"I just wanted to thank you for giving Rylee rides." my mom says, setting a plate of food in front of Coach. "It's just that we have one car and Alec hasn't been very dependable lately."
"Alec is your son I'm assuming?" Coach asks.
I sat in silence and ate my food as I watch this whole déjà vu scene happen. My ears perk up when a burst of cries echo the house and Coach seems confused.
"Is that a baby?"
"Yeah, it's my sister's baby." my mom gets up from her chair at the dining table. "She and her husband needed a night to themselves. I'll be right back, just stay there and enjoy your food."
Coach nods, taking a bite of the food. My mom races upstairs and leaves us alone. I stay silent, pushing my food around on my plate.
"Your mum is nice." he speaks up. "Great cook as well." I keep quiet and stare at him with a frown. Am I losing my mind. "Rylee, are you sure you're okay?
My frown fades away and I tilt my head. "Rylee?" I spoke out softly.
"What?"
"You actually called me by my first name." I point out. "You've never done that before."
"Well, it'll be hard to get your individual attention in a house of Eversteen's." he chuckles and I lean back in my chair relaxing because the déjà vu seemed to be over. "This must be weird." he sighs then continues to eat. "Me, here in your house."
"Yeah it is." I cross my arms. "Why'd you come in?"
He smiles and shrugs. "I wasn't going to turn down a home cooked meal." I just roll my eyes, looking back down at my food. "Look, I'll leave if you really don't want me here."
"No stay," I stop him. "I don't feel like being questioned by my mom."
Right then, she comes downstairs with Stevie, my baby cousin, in her arms. She sits back in her seat, keeping him in her lap.
"Coach Styles, this is Stevie."
"Oh, you can call me Harry." he says, setting his fork down and reaching for Stevie's little hand. "He's a cute one."
I watch him make baby faces and I try to contain my laughter. It was so weird seeing him like this. Coach Styles, known for being tough is being goofy which is definitely something I never expected.
The two of them continued talking for a while. I just stayed and listened to them, making sure my mom didn't say anything embarrassing. Coach looks at his watch then his eyes widen.
"Oh, I should get going." he stands up, grabbing his plate. "I'll wash this for you before I go."
"No that's alright, Rylee can do it." my mom suggests, standing up with the now sleeping baby.
"Mom, if he wants to do it then let him." I step in.
The two glance at each other and laugh. My mom shows him the direction to the kitchen before heading back upstairs. I get up, taking my dish to the sink. Coach looks at me from the corner of his eye as he scrubs the plates. I back away a bit and watch him clean.
"Is there something I can help you with?"
"I'm just making sure you do it right." I shrug, looking at the dish he was still scrubbing.
He snickers and stops what he was doing to look at me. "I'm not incompetent, Rylee. I know how to wash a dish."
"Do you?" I question, pushing him aside with my hip and grabbing the sponge and dish from his hands. "Yes you scrubbed, but use the soft side to soak up the grease then rinse." I instruct, setting the plate in the rack.
A smirk appeared on his face after he gently bumps me back and takes the sponge back.
"I didn't know you were such an expert at doing dishes."
I giggle. "Playing volleyball isn't the only thing I'm good at doing."
"I wouldn't say you're good." he jokes and I gasp. "I'm kidding! You're a great player."
"Yeah, sure you were." I say before putting my hand under the running water and splashing it at him. He slightly jumps back and looks at me in shock. My eyes widen at my actions, realizing that I actually did that to my coach. "I'm so sorry coach. I didn-"
"Yeah you should be." he says with a devilish smile as he quickly hovers the sponge over my head and squeezes it.
"Oh my g-" I cup my hands under the water and throw it at him.
He drops the sponge and we start splashing each other with water until I hear my mom call me from upstairs.
"Rylee, you woke Stevie up." she tells me and I apologize, looking back at coach.
"Sorry you got in trouble." Coach apologizes to me, trying to contain his laughter.
"You know what, Coach?" I smile at him. "You're actually cool."
"Woah, don't get too comfortable." he furrows his eyebrows but kept a smile. "We're having a hardcore working out in the morning, so this is me being a bit fun."
Then it hits me. "Oh, this is about earlier."
"What about earlier?"
"When I called you boring." I remind him. "You don't have to prove to me that y-"
"I'm not trying to prove anything." he interrupts, drying himself off.
"Right, so you're here in your student's house, throwing water around for what?" I ask.
He stays quiet for a bit then shakes his head. "I don't have to answer that." he say, heading out of the kitchen.
My eyes follow him until I get a stinging sensation in one of them. I gasp in pain, rubbing it but it gets worse and now both of my eyes were stinging.
"Ow, ow, ow!" I say out loud and Coach returns back by my side.
"What's wrong?"
"I got soap in my eyes."
He leads me over to the sink and bends me over to splash water on my face. I continue to rub my eyes until the pain went away. I lift my head up and turn off the water. After a little bit of relief, I realize that his hand was still on my lower back. I stand up straight to look up at him, only to have his hand slide to my hip.
"Are you okay?"
"Yes, thank you."
"Well, I can't let my captain go blind." he smiles down at me. He keeps his eye contact and my stomach fluttered. Then I could feel our bodies get closer. "I should go." he backs away. "Tell your mom thanks for dinner."
I let a small cough out, turning away from him. "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow morning."
"Do you need me to pick you up?"
"Um, I'll see if my brother can drive me." I say, not turning to him.
"Alright, just text me if you can't get a ride."
"I will." I nod at him, avoiding eye contact.
"Seriously, let's not make this weird, Rylee."
"I won't. Goodnight Harry." I say his name like it was nothing. It just flowed out so easily. "S-sorry, I mean coach."
No other words were exchanged. He quickly fled out before anything else happened.
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BOOK THREE YALL!
