Chalk It Up To Fate

Chapter 5: Reece

I walk into the locker room to get ready for football practice. My head is killing me and my eye has a faint bruise from
this morning's locker incident. That new girl may look tiny, but she is strong. I've gotten hit with way bigger dudes in football games that hurt less.

As I am throwing my pads on, I hear some of my other teammates walk into the locker room, talking.

"Dude, how did you pull that? She's been all sad since Reece broke up with her," I instantly went on high alert. Are they talking about Amanda?

"That's the best time to swoop in. Girls need extra loving after a breakup if you know what I mean." I easily recognized that voice as Karson's. The guys started laughing.

Karson continued with a chuckle, "Watch, in the next week or two I will finally get to fuck her. Davis always gets the best pussy. If he was with her for six months, the sex must have been gooood," he finished with a smirk.

The rest of them agreed with him, nodding along.

One of the other guys spoke up, "Hey, when you're done with her can I have a turn?" They laughed again.

"Sure! Hell, I'm down to tag team," Karson laughed with them, hysterical this time.

I was seeing red. How. Dare. They. I start to go toward them, but stop short at the hand on my shoulder.

Easton was holding me back. "Let. Me. Go," I said through clenched teeth.

Easton gave me a warning look. "Reece. It's just locker room talk. If you beat his ass in here you'll get suspended from school and a couple of football games before the season even started."

I started shaking.

Easton huffed, then pulled me closer. "You want to beat his ass? Do it on the field. You want to make sure he doesn't hurt Amanda? Make sure she isn't single."

I looked at him with a mix of shock and anger. "You want me to find her a different boyfriend?" I said in a low growl.

"No, I want you to be her boyfriend. Start apologizing to Amanda and admit that you love her before Jackass gets his hands too far into her, literally."

Easton pushed me away, turned around, and put his practice jersey on. I was still staring at the lockers toward Karson and his group of assholes.

"I'm no better than him," I muttered, sitting on the bench, bending down to tie my cleats.

I heard Easton sigh, "Now we both know that's bullshit."

...................................................................

After practice, I didn't even go back to the locker room to change. I was desperate to get this day over with. I threw my pads into the back of my truck, and started the drive home. When I walk through my front door, I hear clanking in the kitchen. I start down the hall to see Mrs. Peters making dinner.

"Smells good!" I tell her, trying to give her a convincing smile.

The old woman turns her head, still stirring the pan, and shoots me a smile. "You're having spaghetti tonight. I figured the first day of school calls for my homemade sauce." She turns back to her pan.

Mrs. Peters is an older woman in her mid 70s. She has short gray hair and stands at a whopping 5'1. Although she isn't tall, Mrs. Peters is a tough woman who takes zero bullshit from anyone.

Mrs. Peters is not related to me or my mom in the slightest, but has been a part of my life since before I was born. My mom was a young mother, and ran away from my father when she was pregnant with me. As far as I know, my father has no idea that I exist. My mom had ended up in Carolina on a bus, trying to get to the state, North Carolina. When the bus dropped her off here, she didn't question it and assumed she was in the right place. After wandering around town at night, she promptly fell asleep on a bench in the park.

In the small town of Carolina, strangers do not exist. So, when the townsfolk found a stranger sleeping on a park bench in front of a children's playground, they were spooked. The police were called and my mom was taken into the police station by Officer Peters; Mrs. Peters's husband.

When my mom told her story, Mrs. Peters was quick to offer her a place to stay at her home, and a job at the local bakery, which the Peters owned. The Peters family has been taking care of us ever since.

"Reece!" I snapped my head back to Mrs. Peters. "I asked you a question, how was school?" she says, pointing her wooden spoon at me covered in red sauce.

I sigh, "School was school." I did not want to talk about the horrendous day I just had.

Mrs. Peters huffs. "Don't be getting into trouble now. Don't want to hurt your throwing arm. Or your team from an unnecessary suspension."

I didn't tell her how close I was to doing both, several times today. I shook my head and said "never!" with as much sarcasm as I could muster.

Mrs. Peters glared at me. I walked to her side, pulled her into a hug, and kissed her on the temple. She sniffed before pulling her body back.

"Boy, you stink!" she exclaimed.

I laughed and backed away. "Where is Mom?"

Her own smile faded. "Still in bed. She refused to get out of her room. Wouldn't even let me pull the curtains back to let the sun in."

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. "She's been like this for two weeks now."

Mrs. Peters gave me a sad look. She turned and went back to her sauce. "I'm almost done with the food. I wasn't expecting you to come home this early. I'll leave everything for you and your mama. It should last a couple of days," She said changing the subject.

"You're not staying for dinner?"

She smiled. "It wasn't just your first day of school! I've got other spaghetti dinners to make!" She said defensively.

I returned her smile with one of my own, putting both hands up in surrender. "I appreciate you being here. I'm going to try and talk to mom. She usually likes hearing about school."

"I hope so hon." Mrs. Peters's smile turned sad.

She took the sauce off the stove, and dumped it on top of the already cooked noodles and meatballs.

I walked over and gave her another kiss on the forehead. "Thanks Mrs. Peters! See you tomorrow" I yelled as I walked up the stairs toward my mom's room.

"If you're lucky!" She yelled back.

I chuckled, then quietly knocked on my moms bedroom door. "Mom?" I asked timidly.

She didn't answer.

I went to turn the knob, and I found it locked.

"Mom," I said again, exasperated.

I heard the shuffling of sheets and the squeak of the bed. Yet, she didn't answer the door. I knocked again, harder this time.

"Go away," she responded, a little muffled.

"Mom I-" I started.

"I said...Go. Away." She said louder with a little more conviction.

I sighed, turned, and headed back to my room. I strip my sweaty practice clothes off, walked into the ensuite bathroom, and tried to scrub this shitty day off of me.