Change // Tears For Fears

I stomp directly to my dad's hotel room. I knock but he doesn't answer, probably meeting with some of the other coaches or dealing with phone calls. Who knows? He'd given me his extra room key, so I let myself in, deciding to wait for him.

He knew about Declan. I'd told him about Jeff's connection with Reign, nothing I would label as a friendship, so I didn't. I wonder what he'll think about my suspicions that Jeff had gotten caught up in something dangerous with them. I decide to tell him about it, and about the way Jeff shoved me in the closet when Reign came knocking. That had to mean more than just not going public with our relationship, or lack thereof. He was hiding me for more than just his reputation.

I pace for a while, but Dad is taking so long I end up grabbing a soda from the little fridge. I'm sure the hotel will charge him way too much for a can of Coke, but I need the sugar.

I finish the entire can, plus a bag of peanuts, and Dad still hasn't come back to his room. I should call him, but I need to go to the bathroom first. I close the door out of habit, and in case Dad comes back while I'm in there, and ten seconds later I'm glad I did. I hear the room door open along with voices.

"Let's talk in here, Jeff." I hear my dad talking and then the door close along with what sounds like the bolt being locked as well.

"Now, tell me what he said."

"He talked about supplements, really downplayed how big of a deal this all is. When I called him out and reminded him about Declan's bloody knuckles, he blew me off. Said the guy had deserved it for trying to sell them bad stuff."

"Deserved what?"

"He wasn't specific but when I told him I was an unwilling accomplice to their murder he didn't correct me. He didn't even react."

Dad is silent for a while. I tiptoe to the door and press my ear against it, trying to catch every word.

"He gave me a name."

"Who?"

"Someone named Jez."

"Hmmm. Don't recognize that. But we need to think through the next steps. We can't keep slipping away to discuss this otherwise they'll realize you've come to me."

"I don't know, Coach. Shouldn't we go to the cops?"

"I did that last time, remember. And these two are still out there doing the same shit. Just a little more recon and we can get the authorities involved."

"I'm the one losing everything here, Coach. My car. My rep. Fuck, my girl. I can't stand what I had to do to her, and I can't even tell her."

Maybe I should stay in the bathroom, not let them know I know what's going on. But I can't.

I pull the bathroom door open and stomp across the room, catching both of them by surprise.

"Alison!"

"Sweetheart."

Jeff and my dad speak at the same time, both of them wide eyed.

"I should have known."

"Known what?" My dad is the one who speaks. Jeff is tight lipped and pale.

"Why does it feel like I was cheated on? Oh, yeah. Because my dad and my boyfriend were keeping their little secrets from me."

"Alison-" My dad starts, his tone chastising.

"No, don't. I have every right to be pissed. This whole time?" I looked directly at my dad. "You knew why he broke things off and never bothered to tell me? I've been sick over this for weeks, not having a clue what went wrong and you let me go through that?"

My dad is struck silent, the truth of my accusation weighing on him. I turn to look at Jeff.

"I get that you think I'm in some kind of danger over this, but my god. Be honest with me. Dumping me over text? That was a dick move in any circumstance, but I think it's even extra dicky coming from you."

He opens his mouth, but no words come out.

"Both of you are completely stupid trying to do whatever the hell it is you're doing. You'll be the ones arrested at this point."

"You don't know the situation."

"True. Thanks to the two of you. But I've got enough info to know that Reign and Declan are still using performance enhancing drugs, somehow roped Jeff into their circle, and possibly killed one of their dealers. Do I have the main points?"

"Fuck," Jeff drops his head, one hand gripping the back of his neck.

"I'll take that as a yes."

My dad pipes up. "I told you, this isn't new. And the last time-"

"No, Dad. You don't get to excuse your total stupidity on the fucked-up University system. Or the screwed up legal one. I get it. They got away with it last time, but you're putting Jeff at a bigger risk by not going to the law from the beginning. Hire a detective. Get a lawyer. Find some advocate. Whatever. But cut out the vigilante bullshit. That never ends well, and this isn't a Hollywood movie. Real bullets. Real drugs. Real jail time. How am I the one being realistic here?"

I want to scream, but I keep my cool after ripping both of them to shreds. I'm almost as pissed at Jeff as I am at my dad. But at least Jeff has his youthful stupidity on his side. He has no life experience for this. Dad is just stupid, plain and simple.

"I'm going back to my room. I don't want to talk to either of you. Not until you stop acting like amateur detectives. Go make a statement." I shake my head and spin around, walking away from the two of them.

Back in my room, I pace. Then I call Misty even though I can't really tell her anything. I may have given a big speech about not keeping secrets but I'm smart enough to know I shouldn't talk about all of this over the phone.

"Hey, what's up chica?" Misty's perky voice is a stark contrast to my mood.

"Ugh. I'm gonna need some good ice cream when I get back. I have so much to tell you."

"You've come to the right girl. I got you, boo. When do you arrive and how soon should I be there?"

"I'm on the red eye tonight. I don't think I could sleep even if I was in my own bed. Can you be at my place tomorrow by 10?"

"10 a.m. ice cream bitch fest? I'm there."

"Thanks."

"Are you okay?" Her voice is quieter, less joyful.

