Page 30 of My High School Rebel Boyfriend
He pulled the bag of balls across to the net and then tossed them up, making me leap up for a spike. My first two went into the net. He apologized for not putting the ball high enough, though the problem had been my timing.
He praised every ball that went over and I can’t deny that his encouragement lifted me. But I knew it wasn’t real. I’d heard from Ebony that Titan and Mitchell were here only to get themselves a clean slate and a college reference from Miss Barber. I guess he was prepared to say whatever was needed.
But sometimes it’s the little things...
And I remembered how I’d done ten full push ups becausehesaid I should.
And now he had told me I was River Valley’s top attacker...
It was there in the stats.
Mitchell gave me a rare smile and a thumbs up as I slammed a ball across the net on an irretrievable angle.
But it wasn’t up to him—
It was me who had to get out on the court and believe it.
Chapter 12
MITCHELL
I FELT LIKE A FRAUD. I was helping Coach Barber with the stats while Harper sat on the bench, not wanting to participate. I’d heard the girls whispering amongst themselves. Harper was embarrassed about the hiking episode, scared she’d have another low, worried she’d let the team down. Her confidence had plummeted to the depths of, I dunno, the river through our town.
And nobody knew, but it was all my fault.
Yep, if we hadn’t stolen her food, then she wouldn’t have gone hypoglycemic and would be on the court helping the team beat Centennial High. But instead, she was sitting up in the stands with her mother looking like she was awaiting the gallows.
I had to tell her the truth...
Or did I?
“Mitch? How about you take Harper for a warm up?” Coach Barber took a moment from her overzealous clapping and shouting to nudge me.
“This game is almost over,” I said. Bella was serving with the score at 22-16. She was the team’s best server, the victory was in her hands.
“We’ll definitely need her against St Mary’s,” Coach said, taking the iPad from my hand. Contrary to thinking the day was going to be a breeze sitting around watching volleyball games, I’d been in for a shock. As well as helping with the warm ups and equipment, Coach had sent me to spy on our next opponents. She’d wanted details on team members, their heights, scores, serve patterns. And no different from basketball, I liked gathering stats. St Mary’s, I had noted, had two six-footers,and we’d need Harper for the attack. Shavaun was doing well in that position against Centennial, but St Mary’s was another league. “And there’ll be scouts watching the game, so I want her playing.”
“Coach? You think Harper has a real chance to play at college?” It was none of my business, but Coach Barber had been a top college player in her day. She knew what the sport required.
“I think she has,” she said, “but I’m not sure Harper believes it.”
But that was the thing—Harperhadbelieved. Well, up until the hiking incident.
“Would her diabetes be a factor?” I asked. Coach Barber looked at me curiously, which made me think I’d overstepped the mark—I guess Harper’s health issues weren’t ours to discuss.
“You know, it shouldn’t,” Coach said, almost like she was having a lightbulb moment. “It will definitely make things more challenging for her, but there’s no reason she can’t succeed. If she wants to.”
Harper grudgingly followed me to the warm up area. Trying to engage with her was akin to talking to Coach Cairns when he was watching college basketball games on screen—nigh impossible. She didn’t want to hear a word I said.
And how could you blame her?
I’d never said anything nice to her, I’d acted like a bully, a tough guy.
Exactly like the person who’d raised me.
But I was trying to rectify that—I told her how her attacking percentage was higher than Maddie’s. There seemed to be a flicker of hope in her eyes, but I could have misread that.
I set up some high balls for her so she could practice her spike. Once in her stride, she nailed every one.
