Chasing After You | 18+ | ✓

03: henry

"I don't need a babysitter." I insist strongly, crossing my arms over my chest as I lean back in my chair. I'm facing Owen who is kind of my uncle but also my coach along with some of the press team, the team manager, and a couple other bigwigs telling me another way I'm failing to live up to the great Sebastian Walker.

I promise I'm not bitter about it. He's family to me and I love him, I'm just stressed. I've worked my ass off and I'm afraid it won't be enough to please everyone. It's a lot of pressure.

"It's not a babysitter. It's just a journalist and an intern following you around during practices and team games to help the public get to know you better." Jeffry, the head of the press team, says, trying to sell me on the idea of having not one but two people following me around.

"Why is this necessary? Sebastian didn't do press." I try to counteract and I must be crazy because Owen's face softens for a brief moment at the mention of his best friend and brother-in-law. I can't fucking believe that he's in on this little gang up and didn't even give me a heads up.

"Look, you're young, you're talented, but you're still unknown. Bash had a great career, but he still had to earn the public's respect. It's not just given and Sebastian certainly didn't have privacy from the press. Even he had to do shit like this at the beginning of his career and I promise you, he was even more adamant about not doing it than you are. But he still did it." Owen says bluntly just like my dad would. I clench my jaw, trying to maintain my professionalism. It's quite obvious I'm uncomfortable with the idea of someone following me around for the sake of gathering intel on my life to share with the public.

I'm uncomfortable with all of this.

"They know all they need to know," I say calmly.

And then a stupid goddamn magazine is placed in front of me. On the cover is a picture me and a couple other guys from the team surrounded by women and expensive alcohol despite the fact I'm clearly holding a bottle of water in my hand. "Fuck," I swear under my breath. The headline only makes it seem uglier than it was. "I wasn't drinking. I spent most of my night with my ass planted on the same couch I'm sitting on in that picture."

"Doesn't matter. This is what people see you as because it isn't the first time you've been spotted partying. The higher you climb, the harder you fall. It's nonnegotiable about the journalist shadowing you."

So in simpler terms, get the fuck over it.

Great.

I should never have agreed to go out with Wilson and Quinn that night. Wilson is wearing a silver shirt that contrasts greatly against his dark skin. Quinn's grinning as he has his arms wrapped around two girls. They like to party and I'm usually the babysitter, key word is usually. I have no problem letting loose, but the night in question wasn't one of those nights. The pictures taken don't show that side of it though.

I rub my forehead tiredly, "Fine. Is that all?"

"No, it's not. Because of these concerns, we have some additional photo ops and press events that have been coordinated for you to revamp your image." Jeffry continues and my mood sours more. I can't fucking believe this is happening.

"Pre-season starts next week, when am I going to have time for all that with our schedule?" I ask, bouncing my leg under the table. I know I need to keep calm. There's too many higher ups in this meeting for me to lose my shit.

Clearly I don't have a say in any of this.

"None of these conflict with the practice and game schedule," They're quick to reassure me. "Coach Lewis has agreed to be flexible with you if a conflict does arise for any reason."