Class Act: A Coach/Student Romance

I WAS IN THE middle of watching an episode of Spartacus when my phone rang and interrupted a scene of Nasir and Agron kissing. I wanted to ignore it, but I used the ringtone for Mandy, so I paused the television.

“Hey, Mandy. Are you almost here yet?”

She’d been at a cheerleading camp out of town, and they should have arrived back on the school campus at seven p.m. to get picked up by their parents. It was almost eight.

“I’m still at the school, Dad,” she said with a huff of breath.

“How come? Your mother said she would get you.”

“But she didn’t, and she’s not answering her phone either.”

Fucking hell.

Not again, Teresa.

Knowing how erratic her schedule was, I’d offered to pick Mandy up, but Teresa had gotten offended that I hadn’t even asked her. When I tried to explain she was often too busy to handle these minor tasks, she’d gotten real mad, saying I was calling her a terrible mother.

I’d stepped back and let her pick up our daughter.

After arguing so much about it, I would have at least expected her to ask me to get Mandy if she couldn’t make it.

“Are you alone?” I asked Mandy.

“No, Emery’s here with me, as well as Ms. Reid. She can’t leave until we’re all accounted for. This is embarrassing, Dad.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m on my way now. Hang in there.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

I turned off the television, grabbed my jacket and keys, and got into my car. On the way to the school, I called Teresa, but her phone went straight to voicemail. Damn. I hung up without leaving a message, too upset and afraid I would say things I’d end up regretting.

With the busy traffic, it took me almost half an hour to get to the school. Three distinct figures were in the parking lot. Emery and Mandy stood together, Emery’s arm around her shoulders. They both seemed fine. I parked and walked over to their coach.

“I’m sorry about this, Eva. I had no idea my wife hadn’t picked Mandy up.”

She waved a hand. “That’s all right. Just get them home. I’m sure you’ve dealt with your fair share of parents not picking their kids up after a game.”

I had, and it sucked. After an away game, I wanted to go home and relax, but instead I had to wait for parents who were late picking their kids up, and sometimes even forgot.

“I will. This won’t happen again. I’ll make sure of it.”

She got in her car and drove away. Mandy hurried toward me, dragging a reluctant-looking Emery along. I frowned. I hadn’t known Emery for long, but he didn’t seem like a shy person.

The boy hadn’t let my job stop him from sitting on my lap and seeking a hug. For whatever reason Mandy was pulling him with her, it was clear he was dead set against it.

“Dad, I’m so glad you came.” She dropped Emery’s hand and hugged me.

“Of course, honey.” I patted her head and released her.

“You shouldn’t have agreed to Mom picking me up. We both knew this would happen.”

“She insisted.”

Mandy rolled her eyes. “I need to ask you for a favor.”

“To drop Emery off? Sure thing.”

“Well, that, but at our place.”

Emery still wasn’t looking at me. “I told you it’s fine, Mandy,” he said softly.

“No, it’s not. I saw the bruise he put on you, Emery.”

My body tensed. “What are you talking about?”

“I told you that in confidence,” he said. “Not for you to tell your father about it.”

“An adult needs to know.”

“I’m legally an adult. I can take care of myself.”

Mandy stomped her feet and huffed loudly. “Why are you so stubborn? Why won’t you let me help you?”

“I didn’t ask for your help! I just wanted to vent.”

Emery stormed away and plopped down on the low wall that bordered the parking lot on one side.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“He needs help, Dad.” She sniffled.

I placed my hands on her shoulders. “Why don’t we start with what happened?”

She’d mentioned a bruise, so I could already figure out where this was heading, but I needed specifics of what Emery supposedly had done that was so wrong for his father to hit him again.

“At camp, I noticed Emery was having trouble with simple routines that he’s usually great at. At one point, he almost passed out, and I didn’t buy his excuse that it was because he hadn’t eaten. I finally forced the truth out of him, and he told me his dad had forbidden him to attend camp. They got into a huge fight when he was leaving, and his dad kicked him several times in the ribs. I couldn’t get Emery to tell Ms. Reid the truth, but I think he needs to go to a hospital.”

I ground my teeth at the mental image of Emery’s father kicking him. The man was so much bigger than his son, and if our last confrontation was anything to go by, he would hold nothing back when attacking his own flesh and blood.

“Please, do something, Dad.” Mandy grabbed my arm. “Can’t he stay the rest of the weekend with us?”

“A weekend won’t solve what Emery’s going through.”

“But isn’t it a start? He’s my best friend, Dad. I won’t stop until I get him help. I’m afraid one of these days his father will go too far and Emery won’t be around anymore.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks.

“Get in the car.” I gave her a little nudge. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Thank you.”

As Mandy walked to the car, I made my way over to Emery.

“It’s none of your business,” he said.

“How do you figure? By law, I’m required to report any suspected abuse of a student.”

He scoffed. “If that’s the reason you’d report it, don’t bother. I’m an adult anyway. There’s not much CPS can do for me, so I’m on my own.”

“You’re not on your own. Mandy cares about you.”

“Do you?”

I sucked in a deep breath. “Emery.”

“You shouldn’t get involved, Coach.” He dropped his voice. “It’s a terrible idea.”

“Like it or not, I’m already involved. I can’t stand aside and let him continue to abuse you.”

“What can you do about it?”

“Make sure he never touches you again.”

