The Judge's Blessing (boyxboy)

Taking One for the Team (Early December, 12th Grade)

The football coach at Clifford Heights High School, known to his players as "Coach," was not the most popular man on campus, but few could question his winning ways, and no one would suggest he was anything other than transparent. He also had a reputation as an outstanding physics teacher. At the same time, it was rare for him to speak with any of his players outside of practice.

As he was retiring at the end of the academic year that June, and the school had brought in another teacher to coach the football team—and he was the coach that the players were a bit peeved with for working them so hard—especially the seemingly endless drills and practice sessions. But the transition had not yet happened when the new coach had a family emergency. Coach was still very much in command of the football team.

Chad's 12th grade English teacher passed the word to him at lunch that Coach wanted to see him before the end of the day. His curiosity piqued, Chad hoped to see the man during his study hall in mid-afternoon, but he wasn't sure if Coach would be in his office next to the locker room. As luck would have it, Coach was working in his private cove.

"Coach?" Chad asked as he knocked on the open door. Coach looked up and beckoned Chad in, as he got up and closed the door. Chad couldn't imagine what might be so bad that the discussion had to be private? Coach never closed the door. Never. Was Coach cutting him from the team? Chad began to get anxious.

"Chad," Coach began, "some of your fellow team members have voiced a desire for a change in who's the team captain. It's been suggested that Asher is no longer the right person."

Chad swallowed hard. Damn, he thought. That's what this was about. The rumor mill had it right after all. As he considered the topic, Chad realized that he was having trouble moving air in and out of his lungs—like it was trapped somewhere in his throat.

"If there were a change," Coach continued, "just about everyone knows that you would be the captain. What do you think about becoming the captain? Would you be OK with that? Is it something you would like to be? I know back when you were a freshman, you were keen to eventually become the captain. Do you still want the position? Would you take it?"

Chad took a long, deep breathe. This was hardly what he was expecting--even with the rumor mill in action, and he couldn't believe what he was now hearing. Talking among your teammates was one thing; hearing it from Coach another.

He had indeed wanted the position—badly. But the reality was that that was before Asher transferred into the school. The position was Asher's—he had earned it.

Chad wasn't initially pleased that there was someone who could challenge his claim on the position, but he had to acknowledge that Asher was a better captain than he, Chad, could be. Would be, for that matter.

Asher seemed to be a natural leader, though Chad had to acknowledge that recently, the team didn't quite react to Asher's leadership the way it had before the Asher came out earlier in the semester. Still, Asher seemed to be asserting himself —and the team was beginning to respond to him again, much as it had before.

Chad also knew that Asher would be devastated if he were to now be demoted from being captain. It would confirm Asher's deepest fears about the consequences—that he faced being ostracized or worse--of coming out, that he would again be shunned for simply being who he was—a gay teen in high school.

And then there was his own relationship with Asher. Obviously, he could kiss that goodbye.

There was also Bethany, his girlfriend. She wouldn't break up with him—at least he thought she wouldn't, but it would be difficult for a while. Maybe even a long while. Bethany had become as protective of Asher as another member of their clique, Jess, had been. For whatever the captainship may be worth, the hell he would catch from Bethany alone made him wonder why bother even thinking about it.