Play No More (Player Next Door sequel) ✓

87 | Too Strong

This chapter goes from 0 to 100 really quick.  I hope you have popcorn ready...

And for anyone who checked my IG (@natalieinacorner), you've already seen this as a preview. Thank you @lustxnight for the posters!

Chapter 87: Too Strong

I walked down the hallway of the sports department and passed framed photos of former basketball teams at Preston Oakes. Grainy photos from the 1970s with some groovy hairstyles and short shorts. I came across last year's photo, with Luke in the center. I guess he was captain his junior year.

This really was a world I didn't know much about. But I guess it was his world.

I heard a voice: "Yes, we can confirm that he will be playing for the Kentucky Wildcats next year."

I stopped walking. Thankfully, no one else was in the hall to notice me.

The gray door to the coach's office was slightly ajar. I recognized Coach Griffith's voice. He was on the phone to someone, so I stayed quiet, listening in.

"I'm glad you noticed. Yes, Luke improved his game in the last quarter... exactly. He's more of a team player. We worked on building that this summer... Talented shooters often have that issue..."

I remember Luke telling me that Coach sent him to be a counselor at Camp Beaver Hill to become less ego driven and more of a team player. Coach thought training kids would have that effect. I like to believe I had a little effect on him too.

My phone vibrated again, and I looked at the screen.

Cearra: Go the weights room NOW! It's Luke!

New text from Cearra: NOW!

What happened? It felt like my heart dropped into my stomach. Did Luke hurt himself? He was at risk. His knee.

I started to run down the hallway at the fastest speed I could muster.

**

I didn't know my school had a weights room. I didn't know where the weights room was. And I was panicking, so I found myself running like a headless chicken in circles.

Running in circles until a guy eating a sandwich pointed the way for me to go.

I headed in that direction and my phone rang in my hand. I picked up on the second ring.

"Where are you, Millie?!" Cearra yelled, "I told you to get over here ASAP, girl!"

"I'm coming," I replied, equally stressed now, "But I don't know where the weights room is! It's like a maze in here-"

"Tell me where you are and I'll come find you," Cearra said.

**

Cearra found me a few minutes later. She rushed over.

"We need to hurry," Cearra told me, her arm locked tightly around mine, "He's about to be expelled."

"What is he doing?" I asked, terrified, "Is he OK?"

My head hurt. Of all days to come into school tipsy, I chose a bad one.

All this terror had knocked the alcohol right out of my system. I felt so sober right now it hurt.

Maybe that's a hangover? Nah.

"Turns out, it's not the weights room. He's in the basketball court," she said, dragging me towards the basketball court entrance via the boy's locker room.