Misery Company

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Dean honored Mackenzie’s wishes, they saw each other at school and spoke only when need be during practice. Friday, the first game of the season, rolled by quick. Kate had the afternoon off and joined her niece for the game. “How do you think they’ll do?” Kate asked as she drove to the school.

“I really don’t care.” Her tone was flat and it was obvious she didn’t want to be there.

“You’ve been training with them for weeks now, what’s going on?”

“Coach Scott forced me to help the team which they completely hate me so why would I wish them well?” Mac sat in the passenger seat with her arms crossed. She mentally counted the minutes until they could be driving back home.

It didn’t take a genius to see she was upset. “It’s more then that, what’s going on?”

“I don’t want to be anywhere near Dean Chandler that’s what.” Nearly a week had passed but the anger was still raw inside her chest.

“I thought you two were getting along, sort of.” Kate added awkwardly.

“It was pity and I didn’t want the baby to suffer. Dean and I have never gotten along. I hate him.” Her voice was tight as she stared out the window.

Kate glanced at her niece and while she and Dean feuded for years Mac had never been this angry. “Did he do something to hurt you?” as more time passed she became worried.

“He’s a jerk I can’t stand, can we leave it at that?” they reached the school, before the car fully stopped Mac dashed out. She met up with Coach Scott outside the locker room. “If we lose tonight I think you should fire me because the team still sucks.”

He smiled. “There is no loop hole for you to get out of this assignment. It’s either work off your punishment with the team or you’re suspended.”

“Ah-ha! It is punishment. Where do you want me at?” she was in a sour mood but it wouldn’t help if she was a total bitch, Coach Scott was too nice for her to be rude.

“You’re my student coach, lets coach.” He pulled open the locker door. “Everyone decent?” they stepped inside.

It was a cruel joke, Mac thought, the first guy she saw was Dean and the mere sight of him was enough to make her see red. Six days wasn’t enough to forget what he’d done to her, how easily he could play with her feelings, not even considering them. She stood back as the coach spoke giving them the final ‘we can do it’ speech. She glared at Dean the whole time, her hands tight as her side wishing they were around his neck.

“Now remember,” Coach Scott spoke. “Edward High is grinning from our last game; I want to wipe that grin away. We’re going to show everyone out there a new team, a winning team!” they cheered. “Anything to add student Coach Ashby?”

She nearly laughed at the title. “Yeah don’t suck. Let’s get this show on the rode.” Mac left without waiting for anyone else. She took a seat on the team’s bench along with the team members that were on the sidelines.

The bleachers were full of cheering classmates and family rooting for the home team. Mac thought about how many more days until graduation and the day she would never have to see any of these people again. Kate was trying to play the supporting role model, the key word was trying, and Mac couldn’t fault her for that. She waved back to her aunt who was sitting a few tiers higher. Next her eye caught a glimpse of Jake standing outside of the gym.

She was furiously pissed off at Dean but that didn’t stop her from seeing Jake. She jogged across the sideline to join him. “What are you doing here?” she asked, glad to see him. There was at least one highlight to that night.

“Basketball is a form of religion for most of the men in my family. I also came to offer Dean some support.” He answered with a shrug of his shoulders.

Mac rolled her eyes. “Yeah Prince Dean.”

“You still don’t want to tell me what he did this time to have you this mad?”

“No.” she smiled for his benefit. “He is not worth it and since you’re here you can lend me some of that support. The Coach is really milking this student coach thing I have to stick around until the end.” Mac thought about breaking the rules yet again and running away with Jake. She didn’t care for the excitement behind her, the game made her want to puke. She had put in hard work to get the team ready but none of it mattered, Dean managed to ruin everything. She wanted to see him fail.

Jake grabbed her hand and together they walked into the gym.

IIII

The last thing Dean wanted or needed was to watch Jake and Mac together on game night. They sat together, hand and hand, on an empty bench. He grit his teeth and focused on the game. So far they were up by three to Edward High. Everyone was watching and cheering for him the captain of the team to lead them to victory. He couldn’t lose another game or anything else in life because of Mac Ashby, so what if she was snuggled up to his cousin. So what if the nagging jealously worked it’s way present every time he glanced at them.

Eric tossed him the ball; it was up to him to make the final steps to the three pointer Focus, he chanted inside his mind for the remainder of the night.

Both teams were neck to neck for the last quarter.

The coach huddled them all together for their final time out. “This is it what it all comes down to. Let’s make it count.” Coach Scott ran down the last play again. “All we need is two points to end this game. If Edward High takes it that puts them ahead by one point and we lose.”

Mac joined in. “And if you lose by one point I swear the jokes Monday morning will be endless.” And everyone knew she meant it. There would be no living down a one point loss after coming so close.

The coach asked for everyone’s hand in the circle. “One, two, three Wildcats!” the team moved back to the court, it was do or die.

Dean noticed Mac didn’t sit back down; she stood next to Coach Scott. She had said she didn’t care if they won or not, she acted as if she could care less all week but right now he saw the anticipation in her eyes. It almost made him want to smile, almost.

There was still a game to be played. Their final play revolved around the work they started with Rick. No one in the gym was expecting him to make the final throw, no one thought Dean would last minute toss the ball to Rick and he’d be able to jog the ball the final way to the basket. But he did.

The whistle blew and the referee named Winston High Wildcats the winner of the first game of that season. 

Once the excitement calmed down Coach Scott called a meeting in the locker room. “Hopefully that was the first of many and maybe now practice won’t be as bad. Is anyone going to step up and acknowledge Mac’s part in this?”

Rick shrugged from his bench. “So she doesn’t completely suck.”

“Does that mean you’re all going to accept her as your coach for the remaining season?” the team grunted and mumbled a few yes’s.

Mac scoffed, arms crossed. “Shit the love in here is great.”

Coach shook his head. “Language Ms. Ashby.”

She grinned. “Coach Ashby.”