River pushed herself hard, trying to finish her extra laps at the same time as the rest of her team was finishing theirs. But she couldn’t do it. She lagged behind by a lap;everyone had finished their 18, but she was still on lap 19 of 20. After she finished her last lap, she collapsed on the ground in the grass, deciding her team could do without her for an extra minute. She was drenched in sweat and her lungs felt like someone had lit them on fire. She had just closed her eyes when a loud, angry yell rang in her ears.
“Hunter! Off the grass now! This field is only for playing soccer, not sleeping. Understood?” Coach Barlow yelled. River groaned and pulled herself up, seeing that her entire team was watching her. She could feel the heat in her face suddenly as she walked back to join them.
“I asked you a question. If I dont get an answer, you will run 5 more laps.” Coach said, her voice a low growl.
“Yes. Understood” River growled back.
“Good. Now, everyone split into two groups. We’re going to do one practice game and then you can all take off” she said, looking down at her clipboard to make a note, one eyebrow cocked up. River had a gnawing feeling that note was next to her name somehow. She ended up on a team with Cora and nudged her when she was close enough to whisper to.
“Dude. Total bitch, right?” She said, nodding towards Coach Barlow. Cora laughed quietly and looked a little uncomfortable.
“Well. I guess so, yeah.” She replied awkwardly. River stared at her for a few seconds, looking into her friend’s guilty eyes.
“No way. You’re taking her side.” She said, crossing her arms. Their conversation was interrupted by Coach Barlow’s voice.
“Okay, everyone just do what you do best. I’m just here to watch you play” she said, sitting in the bleachers and getting her clipboard ready for notes. Practice started and they played fairly roughly, eager to prove themselves to their new coach. River’s team was losing by two points when one of River’s team mates, Marley, shoved one of the freshman girls over in an attempt to get the ball. River was just about to cheer her on, when there was a high pitched whistle piercing her ear drums followed by Coach Barlow’s voice.
“Number 46, drop and give me twenty. I do not tolerate rough housing from my girls,” she said, pointing at Marley. The girl turned bright red and lowered herself to the grass, prepared to do her twenty push ups. River couldn’t believe her team was giving in this easily to the new coach. Again, she opened her mouth before thinking.
“Coach? I thought I heard you say earlier that this field is for playing soccer. Push ups aren’t involved in a game.” She said, gesturing to her team mate.
“Twenty, Ms….Finnegan,” Coach said to Marley, checking her name sheet before turning to River.
“You and I will discuss this privately. Hit the showers, I will be there momentarily along with the rest of your team who seems to understand how to respect their authority figures.”
River scowled and stormed off to the lockers.
It was silent and still in amongst the cold lockers, something River was not accustomed to. Usually this room was loud and echoey, filled with the sounds of a team enjoying themselves. She kicked one of the lower locker doors, and hard. The metal clang echoed against the newly painted brick walls. She cursed even louder, her foot throbbing as she inspected the damage she’d done to the locker. The door was bent completely inward, rendering it impossible to open.
“I hope no one’s stuff is in there…” she muttered quietly to herself. She didn’t even hear her coach approach her from behind.
“Miss Hunter, follow me” Coach Barlow said, ignoring the yelp of surprise the girl emitted. She spun on her feet and walked swiftly into her office in the corner of the locker room. River hesitated, then followed her slowly. As she entered, Barlow shut the door behind her.
“Have a seat, Ms. Hunter” she said, gesturing to the wooden chair on one side of the desk. River did, looking around at the office. This office used to be covered in team pictures, medals, trophies, and happy messages from their old coach, Coach Dawson. Now, the walls were painted a deep blue, with occasional posters of sailboats, majestic trees, and Ansel Adams work. Coach Barlow cleared her throat.
“We seem to have a problem, Ms. Hunter” she started.
“It seems that way” River countered, not giving this new woman an inch.
“Why do you suppose that is?”
“I don’t know, maybe because you show up and start barking orders like a tyrant instead of being a civil human being?” River said, crossing her arms.
“I run my team the way I feel is necessary. If you disagree, I suggest you find another team.”
“I go to school here, Coach Barlow. This is my team.”
“I’m glad you feel that way. I want you on this team. But I will not tolerate disrespect. I may be new to you, but I am not new to this game. Do you understand me?” She asked, raising an eyebrow at River. River shrugged.
“Miss River Hunter, I am asking you a question. Do you understand that I do not tolerate disrespect?” She asked again.
“I guess.” River replied. Coach Barlow opened the metal drawer of her oak desk and pulled out a packet of paper.
“In that case, I’m going to need you to read and sign this. This is a specialized agreement form, that I feel is necessary in you and I transitioning smoothly into our new team format. This is reserved for special members of the team that have authority issues, but would still like to be on the team. Sound like you?” She asked. River glanced at the paper packet and hesitated.
“If that’s what you want to call me, sure.” She said.
