Chapter 28

|| Ares's POV ||

The rain was dripping hard, strong enough to wet my thick clothes. We were running around the field together just a while ago. Everyone was gone to rest except me who was asked to finish 15 times today.

Fuck! Coach Jonathan was getting hard on me every single day!

Nobody could talk back against his decision. Since he was the coach and everything happened inside the club, it all depended on him. But I knew the grudges that he held for me. His pure hatred in his eyes when he counted my runs. He was this cold to me from the beginning. No matter how many times I completed my finishing lines, his attitude level didn't seem to change a bit. I had always been this asshole in his eyes.

Ethan watched me worryingly from the grass. He didn't go back to the restroom even though it was raining hard. He was drenching so was I but it was just me who was running like a dog under the rain.

I didn't hear from Kevin yet but I trusted the guy. I believe that he was doing everything to get information about Coach Jonathan from his youngest daughter. The fact that I suggested Kevin flirt with his youngest daughter was simple. She was only 16, attending high school someone who could be easily manipulated by a guy's flirt. I bet that Kevin was good at it. He had broken so many hearts, probably more than mine. He was too good at sweet talking.

" Faster, Thacher!", Coach Jonathan yelled glaring at my speed. I let out a growl deep inside my chest before running faster than before. Something wasn't feeling okay today. Although I continued running, my knees felt weak often. Muscles weren't willing to work harder but Coach Jonathan wasn't a man to show mercy on me.

Determination boiled within me and the thought of Finn made my jaw clench hard in anger. He was the reason behind my downfall and I vowed that I was going to make him regret doing this to me. Letting out another animalistic growl, I speeded on my motion faster and was running around like a horse without pausing anywhere.

I guess, I ignored everything inside my head when I started the run. That's when I realized that my eyes were getting blurry somewhere. Before I could even register what happened, darkness blocked my vision and I ended up, feeling the wet grass down there. Only the faint voice from Ethan reached my ears before passing out.

|| Savannah's POV ||

The rain was hitting harder against the glass. I had a sudden nostalgic feeling after peering outside. The smoke-covered glass walls, the sound of raindrops, everything went along with a perfect rhythm. The weather felt chilly and luckily, I had put on thick clothes. It kept me warm and my vision was lost in those raindrops.

After lectures, I went by to buy some books from the local store. My obsession with books will never end and finally, I stopped controlling myself. A sudden ring from my cellphone broke my nostalgic moment. It was an unknown number, calling at this hour. After a moment of hesitation, I pressed the answer button to hear a voice, full of hesitation,

" Savannah... Savannah Yardley?"

" Yes, please! Who is it?", I replied, unaware of the identity of this man.

" It's Ethan Allen from PK. I called Aria first but she wasn't picking up my phone. I call you to inform you that Ares is admitted to the hospital. Can you come? I found your number in his dial list.", the boy called Ethan Allen replied, turning every tune around me.

Ares was in hospital but how? Didn't he go to the practice session?

I managed to speak through my breathless suture,

" Just send me the location, and I will be there."

My heart was racing so fast that I could barely breathe. It hurt too much to know that Ares was in danger. I didn't even bother to ask what happened exactly. He seemed fine today and the image of an evil-grinned Finn haunted my memories.

Sitting up numbly, I ran for the doorway, hearing Mr.Thomas yelling behind me,

" Savannah, it's raining. You can wait."

" Later, Mr. Thomas!", I yelled back, ignoring the rain, dripping over my body. Mr.Thomas was in charge of this bookstore. As I spent hours selecting books, we became pretty close while talking. Besides, he seemed like a nice man.

Ignoring the rain, I jumped into my car to start the engine. I wasn't a woman with virtues but I was praying silently all the ride back to the hospital.

Please stay safe, Ares! Please, Please!

_______

Fuck! That was a long ride!

It did take two hours for me to arrive at the hospital. Because of this unexpected rainfall, a few roads were blocked from passing vehicles. I had to wait in line to cross the bridge. But at least, Ares wasn't left alone in this hospital like an abandoned child.

The outside of the hospital was nearly empty except few ambulances parking under the rain. I didn't see anyone familiar around so far. Parking the car on one side, I jumped down to run into the hospital, getting soaked for the second time, under the rain.

Reaching the reception, I asked between my pants,

" Ares Thatcher, is he here admitted?"

The receptionist looked up at me with a slight frown. I assumed that I was looking like a mess. My curls were heavily soaked, sticking against my forehead messily. I bet that the light mascara, I used was now staining all over my face. She parted her lips to say something when another voice pulled my attention back,

" Savannah?"

I looked behind and saw a boy of Ares's age running towards me. He smiled in relief and spoke quickly,

" I am Ethan. Ares is already admitted to the VIP room. We were waiting for his family member. You know, the hospital needs a signature from the guardian."

