Ditched Cheating Alpha, I Led My Daughter to Life's Peak novel Chapter 18

I bury my head in my crossed arms and ignore whatever's said. I focus on my breathing. I just try to focus in general, because I can't let them take me to the nurse. My parents would find out that I don't feel better, that I was just lying, and then...

"Would you people get back to your running," Coach booms. "And what are you two doing dawdling around. She asked for water."

"Y-Yes ma'am," Axel says, and then I hear quick strides against the floor.

"I'll stay with her," Carson says.

"I actually don't think that's a good idea," Coach Kenet whispers. I almost miss it from how quietly she speaks. Usually she booms with everything, but it seems like she really just wants Carson to hear this.

And then after that, no more words are said aloud at all from either one of them.

Suddenly I feel someone sit beside me. I look up. It's Suzie.

"Hey," she smiles gently and puts her hand on my shoulder. "You're going to be okay. Don't worry."

I want to tell her I don't think I will be, but it's not the time or the place. I just met her. I can't confide so much. Social norms and boundaries and all that jazz. I leave everything unsaid, for the sake of what is expected but not how I feel. I smile and then look away.

"Axel will be back with the water soon," she continues.

I nod.

"It's a good thing you only asked for water."

I raise an eyebrow. I risk the effort of looking up at her again. "What do you mean?"

She shrugs. She smiles again, but it's something in her eyes when she does it. "I just think that it's a good thing you didn't let them take you to the nurse."

... What? My eyes widen.

"Yupp," she says. "They're like that. You saw a bit of it today. You better stay away from them. They're bad news. They do this sort of thing all the time."

Something in my already aching chest sinks for the second time today. I know it's not disappointment. It's not like I was actually interested in them or anything... but... I think of Axel standing up for me. Carson trying to pick me up lumberjack style (god, he's so crazy). An image of Aiden's cocky as anything face pops up and I groan. It's not like I liked any of them, but it's kinda hard to hear her her say they're like that.

She keeps going. "They pretend to care, and then they try to have their way with you. If you'd let them take you to the nurse, who knows what they would've pulled."

"Are you sure?" I ask. I don't know why I do. I should just believe her, right?