Total pages in book: 215
Estimated words: 199344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 997(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 199344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 997(@200wpm)___ 797(@250wpm)___ 664(@300wpm)
My hands ball into fists at my side, the rage almost hitting boiling point. What the fuck is this guy’s problem, thinking he can come at me about Zoey? I’ll deal with her the way I see fit. Our relationship, or how I handle it, is none of his damn business. The only thing that pulls me up is his comment about her going through a hell of her own, and it fucking grinds on my nerves that I don’t know what the fuck he’s referring to. Has something happened to her over the past three years that I don’t know about?
“Got it,” I tell him, hoping like fuck that’s the end of his bullshit, but apparently, he’s only just getting started.
“I get that you need to focus your anger on someone. You need an outlet, but I will not tolerate that anger creeping up on the football field and putting my students at risk. Violence is not the answer. So if you need to be angry, be angry at me. I will take the brunt of it if it means my students will continue having the safety and comfort this school offers in order to nurture their education.”
“I’m not a violent person,” I spit through a clenched jaw. “I’m not going to hurt anyone.”
“Only yourself, right?” Daniels arches a brow and lets out a heavy sigh. “The fire in your principal’s office and the clenched fists at your side say otherwise. And until you can prove that I do not need to fear for my students’ wellbeing, then I will treat you as a threat.”
I nod, the logical side of me telling me this is fair, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. “You don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be the perfect student. Coach Martin has already laid down the terms of me being on the team, and I’m not looking to fuck that up.”
“And yet, you’re out here smoking during school hours,” he mutters. “You’re off to a flying start.”
“Would you have preferred I did it on school grounds, in front of the other students? I didn’t see a designated smoking area in the cafeteria.”
“There will be no smoking on or around school grounds during school hours. Period. What you do following the school day is your business.”
“Understood,” I murmur. “Are we done?”
“Not quite,” he says. “I mentioned stipulations to your enrollment and so far, I’ve only covered one.”
Fuck me. What else could this bastard possibly throw at me that Coach Martin hasn’t already done?
He fixes me with a hard stare, and my hands grow clammy, knowing like fuck I’m not going to like whatever bullshit is about to fly out of his mouth. “On top of maintaining a hundred percent attendance record and the B+ average Coach Martin requires, you will be required to see the school counselor on a biweekly basis.”
My eyes widen in horror, my heart leaping right out of my fucking chest. “Fuck no.”
“Alright then,” Principal Daniels says. “Then good luck finding somewhere else to play. You can clear out your locker and return your combination lock to the student office.”
With that, he gives me a tight smile before turning on his heel and striding back to the school, and as I watch him go, the panic sets in. I can’t fucking sit in a little room and be forced to talk about my brother or Zoey. I won’t. I can’t fucking do it. But without this school, without this team, I’ve got nothing.
My whole body starts to shake, and my stomach twists into knots, watching as my future slips further away, step by fucking step. What choice do I have? Without this, I’m going to spiral out of control. I’m going to end up hurting someone, and not just the surface-level bullshit I’ve been dishing out, but the real, life-changing kind of shit that will live with me for the rest of my life.
I don’t want to be this fucking person anymore. I don’t like hearing my mother cry at night, and I sure as fuck don’t like hurting Zoey and pushing her away. That pain is the only thing I’ve felt in three years, but if I force myself to feel anything else or to deal with the real issues at hand, it will fucking drown me.
“Fine,” I call to Daniels’ back, not ready to give up on myself just yet. “I’ll see the fucking counselor.”
Daniels stops and turns back, his gaze lingering on mine a second too long. “That’s what I thought,” he says, pressing his lips into a tight line. “Welcome to East View High, Noah Ryan. Let’s hope you’re a great addition to this fine school.”
And with that, he walks away.
7
Noah
Making my way to the football field, I let out a heavy breath, dreading what this afternoon’s training session will bring. Day one sucked, but in the grand scheme of things, it could have been worse. It’s not over though.