Aiden
“I nearly had him.”
Jordan swats him on the back of his head with a towel, laughing. “You had nothing. You nearly tripped over your own feet.”
Ethan scoffs, shaking his head. “If he hadn’t swerved, I would have had him.”
I nudge Carter on the arm. “Who are they talking about?”
He pulls his shirt on, snickering. “Some kid who made a move on a girl Ethan is seeing. He found him outside of her dorm.” He shrugs. “She swears nothing happened, but you know how girls are.”
I lift my brow at him. Mostly because the only girls I spend time with these days is Leila and her friends, but also because… what the hell does this kid know about women?
He snorts when he sees my face. “Right. You’re in love now and shit.”
I laugh, lacing up my shoes. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“It is for me,” he says, sitting on the bench and lets out a sigh. “I’m allergic to relationships.”
Funny. I used to be like that until I met Leila. I thought relationships were too much work, not worth the trouble. I was so wrong. It’s been less than a month and it’s been the best month of my life.
I nudge him, scooting closer so no one hears. “What happened with that guy you were seeing?” He glances around, but no one’s listening. It’s an honor knowing Carter trusts me with his biggest secret.
He shrugs. “We were just hooking up. We weren’t seeing each other.”
I shake my head, putting my cap on my head, letting out a scoff. “I don’t miss the hook ups I’ve got to say.” I’d been out of the game for a while before Leila came along. It just got… boring, repetitive, meaningless and I couldn’t do it anymore.
When I first came to Redfield, I knew nothing about girls. Absolutely nothing. I hadn’t even kissed one. And then I became captain and started winning games, and I earned respect around here, and a lot of attention from girls.
But I’ve never been as grateful to leave all of that behind in exchange for what I have with Leila. This sounds sappy as shit even thinking it, but I kind of wish I met her earlier. I wish I had held off on all the intimate stuff until I met her.
Because until her it was just a release, a quick escape that made me feel good. But with Leila? It was everything.
Carter laughs. “Of course you don’t,” he replies. “You can get laid whenever you want.”
“Are we talking about Pierce’s girl?” Ethan closes his locker, grinning when he turns around. “Not really my type, but she’s got huge tits.”
Jordan hits the back of his head again, making Ethan narrow his eyes at him. “What? It’s true.”
“Don’t talk about his girl like that,” Jordan replies.
I lift off the bench. “Do you have a problem with Leila?” I ask him.
Ethan laughs. “Who me? I don’t even know the girl.”
One of these guys does. One of them kissed her and slept with her and treated her like shit. I still don’t know who it could be.
“Then why do you keep bringing her up?”
He runs his tongue over his teeth. “Sorry, your highness, won’t happen again.”
The door opens when Coach peers his head through, curling his finger at me. “Pierce,” he says with a stern edge to his voice. His tone is cold, angry even. “Come with me.” Coach turns around without any further explanation, the door closing behind him.
“Going to suck him off, are you?” Ethan calls out. I narrow my eyes at him wondering what his deal is before I walk out of the locker room.
When I push through Coach’s office, he’s sat in his chair, hands intertwined in front of him, his face reserved of any emotion. What the hell is going on? “You wanted to see me?” I ask, closing the door behind me.
He blows out a breath, staring down at some piece of paper in front of him. “I don’t even know how to say this.” My brows knit together when I try to look down at the paper. I can’t read it from here, I have no idea what has him acting like this. When he lifts his head, the words that come out his mouth slice through me like a sharp blade. “You failed your drug test, son.”
My spine grows cold, goosebumps rising all over my skin. “What? That’s impossible.”
He presses two fingers against the piece of paper on the desk. “The tests don’t lie. You tested positive for Amphetamines.” My mind is running. How is this possible? “You know how bad using any drug, let alone a stimulant is, Aiden.”
“Sir.” My voice croaks and I shake my head, clearing my throat. “Coach, there has to be a mistake. I have never touched drugs.” I scratch the back of my neck. “My family… they don’t come from a good place.” Understatement of the year. “I knew to stay away from them. I don’t even drink,” I throw the last one in there hoping he believes me.
The shake in his head gives me some hope, maybe he’ll see it was a mistake. “I’ve got to say, it sounds a little unbelievable, but I can’t take your word for it when the tests came back positive.”
I don’t understand. “Is it possible anyone messed with the results?”
He seems to mull it over, running a hand over his overgrown beard. “I don’t think so.” Fuck. “The samples are sent to the lab to get tested.”
My palms itch. My head itches. Everything in my body screams at me. How the fuck did this happen? “What does this mean?” I force myself to ask.
“It means you’re suspended for the time being.”
“So, no game?”
He shakes his head. “You’re not even on the team as of right now.”
This is my worst nightmare. Basketball means everything to me. It was the only thing I had for so long, it’s my way out of a life like my family have. It’s the way that I make sure Leila is taken care of. It’s all I have. “What else am I supposed to do?”
He lifts off his chair, rounding the table. “Focus on your studies,” he says, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and pouring it into his mug. “Keep up with your school work.”
“But if I’m not playing, then what happens to my scholarship?”
He takes a sip of the rank drink I can smell a mile away. “I’m not going to make any drastic changes at the moment.” My shoulders drop. Thank God. “But we’ll test you again, and if the test comes back positive a second time,” he shakes his head, “I’m sorry, son, but you won’t be on the team.”
“Which means no scholarship.” No future. No life. No Leila.
“I believed in you, Aiden.” He places his mug behind him. “I still do. I know it’s a lot of pressure to be under but this is not the answer.”
“I didn’t take stimulants,” I assure him. “I would never touch them.”
He crosses his arms, assessing me. “But you can’t prove it?”
I throw my hands up, gesturing to the piece of paper that holds my future. “If my piss says the opposite, then no.”
He nods, grabbing his mug again. “Come back in three weeks and we’ll test you again.” He takes a sip, shaking his head. “That’s the best I can do.”
I nod. Three weeks. “Thank you.” I swallow. “For not taking the scholarship away.”
He raises his brows. “This is the last time it will happen.”
“I understand, Coach.”
He gestures behind me, sitting back down at his desk. “Close the door on your way out.”
I leave his office, walking into the locker room to find it empty. I pick up my gym bag from the floor, stuffing it in the locker and walk out. No more practice, no more game, no more team for at least two weeks.
When my phone buzzes I relax, thinking it’s Leila. I’d love a text from her, a picture, even one letter. Doesn’t matter.
But it’s not Leila.
Unknown:
Don’t be so surprised. The apple doesn’t fall far from the fucked-up family tree.
My heart races, threatening to beat right out of my chest. This guy did this?
Unknown:
I warned you.
End it or I end you.
