Resist My Twin Stepbrothers

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"Dude, the fuck are you doing!" Abe cursed.

Mason came up behind me to try and drag me up, but I just tripped him, so he ended up on the ground, too. Then, the three of us started tousling like little kids, while I wondered where to hit them or if I even could. I didn't consider myself friends with them at all, no mat—ter how much time we spent together, but we were still on the same team and we had a game coming up soon. I couldn't put my teammates down before the game.

"Hey, you three! What the hell do you think you're doing? Get your asses up right now!"

That shout came from Coach, and it was more like a bellow, making everyone else go still and silent. The three of us quickly untangled and stood up, just in time to watch Coach stomp his way over to us, his face red.

"Do you boys mind letting me know what's go—ing on here, huh?"

We just stood there; heads ducked and fidgeting while he waited for an answer. The guys didn't rat me out, but I knew not to be glad about it. Even if they didn't say, the fact that I was distracted throughout all of practice, then a fight broke out with me and the other two, Coach was going to put all the blame on me.

"Boys!" He boomed, making all three of us, and probably most of the other guys out on the field, jump in surprise. "I asked what is going on here! Someone start talking, or you're all going to be in trouble! You know we have a game coming up soon, any of you want to get benched, huh? I don't want idiots on my team."

I winced and tentatively took a step forward.

"It was my fault, Coach," I mumbled.

He sighed. "What am I going to do with you, Evan? You're one of my star players, but you've been completely out of it today. So, what is this about?"

I wisely kept my mouth shut. If he knew we were fighting because of a girl, all three of us would get in trouble. Coach liked to win, but he was also pretty strict on his players. I wanted to hit the other two for getting me into this mess when they could have just shut up, but I didn't dare. Then, the coach said something that had me wincing.

"Evan, stay behind. Everyone else, finish up and get lost."

Evan

Those damn traitors.

It was wrong of me to blame the other guys for doing exactly what Coach said, but if there was one thing I didn't need, it was a pep talk, and that was Coach's favorite go to when someone on the team was not pulling their weight right.

Still, they cleared away pretty quickly while I was marched into Coach's office and sat down on an old, ratty sofa while he sat comfortably behind his desk.

"Now, Evan," he started, linking his hands to—gether and leveling me with a stern look. "Are you go—ing to tell me what was going on with you out there, or do I have to ask?"

I hesitated. "Um… Coach…"

"Don't think you're getting out of this easy, kid. I wasn't joking out there when I said I'd bench you. Even if you're a star player, if your head is somewhere else and I let you on that field, not only will our team lose, you can get yourself injured not paying attention. Football is a contact sport, if you head isn't there with you, you get hurt."

"I know, Coach," I mumbled.

As if to back up his words, the aches in my body flared out, and I tried to stretch my muscles surrepti—tiously, so he would see my discomfort . I knew I wasn't fooling him by the unimpressed look he sent me.

"You know you can't do this, Evan."

"I know, Coach," I spoke up, straightening my back. "I know I was terrible out there today, but I prom—ise it's nothing. And about the fight, Abe and Mason just said something that irritated me a little. I'm sorry for instigating a fight in the middle of practice."

I sat still and waited for him to dismiss me, so I could head out, but a few seconds passed, and I won—dered what else he wanted me to say. I'd admitted my fault and apologized.

"Evan, is something wrong?" He asked.

I was surprised at the sudden question, coupled with the serious tone and expression, and it took me a while to reply.