Page 10 of Fighting Spirit

“They just seemed pretty happy to bail and stick you here with me.”

“Yeah, well… I guess they get a lot of practice.” I sigh.

“Are you the captain?”

“Center.”

“Football. Of course.” She gives me something that might almost look like a smile if you squint.

I roll my eyes and lean back into the couch, crossing my arms over my chest.

“So, you’re not into all this?” she asks, gesturing around.

“Not really my scene.”

“Then why’d you show up?”

I pull in a long breath, trying to decide how much to tell her. I end up going with the truth. I mean, it’s not like I’m ever going to see her again, and maybe it’ll feel good to get it all off my chest.

“Christian, one of our freshmen, invited me.” I rub the scruff along my jaw. “We ended up having kind of an impromptu coaching session.” I try not to sound too despondent as I say it, but the look on her face says that she’s not buying it.

It’s like she’s cut through me right to the marrow. She’s figuring out everything I don’t want to tell her and it’s only been an hour.

I should find it unnerving, but it’s kind of a relief. I don’t feel like I have to explain myself. It’s probably because she’s a stranger; I don’t have to care what she thinks, but I think I’d feel this way no matter how well I knew her.

“Does that happen a lot?” she asks, her head tilting perceptively.

“More than I’d like,” I answer truthfully. I love helping the guys, and I’ve always been kind of a leader on the team, but I hate how often I end up feeling like their dad. “I’m taking an assistant coaching job here next year. I mean, I get it. It must be hard for them to think of me as ‘one of the guys’ when they know I’m gonna be riding their asses in a headset in a couple months.”

I shift awkwardly in my seat, not used to being so forthcoming, especially not about the job. With the guys, it’s kind of an unspoken rule that we don’t talk about it, and with my parents, I steer clear to try and avoid a fight. The only person who really knows everything that’s happening is Trevor.

“But?” She nods expectantly.

How the fuck have I landed with the single most observant person on this side of Washington State?

“But it sucks. I mean, last season, I probably would have been out there with them, now I feel like they keep me out of stuff because they think it’s gonna get back to Coach.”

“You’ve joined the dark side.” She gives me a wry smile.

“Something like that.”

“It must be hard though.”

“I can’t really complain.”

“I bet you could if you tried hard enough.”

“You wanna give me some pointers?”

She huffs, but I can see her suppressing a grin. I wish she wouldn’t. “I don’t complain that much.”

“I’ve known you ninety minutes and you’ve whined for at least half that.”

“I’m allowed to complain!” she yells indignantly. “I’ve been-”

“You’ve been kidnapped. Yes, I’m aware.” I know I’m being a dick, but I can’t bring myself to care, too delighted with the shocked laugh that escapes her, even when she tosses a cushion at my head.

“Asshole,” she grumbles.

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