Neutral Zone (Jordan Baker) COMPLETED

Chapter Five: Call Me

      She looked at you and then back at the road. "Oh my god," Layla said.
      She flipped on her left turn signal as she drew a slight left to get on the side of the road so she could park and so she could talk to me safely... She turned off the car and looked at me. "What the hell happened?"
I bit my lip as I fought to find the words. I didn't know where to begin so I just said one word.  "Grant,"
     She gave me a weird facial expression. "Your stepfather?"
     I nodded as tears began to fall. That's all I could say. "He hit you?"
      I nodded again. Her mouth dropped open. "Why?"
      I shrugged. "I guess it started as a stress relief when he lost his job,"
     She looked at me, eyes filled with concern. "That was over two years ago. Have you not told anyone?"
      I shook my head furiously "No, promise you won't tell anyone especially not Jordan,"
She sighed deeply. "Chris, you need to tell your father. I don't like lying,"
     I nodded. "I am when he gets home and it's not lying. I just don't want Jordan or any of the boys getting in a confrontation with Grant,"
     "When is your dad getting back?"
     "Sometime next week,"
     Layla turned back on the car and drove back onto the road. "You're sticking with me till then. I don't want you staying by yourself in your house,"
       I started to say something but she cut me off. "Layla, I'll-"
      "No. You heard me. Now tell me what went on last night,"
      I sighed and told her what happened. "So your mom knows about it?"
I shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, but I'm reasonably sure she does,"
      "Disgusting,"
----
       It's been a couple of days since I broke down and told Layla everything. Layla has been stuck to me like glue ever since even at school. The bruise slightly faded, but I nonetheless had to cover the bruise on my face with foundation as for the bruises on my stomach? I just wore shirts that covered them. Gratefully, the bruises on my legs weren't bad, so they faded pretty quickly. We were at the beach while Spencer, Asher, JJ, and Jordan were 'practicing'. "Man, we don't practice like this in Crenshaw, I'll tell you that," Spencer said.
    JJ laughed. "Well, we like a good re-gen day, you know, team bonding,'"
     "You sure about that? I mean, we got Hawthorne this week, and let me tell you, them dogs bite,"
     "Come on, trust me Hawthorne won't know what hit 'em this week,"
     "Ain't that right, JJ?"
     "Oh, you know that's right,"
     After about an hour of them 'practicing' they stopped and Spencer walked over to where Leila and I were. "Chris, Layla," Spencer said.
    "Hi," We both said.
I looked over to where Jordan was. He and Asher was having some kind of intense conversation. I looked back over at Spencer.  "How's living with the Bakers'?"
"It's fine. Different from where I live in Crenshaw,"
      Someone had reported that Spencer was living in Crenshaw while playing for Beverly and was being threatened to be kicked off the team. So Coach moved him into his house on the weekdays and on the weekends he gets back to Crenshaw.
       I moved the wrong way and it sent pain through my body and I winced at it. "I would figure,"
    My hand immediately went to my stomach.
"Yo, are you okay?"
    I faked a smiled and nodded. "Huh? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Just moved wrong. That's all,"
    He just stared at me and it was clear he knew I was lying. "You're lying. I know the difference in a moved the wrong way pain face and a someone hit you pain face and that was definitely a someone hit your face. So what's up?"
      I opened my mouth to tell something but I saw Jordan walking up. "Hey J," I said instead.
     Spencer does the bro shake with Jordan. "Alright, I gotta go," Spencer said.
    JJ quickly ran up to Spencer and stopped him. "You can't leave yet! Bonfires, just starting. Beer and S'mores. Sandcastles and John Mayer sing-alongs,"
    Spencer looked at JJ and looked like he was considering it.  "It sounds tempting, but, uh, I got business to take care of," He said.
      Layla looked at him"Business? Very mysterious, Spencer James,"
Jordan sits next to me and shoulder bumps me and pain shot through my body as I winced.  "Did I hurt you?"
     I shook my head. "No, just slept wrong,"
     I could feel Layla's gaze on me but I didn't look at her. "Why are you staying at Layla's?" Asher asked.
     I shrugged abt looked at Asher. "Just didn't feel like being at home that's all,"
     I could feel Jordan's eyes burning through the back of my head. "Wait why?" Jordan asked.
     I looked over at him. "What's up with the third degree? I just didn't feel like staying there. Okay?"
     He just looked at you for a minute and looked away. "Okay,"
    ----
          I was sitting on the bench on the field while the boys were practicing. "See, number three, that's their best guy offensively, but he's their playmaker right there but he doesn't like to play physical," Coach said to the assistant coach.
      I was allowed on the field as long as I didn't distract the boys. Then I sat there, not talking, but on my phone, but listening to the conversations. "No way he's blocking me. 
