Norman & Page

Distracted

"What do you think you are doing Mr. Norman?" Coach Barnes yelled at Jace.

"I...I am sorry sir" Jace apologized.

"That's the third shot you missed and it wasn't even a difficult one" Coach Barnes scolded Jace.

"Sorry sir, I will do better" Jace apologized again.

"You know what, let's take a five-minute break and come back again."

"Norman, my office, now," Mr. Barnes said sternly and went to his office. Jace followed him obediently.

Inside the office

"What is wrong with you Jace?" Mr. Barnes asked in a very concerned voice.

"I am sorry sir, I will concentrate more"

"No Jace, I am not going to buy that crap anymore, tell me what is really wrong with you?" Mr. Barnes raised his voice.

"I am not in the mood to talk about this Cooper" Jace replied annoyed.

"Fine, if you don't tell me the reason, you are off the team" Cooper threatened him.

"You can't do that to me Cooper" Jace was shocked and angry.

"Oh, believe me, I can but I am willing to give you one last chance to tell me why you are slacking off"

"I am not slacking off Cooper, I....I...just....." Jace didn't want to tell the real reason to him.

"You what Jace, tell me" Cooper insisted.

"Fine, I will tell you but promise me you won't tell my folks"

"Okay, I promise, now tell me"

Jace blew out and began, "A week ago, I met this girl named Charlotte."

Cooper spoke up interrupting Jace.

"Your girlfriend?"

"Yes and no"

"I don't understand," Cooper said confused.

"The thing is, we never dated and she never really agreed to be my girlfriend"

"What? How did that happen?" Cooper was curious.

"cuz I am an idiot and I screw up everything"

"You are not an idiot Jace and what does that have to do with your game?"

Jace sighed.

"Well, I apologized to Charlotte for claiming her as my girlfriend, in front of the whole school, and she forgave me. She even agreed to be friends with me and today I wanted to ask her out but before I could talk to her, Bella and Nicole told her a bunch of bullshit and now Charlotte thinks that Maddie and I are dating." Jace explained.

"Whoa kid, your life is way more complicated than I imagined" Cooper laughs shaking his head.

"My problems are funny to you huh?" Jace was angry.

"No Jace, I understand your problem but all you gotta do is make this girl see that what she thinks is not true"

"And how do you propose I do that?" Jace asked him.

"Well, if it were me, I would talk to her in person and explain it to her," Cooper advised him.

"But she never listens to me Cooper" 

"Then you gotta make her listen to you somehow"

Jace nodded thinking of how he could get Charlotte to listen to him.