"How could you? You know that this game is probably more important than the final for me!"Axel protested, the hurt clear in his voice.
"This is very hard for me too, Axel, but I know that you know that I have to do this, for you and the rest of the team."
Axel just glared at the coach, not saying anything before silently walking away. Normally the coach would've told him off for such behaviour, but he let him off this time.
Even the coach felt heavy. He knew that the Kirkwood boy's behaviour was so wrong. And he planned to report it, but what else could he do?
He stood thinking before he heard some voices shouting down the hallway. The coach instinctively took out his phone and hit record, just in case.
"Wow, gay boy. Such a coward!"
"Yeah, we heard the conversation with your coach! Can't believe you're getting benched!"
"Actually we can. Because you and your little boyfriend are disgraces to soccer!"
Axel said nothing, and just walked away. He walked around the corner and bumped into Coach Hillman, eyes wide.
"I've got the whole thing recorded,"the coach said quietly. "You can go home for the rest of the day if you want. You don't have to sit on the bench. I can lie and say that you're sick."
Axel just sighed and said,"I'd appreciate that. Sitting on the bench and watching the match would be too humiliating."
"I'll call a driver for you,"said the coach, and more quietly whispered,"I'm sorry. I'll make sure that there's something done about this."
Axel just quietly nodded and Coach Hillman escorted him to the front of the building, until his driver could pick him up. When he saw Axel disappearing off into the distance in the taxi that Coach Hillman had paid way too much for, he sighed and quietly went inside.
The coach then took position beside Celia, Sylvia, Nelly and the benched players.
"Where's Axel?"Nelly asked.
"He went home,"the coach said gruffly.
"Why?"
"He felt sick."
Nelly tried to prod him for answers, but the coach was silent for the rest of the game. Even when Kevin scored the winning goal for Raimon, the coach was silent.
Even when the team were halfheartedly celebrating, the coach was silent. The next time the coach spoke, it was on the phone to the complaints line of the Soccer Frontier Tournament.
He emailed the recording to them too. He also arranged a meeting with a representative. He was going to get justice for Axel, and whoever else might've been bullied by the same boys.
Still, even after his efforts, the coach felt uneasy, like there was something horribly wrong.