Aloe Hasting has been having a difficult time adjusting to the new college year. Just over three months starting her sophomore year she hasn't been really into any of her classes, not paying attention, coming late and performing poorly on test. Even her friends are starting to become concerned, because they know this is completely out of character for Aloe. She is the girl that always knows everyone's schedule including her own, hands in work on time if not early, and passes test with a breeze. Even the only thing that can get Aloe out of her bed on an early Saturday morning is soccer practice. Being on the green turf with most of her closest friends, working together to accomplish a unified goal. Something about the way her heart beats against her rib cage trying to escape is confinement to burst out and be free. The way her blood boils through her veins feeling the pulsating in every aspect of be petit frame just wasn't going it for Aloe lately. Everything from the game to the cool afternoon sun which she use to take every chance she had to soak it up as much as possible was just now a dull shade of grey, the cheap bland of vanilla ice cream.
"Darling you're sounding dreadful. Maybe you should come home and take classes at the local university. I'm terribly worried about you." Her mother's voice was drenched with concern and motherly warmth. As much as Aloe loved her parents more then she thinks the normal child loves their parents, the last thing she needs is to go home and stuck back in that one shade of tan town.
"Ace! Where's your head? 'Cus it sure aint here." He coach barked from the sidelines during a scrimmage. She use to glow with acceptance and glory from that nickname. She was the first freshman to make the varsity in the last thirty years and at the same time scored the most goals then the entire team put together. But now the name was mocking her, sarcastic. Saying how she lost her touch how she couldn't and wont be as good as then. It wasn't only at matter of time before she was kicked off the team. Losing everything that she cared and worked so hard for.
Another month passed in Aloe's life. Her friends didn't both to call to ask her out anymore, she wasn't starting during any of her games, and barely holding on to a miserable C average by her fingernails. Days came and went with a fog and haze all the days blurring into each other until a certain soccer practice.
The team after a hard run, sweaty and panting was circled up looking at coach and a stranger standing next to him. As they discussed something in hushed whispers the girls started to whisper of their own.
"Hottie with a Body with there."
"He looks intimidating."
"How old do you think he is? Late thirties?"
"Do you think he could be or trainer? We haven't gotten one yet this season."
"Who is he?"
The questions wafted around Aloe and all of them where the exact ones she was asking. This man was the exact opposite of their coach. He was tall, easy six foot and some change, with broad shoulder like he could care the world without a struggle. Lean, cut and healthy, you could see he cared about his body, no love handles like coach. A face with sharp defined features, screaming he likes rules and regulations and expects everyone to follow them.
The moment that this man and coach stopped talking coach turned mouth open to quite us but was beaten by just the look the man gave, half on his accord and half on our own waiting for an explanation about why he was here.
"Well that never happened before." Coach muttered beneath his breath.
"Girls this is Mr. Ross. He will be your new coach until further notice."
Immediately we were in an uproar. We loved Coach Samuels. He was like out father away from home. He was more then just our soccer coach.
"Coach!" We were unified.
" How can you leave us?" one girl yelled.
"And not even tell us before you bring someone else comes?" our anger was high and coach was feeling it.
"Seriously coach what the fuck?" yelled Kelly who was always getting yelled at by coach for her mouth.
Coach opened his mouth but was beaten again by the man.
"Now girls..." two simple words got us quite and had our attention. Something in his voice strong without being loud and filled with authority. Only someone very brave or foolish would object to a voice like his.
"I know that you girls are feeling quite upset about the sudden change but please know that I am not here to change things or to erase the bond that is so strong between you girls and between you and your coach. I am simply here to help a fellow long time friend while he tends to his mother. Who is sadly very ill."
Kelly the first, like usual, with the big mouth. "Oh my god Coach! Mama Sam is sick? Why didn't you tell us we would have made cookies or something for her. We understand completely know."
Kelly spoke for the team when saying that we understand because we did. Coach's mother was part of our teams as anyone else. She was there to every game bringing us extra water bottles and snacks for after the game. She was the one we went to if we had a problem because coach was too feminine sensitive.