I nodded quickly and replied quickly,

" I am aware. Just tell me where to sign! How is he doing now? How did it all happen?"

Ethan seemed a bit bothered by my questions. Looking back to forth, he spoke nervously,

" I will tell you later but first, you need to sign those papers."

I agreed and quickly asked for those required papers. After signing my name quickly, I questioned Ethan again who was leading me toward Ares's cabin,

" What happened to him? Now tell me!"

Ethan replied to my question patiently, holding a hint of anger in his voice,

" Ares fainted while wrestling around the field through the rain. The doctor said that he got flue and was dehydrated from running for hours."

" What?", I blurted, my anger returning with full force. I couldn't believe that someone was so persistent to see his downfall.

Why was he asked to run in the rain for a long time?

I retorted again with a tight frown,

" How can he run at this stage? Doesn't he care about his health? No wonder! He fainted!"

Ethan shook his head, narrowing his eyes somewhere in distance,

" Don't blame him! It was Coach Jonathan who asked him to run without break. Naturally, we take breaks and reactive our energy with drinks. But for Ares, he told him to not stop at any cost."

Coach Jonathan! That dick head!

Anger was coursing through my veins madly. I knew who was behind all of this, Finn and his baseless logic! I couldn't understand how was I blind to falling in love with him.

It didn't take a while for Coach Jonathan to appear in our sight. His white-bearded face remained cold and unapproachable as if he wasn't even slightly guilty for giving Ares this harsh training. He spoke eyeing down at me,

" You must be his girlfriend?"

" I am!", I replied without showing any politeness. He hummed softly, crossed his arms behind his back to speak casually,

" He is too weak. He fainted after a few runs. Bring him home. If he doesn't recover, ask him to not PK anymore."

That's it!

He gave his rude response before walking off as if nothing happened there. But I wasn't going to let him off easily. He had gone too far this time and ended up sending Ares to the hospital. I had to warn him seriously this time.

" Mr.Jonathan!", My lips parted before I could even pull my thoughts together. He paused in his track briefly and sent a strange glare at me.

Inhaling sharp breath, I walked down to him and stopped facing him before asking,

" For how long do you know Finn?"

His expression deadpanned and I was the anger lurking behind his cold eyes. His voice laced out coldly,

" What do you mean?"

I sucked a deep breath to speak again,

" I knew him for 3 years. Yet, he cheated behind my back with my own best friend without telling me. Even during those years, I didn't even have a bit of an idea that they were backstabbing me. I guess, you don't even know him for a year. How can you trust his words so easily?"

Coach Jonathan didn't seem pleased with my words but there was guilt, morphing into his expression. Indeed, he had a weak spot for Finn but that didn't give him the audacity of bullying Ares. Both were his students now and he was supposed to treat them equally.

Although his expression screamed vulnerability, he used his rude tone to suppress my truth,

" What are you hinting, gal? Did I push hard Ares on purpose? Do you even know how this training works? He was weak."

I retorted back, taking another sharp breath to control my words,

" You already know what have you done exactly. I just want to remind you that Don't trust Finn blindly like me. Ares is strong enough to recover fast but you did wrong to him. If this happens again, I don't care who you are but I am going to take an action against you and your favorite player. Then you will know who is being selfish here."

I trotted back on my sneakers without sparing any glance at him. Ethan watched me with his jaw-dropping nearly and let out a chuckle. He commented coming to my side,

" Damn! You impressed me too much."

I laughed softly and tugged on my wet hair to fix them numbly. Ethan spoke between our walk to Ares's cabin,

" Shit! I forgot to tell you that Ares needs to eat some healthy food. Would you like to bring some for him inside?"

I froze in my track, muttering a curse silently. He was sick now and definitely, his body required nutrition. I was so mad at venting my anger at Coach Jonathan that I skipped the main issue. Turning around hastily, I replied to Ethan before heading for the cafeteria,

" I will be right back, Ethan. Please stay outside of Ares's cabin until I return!"

Minutes later, I bought plain soup from the hospital's cafeteria. It was still hot but again, I had to stand in the queue to get the food. Nothing was happening right today except the rain that continued consistently. Hoping that Ares was feeling better now, I headed back to the way where I left Ethan. He stood up, interrupting me to enter Ares's cabin abruptly,

" Savannah...I think..you can go later.."

I narrowed my eyes at him,

" Why?"

He opened and closed his mouth to say something that sparked my curiosity. Sighing heavily, he mumbled looking down,

" Nothing...I was just saying.."

Ignoring his words, I pushed the door open to enter his cabin, only to be halted within seconds. My heart sank deeper when I saw someone feeding him. As soon as they looked over me, I turned my head down to see the hurt in my eyes. Using my casual voice, I mumbled before taking a step backward,

" I am sorry. I didn't know that I am no longer required here anymore."