Mat 16, 2020 edited
Not perfect but better...No plot changes
When the bell rang I quickly left the science room. Even with just a brief scan of the halls I was a bit surprised, relieved and unfortunately disappointed not to see Nick. He has been outside the science room everyday for a couple of weeks now. He never spoke to me but was always there to watch. Maybe he was taking my words more seriously now. That thought had me feel a twinge of guilt but pushed it aside. The real test was my next class where we all had the same class. I couldn't even imagine what was about to happen.
Not wasting any time and wanting to get this done and over with I made it to the change room and slipped on the school uniform in record time. I made it out to the gym before Nick and Jenson. I noticed Jason already sitting on the bleachers with some of the other students. After a small internal debate I let out a sigh then headed his way. I figured that I just made his life even more than the living hell it was before or just made things a lot easier for the guy. No matter what it was now it was my responsibility to make sure they left him alone. Anything that happened from now on was most likely my fault after today.
Jason looked a little surprised when I sat beside him but said nothing. I was thankful for that, once again. To be honest it was nice not sitting by myself all the time and as long as he didn't find the need to chat that was all the better. Not too soon after Jenson and his lost puppies strutted out of the change room with smiles on their faces. That was till Jenson spotted me then the anger came back. One good thing was that it was aimed more at me than Jason who sat beside me with tension rising as soon as he heard their voices.
I turned my head and focused on the coach. "Ok listen up!" He then blew that damn whistle that seemed to shoot through my brain. "We are changing things up a bit today. Jenson. Drew. Up front and center. These two are going to be today's soccer captains. After your name is called go to the team you were picked from then we will head outside and start the game."
I didn't mind soccer at all. I was pretty decent at the game. I started to look forward to the game until I saw the identical smirks on Jenson and Drew's face. Either they were excited about the challenge or had something else in mind. Dammit, I had to stop being so paranoid! It's not like they would start something in front of the coach. I relaxed a brief moment before I remembered the first day in gym where Drew shoved Jason on the track and when I did a little pay back or you could think of it as a little karma and "accidentally" tripped Drew.
As the thoughts flew around in my head I found that half the class was already chosen for their team. "Jason," Jenson called. I was a bit relieved. You couldn't attack your own team mate without looking like a real ass. "Mac," Drew called on me. Why didn't it surprise me that we ended up on opposite teams. I got up looking not too enthused as I walked over to my side of the team.
"I know you can run but can you play?" Someone said beside me.
I was going to ignore them but I realized he was talking to me. I had seen him around Nick and Jenson before but he never really seemed to be a part of the group. Now if I could remember his name. "Yeah. I'm decent." It was a simple question so I answered.
"Cool. Oh I'm James." He held out his hand.
I hesitated and just looked at him. Why was he talking to me? Especially now after what happened in the cafeteria. Knowing I really had to relax a bit if I was going to make it in with these people till my birthday I reached out my hand to his and shook. "Mac." I am pretty sure I surprised him but he hid it well with a nice smile.
"Let's move it!" The coach yelled then blew that damn whistle. Again.
"I am going to shove that damn whistle down his throat the day I leave this place," I mumbled to myself but I guess James heard since he chuckled as we followed our teams out to the field.
For the first half hour things seemed to be going smoothly. I accompanied our first goal but then the other team scored twice in a row. It didn't go unnoticed that every time I was on the field Jason wasn't and vice versa but so far so good. Nick was on Jenson's team which was not a surprise. Those two were together more times then they weren't. It was more of a surprise when you didn't see them close by the other one. I also noticed that Nick seemed to stick close by Jason when they were on the field together.
Our team had just scored another goal so it was tied 2-2. The coach decided the next goal would be the winning goal. Drew decided that the better runners and who knew how to handle the ball would be on the field now. I was included in the final line up. For the first few minutes things were going great. Both teams continued to fight for the ball but before the other could score the ball was back in the other teams control.
I had control of the ball and was flying down the field. My other teammates were all behind me so I couldn't pass them the ball to make the final shot. I could hear the other team gaining on me. I was getting closer but not close enough. It was too far to attempt a kick to the goal. I felt a foot step on the back of my heel. I was pretty sure it was an accident but I had no time to think. As I tried to regain my balance a hard elbow met up with my ribs and I went down hard. Before I could feel the impact of the hard ground I felt not one but two bodies fall on top of mine. Shit that hurt but not as much as the foot that kicked the other side of my ribs followed by an elbow to the side of the head and lastly a fist to the cheek bone. Now was it all intentional or just limbs flying everywhere attempting to get up and finish the game? Yeah I thought so too. Accidental my ass. We were playing soccer for crying out loud and not football.
I heard the coach yelling about the game was a little contact sport and to get the hell up. I wasn't sure if he knew I was on the bottom of the human pile with two guys that easily outweigh me by 60 lbs. When the extra weight was off I tried to get up but everything started to spin, my side of my face throbbed and a sharp pain shot through my ribs when I tried to move or even breath.
"Shit! Mac don't move!" It was Nick kneeling beside me and giving me orders once again. "Just let me help for a damn minute!" He muttered as he slowly rolled me over. He hissed when he looked at my face. I could feel something wet travel down my cheek. "What hurts besides your bloody nose?"
"My nose? That doesn't hurt. Head. Cheek. Ribs." For some reason every time I was hurt was the only time I talked to Nick without giving him attitude.
Nick started to take off his shirt but I stopped him. "What the hell are you doing?"
He gave me his famous smirk but kept on taking off his shirt. "What, afraid you can't resist all this?" He ran his hand against his now naked and very defined chest. "Your face is covered in blood." He answered after I rolled my eyes.
