by Tia Siren
She sighed. “Well, I wouldn’t say that. I mean, anything can happen, you know? I know being an elementary school teacher doesn’t sound like much, but it’s important to me, and I don’t want to mess it up either, any more than you want to mess up the career you have in mind.”
“Are you still thinking about dating Ethan? You still want me to talk to him for you? I talked to him that one time but…well, I haven’t said anything to him since then.”
“I don’t see as how you’ve had much of a chance considering you’ve been hanging around with Stacy and me and Andrew all weekend.”
“Yeah, true. But do you still want me too?”
Her original thoughts had been to tutor Darryl and try to make Ethan jealous. But it seemed now that the opposite had happened. Darryl was jealous that she wanted to date Ethan and wanted him to talk to the boy for her. She felt an overwhelming sense of affection for Darryl and gave his arm a squeeze where she was still holding it.
“You don’t have to talk to Ethan for me, Darryl.”
She was amused by the look of relief that swept over his face.
He was glad she didn’t want him to talk to Ethan. Over the weekend, his belief that she deserved better than his friend had only gotten stronger. He’d discovered that she was not just smart and not just pretty. She had a good soul and a kind heart. She had a great sense of humor. She had everything he wanted in a girl and he didn’t want to see her with some scoundrel who was only going to take advantage of every good thing about her.
“You shouldn’t be with someone you can’t trust, Faith.” He said quietly.
She nodded. “I know.”
“You deserve better than what he dishes out.”
When she replied, her voice was as soft as his. “I know.”
She realized she desperately wanted him to say that he was the one she deserved. She wanted him to ask her out. She wanted him to kiss her and never stop.
She wondered if he could see that when he looked at her.
They stared at each other for a few minutes. “Darryl.” She said his name and bit her lower lip when he flushed a little bit. All she’d done was say his name. She gave him a soft smile, and he returned it.
“Who do you think I should go out with?” She asked. Why didn’t he say it? Why didn’t he just ask her out?
He didn’t respond for a moment.
“Come on; you’re always open and up front with me. You’re so blunt. Surely you know who I should be with.” She turned and looked through the room. “How about Dwayne? Over there.” She pointed at one of the other players. “I could date him. Or how about Johnny? He’s pretty cute. Or I could take Andrew from Stacy, ooh, that would be fun, wouldn’t it? Our own little soap opera? Or…”
“No, Faith.” He stopped her, reaching up to gently turn her face back toward him. “I don’t think so.”
His touch sent a jolt of electricity through her. His eyes told her the whole story, but she wanted to hear him say it.
“I’m the one you should be with.”
Finally, she heard the words she wanted to hear. She pulled in her breath and held it for a second. When she responded, her voice shook a little bit. “You?”
She found her breath coming and going quickly.
“Yes.” He breathed. “Me. I want you to be with me.”
He leaned forward and touched her lips with his, sending a warm flood of emotion through Faith’s body. Her legs went numb for a moment. She kissed him back more forcefully, thinking how incredibly soft his lips were.
They kissed a few more times before pulling away from each other. She looked in his eyes and felt her heart melting.
“Oh Darryl, I’m so glad you finally said something.”
“You are?” He grinned. “I thought you wanted to be with Ethan.”
She giggled. “I did. But that’s all changed. I…we would be a great couple.”
He leaned forward so that he was within kissing distance again but he didn’t kiss her. “I think so, too.” He said before touching her lips with his once more. He pulled back slightly and whispered, “Does this mean I have to pay for my English tutoring now?”
She threw back her head and laughed before throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing him tight. She put her lips against his ear and said, “Oh, you’ll be paying for them all right.”
He laughed with her and shook his head. “Oh Lord, what have I gotten myself into?”
*****
THE END
SPORTS Romance – The Coach’s Game
''Hi, coach,'' the girls said as they passed him on their way to cheerleader practice.
''Ladies,'' Sam said touching the peak of his cap.
