Page 19 of Hail Mary

I hate leaving her on her own but I know me hovering will just make her angry and I’m not trying to pick a fight with her when we all know the girl hits harder than most of the guys on the team. She proved that when she trashed my house and car. I’ll admit, the closer I get toward the gym I grow a bit nervous. I know WFU’s coach is only new and been here about six months but he’s the coach that has brought this team to where they are. They were good before but they could be great now and have a chance at the championship.

I push through the gymnasium doors and follow the signs to the locker rooms where I know the coach’s office will be near, they always are. I stop outside the closed door with the name badgeCoach Barkley. I wipe my clammy hands on my jeans and pull myself together, I never thought I would ever join a team that wasn’t my own. CHU is my home and that team will always be my heart team but right now I can’t be anywhere near there and this is the only choice I have if I want to go pro. I need to do this and Travis said this school will help me get there.

I knock twice and wait. “Come in,” someone shouts. I square my shoulders as I push the door open and immediately freeze in the entryway.

“What the fuck,” I breathe out, sitting there behind the wooden desk with a shit eating grin on his face is none other than my trainer Travis, and standing beside him is the asshole I saw talking to Alexa when we were here yesterday.

“Come on in, my man, and have a seat.” I step into the office and close the door behind me, but I don’t take a seat like Travis instructed, opting to stand instead. Travis just smiles and shakes his head as he leans back in his seat. “Corvin meet Ash, he is WFU’s starting QB but as you know due to him needing shoulder surgery he is unable to play out the rest of the season.” I size the fucker up and he does the same to me.

“Nice to meet you,” he says. I meet his gaze but say nothing. After yesterday and the way he was with my girl—-wait, what the fuck? No, Alexa isn’t my girl and can do whatever the fuck she wants!

“Corvin?” I blink a couple times to focus and look back to Travis. “I know this must be a surprise for you.”

I snort. “Gee, what gave the surprise away?” I snark.

“Don’t be a dick,” Trav snaps.

“You lied to me!” I snarl.

“The fuck I did. You never asked what I did for a living, you assumed all I did was train you and a couple of others. That isn’t on me, that’s on you. I mean for fuck’s sake, Corvin, what school do you know would take on a new QB halfway through the season without seeing him play?” I grit my teeth knowing he’s right, I did find it fucking odd. “You’re here because I’ve seen what you can do and I know you can help get us to the championship but you’ll be training harder than the rest of the team. I’ve seen your game tapes.”

I scowl at him. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” I growl.

“It means, I know you’re used to the halfback and wide receiver from CHU as well as your running back and tight end but you won’t have your friends here. You’ll need to rely on your new teammates and put in the work to gel with them. You’ll be here at six every morning and each day after classes. You’ll be here again till six or when I say you’re done. I won’t go easy on you. I told you before that you could be great and I meant that.”

I step further into the room and cut my gaze to Ash who doesn’t seem pissed about me brushing him off. “You good with just handing over your position, just like that?” I say while clicking my fingers together.

He exhales and nods. “I won’t lie. No, I’m not thrilled about it and honestly, I fucking hate that I’m not the one leading my team to the state championships. But at the end of the day, this is what’s best for the team and coach says you’re the best.” I look back to Travis who nods his head confirming what Ash says.

“If I do this, I choose the plays against CHU.” Travis opens his mouth to protest but I push on. “I know my boys. Saint and Crue won’t go easy on the team because of me, if anything they will go harder to prove a point that I should have stayed at CHU. I know that team and I know their plays better than anyone.” Ash and Travis exchange a loaded look before Trav looks back to me and nods stiffly, clearly not liking my terms.

“I’ve cleared it with the staff on campus. You need to keep an average of A’s in your core classes and nothing lower than a C+ in your other classes. I know you want to go pro and be drafted, but if that doesn’t pan out you need something to fall back on.” I chuckle and shake my head.

“You clearly didn’t research me enough if you think I care about failing school.” Travis frowns. “I own BCD’S with my four best friends. We dominate the stock market and own hotels and resorts all over the world and pretty soon we are about to acquire a tech company. Trust me when I tell you, I’m not worried about failing or worrying about making enough money.”

“Money won’t get you in the NFL,” Ash adds, earning a glare from me.

“No, it won’t. But hard work and determination will, and I have both of things, Ashley.” He narrows his eyes at me which brings a smile to my own face.

“Cut the shit, Corvin. Go you for being young and rich but that doesn’t mean you’re exempt from training and by my clock, you’re already late for practice so get your ass changed. You owe me a hundred burpees and ten laps of the field.” I bite my tongue to keep from snapping at my new coach. If he thinks he’s going to scare me off, he has another thing coming. I need to do this to prove to myself and the others that I’m not a fuck up and I can get my shit together. Losing Cody has rocked the foundations of my life but I can’t let it hold me back any longer. I need to do this and start the healing process. I have to so I can be there for Alexa when she breaks because I know it’s coming. Her little compliant act isn’t fooling me, I know she has a trump card up her sleeve that is going to sting worse than getting sacked.

* * *

The moment Travis tells me to hit the showers I could fucking cry. The prick kept his word and pushed me harder than the rest of the team. The team isn’t happy with bringing in a new QB instead of using the backup, but the truth is, the kid’s throwing arm is shit and he couldn’t throw a fucking Hail Mary if it hit him in the dick. The team says nothing to me as we enter the locker room and honestly, I don’t give a fuck. I’m here to play the game and that’s it. I make quick work of showering and changing so I can get my ass across campus and meet up with Alexa and find out how her morning went. At least with me training late I know I won’t have to come back and pick her up. She finishes her community service at six every day, so it works out for the both of us.

The moment I exit the gym, I slam to a stop and glare at the back of Ash’s head. The fucker stands there talking to Alexa, who has a smile on her face. This smile isn’t like the ones she gives me, this one is unfiltered and not forced, easy and freely given. I climb down the stairs drawing both their attention to me. The smile vanishes from her face as she looks at me.

“What are you doing here?” I snap. A look of hurt flashes in her eyes before she quickly masks it.

“Coming to see you, jackass, but you can choke on a dick now,” she grits out before turning and rushing back toward the main building.

“Fuck!” I snap.

“Bit harsh, don’t ya think?” I snap my gaze to Ash, shooting him a warning look.

“Stay the fuck away from Alexa.” The prick quirks a brow challenging me.

“Why? She made it clear a minute ago that you’re not her boyfriend, so that means she’s free game, right?” I step into Ash until we are chest to chest. I’m a couple inches taller than him so I make sure to use that to my advantage as I look down at him.

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