"I am not using your sweaty stinky shirt. Help me sit up and I will use my own." I was never self conscious about my body. I looked good plus I had a sports bra on and it was usually how I dressed when I worked out. Nick started to help me up and was about to argue but I just glared at him. He helped me remove my shirt and folded it before holding it against my bloody nose.
"Mac! You good?" Coach asked as he finally made his way over after giving whoever ended up tackling me shit. "Why the hell are you undressing?"
Could he say that any louder. Everyone had started to move to the side lines but as soon as the coach spoke everyone's heads wiped around. "Where did you get that bruise?" I swear the man didn't know the difference from an inside voice from an outside voice.
Nick had helped me up to my feet by now. I shrugged my shoulders as an answer to his question which was a mistake since it made me move in a way my ribs did not like. A hiss escaped my lips which had Nick in front of me with his hands on my upper arms keeping me still while his eyes followed to where the coach was looking. I bruised quickly but also healed quickly. It was one of those things where you take the bad with the good. I figured I would just use that cream that Nick had and within 2 days I would be bruise free.
"How is she...Damn!" James had just come over and looked from my face to the nicely forming bruise that the others seemed to be staring at and one I have not looked to see yet. If it looked as bad as it felt then I knew it would be nasty but the full colouring wouldn't show for at least another hour or two.
"Hey can you go get my stuff and get one of the girls to get Mac's? We'll meet you out in the hall." Nick was talking to James ignoring my protests of being capable of doing it myself. "Listen we both know all you have in your favour right now are words so you have two options. Let me help you willingly to the car or I pick you up which might end up with you in more pain since you are too stupid not to fight. Which is it?" If Nick would have been smirking I would have told him off but the only thing that I could see on his face was true concern.
"Fine!" I huffed allowing him to wrap an arm around my waist and walk us back to the building. Almost at the doors I asked, "So when do I get to meet the real Nick?" He looked at me confused so I elaborated. "Is it the douchebag Nick? The sweet caring Nick? Or the one that sees more than he should but hides behind another Nick?"
He didn't answer at first and I thought he wouldn't and I wasn't going to ask again. If he didn't want to share that was his business not mine. "Which do you prefer?" His voice was soft.
"The real one so I know whether or not to ignore you or maybe talk to you sometimes. To be honest your split personalities are making me dizzy." I always let my guard down when the sweet caring Nick was around and I wasn't sure if I liked that. It would most likely end up with me being hurt one way or the other.
Before he could answer he started yelling at someone, "Like what you see!" I turned to see where he was looking at and caught a glimpse of Jenson who I thought had a look of shame on his face but he turned around too fast for me to know for sure.
When we got onto the building James and Jason were walking our way. James passed Nick's backpack over to him and Jason did the same to me but before I could grab it Nick did. "You just concentrated on walking."
We were almost at the front door when I remembered I wasn't wearing a shirt. "Fuck! Nick give me your shirt! Hurry!" There was no mistake in the panic in my voice. It caught them all off guard.
Nick started to pass it to me but stopped mid motion. "What's wrong?" He was looking around everywhere probably trying to figure out why all of a sudden I was in panic mode.
"Come on Nick, please! If M1 sees me like this his is going to go all stupid like and cancel our training tonight." And now I was practically begging. M1 and I had a thing going. He would bribe me into doing something I didn't like doing like having dinner with the others and I would counter with an extra training session. Today I said I would have dinner in the hall and watch a movie in the theatre for an extra hour of training. But with the way I looked I knew he would cancel everything. I was learning so much and improving but still had a way to go. If I had my say I would be training with him 5 days a week instead of 3. Hell my birthday was in a little over a month so I was running out of time.
Nick looked taken back before anger reached his face. Pulling the shirt that was a mere inch from my fingers. "Are you fucking kidding me right now? It doesn't matter if you wore the damn shirt or not. I am telling Tony. Fuck Mac how many hours did you train yesterday? Hell, how many hours did you workout yesterday. You slept through your alarm and damn close to being as pale as a fucking ghost. You are not training today!" This time it was me taken back. I had never seen Nick mad before and he was pissed. It was me being caught off guard at his rampage that I didn't realize we were already out the door and a fuming M1 was stomping his way closer to us.
"You deal with her." Nick shouted at M1. "Jason tell him what happened. I can't deal with stupidity right now." Nick stormed off to let me deal with another pissed off guy.
I pushed past M1 which was easier then I thought in a way but then again he was too engrossed talking to Jason and James. I was in the car with my earbuds in listening to my music by the time M1 got in the car. James jumped in the back.
The car ride home was quiet and tense. Before the car came to a full stop I jumped out. Which I regretted immediately when a sharp pain shot through my ribs. Clenching my teeth down tight I pushed the pain aside and walked to the house. I was halfway up the first set of stairs when M1 finally made it in the house.
"Mac! Get your ass down here you need to see the doctor!" He roared from the bottom of the stairs.
I kept walking and waved goodbye. "I'm good!"
"Dammit! For once could you not be a stubborn bitch?" He was still pissed but knew he lost the battle.
"Love you too!" I shouted back since I had already turned the corner to head up the next set of stairs.
I heard a few more muffled voices but I could pick out M1's. I wasn't sure if it was because he was still shouting or if my hearing was just attuned to his voice. I heard the words niece, stubborn, soccer, bitch, and a few fuck's. It made me chuckle. So far I seemed to be the only one that got him going. I took pride in that in a twisted kind of way.