Trackstar Antelope

Trackstar Antelope Volume 33

Chapter 305: He Returns

The three of us stand in the doorway, Sam, Peri, and me. We look inside to see Coach Harris and... Abe.

His sentence at the Yorta Detention Centre is finished. It's been two weeks since the attack at Berriwan.

"Hey Sam!" he says in excitement. "Hi Peri..." he adds, eagerly... he pauses when he looks at me, and immediately looks away. "Hey..." he mutters.

Peri and I notice Sam, he's so happy to see Abe again. "I missed you, mate!" he says before running over to him, playfully jumping on him. I can imagine it would be emotional for Sam, considering his brother still being in jail. Sam and his parents must be patiently waiting to hear back about Ben's parole.

"...hey Abe." I tell him. I don't know what to feel. Should I be happy? Sad? Scared? Angry? What would you feel if someone you trusted tried to kill you in a drugged state came back from prison?

"We're all happy to have you back, Abe. No one thinks any less of you for what happened to you." Coach Harris tell him.

"Thanks Coach... too bad I can't go to the State Finals now, even if I was clean on the night" Abe tells us. I think back to his tremendous shot-put throw from two weeks ago... he really chucked that steel ball a long way.

"I tried to appeal it with Mr. Selman, but he and his board agreed that it was for the best that you were disqualified... I'm so sorry that it had to happen to you." Coach Harris says, a bit softer now.

"Nah, I deserved it. I was messing around, and I should never have touched the stuff in the first place." Abe said, admitting to his fault

While the three large carnivores are talking to themselves, Peri and I nervously wait at the door, both of us nervously thinking to ourselves. I wonder what Abe is doing here... he would've only been released a few hours ago, so why come to the school? Eventually, Abe turns to me, and my body freezes solid... I guess he just needed to be accepted by Sam to get the confidence to talk to me.

"I'm really sorry about everything I did, Jamel... From the blood, to Berriwan, even how I acted before you became an athlete... I just thought that if I acted scary and tough, herbivores wouldn't bother with me. I just... didn't know how to act around herbivores... deep down, I don't want anyone to get hurt, but I feel that I won't be trusted because I look scary" he told me. No one says anything for a while, giving me some time to gather my thoughts.

"It... it's okay... I understand" I tell him... I think I do though. "I still trust and respect everyone, despite everything that's happened." Some I trust more than others, but I doubt Abe would be dumb enough to fall for blood addiction and those weird drugs again.

"I have to go to this "Blood Addict" meeting every week with a doctor so I can rehabilitate." Abe tells us. "But it's ridiculous! I haven't used the stuff in months... still, it's for the best, right?" he adds, probably forgetting that I'm here.

"Definitely. You'll feel much better about yourself, and around others. Just take it one step at a time, Abe and you'll feel better." Sam replies to him

"Y-yeah..." Peri says. "In fact, just knowing that you're trying to make yourself a better carnivore makes me feel even safer as well."

"Me too. We're all here for your support and trust, Abe." I tell him. He definitely seemed happy about our comments. I can't imagine how scared and worried he'd be about everything now.

He whispers a few things to Coach Harris next to him, and I see him nodding his head, before saying: "Yeah, go for it."

"Peri, is it?" Abe asks the lizard. "Could you take a few steps across to the side for me?" he asks. Peri responds by shuffling out of the way a bit, leaving me to stand alone in the doorway.