Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 122219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122219 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“I feel like I should leave,” I said, glancing in the direction that Cameron headed. “You’re his coach. That’s one thing. I’m his coach and his teacher. I don’t want any rumors to start swirling about the situation.”
“It’s fine. He’s exhausted, and he’s just going to sleep tonight. I’m going to sleep on the couch. No one will know come morning when I take him to school. It’s all good.” He must’ve noticed my unease because he placed a hand against my shoulder and squeezed softly. “I promise it’s going to be okay, Avery.”
I nodded, somehow trusting that he was telling the truth. I didn’t know when I began to trust his words so much, but lately, they felt like a warm blanket of comfort resting over me whenever my mind began to overthink.
“I should check in on him. Get him some dinner, maybe,” I said.
“I’ll handle the food. You go check on him.”
I did as I was told and walked down to Nathan’s bedroom, where Cameron was staying. I knocked twice on the open door.
Cameron was sitting on the edge of the bed, fiddling with his hands. He looked up and pushed out a tired smile. “Hey, Coach K.”
“Hey. Can I come in?”
He nodded.
I walked over and grabbed the chair from Nathan’s desk. I pulled it over to Cameron and took a seat in front of him. “Coach P was telling me some of the stuff that’s been happening with your dad.”
He blew out a breath and waved me off. “Oh, yeah. It’s no big deal. Dad just had a bad night tonight. Nothing major. I actually don’t even know why Coach P thought I should come over here tonight. It’s all good.”
“It’s okay if it’s a big deal, Cam. You don’t have to downplay it.”
He laughed and shrugged. He didn’t look at me, though. His head stayed low as he tapped his feet repeatedly against the carpeted floor. “Nah. Everything’s fine. Dad just needs to sleep it off tonight. He’ll be better in the morning.”
I reached out a hand and placed it on his forearm. “Cam.”
He shoved off my hand and stood. “No, you know what? I should probably get back home to him. I bet he’s worried about me. He didn’t mean what he did, Coach K. That’s not my dad. My dad would never…” His voice cracked as he began pacing the bedroom. His hands sat on top of his head. “My dad would never say that kind of shit to me, you know? My dad would never hurt me. My dad would never piss himself and pass out from being a hot fucking mess. My dad would never hit me. No. Not my dad.” His voice began to rise as the reality of his situation built more and more with each word that stumbled from his tongue. “My dad would never call me a dumbass for fucking up on a math text. My dad would help me. My dad would coach me through it. My dad wouldn’t lose his job. My dad wouldn’t miss our mortgage payments. He wouldn’t snap at me for forgetting to pay the light bill for him. He wouldn’t push me. He wouldn’t fucking push me, Coach K. He wouldn’t hit me because I’m stupid.” He smacked the side of his head. I cringed and shot to my feet. “He wouldn’t hit me because I struck out.” He smacked himself again. “He wouldn’t, he wouldn’t, he wouldn’t…” he said, smacking himself repeatedly as the tears began to stream down his face.
I didn’t know what to do other than to rush over to him and grab his arms to stop him from hitting himself. I pulled his arms to his sides as he tried his best to go back to beating on himself. My heart broke into a million pieces as he began to break down completely. “That’s not my dad, Coach K. I don’t know who that is, but he’s not my dad. Because my dad wouldn’t…he wouldn’t…” His breaths weaved in and out as the reality of his world began to seep in. How his father was currently far from the man Cameron once knew.
I wrapped him in my arms as he began to crumple. Each sob that ripped through his system made my eyes water. I held him so tight, not only so he wasn’t able to hit himself, but so he could also feel me. So he could realize he wasn’t alone, even as he cracked.
After a while, his body relaxed against mine, his buckling knees sending him to the floor as he cried. I fell with him, still holding on, still knowing that he needed the reminder that if he went down, I’d go with him.
“Why did she do that, Coach K?” he sobbed, grabbing the fabric of my hoodie and resting his head against my shoulder. “Why did she have to die? She ruined everything. She ruined fucking everything, and I’m so sick of missing her. I’m so fucking pissed that I have to miss her for the rest of my fucking life,” he cried.