C h a p t e r 1 1

"You didn't text me last night." Hailey abruptly said while pinning her books on the table after grabbing them on the shelves.

Oops. "Yeah, about that..." I trailed off, biting my lip.

"Didn't you sleep?" Hailey cuts me off as I opened my eyes forcefully with my fingers.

"Me?" I responded sluggishly along with a yawn, while Hailey gave me a quizzical look with her eyebrows crimped.

"No. I meant the other Nikki."

What happened earlier with Chase was a total nightmare. My body had been beaten up for a sleep but my mind wasn't. I tried closing my eyes, humming a lullaby, I even got up to drink a milk, but when I went back on bed.. It was already time for school.

"Do I look like I had it?" I questioned.

We had been in the library for a few minutes now which was quite unusual since the it was one of our least visited places in school, thanks to the peevish librarian. But we sort of had a broken schedule this day, because the principal called all of our professors for an urgent meeting.

"Obviously, not. What happened?" She asked.

"Nothing. Just..-- Can I take a quick nap?"

She shrugged, "Hide your face with a book."

Hailey opened a book and read the context. She said she would conduct some researches for her homework which I surmised wouldn't go well enough since I would be sharing what happened last ni.. err.. earlier this morning.

"Actually, can I tell you what happened earlier?" I asked, staring down on a book Hailey was checking.

"Something wrong? You're being uncharacteristic, really." She probed, scanning me up and down.

"I told you, I had no sleep and it's nothing physical." I assured.

"Okay. What happened then?" She delved, dropping the book down as she shifted a little to give me her full attention.

"Okay so..." I began, and told her everything that happened.

"Seriously?!" She exclaimed.

Students near us looked in our direction as Hailey began sending an apology.

"Seriously?" She repeated in a hushed tone.

I contracted my shoulders and pouted, "Unfortunately, yes."

"What a gentleman Chase is, leaving you behind with Nicolas to drive you home." She stated, lifting her right leg on top of the other and crossing her arms on her chest.

"He's a..." I paused, choosing my words wisely to define what a creature Chase was. "An obnoxious specimen." I intoned, releasing a heavy sigh as I shook my head.

Hailey nods, "But imagine if Chase wasn't there."

If he wans't there? Maybe I would have slept in the car.. And get suffocated. And.. die. or I could have been abducted by some random stranger... or chances may include, reaching home earlier, but without my shoes. I thought, staring blankly unto something.

"It would have been okay." I lied, faking a smile.

Hailey laughed in a silent way to avoid catching attention to anyone in the room, again.

"You liar." She commented still laughing.

"No, I'm not." I lightly slapped her knee.

"Yes, you are."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Shhh! Be quiet, you know where we are." I reminded.

"Oh, yeah! I forgot!" She exclaimed, purposely making the librarian to grimace at us.

"Hailey!" I faintly exclaimed.

She chuckled while I grunted, shaking my head in disbelief. "What?" Then she asked, "So you're taking a bus home?"

"Nah. My grandparents told me they'll pick me up after school." I said.

"Okay." Hailey took her phone and checked the time after slipping it back in her pocket.

"Could you give me the remaining minutes to finish my homework?"

"Of course." I replied.

After a few minutes and a couple of yawns, I excused myself to go to the toilet. "I'll be back in a sec." I stood up, and dragged my way through a bunch of tall framed shelves filled with books.

I exited the library and walked through the hallway, and before reaching the washroom, Mr. Stone halted me who came out from his office.

"Ms. White. Can I ask you to give this memo to Coach Fred, please? Thank you." He said in a hurry, quickly vanishing with a folder on his hand.

O..kay. I shrugged and turn around dragging myself to Coach Fred's office. Once I reached it I knocked on the door but no one was answering. Turning the copper colored knob, I opened the door and as expected he was not there.

The office was silent, his narrow yet elongated wooden desk greeted me, with stack of files occupying the whole space on top of it.

Jeez, what a work.

I came to notice the stocked outgoing papers, a bit crampled, who were lying at the bottom of the desk. While the incoming files were neatly pinned with a clip, each in brown folders. As I tilted my head sideways, a room divider blocked a few part of the office, in which he labeled as the guest room on a small white board pinned on the wall.

"Who's there?" A high pitched voice reechoed across the room, completely whooshing the dead spirit of the office away.

"I'm looking for Coach Fred."

"Try to look for him on the field or perhaps the guys locker room." I presumed it was Coach's secretary Mrs. Willson who answered back.

Why is she in the guest room?

"Uhh.. thanks, Mrs. Willson." I said, silently pulling the door shut as I turned on my back, until she spoke stopping me.

"It's Mrs. Wilbert." She corrected.

"Right, sorry." I apologized biting my lower lip.

Halfway through the field I replayed what Mrs. Wilbert said earlier inside my head like a song.

