Colliding Hearts

Chapter 23 | I Just Need A Moment

𝐀 𝐕 𝐀 𝐋 𝐎 𝐍 ' 𝐒   𝐏 𝐎 𝐕

Tapping my fingers against my thigh, the soft denim of my jeans scratches against my fingers as I do. Coach's eyes remain focused on my article that sits in his hands. His eyes scan the page, and he gives no indication of his thoughts as his face remains as stoic as ever. Silence elopes us, as it has done since he started reading. His eyebrow raises, the first movement he's made since he started reading. Leaning back in my seat as I patiently wait for him to finish, my eyes scanning his office. Some place I haven't been into...apparently the guys only get called in when they've messed up. Something they all dread is getting called in.

The end of the semester has almost arrived, and my deadline for my assignment on the football team is coming up. Having finished the finishing touches to it, the coach's first demand when allowing me to write my article on the team was that he got to read it before I handed it in. Clearly, he doesn't trust his players to not give themselves a poor reputation. Coach clears his throat, which gets my attention. Tearing my eyes away from looking around his office, he looks up from the article. Tears glistening his eyes, making me raise an eyebrow at him.

If only I knew how easy it is to make the coach cry.

"Have any of the players seen this?"

I shake my head. "No, they keep begging to see it, but I won't let them yet."

"I'm sure Dylan is putting up a fight," Coach chuckles, before sitting up in his chair more. "It's really good. I was worried the knuckleheads would have put you off them and got a bad reputation."

I laugh and shake my head. "I've had some troubles with a few of the guys, but they don't make up the whole team and when they're on the field, they're different."

"Between you and me, some of them really are idiots," Coach mutters, making me chuckle and nod my head. "Surprisingly, Dylan isn't one of them."

"Well, I won't tell him you said that. He'd never let you hear the end of it."

Coach nods his head. "No, I would not. Well, I'm guessing I'll still see you around practices and the games since you've become friends with four of the knuckleheads."

"More than likely, yes," I chuckle, nodding my head as I stand up and gather my bag. Taking the article Coach hands back to me. "Oh, and coach? I won't tell anyone you cried."

"Much appreciated. Now I'm going to politely ask you to leave. Not so I can cry again! I just need a moment."

Walking out of the office, closing the door behind me, I shake my head at the coach's actions.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The noise of the bar surrounds us, yet as soon as the guys come into view and my gaze locks with Noah's the sound disappears...as does everyone else. Leaping into Noah's arms, wrapping my arms around his neck. He laughs, lifting me off the ground with his arms engulfing my waist and spinning me around in the middle of the bar. Not caring who is in the way. My head rests in the crook of his neck as he presses a kiss to my temple in greeting.

"How come he gets a greeting like that, and we don't?"

Knocking us out of our brief moment, I pull back, and Noah places me back on the ground. Holding onto me as I get my bearings back after being spun around. Dylan places his hand to his heart, a wounded expression on his face.

"Because I'm ecstatic I finished my assignment, and he was the first one of you guys I saw."

"Way to make me feel special," Noah scoffs, leaning against the bar to flag down Matteo. "There was me thinking you were happy to see me."