The Badass

Chapter 5-Uproar

I was on the couch, falling asleep in front of an episode of Monk, when my mother burst through the door of our home.  I sat up and tried to look attentive, so she wouldn't lecture me about going to bed.  It was Friday, I could stay up late as I wanted to, but she would lecture me if I was tired. 

I raised my eyebrows at my mother's look.  Her jaw was set, her lips pressed into a thin, hard line, and her brow was furrowed.  I knew that look.  "It didn't go well, did it," I said, not really asking, just confirming my suspicions.

My mother shook her head.  "I hate being the only woman on that stupid board.  Your coach and the principal were one step ahead of us.  They appealed to forbid her from playing sports at all, but my argument was enough to put the board at a stalemate.  Something is telling me that your bigoted coach might do something else, but...at this moment, there's nothing that can be done."

I started towards the basement, where my room resided.  "Thanks anyway for trying, mom.  We'll see how things go for the next few days."

***

Things did not go well.  By Monday, my usually uneventful town was in an uproar.  Everyone had heard about Avery's attempt to be on the football team-apparently it had been on the local news-and the entire town was in a rift.  Mostly males, and a few elderly females, were shocked to hear that a girl would even think of trying out for the boys' football team.  Mostly females, and a sprinkling of guys, thought that Avery should be given a chance to play, especially since she had made the team when coach thought she was a boy. 

Me, I was at a loss for what side to take.  My head told me to take the team's side, to avoid getting my ass beat by every member of the team.  Mainly because the defensive linemen were really scary.  I may be a football player, but I'm not the bulkiest guy around.  My heart and my gut both told me to support Avery and her fight to be on the team, but...every time I saw her in the halls, she looked so angry I was afraid to go anywhere near her.  The dark circles around her eyes did nothing to soften her look, and the way her eyes looked more yellow under the flourescent lights and with the dark circles, she looked nothing short of feral.  She appeared so dangerous that the world seemed to skirt around her, giving her a wide berth.  Every time she and I passed in the halls, the look on her face would soften, and she looked almost sad.

Practice was nothing better.  Every day, Coach would lecture us on how we were men, and that footabll was a man's sport, and we didn't need any pansy women trying to be part of our respit or whatever.  He had re-held tryouts to replace Avery, but no one was nearly as good as her.  The person he had picked-John I think his name was-didn't even want to play, his dad had forced him to show that Avery didn't deserve a spot on the team. 

"My dad's fairly sexist," John said to me in the locker room as we pulled off our pads.  "I was at the original tryouts, but when I saw Avery play, I knew that I didn't want a spot on the team if that amount of skill was my competition.  Then my dad made me come back." He shook his blonde bangs-almost the same color as Avery's-out of his eyes.  "In all honesty, I'm on her side.  The coach is just putting his sexist values in front of what's best for the team."

I steeled myself as the Coach blew his whistle.  "It's about to get worse."

I zoned out as the coach started going off on the same thing again.  It was just a drone until I heard my name.

"Blaine here made a mistake, telling that pansy girl to try out, but he learned his lesson.  He gets that we are men, and girls are not allowed on this team."

I threw down my helmet, which was still in my hands.  "ENOUGH!  Coach, you may be putting the well-being of this team in jeopardy, but don't go dragging me down with you.  For the last time, I didn't TELL Avery to try out, she did that of her own accord.  And furthermore, she was better than anyone else on this team!  You just won't let her play because she has two X chromosomes!  Who the hell gives a damn!  She's GOOD, probably good enough to help us win a couple trophies, which hasn't happened in years!  Even John here agrees with me!  What he does is his choice, and what all of you do are your choices, I won't resent anyone for that, but not letting Avery play is the worst idea ever!  And if you don't let her play-" I dropped my sweaty uniform and pads on the floor, "-then neither will I."