Chapter Twenty Four

"Where the hell is he?"

It was lunch time and Chris and me were sitting on the bleachers on the football field where Jenson Brady and his meat head buddies were finishing off practice. The weather was cool and the wind whipped silently about us. I pulled my jacket more tightly about me as I looked again at Chris' watch.

"He'll be here," Chris said. "You want one?

I took a cheese stick from the packet he was offering and nervously nibbled on it.

"Look, I think I should tell him."

"No way. It has to be me." Chris shook his head firmly.

I gave him a look of annoyance.

"And why's that?"

Chris shrugged and spread his legs wide before slumping forward,

"Because I"m a guy. I need to tell him man to man."

"Chris, he's my best friend."

"He's my best friend, too!"

"But I-"

Our argument was interrupted by a laughing, familiar voice.

"You two still fighting over me?"

The two of us jumped as Gordie came up behind us, wrapping an arm around each of our necks.

"Hey, man." Chris' laugh was uneasy. "Where'd you come from?"

"Behind you, you wet end." Gordie clapped Chris over the head before shoving his way between us on the bleachers. I shuffled over to give him some room and there was an awkward silence as Gordie looked from one of us to the other.

"Okay, what's going on?"

Chris and I looked at each other.

"Well, the thing is…"

"Hey, Chambers!"

Irritated at the interruption, Chris glanced down at the football field to see Jensen Brady striding over. He was holding a bottle of water and wearing an expression of menace. We could see Coach Renfrew walking off in the distance, and some of the second string players wandering away.

Jensen was flanked by six of his jerk off football buddies.

"What?" Chris called back coolly.

I felt Gordie stiffen beside me and I sat up straighter.

"You know this is our turf, right?"

Chris gave him a look of disgust.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Everyone knows the bleachers is for football players and cheerleaders in the lunch period. Fuck ups and pansy asses need not apply."

Chris tilted his head to the side before he answered.

"I'd have thought with the season you guys are having, you'd need all the support you could get."

His face taut with anger, Jensen threw his water bottle towards the bleachers. It hit a row of benches just below us and bounced away.

Chris and Gordie stood up.

"Nina, go find Teddy," Chris said in a low voice. "Gordie, stay with me."

It wasn't a question but Gordie answered anyway.

"I'm not going anywhere, man."

As I slipped off of my seat and hurried away, I heard Jensen call:

"Yeah, that's right, get out of here, honey. You ain't gonna wanna see your boyfriends blood smeared across the field."

I broke out into a run. As soon as I got into the school, I ran towards the boys bathroom. That was where the smokers and stoners usually hung out.

"Teddy!" I yelled, banging the door open and rushing inside.

Vern Tessio was taking a leak at the urinal and when he saw me, ended up pissing on his own shoes.

"Jesus! Fuck! What are you doing in here? Ladies is down the hall!"

"Have you seen Teddy?" I demanded.

"No. Try the smoking lot. What do you want him for?"

There was no time to explain.

"If you see him, tell him to meet Chris and Gordie on the football field. It's urgent."

Vern zipped up his trousers swiftly and stepped away from the screening of the urinal.

"Chris and Gordie? What's happened?"

"Football team. Fight. I have to go."

But when I clattered down the hallway, chunky Vern Tessio was hot on my heels. And he could move for a big guy.

I burst out of the fire exit under the stairs and into the well worn grassy lot where kids came to make out or smoke. Teachers rarely came out here unless they were looking to bust someone.

Teddy was wearing a leather jacket and leaning against the brick wall, a cigarette in his hand. He looked up curiously as he saw Vern and me appear.

"Chris needs you," I gasped. "Jensen Brady is starting shit. They'e on the football field."

Teddy tossed his cigarette immediately, pushed his glasses up his nose and began walking towards us. He turned in the fire exit door.

"Anyone wanna come kick the football team's ass?"

When we started running back towards the football field, there were three other guys following Teddy and Vern.

Down on the football field, Chris and Gordie were trading insults with Brady and his buddies. Chris and Gordie had come down off the bleachers and Jensen had removed his letterman jacket.

"What's this all about, anyway?" Gordie said. "Chris said you can keep your girl. He said she wasn't that great."

"You son of a-" Jensen took a step forward but Chris yanked Gordie back and faced off with the team captain.

