tutor; stenbrough

02

02

▸ 🎕 ┈┈┈┈ 🎕 ┈┈┈┈ 🎕 ◂

william denbrough's caramel coloured hair sticks to his forehead due to sweat, and his joggers hang low on his hips as he runs laps on the warm tuesday evening. the field is nearly empty, as practice had ended half an hour ago, but bill knows how important their games are to not only the team, but the whole school. and, though no one would ever admit it to his face, he also knows that as the star quarterback, the entire game basically rests on his shoulders. so, he figures that a few extra laps here and there would prove to be better than if he, god forbid, let down his team during playoffs.

as the sun begins to tuck itself behind some trees, giving way to early dusk, a loud voice bellows across the field. at first, bill is unaware that it's directed at him. it's only when the voice gets closer that bill hears his name and spots his coach making her way towards the track. his breaths are coming out in puffs due to how much running he'd done, and his black singlet seems fused to his back, but nonetheless he picks up his pace in order to meet her, stopping when he reaches her next to the bottom row of bleachers.

coach morris's grey eyes are stony, but that's how they always are, the same way her blonde hair is constantly up in a headache-inducing ponytail. though her face is covered in laugh lines and stress crinkles, she looks pretty good for being in her late 40s. that is, in the few moments when her face isn't red with exasperation, having to deal with a countless amount of hormonal teenagers trying to prove their athleticism to her and each other.

morris had been her school's mvp for the girls football and hockey teams, and got into her choice university on a track and field scholarship. her job as a coach is more than well deserved. her abundance of credibility, however, gives her enough reason to implore strict teaching methods and have higher standards. all the sports kids love her, even if she could be a bit of a loose canon.

william denbrough is no exception; his respect for her is incomparable, his motivation largely stemming from her previous achievements and current unwavering support.

"what's up, coach?"

the woman looks unimpressed, a tinge of what could be mistaken as disappointment etched in the lines of her face. "denbrough, how would you say your grades have been since school started two weeks ago?"

bill shrugs nonchalantly, grabbing his water bottle from where it was propped up on the metal bench, and chugs down half of it before bothering to reply. "i don't know, fine. why?"

"because your math teacher came to me today, saying you've been distracted in his class. and the day before, it was your science teacher, saying the same."

roses of red bloom on bill's cheeks, but he shrugs again, as if this didn't mean a thing to him. "maybe not the greatest, but it's not a big deal, i have it under control."

"see, but i don't think you do," coach morris tuts, crossing her arms over her chest. "the principal called me into his office today."

bill feels the colour leave his face instantly. "why?"

"he said that when the school year started, he began to look over your marks from last year. he noticed how low they got after you joined football, and how they never picked up. he's worried that, now that you're a senior, your marks won't suffice for college if you don't start improving now. said that something needs to be done to keep you on track."

bill swallows the lump in his throat and grabs his sweatshirt from where it was haphazardly strewn when he'd taken it off to begin his run, tugging it over his head just to give himself something to do. his hands find their way into the pocket, fingers fiddling with a loose thread as he finds the voice to ask, "so, what does that mean for me?"

his worry is evident; the last football player that had flunked all his courses had been kicked off the team, which was basically a definitive drop in social status. bill doesn't know if he would be able to handle the whispers and looks and rumours and laughs if the same were to happen to him.

"he originally wanted me to kick you off the team so that you could focus on school more," coach morris confesses, but before bill's heart has time to drop, she continues, "but i obviously couldn't let that happen to my best player."

bill smiles half heartedly, hoping it conveys his appreciation, but still nervous for what's to come. "so then?"

"we came to an agreement...i told him that you could get your grades up by mid-november. he said if that's true, then your progress will be noted and he'll allow you to continue what you're doing."

"and if i'm not able to get my marks up by then?"

coach morris sighs, and he can tell that this is the part that she was dreading. "then you've got to be benched for the playoffs."

▸ 🎕 ┈┈┈┈ 🎕 ┈┈┈┈ 🎕 ◂

much love xx