Chapter Sixteen
Ayawn stretched my lips as I drove to our morning practice. Trip was still snoring when I dragged my tired ass out of bed and into Dora. My eyelids had just closed when my alarm went off. Tears of joy filled my eyes when I had my first sip of coffee.
The idea of skipping practice flitted through my head especially when my eyes landed on Trip’s sculpted abs. Even though Renee and Trip were convinced it wasn’t me who put Claire on top of Coach Rutching’s little coach, I still felt guilty how everything went down. If there was anything I could do to help her achieve her dream of playing softball overseas I was going to do it. It was the least I could do.
On the drive, I iced my shoulder, promising it I was done punishing it. If Trip had told me his intentions earlier, it would have saved many ice cube’s lives. I was done with softball, and it had nothing to do with the sexy hunk of meat taking up all the covers in my apartment.
In my parking spot I inhaled deeply before marching toward the locker room. When I walked in the whole team whispered and pointed at me, raising the hair on the back of my neck. My heart hurt for Claire. It was obvious her affair with Coach Rutching was already known. So much for being discreet.
My phone rang and Trip’s picture graced the screen. I glanced around to make sure nobody saw it, and shoved it in my purse.
When he talked about keeping us a secret, insecurities that had been dormant for a long time surfaced. Trip was a superstar and I was a nerd who spouted off random facts when I was nervous. It was like an odd squid method when I felt nervous, but instead of ink I squirted facts. But Trip’s explanation made sense and he asked me to trust him. Getting caught with him calling me in the locker room was not how I wanted to start this shit show.
Trip deserved my trust and I wasn’t going to be some insecure girl. Since I first saw him I wanted him and I wasn’t going to push him away because of some silly notion he was embarrassed of me. If he needed time I was going to give it to him.
My phone alerted me of a text message, but I ignored it as I made my way farther into the locker room.
Claire stared at me wide-eyed when I moved to stand next to her. “You were really with Coach Butler this whole time?” she hissed in my ear.
“What?” I asked quietly so the team couldn’t overhear.
“Do you really not know? Or are you more devious than I gave you credit for.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I wasn’t able to finish because Coach Mae pinned us with a glare before addressing the team.
“I’m sure you’ve heard there have been some developments we need to address as a team.”
The girls snickered and I was almost certain they glanced at me instead of Claire. My stomach crawled up my throat and I chastised myself for not staying in bed.
Coach Mae cleared her throat to get the team to settle down. They peeled their eyes off me, but the side glances didn’t stop. “I’m sure you saw the pictures.”
“What pictures?” I asked Claire, swallowing loudly. My legs wobbled and my head throbbed to the rhythm of my heart beat. Whatever was happening was not going to be good.
Coach Mae shot me a look with anger in her eyes. When she saw me sagging against the wall her anger switched to pity. “Sit down, Raine, you look awful. I don’t need you passing out.”
“Maybe she’s pregnant with Coach Butler’s love child. I heard pregnant women are prone to fainting,” Kylie, our third basemen, said, causing the team to snicker.
“Enough. There’s more going on than what some stupid tabloid has printed, and the future of our team is in jeopardy. Today the dynamic of the team will be shifted and we need to be mature about it.” Coach Mae’s words sobered the girls.
I slid to the floor and tried not to think of the millions of germs I was introducing to my system. Claire nudged me before handing me her phone.
The picture would have been one of the most romantic things to have ever happened to me, if it wasn’t for the ugly bold black words on top of it. Someone had snapped a picture of Trip kissing me senseless in the parking lot beside Dora. Renee and Brian were next to us, smiling at each other.
There was a series of pictures documenting our kiss and Trip putting me in Dora before buckling my seatbelt. The quality wasn’t the best, so I could only assume someone snapped the pictures on their phone.
Most likely someone from my team.
Snide comments under the article showed the hate people felt for me breaking up Trip and Robin. Whore, wrecking ball, power couple slayer, and worse were branded next to my name.
My heart beat erratically, realizing this was exactly what Trip was trying to protect me from.
Well, I believe him now.
My fingers itched to write responses to every one of the spiteful comments. To be able to give them my side of the story.
“Don’t bother. They aren’t worth it and they won’t listen,” Claire told me, taking the phone from my hand.
“I refuse to play with a whore. Robin is one of us. How could you betray a player like that?” Cheeks asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
