Falling

56

Vinny Taylor

The next week at school, Carson was standing at my locker every morning waiting for me. I had told him it wasn't necessary, but I was glad he was doing it anyway. He had been worried that even with both Seth and Darren out of school, some of their friends would be after me for getting them in trouble since it seemed like neither of them would be playing in the championship this week.

So, I was no longer allowed to have lunch in the locker room and was forced to sit with Carson and his friends, not that I minded much. I liked being doted on by Carson. Even Spencer and Marina started sitting with us, though I didn't speak to them much.

Our gym class was strange. Logan and I had been excused for a few days because we had been injured by Seth. Surprisingly, neither of us had a concussion and we were cleared to go back to physical activity relatively soon.

Most of my classmates were walking on eggshells around me. None of them wanted to get too close or say the wrong thing. The football player who had hit Seth in the head to get him off of me that day, Tyler, I had learned was now acting as captain of the football team in the absence of Seth and Darren. He was also the only one there, other than Carson and Logan, that hadn't been acting weird around me.

Coach Bronson had us running laps around the gym and I was at the front as usual. Tyler eventually caught up to me and the two of us ran together side-by-side for about a lap before he started speaking and we slowed down.

"They're keeping Seth in the juvenile detention center," he said, staring straight ahead.

I didn't know why he was telling me that or if he was expecting me to feel guilty about it, but all that information did was make me heave out a big sigh of relief. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of me and one of my clouds of worry had drifted away.

"Good," I said, a hint of challenge in my voice.

"I just thought you should know that," Tyler replied. "So you're not worried about him blindsiding you again. From what I heard, they're holding him there until he has a trial."

"Good," I repeated.

"And Darren's transferring out," he continued. "His dad got him a spot in some private school down south. I think he's hoping to save his football career, but who knows."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Just thought you should know," he answered. "And no one from the team is going to mess with you. Nobody wants to risk not getting to play Friday, but also as captain, I made it clear you're not to be messed with."

That was what finally got me to look at him. We had gone to an even slower jog, and Tyler was still looking straight ahead.

"I don't need you to protect me," I said in a clipped tone.

Tyler laughed. "I'm not. I consider this to be mutually beneficial. You don't get beat up, I don't lose any more players. Most of the guys were getting sick of Seth's shit anyway. They should be grateful that by being his punching bag, you got him locked up."

"Are you expecting me to thank you for having decency?"

He laughed again. "I guess not. I do have a favor to ask though."

"I don't do favors." Not for people like him that thought I owed them something.

"Again, I think this would be mutually beneficial."

"What?"

"You used to run cross country, right?" he asked. I nodded before he continued. "I'm on the track team for the spring and I was hoping you'd consider joining as a runner."