Chapter Thirty-Three
Matt
It wasn’t a good look getting called into Coach’s office twice in the same month.
Only this time, I wasn’t called in alone.
When Coach shouted “Gallagher” and “Holtz” in the same sentence, my blood instantly boiled.
I’d slept at El’s for the past three nights, refusing to be within five feet of Cody. I hadn’t said a word to him. And he hadn’t said a word to me. And according to TJ’s testimony, my sister had been hanging out at our house in my absence.
Which only made me more fucking pissed.
Now that their sins were exposed, they figured they’d just hang out freely now? Was that what that was?
Worried glances shot through us from every team member as we shuffled into Coach’s office, each person knowing hell was bound to unravel again under this roof.
I gave Cody the deepest, most frightening scowl I could manage as Coach shut the door. When I sat, I scooted my chair an extra foot away from Cody. Coach rested both hands on the chestnut wood and leaned into them.
“Alright, what the hell is going on with you two?”
Silence.
“I haven’t seen you two speak all week, and now I’m hearing you broke down his door?” Coach lifted a brow at me.
Of course, the blame was going to be put on me.
A blazing wave of resentment coasted up my spine. I could feel the on-set of a headache coming on.
Coach snorted through assumption. “So, what was it? Did he say something that bothered you? Did he—”
“Coach, he fucked my sister.”
“Oh.” Wide eyed, he blew out a hasty exhale, before turning his growing agitation to Cody. “Yeah, I suppose that’ll do it.”
So quiet that it was nearly inaudible, Cody muttered, “It’s not your choice, Matt.”
“She’s a freshman!” I snapped.
“Yikes,” Coach chimed in.
“And you know how I had to find out, Coach? By finding a fucking polaroid of my naked sister in his goddamn room.” I murmured at him, “Asshole.”
The grimace, paired with the troubled breath that Coach sucked in gave the impression that he wanted to punch Cody too. His jaw ticked, taken aback. “You make it hard to defend you. Why would you do something like this?”
“I actually care about her, Coach.”
My eyes rolled. “Yeah, fucking right.”
“I do!”
Truthfully, Coach’s finger pointed right at Cody felt fucking good.
“I’m not gonna lie. You’re an asshole. But you,” the finger shifted, and it sure as hell didn’t feel good now, “we’ve talked about getting your anger under control.
I gave you a warning and you breaking down your own teammate’s door, regardless of how much of a dumb fucking idiot he is, is not acceptable.
You’ve given me no other choice. You’re benched. ”
“What?” we both shouted.
“Coach...” I stammered, “you can’t do that.”
“Conference finals are this weekend,” Cody chimed in.
And even though he was trying to help, I still grumbled, “Shut up,” at him.
“I can and I will,” Coach stood his ground. “Until you can get your shit together and get this handled once and for all, you’re benched.”
Whiplash of anger between Cody and Coach took over. This was not fucking fair. I knew I lost my temper, again, but this was the ultimate punishment. I’d worked my ass off day in and day out to get to this point, and now it was being ripped away.
Where was Cody’s punishment? I wouldn’t have lost my shit if he hadn’t stabbed me in the back so brutally.
I wanted to argue, to change the events of the past week, or really just the events of the last few minutes, but the stern disappointment radiating off Coach told me that my fate was sealed.
Arguing would get me nowhere.
And that only made me more upset.
I stood, slamming the office door shut so hard that it sounded like a car just crashed into the building. Every head turned in terror.
I didn’t pay attention to any of them though. All I did was grab my bag and stomp out.