𝐃𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 ; 𝓶𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝔂 𝓭𝓾𝓬𝓴𝓼

Withdrawls?

    It was the next day and Mrs. Blogs called me for Elio. He started fighting with Keith and Kiera. I just picked him up and was taking me home.

    "Why were you fighting with Keith and Kiera?" I ask him as we cross the street.

    He huffs. "Keith started it. He said I wasn't wanted and that's why I was staying at their house. He said all that just 'cause I was using his favorite crayon and didn't let him use it 'cause I wasn't done."

    "Elio, you know you are wanted, right?" I ask him and he didn't say anything. I stop and pull on his shoulder. "Right?"

    He turns around and looks up to me. "Why am I still with the Blogs? Do you not want me anymore..?"

    "Lio, don't say that." I go down to his level. "Of course I want you, you're my flesh and blood. But, there's a setback with ma's situation and court and stuff."

    He looks down. "Is the court going to send to us with Gordon?"

    I wasn't expecting that question. "Honest truly, I dunno. Sad to say but most likely."

    We walk past the basketball courts and I see the Ducks playing hockey in there. "Isn't that your friends?" Elio stops and looks at the gate. "Hey, look! Gordon's there!"

    I look and do see our dad there skating with them. "Wow, shocker." I roll my eyes. "Come on, I'll buy you a milkshake at Mickey's."

    "Oh, yay!" Elio smiles and grabs my hand before I walk him towards the diner.

-

    I went to school that Monday and Banks was glad to see me. "Yo, V!" He hugs me. "The boys are going to be happy to see you."

    "I'm happy to see all the A's I still have. Even in science." I smile as Banks leads me to my locker. "I have to thank Kenny for that when I see him."

    I open my locker and see four dead roses. "Scooter put that in there." Adam tells me. "He put one for every half-week. I think he adds one today actually."

    I pick them up, carefully. "He's so sweet." I put them back in and slam it close. "I'll thank him when I see him too."

    "Oh, we leave to a game after first period." Adam tells me. "Hopefully you aren't that rusty."

-

    I leave math with Adam and we go to the lockers. "Guess who's back!" I sing-song as I dramatically enter the lockers.

    "Renny!" Scooter comes and hugs me. He picks me up slightly before Riley comes.

    Scoots puts me down. "Are you even prepared for this game?" He looks me up and down.

    "I'll do fine." I snap back. "I was only gone for like two weeks, don't fuckin' start with me."

    I walk past him and go get my hockey bag from my locker. Banks told me we had an away game against the Titans.

-

    We lost, 4:2. The bus ride back was deathly silent and in the lockers, Riley snapped. "Vivienne Renèe Astor, what in the hell was that!"

    I was pissed off already. "Richard Keenan Riley, what in the fuckaroni do you want."

    The team lets out scattered laughs. "You could've played better offense. Way better. And today your enforcer skills were totally off."

"Well, I didn't see your snobby ass doing anything either." I cross my arms. "You so let that player past you and score."

He clicks his tongue. "At least I scored. I contributed."

"You contributed so much." I roll my eyes. "So much in-fact, we definitely won the game."

He snaps his fingers and points at me. "Hey! Now I wasn't the one preoccupied instead of playing hockey."

"Oh, just shut the fuck up." I huff, throwing my bag into the locker. "We lost. That's it, one for all and all for one."

We must've been heated for what happened next.

"Well if you would stop crying about your mom, you probably would've played better."

I stare at as I see the whole team look between us. "Hmm, i probably could've. Sorry for being a human being with feelings and crying 'cause of a parent dying."

I grab my bag and shove it at him. "What in the hell are you doing, Astor?" He grabs the bag.

"What I'm doing?" I tilt my head. "Getting the fuck off your team, you have no damn compassion."

I bump him as I walk towards the door. "I knew it, you're such a quitter." I turn around and sock him in the jaw before shaking my hand and walking out.

-

Adam catches me during lunch in the corridors. "Hey, we have to go to a board meeting tomorrow afternoon." He informs. "They're thinking about removing our scholarships."

I laugh a bit at that. "Why is that not surprising?" Scooter was walking towards us, by himself. "Oh, my man Scoots."

"Hey, Ren." He smiles at me. "Nice seeing you, Banks." He gives me a rose. "For your twentieth day, including weekends, since you've dipped."

I grab it and laugh a bit. "Thanks for keeping track..?" I smell it. "Smells nice. Thank you, Scooter." I get up off the floor and hug him.

"Yeah, of course." He releases and looks to Banks. "I would get you roses too, just don't know what for."

Adam snickers. "I'll pass on the roses, thanks though."

-

We were at the board meeting. "Do I have a motion for reconsideration?" Buckley was talking. Nobody says anything. "I'm sorry, Coach, but unless there is a... motion from a board member and a second, the decision must stand."

Coach Orion looks fake sad. "You leave us no choice but to bring in our attorney." That got people murmuring.