bother to notice about him. I feel a twinge of relief when I see him holding Ari's hand.

"Please tell me she's not–"

But before he can finish his sentence, a large gray pillow slaps him right in the face, causing me to widen my eyes. I turn to Leia who sits there, grinning like she's just won the World Cup.

"Sorry Henson, I thought it was a burglar," Leia says, her voice dripping with deceit. "But then I saw your wimpy figure, and it was too late. The pillow was already flying out of my hands." she clutches her heart dramatically, wiping away a fake tear, and I burst out laughing.

Leia must really despise this dude. She wouldn't even throw a pillow at Kateb just for breathing the same air as her.

"Is that–" he whispers to Ari, pointing at me, but I can still catch every word. "Kohl Warren," I interject, flashing a grin as he startles, glances at Leia, then back at me.

"I'm Henson–"

"I should probably get going," I cut him off, Leia gives a quick nod in agreement. I casually stroll over to the door, shooting Henson a cold glare. He quickly scurries behind Ari, who gives him a puzzled look. "I believe this is yours," I remarked, picking up the pillow.

Without missing a beat, I throw it at his head before walking out of the dorm room.

If Leia can't stand him, then count me in. I don't need an explanation – if she's throwing pillows, so am I. We're friends after all, right? Although the thought of being 'friends' with her makes my head spin.

(How do we feel about this chapter?) —>

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