C.C. McKenna

Chapter Six Getting to Know You.

"I'm happy, really happy to see you are doing ok" Coach Roberts grabbed the whistle that hanged around her neck and toyed childishly with it.

"Thanks coach" Phoebe answered softly. "But maybe you don't miss me that much anymore...do you? She smiled. "I've been told that you have a great substitute for me"

"Oh come on Halliwell...you know you are never going to be replaced" She patted Phoebe's back.

"I know coach; and thanks by the way; but she's good isn't she?"

"Well, now that you mention it...yeah, she's quite a natural born player"

"Good, that's what counts here; we can't afford loosing the National Championship can we?"

"Of course not; that's why we need you back on the team"

"Well, I hope I can get back soon" Phoebe smiled, but deep inside she knew it was almost impossible.

"I hope so too kiddo!...........come on everybody! Four laps and no complaining!" Coach Roberts clapped her hands and started running herself. "See you in a little while Phoebe!" She shouted.

"I can't believe you did nothing to defend yourself Alexia!" Karen spoke harshly to her teammate; the shy girl just lowered her head again and stared at her soccer shoes.

"What's the matter?" Phoebe asked worriedly.

"Leslie and the other girls were bothering her and she did nothing about it" Karen sighed and shook her head in disapproval.

"Who?" Phoebe asked again, scowling.

"Alexia!" Karen snapped back.

"Oh,...Alexia" Phoebe whispered. "I should have known"

"I'm sorry Phoebe, I know what you specifically asked me not to do, but it would have been too damned frustrating if I hadn't done anything about it"

"It's ok, Was she hurt?......is she ok?......where is she?" Phoebe sounded worried.

Alexia raised her eyes to look at Phoebe and finally decided to speak. "I am here.... and no, I was not hurt...I am ok, thank you" She lowered her head and went back to her usual shoe staring technique.

"Yeah...but you probably would have been hurt if I hadn't showed up in time" Karen grabbed her arm and forced her to look at her. "You've got to put a stop to this nonsense"

"I can't" Alexia whispered, plunging her head again. "I am sorry"

"COME ON KAREN, THAT'S FIVE LAPS FOR YOU!" Coach Robert stopped and shouted. "OH, AND YOU TOO ALEXIA" She took a deep breath and started running again.

"Shit!...we'll talk about it later!" Karen clenched her teeth and started running toward the field. "Come on coach............five laps?" She whined.

"Tell the coach that Alexia isn't feeling well, 'cause I want to talk to her" Phoebe shouted to Karen and the latter waved her hand to let her know she had heard her request; completely forgetting about her blindness. Alexia walked slowly towards Phoebe and cleared her throat before barely whispering a few shy words. "She.....uhm,,,,she said ok."

"Why thank you Alexia; but how come I didn't hear her? I'm blind, not deaf!"

"Well, she just waved; ..I don't know why, really"

"It's ok, it's no big deal, don't worry.... you sound scared; are you?" Phoebe slowly sat on the grass, but before doing it she scanned the place with her cane for any possible objects. "Can we talk?"

"No, there's nothing to talk about" Alexia whispered again, but this time she was able to maintain her eyes upfront, looking intently through Phoebe's shades, wondering why the star of the team would want to have a conversation with her. She felt an odd sensation running through her body as well as the need to leave the place in a hurry; "Just run fast! She won't follow!" She thought; but Phoebe's words refrained her.

"Why do you let her push you around?" Phoebe asked staring to an empty spot. Her voice sweet as ever.

An awkward silence remained between them before Alexia decided to answer. "There's not much I can do to prevent it" Her shaky voice unexpectedly surprised herself; not knowing for sure where did those words come from; or even why was she suddenly spilling out her thoughts and her feelings to a total stranger.

"But why?" Phoebe turned slowly to Alexia, guided by her voice, and held out her hand so that Alexia could grab it to join her on the lawn. Phoebe smiled thankfully when she felt Alexia slowly sitting beside her.

"Cause the first time I tried to defend myself; they grabbed my books and threw them into the swimming pool; then they stood outside my dorm and didn't let me go inside; I just sat there for hours, waiting for them to leave but they never did; I missed next day's classes because I couldn't get my books out, or take a shower or change clothing; they were very persuasive.....and...."

