Jamie Johnson Fanfic!

Jethro

"Come on Jamie!" Somebody yelled as Jamie's fingers darted across the controllers. I glanced at my watch. I wasn't afraid to admit that 7 games into the tournament was starting to get a little boring.

"We've got a problem." Mike came over, a worried look on his face, holding his phone. I guessed he'd just been on a call, and the outcome didn't look good.

"Not now Mike." Jamie's dad replied still watching the screen as Jamie began to take control of the game.

"Hawkstone have found out you're competing here. They know that we lied and why you missed physio with them today. Howard Royle wants to see you now" Mike said with an air of authority about him.

My head darted to Jamie. "You missed physio for this?" I couldn't believe it. He was jeopardizing his recovery for what? A gaming tournament?

Jamie seemed to ignore my question and finished the game. He turned to Mike. "Come on, Mike. I'm in the semis now!"

"That's great Jamie, but we need to go now."

Jamie looked to his dad for some defense, but he got none.

"Mike's right Jamie. If Howard Royle asks to see you, you go." Ian said, but looked disappointed all the same.

Realization seemed to set in on Jamie's face and he slowly got out of his seat. We began walking towards the door, none of us saying a word to each other. I stared at the ground the whole way, but my attention was diverted when a notification from Jamie's phone jolted me back to reality.

"It's Jethro." Jamie answered the question I hadn't even asked. "He says I'll always be a loser."

"Just ignore him." I said reassuringly. "You future at Hawkstone is nothing compared to this."

"What future?" He said, stopping in the doorway, the rest of us facing him. "I can barely walk!"

Mike interjected. "You're going to make it back!"

"And what if I don't?" Jamie persisted, looking more and more determined.

"You will!" I said aggressively.

Slowly, Jamie turned to me and his dad."Yous two are only saying that because you feel guilty about running me over."

Ian stepped forwards. "Jamie..."

"Don't say it had nothing to do with you. Letting a 16 year old drive a van? Are you out of your mind?"

Jamie seemed to have struck something in Ian. His face changed from apologetic to pure guilt.

"Jamie." Mike broke the silence. "Howard Royle wants to see you." He said, blocking the way back inside to the tournament.

"Out of the way Mike." Ian cut in.

"I thought we were on the same side here." Mike said slowly, looking betrayed.

"If Jamie wants to do this, then I'm behind him 100%." Ian persisted, but I had had enough.

"Well I'm not!" I said angrily, "You can't just throw your whole career away for a game!"

"For the last time: I have no career. I'm going back inside." Jamie said.

"Well I'm having no part in it." And I turned to leave, "And I'll be ready to say I told you so when Howard Royle rips up the contract."

——————————————————————

I sat outside the building on a bench for a little while, going over what I had just said to Jamie, and contemplating whether or not to go back and apologize. Eventually, I came to my senses and made my way back inside, the noise overwhelming me, and I saw Jethro sat amongst his friends.

"Where's Jamie?" I asked urgently, determined to speak to this boy for as little time as possible.

"Losing." Jethro laughed.

"Just tell me where he is." I said, fed up of this whole tournament.

"I'm through to the final now, did you know that? I'm going to the arena and your boyfriend's not." He said, and I rolled my eyes, but something about what he'd just said made no sense, and I couldn't work out what.

"Shut up Jethro. Where. Is. He?" I repeated, putting emphasis on each word. In response, Jethro just pointed to a screen, crowds gathered round it, and in the middle, Jamie.

But something in my mind clicked all of a sudden.

Slowly, I turned back to Jethro. "How did you know me and Jamie used to go out?"

"What do you mean?" He said curiously.

"A minute ago, you said 'your boyfriend's not going to the arena'. I haven't seen you for years how could you know that?" I asked.

"I have my ways."

"I mean it Jethro. Just tell me."

"Alright, fine. I have a good mate who's brother's at Phoenix." He replied in a way which seemed sincere.

"So he spies for you?" I said, scoffing.

"Yeah, if that's what you want to call it. It's how I knew Jamie had a run in with Zoe about that thing I made him post for a forfeit."

"Right, so you use a boy you know to spy on us so you can cyber bully someone else." I said, mockingly pretending to get my head round the situation.

"And what is the name of this spy?" I said, but I think deep down, I already knew the answer.

"Jayden."