''Coach, I'm free this evening,'' Cora said. Cora was one of the most beautiful cheerleaders at Westchester College, and she'd been trying to get Coach Warren to take her out for months. He was beginning to get fed up with it. At thirty-nine, he was almost twenty years older than her. For him it was clear. She was a student at college and he a sports coach, and it was unethical for him to take her out. Not that he didn't sometimes sit in his apartment and dream about the girls that cheered his football team on. But as far as he was concerned that's all it would ever be, a dream.
He'd divorced five years earlier. He and his wife had decided it wasn't working and gone their separate ways. It had all been very amicable, but it had left him afraid of commitment. He'd had a couple of flings with female lecturers, but as soon as they'd begun talk of a future together, he'd cut them out of his life. He kept telling himself that he didn't need a wife because he was already married to football.
''Come on guys, what time do you call this?'' Sam said as his team began to idle onto the pitch for Friday evening practice. ''Three times around the pitch,'' he shouted. He hated tardiness, and they were going to pay for it.
''Do we have to, coach,'' William Mayes asked. He was the alpha male of the team He was the one that got all the women and all the attention.
''Mayes, if you don't get on with it, I'll bust your ass. Clear?''
''Yes coach,'' he said as he started to jog.
When William got to the far side of the pitch, Sam heard Cora shouting at him. ''Hi William, fancy coming to my place after practice?''
Sam's players respected him. He was hard but fair, and after the serious business was done, he enjoyed a joke as much as anyone. But lately something was eating at him, and it made him ill-tempered.
Eventually, the team completed three laps, and Sam met them in the middle of the pitch. He split defense and offense and asked them to carry out various drills. He stood aside and watched ash they carried out what he'd asked them to.
''Lizzie you are useless. Honestly, you couldn't dance your way out of a paper bag,'' Cora said.
Sam looked across at the cheerleaders and wondered why Cora had it in for Lizzie. Okay, Lizzie sometimes found it difficult to co-ordinate with the others but aesthetically Lizzie was by far the best of the bunch. She had the shapeliest legs and the cutest ass and the biggest breasts. All in all, she was very pleasing to the eye. Lizzie also wasn't stupid; she'd finished high school Cum Laude and was doing very well in her law studies.
After practice, Sam kept his players in the dressing room while he lectured them on the merits of being on time. He went through the team for the forthcoming game on Sunday and gave a rousing motivational speech about the history of the college team and how they shouldn't let that be tarnished in any way.
The cheerleaders were getting impatient outside. They'd gathered around the changing room door waiting for the boys to come out. Some of them had serious boyfriends in the team; others were just waiting around on the off chance they may get laid.
''Lizzie, how come you never have a boyfriend?'' Cora asked. ''You aren't a Lizzie Lezzie are you?''
''Shut up Cora,'' Lizzie said. ''Just because I don't sleep with every man in town, like you.''
''Lizzie Lezzie, yes, that has a ring to it. That's what we're going to call you
from now on. Do you like dancing with girls Lizzie Lezzie?'' Cora said.
''Leave me alone,'' Lizzie said. She left the group and headed back to her student lodgings alone.
''What a nerd,'' Cora said. ''She can't dance, and she can't get man.''
''Are you talking about Lizzie?'' William asked.
''Yes. From now on she's called Lizzie Lezzie.''
''Why?
''Because she never has a boyfriend,'' Cora said.
William slung his bag over his shoulder and laughed. ''That's a great name for her. She's a real nerd.''
Roger, the tallest man on the team, came out of the changing room. ''Who's a nerd?''
''Lizzie, you know, the weird cheerleader,'' William said. ''Cora reckons she's a lesbian. Lizzie Lezzie she's called her.''
''No way is she a lezzie,'' Roger said. ''I bet I can get her into bed.''
William, Cora, and the others looked at Roger as if he was from another planet. ''No way on this earth,'' William said.
''Wanna bet?'' Roger replied.
''Sure, what's the bet?''
''That I can screw her before the end of this semester,'' Roger said.
