'What just happened?' Lucas thought as he sat in the dugout of the baseball field. 'I wasn't even going to say anything to him. I was just going to walk by.'
Lucas thought back to being in Texas. It was just another ordinary day. He and his buddy Zay walking down the hallway. Then a tough guy named Jordan walked by them and shoved Zay. After making sure Zay was alright, Lucas had turned his attention towards the punk that had shoved his friend.
"What exactly was that for?" Lucas asked him.
"He's in my hallway. I don't like colored boys in my hallway."
Something had snapped inside Lucas. Bullying Zay was one thing, but when he heard the racist remark come out of Jordan, he saw red. He actually blacked out. The first thing he remembered after Jordan's comment was someone pulling him off. Jordan was on the ground with blood coming out of his ear and nose.
Lucas shivered at the memory. Jordan ended up being okay but Lucas couldn't believe he had let himself lose control. And now he had done it again.
Coach Gleason was handing Billy an ice pack for his jaw and turned around to face Lucas.
"I want to know what happened and I want to know right now."
"I'm sorry coach, really I am. I thought I left something out here and I came to look for it. When I got out here, Billy was in here and we got into it."
"What on earth could have happened that led to you throwing a punch at your teammate? I've never seen you lose your cool."
Billy finally chimed in, "I was just letting him know not to get too comfortable on the mound. It was my position and it's going to be mine again."
"I believe that's my call," Coach Gleason replied defiantly. "But I still don't see how it escalated this quickly."
"He made a comment about a girl I like."
"I wasn't saying anything you don't already know, Friar."
"Alright look. That's enough. I wasn't here, so I don't know what I can believe. But I know one thing, you both will be doing all kinds of laps tomorrow at practice. I suggest you both head home."
Lucas remembered that he was supposed to be meeting Riley. But he knew he couldn't pull himself together. How could she ever see him any differently if she knew that he had this side of him. And he didn't deserve a girl like her when he had this side of him. The best thing Lucas could do for Riley is stay far away from her.