Together, We Rise

Chapter Twenty-Six: I Will Kill You

Chapter Twenty-Six

Luke

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" I asked Melody. It was officially the first day of school, but I didn't want to go. I know it was my senior year, but Melody was going to be missing out on it. I didn't want to leave her home alone.

Melody sighed. "I'll be fine, Luke. Really."

"You sure?" I asked once again.

Melody gave me a light shove out of the door. "Positive. I'll text or call if I need anything."

"Alright," I said. "I have art during last period, so feel free to call or text if you want."

"Just go," Melody said, rolling her eyes before closing the door.

I climbed into my truck and pulled out of the driveway. School was going to be really boring without my girlfriend there or being off the basketball team. Luckily, I still had one friend there. And since her boyfriend was in college, she wouldn't be hanging out with him at school.

I got to the school and parked in my favorite spot, as far away from the school as possible. Crystal was waiting for me by her car. "Hey, Luke," she said once I got out of my truck. "You ready for the last year of high school?"

"Kind of," I said. "I want to be finished high school, but I want to be at home with Melody. Or have her here."

"I know how you're feeling," Crystal said with a sigh. "On the bright side, you get to see Melody at home after school. I have to wait for the weekends for Matt to visit."

"True," I said as we started walking towards the school. "So, what classes do you have?"

It turned out we only had one class together: Gym. That was a good thing too because if I had any people from the basketball team in my class, they were going to pester me since I quit the basketball team.

We had gym first, and I was right. Most of the basketball team was in that class, unfortunately.

Coach Boris started off the class announcing the basketball team's win at Nationals. "I would like to announce that our basketball team's win at the National Basketball Tournament in Miami!" The class applauded as the one's on the basketball team smiled smugly. "I hope they will be able to go again and win for the second year in a row!"

"Yeah, hopefully," Briggs said. "Too bad our best player isn't joining the team this year."

Coach looked at me, eyebrow raised. "Is this true, Luke?"

I sighed. "Yes, it's true. I just........I don't want to be on the team anymore. Sorry."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure that's not the reason," Briggs said with a devious smile. I swear, if he told anybody about Melody, he would regret it.

"It is," I said, giving Briggs a warning look.

"That's funny," Briggs said, "because back in Miami, you told me that your......."

"Don't say it!" I interrupted.

"Matt did tell me the secret you've been hiding from Luke," Crystal spoke up, even though she knew Matt already told me. "I will gladly tell him if you say a single word about what's going on."

"That's enough threatening!" Coach said. "This is a class and we will have to work together as a class! You understand?!"

Everyone muttered, "Yes, Coach."

"Good," Coach said, turning to me. "Now Luke, are you sure about quitting the team?"

Coach hated me last year because of the whole me missing the final shot thing that could have sent us to Nationals -luckily we got another chance-  but he had a look in his eyes that was mixed between hope and disappointment. It hurt me to be off the team a lot more than I thought. "Yeah," I said. "I'm sure."

Coach nodded. "Understood. I'm going to get a basketball from the storage room for the class. When I come back, I don't want to see any more arguing or threatening." He walked to the storage room.

"And the real reason you quit the team is because you'll be too busy taking care of your kids, right?" Briggs asked.

I tried launching myself at Briggs, but Crystal seemed to know I was going to do it and she held me back. "You promised you wouldn't say anything!" I yelled.

"I may have lied," Briggs said.

"At least it was with his own girlfriend and not someone else's," Crystal pointed out. "I'm sure you know all about that."

"Don't say another word!" Briggs warned, wanting to launch himself at Crystal, but two players from the basketball team held him back.

"Why should I?" Crystal asked. "You're afraid that everyone is going to find out that you slept with Annie constantly when she was dating Luke?"

"Let me go, Crystal!" I said as her grip tightened around me. I knew I could have easily broken free from her, but I didn't want to hurt her in the process, which might not happen because she was very strong. "I need to give Briggs a piece of my mind!"

"No you don't!" Crystal objected. "Don't stoop to his level! You don't have to be a douche bag like him!"

"Excuse me?!" Briggs said. "A what?!"

Crystal released me, but I made no attempt to fight Briggs. She crossed her arms over her chest. "You heard me. A douche bag. Not only did you sleep with your best friend's girlfriend, but you also told everyone his secret."

"It's not my fault he got a girl pregnant!" Briggs objected.

I, once again, tried launching myself at Briggs, but Crystal stopped me. "It's not my fault either! And at least she's my girlfriend and not someone else's!"

A sharp whistle stopped the argument. We turned to see a red-faced Coach, looking very pissed off. "I told everyone to not argue, but you argue anyway. It wouldn't be fair to punish the whole class, so who started the argument?"

"She did!" Briggs said, pointing to Crystal once the basketball players released him.

"Don't blame me!" Crystal said.

"You called me a douche bag!"

"You told everyone the real reason Luke has to quit the team when you promised you wouldn't tell anyone!"

"That's enough!" Coach said. "Both of you, three laps now!"

"Coach, Crystal had nothing to do with it," I said before she had to do laps. "She was just calming me down."

"Briggs, laps, now!" Coach said, luckily believing what I said. Briggs looked completely pissed off as he started his laps. "Luke, my office. Everyone else, split into two teams.

I followed Coach into his office. He sat down behind his desk and clamped his hands together. "So there's a true reason why you want to quit the team?" Coach asked. "Mind telling me what the reason is? Either that, or it would seem like you and Crystal lied before and the two of you will have to do five laps."

I sighed. I didn't want to tell Coach, but it wouldn't be fair for Crystal to run the laps. That, and rumor was probably going to go around because of Briggs and Coach was going to find out anyway.

"Well......." I said, looking down. "You remember Melody, right?"

Coach nodded. "Your girlfriend that I usually caught you showing PDA with?"

"Yup," I said. "Well, I got her.......I got her pregnant and if I'm on the basketball team, I won't be able to be home as often to help her."

Coach nodded, looking somewhat shocked. "Well, I guess I won't be able to change your mind. I just want to let you know that the team will miss you."

But I will not miss them.