He laughed, but the sound cut off with a grunt of pain, and he gripped his side. “You have Mandy. Please go.”

“I’m not leaving you here. From the looks of you, we need to get you to a hospital so they can check up on your ribs.”

“My ribs are fine.”

“Let the doctors be the judge of that. Now come with me, so I can take you to the emergency room.”

“Then will you leave me alone?”

“Then you’ll stay with us for tonight and tomorrow just like Mandy suggested.”

He shook his head. “I can’t.”

“And why the hell not?”

Our eyes connected, and Emery caught his bottom lip between his teeth. “You know.”

If only I could say I didn’t know a damn thing.

“I’m just a concerned teacher, helping my daughter’s best friend.”

“Good for you.” He frowned. “And I’m just a boy who’s never been loved before, and I think you could love me the way I want to be.”

I froze, shock rooting my feet in place. Neither of us was stupid enough to deny the sexual undercurrent between us, but I sure as hell wouldn’t have mentioned it. I was an adult with a sense of right and wrong, and what he was suggesting was wrong on so many levels.

I never expected Emery to be this bold.

Emery pushed off the wall, but he stumbled, hissing in pain. I caught him as gently as I could to not hurt him any more than he already was.

“Emery, are you okay?”

He breathed in slowly. “My ribs hurt so much.”

“Fuck. I’m taking you to the hospital.”

I wanted to carry Emery in my arms, but Mandy was watching us, so I slung my arm over his shoulders to support him and led him back to the car. I helped him in, then threw both his and Mandy’s bags into the trunk.

“Mandy, I’ll drop you off at home first.” I slid my seat belt into place. “I’m not sure how long it’ll take us at the ER, so that might be best. Try to reach your mom and let her know I’ve picked you up.”

“Okay, Dad.”

I glanced in the rearview mirror. Emery sat with his head on Mandy’s shoulder, his eyes closed. He looked so pale. How much pain must he have been in over the past twenty-four hours? That piece of shit father of his needed someone his own size to teach him a lesson.

After dropping Mandy off at home and promising to take care of Emery, I drove to the hospital. When he didn’t protest me helping him out of the car and into the ER, I knew he was more hurt than he’d let on.

“Emery Cannon.” The nurse at the front desk where we had to register recognized him. She shook her head and tutted. “Still getting that pretty face of yours into fights? I thought you were done with the emergency room after the last time.”

Was that what he’d told everyone? That he got into fights?

He smiled at the nurse. “Trouble just always finds me, Nurse Gayle.”

“You’ve never brought a family member before.”

“I needed some help this time.” Emery took the form from her. “Thank you.”

We found seats in the waiting room, half-filled with patients, and Emery filled out the form.

“How long?” I asked.

“Huh?”

“How long has he been hitting you?”

Emery shrugged. “All my life, I guess. He’s always been a tough father, but it was usually a slap here and there—not very serious. It got worse when I came out. My dad doesn’t want to have a gay son and especially not one he considers a sissy. If I was a masc gay, he probably would’ve dealt with it better. Probably.”

When he was finished filling out the form, I brought it back to the nurse for him. Then we had to wait. Emery’s head tipped over onto my shoulder, but I let him. He looked so peaceful and young, leaning against me like that.

When his name was announced, I had to shake him awake.

“The doctor’s ready for you.”

“Oh.” He stretched, and a groan of pain left him, but when I tried to help him up, he pushed my hand away. “I’m okay.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to ask him if I could go in with him, but it wasn’t my place. I was just here as the father of a friend. It didn’t stop me from worrying, though, and thinking about everything else in the world except those words Emery had spoken.

I’m just a boy who’s never been loved before, and I think you could love me the way I want to be.

My phone vibrated, but when Teresa’s name popped up on the screen, I let it ring off. I wasn’t in the mood to listen to her bullshit excuse for leaving our daughter stranded at school after insisting she would pick Mandy up.

A doctor entered the waiting area and spoke to the nurse. He glanced over at me, said something to the nurse, then came over with a hand outstretched.

“Mr. Cooper, I’m Dr. Luck.”

I shook his hand hesitantly. Why was he talking to me?

“Is this about Emery?”

“Yes. He’s updated his emergency contact to include you, so I figured I’d reassure you that there’s no lasting damage. None of his ribs are broken, but they’ve been severely bruised by blunt force trauma. He’s going to require rest for at least two weeks. That means no engaging in activities that will put a strain on him. To make it clear, no sex.”

My face burned. What the hell had Emery told this doctor?

“And more importantly, he needs to avoid more trauma to that area of his body, especially in the near future. If he has any shortness of breath or if he’s coughing up blood, he needs to return to the ER immediately.”

I nodded. “Understood. Thank you.”

Emery came walking toward us. He didn’t hunch over as he had before. I guessed the pain had eased.

“Don’t forget to fill that prescription for the pain, young man,” the doctor said to him. “The injection I gave you will eventually wear off, and those pills will help you feel more comfortable.”

The doctor strolled away, and Emery shoved the prescription into his pocket.

“Give it to me.” I held out my hand.

“Why? I can handle the pain. I’m not going to waste my money on painkillers.”

“Do you always argue when you’re told to do something?”

“It’s been a while since I’ve had a reason to be good.” He smirked but dug into his jeans pocket, took out the paper, and handed it to me.

“Let’s go.”