Bullied By My Alpha Stepbrother novel Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Hardin

"You really think Lorenzo can make a good team captain?" Someone whispered to her friend down the hallway and thanks to supernaturally enhanced hearing, I could not help but listen to the conversation even though the last thing that I wanted to do at this point was hear anything about that darned competition that should not even be happening in the first place.

And even though I wanted so badly to punch Lorenzo in the face, I knew that it would only make things worse for me. After all, this silly idea had started right after the incident between us that had made me go on suspension as team captain.

And now that the time had elapsed and it was now time for things to go back to the way they were, it was a perfect opportunity for Lorenzo to strike and declare his intent to be captain of the lacrosse team. A team that I had been the captain of since I was in sophomore year.

"I don't know but with the way things are going and how he is becoming everyone's favorite, it might happen." The second girl whispered and I didn't realize that I was gripping the door to my locker too hard until it bent and someone else gasped.

When I turned around, everyone in the hallway was looking at me and I slammed the door shut and hurried down to the guidance counselor's office for my compulsory session with her. A session that I didn't dare miss. Not when the eyes of everyone was on me now, especially my father's.

I didn't want to further disappoint him even though I knew that it would be almost difficult to please him, especially because Jasmine was the perfect daughter, another reason that thinking about her made my blood boil.

She was also there that day with Lorenzo. The day that I had lost my temper in front of the entire cafeteria and cost myself the captain title.

She seemed to always be there at every of my bad days. Just standing there, her dark hair falling down her shoulders and green eyes wide as if she could not fathom that she was to blame for my misfortune at any given point in time.

And maybe she wasn't. Maybe it was just ill luck for her to always be there when things happened to me. Or maybe I was stupid for trying to absolve her once again instead of seeing her for the obstacle that she was.

Aunt Lisa was right. I was being stupid. Being too trusting. Being led astray by those innocent eyes once again.

"You've been sitting there for over five minutes now, thinking hard about something. Would you like to share it with me?" The guidance counselor said and I was reminded that I had entered her office and sat down for the one hour session that was sure to feel like an entire year, especially because talking about my feelings happened to be the last thing that I ever wanted to do.

"No" I replied honestly and when she smiled, I wondered why she was always so happy and how she could remain jovial in the face of people as stubborn as I was. Especially because this was how most of our sessions went, with me refusing to speak most times.

I knew that if I was not sitting where she was, I would have lost my shit a long time ago.

"Okay then, let's talk about the competition then. The match against the other school across town. It's tomorrow, is it not?"

I nodded, my hands tightening into fists as I tried to control my breathing like she had taught me in the very beginning whenever I was going into a fit of rage, a skill that like many others, I never bothered to use at the right times.

"How does that make you feel? Especially knowing that your performance tomorrow will play a great role in determining if you will continue to be captain of the school team."

I froze, releasing a harsh breath as I remembered how Coach had announced to me that to remain captain, I needed to make sure that I was not only to prove it academically by keeping my grades up, which happened to be going terribly by the way all of a sudden and making sure that I could show what I could do on the field.

"Angry" I answered and she gave me a smile that I believe she intended to mean that she understood what I was going through but I doubted that she would ever be in my position.

It felt like I was drowning from all of the pressure. And like I was going to lose everything all at once.

"And how do you feel, knowing that Lorenzo is also vying for that position?"

I pinned her with a look that didn't need to be explained.

"We both know exactly what I would rather be doing to that kid instead of sitting here and talking about my feelings"