Chapter 18 #2
The woman paused by her desk and narrowed her eyes in warning. I took the hint and caught myself on the flimsy chair cushion as I sank into the creaky metal.
She lowered and settled her dark steel eyes on me, clasping her hands over the desk.
“You gave him those drugs.”
“I did not?—”
“Don’t play stupid. I know you. I know you’re smarter than Duke, and you gave him the drugs. If not the drugs, you gave him someone who gave them to him. Am I right?”
“I—” I caught my words before they leaped off my tongue and scoffed, gazing out the windows beside us. I could faintly see D’arcy talking to Jazz in the quad with the rest of their class. “I need my kid, okay? He doesn’t.”
“Whatever.” Coach Kylie leaned back in her well-cushioned desk and dramatically yawned. “You’re a grown adult. You’re eighteen. Stop screwing up your life because you’re ready to blame everyone else.”
“I still didn’t drug them!”
“You didn’t have to. Just like you didn’t hurt Estelle directly with your drinking and smoking—my God, Q, do the bleachers smell like weed.
” She shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Here’s the deal, kiddo. You got only a few choices.
Come back to the Ghouls. I’ll put you as co-captain and this can all go away.
I’ll write off you did your hours; all you have to do is stay on the team.
That’s it. I’ll help you make the choices to get Estelle back entirely, alright? ”
I rolled my eye. “No.”
“No?” She raised her brows.
“No.” I ground my teeth. “I’m not going back to cheer. I like my life without it.”
“Is that right?” Coach Kylie’s eyes burned with flames. “You enjoy being the—” She waved her hand. “This depressed, pink-haired, tattoo-covered role model for your kid.”
“That has nothing to do?—”
She quickly interrupted me. “Do you like being seen as some dark creature who lurks Coven with the rest of your father’s goons?”
I swallowed when she raised her brows.
“You think Satan sees all, Q? No. I see all.” She tapped the side of her head and kicked her foot up so her legs crossed. “You’re better than this. I understand your family’s involvement with the . . . church puts you in a tough spot, but you are better than this.”
I turned completely away from her. I wasn’t too surprised Coach Kylie knew of the dark practices around town. She’d always been known as someone with ears on every corner. Sometimes, I believed she was as much of a witch as people made her out to be.
Witch or bitch. Both applied.
“And if you’re not ready to return to cheer yet, then fine. I hope you enjoy . . .” Coach Kylie’s nose wrinkled, “The Spirit Hunters enough to stay on track for Estelle.”
“Choir is stupid.”
“Says the kid who can sing.” Coach Kylie chuckled. “You’re still the same girl who played karaoke with her friends during camp. Mr. Evers has the best intentions for you. Though, I wish you’d choose the Ghouls over the Hunters.”
“I can’t.” I shook my head. “Erica’s a great captain. She deserves?—”
“Oh, don’t give me that bullshit.” Coach Kylie snorted. “You and I both know you don’t give a damn if E is happy with you on or off the team. So, talk about what’s really got you all pissed with the world lately.”
“Duke’s an idiot. Nothing new there.” I shrugged.
“We all know that.” Coach Kylie mocked my shrug. “What about with you? What’s going on in your life? How’s your mom?”
I stared at her as the corner of her lips curled.
“Dad? Dog? Uncle?”
“He’s dead.” I pursed my lips.
Coach Kylie blinked a few times and slowly sat up in her chair. Her smile disappeared, and she pulled herself closer to the desk with softened eyes.
“Which one?” she asked.
I lowered my eyes and crossed my arms over my stomach. Weirdly, I thought for a moment that I had pushed away Dominik’s death until now, when it was time to say it, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
“Dom.” My voice cracked.
I didn’t meet Coach Kylie’s eyes as she sighed.
“I was hoping it was your dad.” She chuckled, her chair squeaking as she pushed back.
I heard her footsteps approaching. I tried to keep myself still, but the moment her hands settled on my knees and her long legs kneeled to find my eyes, I couldn’t stop the shaking in my shoulders.
“Dominik was a good man,” Coach Kylie told me, rubbing my red knuckles as I wiped my tears away with the other. She gave me a tight smile. “You’re a good niece, Q. A good mother. Not everyone in your life will leave you if you stop pushing them away.”
“I don’t need a therapist,” I snapped, turning my head away from her and pulling back my hands.
“No, you need ten of them.” Coach Kylie handed my tone straight back to me.
“Quinn, I want you to go to choir. Get the hours you need and come back to me so we can figure out the rest. I won’t stick you back in your uniform.
” She paused. “Mainly cause you actually have breasts now. You’d need a whole different size?—”
“I’m not going back,” I reminded her. “I’m done with the Ghouls. I don’t need them.”
“Well, they need you.” Coach Kylie stood and crossed her arms. “Look around you. The only people who still look you in the eyes are the sisters—the family—you made out on that field. Now, don’t you go forgetting who has been with you from day one.”
“They . . .” I tried to form words that felt right, but the pain in my heart was still too strong. My head shook, and I fought the burning tears by squeezing my eyes shut tight. “I don’t have time for choir. Estelle?—”
“She can come to the Ghouls practice with Erica again.” Coach Kylie raised her brows when I trailed my eyes up to her in surprise.
“I spoke with Mr. Evers before we met. He agrees you need time with Estelle, so you leave at three and not a second earlier, go pick up Estelle and get her fed, then bring her to practice. Alright?”
“Why are you?—”
“Because you’re family.”
Coach Kylie held my gaze with a soft, controlled press of her lips. She fixed the sunglasses on the top of her head and let her hands fall to her sides.
“Once a Ghoul, always a Ghoul, kid.”
I could barely make out that stupid track jacket’s embroidery by the time she finished speaking. My eyes were filled with tears, blurring my vision as I launched up from the chair and turned toward the doorway.
“I didn’t give those kids any drugs, Coach.” I sniffled and roughly dragged my leather sleeves under my eyes. “I gave him a number. That’s it. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not okay, and I can’t tell you it will be okay, but I’m grateful you told me the truth.” Coach Kylie grabbed the chair and folded it back up, making room for the two yoga balls that normally sat in the middle of her office for her Ghouls. “Word of advice, Q.”
I glanced over my shoulder at her and rolled my eyes when she smirked.
“Next time you want to kill him, do it after school hours so we don’t have to have meetings like this. No one likes paperwork,” she groaned, her eyes rolling with a teasing smile.
I scoffed and made my way toward the door.
“Whatever,” I muttered.
My feet kept walking, though I secretly wanted to sit against the wall and hide from the principal again like I did freshman year.
Some days, I’d lie and say a girl kicked me in the face at practice and hide under the lip of the window from other teachers while Coach Kylie pretended not to see my black eyes or my need to take a nap every few nights when my parents still lived together.
I really hated Coach Kylie, much like I hated my friends and my dog. I hated how much my life felt incomplete without them.