Chapter 12
“Franklin. Come with me.”
Chase followed the coach to his office, wondering if he should take this chance to talk to him. Logan had been quiet for a few days, but everyone on the team was starting to get tense. There was an angry energy in the quarterback that hadn’t been there before and they all sensed that the balance of power had shifted now that people were learning the truth about Claire. But Claire still didn’t want to say anything and Chase knew that it had to be her decision.
“I’ve been talking to Meg Porter,” Coach Davis said, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. “She couldn’t be here, but she wanted me to give you some news.”
Chase nodded. He’d almost forgotten about his grade in math with everything else that had happened. Claire said he was doing better, and he’d taken a makeup test yesterday that he’d actually felt pretty confident about.
“I don’t see the need to leave you on pins and needles,” the coach said, pushing the test across the desk. “You got a B. Keep it up and you’ll pass the class with no problem.”
Chase grinned. “Thanks. Claire’s going to freak out!”
“I’d think it would mean a little more to you than to her,” Coach Davis said dryly.
“She’s pretty dedicated,” Chase said.
“Seems like things worked out between you two.”
Chase remembered the day before, tangled in the sheets with her underneath him. “Uh, yeah. We’re good now.”
“And you and Logan aren’t.”
“No, not so much.”
“Anything you think I need to know?”
Chase debated. “I...maybe. But it’s not really my story to tell.”
“My door’s open if you decide to make it yours.”
“Thanks.” Chase stood and looked at the B on the top of his paper. “And thanks for this too.”
He knew just where he was headed with the news.
****
Claire looked over the test Chase had brought her. “I cannot believe this.”
“I know.”
She squealed and launched herself into his arms. “You got a B!”
He wrapped her up tightly and spun her around. “We got a B,” he corrected when he put her down. “And I’m thinking that we could--”
He stopped speaking when the front door slammed. Claire looked toward it and saw Ellie walk in. Her head was down as she locked the door quickly.
“Ellie?”
Ellie jumped and spun around. “What?” she demanded, her voice thick.
“Are you okay?” Chase asked.
“Sure, I’m fine.”
Ellie’s voice broke on the last word.
“Were you out with Logan?” Claire asked.
Ellie nodded. Then she burst into tears and threw herself into Claire’s arms. “I’m so sorry, Claire!” she gasped out.
Claire cast Chase a worried glance over the other girl’s shoulder as she patted Ellie’s back. “Tell us what happened, okay?”
“He got really mad at me,” she said. “And he said all these horrible things about me being desperate and how I’d never measure up to you no matter how hard I tried. I wanted to leave, but he...he...grabbed me and...” Her breath hitched in on a sob and when she moved to cover her face with her hands, Chase saw red marks on her upper arms. They’d be dark in the morning.
“Did he hit you?” he asked.
Ellie shook her head. “No, someone came in and he let me go. And then I...I just ran.”
“You did the right thing,” Claire said. “It only would have gotten worse when you were alone again.”
“Claire,” Chase said quietly. “I think that this has gone far enough.”
She nodded, her eyes wide with fear but her jaw set determinedly. “Ellie...I’m going to talk to Coach Davis about Logan. Will you go with me?”
Ellie wiped her tears away, already shaking her head.
“I know it’s going to be scary and I know it feels wrong...but we’ve got to do this.” Claire looked down at Ellie’s arms. “If I’d done it before, you might not have these bruises.”
Chase pulled out his phone and sent a text to his coach. “Can I tell you that story now?”
The reply came pretty quickly. “My office.”
****
Coach Davis looked a little surprised when Chase walked in with Claire and Ellie. Ellie was still obviously holding back tears.
“Have a seat ladies,” he said.
Claire sat and Ellie reached over and gripped her hand. “I...I’m not sure where to start,” Claire said.
“Can I?” Chase asked. “You jump in whenever you feel good about it.”
She nodded, looking relieved.
“Claire and Logan dated last year,” Chase said, telling Coach Davis everything Claire had told him. “When she broke it off after he started pushing her around, he started harassing her,” he finished. “And he really hasn’t stopped.”
Coach Davis looked at Claire.
“I have all of the text messages he’s sent,” she said. “And the voicemails he’s left.”
“I’m going to need to see those,” Coach Davis said. Then he looked at Ellie. “And this young lady?”
“She started dating Logan a few weeks ago,” Claire said when Ellie only shook her head. “Tonight he got physical with her. Will you show him?”
Ellie pulled off her cardigan, showing the rapidly darkening bruises on her upper arms. Coach Davis’s face turned even more grim.
“We’re going to have to make an official report,” he said, standing up. “Stay here while I get everything together.”
“But...but what about the team?” Ellie asked.
Coach Davis stopped and looked at both girls. “I don’t say this a lot,” he said. “But there are things more important than football. And on second thought, young lady, you come with me. I’d like to get you looked at, just in case.”
When he and Ellie were gone, Claire stood and went into Chase’s arms. He rocked her back and forth, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.
“What do you think they’ll do?” she asked.
“I don’t know,” he said honestly. “But I’m proud of you, Claire.”
“Me?” she gave a shaky laugh. “I couldn’t even tell him what happened to me.”
“No,” Chase agreed. “But you told him about Ellie. You got her to come here.” He tilted her chin up. “You can be strong for other people, because I’m always gonna be strong for you.”
Claire thought that kissing him in the coach’s office while they waited to file official paperwork against her ex might not be the best thing to do, but when her lips met his, she knew it was exactly the right thing to do. No matter what happened with Logan, it wasn’t her fault and Chase had shown her that.
She did everything she could to express her gratitude in the kiss they shared and he cupped the back of her neck, keeping her close against him. Letting her know that she was safe with him and she always would be, no matter what came next.