Episode 10
1587 Words
CASSIAN
“We both know you can do better.” Coach stopped directly in front of me, “I expect you to get your s**t together before our next game because I will not let you drag this entire team down with you.”
I swallowed whatever argument had been sitting on my tongue.
Coach’s opinion of me mattered more than I would ever admit because he had never looked at me the way everyone else back home did.
He knew about my family history… saw my f**k ups and every stupid f*****g mistake I’d made, yet he had never made me feel worse than I already felt about myself.
He’d continued supporting me…believing in me even when I didn’t trust myself and he was the closest thing to a father that I ever had, which made the disappointment on his face harder to stomach.
“I understand.”
“And?” His expression was still troubled, although he looked calmer now that he’d gotten everything off his chest.
I exhaled slowly. “I’ll be on my best behavior.”
Coach stared at me… more like glared at me, “On and off the ice?”
“Yeah.”
“I want to hear you say it Alexandris.”
Fuck my life.
“I’ll be on my best behavior on and off the ice.”
Beside me, Violetta made a strange choking sound that immediately reminded me we weren’t alone.
I turned my head to look down at her and she immediately looked away.
Was she… laughing?
Coach’s attention shifted to her, “And why is Miss Monroe here?”
Violetta straightened up, and before I could answer, she stepped forward.
“Because Derek grabbed me and Cassian is now in trouble…”
The room fell silent.
A frown slowly settled across Coach’s face, and Violetta must have taken his silence as permission to continue.
“He followed me outside the party drunk,” she explained. “And when I tried to beg him to stop… he didn't, rather he grabbed me.”
Coach looked back at me.
I shrugged.
“That’s what I was trying to tell you.”
His eyes returned to the tablet, “The video doesn’t show that.”
“It doesn’t because everyone’s attention was drawn to the fight,” Violetta argued. “Most people only started recording after Cassian punched him, but if every video from last night is reviewed, I’m certain there’ll be footage of me outside before the fight. At the very least, you’ll see me crouched near the wall after Cassian pulled Derek away from me.”
Violetta’s entire demeanor had changed and suddenly the chaotic girl who had gone from being dumped to throwing up on my couch disappeared and was replaced by a f*****g journalist.
She isn’t ever going to hear that from me.
Coach was staring at her with a calm demeanor on his face, quite contrary to the glare he bore into me a few minutes ago.
“What can we do?” he asked. “Derek’s parents can be difficult, and the last thing we need is the Alexandris family getting involved in this.”
I scowled.
Like they would care?
Violetta glanced at me briefly before looking back at Coach.
“Once people understand that Cassian was defending his girlfriend, the story changes.”
Coach’s eyebrows rose.
“Girlfriend?”
Was that seriously the only f*****g thing the man had picked up from everything she’d just said?
“Yes,” Violetta answered without hesitation. “If the public believes Cassian stepped in because Derek was harassing me, then this stops looking like an unprovoked attack.”
“Also I’m certain Derek’s parents won’t want to drag this out because in doing so everyone would start asking why their son followed a drunk girl outside and refused to leave her alone.”
Coach looked between us for several seconds.
“You two?”
“Is that really so hard to believe?” Violetta asked as she moved closer and leaned into my side.
If she wasn’t pursuing journalism, she would do well as an actress because I was eating this act up.
I grunted in reply causing her head to snap towards me.
“Coach rubbed a hand down his face. “I don’t even want to know.”
“Probably best,” I said.
“Now GET OUT!” His glare returned to me. “And remember to be on your behavior, Alexandris.”
I heard Violetta stifle another laugh before quickly masking it as a cough.
“Yeah.” I muttered before leaving with Violetta following me out, and the second the door closed behind us, she burst into laughter.
She doubled over, one hand covering her stomach while the other held on to the wall as though my misery was the funniest thing she’d heard all f*****g year.
I watched as she laughed until she had her fill before eventually she stood up and met my gaze… only to immediately cover her mouth when another laugh threatened to escape.
“I’m sorry.”
“You were also laughing in there.”
She shook her head, “I wasn’t… I was just choking.”
“You promised to be on your best behavior.” She mocked me as I started walking away from her.
Her laughter followed me down the hallway.
Annoying… so f*****g annoying.
And I was definitely going to pay her back in her own coin…
Once I started the engine, I waited for her to realize I wasn’t driving her home again and it didn’t take long.
“I think you missed my turn… AGAIN.” she grumbled under her breath as we drove straight past it.
“I know.”
This had now become my favorite thing to do now… annoy her just as much as she does me.
“You said you were taking me home.”
I shook my head, “I said I’d take you home later.”
She muttered a string of profanities beneath her breath before finally snapping, “NOW is later!”
“Not late enough.”
I didn’t even have to look at her. I could practically feel her glare burning into the side of my face as I turned onto the next street.
“Where are we going now?” she asked, sounding more resigned than annoyed.
“Ethan’s.”
“Who the hell is Ethan?”
I glanced at her, “You don’t know Ethan?” Holding back from adding that the faint music we could hear was from his house.
“Should I?” She sighed, “Cassian, just take me home.”
I turned onto the next street.
“My girlfriend needs to officially meet my friends.”
When I looked over again, she was staring at me with the strangest expression.
Before I could ask, she said, “You really need to stop throwing around that word so casually.”
“Saying what?”
“Girlfriend… This stuff is fake, remember?”
I smirked. “Why?”
“Because it’s weird.”
“You proposed this and I have to meet the expectations… wouldn’t want to be caught unaware.” I mused.
“I proposed fake dating.” She corrected that frown on her face. “I did NOT propose you calling me your girlfriend every five seconds like you’ve been waiting your entire life to use the word.”
Was it that obvious?
“Girlfriend.”
She turned very slowly to stare at me, “I swear to God…”
I laughed as she crossed her arms, turning toward the window with an irritated huff.
By the time we pulled up outside Ethan’s house, music was blasting loudly enough to make the windows vibrate.
The street was filled with cars lined up on both sides of the street, and people were all over the front lawn with drinks in hand.
Ethan was definitely getting a noise complaint tonight.
Violetta stared at the house in horror.
“No…I already survived one hockey party this week. I’m not doing another one.”
I switched off the engine.
“That wasn’t a party, that was the school’s championship celebration.” I nodded toward Ethan’s packed house. “This is a hockey party.”
She looked at me as though I’d lost my mind.
“What’s the difference?”
“At that one…” I looked her up and down. “You spent half the night working and the other half throwing up.”
She gasped in shock but soon recovered immediately, “Well… my body already rejects your social circle.”
I got out of the truck and walked around to open her door.
She remained seated with both arms folded, “No.”
“Common baby…”
“I’m not your BABY! But still NO!” She seethed.
I leaned in, “We are out so you are my baby, Red. Moreover we both agreed to this and since we’re supposed to be convincing everyone we’re together, you staying home while I show up alone isn’t exactly girlfriend-ish.”
Her eyes narrowed but it really looked like she was thinking it over.
“If I tap out… you take me home.” She said.
I nodded, “Deal… now let’s go baby.” I replied, holding out my hand before she could start another five-minute argument.
“Ugh! You are so annoying!”
Likewise Red… and that was the only thing we had in common.
- Writer
