Page 63 of Forever Cursed

Coach blows the whistle, and I wince as it pierces my ears.

“Chen! I will bench your ass if you don’t get your head screwed on. Do you hear me?!”

Malik doesn’t acknowledge Bradson. He glares over at me and wipes the sweat from his forehead. “Sorry, Coach. Carter told me he wasn’t feeling too well. I was trying to give him a break.”

What the fuck are you doing?

I fumble my helmet off and clutch it in my hand.

“Carter! If you’re not feeling well, you have to sit out. The weather is too brutal for you to be pushing anything.”

“I’m fine! I don’t know what the fuck he’s talking about!” I hiss while pointing at a smirking Malik.

“You told me before we started that you were up all night with a stomach virus, and you were afraid you were dehydrated. You asked me to go easy on you. Did you forget?”

I throw my helmet to the ground, and with a crack, it bounces back up only to land farther down the grass.

“You entitled son of a bitch!” I close the distance between us before anyone can stop me. I grab him by his jersey and force him to look me in the eyes. “You’re just pissed because I didn’t do your work. You fucking snake!” I holler, my throat scratching from the volume and intensity.

Malik pushes me off him, but I don’t stumble. I ram my hands against his chest, pushing him harder. Tripping over his feet, he collides with another player.

“Fucking do that again!” He comes back at me, flexing his hand until he forms a fist.

I chuckle harshly. “Oh, I will.” I go to throw the first punch, but Blake forces my arm back and holds it behind me.

The player Malik tripped into holds him back.

“Let me go! He’s lying!”

“Fucking, prove it! Tell me he’s not acting like himself! He’s a danger to this team and himself!”

“Shut the fuck up!” Coach shouts, and the two of us close our mouths. “I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but you better get your shit straight. If you don’t, I will bench you both and have the freshmen take your spots. Is that understood?”

My nostrils flare as my lungs suck in and release as much oxygen as possible. “Yes, sir,” I answer before Malik.

“Carter, hit the showers. I don’t care if he’s lying. You need to cool off. Chen, go to the other locker room and get your shit together. I want my review of the plays by early evening. Now, go. Before I lose my fucking shit.”

Blake escorts me into the locker room while Malik storms toward the opposite end of the field. I rip my jersey over my shoulders and remove my shoulder guards. Without looking back, I finish undressing and stand under the cold water until the muscles in my jaw relax.

“Care to tell me what happened out there?” Blake asks as I hang my head low, letting the water wash over my neck.

“Not really,” I grumble.

“That wasn’t like you. You and I both know that.”

“I know,” I respond. “But he lied.”

“It’s Malik, of course he lied. When has that ever bothered you?”

“He was going to get me benched for the day. I wasn’t going to stand for that.”

“Well, look where that got you.”

“Fuck you, Blake,” I snap.

“How about you talk to me when you regain your wits? This isn’t you; we both know it.”

After that, I’m met with silence. I cool off for a few more moments before turning the shower off. I’m drying off with a scratchy white towel and changing into casual clothes when my phone lights up. My heart flutters, and I look at the notification without a second thought.

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