Safe?

Chapter 31

“Don’t be ridiculous, Ben! Why would he want a girl on his team?!” I huffed. “It was you…” I smiled.

“Lily, just get your ass over here, pronto!” Luke said in a tone that left no room for argument.

So I did, but not as pronto as I could or should have.

Fortunately, nobody commented on it.

“So the tradition once the team has been selected, is to go on a teambuilding weekend…” Mr. Higgins said.

Yeah right…

“This year we’re going to Lake Elsinore…” The boys sounded really excited as they started cheering loudly. “We’ll be leaving tomorrow straight after school and won’t be back before Sunday late afternoon… I’ll give you all the documents to give to your parents once you’re in the changing rooms.” He paused and added, “And don’t forget, if you don’t bring everything back to me by tomorrow morning, you won’t come… Any questions?”

“Sir?”

“Sterling.”

“I don’t think having me on the team is such a good idea…” I started. “Plus, I mean, I’m a girl…” I added .

He frowned at me.

“This is not a wilderness camp, Ms. Sterling.” He rolled his eyes at me. “There will be toilets and showers…”

“B-but, Sir.” I exclaimed. “I wasn’t talking about…” I was absolutely horrified.

The man thought I had just implied I was on my period.

Oh my God, kill me now…

Of course all the guys were just loving every second of the amazing show I was offering them.

“Sterling, stop being such a girl and trust us, ok?” Luke put an end to my misery.

Well, the public one, only.

I pretended to zip my mouth closed and looked down at the floor sheepishly.

“See you tomorrow, then.” Mr. Higgins said. “With all the completed forms.” He reminded us.

“Yes, Coach.” The boys shouted as one before running to the changing room.

I felt utterly miserable when I reached the girls’ changing rooms. Fortunately, I was alone so no one saw me break down as exhaustion finally kicked in.

I had worked so hard to erase Luke from my mind, and there he was, pushing his way back in and acting as if I was the one being childish.

What bothered me the most was that Ben was letting him act that way without even defending me.

Once I was showered, I got dressed and dragged myself to the car park.

“Lily…” Jax called me.

I had totally forgotten about him.

“Oh Jax…” I sighed. “Sorry, I had kind of forgotten…”

“Hey, have you been crying?” He asked worriedly.

“No, Jax.” I lied. “I just got some shampoo in my eye, that’s all. The bloody thing hurt like hell, though!”

“Lily, not to me, please…” He looked hurt.

“Yes, Jax, I have been crying like the pathetic girl that I am…” I said bitterly. “Happy?”

“Not really, no…” He muttered. “Let me take you to the beach. We’ll have an ice-cream or whatever you like while we talk…”

So it was going to be that type of talk…