Never Be the Same

Never Be the Same One

One

                Beck Alistair walked through the halls of Thompson High with a slight limp and a small grimace pulling at his lips. He was there far before any other student would arrive, but that wasn’t what concerned him. He’d spend the last three weeks recovering in the hospital from his injuries sustained from the Titans/Giants game.

                He was at the school in hopes of getting Coach Stiles alone for several minutes. It wasn’t the school work he’d been worried about – Rick O’Neill, his best friend, had brought his homework to him every day – there were far more important things swimming through his mind.

                His knuckles rapped against the wooden door of Coach Stiles’ office, the sound echoing around him endlessly. Beck waited for several minutes, shifting his weight from his bum leg to his good leg, and pondering the idea of knocking again.

                When the door was thrown open Beck felt his lips pull up in a smile at the sight of Coach for the first time since September. “Feeling better Alistair?” a grin played on his lips like that of a school boy. He ushered his young football star into his spacious office and closed the wooden door behind them. Coach Stiles lingered by the door, leaning against it comfortably as Beck spun around in the comfy office chair. “What can I do for you at this ungodly hour?”

                Back sat up straighter in the leather office chair. “For starters I’d like to congratulate you on the four wins you managed and that your team can qualify – sorry, will qualify for the playoffs this year,” inside, Beck wished nothing more than to have joined his team in victory… “Hopefully you’ve not replaced me and I’ll be able to play in the final regular season game before the playoffs.”

                The Coach placed his hand on his chin and pondered the request that his co-captain and star quarterback had made. “Have you been cleared by a doctor yet?” the question seemed innocent enough, but it appeared to have thrown Beck Alistair for a loop.

                “I’ve been released from the hospital, haven’t I?” he tried to keep his tone light, joking around with his Coach but the physical education teacher didn’t seem to find how this was a joking manor. “The doctor released me from the hospital and he told me to take it easy, that I know my body and that I know when I should stop. That’s basically an okay to play; I feel fantastic.”

                Coach raised a dark eyebrow and pressed his palm over his dark eyes. “Why must you be so bloody difficult?” he cursed, crossing his arms over his chest in annoyance. “You can dress for the final game but I will not play you for the entire game. And, when I tell you to come off you will do so. Is that understood? I’d rather have you completely healthy for the playoff games instead of injure you further in this one.”

                Beck grinned a mile-wide grin. Coach had managed to boost his rather cloudy day skyward. Reached a hand out towards his superior, he stood from the comfy, leather office chair. “Will do, thank you sir,” Coach mimicked the smile on his face before he shouldered his bag and started out the door.

                “Oh, and, Alistair?” he was just beyond the next door when Coach Stiles’ voice pulled his attention back. “Principal King found out who was writing on the bathroom stalls…”

                A look of pure pain passed over Beck’s face faster than even Coach could register. “Not now, please?” his voice broke at the end, rising to an octave that wasn’t normally able to be reached by a male. “I’ll come seeking you when I want to find out what happened with the whole…ordeal.”