"Field. Guys locker room."

I stopped on my tracks, That's not a good song to remember. I thought, ambling my way to the field.

As I strode closer to the vast expanse of green land with bleachers like-fencing it, the atmosphere somehow told me it was empty. After making a few more shoe thumping on the ground, I halted. No sign of students, and not even coach Fred's long gaunted face showed up on the picture.

No shit. Not the guys locker! I closed my eyes in disappointment and rested my palm on my forehead. I sighed heavily calming myself down before turning around, nervously pacing towards the locker room, which was a foot away from the field.

Before knocking, I gradually placed my ear on the door and listened.

Showers,

chatters,

yells,

and towels flipping.

"Oh please, help me." I muttered and pulled away from the door before knocking.

*knock knock knock*

It's okay. One more try. I thought.

*knock knock knock*

"C'mon open the door." I muttered.

*knock knock knock*

Chill Nikki, we could knock once more..

*knock knock knock*

And another..

*knock knoCK KNOCK*

How long do they expect me to knock?!

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

Still no one opens the door.

That's it! I vigorously opened the door but pulled it back quickly of how embarrassed I felt with all the guys wearing nothing but a towel all wide-eyed staring at me. And I was sure I saw one guy with his bum staring at me! Oh God whyyy!

The knob turns but I quickly grabbed it and pulled it afraid to see something that might poison my innocent mind. I positioned my foot in which I could get enough force using my one hand since the other hand has the memo. But my power wasn't enough as the door ajars, so I dropped the, now slightly crumpled memo, off to place my other hand to the knob.

Then a thought hits me. What if it's Coach Fred behind the door? And with that I quickly let go of the door then bent down to pick up the memo before straightening up.

The door opened but I quickly looked down as a sign of apology if it was Coach Fred, but... If not, I would pick a riffle and point it to my face before they even see me.

"What is it?" A familiar voice slung towards me but I was pretty sure it was not Coach.

"Mr. Stone asked me to bring this memo to Coach Fred." I said, handing the memo.

"Give it to him then."

What an asshole! Why can't he just take the stupid memo? He knew I'm a freakin girl!

I was holding my temper and I couldn't lift my head up since the lower part I saw was a towel and my hunches told me the other half was topless, and I was sure this wasn't Coach Fred,

at all.

Suddenly, I was being pulled on my wrist inside the room, forcefully. Just enough to making me tumble on my face.

"Coach Fred's office is at the corner end of this room."

Corner end? Does this dude even think I would be strolling with these guys along the way through their coach's office?!

I furrowed my eyebrows and looked intently to the guy who pulled me in. It's the jerk. Why is he always surprising me? I thought sarcastically along with my eyes laying purposelessly on his chest.

Oh, Goodness. That can't be real.

Dribbles of water twinkled as they rolled down on Chase's toned abs, a perfect lining of six packs flashed before my eyes as if I was looking at a magazine. His flawless skin looked photo-shopped, but would it be possible in this case? I wasn't even staring on the page of a mag.

"Hey." Chase interrupted, while crossing his hands to his chest.

Oh no, he caught me staring? Just be cool Nikki, be coooooool! I reminded myself.

"Uhm..." I gulped nervously.

Way to go, idiot. I could feel my face heat up. This is utterly embarrassing!

Chase furrowed his eyebrows in confusion but for a matter of minutes his grin gets wider in realization. I closed my eyes and bit my inner cheek, with my heart palpitated with a frantic tone.

"Yes, Ms..." Coach Fred's round voice sprung on each corners of the room, while walking towards us carrying a huge tarpaulin with a Go Golden Bears! Go RHS! written on it, flipping it back to roll it.

"White.." I continued.

Golden Bears were the Riverside High School's main trophy, it was their pride. The jocks were seen to have a bright future ever since the day they set their foot on the field, at least that was what coach Fred says to every news report.

"Ms. White... What brings you here?"

"Uhh, Mr. Stone asked me to give this memo to you." I extended my hand

"Oh. Chase could you take this to the field." Coach Fred ordered, handing the banner to Chase before he took the memo from me.

"Yes, coach." Chase answered, taking the tarpaulin as he sent me a wink I never asked for, before he walked away.

"Also, begin the try outs if I didn't arrive in more than ten minutes." Coach Fred added, turning on his heel with his eyes deeply glued to the memo.

And.. Yes, thank you Nikki, for sending the memo to coach Fred. I scoffed, leaving the room.

A/N: Hey guys, it's been a long time since I last updated *crying a river emoji* and with that I apologize. So please if you ever find this chapter interesting click vote or do leave a comment. I would really appreciate that. Love ya!! ;)

Guysssssssss.... don't forget to share the love!! Remember, it's just a month away from Christmas!!!!

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