Take One For The Team

Chapter 14

I got to school early Monday morning and headed for the library. I wanted to do some extra Trig before class so I didn't feel so behind everyone else. The room was almost empty and I sat with my headphones in, trying to get my head around the math problems in front of me. After about ten minutes my mind inevitably started to wander off topic.

I was still exhausted from the weekend - the high of making the team, winning our first game of the season, then of course the after party. I'd dragged myself on a recovery run Sunday afternoon too.

I took out my headphones and tried to refocus onto my Trigonometry book but quickly gave up. I couldn't believe I'd only been in LakeView for two weeks; so much had happened already. It was pretty insane to think that I'd already managed to make the team and make friends, when I'd only been at school for a week. My expectations had definitely been super low. 

My thoughts then wandered to the other thing on my mind - boys. Two specific boys in particular. I had decided last night that I needed to be honest with Jake and tell him I had no intention of dating anyone this year, especially teammates. And as for Zack, I just needed to know whether he would follow through with our deal and play nice at soccer practice later.

I sighed to myself, thinking fondly back to my Sophomore year, the last time everything had felt simple, before I'd let guys into my life, and all that mattered was playing soccer every day. The older I got the more drama seemed to follow me.

"Hey nerd."

I looked up to see Adam grinning down at me. He gestured to my trig book, "Early study sesh?"

I grimaced and slammed it shut.

"I tried. My brain didn't want to cooperate."

He chuckled, "I feel you. Mine doesn't work until at least 10:30."

"Why are you in here?" I asked.

"Woah, so because I'm a jock I'm not allowed in the library?" He replied with mock horror.

I hit him with my trig book and he laughed.

"Need to return this, I've had it since before the summer."

He held up a massive hardback about astrophysics, causing my mouth to fall open.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm actually a nerd. Don't tell anyone." Adam joked.

"Dude, I'm impressed."

I waited for him to return his book at the counter and then we walked together back out to the quad.

"So superstar, how d'you feel after your big debut Saturday?" He teased as we walked.

I couldn't stop my face breaking into a satisfied smile.

"I've gotta say, it felt pretty good to wipe some smug smiles off certain people's faces."

Adam laughed, "Our humble captain?"

"Among others." I laughed.

"Speaking of, I'm pretty sure Coach is gonna throw some kind of team building stunt on us at practice later. The shit Zack's been pulling to freeze you out, we're allll gonna feel the consequences."

"How can you tell?" I asked, almost telling him about mine and Zack's deal but reluctant to let anyone know we'd left the party together. I didn't want that bit of gossip spreading; I was getting enough attention as the new girl already.

Adam shrugged. "Coach loves team building retreats. We do one at least once a year. If he senses even a hint of discontent among the team, he throws us together and forces us to sort it out."