JORDAN MACKENZIE has just lost her mother and brother, Nicholas, in a car accident while coming home from a first-place finish in her weightlifting competition. And while her father has also survived the accident, it feels like he's abandoned her to...
Instead of answering, I just shrugged my shoulders and looked down at my food.
"Is there anything going on between you and Nate?"
"Excuse me?" I nearly choked on my water.
"I've seen the way you two look at each other," he said very matter-of-factly.
I stared back wide-eyed, still unsure what I should say.
"You both have some very important things coming up. Nate is at the end of his season with the Royals. Lots of scouts are going to be watching him closely. He can't afford to have distractions. And you can't afford to be distracted from your programming. You've only got three short weeks left."
"Ok," I finally responded.
I didn't see Nate as a distraction and I was sure he didn't see me that way either. If anything, he was good to have around. He played a big role in helping me out of my depression and I'm pretty sure he played a role in helping my dad too.
"So, I've asked the coach if Nate could stay somewhere else for the remainder of the Cape league season."
"You did what?!" I slammed my water glass down on the table loud enough that several patrons in the café turned to see what the clamour was.
"He's going to stay at the coach's house for the last few weeks. He'll be gathering his things when he gets back from the road trip today."
And just like that, the day that seemed to be going so well, was turned upside down.
"Dad, that's so not fair! Did you ever think to ask me before you just went ahead and made arrangements?"
"Jordan, I am your father and your coach. I know what's best for you."
"Oh, you think you know what's best for me?" I could feel the tightness closing in my chest. I was trying to control my emotions but they were bubbling up from where I thought I had buried them. "You haven't been around all summer and suddenly you know what's best for me?"
"Jordan," my dad put his hands over mine as if to calm me down. I immediately withdrew them from his grasp.
"You know nothing about what is going on or what is best for me. Did you know that Nate was the one who was around to help me when I was feeling depressed? That he taught me coping mechanisms for my anxiety and he sat and talked to me when you wouldn't? You talk about being in the right mental state for competing and yet you're taking away the very thing that I need to be in the right mental state!"
"Shh, you're causing a scene."
"Oh, am I?" I stood up from the table. "Well, let me leave the scene then. And you're fired as my coach!"
I stormed out of the café, leaving my dad sitting at the table. I don't know if he expected this reaction or if he was dumbfounded but I wasn't about to go back in and find out.
I texted Holly the story as my feet carried me along a familiar path and once again I found myself walking through the side door of the bowling alley.
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