Page 54 of The Coach

I pull it out of my pocket and regret checking it immediately. It's an unknown number, and my stomach sinks. I open the text to see a photo. I instantly break into a hot sweat when I see what it's of. The location is my bedroom, and it's a photo of me changing this afternoon. I'm in just my bra and panties. Another pops through. It's Brad in my bed with me from earlier in the week. I'm straddling him, the sheets wrapped around my ass and legs. From the angle of the photo, it's very obvious it's him and me.

Suddenly, the room feels about a thousand degrees, and I feel like I can't breathe. I jump up from my seat and squeeze past Jasmine.

"Where are you going?" she whispers.

"I need to get some air," I call. Moving quickly up the stairs and out the front door of the theater, I lean against the wall and try to catch my breath. My chest is tight, and I feel like I might have a heart attack. Someone can see me in my bedroom. How is this even happening? How long has this been going on for? Oh my God, now they actually do have proof of me and Brad. Something they can use against us if they want him to get fired. Another text pings in and I check it.

Unknown number:You're not safe anywhere, beautiful. Wherever you go, I'm watching. Is this proof enough?

Unknown number:Break it off with the coach or I send this to the general manager. You're all mine and you need to remember that.

Tears prick in my eyes. Why is this happening? Who the fuck is watching me? I glance up and down the hallway to see if anyone is here watching me right now, but there's no sign of anyone. All the other doors are closed, with movie sessions running. I'm alone out here, and I don't know if I'm comforted by that or more scared that he might just appear out of the shadows. If he's watching me in my room, who knows what else he is capable of?

Jasmine rushes out the door, running to me. "Andy, what's going on with you?"

I glance at my sister, wanting to tell her, but I can't get the words out over my panic. I hand her my phone so she can see for herself as I continue to suck in air.

"Oh, shit. Not again!" She takes one look at my face and wraps an arm around my shoulders, trying to comfort me. "Hey, it's okay, just breathe. I think you're having a panic attack." We sink to the ground and she talks me through the calm breathing she has been trying to teach me. It takes a few minutes, but sure enough, my breath starts to return to normal and the feeling of overheating cools down.

I glance at her. "Jas, oh my God, those cameras must be in my bedroom. Someone has put cameras in my room." I cry, my shaky hands covering my face as my breathing shortens again. I try to relax and breathe like she said. Almost impossible through the flashing alarm going off in my head. The one that tells me this situation is so much worse than we thought. This guy is not giving up until he gets what he wants, and for some reason, he wants me and Brad to be over.

"Try and just focus on your breathing for now, slow and steady. In for four then out for four. We can work the rest of this out. You're safe, Andy, I've got you." She pulls me to her and hugs me as I try to do what she's saying and concentrate on my breathing. It's so hard while my mind is racing with thoughts of everything this creep has watched me do over the who knows how long since they had cameras watching me.

She hops up and holds out her hands. "Come and sit down with me." She leads me over to a small table and chairs and we sit down. "Wait here." She runs to the candy shop and then back. "Here, have something to drink." She hands me a bottle of water.

I open it and take some small sips. "I can't even wrap my head around what this means. How long has he been watching me?"

"I don't know. We'll call the police when we get home, see if they can work it all out."

The police again. It was bad enough last time having to give statements, and they'll just say they can't do anything anyway. Then there are my parents. My dad is going to freak. I turn to Jasmine. "Don't tell Mum and Dad this time, okay? It only worries them, and I don't want them to know the full extent of what's going on."

"What, like it looks like someone is trying to blackmail you because of your relationship with Brad?"

"Well, yeah. But I have no idea why. Who would care so much that I'm with Brad that they're doing this?"

"I'm not sure." She pauses for a moment, thinking. "His ex-wife or an acquaintance… what about that assistant coach, what's her name, Ava? You said you think she has a thing for Brad. Maybe she's worked it out and is pissed? Or it could be another player? You're not the favorite of some of the other girls; maybe this is one of them?"

I think about what she's saying, but it doesn't add up. "Nah, his ex has only just arrived here from England, and I don't think Ava is that type of person. And when I was getting those messages on my birthday, I got the impression it was a guy. They keep saying I'm theirs. Like they have some sort of ownership over me."

"Maybe a jealous ex of yours?" Her eyes go wide. "That might be more like it."

"I don't have any exes, well, not really, anyway. No one who would bother to do something like this. Jamie was years ago, and I haven't heard from him since. And anyone else has only just been a one-night thing." I dismiss her comment. I really can't think of anyone who would want to do this to me.

"Maybe it's not someone you know or have actually been with, like a fan who's obsessed with you and they think you should be with them or something? Shit like that happens, Andy. It's scary and can escalate really quickly."

"You sound like Brad, that's what he thinks. The idea of that scenario is even worse. This could literally be anyone, Jas." I look at her, even more scared. This is too much.

"Yeah, it could, Sis. I'm sorry this is happening to you. We'll talk with the police, and I really think you should be talking to your team psychologist as well. They might be able to give you some better ways to deal with your anxiety over it all."

I bury my head in my hands. "That's what Brad says as well." I look back to her. "But I don't need to talk to anyone else, I have you. Besides, I can't really go in there and tell them the full story now, can I?"

"I guess not. That's okay, you can talk to me." She takes my hand across the table.

People start to filter out of the theater. The movie must be over. "I'm so sorry you missed it. I know you were looking forward to this one."

"It's okay, Sis, this is more important than some movie. We can try again next week."

Darcy and Luna find us through the crowd. "What happened to you two?" asks Darcy.

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