Because of You

Chapter 2

Jacob

I sat in sixth period.

I could feel Aaron staring a hole in the side of my face as we sat two bleachers away from one another.

"Bruh, what? You've been staring at me this whole time. Do you have something to say," I asked.

"Nah, not much, just trying to figure out why you were defending Nolen this morning, seems a little suspect to me," Aaron shrugged.

I chuckled, "You pick on that boy everyday. If anybody come off as suspect, it's you. You always messing with him and he does absolutely nothing to you. What's your issue man?"

Aaron shrugged, "No reason, just because he's a freaking weirdo. You know I heard he doesn't even really have a dick. He's one of those intersex type dudes."

I felt my face twist, "AND! YOU HAVE NO REASON TO PICK ON HIM! NEXT TIME YOU DO, I'M GONNA..."

"Do what," Aaron teased.

I piped down.

"That's what I thought, over there defending your little boyfriend," Aaron mocked.

Everybody else just stared at us.

The coach finally walked in.

"Why are you bums just sitting there? Go in the locker room and get in your jerseys so you can get out here and practice on the court," Coach Mason yelled.

The boys got up, yelling and laughing to one another.

I followed behind them.

As I was walking out, a girl named Ariana pulled me aside.

"Hey Jacob. There's a party happening tomorrow night. It's at my place, so I think you should come," she said, sliding an envelope into my hand and putting extra emphasis on the word come.

I took the envelope and shoved it into my basketball shorts.

Aaron grilled me as I walked into the locker room.

I paid him no mind.

"Hey Jacob, are you going to that party tomorrow night," Colton asked.

"Yea. Ariana just gave me an invite," I said as I got dressed.

"You know she feeling you right," Jordan, another guy, joked, "you should get in that."

He and Colton laughed, slapping hands with one another.

"Nah man," I said, shaking my head, "she done been around the block too many times for me man."

"Yep, and Jacob don't like girls," Aaron snickered.

My head whipped in his direction.

The locker room grew quiet.

Colton looked at me and shook his head, "Don't feed into it bruh."

"What did you say, Aaron," I asked, my voice laced with anger.

I stood up, flexing my fingers as I balled them into fists.

I was really getting sick of his mouth today.

"Oh nothing," Aaron replied, still laughing to himself.

I lunged at him, tackling him to the floor and punching him in the face.

He rolled over on me and hit me a couple of times, but I rolled back on him and held the upper hand.

His nose was bleeding and his lip was busted and swollen.

"Jacob, calm down man," Colton said as he pulled me off of Aaron.

Jordan held me back against a locker as Colton stepped in the middle of the room.

As team captain, he was usually the one to deal with stuff like this.

"Y'all need to quit. Aaron, stop talking shit, and Jacob, don't feed into it. Y'all have to keep it together for tomorrow. We have a game. Aaron, go get cleaned up."

"Fuck him man," Aaron shouted as he walked to the bathroom.

I lunged at him again, but Jordan still held me back.

Everyone else was quiet.

"Everybody else, head to the court," Colton said.

As everybody filed out, I sat on the bench, putting on my shoes.

"You good man," Colton asked.

I nodded, "Yea."

"See you out there. I'm gonna make sure Aaron doesn't come back in here while you're getting yourself together," Colton said, patting my shoulder.

I nodded again.

Leaning back, I ran a hand down my face.

Keep it together Jacob.