playing for the other team (bxb)

[1] how to tick off a fragile southern boy

It was two versus one. John Ostrowski and Ethan Smith had clearly overpowered Jamie. He didn't stand a chance against the two of them--and quite frankly, I'm not even sure if he could stand a chance against just one of them. Individually they were both probably stronger than Jamie so I can't imagine what it was like for Jamie to be pinned up against both of them.

I remember seeing Jamie on the ground. It was so clear that Jamie was too weak to even get back up, but despite this, the two just kept beating him. This was no regular fight. This was far more malicious than any other petty high school fight I'd ever seen before. When guys fought, they stopped when someone lost. Because, really, these guys just wanted to show that they were stronger. But in this case, it was clear that John Ostrowski and Ethan Smith weren't trying to fight Jamie, they were trying to hurt him-which was something very different.

Sheepishly, I must admit that I did something in this moment that I'm not proud of in the slightest. I fled the scene. I took off running like a coward to get the coach.

I can't remember where I found the coach, or what I told him. I don't even know if I said anything to him. I think that I might've just found him and dragged him to the locker room without explaining the urgency of the situation.

The next thing that I can remember is the coach yelling at the group. Once the yelling started, the two boys pulled away from Jamie-who now looked like complete shit. His lip was busted up and his eyes were closed as if he was afraid to open them. It was the most cowardly that I'd ever seen him-which is a hard way to see someone like Jamie Wright. Jamie was daring and brave--that's who he had always been--but in this moment, he looked pathetic, almost.

Looking right at John Ostrowski, the coach demandingly barked out, "Now what's all this, son?"

'Son' wasn't just some kind of nickname in this situation. The coach is Ostrowski's father-which really didn't help much in this situation (and would prove not to help in many situations to come.)

"Nothin', Dad," Ostrowski said angrily. At this moment, I wondered how Ostrowski could possibly be the angry one in this situation. Did he think that Jamie was somehow in the wrong? I wasn't sure what Jamie had done but I knew that no matter what, Ostrowski and Ethan had taken it way too far.

The coach huffed as he looked between each and every one of us. "You know what? I'm not dealing with this today. I'm not. You two," He said as he pointed a finger at Ostrowski and Ethan Smith, "I want you both out. Jamie... you can... you can go fix yourself up." He didn't address me but, really, I don't think he had to. I think that it was clear that I would be staying with Jamie.

Ostrowski and Ethan didn't have to be told to get out of there twice. They quickly grabbed their things and got out, and the coach was gone not too shortly after.

This point of the story is blurry in my memory. I can't remember anything that the coach said to Jamie when Ostrowski and Ethan Smith had left but I can remember everything that happened once he left. I recall waiting for him to leave so I could finally say something to Jamie. There was just something that didn't feel right about talking before the coach had officially left the room.

I walked over to Jamie and put out my hand to help him off the floor. He grabbed my hand and pulled himself up to stand beside me.

"Are you--" alright, I was going to ask, but before I could even get that last word to exit my mouth, his entire demeanor had changed. Before this, he had seemed defensive and aggressive, but now it was clear that he was beginning to crumble. I should've known that Jamie would, as it's not like him to get mad and if he appears angry, it's a front for something else. Now that the coach was gone, Jamie had broken down sobbing into my arms. It was the first time that I had actually ever seen Jamie break down badly. His cry was loud and ugly, like nothing that I'd ever heard from Jamie before. I stood there frozen as Jamie wept.