Honor (Kickstarting My Heart # 1) (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

9~ As The Curtain Closes

My hand clung to the Letterman jacket in my hand as I sat back against the wall, tears in my eyes. I looked around Brendan's room, my eyes stopping when they reached the drawer beneath his computer desk.

"Ariel!" I jumped at my dad's voice in the doorway. He stood outside of the room, his dark eyes on me. My eyes drifted away from him and to the two people standing behind him. One was Jensen, who looked uncomfortable and worried. The other. . . the other was Coach Carter.

"Ari, sweetie. Mr. Carter and Jensen need to have a few words with you if that's all right." My dad's eyes went to the jacket I held against my chest as I nodded.

"Sure." I whispered, starting to stand up.

"No, sit back down. This is a great place to talk." I nodded slowly and stared at Jensen, who hesitantly sat down at the end of the bed. He gave me a half smile before looking down at the carpet as if it were the most important thing in the world.

"I've got to go help your mother make dinner." My dad shut the door gently. I turned to Coach, confused.

"W. . . why do you have to talk to me and not my parents?" Coach smiled bitterly at the question.

"Because I have a feeling you know more about this than they do." Coach reached into his pocket and pulled out a pill bottle, waving it in the air. I could feel my whole body stiffen and my mouth grow dry.

"What are those?" I asked innocently. He frowned, leaning forward and slamming the bottle to the ground.

"Don't play dumb with me, Ariel. You know exactly what these are." I turned to Jensen, he had his head bowed, almost as if he were ashamed.

"I don't, Coach. I. . ."

"Bullshit! Listen to me, girl. Your brother had these and he was addicted to them! He was giving them to my players!" He shoved the bottle into my hands and I held the bottle shakily.

"Y. . . you don't understand, Coach. He. . ."

"I understand perfectly well, Ariel." His face was beat red as he glared down at me.

"You will not tell anyone about this! I will not have our school ruined because of your brother's mistakes. If I hear you say a word about it," He leaned forward so he was only inches in front of me, "I'll make sure you regret it." He growled. He nodded at Jensen just as the door was thrown open. Andy stood in the doorway, his eyes on Jensen.

"You fucking snitch!" He walked over and swung at Jensen without hesitation. Jensen took it, not even trying to fight back.

"Andrew!" Coach yelled, pulling Andy off of a knocked out Jensen.

"Get out! You have absolutely no right being here!" He snapped at his coach. His breathing was so heavy that I could see his hand shaking.

"Andy. . ."

"You come in here and threaten Ariel, you threaten me, got it? Coach, get out." Andrew shoved the middle aged man and he headed toward the door, a groggy Jensen in tow.

"Ari. . ."

"Get out." I whispered, pointing at Brendan's open door. Andy shut his eyes for a second before sitting on the bed beside me.

"I. . . I can't live in a world without you, Ari." He said quietly, his eyes still shut.

"I need a friend and. . ."

"I can't be your friend, Andy. I'm sorry." I replied, still holding on to his jacket, my eyes burning.

"Why?" He asked.

"Because that's all I've ever been. I've always been here for you, Andrew. But when I need you, you are never here for me." He grabbed my hands and stared at me pleadingly.

"I. . . I can try and change, Ari." I stared into his sad eyes, my stomach fluttering. Then I did the stupidest thing I could have done. I kissed him. It took me a second to realize what I was doing. . . and to realize he had been kissing back.

"I. . . I'm sorry, Andy. I don't know why I did that." He pushed a lock of hair out of my eyes, smiling.

"It's okay, Ariel." It kind of scared me. He was being so calm.

"It's not okay! I just kissed you, Andy!" He laughed.

"So? It was a meaningless kiss." Oh, how I wish it was.

"Yeah." I muttered, looking away from him.

"I'll try, Ari. So, friends then?" He held his arms open, gesturing for me to hug him. I dropped the jacket for a second before crawling into his outstretched arms. He smiled as he rested his head on top of mine.

"Thank you." He whispered. I could hear something strange in his voice, but I ignored it and nodded. I knew that he didn't want to talk about this kiss right now, maybe not ever. I didn't either. So as I sat there in his arms, I realized that maybe having him as a friend wouldn't be so bad. Maybe it would be better then always chasing after him and never getting anywhere. Plus Ryan had asked me out and I didn't really want to say no.

"You okay?" Andy asked, pushing me away from him gently.

"Yeah." I whispered, but my mind wandered to what Coach had said. He had said I would regret it if I ever told anyone about the Steroids. What could he have possibly meant by that? He couldn't hurt me, right?

***AN***

I promise the pace will start picking up :) 

Tell me what you guys thought!!

~ChaisngMadness24