Jackson

Three

Bradley Rickham stared at me blankly.
"What did you just say? Join the football squad?" The ginger boy questioned me and when I'd repeated my previous words sent him clutching his sides with laughter like I just told him the funniest dad joke.

I shuffled uneasily in my place. I was Jackson Jaime and I'd never back down a challenge.

Bradley's grin turned into thin eyes biting holes in me.

"We don't take niggas." He sneers at me. I look around at the squad who's chests were puffed out like prepubescent girls who stuffed tissues down their bras.

Suddenly Zayn - the asian boy who was constantly chewing his gum next to me in English - pushes through the boys.

"Who's 'we' bro? If ya have a race problem then ya have a problem wih me. Then I'm out." He walks over on my side with his arms folded against his chest as a way of saying 'bring it on.'

"You're going to chose the slave-boy? Over me? Brothers you said. Brothers don't stab each other's backs," Brad hissed at Zayn leaping towards to him. Zayn didn't flinch.

At this moment I thought there was going to be a physical fight but Zayn just says "I'm not friends with no racists, oryt?" His accent made me laugh a little and I follow up behind him.

"Thankyou," I say. Zayn stops in his tracks and looks down at me. He's atleast a foot taller than me and I wasn't even short.

"You know why he won't accept you?" He days with a huff.

"Because the opposition are black boys. They play dirty. You look out for them, if you were on the team they'd target you. I was sick of playing dirty with the Sandwell boys, I needed an excuse to get away from them," he chuckles before getting my head in a headlock and rubbing his knuckles across it.

"Midget,"

"Giant," I push him slightly.

"You know, if football isn't for you. You can always try boxing. I'm there's a club round the corner from the school."

Boxing, huh?

"Okay, but I'll sign up if you do," Zayn thinks about my offer before fist pumping me.

"Deal."

That was sorted. I needed to join a club, to social and have a hobby. Since I got rejected from the school football team, boxing didn't sound all too bad.

"Have you done boxing before?" Zayn suddenly asks as we reach my house after school. He'd decided we'd walk together since he "betrayed his brothers," - their words, not his.

"Nope, What makes you say that? You saying I'm fit, huh?" I hold my fists in front of my face like they did in boxing.

"Pshh, nah. You're a midget, anyway I was asking because your face is bruised." I touch my cheek, then wince in pain.

I'd forgotten all about that like it was some dream.

"Don't worry about it. I got in a fight with my sis- cousin." I stumble on my words. I didn't want to point out she's female or he'd take the piss outta me.

"Haha, female cousin ay?" He chuckles before whipping out his phone. He obviously realised. "In all seriousness, I got to go. But I'll see you down the centre at 7, no later."

As soon as I hit home I check my phone my phone starts to buzz.

7 messages from Daphne.
2 missed calls from Daphne.

Then another comes in so I pick it up straight away.

"Hello?"

"Heya, thank God you picked up," she sighs heavily over the phone. "Are you okay?" Her voice shakes a little.

"Yeah, I'm fine, why?"

"Um, you didn't hang out with me or even talk to me today. I saw you with the boys and um, you have a bruised cheek."

"Yeah, I fell over." I lie.

"Good, - I mean not good you fell over but good you didn't get into a fight or anything."
Typical Daphne saying something awkward.

After that there was a silence.
We just breathed I thought of things to say but my mind was blank.

"I'm taking up boxing?" I say in a questioned tone rather than in a conversational.

"Cool, do you... want to see me skate sometime?"

"Yeah... I'd love to!" I say.

"Cool, we'll talk tomorrow I got to go but I'll see you tom-," she didn't even get to finish before someone on her side cut the phone off.

I don't know whether I should worry, or just leave it.

I'm probably overthinking.

I shower before changing into sweats and making my way down for dinner.

"You didn't tell me you had plans," my aunt says with a big smile.

"Yeah, my friend and I are signing up to boxing."

"Cool, cool. You know I should play "the eye of a tiger," before you come into the room. It will give you them Rocky feels. Roar," She roars at me cringingly.

I cringe in my seat. "Aunt Kayla, don't ever do that again." I say. Luckily my aunt was cool and never took anything to heart.

"Oi, Cherry!" Aunt shouts causing Cherry's head to wipe up for the first time in this entire dinner. The whole time Cherry had been texting people.

"Mhm?"

"Who's that guy I saw you with in-,"

I leave the room grabbing my jacket & kit.

"Bye Ma." I yell behind me.

"Ma?" I facepalm myself.

When we get to the club, it's packed with adrenaline, grunts and women. I look around the room, everyone was drunk in passion.

"What are your names?" The woman around 25 asks us. I'm guessing that's our coach because she was wearing a polo with bright blue Adidas shorts. Around her neck - a stop watch.

"Come on boys, let me introduce you to the others," she turns on her heels and Zayn whispers to me "she's hot man."

I eye her up. She had toned legs, which she obviously liked to show off with her legs. Her body frame was petite but she had a well curved figure. Her crazy curled hair bounced with every step.

"Yeah okay, she's fine... but she's also mine."

When everyone is gathered, we realised that they're all women.

"So girls, these are the first boys to audition at our club, so welcome them - what are your names?"

We introduce ourselves.

I punch Zayn whispering in his ear, "yo serious bro? This is a female club. Did you know?"

"I swear I didn't," he surrenders with his arms up.

After the club we go to the chip shop laughing about how Zayn got us into a female boxing class. There were some hot girls so I'm not complaining.

"You know that Daphne girl you're always-," Zayn gets interrupted by the ringing of my phone.

It's Yocelyn.

"Hey," She says breathlessly.

"Are you okay?" I asked concerned as she continues to pant. She sniffled, sounded like she was crying which made my heart beat fast. The only time I saw her cry was at my parents funeral.

"You need to come home, now!" She tells before cutting me off.

I dropped my chips and ran out the shop leaving Zayn with his agitated questions which I blurred out. 

I fumble with the keys, rushing inside.

Nothing could prepare me for the sight I had just seen.