William shook Roger's hand, and the bet was placed. ''We'll invite her to BJ's after the game on Sunday. We'll get her drunk, and you can have your way with her,'' William added.
The group walked across the football pitch to the campus, leaving Sam shaking his head. He'd heard their ridiculous bet and felt sorry for Lizzie.
*****
''I've never seen such a shower of shit in all my life,'' Sam bellowed at the top of his voice. ''Call yourselves football players. You're all nancy boys; that's what you are. I'd have done better sending out a group of eleven-year-olds.''
Sam didn't often lose his temper, but he had never seen a team under his management play so terribly.
''Roger and William. Youwere pathetic today. You'd better play better in the next game, or you'll be off the team. Now all of you get out of my sight.''
The players drifted out of the dressing room, leaving Sam to contemplate what a rotten day it had been. When he'd tidied up, he locked up and walked across the pitch to his car. This had to be the worst team he'd ever managed, he thought. If they didn't start playing better soon, his job would be on the line.
He put his bag in the car and started to drive home. But faced with the prospect of an empty apartment after such a heavy defeat, he decided to stop by BJ's.
When he pulled up outside, his mind flashed back to all the glorious hours he'd spent at BJ's celebrating season after season of great footballing success. Those days seemed a long way off now. That was back in the days when kids were fit, before computers and ridiculous games like Play Station. Kids played out in the street, rode their bikes and were fit. Sometimes he despaired when he saw the freshmen turning up to their first practice. What it all meant for the future of the USA, he didn't know, but he didn't think it was positive.
''Hey Sam, great to see you. You haven't been in here for ages,'' Jodie said.
''There's been no reason to celebrate. That shower of shit over there couldn't play, even if their lives depended on it,'' he said nodding in the direction of William, Roger, Cora and the gang who were sitting around a huge pine at the rear of the bar.
''No, I've heard they are pretty hopeless,'' Jodie replied.
''That's an understatement.''
''So who you lovin, these days?'' she asked.
''I'm single. I haven't got anyone special.''
''Too bad, a lovely guy like you all alone. If I weren't happily married, I'd ask you on a date.'' Jodie was quite pretty but not Sam's type. She was a bit plump and had pink hair, the result of a magazine article she read that said pink hair was hip.
''Hi coach,'' Cora said as she came up to the bar to order another round of drinks. ''What brings you here?''
''This is the place we used to celebrate our victories, although you wouldn't know much about that. All we seem to do these days is lose.''
''Well, it's not all about winning is it?''
Sam looked at Cora, and if he hadn't been such a gentleman, he would have slapped her. ''It is, actually, all about the winning. Why else would you bother?''
''To have some fun. To meet people.''
''Jesus Christ. What an attitude. We are talking about college football. It's serious. If you want to meet people and have fun, why don't you go to the beach.''
''Er....okay coach. Whatever you say,'' Cora said keen to stop his rant.
''And don't talk to me in that tone. You are very good at winding me up Cora. Your attitude is all wrong, and you prance around as if you own the joint. You need a darn good hiding.''
Cora quickly paid for her drinks and went back to the others at the table.
''What an ass-hole,'' she said.
''Who? William asked.
''Coach. He's a misogynist. He just spoke to me in the moist terrible way. Nobody has ever spoken to me like that.''
''Come on Cora, have a bit of sympathy for him. He's a small time football coach, he's got nothing else in his pathetic life,'' Roger joked.
''His life's pathetic and so is he,'' Cora added.
''I quite like him,'' Lizzie said.
''You would. You don't seem capable of getting any other man,'' Cora said.
''Cora, that's unfair,'' Roger said. ''Have another drink, Lizzie. Ignore her; she's just being a bitch.''
Lizzie smiled and took a glass of beer and a shot from the tray Jodie had just placed in front of them.
