Trust No one

"You here. Sit now." A guy gestures to the empty seat beside him. Well that's one way to make friends, I guess. I look around, for an escape or something, but I realize I have nothing else to do today so Why not?

I take the spot on the bleachers next to him, unwrapping the lunch my girlfriend made for me. We sit in awkward silence as, he too, pulls out a foil covered sandwich. He doesn't really look down at it, he's looking off in the distance in the direction of my other teammates as they bid the coach goodbye. Once the men are out of earshot, he starts talking, "Your girlfriend is that small girl with the black hair right?"

Mid-bite, I answer "Yeah, she's picking me up in a while." Swallowing, I ask, "Why do you want to know?"

Judging by his clothes alone, a black jacket paired with a white tee- shirt underneath, I can see that this guy is longing to be a cool guy of some sort. He has a mysterious air around him as he usually sits in the bleachers for our practice session, never taking part. I just thought he was someone's ride home.

"You know Coach Stevenson?" He points to the greying man in his 30s holding a clipboard.

"Yeah... cause he's my coach."

"I mean personally, Eric." He rolls his eyes.

"No,"

"Then you better call someone else to pick you up cause he's going to steal your girlfriend." He states nonchalantly.

I almost choke, half laughing at the ridiculous thought. "That?" I point to him like he's a pile of decaying fruit. "No offence... stranger person... I really doubt that." I point, "could beat this." I flex my arm to which he replies with a serious stare.

"You just better hope that he doesn't get her number."

Lowering my arm, I enquire, "Why?"

"That's how it starts." He looks down at his sandwich, "He finds an excuse her number in his phone, they start talking, he starts making moves. She sees that he's older, more experienced and she eventually dumps you."

"Look... Your girlfriend may have fallen for that but my girl is different."

"Do I look like I keep one girl around?"

"Maybe in a sitcom." I joke covering it up with a cough.

"I bet he'll nab your girlfriend in two days if and when he gets her number today." He states in a matter of fact tone.

"Alright, I will give you 50 dollars if-"

"You're so stupid." He scoffs, "Don't bet on it, you have to stop it. I wish someone warned me about him."

I take a glance at the coach who is checking his reflection in the kind of portable little mirrors that girls carry around in their purses.

The stranger continues, "Have you done anything this week that your girlfriend would be mad about?"

I think for a moment, "No, there's nothing. I even baked her some cake this week."

"Yep. You're single. Now she thinks you're the perfect boyfriend and doesn't really want long term commitment cause you're both 18." He spits out. "She might want to travel or something in the future."

I could give him the traveling thing. My girl has her hopes set on moving to a Caribbean island to learn marine biology in dolphins I think.

"She wouldn't."

"Well we'll see then." He leans back, watching as a green car enters through the gate and slides into the parking lot. All cars park behind the bleacher so that flying equipment won't cause law suits.

I start packing up my half eaten lunch, when I notice the coach moving towards the parking lot. The stranger shrugs and shoots me one last nonchalant look before I take off.

Walking around, I see that the coach is nearing her car. She gets out and saying a quick 'Hello' as she brushes past him to get to the washroom.

Steadying my pace, I casually walk towards Mr. Stevenson. As he turns around, his eyes widen like I've startled him. It goes away in a flash second as he stops me, "Hey I need to talk to you." He opens a door next to the washroom doors and I follow him into the little office.

"You have to work on your running. You have strength but not agility so I want you to run more. Maybe do some laps on an evening and time yourself." Mr. Stevenson tells me as he opens a little drawer and slides his clipboard in it,

"Ok Coach... Anything else?" I ask.

"Yea, that's it so far." He locks the little drawer with one of the keys from the bundle that he carries around.

"So I can go now?"

"Sure. By the way you guys have practice Friday with Mr. Johns."

I head to the car, tossing my backpack in the backseat. A few moments later, she walks out of the restroom. She's wearing a long sleeved crop top and high waisted denim jeans which cleverly covers her stomach. As we lock eyes, her gaze is averted as the coach calls out my name.

"Oh and Eric!" He sees my girl, "Hello."

She greets him, "Hi."

"Hi" I discretely block his view. Sure, Discretely... I almost fell out of the car rushing to get here.

"Can you just run and pick up something. I think you left some equipment lying around."

"I picked them up." I tell him.

"Oh. Would you go check?"

Hm.

"Sure." I look at my girl. "You want to come with me? It's a nice little walk."

She thinks for a moment, "Hmm. Nah, I'll wait in the car."

I can't help but remember that she used to jump at the chance to see me. I mentally shake off the doubts I was having, 'Come on, I should trust her. I mean I had no reason to doubt her... before.'

Reluctantly, I move out of view.

---

Girlfriend's POV

I about to enter the car when Eric's coach starts with some small talk. He's looks forty-ish. He has a small patch of grey hair in a cluster. I almost snort as I realize he's sort of like a Mr. Sheffield wanna be in track pants.

"You look familiar. Are you Mr. Smith's daughter?" He starts.

"Yeah." I reply and then I realize I've seen him around my house during a recent party.

"I think I've been in your room before."

I flashback to when I was sneaking into the guest room for the laptop I left there. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking startled as I burst in.

"That was the guest room. Did you drink too much?" I joke, knowing my parent's hate for alcohol.

"Yeah. Their fruit juice really knocked me out." He smirks. "Actually I had a headache that night. But I'll be well and able for Friday night."

