Page 88 of False Start
I hand off the box to Jacob who thanks me before running off, and then turn and make my way back to Hannah on the bench. Not even two steps in, I see Eric making his wayaround the corner and charging right at me. Coach told us that he was cleared and would be returning tonight, but Hannah and I tried our best to make sure that we avoided him.
Even though it’s been slow for us, we’d managed to either fold into larger groups, find things to do, or just generally stayed clear of him. But it looks like my luck’s run out now.
“So reporting me because you got your feelings hurt wasn’t enough, now you’re trying to avoid me?” He seethes as he comes into my space, his hot breaths hitting my face. This close, there’s anger swimming in his eyes, the darkness taking over.
“First of all…” I grit, taking a step back from him. “It had nothing to do with hurt feelings. I can handle myself. Secondly, how do you even know who filed the claim? They’re supposed to remain anonymous.”
“Trust me, sweetheart.” He crowds me again until he has me backed up against a wall, his hands coming up to brace on the walls, effectively caging me in. “Nothing gets past me. It doesn’t matter anyway, HR determined that I did nothing wrong, so I guess your little plan backfired."
“Look who’s talking. You really thought you’d get back at me by reporting my relationship to HR?”
This man truly thinks that he can get away with everything that he’s done. I’m not going to back down so easily.
“Step back, before I make you.”
“And how exactly do you plan on doing that?” He moves his face closer to mine, his nose brushing the underside of my jaw.
With everything I can, I push at his chest, the unexpected contact forcing him to step back, as I use this to my advantage. I take one step away from him when he forcibly grabs my wrist and yanks me back into his hard chest.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going? I wasn’t done with you.”
His hot breath spits right into my ear. The bite of his hand on my wrist is sure to leave a bruise. My ears are ringing with the shouts of the crowd as I try to pry myself from his grasp. His grip only tightens, and before I can try again, I feel him being ripped from behind me as I turn and see Jake has him pinned to the plexiglass.
It’s hard to make out exactly what Jake and Eric are saying to each other, my mind a jumbled mess of emotions. A few moments pass before Jake is being pulled back by Connor and Blake, but I can still see that he’s fighting them as more heated words are spoken.
Instantly, I’m snapped out of my own thoughts and my feet move on instinct.
“Jake, please stop,” I step in front of Jake, grabbing his face in my hands as I pull him closer to me. I catch his eyes, anger burning bright in them as I try and get him to match my breaths, calm and even. His breaths are heavy and chest rising rapidly.
“That’s it, just breathe, Jake. Focus on me and nothing else.” We stay standing together, Jake's breaths slowly evening out as he matches mine.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers.
“You have nothing to be sorry for, handsome. It’s not on you.”
Once he’s calmed enough, he turns to Coach, exchanging some words before being dismissed to the locker room.
Present
I’m shaken from my thoughts, stunned that Eric had the audacity to corner me so publicly.
Jake looks at me one more time before storming off to the locker room.
“Kailyn, are you okay?” Hannah runs up to my side, cautiously grabbing my shoulders before she pulls me into a bone crushing hug. Burying my face into her neck, I breathe in her vanilla and citrus scent as I try and calm my beating heart.
“I’m fine, a little thrown off by what just happened.”
“Kailyn.” Emilia comes running around the corner as she barrels into us, her arms wrapping around my back as my girls cage me in a loving and protective hug.
What Eric did just now actually scared me, but it wasn’t until this moment with me being wrapped in their arms that I realized how I was feeling. With the rage swimming in his eyes and the way he was gripping me, I wasn’t afraid of being touched but more so afraid of being hurt because of how angry he was.
“I’m okay,” I whisper, tears starting to pool behind my eyes.
“It’s okay not to be okay right now.” Emilia soothes.
I nod, closing my eyes as I soak in their warmth.
I’m so grateful to have them in my life.