BJ's was a place students and lecturers went after a hard day or at the weekend to get inebriated. It was full of neon signs and pictures of sports stars. Sam was most proud of his corner of honor. Joshua Clarkson, the owner of BJ's, was a big football fan, and when Sam's team had won the collegiate championship three years running, he'd allocated a corner to Sam's team. He bought a glass cabinet and filled it with photos of the team and the trophies they'd won.
''Good old days,'' Jodie said when she saw Sam was looking to his corner.
''Great days. Really great.''
''Don't be too hard on this generation Sam. They've got it far too easy, so how can they appreciate anything.''
''I suppose so. There are good kids in the team, but most of them are lazy. If they weren't, they could really go places.''
Sam spent an interesting evening talking to Jodie and drinking more bourbon than was good for him.
'You'd better leave your car here tonight,'' Jodie said when Sam had paid.
''Yes. The walk will do me good,'' he replied.
As he was getting up to leave, Cora and her group were also preparing to leave.
''Oops, steady Lizzie, you stick close to me,'' Roger said as he put his arm around her.
''I think I'm a bit drunk,'' Lizzie said.
''Don't worry. I'll get you home in one piece,' Roger offered.
When they reached the door, Sam pulled Roger back and pushed him against the wall. Roger towered over him, but Sam was muscle bound and too strong for the twenty-one-year-old
''Leave her alone,'' Sam said.
''Take your hands off me,'' Roger protested.
''Yes, leave him alone,'' Cora and William said in unison.
''Keep out of this,'' Sam said. ''If you don't leave now, you're both off the team.''
William and Cora scowled and walked through the door. Lizzie stood still dazed by what was happening.
''Go home Roger and leave her alone. I know what your deal is, and it isn't in Lizzie's interest.''
''What the hell are you talking about?'' Roger asked as Sam squeezed his throat a little harder.
''The bet Roger. The bet you struck with William. Go home now or you'll never play football for me again.''
''You just assaulted me. I'm going to report you,' Roger said.
''Go ahead and I'll make sure Lizzie files sexual assault charges. Got it?'' Roger nodded, straightened his collar and left.
''What was all that about,'' Lizzie sl
urred.
''I just saved you from something you would have regretted,'' Sam replied.
''Er....what?''
''Lizzie, let's go. Come on.'' Sam said putting his arm around her to support her.
*****
''Oh my God, where am I?'' Lizzie asked as she looked around the bedroom.
''My place,' Sam replied.
''Did we, you know, have sex?''
Sam laughed. No, but you almost did. ''You were so drunk I brought you back here. Don't worry; I slept on the couch.''
''I've got a terrible headache,'' she complained.
''Coffee, bacon, eggs and bread will sort that out.''
''Just the coffee thanks.''
''Okay. The bathroom's next door and you can look in my wardrobe for a fresh shirt to get you home in. You dribbled down yours.''
''Oh Jesus. Did you undress me?'' Lizzie pulled the sheets up and was relieved to see she was still wearing her panties.
''I only took off your top layer. You were a real mess, Lizzie. Sorry, but I had to.''
''Okay. Well, thanks for helping me. I have no idea what I was doing drinking so much; I don't usually.''
Sam rubbed his wet hair a couple of times with the towel he was wearing. ''You were set up. Roger was trying to get you drunk.''
''What? Why?''
''Do you want the honest answer?''
''Yes, I do,'' she said.
''He bet William that he could get you into bed.''
Lizzie's mouth dropped open. ''Really? Of all the low life things to have done.''
''I knew about it and stopped it.''
Lizzie slumped back against the headboard. ''Thanks, coach. What a lousy trick.''
''Come down when you are ready,'' he said. ''I'll put the kettle on.''
Lizzie was pleasantly surprised how nice Sam's apartment was. He was a single guy and very much into sport, and she'd assumed he wasn't that domesticated. But his kitchen was spotless and full of the latest gadgets.
'' Nice place coach,'' she said, sitting down at the breakfast bar.
Sam smiled at her. ''Call me Sam. Coach is for the sports field.'' She looked fresh and very attractive. Her hair was still wet, and she smelled wonderful.''How's the head?''