"Thank you girls. I'm sorry. I see my mistake in all of this. I should have told you girls early, thinking I was protecting you guys from unimportant stuff but now I see that its just as important to you as it is to me. But please be good in my absent. Mr. Ross is an exceptional coach and a very dear friend. So be good, listen to directions, and Kelly watch your mouth. I truly believe with his guidance you girl have a very good shot winning the championship. Now come here and give me a hug because I have to go."
All the girls let out a girly wail flooding towards coach, everyone wrapping an arm around the close person to her. We all watched him cross the field yelling and screeching things like "call us with updates" and "come visit". Then he was gone leaving us with a stranger.
"Ok girls, first call me Micah. Quick simple rules, I have low tolerance for anything less then 100% effort at every practice or game. If you don't feel like practicing don't come and don't bother showing up to the game either because you won't play. I'm simple, do what I say and do it right and we won't have a problem."
His 'no shit' attitude was shocking to us. We weren't use to someone who actually wanted us to be so serious. Our old coach just wanted us to show up and complete a couple drills to keep us in shape. We did so well in games basically on our talents and our fundamental teamwork.
"Now lets start off with a scrimmage. Skins vs. shirts." With that he didn't hesitate to yank off his own revealing a thing of pure perfect. His chest, stomach, arms were all too much for the girls. There where more then just Aloe's gasp taking in the wonderful sight.
"OMG, does this mean he's playing WITH us?"
"Holy hell do you see him. For an old guy he is fn ripped."
"Wait I have to take off my shirt or my shirt and bra? Because I so don't mind getting a little physical with him topless." Said Kelly as we all laugh and starting separating into teams.
Aloe being a forward and Micah being a defender she had no choice to come get more then a little close to him trying to score a goal even though her mind couldn't any further the getting a point for her team. Easily getting past her own team mates he was the last thing standing in her way from scoring and found her in a stand off, the ball at her feet, sweat running down her temple and trying to look him in the eye instead of the chest or what might lurk below the elastic of those loose shorts.
"Concentrate. Look at your options, the angles of the field." His voice low and erotic drifted towards her. She listened her timing was decreasing to make a decision as her teammates start to catch up then it clicked. She saw a path and she took it. Using her speed she went to the left banking on that he was right footed so this was his weak side.
"If I can only beat him to the corner, have him think I'm taking the small angle shot, then cut back and head for net." Aloe thought to herself. For the first time in too long she felt the rush of blood, the demanding thumping of her heart for release. She was one a high that cleared the fog and hazed that hunted her for way to long.
She ran a quarter of a second, a step before him she was about to cut the ball back but he read her every thought, her every moment. She saw before she could beat it. She saw him dive for it, foot first.
"Shit." She breathed. His foot strikes the ball sending it far off the field. Aloe wasn't quick enough to invade the rest of him as he continue to slid beneath her, causing her to fall on him, taking him down with her. It was all happening in slow motion as most hard falls do for Aloe. Her face was coming closer to the ground where she will have a face full of turf and quite a lot of pain. But the last minute she felt strong arms lace themselves around her waist and yank her the other direction. So now instead of mouth full of black rubber pelts was some how configured in a position on entwined in Micah's arms on top of his lap. It was so fast and so slow at the same time. It took a moment before Aloe knew which was up and down, left and right. What brought her back were the smoldering eyes Micah's eyes searching hers. His arms still wrapped around her strong, protective, possessive.
"I liked that." He barley spoke as his arms tighten but quickly released, as her team quickly circled them.
"That was a close to having a broken nose, Aloe." Kelly said grabbing her arms and pulling her out the arms and off Micah's lap. Aloe had to fit the urge to swat her arms away and to yell 'put me back'.
"Yeah close." McKenna the team slut said eyes lingering over, now glistening, coach's body. "But we haven't seen you move like that in awhile."
