𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 | 𝐠𝐮𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐞

¹³ | The one true love

ᴍᴀᴇᴠᴇ ᴡɪʟʟɪᴀᴍꜱ

𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐒 𝐌𝐄 into his office at the end of the day. We had a game against the Cardinals yesterday. We lost by one. It will be about that, I think. Or it could be because he found out that I skipped class to talk to Hunter at the beginning of the week. One way or another, I don't think I'll come out of it grinning from ear to ear.

"Williams, come on in," he greets after my first knock. "Please, sit down."

I sink into the red cushioned chair across from him. I've never been inside his office before. It is filled with framed awards and photographs of him in his prime. Hans told me that he was quite good when he quit. There are a few on his desk of his family, too.

"What's up, Coach?" I ask, trying to be as innocent and calm as possible.

He taps the end of his pencil on the wooden desk for a few seconds before he sits up and rolls his chair closer. My chair didn't have wheels. "I think it's important for you to know that Conway is no longer enrolled at Eden Hall Academy. He will not join us for the rest of the season. This leads me to tell you now that you have been my selected captain."

"Charlie dropped out?" is all I am able to say. I don't think any further about being captain. That's not me. I'm not the leader the Ducks need.

"He has not been at school since the surprise J.V.-Varsity scrimmage you guys conducted the other day. I doubt he will return."

"But if he does," I press. "Can he come back? Will he still be on scholarship?"

"Technically, he has a two-week timeframe. If he does not make an appearance or statement about his position at Eden Hall, his scholarship will be permanently revoked. He will, then, not be able to return."

I lean forward, my elbows and forearms digging into the tabletop. "We need to get him back, Coach. He needs this school."

"He hasn't been acting that way."

I sigh. "I know he hasn't, but with all due respect, Sir, I know him better than you do. He needs to be where the Ducks are. If we're here--he's here. End of story."

"So what are you going to do to get him back?"

"I don't know," I shake my head, picking my bag up off the floor. "I'll talk to him. I'll get Adam to talk to him. I'll force him to come back."

"And you think he'll listen?"

I stand up straight and look Orion dead in the eyes. "He has to. The Ducks are his home. He needs us just as much as we need him."

I'm about to reach the door when he says one last thing. "If anyone can talk him into it, it's you, Maeve. I have faith in you--in all of you. You know that, right?"

"We know."

☆∵☆∵☆∵☆∵☆∵☆∵☆∵☆∵☆∵☆∵☆

𝐈 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐄 leaving Hans' shop that night. I can tell he doesn't want to talk to me, but this isn't just about him and what he wants. This is so much more than just that.

"Maeve, seriously, drop it."

"No," I argue, grabbing his wrist before he can storm off like a toddler again. "You can't drop out of school. You can't act like this anymore. Orion is right. Grow the hell up already."

"I haven't been acting like anything," he sneers. "It's everyone else. It's Adam. It's Orion. It's Rick. It has nothing to do with me."

I furrow my eyebrows together. "It has everything to do with you."