Chapter 81

We all know you are sleeping with Coach.

I froze, the words not fully sinking in. Surely I had misheard.

“Don’t look so shocked,” Elena said. “You haven’t exactly been subtle about it.”

“You are out of your mind,” I managed, when I had recovered enough to speak.

“Oh, please. We remember that first night at the cheerleading competition. You disappeared all night, and turn up in the morning at the same time as Coach, with both of you looking rumpled.”

I fiercely shook my head. “That was a coincidence.”

Elena continued like I hadn’t spoken. “We know it goes back further than that, maybe to the very beginning. Maybe you gave him sexual favors in exchange for getting on the squad in the first place.”

The other girls nodded along with Elena. Only Nicole was silent, standing alone with her back to the rest of them.

I realized now, this was the rumor that had Nicole doubting me. She wouldn’t have cared if I fooled around with other college guys. Sleeping with Coach was the line not to cross.

I could agree with that. I’d be bothered too, if any of it was true.

“I’m telling you,” I said to the group, Nicole included. “I did not ever sleep with Coach.”

“Then why does he give you special treatment all the time?” said one of the other girls. “You even got your own room on that trip… Maybe so no one else would notice if you were missing.”

“It’s not like that!” I had spent the night in Asher’s room, not Coach’s, but I didn’t know if I should tell them that. It felt like a violation of our privacy. That night with Asher was secret and special.

I shouldn’t have to explain myself to start with. Coach was a nice person, who respected all of us. He would never hit on any of us, let alone demand sex!

“Where’s your proof it’s not?” Elena said.

To get both Coach and myself out of this, I would have to tell them about staying in Asher’s room. I hoped he’d be able to forgive me, if they got the wrong idea – which seemed likely.

“I wasn’t with Coach on the trip,” I said, preparing myself. “The party was loud and I was tired, so Asher let me stay in his room. You know he was there, you saw him the next day.”

Some of the girls’ faces shifted from disgust to sudden, vital interest. I could practically see the cogs turning in their minds, generating all kinds of wild ideas.

“All we did was sleep,” I said quickly. “He was a perfect gentleman.”

Elena rubbed her forehead. “This only further proves my point. You sleep with Asher, while stringing Joseph along. Isn’t someone who would do that more likely to put out for the Coach?”

“No,” I said. “Besides, Joseph and I weren’t exclusive, I told you –”

“You’re lying to protect Coach,” Elena said. “It’s so obvious.”

Elena glanced at the other cheerleaders expectantly. Most returned to their disgusted states, some faster than others. All too soon, only Nicole hadn’t joined in, still facing away from the rest of us.

“You might as well own up to it, Cynthia,” Elena said. “No one believes your lies.”

I shook my head, denying it until the end.

Then, Coach emerged from his office to continue the practice. Fortunately all the girls fell silent, even Elena. Though they glared at Coach with more resentment than before.

If Coach noticed, he didn’t act like he did. The practice continued on like normal.

I worked hard, pushing myself, so Coach wouldn’t feel like he had to give me any special attention or lighten my workload. I couldn’t give the others any more fodder to use against him.

By the end of practice, I was exhausted, physically and emotionally. And I was still worried about Asher. He should be on bedrest still, but I struggled to picture him staying in his room all day.

Hurrying to his dorm room to check on him, I found it empty.

One of the other athletes from the room across the hall noticed my sour face while I stood in Asher’s doorway.

“Asher went to hockey practice,” the guy told me.

My concern spiked higher. He shouldn’t even be out of bed today, certainly not practicing hockey!

After thanking the guy, I rushed to the rink, dreading what I would find. Would Asher have overexerted himself? He’d likely hide it if he did, until it was too late.

I stepped out from the concourse and looked down at the ice, but I didn’t immediately see Asher’s tall figure among the other players. Yet before fear could fully take hold, I spotted him sitting in the stands nearby, watching.

I heaved out a long, relieved breath. Then I went to join him.

He glanced at me as I sat in the open seat beside him, though didn’t seem particularly shocked to see me there.

“Asher,” I started, ready to give him a lecture. He was always so concerned about my health, yet here he was blatantly disregarding his own.

“You don’t have to say it,” Asher replied. “The team already laid into me for showing up today. It took a lot of convincing to get them to even let me just sit here.”

“Good.” The hockey team were a dependable group, and they cared about their Captain. It felt good, knowing others watched out for Asher where I couldn’t.

It hurt a little too. No matter what, Asher’s team had his back. Meanwhile, my cheerleading squad found it so easy to believe the worst in me.

“Once we kicked out that new guy who was helping Joseph sabotage the team, we’ve grown even closer,” Asher said. “Calling them to help me last night was the right call, thank you.”

I shrugged. “It was your idea, Asher. I was just doing what you asked.”

“You respected my choice, though. You didn’t have to. I was so drugged up, I would have gone along with anything.”

I blushed, remembering a forehead kiss that may or may not have been overstepping Asher’s boundaries.

Thank goodness I didn’t kiss him for real, or I would never forgive myself.

He placed his hand on my knee and all other thoughts came to an abrupt halt.

“Whatever you are thinking, don’t,” he said. “I’m nothing but grateful to you for everything that happened last night.”

I nodded and tried to let it go. But as the worries about Asher cleared, it made room for newer troubles to resurface.

Asher watched me closely. He must have seen the change in me. “What’s wrong?”

I supposed I should tell him what happened, especially since I had to reveal about our spending the night together in his hotel room.

“Elena has this new rumor about me, and the rest of the girls all believe him. Even Nicole, I think, though she seems to be on the fence…”

I hedged. I didn’t really want to share, but I knew Asher deserved to know.

“What is it?” Asher prompted.

I took a breath, braced myself, and gave voice to the horrible rumor. “She thinks I’m sleeping with Coach.”

For a long moment, Asher just sat there. His hands slid around the armrests, knuckles white. His jaw locked. His eyes frosted over.

“At the cheerleading competition, when I was gone for the night. They think I was with him. I told them I was with you, but that didn’t convince them.”

I covered my face with my hands. “They believe Coach is giving me special treatment, and they are right. But not in the way they think. He does it because he knows about me. He’s trying to protect me. But I can’t tell them that!”

His voice was harsh, “Elena won’t get away with this.” Suddenly, he shot to his feet.

“Where are you going?”

He looked at me, his eyes an arctic tundra. “I’m going to confront Elena myself.”