assistant coach • sam hubbard

009

september 19th, 2022

marley and sam were currently sitting on the couch, opposing ends, watching a movie. sam paused it.

markey looked at him with a confused look. "what's wrong?" marley asked.

sam close his eyes and took a deep breath. "i like you." sam said quickly.

marley didn't know what to say. "we work together." she said.

"do you like me or not." sam said standing up. marley stood up too.

"we work together, that's insane." marley replied.

"that's not the question, marley." sam said. "do you like me or not?" he asked repeating the question.

marley didn't know what to say, she let out a quick sigh. "marley, answer the question." sam said.

she couldn't look at him. she didn't know what was happening or what was going to happen.

"marley." sam said. "marley, look at me." he asked. marley looked at him.

"answer the question." sam said.

"yes." marley said. that was the truth, but it's not like the could date. "that doesn't matter, we can't date."

"why can't we?" sam asked. she can tell that he hasn't really thought this through.

"because," marley said. "it's most likely against some sort of rule and you could lose your job."

"it's not against any rule, i checked." sam said. he really checked that? "and i don't care if i lose my job."

"you don't mean that." marley said.

"but i do, marley. you mean more to me that my job. i call whoever i need to call, i'll call the brown family, i'll call the heads of the nfl if i need to." sam said.

"i don't care who i need to call, i don't care if i lose my job or get fined every day for the rest of my life if i get to be with you." sam said.

marley thought about it. "okay." she said.

"what?" sam said. he never in a million years thought he could convince her.

"okay." marley said. sam's lips curled into a smile. "one condition." she said.

"at work, everything is normal." marley said. "and are we telling people?"

"i want everyone to know you're mine." sam said.

"slow your roll, we aren't dating yet." marley said.

"okay," sam replied. "in that case, marley what's your middle name?" he asked.

"rose." marley replied.

"marley rose brown," he said walking towards her, then grabbing her hand. "will you be my girlfriend?"

she nodded. "what do we do now?" marley asked.

"you would think i thought about this part already, but i didn't." sam said with a chuckle.

"lemme google it." marley said reaching for her phone.

"i think they kiss." sam said pressing his lips onto hers. it's like fireworks erupted in their chests.

• • •

september 20th, 2022

sam took mar to get her car fixed, which he was right, the battery was dead, and she drove home.

for the first time since last night, she was by herself. and she thought about the decision she made.

did she regret it? no. did she want it to happen? yes. but she had this hunch of a feeling that they wouldn't be able to keep it a secret. they could only keep it a secret for so long before either one, their lie started to crack, or their relationship did.