Page 3 of Coach's Pet

“It’s not so bad. It might even be fun.” Meghan speaks up for the first time, and I shoot her a death glare. She presses her lips together and sits back.

“I could call your uncle,” Principal Vale offers.

“No!” He’s not even in the state right now. He’s on a work trip, but Uncle Callum would come back if he got a call about me.

“Then what’s it going to be?” Principal Vale taps the beaver head.

“Did you at least have it dry cleaned?” There was a teen boy in that thing. God herself doesn't know how bad it might smell.

“Yes.”

“Fuck me,” I mutter.

“Charlotte,” Principal Vale snaps.

“Sorry,” I lie. “Fine.”

I pop up from my chair, ready to get this over with. What choice do I really have? As much as I don’t care about anyone in this school, I do care about my uncle. I hate it, but I can’t stop it. He’s the one person I don’t want to disappoint.

“Excellent choice.” Principal Vale hands me the giant head.

“Were you chatting with Tinsley Moore?” Meghan asks me.

“We exchanged some words.” I shift the beaver head around in my arms. This thing is heavy.

“Then you wouldn’t mind showing her around?”

“I’m already doing the beaver thing.” Now they want me to do their job too?

“That might not be the best idea,” Principal Vale says and takes my side.

“What does that mean?” He shrugs at my question as if I should know the answer. Maybe I kind of do, but it’s rude for him to point it out. ”I’ll do it.”

I shove the head back at Principal Vale.

“All right,” he says and takes the head. “But I’ll see you after school. Come get the costume and meet Bennett in the gym. He’s going to help you practice.”

“Great.” I roll my eyes before walking out of the office. Tinsley is still sitting in the same chair. “Come on, Tins.” I nod my head toward the door. “You’re with me.”

“Really?” She pops up from the chair with that bright smile of hers. Too bright.

“Yeah, really.”

“Awesome!” Tins practically hops after me to catch up.

I have truly kicked off this year with a bang. There’s no way things could get worse.

Right?

Chapter Two

COACH SHAY

“Take a lap, O’Doyle!” The sophomore who thought I couldn’t hear him rolls his eyes. “Now it’s two!”

“Come on, Coach Shay, I didn’t mean it,” he pleads, but I shake my head and point. His sigh is dramatic as he huffs towards the edge of the field and starts to jog.

My baseball cap is pulled down low, and I’ve got my sunglasses on, but I see everything. These boys think I’m stupid, and no matter how many times they get caught, they keep doing the same dumb shit.

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