I see Eric over his shoulder nearing us, he looks pretty tired. More tired than usual, I guess that's what athletes have to deal with.

The coach excuses himself, telling us he needs to go lock up when Eric comes back with some cricket gear. Weird, cause they were playing football but I don't really care about sports unless Eric is there.

He questions me a bit about Mr. Stevenson and I's conversation to which I shrug off, it's not that important. Growing up as a teacher's kid, you get to talk to a lot of teachers out of the school setting. And college as well. Honestly, it's like talking to an aunt/uncle or a friend but it really depends on the teacher.

---

Friday

I can hear the laughing and chattering from the party in full swing all the way to my bedroom. I'm sitting on my bed, the covers pulled up to my waist as I'm typing on the laptop resting on my thighs. We are allowed to join the gathering if we want to but I had planned months in advance to sit and watch the ending of a series.

I weighed the differences, Be guilted by my parents to do last minute performance on the piano just cause I'm there or Watch Three's Company for the 3rd time?

I'll go with less stress on this one.

There's a knock on the door. Someone calls 'Is anyone in here?' I pluck my ear phone out, shimmying out of the comfort to tell them where the washroom is cause they usually come a knocking for that reason.

"Hey, the... Oh Hi Mr. Stevenson." I greet him, widening the door's entrance.

"Hey you,"

He's wearing a white fitted button up with black pants. This sort of annoys me because I wish I could wear a suit but everyone is always saying how unlady like it is.

"What's up?" I ask.

"Nothing really. Actually looking for you." He confesses, "Your parents are busy entertaining and my usual crew isn't here. So I'm quite bored." He looks me up and down which makes me feel underdressed in my own home. "You're comfortable." He notes.

"Yeah. I didn't plan on company, I planned on Three's company." I cringe as the words leave my mouth.

"Aren't you're a little too young for that show."

SOMEONE FINALLY GOT MY REFERENCE. OH wait, that means Hell is freezing over... damn.

"I'll appreciate my youth but at the same time, No I'm not." I feel an argument coming on.

"Just an observation and judging by your tee-shirt, you like rock and punk music." He motions to the 'Bowling for soup' imprint.

"Ah. A man of culture." I comment. "Rare."

I hear the vibration of my phone on my desk so I go to check it. I'm awaiting an 'I'm home' message from my boyfriend. I keep talking to Mr. Stevenson as I cross the room. He enters and looks around.

I send back a text to which he replies 'Are you mad at me'

I'm confused by this, sending a quick 'No' and returning to the guest in my room.

"Problem?" I ask Mr. Stevenson watching the one huge teddy that sits at the bed head.

"Cute room." he comments.

I walk over to the door, widening it to its max and chunking the underneath with a little shell I got from the beach. I've thrown it down so much, I swear it never breaks.

"Didn't mean for it to be cute but I don't feel like repainting the pink walls."

"Ah understandable. Forgive me for asking this but What is your name?"

"As long as you tell me what's yours. Unless your complete name is Mr. Stevenson."

"It's Bob."

"Laura, and you don't look like a Bob, you look like a Parker." I observe his facial features.

"Well it's Robert but my mom calls me Bob."

"I'll go with Rob."

We talk a little more before he decides to leave. Just as he's about to exit, he fishes his phone out of his pocket and asks for my number.

---

Eric's POV

I wonder why Laura is not answering. She usually texts back in the blink of an eye. Anyway I'm on my way to her house, I wouldn't have come but her mom called asking if I was busy and to pick up some Ice. This should be a nice surprise for her.

Few minutes later, I've dropped off the Ice and I'm heading straight to Laura's room just to say Hi when I see my coach in her room.

She's handing him a phone.

It's like she stabbed me in the chest. I look at Mr. Stevenson, he mumbles a greeting and walks past me then I look at Laura.

She's wearing long pants and her BFS tee-shirt. It's way too short on her. I can see a slither of skin appear as she moves.

"Bye Rob." She waves after him.

Rob? Stupid name.

"He knows the party is outside right?" I grumble.

"Yeah he was just waiting on his friends to come. Said he was bored." She explains, as she wraps her arms around my torso.

"He could be bored elsewhere."

"Jealous?" She grins up at me.

"I gotta go." I shrug that off. "I came from practice a while ago and I'm tired."

"Ok." She frowns, not losing her grip.

Her dad passes by the door, glancing in. He retracts to stand in the middle of the doorway holding a tray of food. "SCONES?" He offers loudly, making me almost jump out of my skin as we let go of each other.

"I'm leaving." I tell her as I walk to the door.

Her phone beeps as I exit alongside her dad. I hear a giggle, unable to contain myself, I walk back to her door and ask, "Who is that?"

"Rob."

"What's funny?"

"It's a reference, I don't think you'll get it." She smiles, showing me her phone. Yeah I don't get it.

"I thought you were leaving." Her dad reminds me. I forgot he was there.

---

Riddled with insecurity for a day, I exploded. I remember what the guy told me on the bleachers. Two days.

She hadn't texted more than two words to me the entire day.

Concerned, I rush over to her house again and ripped the phone from her hands.

This caused a fight, everything they texted translated in my head to words that were full of lust and flirtation. Eventually leading us to break up.

After a few weeks, I see Laura with the stranger on the bleachers deep in conversation. They eventually leave in the same car along with the coach.

What do you think happened?