19. Protecting Me

A/N: THANK YOU SM FOR 20k READS AHHHH I'M SO HAPPY!!

"CALLIOPE MARIE BROOKS!" Was yelled up the stairs, my full ass government name, my body jolted up, it was 10:00am and I was late for school.

I rushed down the stairs in whatever pyjamas my drunk self had wriggled myself into last night.

"You threw a party huh!?" My dad questioned angrily and I'm pretty sure it was rhetorical, I froze, my mouth opened.

Back in the city mom didn't have time to care, she would be disappointed, tell me to clean up and then she'd leave for work.

"I- uh..." I trailed off.

"I threw the party Coach, Callie wasn't a part of this." I was thrown off guard, my head snapped to the living room, three boys crashing in there.

Three from the team.

"No Chris it's not his fault-" my father cut me off, "don't protect him Cal, he's done it before he never used to be such the golden boy everyone sees him as today." My dad huffed out angrily, telling Gray to follow him as they went into the kitchen out of sight from us.

He never used to be the golden boy, the fuck does that mean?!

I stumbled into the living room to the other boys, my head pounding, half my memories from last night long gone.

Vince and Jax had sat up to look at me as I joined them on the couch.

"So he never used to be the golden boy?" I hummed, desperate for them to tell me everything.

"I'm not saying nothing party girl, Grayson would kick my ass." Vince grunted shoving a pillow onto his face as he crashed back onto the couch to lay down.

"Jaxon... please tell me." I dragged out, as I gave Jax pleading eyes, what was Grayson like before, before he was the star player.

"He got into a lot of fights, hooked up with a lot of girl, partied a lot. I'm not saying anything else." He shook his head like it was a definite no to details.

"Fine whatever, but just so you too know, I find out everything so you're wasting my time." I groaned.

"Do you guys think he's getting told off?" I questioned as my mind wondered back to the things my mom used to say about my dad.

That he was a bastard and a prick, maybe I haven't seen his true self, maybe that's what Grayson was facing right now.

"Stop overthinking, coach is chill, it's not his house he's worried about, us boys have rules that come with having a key to this place." Vince said quietly in a tired tone.

"the school board would bench Gray and take away his key privileges maybe he'd even get suspended if the school found out." Jax on the other hand made my anxiety grow larger.

"It'll be fine Callie." Vince reassured.

It went silent for a bit when Grayson returned with a grin, he sat opposite us with the large smirk.

"So what's the verdict?" Vince smirked back at Gray.

"He will make sure the school board doesn't find out if I clean up and run drills for two weeks." It was clear his smile was because he wasn't benched.

"Did anyone see my friends go home last night?" I asked, ruining the moment since it was clear as day none of these boys liked my friends.

"The crazy blonde chick went with some guy and the other went home." Vince mumbled, meaning Tess probs went home with Theo or Jonah and the other left.

"Okay you boys, get home, shower and go to fucking school, Cal please do the same." Dad came into the room.

We sat staring at him, too tired to comprehend his orders.

"Now!"

The house was finally clean—mostly. I wasn't a damn maid, but I'd done what I had to do to keep Coach off my back. The last of the trash was by the door, and the counters didn't feel like they were coated in sticky alcohol anymore. The air still smelled faintly of beer and cheap perfume, but at least it didn't look like a disaster zone.

The front door swung open, laughter spilling inside before I even turned to look.

Callie and Alexis.

They'd gone shopping after school, I was a bit mad she left em to fucking clean but glad she was with a good friend rather than some back alley street kid.

Callie spotted me almost immediately, her eyes flickering over the clean space before settling on me. Something about the way she looked at me—like she was surprised I'd actually followed through—made me smirk.

"You actually cleaned," she muttered, stepping into the kitchen like she didn't quite believe it.

Her friend rushing upstairs yelling something about meeting calliope in her room.

"Told you I would," I said, tossing the last dirty rag into the sink.

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "I just figured you'd fake it, shove everything into a closet and call it a day."

I leaned against the counter, smirking. "You saying I'm lazy?"

"I'm saying you're a hockey player, which means you're basically just a dumb jock," she shot back with a fake-sweet smile.

I let out a low chuckle, tilting my head. "Bold words from the girl who can't even wake up on time for school."

Callie rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

I watched her as she stepped closer, more serious now. Her fingers drummed lightly against the counter before she exhaled, shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

"You didn't have to take the blame, you know," she said, voice softer now.

I shrugged, like it wasn't a big deal. "Didn't feel like watching you go to war with your dad over it."

Callie studied me for a moment, like she was trying to figure me out. "That why you did it?"

I didn't answer right away. Truth was, it was easier this way. Coach already had his opinions about me—one more screw-up didn't change much. But Callie? She'd barely been here, and she was already walking a tightrope with him.

"Sure," I said finally. "Let's go with that."

She stepped closer, close enough that I could see the flicker of something behind her eyes—curiosity, maybe.

"Still," she said, voice quieter now. "Thanks."

Before I could react, she reached out, fingers brushing my forearm. The touch was light, barely there, but it sent a sharp current through me anyway. My body tensed, and for a second, neither of us moved.

"Careful, Angel," I murmured, my voice lower now. "Starting to think you actually like me."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes, but she didn't step away. "Relax, Blondie. I just figured I owed you a thank you before I go back to pretending you don't exist."

I smirked. "Sure, that's why you're still standing here."

She huffed, shaking her head, but I caught the corner of her lips twitch like she was trying not to smile.

Before she could come up with some sarcastic response, I reached out, gripping her wrist lightly. She froze for half a second, her breath hitching slightly as I leaned in, voice barely above a whisper.

"You throw a good party, Angel," I murmured, watching the way her cheeks darkened just slightly.

She swallowed, her fingers curling like she could still feel where I had touched her.

"I hate you," she muttered, but there was no real venom behind it.

"Keep telling yourself that," I murmured, leaning just a little closer.

The door knocked loudly, making Callie freeze as if we was doing something scandalous.

"Callie! Open up! I forgot my damn keys!"

Callie practically jumped away from me like I'd burned her, whipping around so fast she nearly tripped over her own feet.

"Shit," she hissed under her breath, scrambling to put distance between us.

I chuckled, leaning back against the counter like nothing had happened. "You good there, Angel?"

"Shut up," she snapped, smoothing out her shirt like it would somehow erase the moment.

I smirked, watching as she hurried to the door, yanking it open to find Coach standing there, looking mildly irritated.

"You planning on letting me in today or what?" he muttered, stepping inside.

"Here," Callie said quickly, grabbing his keys from the table and shoving them into his hands, her voice just a little too high. "Now go. Bye."

Coach raised a brow at her, then glanced past her to me. I just grinned.

"Something going on?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Nope!" Callie practically yelled, stepping in front of him like she could block me from view.

Coach just shook his head, mumbling something about weird-ass teenagers before heading back out the door.

The second it closed, Callie turned, pointing a finger at me. "Not a word."

I smirked, crossing my arms. "Didn't say anything."

She huffed, muttering something under her breath before grabbing one of her shopping bags and storming off upstairs.

I just laughed, shaking my head.

Yeah. This girl was definitely going to be trouble.

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A/N: I know this one isn't that fun but it's necessary okay!

Anyways love you all!!

Words: 1539