"Look, Brady. You wanna jump me again, then do it. But it ain't much of an achievement, seven on two, is it? You wanna go one on one like before, try and beat me this time, then I'm all for it."

"Seven on two sounds better," One of Jensen's guys said.

"How about seven on seven?" Teddy said, approaching Chris and Gordie. "And I guarantee all of you pansy ass mama's boys leave here running. Or crawling."

I stayed where I was, on the first row of the bleachers.

Chris didn't take his eyes off of Jensen but I saw the look of relief cross Gordie's face when he realised they were now evenly matched. Vern Tessio came to stand on Chris' right and Teddy's mean looking friends fanned out behind them.

Jensen faltered.

"Come on, Brady," Chris coaxed. "You and me. Let's go."

Chris walked closer and Brady turned back as if in askance to his friends. The whole move was a ploy though and with Chris caught off guard, Jensen turned and slammed a fist into Chris' face, the same fist that held two huge gold rings.

"You asshole!" I leapt off of the bleachers and onto the field but Vern wrapped a meaty arm around me, yanking me backwards.

"He's got this, Christina."

It didn't look like Chris had much of anything as he hit the field and Jensen pounced on him, but he could defend alright and after absorbing the first blow, Chris blocked every other punch before throwing Jensen clear of him. A horrible feeling flooded my stomach as I watched Chris raise his fists and block Jensen's next combination. I realised that he was so good at defending himself because he'd been doing it all his life.

"Come on, nail him, Chambers!" Teddy yelled. Then he muttered "Fuck this shit."

I could see him moving forward but Gordie tugged at his elbow.

"Don't, Teddy. You step in now and Jensen wins. Let Chris finish it."

Teddy gritted his teeth but stayed where he was.

"You know what Jennette told me, Chambers? That she got with you because she was curious about what slumming would be like."

I could see that burned Chris. He didn't want to think of himself as a lowly Chamber kid, and he sure as hell didn't want any girl he was dating to be interested just because he was a novelty.

"You know what she told me?" Chris ducked out of Jensen's reach. " That it was worth slumming it to find a guy who actually knows what he's doing."

I cringed a little at hearing that but gulped it back. This wasn't about me and Chris. He had to defend himself.

Gordie, Teddy and Vern jeered and laughed while the football players yelled insults back.

Chris' insult seemed to do the trick. Jensen charged and Chris slid out of the way, bringing his fist up sharply. The blow connected with Jensen's chin but he grabbed Chris' shirt as he went down, the two of them tumbling onto the dirt.

On paper, Jensen should have been stronger. He was an athlete after all. But Chris was muscular too, those nights of lifting boxes evident from the rising biceps under his shirt. And he was smarter. He was able to control his anger while Jensen lost his focus whilst he was in a rage.

In seconds, Chris had Jensen pinned. But after only a couple of slugs, one of Jensen's buddies dived in. I screamed as Chris' head rolled against the dirt but Teddy was gleeful as he yelled loudly and rushed forwards. In seconds, everybody else had run into the affray and I could hardly make anybody out for swinging fists and shouting.

It didn't end well for the football team. One of Teddy's buddies was six feet tall and had hands the size of dinner plates. Every person he hit square on didn't get up for more.

In under a minute, the football team were racing away.

"What did I say?" Teddy crowed gloriously. His nose was bleeding but he didn't seem to notice. "I guaranteed that those pansy ass mama's boys would leave the field running."

"And I guarantee that all of you boys will see the principal before the day is out." Coach Renfrew was standing on the bleachers with his arms folded.

"Oh, shit," Vern groaned as he shook out his swollen fist.

"And you, Mr Tessio, can lead the way."

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"Miss Willis, I was hoping I'd see you today. But not like this." Principal Foster folded his hands in his lap and looked at me gravely. " You realise that the punishment for fighting is suspension?"

I opened my mouth and closed it. I didnt give a shit about suspension but if that meant he was gonna call Stan then I was worried.

"Yes, sir."

"Well, I've heard Coach Renfrew's version of events, I'd like to hear yours please."

It wasn't fair getting called in first. That meant that the pressure was entirely on me.

"I didn't get into any fight," I told him.

"But you were there. And you didn't fetch a teacher. That makes you involved."

I sighed and pulled my loose plait nervously over my shoulder.