"Not really. But I'll survive. I'm just pissed off currently."

"Been there, done that. Got the t-shirt. Say no more, babe. We'll talk tomorrow."

"See you."

We end the call and I drop back onto the bed. I meant what I said. I don't want to talk to my dad or to Jeff until they pull their heads out of their asses. Thank god I've got a flight home and the team is on the bus. Dad did me a favor by buying me a plane ticket home, but now that I'm in on his little secret, I think it's the least he could do.

***

"You're saying they've been talking behind your back this whole time?" Misty's voice inflection rises with each word.

"I'm not sure if it's been the whole time, but for a while at least, yeah."

"What the fudge?" Her arms fly above her head, waving in the air. Misty's recently taken on a vow of no cussing inspired by one of her Clown Murderer rock stars who said he wants to be a positive influence on his fans now that he's a father.

Go figure.

"What the fudge is right. I didn't stick around for the dirty details, but from what I did hear, I think Jeff is in it up to his eyeballs with Reign and Declan. Like felony type stuff."

Misty leans forward, eyes wide and whispering her thoughts just loud enough for me to decipher.

"Do you think he's guilty?"

I shake my head. "No, of course not. Jeff would never. Whatever it is, he got caught up in it without knowing what was going on. He told me more than once how uncomfortable he was around those guys. That time we saw Declan in town, Jeff practically peeled out trying to get away from him."

Misty nods. "Right. Right. Sure. But the fact that your dad is all secret agent with him is kind of cool."

"Cool? Are you nuts? They've both been lying to me for weeks, Misty! My dad's always been a little over the top but come on. This is next level."

"Or..."

"Or what?" I plop down on my bed as Misty pops up from her chair.

"Or, he's trying to get Jeff out of trouble because he knows how much you both care for each other and good ol' dad just wants his baby to be happy."

"Oh, for fucks sake." I lay back on my bed, not psychologically ready to deal with this perspective. My dad legit scared every guy away for the last four years. And now I'm supposed to believe he's doing this for me?

"I'm trying to unhear that." Misty sticks her fingers in her ears and hums. A few seconds later, she leans over me. "I might have to enact a swear jar. Going cold turkey isn't so easy, I'll have you know."

"It's cussing, not crack. I think you'll be fine." I roll my eyes. I don't have the emotional energy for this one today. I should have known better than to call her. But who the hell else could I call? Everyone's lost their marbles but me. And I'm heading in that direction at this point.

"Meh, I just need to practice new fun phrases." She waves me off. "Back to your dilemma. I think you need to take a day or two to process, then go talk to your dad like a big girl and listen to what he has to say."

"Blech. I hate that plan."

"It's called adulting."

"But I want to sit in the corner and suck my thumb. Give me a popsicle. I'm sad."

Misty laughs. "Oh jeez, you sound like me right now."

My eyes pop wide open. "Ohmygod, no." I sit back up, looking my friend up and down. "Unacceptable. You've cured me, thanks." I stand up and pat Misty on the shoulder. Is it really that simple? Take a day to chill and then go talk to the dad in question?

"You should come to me for advice more often." Misty smirks.

"No. That's not your role, here. I'm the advice giver with questionable life skills. You're the hot mess who gets things done. Together we make one reasonable adultish type person."

"True. Can't argue with good logic."

"No, you can't. So, now we're going to research some of the things I heard them talking about so I can go into the den of vipers armed with information."

"Vipers? You don't mean the bad guys, right? Cause that's just asking for trouble."

"No. I'm not dumb. I'm referring to my dad and Jeff."

Misty brushes her hand through the air. "Nah. They aren't vipers. More like garter snakes. No venom and can barely bite."

She has a point. And if I show up knowing what I'm talking about, it will be much harder for my dad to ignore me. Not that he'd ignore me, but he would minimize whatever it is he's done.

Not on my watch.

I rub my hands together. "Let's do some recon."

Misty nods. "And order some Chinese take-out. All of the hackers in movies eat take-out from those little boxes with chop sticks."

"Well, I mean we want to look legit, right?" I shrug. "I am kind of hungry."

"Let's Kung Pao this forking shirt!"

I groan. "Forking shirt? Really, Mist?"

"Meh, I'll order, you boot up Google."

"Sounds like a plan." At least I hope it is. I need answers.

Made it! Once again... So, during the last chapter, I realized that Alison needed to have a "come to Jesus" convo with her dad and Jeff. She's no wilting wallflower and she'd never hide away in humiliation. She's kind of a tornado, and this is where that works to her advantage. We'll see how that plays out in the next chapter. I've got thoughts *wink*

ALSO, this manuscript just hit 50k words which makes it officially a Novel! I'm anticipating about 10 to 12k more words (unless Reign and Declan get up to more shenanigans which is quite possible in which case it would be longer). Anyway, thanks for reading!!

If you have tik tok, I'm posting a series on writing my next novel (irrevocable, the next Blue Bloods book following Jackson, Butch's son) and the process I go through at each stage. It could end up being a hot mess but so far it's been fun.

You can change, that's this weeks musical message. Jeff and Coach need to do some changing right quick.

https://youtu.be/nk_FuZobIfw

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