Proactive Protection - Coach's Daughter

08 - RUNNING WITH THE WOLVES

The rest of the week before the lacrosse game was fine for Poppy even average you could say for a teenager girl. Between school and home life there wasn't much to talk about yet the complexities in school and home were plenty to fill the gap. 

Nathan and Poppy had gotten together at a much more frequent rate at one of their houses for the night. Though the more popular vote of choice was for Nathan's house so Poppy would sneak out from her bedroom to Nathan's - not that it was that far - and come back in the morning without raising any alarms. Poppy was thankful that exams were heading way and that her father got swamped in work. 

While Poppy was in English she passed a note to Reese pleading he wouldn't be a total downer about the faintest hint of an interaction. Luckily he wasn't. At first he simply stuffed the note in his backpack not bothering to look at the sender of the note - aka Poppy. Then, he passed a simple note under her printing with simple responses. It was the next day they interacted an actual conversation via paper at the back of class. The idea of syntax flew away from Poppy as her gratitude for Reese overwhelmed any chance of comprehension of trivial sentence structure. 

Poppy then sent another note with a different topic. 

'Would you like to talk after the lacrosse game tonight?' 

'Yeah, I'll be very relaxed since I know I'm going to be put on the bench throughout the game.'

'Who knows maybe you'll be lucky.' Reese looked at Poppy and Poppy retaliated that with a smile. As the bell rang Poppy ran into Nathan who decided to give her a big kiss before their classes that were no where near each other. 

"What was that for?" Poppy asked. 

"Because we didn't kiss when you left my house." 

"To be fair your mom was coming in so was I not suppose to jump out your window." 

"Fair," Nathan gave Poppy a peck on the lips not scot free however as her dad came towards her like a barrel. 

"Go to class quickly and quietly," Poppy advised Nathan before facing her father alone but determined. 

"Um what the hell was that little interaction." 

"A kiss are you familiar with that interaction of just the soul sucking of mom." 

"Don't be charming with me." 

"Ah too bad it's genetic." 

"Are you in a relationship in the 2nd week you're here?" 

"I work fast." 

"Please don't," her father interjected. 

"Okay I'll go slow, starting now." 

"Fine. Just tell me he's super nice and a wimp." 

"He's on the lacrosse team so." 

"Oh great," her father responded flatly. 

"Hey he was molded by you so basically he one of your best candidates, right?" 

"Um no they are all sweaty, difficult, and annoying boys." 

"Dad," Poppy pleaded, "I'm perfectly fine and if I could have your support with this I would really appreciate it, okay?" 

"Fine, just tell him to do his drills at a quicker pace tonight." 

"Noted. Thank you dad." Poppy waved him goodbye trying to make it to class at an acceptable time. 

Following the night of the game. Poppy felt a jolt of energy rather excited about the game about to commence. She saw Lily come up to sit with her on the bleachers. Lily decidedly hook her arm around Poppy's arm and used Poppy's shoulder to rest her head on. 

"Tired?" Poppy asked. 

"M," Lily responded, "too anxious to sleep in Beacon Hills."

"Well rest now, I got you girl." Lily nodded off to a light sleep as Poppy gazed upon the field and all the players working themselves up for the game. Poppy waves at the two boys - Reese and Nathan - happy to see them outside of the fluorescent light of school. She notice the two other boys she saw above the bleachers a few days ago talking to the coach in a somewhat stressed out facial expression. One of the boys looks at Poppy and her spine straightened in an eerily fear. She worried they recognized her but she couldn't pin point why. It seemed irrational. 

Though the game started through the whistle her dad blew into and everyone went onto the field. She saw intensity between the players. The game itself was rough but boring in the same turn. Poppy didn't understand the rules and somehow as long as someone wasn't hurt too badly the team could carry on. Especially with one of the girls on the Beacon Hill lacrosse team. The aggressive tactics grew and Poppy felt adrenaline go through her even when she wasn't on the field. 

Luckily or unluckily the girl got kicked off the field when she crossed the line of some rule displayed by the referees. Poppy then noticed Reese getting called up by the coach and gives Poppy a thumbs up. Poppy chuckled in response. 

As the game continued nobody was on the bench and only up on the bench or gone. The game then turned for her team and she smiled at her dad to say that she was proud of him. He seemed to be doing great. Though the mood shift to awe to confusion and the news vans emit a harsh feedback waking up Lily.

Then terror hits everyone as a shadow like monster conjures out of nowhere. Everyone started to run.