"It was the football team," I said. "They started in on Chris and Gordie."

"Christopher Chambers?" Principal Foster echoed and I suddenly saw what Chris meant. I had said two names but the only name that got the principal's attention was Chris Chambers. He got the blame for everything. He was gonna get suspended now. And get a huge hiding from his father.

"It wasn't his fault," I argued. ". Jensen, he, well he-"

I didn't know what to say. I was under no illusion that Principal Foster liked me. He certainly wouldn't side with me over a football player. But I had his sympathy at the moment. And if I had to use it to save Chris, then screw it.

"Jensen said something about my mom," I lied. "Chris and Gordie were defending me. And their friends were defending them."

I felt an ass for bringing my mom into it but if that's what it took to get the guys off the hook…

"Well, I'm deeply troubled to hear that, Miss Willis." Principal Foster's face softened. "Young men say stupid things sometimes, you know. I hope it hasn't upset you too much."

"No,' I said. "I'm okay. Except…can you not call my stepfather please? I don't want him to hear about this. He's upset enough right now."

I was starting to think that I'd picked up a hell of a lot from dating Ace. Man, I was devious.

"Well, I think under the circumstances we can leave your stepfather out of this. Besides, I've already spoken to him once today."

"You have?" I asked, horrified.

"Yes, we didn't speak for very long but he confirmed that he was home to stay and able to take care of you."

I stared at Principal Foster, puzzled. Stan had said that?
But Foster was already rambling on about the dangers of fighting and the need to fetch a member of staff in any such event.

When he walked me to the door and opened it, Jensen and his friends were sat on one side of the waiting area with Chris, Gordie, Vern, Teddy, and Teddy's friends sat on the other. Some of them were holding ice packs or sporting band aids and the tension was being managed by a rather irritated Coach Renfrew.

"Coach," Principal Foster opened the door wide. "Can you and your team come inside please?"
The football players trudged in after their coach but instead of following them, Principal Foster closed the door and turned a hard face on the rest of us.

"Having heard the origins of this 'disagreement'", he said. "I will not be suspending you."

"Alright!" Vern grinned.

"However," Foster pressed. "You, Mr Duchamp, Mr Tessio, and you three also." He pointed at Teddy's wayward friends. " I have seen you in my office more than I should have this year."

"That bunsen burner just exploded, sir!" Vern insisted. "I was just-"

"Shut up, Vern," Gordie hissed.

"Therefore, you five will each be given three Saturday detentions."

"Aw, man," Teddy said. "Can I take the suspension instead?"

"Don't tempt me, Mr Duchamp. If I see any of you back in my office this year, that's exactly what will happen. And that will go on your school record. Now get out of here."

We all turned to go but Principal Foster's voice called after us.

"Chambers, Lachance, Miss Willis?"

We all turned back and waited dutifully for Teddy and the guys to leave.

"Miss Willis has told me what happened today. I understand that you were protecting your friend which is somewhat understandable. But I will not tolerate fighting in my school, am I clear?"

The three of us nodded.

"Although I don't see you in here as frequently as some, Mr Chambers, I have seen you enough to know you are not an innocent. And I taught your brother long enough to know that you're used to a- shall we say, 'a rule breaking environment'?"

I opened my mouth to protest but Chris elbowed me.

"You all have detention at 3 o clock today. Half an hour as punishment. Now please go to class."

As we turned the corner into the corridor, Gordie looked at me in amazement.

"What in the hell did you say to him?"

"Does it matter? Nobody got suspended, thats the main thing."

"We wouldn't even have got detention if not for me," Chris mumbled.

"Screw him," I said. "The only reason you ever get sent to him in the first place is because of your family. Not because you're a trouble maker."

"Exactly," Chris sighed.

Gordie and I exchanged looks.

"Come on, Chambers. We just whipped the football team. It's gonna be all over school." Gordie elbowed his friend and Chris managed to grin back.

"They did go running like a bunch of pussies," he said.

As the boys started to retell their parts in the fight, I breathed a sigh of relief.

We were out of trouble. At least for now.

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Turns out we were the only three kids in detention that day. Mrs Bell kept leaving to make coffee which meant we were left alone a few times. It was in one of those breaks that Chris nudged me with his foot and nodded at Gordie.