Phoebe nodded softly and felt a strange sting in the pit of her stomach. "Why am I so upset about this girl?" Her thoughts wondered freely, but yet, she motioned gently and urged her to keep talking.

Alexia paused for a moment, thinking about whether if she should continue or not talking about herself, but she made up her mind when she saw Phoebe's hand reaching out to find hers. "And they warned me that if I ever told someone about it, they were going to make me regret and hurt me even worse than they had before; and I think you know how bad it gets; I mean, you have been there before, haven't you? And more than once, if I recall" Phoebe bent down her head and sighed; she couldn't feel more embarrassed right now, not even if she tried. "They meant business, and believe me, I have learned my lesson" Alexia shook her head and tried to erase her last spoken words when she saw the guilt and sorrow on Phoebe's face.

"Oh yes she has" Leslie cut in the conversation. "She's a good study" She smirked "Go get us some cokes Alexia" She ordered as she wiped her wet hands on the nervous girl's uniform.

"She's not going anywhere!" Phoebe snapped and gently squeezed Alexia's fore-arm.

"Stay out of this,..... Halliwell, I mean it" Leslie pointed her finger on Phoebe's face, but she didn't even blink.

"It's ok, please, Phoebe, just.....just let me do what she says, I don't mind, really, I don't; and besides, I don't want to get you involved in this" Alexia searched inside her pockets, found a ten dollar bill and put it back inside. "I will be right back"

"No" Phoebe squeezed Alexia's arm tighter and pulled her close to her. "You're not going anywhere; what's the matter with you Leslie? You are acting like a teenage punk" Phoebe stared at the ground.

"Phoebe Halliwell; you didn't understand what I said, did you... Did that bullet kill part of your brain too by any chance? I mean, cause I know it did kill your sight, didn't it?" Leslie chuckled and every single girl dressed in a red cheerleading outfit laughed at her stupid remark. Leslie felt brave enough, surrounded by all the girls, to approach Phoebe and make her realize who was in charge of the situation.

"It's ok, really" Alexia wiggled her arm free from Phoebe's clasp and placed herself as a shield in front of her, trying to defend her vulnerable new friend. "I'll go; just leave her out of this"

"Don't be stupid Alexia; what could you do to help her?; You're nothing but a stupid kid!" Leslie got angrier and pushed her back violently, making her fall harshly on top of Phoebe.

"You are making a habit out of this don't you?. I mean, you love falling on top of Phoebe the super sighted Halliwell" She chuckled. "Am right or am I right?" Leslie bent down, grabbed Alexia by the collar of her shirt, and pulled her up violently. Alexia winced and started crying. The rest of Leslie's friends gathered around the two soccer players to hide them from the coach's view.

"Leave her alone" Phoebe shouted; and she was quick on her knees, trying desperately to find her folding cane.

"Yeah?......and what if I don't?" Leslie walked closer to Phoebe and stepped on the hand that had finally found the stick. Phoebe squinted her eyes, suppressing a yelp of pain as she unsuccessfully tried to pull her hand free. Leslie smirked as she watched the pain on Phoebe's face and pressed her foot even harder. "What exactly can you do? Haven't you noticed your lack of sight? She chuckled. "You're useless Phoebe Halliwell; you are a good for nothing ex-soccer player" She chuckled again when she noticed Phoebe taking a deep breath. "What could you possibly do?" She stared at Phoebe and then back to Alexia.

Alexia waggled to get free from Leslie's grasp but the latter tightened her grip. "You're not going anywhere Alexia" She smiled. "Give it up!"

"That's enough! Leave her alone! ...I'm doing what I should have done before; I'm going to protect her from you; I, ...damn it Leslie!, can't you realize she's only a kid?" Phoebe hissed in pain. "Now, get off me!" Phoebe pushed Leslie away and quickly rubbed her sore hand.

"Hey!" A warning scream was suddenly heard from a nearby distance; Leslie turned her head to find out who it was and smiled when she saw the middle Halliwell hastily approaching at them.

Tbc