“Great. Remember; read and sign.” Coach Barlow said, gently pushing the paperwork towards her. River sighed and began to read. She hated stuff like this, so the best she was giving it was a skim. Her eyes stumbled upon a small paragraph, hidden under the section labeled, “Disciplinary Action“. She re-read the section, her heart rate quickening.
“In the event of significant disobedience by a team member, Coach Barlow reserves the right to discipline said member as she sees fit. Discipline methods are decided at Coach Barlow’s discretion, and may include but are NOT limited to: extra laps, extra push ups, extra drills, sit out observations, teacher detentions, and in some cases, corporal punishment.”
River looked up at Coach Barlow, her eyebrows raised. Her look was matched evenly.
“Do you have a question, Miss Hunter?” She asked, folding her hands on her desk.
“Um. I just…” she started, looking down at the paper.
“Spit it out, Hunter.”
“It’s just that, um. It’s just that this says discipline may include corporal punishment?” She stuttered.
“Yes? Do you not know what that means?” Coach asked, trying to hide her smile.
“I…well, I think I do. But….that can’t be right.” She said, her cheeks turning red.
“If you think you know, then go ahead and give me your best definition.” Barlow said, her smile taking over. River cleared her throat and felt the blood rush to her face.
“Uh. No. No thank you.” She said quietly.
“Oh, but I wasn’t asking.” Coach Barlow replied. River shifted in her chair, somehow losing her determination to be stubborn. She suddenly felt small, like a child.
“I…I think. I think it’s basically ph-physical p-punishment.” She stuttered. Coach Barlow smiled.
“Right. But between us, in the case of this agreement, I mean something specific. Any idea what that is?” She asked, tapping the packet of paper. River felt the blood from her face rush a little further south, and couldn’t manage to say anything. She just shook her head. Coach Barlow smiled even wider.
“In the case of this agreement, Miss Hunter, corporal punishment means spanking.” She said, crossing her arms to watch her player’s reaction. River started to stand up, sputtering and tripping over herself.
“Sit down, Miss Hunter.” Barlow said sternly. River hesitated a second before obeying.
“You’re serious?” She asked, her voice squeaking a little at the end.
“Very. This isn’t something I work out with all my players. Only the best, and only the most stubborn. I see so much potential in you, yet I also can see that you’re fighting against your own wall of arrogance. I want you on my team. But if that’s to be, I need you to agree to this. I believe some discipline will do you good. You may not like it, but I think it’ll be good for you. So, Miss Hunter. Are you on the team, or are you out?” She asked ominously, pushing the papers a little closer to River. River stared hard at the paper, her head swimming. She had started to drift into a memory from her first semester at this school, one that had stuck with her vividly.
She stood in the doorway to the classroom, the tears streaming down her face. This damn Ethics class would be the death of her. She’d skipped the last three assignments, and consequently failed their midterm. She still could pass the class, but with a D at best. The only reason she even went to class anymore was because the professor was memorizing. She was tall, thin, and brunette with highlights of black. Her hair was long, up in a loose ponytail almost every day. Her cheek bones were pronounced, and her arms were just the right amount of muscular. All of River’s favorite things in one woman. But now, this beautiful professor was the bane of her existence.
“If I didn’t know any better, River, I’d say you were doing this on purpose.” She’d said, after asking River to stay after class on the day they got their midterm grades.
“You’re bright, and you’re capable. But you’re lazy. If I had a way to make you put forth the effort required for college levels classes, I would. Hell, maybe all you really need a good old fashioned ass beating. But that’s been made illegal, I believe. Please leave, Miss Hunter. We’re done here.” She said, waving River away. River turned and ran from the classroom, the tears on her face contradicting the pulling feeling of desire in her chest.
“Miss Hunter, I asked you a question. If you can’t commit to this, I understand. But if that’s the case, you simply will not be allowed to play. I would like for you to make a decision, please.” She said, her words a gentle push. River picked up the pen that had been sitting on the desk and took a deep, shaky breath. She closed her eyes as she signed her name on the line, her chest tightening a little in shock.
“I am very, very glad to have you on the team, River. Thank you for making the right choice” Coach Barlow said, smiling and gently filing away the packet. River couldn’t reply, only nod. She was scared that this “agreement” would be considered active immediately, and that she was to punished for her attitude earlier. Thankfully for her, this idea was quickly remedied by her coach.
“For today, I think you’ve learned enough. But just know that I do not tolerate disrespect and I will being utilizing my discipline methods when it arises. Thank you again, River, very much. For making the right choice. You may join your team, though I’m sure most of them are gone for the night.” Have a good night.” She said, standing up and offering her hand out to River. When they shook hands, River felt a jolt of something like electricity through her arm that travelled down her chest and legs. Just touching Coach Barlow was enough to send her into tremors.
She left the locker room a few minutes later, having showered as quickly as she could. No one was still there, they’d all fled while they could. While River drove home, she couldn’t help but smile a little, at the pulling feeling she still had in her stomach. This was new, but maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t all bad.
Technicolor and Plaid 