Scoring The Coach ✔️

chapter five

Chapter Five

"Laura."

I heard my name and saw Risa bring her fingers in front of my face to snap. I blinked, turning my head in her direction. "Yeah?"

The team aspect of dinner had sort of died down, leaving everyone to their own respective friends for conversation. I was eating my food, thinking about Coach Harper. It was like he was softening up a little bit. A lotta bit, actually. It was hard for me to connect the version of him I knew with sports and the version of him I met this summer.

If anyone can do it, it's you, I repeated in my mind. I wasn't entirely sure what that meant—what his reassurance meant in the grand scheme. Was it the kind of talk he would give another player? I wasn't certain one way or the other.

"He drove you here?" Shea sputtered. "What the hell?"

"I needed a ride," I explained, for the millionth time. "It's not a big deal."

Risa shot me a look of total disbelief. "It's not a big deal? It's totally a big deal! How could you not see it as one?"

Gen, one of the girls I hadn't spoken to much, turned her head and raised her eyebrows. "Who drove you?"

A lie comes smoothly, just to keep another person out of my drama. "A cute guy who watched the game. No biggie."

"Oooh," she said suggestively. "What's his name?"

"Jared," I said before I could rethink it. "He's a junior so you wouldn't know him. But hey, enough about me. Do you have anyone in your life?"

If she realized that Jared was also the name of our young, available soccer coach she didn't let on and continued the conversation. "My boyfriend is an English major. He's a freshman at Penn State."

"That's great!" Shea grinned. "You know, Risa's got a new guy too, I think you should double date."

Risa blushed and took a drink of her Pepsi, the flush spreading all the way to the roots of her dark hair. "Chris and I aren't official yet."

"The yet indicates you're on your way to it," I told her. "Sounds like you and the cute guy are going to have a long and happy future."

Risa's smile was devious. "So are you and Jared."

With the emphasis on his name, I was tempted to reach out and kick her in the shin, but I refrained. Even if my friends could be annoying, there was no place I'd rather be.

"I vote we toast to a great team," Gen said, holding up her soda.

"I agree," I said. "To my awesome teammates. I love you guys so much."

"We love you too," a few familiar faces chorused.

***

By the time we had reached lunch the next day, I had almost managed to push the car ride with Jared out of my mind.

Jared.

Inside my head, I was calling him Jared. I chastised myself and punched my straw through the top of my juice box.

"I still don't know how you drink that stuff." Shea crinkled her nose. "It has no sugar and tastes like piss."

"Great imagery." Risa gagged. "I appreciate that."

"And I appreciate you guys bugging me for eating the free school lunch," I added sarcastically, taking an indignant bite out of my rubbery turkey sandwich. "There's nothing wrong with it."

"I offer to make food for you all the time," Shea reminded me. "Honestly, woman, you're too stubborn for your own good."

"I don't need handouts from you, Shea." I choked down another bite, flicking through one of my textbooks I had set on the table. I honestly had to wonder why on Earth I had decided to take an AP history class. I hated history. Changing the subject, I asked, "Does the Gov material make any sense to you guys?"