SHIFTED.✔

29

It worked fairly well. By Tuesday I was feeling pretty good. Mr. Cristaudo was rearranging the teams to try and make them a little more even. He called out the names of the people on each team.

"Team one, Bolch, James, Crone, Robinson, Johnson, Hardy and Keel, Johnson you're on the bench! Team two, Carter, Turnball, Fielding, Callum, Ashworth, Harrison, and Hyatt, Turnball bench! The rest of you I want over on the other court practising, we'll be swapping next period."

I went to sit in one of the stadium seats a couple of rows up thinking why did I have to get put on the same team as Keean. Mr. Cristaudo dropped his clipboard on the bench and walked forward. He clapped his hands together.

"Come on people let's go! Crone where's your singlet? I told you last time we did prac to bring your sports singlet."

Keean nodded.

Mr. Cristaudo barked again. "So where is it?"

"In my bag, Sir."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and waited with interest to see what was going to happen next.

"Get it on, Crone!"

Keean took a nervous step backwards and rubbed his hand up the back of his head. "I need to talk to you about that, Sir."

"Well talk. We haven't got all day!"

Keean sighed, shifted his hands to his waist and looked around at the class then back at Mr. Cristaudo. "In private, Sir."

"No." Mr. Cristaudo growled. "Get the bloody singlet on and stop being a pussy!" He turned to the rest of the class. "While we wait for Mr. Crone to grace us with his presence get yourselves into position."

Keean picked up his bag and threw it down hard on one of the stadium seats. He wrenched it open, pulled out the singlet and threw it onto the seat beside his bag. Keean almost ripped his shirt from his body. He picked up the singlet and looked through his hair towards me. I felt sorry for him. He must have been able to see the pity on my face. His body was glorious. I couldn't look away. He had an intricate tribal tattoo that went from the top of his arm and down towards his bicep. It had obviously been designed so it could be hidden under the short sleeve of a shirt. He glared at me, stood up straight and opened both arms towards me so his complete torso was facing me and said.

"What!"

I didn't answer. I bit my lip, embarrassed, but I didn't look away.

His aggressive stance softened, he tilted his head to one side and frowned at me. "Don't do that." His voice was less fierce.

I had no idea what he meant but assumed he wanted me to look away so I did. I heard him sigh as he pulled the singlet over his head. He headed back onto the court.

When Mr. Cristaudo saw him he started to slowly clap his hands. "Congratulations, Mr. Crone. We were happy to wait for you."

I watched as Mr. Cristaudo took hold of Keean's arm and studied the tattoo.

He smirked. "So the big man has a tat," he said loud enough for the whole class to hear.

Keean jerked his arm from Mr. Cristaudo's hold. I realised this was why he hadn't wanted to wear the singlet. Keean went to his position and glared at the teacher. The game began. Every time Keean got the ball Mr. Cristaudo blew the whistle. The whole class could tell Mr. Cristaudo was doing it to piss Keean off. After ten minutes of play I was substituted for Gina Bolch.

The game began again. Keean was a good player; he scored a couple of goals. He went to score a three pointer. Mr. Cristaudo penalised him for the hundredth time. Keean threw the ball hard at Mr. Cristaudo. The teacher ducked as it nearly hit him in the head. We all froze. Cristaudo stormed across the court towards Keean and jabbed him in the chest.