The Coach's Daughter

Chapter 18

Jaden catches me in the lunch line and practically drags me to his lunch table. I have a bad habit of agreeing to plans without thinking and then regretting my decisions five minutes later. This is one of those cases.

At his table, the other football players are downing massive portions of food and the girls are laughing while recording them. I don't know why they're posting this; it's not interesting. In the middle seat, Zack is drinking a Muscle Milk in silence, not paying attention to all of the commotion around him. When I arrive, his eyes flicker boredly from Jaden to me, then back again.

"What are you doing here?" he asks, almost angrily.

Before I can answer, Jaden steps in. "I asked Amelia to have lunch with me." He grabs me a seat next to him. "Here."

Zack looks away, disinterested, and the girls surrounding him resume trying to grab his attention. They're at his beck and call, offering to buy him food or refill his water. Annoyance fills me. I can't believe I ever in a million years found him attractive.

"Amelia?" Jaden asks and I realize I'm still standing. I sit down abruptly. "Not gonna lie, that looks disgusting," he says, referring to my lunch tray. The cafeteria's dry burger and cold potato wedges sit pathetically on my tray. The burger is easily the worst cafeteria meal of the week. I think of my brother, who is probably enjoying his home-cooked chicken breast, pasta, and salad all specially made by our mother.

Well, I'm 16. I should be making my own lunch anyway.

"It is gross," I confirm with a disgusted expression that makes Jaden laugh.

"Here." He cuts his sandwich in half and places it on my tray.

"You don't have to-"

"How will you give me great advice if you're eating that shit?" he asks, digging into his meal. Staring down at the sandwich, I can't help but let out a sigh.

"You're so nice," I tell him.

"Thanks." He smiles that warm smile and motions for me to eat. The sandwich is good. There's pesto, the chicken is moist, and the tomatoes are just the right amount of juicy. I'm going to have to learn how to make this.

"She's just his rebound," I hear in the middle of my bite. My blood turns cold as the blond girl hanging onto Zack glares at me. "What kind of desperate skank goes after a guy right after a breakup?"

I try to keep my temper controlled as she continues to sneer at me. If you react, they win. Plus, she's Lola's friend. I can understand why she's mad.

"I can hear you, Liv," Jaden says. She just rolls her eyes in response.

"What, you thought you could bring your bitch here and I wouldn't say anything?" she snickers.

"Don't be rude," I speak up. "You don't even know me. You have no right to call me a skank or a bitch." 

She scoffs. "How dare you even speak to me? Why don't you pick your ass up and-"

"Leave her alone," Zack warns, standing abruptly so she loses her balance and nearly falls off her seat. The confusion is blatant on her face.

"Zack, I-"

"Just mind your own fucking business, Liv," he sneers. My eye twitches. I don't need him to stand up for me.

"What the hell, Zack? Where are you going?" she calls from her seat.

"The field," he answers in a voice that says 'you better not follow me.' She doesn't seem to get the memo.

Liv starts packing her stuff urgently. "Zack, just wait a sec and I'll-"

He's not even looking at her. He's busy walking out of the lunchroom, tossing his trash out on the way. Even without him looking, it lands in the bin in a perfect arc.

"I'm gonna go," I tell Jaden. He winces but nods apologetically. It's obvious that I'm not welcome here.

"Thanks," he says, although I'm not sure what for.

I force a smile. "Thanks for the food," I respond. With that, I pick up my tray and walk back to where my friends are.

A/N: Sorry for missing yesterday's update. I just started school. Also sorry if this was boring it was more of a filler/necessary chapter. Thanks for reading!