29. Jeff #2
I finally sat in the chair and rested my face in my hands.
I was a smart enough guy to put all their confessions together and it made sense.
But it was all too much. Amber getting threatened, her keeping crucial information from me, my coach knowing this entire time and not telling me?
I didn’t look at any of them when I asked, “Since I’m out of the loop, what happens now? ”
“Jeff,” my coach said, using a tone I hadn’t heard before. “Look at me.”
I did but not without showing my frustration and hurt on my face. His mouth turned down on the sides and he looked older than I had ever seen him, but I was comfortable staying in my own pity party to realize how all this affected him. “Yes, Coach?”
“Starting tomorrow, Coach Tee will be put on leave while the athletic department undergoes their own investigation. Until he is pulled, you are still ‘off’ because of the drug test. Now you know it is bullshit and I will make sure to tell the team everything.”
“Fine.” The adrenaline channeled my anger by causing my legs to bounce up and down against the floor and I didn’t care I sounded like an ass. “Still don’t understand why you couldn’t have given me a goddamn clue.”
“That was my idea, not your coach’s.”
I sneered at Amber, hurt and betrayed by the one person keeping me sane.
She wouldn’t look up at me and focused on the ground, wringing her small hands together.
An hour ago, I would’ve felt bad for her.
It was clear she was uncomfortable but right now?
I was fucking disgusted. She gave me a heartbreakingly sad look and said, “I don’t regret it, Jeff.
I know you’re pissed—rightfully so—but it was terrifying seeing that Tony guy in a position of power.
He could’ve done something worse to you and I-I couldn’t handle it. ”
Her shaking voice and hurt eyes wouldn’t work on me. I ignored her and looked at the dean and my coach. “So the article will go live tomorrow, Coach Tee will be suspended and dealt with at a higher level, but what happens to Amber’s uncle and the parents of the fake-athletes?”
“That will all be handled at the dean’s level. The school will hire an attorney and press charges.” My coach paused and jutted his chin toward the dean.
“There is a chance you and Amber will be called in as witnesses. If that is the case, our attorney will work with you to prep for it.” Dean Sanders eyed his watch and walked over to put a hand on my shoulder.
“You and Ms. Henderson have done incredible work when none of this was your responsibility. I’d like to think your coach or I would’ve found all this out eventually, but you two sped up the process. Be proud.”
I didn’t have anything to say to him so I nodded.
He made arrangements to meet with Amber the following week and he left, leaving me in the office with two people who’d lied to me.
It was confusing to feel relief my coach wasn’t involved in the scandal, but also a different type of betrayed that he’d known what we were doing this entire time and didn’t mention it.
I gripped the sides of the chair to the point where it hurt my fingers, and let out a long sigh.
“Jeff, be mad, but you’ll understand why the choices we all made were in your best interest.” He, too, moved and placed a hand on my shoulder.
“I need to get to the field before the guys show up. It’ll be hard pretending to be normal to Coach Tee, but I need you to head out without being seen.
Amber, you too. Wait ten minutes and leave through the back door. ”
“We will,” she said.
My coach left us alone in the room and as soon as it was the two of us, I turned and glared at her. “We promised no lies, do you remember that?”
“Yes.” She stood to her fullest height and looked perfectly pretty in her fitted black dress. My chest felt tight, like it was hard to breathe. “Jeff…”
“No.” I backed away from her touch and shook my head at her. “You lied. You knew my coach wasn’t involved, you knew Coach Tee was and it was your fucking idea to fake the drug test. I can barely fucking look at you right now.”
Her bottom lip trembled and she didn’t hide her tears. “I understand.”
“No begging or pleading with me? That’s a little disappointing,” I fired at her. I wanted her to feel hurt like I was. To feel betrayed and played by people she trusted. “I guess this was all a way to further your career since you didn’t have one?”
“You know that’s not true.” She wiped her eyes and spoke in a louder voice. “You’re upset right now and I get it. But please, don’t say anything that will ruin what we have. I’m sick thinking about?—”
“Ruin what we have? I don’t need to do that. You did that all by yourself, Amber. You hid information and didn’t trust me. Great job.” Fuck it. I needed to get the hell out of there and run the feelings out of my system. The gym. I need the fucking gym. “Good luck with everything.”
“That’s it, then?”
I opened the door and gave her a fake smile. “That’s it.” Her face crumpled and that was the final image of Amber in my brain. While it felt good to know she was hurt, it did nothing to ease the pain in my chest and stomach.