Chapter 6 Cornered

Noah's POV:

"She's incredible." I whispered to myself as I watched her drive off.

A normal person would've left or feel hurt after being called crazy, but not me. Especially when it was by her.

She was right, you are crazy.... Crazy in love.

"Hey, Noah!"

I looked up to see Derek jogging toward me, that lazy grin on his face like he didn't have a care in the world.

"Hey, man," I said, clapping his hand and pulling him into the usual half-hug.

I was still trying to keep it cool, even though my head was pounding from what just happened with Stacey. I could barely hold myself together.

But of course, Derek had no idea.

"Did I just see you talking to the hot lecturer?" He said with a smirk, jerking his head toward the direction of Stacey's car.

"Damn, man. If I had a shot with her, I wouldn't waste time either."

My blood ran cold.

The mere thought of Stacey's name on anyone other than me just seems to piss me off.

"Watch it," I snapped before I could stop myself.

His brows lifted, the smirk faltering. "Relax, dude. I'm just saying she's banging! I'd hit that..."

"No," I cut in, stepping forward. "Don't talk about her like that. Have some respect ."

He laughed out loud. "What the hell is your problem?"

I didn't answer; instead, I started walking away.

Derek shoved me back lightly, just enough to break the invisible line between banter and something real.

"You better calm the hell down," he warned.

"Or what Derek!"

I wasn't calming down. I was tired. Angry. Cornered. Everything was cracking beneath my feet, and Derek just happened to step on the wrong landmine.

"You don't get to talk about her. Ever," I hissed, shoving him back but with a more brutal force.

And that's when the fight started.

Derek managed to land a punch to my jaw, and for a split second, everything went white. I jabbed him twice straight in his face, and I heard a crushing sound.

I was about to add a third punch when...

"ENOUGH!"

The voice cut through the chaos .

Coach Patterson's towering frame stepped between us, grabbing me by the collar and yanking me backward. Derek stood up, barely, and stumbled away, blood at the corner of his lip, swearing under his breath.

"What the hell is going on with you, Noah?" Coach barked, his face flushed with fury. "This is not you. This isn't how we handle things."

I tried to speak, but nothing came out. What could I say? That I was unraveling? That my life was one wrong move from total collapse?

He didn't wait for a reply. "Go home. Cool off."

I nodded, swallowing the pain in my throat.

"Go," he said again, quieter now. "And jog. Work that out of your system before you do something you can't take back."

So I ran.

I took off down the side road that curved away from school, past the stadium, the empty basketball courts, the echoing silence of late afternoon settling over the town like a blanket.

Each step pounded into the pavement, but it didn't dull the storm in my head.

That idiot talking about your Stacey, like she was some...

My blood boiled even more as I continued jogging. Just then my phone buzzed in my hand.

I didn't even need to look to know who it was. There's only one person that calls me at least three times a day, like clockwork: morning check-in, midday "I miss you," and now, her favorite: the pre-dinner excitement call.

I sighed and answered.

"Hey, Sophie," I said, flatly.

"Noah!" Her voice was all sugar and energy, way too much for the state I was in. "Are you almost home? I just finished helping Mom set everything up, and it looks so perfect.

"Dad's bringing that scout I told you about, remember? He's super close with one of the head guys at the Celtics. This is huge."

I closed my eyes and pressed my fingers to my temple. First my dad and now her .

"Yeah," I muttered. "You mentioned it."

She giggled like I'd just said something sweet. "I know, I'm just excited! It's not every day you get to impress someone that could literally change your whole life, right?"

My whole life. Right. That's what this was really about.

It was always about her dad and mine. The connections. The favors. The path to the NBA my father wanted to pave through dinner parties and pretend smiles

How much more of this can you take?

"I'll be there soon," I said, hoping she'd just hang up.

Instead, her voice softened. "You okay? You sound upset."

I hesitated. I always did when anyone asked that. Because I never really knew the real answer. "I'm good," I lied. "Just tired."

"Aww," she cooed, "well, dinner will wake you up. Don't be late. I saved the seat next to me."

Of course she did.

"Love you," she added.

I paused. Then I forced it out knowing my father must be there listening . "Love you too."

The second I hung up, I felt like I could breathe again. Not a full breath but just enough to keep moving.

Fuck!

I ran my fingers through my hair, I continued jogging.

Sophie was obsessed with me. That wasn't me being a brat; it was just the truth. She'd decided in junior year that we were a thing, and once she got her claws in, she never let go. I tried to end it once, tried to be honest, and told her I didn't feel the same way, but she didn't care .

Two days later, my dad sat me down and told me that Sophie's father is a big deal and could get me into the NBA. "She's good for you, Noah. Smart. Connected. Think about the future."

So I stopped fighting. I nodded. Smiled. Played the part.

And the worst part? Sophie knew. She knew I wasn't in love with her. She could see it every time I kissed her and flinched inside. But she didn't care. As long as I was hers in public, she could keep pretending.

And now, with her dad bringing in NBA scouts and dropping my name like a proud uncle?

I was completely locked in.

I must have been lost in thought because I accidentally bumped into someone.

"Oh, I am so sorry," I quickly apologized, stepping back a little to observe who I bumped into.

The lady was tall with blonde hair. She didn't look hurt or angry that I bumped into her; instead, she just stood there examining me.

"Agatha, nice to meet you," she introduced herself, extending her hands for a greeting.

"Uhm, sure, nice to meet you too. Excuse me." I was about to walk past her when she said something that made my heart sink.

"My, my, my, Stacey sure knows how to pick her man."

What did she just say!? Stacey? ... man? Picking!?

"Excuse me ?" She started walking towards me, every step so delicate and thought out.

"I'm just saying , you are definitely the full package, just maybe...... A little too young for me, though," she let out a small laugh.

"Who are you? And how do you know Stacey?!" She trailed her hands and was about to touch my abs when I stopped her, pushing her hand away.

"feisty,.... I like that"

Okay, who the fuck was this?

"Don't get too feisty. Let's just say I'm a friend of Stacey's."

"Okay... And what do you want from me?" Every inch of my body wishing I didn't ask that question.

"Just do as I say," she replied.

"And if I don't?" I threatened.

"Well, then we'll just see what the school thinks of Stacey Smith when they find out she's been fucking her student. Do you think she will lose her job?"

Fuck!

"Fine! Just tell me what you want."

A wide smile formed on her face. "Now we're talking."