The Cliche Gone Wrong

Chapter Fifty-Eight

"Move! Move! Move!" Coach screams, his voice nearly going hoarse from all the yelling he has done during practice. "Come on boys, if you all make this one you can call it a day."

"He said that 5 laps ago," one of my teammates groans as he struggles to keep up with the rest of the group.

"Yeah and we would have been done 5 laps ago if you pulled your head out of your ass and kept up!" Someone else gripes.

We all laugh breathily as we push ourselves harder, hoping this will really be the last lap. I stumble over the finish line in the middle of the group, collapsing onto the track as I struggle to draw in breath after breath.

"Good job boys," Coach laughs as more of us sink to the track. "Our first game is on Monday, okay? That's just 5 days away!"

He takes off his hat momentarily to scratch his bald scalp before he slides it back into position. "I'm giving you guys the weekend off for that dance thing, so don't fuck it up okay? Don't get into trouble and be ready for a final run-through before the game on Monday, alright?"

I can't even think of standing back up as Coach starts to walk away, my legs jell-o and my mind an inescapable maze. I'm totally fucked. I haven't talked to any of my friends since Friday night, all of them fucking ignoring me by order of their new fucking leaders Alan and Connor. And I've been avoiding Kenedi since I accidentally blew up on her Monday after lunch, keeping my phone off and skipping class to stay at home and sleep all day. I'm literally digging myself into such a hole I don't even know how to fucking stop.

All of my teammates take another minute to catch their breaths, wiping their faces with their jerseys as they try to gather the strength to head to the locker room and change. I'm the last one lying on the ground, only getting up because one of my teammates gives me a hand to drag me off the track. The two of us slowly follow the rest of our team to the locker room, casually chatting about some new videogame that is supposed to come out next month. As we enter the side building and look halfway down the hallway we see our entire team crowded around the door, something capturing all of their attention.

"What is it?" We yell down the hall.

"Yo, Killer's gone fucking mad bro!" One of the freshmen stage whispers to us as he subtly takes a step away from the group.

"Shit!" I mumble under my breath as I reluctantly break into a slow jog. As I get closer I make out Kenedi bracing herself against the dull blue door to the men's locker room.

"Touch me and I'll break your fucking hand like I did to Frank!" Kenedi hisses to one of the guys up front. "Good luck jerking yourself to sleep at night when your best girl's out of commission."

"Then just fucking move!" Someone yells.

I dive into the middle of the group in my effort to reach her and diffuse the situation. The guys slowly move back and away once they notice me there, making it a little easier.

"You better get your fucking girl, man!" Matt fumes, looking from Kenedi to me and back to her again. "Move her out the way so I can fucking go home!"

I follow his gaze over to Kenedi only to see that her fiery eyes are already locked on me. Her lips are pressed into a thin line with her wild hair framing her face and somehow emphasizing just how pissed she truly is.

"You thought you could just avoid me?" Kenedi glares, not moving from her spot in front of the door.

The guys shift uncomfortably from foot to foot, not wanting to be in my business but not really having a choice. I have no idea what to say or do right now.

"Listen, Ken I—"

"No, don't 'listen Ken' me!" She interrupts, her nostrils flaring as she clenches her fists. "You think you can just ignore my calls and texts for 2 whole days and then tell me to listen? Are you fucking stupid?"