We Come Alive 4

Sticks and Stones

Saturday, minutes before noon, multiple cars pulled into the football field parking lot and all 53 Jaguar football players walked to the field. They knew when Mateo called a mandatory meeting for a certain time, they were starting the meeting at that time.

Jose got out of Colby's car and waited for his boyfriend as he locked the doors. They were about to leave the parking lot when they saw a familiar red car pull up to them. They stepped out of the way as they saw Clover lean towards Dante for him to kiss her cheek goodbye. She climbed out of the car in her sweatshirt and leggings with slides. In her hand was an ice pack wrapped in a paper towel. They could tell she didn't feel like being there since her hair was in a messy bun and she looked liked she'd just woken up.

"You okay?" Jose wondered.

Clover shook her head as she held the ice pack to the left side of her mouth so they couldn't see it. She didn't move it as she walked up the path and to the athletic building.

Colby grabbed Jose's hand and held it as they walked along side their teammates into the meeting. All the players made the walk inside, down the hallway, and into the conference room. Jose and Colby sat on either side of Clover in the three chairs in the front while everyone else filed in behind them.

Jose did a handshake with Ethan and Diego as they passed them and sat with Stephen and Jacob at the table in the middle of the room, their usual spot.

"I can't believe I missed it." Ethan sighed, slouching in his chair. "I wish I could've bashed that kid's face in."

"Best you weren't there." Stephen admitted, looking down at his bruised hands. "My mom had to soak my hands in ice water last night. I thought I lost all feeling in them."

Diego leaned his elbows against the table as he rubbed the side of his neck. He had bailed out of the brawl midway since he came to his senses and knew it wasn't worth it to hurt his neck any further.

The second the clock hit noon, Victor closed the conference door and leaned against the wall next to the door while Mateo begun his speech.

"Listen up guys." Mateo started. "We got a lot to talk about last night. It was a rough game. There's no way around that or to deny that. It was a very rough game. I think you all at one point had at least one personal foul against you, there was a flag thrown every play last night. But after the game is what I called this meeting about."

Mateo sighed as he saw Danny kneeling down to Clover and asking her if she wanted a colder ice pack, when she nodded and handed him the one she had on her face, Mateo's heart broke. Clover's left side of her mouth was swollen two times the size it was before. He could see the black stitches in her lips and all he could remember was her crying while trying to hold the blood back and her lips together from them being ripped apart.

"Being a coach and a parent, seeing that disgusted me." Mateo admitted. "Eddie's actions after the game was unacceptable, he shouldn't have hit Clover. If I would've known that would have happened, I wouldn't have allowed any of you to go on the field after the game. Now the main question, Clover are you okay?"

By then Danny had came back with another ice pack and had given it to Clover. She nodded and spoke, but her speech was mumbled and Mateo couldn't understand her. Jose, knowing what she said, translated for her.

"She said she's fine. She's a Jaguar and Jaguars are tough."

The boys clapped and cheered for her as Clover smiled. She closed her mouth and hid her face when she saw the boys staring at her swollen mouth and missing tooth.

"You're still the best looking girl I've ever seen." Ethan shouted out, knowing she was insecure.

The boys, once again, started cheering and clapping for her to make her feel better. Clover smiled again and kept holding the ice pack to her face.