wrath of the wounded // a.banks

seven.

"Wrath-" I turn my head towards Conway. "Just wait a second- Holy shit! Do you know how fast I had to run to catch up to you? Give me a moment!" Charlie was leaned over, clutching his knees and breathing harsh breaths.

"Dude, you good?" Jesse asks as he skates past us, not waiting for Conway's response.

"I'm falling behind, Conway, what is it?" I say to him, obviously annoyed.

He blurts out, "I'm sorry, okay? I'm sorry. That was a real jackass thing to say." 

"That's nice." I begin to skate away from him but he grabs my arm and stops me. "Will you just forgive me, please, so we can move on from this." 

"Fine, Conway, just let me go." I knew his apology was half-assed and obviously forced from the mouth of Adam but I made a decision to let it go.

"Whoever trips Portman first gets to pick the card game we play tonight?"

"You're on, Conway." And we skate off.

//

We all decided to go train on the field today and we realized that after stretching for 30 minutes, that Coach was not going to show up. "Maybe he's having a mid-life crisis? He's like 50 years old, give or take a few." Averman said after a while. A few of us shook our heads in agreement.

"Whatever it is, he's not coming so we should just-" Fulton began but was cut off by Portman running to claim the position as captain. 

"C'mon guys, we have a game tomorrow! Let's just- I don't know, keep stretching and wait a little while longer to see if he shows up?" Portman threw the idea in the air and we agreed. But, silently, we knew Coach was not coming down to the field.

Portman continued, leading stretches, trying his best to get a laugh from us. I think that he felt that it was his responsibility, as the oldest, to take charge and plow on. "One, two, three-"

"I just don't get it, Coach isn't here so we do we have to be?" Guy exclaimed.

"We have a game tonight, guys, we have to work out." Portman replied with anger started to bile in his throat. 

I looked intently at Adam, warning him. Portman was on the brink of losing it. Adam returns the gaze, understanding and resumes with his stretching. Portman and Adam were still a little rocky after the fight two nights ago, and I was afraid their short temper would get the best of them.

Suddenly, Goldberg stops stretching and opens his mouth to speak, "I say mutiny! Who's with me?" 

"Goldberg, I'm too tired for mutiny." Dwayne says back with a chuckle.

"Come on guys, it's not like we couldn't use the conditioning." Julie eyes Goldberg with a hard glare.

Portman, tired and ticked off responds, "Speak for yourself, babe."

I warnily give a look to Adam but I know he can't resist and I can't blame him. I too was angered and I saw that look over protection wash over Connie and Adam's faces. "Her name, is Julie, not babe!" Adam angrily walks over to Portman.

"Don't tell me how to talk, rich boy!" 

"Hey- Portman, chill!" Fulton tries to intervene between them but it's futile. Immediately, everyone tries to push themselves between the two boys, yelling at both of them while doing it. Then we were interrupted boy a boy banging on the fence, "Yo, Team USA! What are you guys going to do today? A million jumping jacks?" 

Portman points to the kid wearing knee pads and skates, "Look, this kids crazier than me, forget about him!"

"So you know that you're a psycho?" I yell.