The Deal

Chapter 1 - It's Him. Mr Damon Smith

I swear, there were about twenty girls crouching there by the time I made it round, all of them feigning innocence as they tied and retied their shoes while sending sly glances across the field.

Just as I tripped my way by, Lucy's face popped up an inch from my face, filling my vision. I had to jerk back quickly to avoid knocking heads with her.

"What the Hell, Lu?" I asked as I regained my balance. Lucy grinned innocently, and shoved a hockey stick into my hands.

"Where about to start the game," She informed me, grabbing hold of my arm and dragging me over to where everyone had started to gather. I was glad to see that the girls had given up their perving tactics in exchange for hockey sticks.

Miss Knight started grabbing girls by their shirts and flinging them left and right. I had to stifle a laugh as I caught sight of their startled faces, but stopped when a hand landed on my shoulder.

"Right, Ms Phillips, you'll be on team A."

I was soon sporting my own startled expression as Miss Knight shoved me towards the group of girls to her left. Lucy was next, and went to stand with group B.

"Right," Miss Knight said, clapping her hands together as she waved us further out onto the field. "Now that's sorted, it's time to play. Game on girls!"

Instantly the class spread out and began running, their faces grim as they wacked the ball up and down the field. I winced as Lucy was tackled from behind, crashing to the ground with Tiana Rivers clinging round her knees.

My heart plummeted when, inevitably, the florescent ball came skidding in my direction, with a group of stick wielding teenagers charging after it. My grip on the hockey stick tightened as the ball lodged itself between my feet, and time conveniently slowed as I raised my eyes and watched in horror as a hockey stick swung low, missing the ball completely and slamming into the side of my ankle.

Before I could even react, the ball was whizzing off down the other end of the field, and the girls where after it once again. It seemed like the heroic thing for me to do would be to mask my pain and finish the game, but I never said I was a hero. Instead, I started hopping. And I wasn't hoping for my own amusement, either.

Miss Knight, whose eyes hadn't left the ball throughout the game, didn't take any notice of me as I collapsed onto the ground, tenderly removing my shoe and pulling down my sock so that I could survey the damage.

Oh God. It was worse than I'd feared.

"Miss Phillips, what do you think you're doing?"

I jumped, startled, as Miss Knight stomped over to where I was sitting examining my ankle. I opened my mouth to reply, but was cut off.

"This is not the time or place to be taking a break! What do you think you're doing, sitting down and getting comfortable while the rest of your team struggle on, all the while down one player? Get back up this instant, and don't let me catch you slacking again!"

I could feel my cheeks heating up as she glared down at me, so instead of defending myself I ducked my head meekly and began fumbling with my shoe, trying hurriedly to slide it onto my foot without it coming into contact with my ankle. Of course, it was impossible. I breathed in sharply as my ankle throbbed, the numbness that I thought was settling in disappearing as I lurched to my feet.

I looked around for Lucy, needing someone to vent to, only to spot her defending the goal, with a determined look on her face as she lunged towards one of the girls with her stick, expertly stealing the ball and passing it to another player. She's always been good at sport.