Bloodshed.

13

"If you want to think about playing soccer you need to go to school. James will understand but right now Jill is on my ass. Your school keeps emailing her about your absences.  So just go because now I'm catching shit." Tossing the phone onto the couch,

"Why does Jill care? Just let me do my own thing. No need to ride my dick about it." Mumbling as the smoke pushes past parted lips. 

"You can't be the next face of US soccer if you don't graduate.  Jill said you can only miss three more days before you are sent to Gaines. And if you are sent to Gaines then no more soccer."

"Why does it matter that much I'm heading overseas anyways?" Growing more concerned as I light one more stick. "Do you think Chelsea cares? They shouldn't care?"

Sighing as the device vibrates once more. " Chelsea definitely cares. And so does Jill, She hasn't stopped texting me about how if you miss one more day than its not just you out of consideration for the Qualifiers but also for me. Ruin your own life not mine. So get dressed. If you want I can hangout with James today. But you have to go to school."

"Fine." Mumbling as I leave the small porch. "Please go see James. I fear if he isn't around normal people he will go mad. He's always been skittish around white coats. Ya'know white coats have ruined his life, his dad first and than his mom. Both times a doctor had informed him. He hates hospitals Lyss. I always told him no hospitals but he's too bad for me to deal with him right now. Now I gotta head or else I'm gonna be late."

"I'll be there." I nod along as I head down the hall dressing in clean clothes before shucking the just about empty black bag over my shoulder. the singular notebook and two pencils bounce with each unsteady step. Jogging out the door, unlocking the car and peeling out of the parking lot. A cigarette wedged between clenched teeth. 

Pulling into the lot I shoot James a quick text. 'Hey man I can't show today turns out I've missed too much, Alyssa's gonna keep you company. I'll swing by after practice.' The text is met with no response as I head into the cinderblock building. 

The days goes by rather quickly with Alyssa sending hourly updates. Practices drags on. We kept having to rerun drills as people kept messing up in the second progression.  Anger starting to boil in her stomach as the minutes continued to tick by with them still stuck on the same drill. Her tempering climbing to a dangerous height.  "Can you all just run it once." She pleads, venom dripping from her words. Hands thrown over her head. "For that outburst Danny you have two laps, get moving." I can only shake my head as I start sprinting for the corner flag. Of course I add to the additional time. This was the shit that made her want to head overseas. Where players could actually follow the progression of the drill. Where they didn't trip over their own feet and could make an accurate pass past ten yards. 

Completing her two laps, joining the rest of the her line. They hadn't moved in the few minutes it took her to run the perimeter. "Now let's continue." Coach bellowed. Annoyance growing with each passing second. As the sun sunk lower so did her hope. The hospital would probably shut visiting hours before she could arrive. Life always did that to her. 

By 8:30 coach called practice. Before he could shout the words of dismissal I was running towards the car, bags in hand. Tearing out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell. Breaking at least three driving laws as she hauled ass to the hospital, parking between two spaces. Clicking the lock behind her as she secured the bag of spare clothes on her shoulders. Walking up to the front counter, giving up the necessary information to the front desk lady befre slapping the photo ID sticker on her shoulder. boarding the elevator up to his floor. Navigating the labyrinth of rooms until finding his. Alyssa was asleep in the chair, neck bent at a rather uncomfortable angle that she would feel for  few days. 

"Hey man? How have you been. I'm sorry I got here so late, coach wouldn't let me leave. You know how he is." I mumble picking at the loose threads of the jersey. 

"I'm good. Alyssa isn't exactly a talker. It was nice though." His voice is hoarse as he coughs. I fill the paper cup with water, finding a straw next to it. I raise the now filled cup to his lips. He drinks greedily from it. 

"I figured some company was better than no company." He nods before sending a pointed look at me. "There's a shower in there. You stink." I nod with a smile. Heading to the bathroom. Taking the fastest recorded shower. Dressing lazily in shorts an a hoodie. Hair still wrapped in a towel. "You smell much better." He mumbles. A hand dawned in cords of various colors comes up to wipe the sleep from her eyes. 

"If you wanna knock you can. I'll be here all night. They don't kick you out if you're already here."

"I might do that. Thanks." I nod offering a firm hand on his wrist. His eyes shut as I pull my phone from my pocket. Scrolling through the emails I see a good bit from Jill. Figuring I should just give her a ring I step outside the room. Clicking her contact waiting as it rings. She picks up after the third ring. 

"Do you know what time it is?" She questions. Sleep laden voice. 

"Umm no. I'm sorry I know its late. I saw a lot of emails from you and figured you would want to talk to me." My hand comes up to intertwine with the flyways at the nape of my neck. 

"Well. Sure. You're school has notified me that you are now truant. You know what this means since you have no legal guardian?"

"Umm no ma'am."

"This means you are disenrolled from school. Your license gets suspended, a whole lot of paper work. Just show up. Why can't you show up to school? I'm tired of sticking my neck out for you." Heaving a grand sigh.

"I'm sorry ma'am. James is in the Hospital. I've been with him most days since he doesn't have a guardian either."

"Thank you for telling me. I would've wished for notice prior. But you better show up to school. Have someone else hang out with him while you are attending classes."

"Yes, Ma'am I had Alyssa sit with him today. He should be getting out soon. And I head overseas soon anyways."

"I have two words of advice for you. Get the hell out of Ohio and please for all that is good take James with you. He is going to be either the life preserver, or the rock. It's up to you to set himself so the two of you can succeed simultaneously."

"Thank you Jill. Have a great evening." She bids her well wishes before the line drops. Stumbling back into the room muscles aching from the long practice. Alyssa was still dead asleep on the plastic chair, Jaxx was slumped. Following suit, balling up her sweatshirt into a makeshift pillow and getting comfortable pressed against the wall so she didn't get in the way of the nurses. 

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