       "All right,"
        "Let's see you. That's what I'm talking about,"
        "Yes, sir,"
        I heard Coach move as he went down on the whistle. "Every team is only as strong as their weakest player. Hawthorne is a powerhouse. The only way we will stop them is if we know our own weaknesses. Take another breath. Iron-sharp is highest.  James, Adams, - get it done," Coach yelled.
       The boys played a full ten minutes before Coach blew his whistle again. "About time you had a proper introduction to Beverly,"
      "Run for cover run for cover,"
      I heard a loud crash sound that caused my head look up immediately. I saw Asher lays on the background, I hopped up off the bench and walked over there with Coach. "It's only a sprain. He'll be fine, but he's out for this week's game," Coach said.
      Jordan took a stride forward and looked at his father. "Dad, we need to rotate our receivers,"
     Spencer walked up to Coach and offered his opinion. "What you need to do is put me in. Look, I can play both ways, coach, offense and defense,"
      I looked at Spencer. "Are you sure you can do that Spencer?"
        "Yes,"
        I rolled my eyes and scoffed "And what would you know about football?"
Before I could say anything, Jordan beat me to it.  "Chrissy has a point. What happens when you get gassed out there, Spence?"
      Spencer walked towards Jordan. "Why don't you let me worry about my game, ok? You just worry about getting me the ball,"
"Jordan. Chrissy, why don't you give me and Spencer a moment?"
     I nodded. "Sorry Coach,"
     I walked out and I heard Jordan following me. "If Dad allows this, we are screwed,"
     I turned around to looked at him. "Then that'll be on your dad and Spencer," I stated.
     Jordan's eyes flicked towards your tummy and then back at your eyes, then back to your stomach. "What is that?"
My heart started to beat faster. "What is what?"
       He didn't answer, instead, he pulls my shirt up a little. "That,"
     I slapped his hand away so he'll drop my shirt. "Nothing,"
     He reached out to pull my shirt back up to watch it again, but I slapped his hand. "Chrissy, there is a huge bruise on your stomach,"
     "It's nothing,"
     Jordan rolled his eyes. "It's nothing? Is this why you've been wincing?"
      I didn't answer him directly. That was all he needed for a confirmation.  "Of course it is. Who caused it?"
        As if on cue. I heard Grant's voice. "There you are, Christina! You're coming with me,"
      I quickly hid behind Jordan's back and I took hold of his forearm. "Him,"
     "Wait, what?
     I love Jordan but he is slow sometimes. "He did it. Jordan, he's the reason why I've been at Layla's,"
      As Grant got closer to me, the tighter my grip on Jordan's forearm got. "Did you not hear me?"
     He tried to get past Jordan to come to me, but Jordan wouldn't let him. "Dad! We got a problem here,"
     I looked over and saw Coach jog over to where we were. "What's going on here?"
     I saw Grant change his whole demeanor as he looked at Coach. "What's running on here Coach, is your son won't let me take my daughter home,"
      Coach started to say something but Jordan cut him off. "Chrissy show him. Show him why I'm not letting him take you," Jordan stated.
       I looked at Jordan and then back to Coach. My heart was racing again. "Show me what?"
       A voice that you longed to hear said. "Yeah, show him what?"
      I looked over Jordan's shoulder and discovered my father walking up to us and I sighed out in relief.
       I let go of Jordan and ran to him. "Dad!"
    I held on to him like he was going to disappear and he wrapped his arms around me. After a few minutes, he let go off me. "Show him what?"
      I pulled up my shirt to reveal not one but two still big bruises on my stomach. "This,"
      Dad took one look at my stomach and looked straight up at Grant and started towards him. "You son of a bitch,"
     Coach held him back. "Don't. You'll just make it worse,"
     Grant laughed. "She's lying, I never did any of that,"
     Dad tried to break out of Coach's hold but couldn't breakthrough. "She has never lied in her entire life, so try again,"
     I saw Jordan looked behind me and I turned around and saw that there were cops walking up to us.
     ---
    It had been a few minutes after the cops had come. They took me to the side to talk to me.  "Was this the first time he abused you?"
     I shook my head as Dad squeezed my hand. "No, ma'am. The first it was ever this bad though,"
      The cop nodded and wrote it down on the notebook. "When did he start?"
       "About two years ago. It wasn't constant. It was rare back then cause I rarely ever spent time over there but for the past month, I was staying there cause my father just got remarried and I didn't want to ruin their honeymoon cause I knew if I would've told my dad, He would fly back immediately,"
         It took about thirty minutes for them to take everyone's statement and they took Grant into custody. Dad walked up to me and wrapped me in his arms. "I don't care if it's my first day on vacation if something like that happens, you call me. Do you understand me?"
      "Yes," I said hugging him back.