'I'm gonna do it,' he mouthed.

I shook my head rapidly but Chris ignored me.

"Hey, Gordie," he said. "I got something to tell you, man."

"You like guys," Gordie deadpanned, not looking up from his book. "It's okay, man. I'm cool with it."

I shot Chris another warning look which he ignored.

"Actually, Gordo, I like Nina."

I closed my eyes. The words were out there.

Gordie laughed.

"Yeah, right."

"I'm serious, man."

This time, Gordie looked round at us. And when he saw my anxious face he must have known it was true.

"You?" He gaped at me then Chris. "And you?"

"Yep." Chris shrugged and tapped his pen on the side of the desk. "Kinda just happened."

Gordie stared.

"But you said she was an irritating empty head!"

"You said what?" I hit Chris with my book but Gordie wasn't finished.

"And you, Nina? Your exact words were 'He's an arrogant arsehole'.

"Oh, nice," Chris said scornfully, raising his eyebrows in my direction.

I gave him a withering look.

"Oh, come on, it's not like I didn't say it to your face."

Gordie was still gaping.

"The two of you have lost your minds. Nina, you of all people should know I've had longer colds than Chris has had relationships. And Chris, you know that she has this shitty tendency of running back to Ace every couple of days."

His words stung me and l stared down at my desk to avoid letting him see it.

"Come on, Lachance, that's not fair. Maybe I haven't had a steady girl before but this times different. It's not about sex. Nina's- well, I guess she's my buddy."

"No, she's my buddy," Gordie stressed. "You, you don't even like her. In fact, maybe this is all just about pissing Ace off!"

"Stop it." Chris' voice went hard. "If that's what you think of me, then I guess we've never been friends at all."

"And you lying to my face for however long makes you friend of the year, right?"

Chris took a deep breath beside me.

"Guys, quit it," I mumbled. I could feel my cheeks growing warm and I was uncomfortable. Why was Gordie taking this so badly? And why had Chris blurted it out like this.

"You're telling me this is 100% real for you, Chambers?" Gordie demanded.

"That's what I'm telling you."

The boys held each other's gaze as Gordie absorbed what Chris was saying.

"Well, not me," I interrupted sarcastically. "I'm just waiting for my chance to go running back to Ace apparently."

"Don't say that," Chris snapped at me.

"Why not? That's what Gordie thinks!"

"Because I don't like thinking about you with Ace, that's why," he said.

"Oh, but I can listen to you boasting about how you knew just what to do to Jennette?"

"I didn't mean that-"

Gordie put a hand over his eyes as he cut in.

"You know the more I think about it, the more this makes sense. You've been arguing like a married couple since second grade." He removed his hand suddenly and gave us an accusing look. "So this is why you broke up with Ace? How long has this been going on for?"

"A while," I admitted. "I mean, not continuously, but on and off. And no, I didn't break up with Ace, for Chris. I broke up with Ace because he's an ass."

"No arguments there," Chris and Gordie said in unison.

This broke the ice and we all laughed.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me," Gordie said sulkily. "I was so jazzed that you two were finally friends and all along you were sneaking around."

"It wasn't like that," I said. "Well, not at first. Not until we went camping."

"Oh. man, stop it." Gordie put his hands over his ears. "I do not want to hear about what you got up to that night you disappeared."

"More than you did, I heard," Chris snickered.

I hit him again with my book.

"Will you quit that?" He demanded.

"When you quit it! You don't get to outdo your buddy on who got further with their girl right in front of me!"

"His girl? Ah, man, it sure is gonna be different not thinking of you as one of the guys," Gordie said.

"Wait a minute," Chris intervened. "Did you just call yourself my girl?"

"What's the weird part? That you're in a real relationship or she's a girl?" Gordie quipped. I kicked the back of his seat.

"No, I wouldn't call myself your girl. I mean it's not like I've been asked."

"Okay so what if I ask you? You wanna be my girl?"

"No." I turned back to my books, flicking my plait over my shoulder. Chris turned towards me, one arm across his chair, one arm across his desk.

"You're a real pain in the ass, Willis. Anyone ever tell you that?"

"And you're a real romantic, Chambers. Anyone ever tell you that?"

As Chris started to retort, Gordie groaned and slunk down in his seat.

"I guess it's not gonna be that different."

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