Quiet || hs

10

First period of the day is always the most dreadful, but now it's even worse. I stayed hidden in my home all weekend. I didn't even attend the JV game on Saturday because I knew coach Styles would be there. Varsity usually goes to their games to give them support if they could.

My heart thumps faster as I got closer to his classroom. I don't think I can face him after what I did. I feel so embarrassed with myself. I can't remember what I was thinking before it happened.

I turn the corner and spot coach stand by the classroom door, talking to a student. I gasp, taking a sharp turn back behind the wall. Hopefully, he didn't see me.

"Hey, why do you seem so skittish?" a voice appears behind me.

"None of your business." I snap softly to the familiar boy from the party.

"Sorry, I was trying to be a friend."

"We're not friends, I don't know you." I say harshly. "Sorry, I'm sorry. I just have a lot going on right now." I apologize realizing my attitude towards him.

The warning bell rings and Brennen slowly walks backwards to still talk to me. "What's your class now?"

"I-I don't have one." I lie.

"Great, neither do I." he winks, grabbing my wrist. "What do you want to do?" he asks, pulling me from behind the wall.

I try stopping him, but it was too late. I was revealed from the hiding spot.

"Eversteen, you're going to be late." his voice echoes down the hall.

"Look what you did!" I glare at him.

"You said y-"

"Obviously I was lying." I interrupt.

"I didn't know a quiet girl like you had such a bad side to them." he jokes. "I guess I'll see you later then, Rylee."

I roll my eyes, walking away from him. I avoid eye contact with coach as I enter the classroom. He closes the door behind him when the tardy bell signals. I sit in my usual seat in the back, hiding my face behind someone.

Coach starts his lesson and passes out worksheets. He makes it to the back and when he got to me, he slowly sets the paper onto my desk. I felt his eyes burning into me as he spoke.

"–I expect this to be done by then end of class today." he finishes off what he was saying. "If you need help then don't be too shy to ask."

I know he was aiming those words towards me. After a few moments of ignoring his stare, he finally leaves back to his desk.

-

"Ladies, the track team is at a meet as we speak so we'll take our workout on the track today because it's a beautiful day out." Coach Styles announces with a smile. "Coach Payne will start the workout today because I have some things to do."

I let out a breath of relief and follow coach Payne out onto the track. The soccer team was out on the field at the same time. I spot Brennen after he gets my attention by waving like crazy. We start on the usual stretches then jog on the track.

"You've been quiet." Monique runs beside me.

"I'm always quiet." I point out, focusing on my footing so I didn't fall.

She laughs. "You know what I mean. You haven't talked at all today about anything. We usually have something to say about everything around us."

"I'm just not in the mood." I shrug.

"Can you just tell me one thing?" she asks, making my head shoot up. "Why is that guy trying to get your attention? Do you know him?" she points to Brennen who was jumping around, waving at me because I hadn't waved back yet.

I give a little wave and he stops. "Just a guy I met at the party. He's so weird because he actually thinks we're friends."

"I think you should be friends with him. He's cute." Monique nudges me and I shake my head. "Come on, when is the last time you had a boyfriend?"

"I don't need a boyfriend right now." I breathe out heavily.

We finally stop running and start working out. Coach Styles appears and takes over. My body was starting to ache from the exercises he was making us do.

"Yeah Rylee, keep it going." I hear Brennen shout from the field.

I turn to look over my shoulder as we did squats. Brennen was giving me a thumbs up. He just didn't get the hint that we're not friends. Even though he was bothering me, I giggle at his dorky behavior.

"Eversteen, pay attention." Coach snaps.

My eyes shoot to him with his arms crossed. His sunglasses cover his eyes from the bright sun. He chewed his gum, making him look intimidating with his sharp jaw. It made him look angry.

Our workout came to an end and we head back to the gym for a scrimmage. Coach has me practice my serves until I could get it right. The fifth serve already had my arm become sore. I couldn't get it far from the net. Practice finally comes to a wrap and he dismisses us.

"Rylee, my office now." he orders before I disappear into the locker room.

I stay quiet as I follow him into the room. He closes the door behind me and I felt my heart beat fast. I didn't know what to say through the silence. He sits on the edge of his desk, crosses his arms and looks at me.

"I know we can't ignore what happened Friday night." he finally speaks. "I also know that's why you tried skipping my class this morning."

"I-I wasn't trying to skip." I lie.

"Don't lie to me, Eversteen." he says as if he read my mind. "I just called you in here to tell you that it won't ever happen again." Coach sits up from his desk and walks closer to me. "I didn't mean to lead you on if I did."

"I just wasn't thinking straight. We had just lost a game and I was ups-"

"Just–" he stops me from continuing. "-Just don't let it happen again, okay? I have a wife at home and we're having enough trouble as is."

"Okay."

It will get better... I think..