The Coaches Daughter || Callum Turner

Chapter 10

Jade

The music was pounding, people were laughing, and the house was buzzing with energy. I navigated through the crowd, feeling the buzz of excitement mix with my nerves. It was strange, being at this party like this after everything that had happened with Garrison upstairs. I wasn't sure what to expect, but I had to admit, it felt good.

As I walked into the living room, I spotted Maggie talking to a group of people near the fireplace. She was easy to spot with her bright red jacket and wild curls. I made my way over to her, and as soon as she saw me, she waved me over with a grin.

"Hey girl!" she greeted me, giving me a quick hug. "How's the night going?"

I shrugged, glancing around at the crowd. "You know, it's alright. Just... a lot of people."

Maggie raised an eyebrow. "So, how was the date yesterday? You and Mr. Gray, huh?"

I couldn't help but smile a little. "It was good. We had lunch, talked, and then today we hung out too and we actually-." I pause.

Her eyes widened. "Wait, what? You're not gonna tell me you hooked up with him already?"

I bit my lip, feeling a flush creep up my neck. "You're not going to believe me, but... yeah. We had sex like two hours ago"

Maggie blinked a couple of times before her jaw dropped. "Holy shit, you're lying. That was quick!"

I laughed, feeling a little embarrassed but mostly amused at her reaction. "I know, I didn't plan on it, but it just happened."

"Well, damn, bitch," Maggie grinned, "didn't even make him wait."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I know, I was going to, but... I don't know. I think it might have been a little spiteful."

She tilted her head. "Spiteful? What do you mean?"

I took a deep breath, the weight of what I was about to say hitting me. "I did it because I know my dad would hate it. He'd never want me with someone like him... Garrison's a player, you know? I wanted to... prove something. Maybe to him, maybe to myself."

Maggie's eyes softened with understanding, and she gave me a little nod. "Wow, that's heavy. I don't know if that was a good idea but hey, you do you. Just be careful, alright?"

I nodded, feeling a mix of emotions. "Yeah, I know. But I don't think I can stop now. I think Garrison might be actually into me, and don't get me wrong he's hot but my dad has always made the lacrosse guys off limits, always exaggerated about how horrible they were and parts of me can't see past that yet. Parts of me doesn't trust Garrison at all."

Maggie smiled knowingly, "Well, it sounds like you're having fun. Just don't let it get too messy."

I bit my lip, unsure if I could promise her that, but I nodded anyway.

I pushed my way through the crowd again, trying to make my way to the kitchen for a drink when I felt a warm arm slip around my shoulders. I froze for a second, surprised, and then looked up to find Garrison leaning casually against me, his arm draped over me like it was the most natural thing in the world.

He was laughing, chatting with one of his friends about something I didn't catch, his hand holding a red solo cup. The loud music, the thrum of conversation, the clinking of bottles—it all seemed to fade as I stood there, feeling like I was under a spotlight. My heart thudded in my chest. Garrison wasn't doing anything overt, just casually standing there with his arm around me while he continued to laugh and talk with his friends. He didn't seem to care at all who was watching, and honestly, neither did I, but I couldn't help but feel a little... exposed.

We were at a party—his party, to be exact—and here he was, like it was no big deal, showing some slight affection in front of everyone. I wasn't used to this. It was public. It was a little... casual. But the surprise of it, the unspoken boldness of him having his arm around me like this in front of his friends, made my stomach flutter. There was something about it that felt real, like he didn't care who knew he was with me.

I glanced up at him, and he grinned down at me, catching my eye for a brief second. He didn't say anything to me directly, just continued with his conversation, laughing along with his friend. But even without saying much, the way he held me—without hesitation—spoke louder than words.

I didn't say anything either. I just let him keep his arm around me as we both fell into the flow of the party, his presence oddly grounding in the chaos around us.

It wasn't what I expected, but maybe that was the point. I didn't know what this was. Maybe neither of us did.

__

I woke up slowly, the room still dim with the morning light filtering through the curtains. My body was warm and tangled in the sheets, but my heart thudded louder than anything else. I was lying in Garrison's bed, his arm draped over me, his bare chest rising and falling with steady breaths. He was still asleep, his face relaxed, his hair a little messy from the night before. For a moment, I just watched him, admiring the way his muscles moved with each breath, how effortlessly handsome he looked—like he had just stepped out of some perfect dream. He was... gorgeous. It felt wrong to stare, but I couldn't help it.

Before I could get too lost in the view, my phone buzzed on the nightstand. I froze, my stomach sinking when I saw the caller ID. Dad.

My mind raced, and my first instinct was to ignore it. But it was too late. I picked it up quickly, trying to make sure I didn't make too much noise. Garrison was still asleep behind me, and the last thing I needed was for him to find out who I was talking to. This entire situation was already complicated enough, and adding my dad into the mix would only make everything worse.

"Hey, sweetheart, what are you up to?" My dad's voice came through the phone, warm and casual, but I could hear the usual edge of concern beneath it.

I winced, trying to keep my voice even. "Well, I was asleep, Dad."

There was a pause on the other end, and I could practically hear him processing the annoyance in my tone. I cursed under my breath, wishing I had the time to prepare for this conversation. I tried to play it cool, shifting slightly so I didn't make any noise that might wake Garrison.

"Sounds like you're in a bad mood," my dad said, the concern growing. "What's going on? What are you doing today?"

"I'm just gonna be lazy, maybe work on some school stuff. Why?" I kept my voice neutral, hoping he wouldn't catch the tension in my voice.

Another long pause, then the familiar sigh that always meant he was getting frustrated with me. "Jade, what's wrong? You've been distant lately."

I could feel my patience wearing thin. "Nothing, Dad," I snapped, a little louder than I intended. "I'm just tired. You woke me up. Can't I just relax for a bit?"

There was silence on the other end, and I knew he wasn't happy with my response. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. We can talk later, I guess."

I rolled my eyes, biting back a frustrated sigh. "Whatever. Bye."

"Love you," he said softly, his voice tinged with disappointment.

"Love you too," I muttered quickly, before hanging up.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding, my heart still racing. I had to remind myself to calm down. But as I stared at the phone in my hand, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was only making things harder for myself. But this wasn't my fault this was his fault. He's the cheating liar that's destroying my family. He's why I'm loosing it.