The Evergreen Lion

☀️Juniper: 3

"Focus Adam! Focus!" Coach yells at player 3 on the soccer team. Which just happens to be my boyfriend.

I lean against the hard metal bleachers, with my dark shades on, and my legs cross, pretending to be interested in this junk. Occasionally I like to watch basketball, or baseball, but not soccer. I used to like it, but Adam just ruined it for me.

As I focus on Adam, my hate just starts to boil up inside me. It was always too good to be true.

But I put on my best smile when he looks to see if I'm still paying attention to his drills. I give him a fake thumbs up every time he turned his golden locks away from the field. Usually at these practices I listen to music, or text Leo, but I'm not allowed anymore. My everything has to be focused on him. Adam.

A half an hour later, soccer practice is over, and Adam rushes over to greet me. It ran pretty late tonight so I'm praying to drop him home, and get as far away from him as possible.

"Did you see those awesome new drills I came up with for the team? Next year I'll be sure to be captain. I would've been captain this year, if it wasn't for that stupid rule that only seniors can be captain." He sighs and kisses me on the cheek. I try not to wipe off the lingering sweat that he just rubbed on my face.

"I know that sucks." I comment. I've heard the same complaints from him a thousand times. I won't hear the end of it until he actually becomes captain.

He frowns at me. "That sucks? Is that all you have to say?" Adam's body language gets really defensive, and it takes all my power to try not to flinch.

"I-I uh, you know how much it hurts me that you're hurting, but I don't think we should dwell on it that much. It'll only make you sadder."

It takes a moment for his frown to turn upside down. "Yeah. You're right babe."

He gives me his soccer gear to hold while we walk towards his car. It's pretty heavy, but I don't complain. The bag straps are digging into my side with all the bruises, and I can feel my self start to limp, but Adam doesn't notice.

He's too busy giving high fives to his teammates, and looking at how toned he's gotten during practice. I glare at him as I limp behind him.

"Juniper, I don't like those sunglasses. They're too dark. I can't see your eyes that well, and I don't know if you're really paying attention to me. Oh- also could you keep from wearing such dark colors? Like the other players girlfriends," he unlocks his car and proceeds to get into the passenger seat." they just seem to have a little more pep in there step."

"More pep? Got it." I huff as I place his stuff in the trunk, and ease my way into the drivers seat so I don't bump any bruises. I know all that stuff he asked for weren't only request, they were demands.

I turn the key, and the car starts. Adam leans back in the chair and closes his eyes. I try not to give him a disgusted look. He would probably be able to sense my hate for him.

Adam is usually really tired after practice, so he makes me wash his stuff, carry his stuff, drive him home, and make him dinner. Everything has to be done the way he likes it, or I have to start over. Or worse.

Sometimes when I'm driving him home from practice, I wish I could drive this hundred thousand dollar car into a brick wall, and hopefully injure him enough to the point where he can't breathe. Maybe that's a little much to some people, but not to me. It's just the tip of the iceberg.

While driving him home, and trying to tune out another one of his egotistical rants, my phone starts to ring. I grip the steering wheel really hard, and say a little prayer to myself that I hope it's not anyone but my mom. Adam abruptly stops talking and glares at my cell phone.

"Juniper, pull over now." His tone has changed from light hearted to unhappy and on-edge.

Since it's about seven o'clock now, most of the shops around us are closed, so I pull into an empty parking lot. While Adam picks up my phone and checks who it is, I spot the perfect cement wall I could drive this car into.

"That bitch Lionel is calling you again?!" Adam screams at me. "I told you to never speak to him again! I don't like the way he looks at you!"

"His name is Leonardo." I whisper.

Without even looking at him, I can already tell that his face his hot red and his knuckles clenched. Adam's face slowly inches towards mine until I could feel the heat radiating off it, "Does it look like I fucking care what his name is?" He sneers at me.

I don't answer him in fear of this being a rhetorical question. He brings his hand and slaps it across my face. My head sharply turns from looking down at him, to looking towards the back of the car.

"Answer me when I ask you a question!" Adam hops out of the car, and chucks my cellphone into the darkness of the night. I don't know where it went, but I heard the shatter of the glass as soon as it landed on the ground.

I stay put in the car, not even daring myself to move a muscle. I don't even try to touch the welt forming on my face from his slap.

"Juniper, get out of the car! Now! You're absolutely nothing without me!" He snaps at me.

My hands shake as I try to unbuckle my seatbelt. I could just make a run for it now, but he's probably faster than me. But I think to all the times people have referred to me as track star or the running beast, and for a second I think I could make it. But once Adam decided I was taking to long to get out of the car, and he ripped me from the car seat, I knew I didn't have a chance. I never had a chance.