Bait // Thiam

Chapter 3

After we finished in the gym, it was time to try out for the Lacrosse team. Ever since Scott decided to choose a new team captain, I've been training twice as hard as I use to. Scott already wants me to be chosen, but I just need the coach to approve for me to be captain.

I walked out onto the field, putting my helmet on and getting ready to start, when I noticed someone new. Theo was also trying out and Hayden was here to watch him. I clenched my jaw, slightly jealous how close Hayden and Theo were getting.

"Liam, you okay?" Scott asked me, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Your eyes, they're flashing and I can smell the anger on you. What happened?" He asked me, making me think about them again, getting me angrier then before.

"It's nothing, let's just start these tryouts." I told him, pushing him out of my way.

I walked passed Theo, giving him a dirty look. He just stood there, smiling like we were friends. I just wanted to punch him or see him get punched, so I can laugh at him. There's something different about him and I feel like I can't trust him. Like he came here for a reason and it's not a good reason.

"Liam! Get over here now!" Coach yelled at me, pointing his finger to the ground in-front of him. I started to jog over, still staring at Theo, as he just stood there. "Now Liam! I don't have all day!"

"I'm coming!" I yelled, running now instead of jogging. "Yea, what is it coach?" I asked him, unsure as to why he wanted me over here.

"You can't play. You're failing two classes and you know the rules. If you fail a class, then you can't play lacrosse." He told me, holding up my report card.

"What? You can't just cut me from the team!" I yelled, taking my helmet off so I could see him better. "What if I get my grades back up? Can I play then?" I asked him, hoping I would be allowed back on the team.

"If you want to be on the team, you have to tryout. And if you're failing more than one class, you can't tryout." He broke the news to me, shrugging his shoulders as if he didn't care about me. "Get your grades up, and tryout next time." He handed me my report card and blew the whistle.

I just looked at the piece of paper in my hand, confused about what to do next. I can't tryout and I need to get my grades back up, even though I have no idea how to do that. I'm failing biology and Maths and I suck at them both. I study mostly every night and pay extra attention during class, most of the time, but it's still so confusing.

"Liam, what are you doing? Why aren't you with the other boys?" Scott asked, running towards me with a whistle around his neck.

"Why do you have a whistle?" I asked him, pointing to it as it swung from left to right. "What are you, like assistant coach or something?"

"Something like that." He laughed, looking down at the whistle and smiling. "Now come on, you don't want to miss out on tryouts." He told me, starting to slowly jog towards the other boys.

I wanted to tell Scott the truth that I was failing two classes, but then he'll just block me out. He won't invite me to the pack meetings or let me help out when something goes wrong, because he'll be worried about me failing again. I looked at him and just froze up, thinking of something to say to get me out of it.

"I can't, Mason needs me, it's an emergency. Coach said I can tryout next week, so I'll be back here next week." I told Scott, quickly running towards the school, before he could tell I was lying.

I turned around, watching as he ran over to the others, not looking at me. So it's either I was a really good liar or he'll come and find me during break and by the way I acted, I'm guessing he'll be looking for me at break.