Chapter 105

I hated agreeing to Coach’s demands. A private photoshoot at his house felt like a recipe for disaster. But I knew Asher would never agree to grovel, his pride wouldn’t let him. And I’d never demand it of him.

To keep my spot on the cheerleading squad and protect Asher, I had no choice but to accept to these terms.

After I accepted, Coach’s smile turned smug. “Good. Glad we could finally come to some agreement. Now get out of here.”

I left his office as fast as my legs would take me and returned to the circle of girls out in the gymnasium.

“What did he want?” Nicole asked, but I shook my head. I’d tell her, if we were alone. But in front of the group, I was too humiliated to share what I had agreed to.

Coach loudly called for one of the other girls next, who stood and trudged into the office.

Everyone’s expressions were grim. I’m sure mine mirrored theirs. Though technically I had saved myself from being kicked from the squad, the results of what I had agreed to, remained to be seen. I felt a dark cloud hanging over my head.

We sat in silence for a while, until the girl came out of Coach’s office and rejoined our circle. She crossed her arms over her chest and wouldn’t look any of us in the eye.

“Nicole!” Coach called next.

“Wish me luck,” she whispered as she scuttled toward his office.

When the door closed, one of the other girls said to me, “You’re lucky, Cynthia. Asher’s rescue was so… swoon worthy.”

Another girl agreed, fanning herself. “I wish I’d been the one he carried out of there!”

Elena rolled her eyes. “His rescue was fine, sure, but don’t you guys understand what this means for us? We’re in deeper than ever. Asher’s interference only made things worse for us.”

“Don’t be a downer, Elena,” said one of the girls. “What could be worse than that swimsuit contest? I can still feel those drunk guys’ eyes on me.” She shuddered. “So gross.”

“Ask me again when I leave that office,” Elena said.

I wasn’t sure what to say. I didn’t know if everyone was getting the same offer as me, or if it was something worse. I decided to keep my mouth shut.

Just then, Coach’s office door opened and Nicole rushed out, crying.

I jumped to my feet. “Nicole?”

But she wouldn’t talk to me, wouldn’t even look at me. She snatched her bag from the circle and fled the gymnasium.

“What did I tell you?” Elena said.

I opened my mouth to tell Elena to shut it, when Coach interrupted me.

“We had our first casualty. Some girls refuse to do what’s necessary.” He stood just outside of his office, holding a clipboard. He scratched a long line across a page.

“Coach, you can’t mean…” started one of the girls.

“Nicole is off the squad,” Coach said. “See that the rest of you are more agreeable.” He called the next girl and returned into his office.

Quiet fell upon the rest of us.

“Nicole is stronger than me,” said one of the girls who had already gone into the office. “I wish I had the courage to say no.”

I understood how she felt. But I worried about Nicole too. What did it mean for her to be off the squad? Was she going to have to leave the Academy? Did she have a backup plan?

I knew she had a decent relationship with her family, unlike me, but that didn’t mean leaving school was a good choice.

Tapping my foot nervously, I waited as long as I could in the gymnasium with the others, before my anxiety finally called me to action. I couldn’t just sit around anymore. I had to speak to Nicole.

I stood.

“Where are you going?” Elena snapped.

“I need to make sure Nicole is okay,” I said.

Elena frowned but made no further remark. None of the girls did. They just watched as I gathered my stuff.

I didn’t make it far before the office door opened again and Coach re-emerged.

“And where do you think you are running off to, Cynthia?” he said. “And here I thought we’d finally reached an understanding. You weren’t thinking of attempting to disrespect me again?”

Begrudgingly, I sat back down.

Coach grinned at me. “Better.”

I waited, impatient and annoyed, as Coach called the rest of the girls into his office, one by one. With the emergence of each, the atmosphere grew more and more bleak.

By the time practice was officially over and Coach told us we could leave, none of the girls, me included, wanted to be in that gymnasium a moment longer. We rushed outside.

On a bench near the exit, I spotted Nicole sitting beside a familiar figure. Asher.

As I approached them, my heart sunk further.

“He wanted me to go to his house to take private photos,” Nicole said, sniffling into a tissue. “He said that was the only way I could make it up to him, for running out on the swim suit contest.”

Asher sat very still. His hands were curled into fists on his knees. A muscle ticked at the corner of his jaw.

“… Swimsuit photos?” Asher asked.

“I don’t know,” Nicole said. “He didn’t say. But a private photoshoot at his house? With outfits of his choosing? And I don’t know which beforehand? I can only imagine.”

Asher frowned. “You made the right choice.”

“Have I?” Nicole cried. “Then why does it feel like my life is over.”

“There will be other options for you,” Asher said.

Nicole dabbed at her tears and shook her head. “My dad will probably make me get married.”

Slowly, I approached them. Both sets of eyes looked at me as I came close.

“Oh, Cynthia,” Nicole said. “He called you into his office too. Did he ask the same thing of you? For that private photoshoot?”

I wanted to deny it, but with the way Asher watched me like a hawk, I knew any lie would be immediately spotted.

“It might not be so bad…” I said.

Asher was on in his feet in an instant. His eyes were a subzero snowstorm. Without a word, he started for the gymnasium. I stepped in his way and placed my hand on his chest to stop him.

“Asher.”

“Get out of the way, Cynthia.”

“We need to talk about this.”

“The time for talking is over.”

I held my ground, lifting my chin defiantly. He glared down at me, chilling me to the bone. I knew his anger wasn’t at me, but for me. Still, it hurt to be in the crosshairs of such an icy look.

If I stepped out of his way, there was no telling what he would do. Would he murder Coach? Would he assault him? I couldn’t let any of that happen.

“Please calm down,” I said, keeping my voice soft and pleading. “Hear me out.”

He was six feet of towering muscle. He could push past me without a second thought. The fact that he let me stop him, even as livid as he was, with only a hand to his chest, gave me courage and strength.

He would listen to me. He had to.