GAME ON

20. Protective

"Vanessa, I'm sorry. I have reasons why we can't be what you want us to be" he said. Is that him saying he doesn't want to be in a relationship?

"What are the reasons?" I asked.

"It's complicated, I can't tell you now, but I need you to trust me" he said and I bite my lip. I look out the window and I feel him put his hand on my thigh. I look at it then placed my hand on his and smile. When we got to the college the parking lot was packed. "Get in, get changed, get on the court and warm up" Coach said and we all walked in. I kept my warm-ups on and waited till all the girls were leaving then followed them out. Coach waited for us outside the door. "Let's go ladies!" he said clapping his hands and the ladies started to jog down the hall into the gym. Coach follows close behind me then puts his hand on waist and prevented me from going into the gym and I look at him and he looks around to make sure no one is coming. "It worked last time" he said bending forward kissing me. I smile when he pulls back. I walk away from him onto the court and went to go sit down on the bench and waited for the game to start. After 1st quarter, we were winning, I was finally allowed to play so I went in.

"The person that's guarding you is tough girl" Bianca said.

"Eh, I can handle her" I said smiling and she smirks at me.

"Here we go ladies" Coach said and we go out on the court. During halftime we were leading by eight. Coach came into the locker room and ran over some plays and we went back out there. During the 3rd quarter I guess the girl who was guarding me got a little too intimidated by me because while I was running up the court with the ball she elbows me in my jaw and I fall backwards and the ball left my hand. My head hits the court really hard and all I feel his this crazy pressure on the back of my head. The ref blows the whistle and my team surrounds me.

"Harrison!" Heather said. I see Derek bends down next to me.

"Shake your head if you can hear me" he said and I shake my head a little. Bianca and coach help me up.

"Take her to the trainer's office" someone says. The girls follow close behind and they set me down on the bed.

"Coach, you have to continue the game or forfeit" the ref comes into the room saying.

"Okay" Derek says. The trainer asked me a bunch of questions and I started to get annoyed. Like, I'm fine... I just fell. After he was done cleaning the blood from my lip, I look down at my jersey to see blood on it.

"Ugh! I have my other jersey in my bag" I said leaving the room. I jog down the hall into the locker room. I go to my bag and dig around for my jersey. I take off the jersey I was wearing when I heard the locker room doors close. I turn around to see Derek.

"Uhh I started the game back up" he said.

"Without me?"

"Vanessa, I'm not putting you out there" he said.

"What! Why!"

"I want you to take it easy"

"Derek............coach I was already out for the 1st quarter, I'm not missing the 4th" I said grabbing my jersey.

"Vanessa, you aren't going back out on the court and that's final" he said and turns around to walk out.

"Derek!" I shout after him and I hear the door close. "Shit!" I yell throwing my jersey in my bag. I sit on the bench and leaned my head back. Even tho I couldn't play I couldn't miss my girls playing. I change into my warmups and went back out to the court. Coach looked at me then looked away. I sat on the bench with team members who weren't in. We ended up winning by 3 points thanks to Felicity 3-pointer. All the girls came up to me making sure I was okay. We were on our way getting on the bus when someone gets my attention.

"Freshmen!" someone shouts and I look over to see Trevor I smile and walk over to him.

"Hey Trev"

"Hey, took a nasty fall in there"

"Yea, I know. That girl was such a bitch"

"Totally" Trevor said snapping his fingers and I laugh. "Here let me see" he said putting his hand to my face and tilting my head to see the busted lip. "You big baby, you could of played" he said looking at me and I laugh.

"Yea I know" I said looking down.

"Harrison on the bus!" someone yells and I turn to see Derek.

"Coming" I said.

"Now!" he demanded and I stare at him then look back at Trevor. Trevor was staring at Derek then looks down at me.

"I guess I'll talk to you later, seriously thou thank you for coming, means a lot" I said touching his hand then I turn around and got on the bus. I sit i  the seat behind the driver and coach sits next to me. The bus started moving and chatter on the back of the bus was loud.

"We won, the game is over, you'll play next week" he said. I rolled my eyes and look back the window and it was quiet the rest of the way.

 Derek and I had little fights now and then but I honestly believe I was falling really hard for him but he made sure not to call me his girlfriend. Jamie and I were still not talking and it was pretty sad. Between school and practice and Derek, I didn't see Carson that much. Trevor and I became super close over the pass weeks and I enjoyed his company. It was Monday and we had a game tomorrow against the Cardinals. Derek and I were at his house sitting on the living room floor eating pizza and watching movies. I was wearing my black undies and a white tank-top cuddle up to him shirtless. I haven't had sex with Derek again because I was waiting till he made us official before we slept with each other again. There were so many times he tried and he was tempting but it just didn't happen. I hear his phone camera go off and I look over at him.

"Derek.........." I said and he laughs.

"I can't help it"

"I can model for you" I said sitting up on my knees poking my butt out and doing the kissy face.

"Well that's very sexy" he said taking the picture.

"Not even close" I said laying on my back and pulling my shirt up a little to the bottom outline of my boob.

"You got me" he said taking another picture and I laugh. I go back to sitting next to him and grabbed his phone and took a picture of us. I look at it and he was staring at me as I smiled. I looked over at him and he stares at me. He bends over and started to kiss me. I set his phone down then started to kiss him back. I laid down on the ground and he started to kiss my neck. I felt his hand go up my shirt and that's when it kicked in that this was going somewhere I was trying to avoid. I sat up real fast and he stares at me and lets out a sigh. "That's like 5th time you've done this, what's wrong?" he said.

"I just don't want to do that until I know we are official" I said looking at him. He looks down then leans back on the couch.

"You're on a sex strike?" he said.