Page 68 of Trick Play

But no. She was waiting for her opportunity to hurt me. A way to destroy my life the way I had done to her. It shouldn’t have hurt this much. I should have known it was coming. I deserved it, but I thought we were past this.

“Coach.” I would fight, beg, do anything I had to.

“The only reason we are talking about this is because of the circumstance. You weren’t at a party. You weren’t out in public. You went to see a close friend, and I was told you didn’t know how much you consumed. That someone may have taken advantage of the situation and given you more than you realized.”

I couldn’t breathe. This was it. All I worked for was about to be ripped away.

“Son, why didn’t you talk to us?” Hiller asked, jumping back into his role.

I looked away from him to Weston. “I was in a bad headspace. Got a bad grade on a project I worked really hard on, then found out about Tyler Rodriquez not being interested.” Recognition flashed in his eyes. He remembered that conversation. “It was one thing piled on another. I was failing in so many aspects and ready to quit. To walk off campus and quit it all. My grades are barely hanging on, my future is so unsure, someone from my past was forced back into my life and that brought up a lot of really painful memories of how I failed her too.” Bitterness filled me at the thought of Kennedy. How could she do this? “I needed to get away, so I went to a friend’s house. A place I knew I wouldn’t be bothered. I was so lost in myself, my darkness, I honestly couldn’t have cared what I was drinking. Water, beer, gin, even milk or a soda. I wouldn't have noticed the difference. After I finished the cup, I fell asleep. I woke up the next morning and got a ride home.”

They shared a long look before turning back to me.

Weston crossed his arms. “That matches up with what we were told, and while we have certain rules and expectations, we also know that life can sometimes give you more than you’re prepared to handle. In this case, you went to what you believed to be a safe place. You didn’t intentionally break the rules, and you didn’t break any others.”

“Which is why we aren’t suspending you or removing you from the team,” Hiller finished.

“Under one condition,” Weston added.

Had they rehearsed this? It was too perfectly timed.

What was I thinking? I was one wrong move away from getting kicked off the team. I needed to take this seriously.

“You need to meet with a school psychologist,” he finished.

What was with everyone thinking I needed to talk to someone? I was fine. I was handling things. One bad night, and everyone was up in arms.

Too bad I wasn’t in a position to argue.

“About having a drink?” It was as much as I could push back.

“About why you felt you needed to disappear. About the pressure you’re under and how to correctly cope. Maybe even about your parents and what’s happening at home.”

My body, muscles, even my blood, froze.

“What?” I gritted out.

Hiller shifted in his seat. “It was mentioned that you might be under stress involving things—”

“Who?” I bit out.

“That’s not the point, Ethan.” Weston held up his hand. “The important thing is you getting some help managing things.”

I shook my head. “My parents’ lives are of no concern to anyone here.”

“Well, she—they—mentioned that the stress could be weighing on you, compounding everything else that’s going on.” Weston’s slip was covered so quickly, if I wasn’t locked in on his every word, I probably wouldn’t have noticed.

She. He just confirmed.

Kennedy was the one who came and spoke to them. But why? When? I thought we were good after our visit to Pittsburgh. The truce worked. We had a good time together.

Was it before that?

Why would the coaches wait?

No. It had to be after.

Why?