Game, Set, Match

{28}

Chase

Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have parents like Nate's. Parents who cook you breakfast everyday and ask you how you're day has been. Parents who are open to having their son's boyfriend stay in their home even though his older brother is a drug addict. Parents who give and give without expecting anything in return.

Nate's parents offered to help me with the house. I promised to pay them back as soon as possible but since I'm currently short on cash, Lionel said I can pay some of it back by working at his car retail. Apparently I'm a good salesman. Tracy thinks it's because I'm a natural charmer.

I no longer have to sleep on Nate's bedroom floor, considering no one knows how long I'll be staying. It's an added perk getting to wake up next to Nate everyday. Tracy makes an effort of warning Nate and I that there be no funny business while his bedroom doors are closed. It's clear Lionel just wants to stay out of our business. He's not 100% comfortable with the idea of his son being into boys but it's also clear that he's trying and Nate and I are appreciative of that.

*

It's not just the three of us at lunch anymore. Now there's six. Stevie has invited her boyfriend Josh (still not over how weird it is), Niall has become incredibly close with Georgia and whilst I am convinced they are dating, they say they're not. And obviously there's Nate, eating my crisps like he brought the bloody packet. He's too engrossed in a story Georgia is telling to realise I've stolen his apple.

When lunch (and Georgia's ridiculously long story) is over, we all head to our next lesson and among the crowd of students walking, I hear the mention of my name as well as my brother's.

"Did you hear about that druggie Derek?"

"Chase's older brother?"

"Yeah. Heard he OD'd."

"I bet Chase is gonna end up just as messed up as he is."

"What did you say?!" I yell, turning to the direction of the two boys. One of them takes a couple steps back (smart) while the other chooses to do the opposite, crossing his arms in front of me.

"You heard what I said. I bet you're gonna be in the hospital next." The boy smirks and a crowd starts to form around us. "Or better yet, maybe you'll end up in prison." The crowd ooo's and my fists get tighter. "Just like your dad." And just like that we're on the floor.

I tackle him to the ground, not caring about where we are or who's looking. My fist hits his face again and again and again. He's bleeding, my knuckles are bruising but I go on anyway.

"Stop it Chase! Get off of him!" It's Nate's voice. I stop hitting him, get up from the ground and loom over the beaten boy on the floor. He spits blood onto the grass, I shake the blood from my hands. The teachers rush in to help, I get rushed to the headteacher's office.

*

"Chase Malroy." The headmistress is seated behind a large dark brown desk. Her hands lay clasped behind a golden name plate that reads 'Ms O'Neil'. "Are you going to start talking or should I?"

I remain silent, looking down at my bloody knuckles.

"Fine. So be it. Chase, you put a fellow student, who I assume you don't know the name of..."

I shake my head.

"Anthony Rios, in hospital." I smirk at the irony of her statement.

"Is something funny to you Malroy? Does the idea of putting a boy in hospital make you laugh?" Her angry tone forces me to say "No Miss. I-I just lashed out. The stuff he said about my family, I-"

"You need to control your anger Chase. This may not be the first fight you've been in but it's the first fight to put someone in hospital. That's why I'm putting you up for Anger Management classes. You go once a week for a month with our guidance counsellor, agreed?"

I look at my headteacher and mutter "Agreed" under my breath.

She huffs, staring at me sadly. "I understand that you're brother is in the hospital right now and what Anthony said was wrong, but beating the kid up was worse. I have to do my job here Chase, and behaviour like that, no matter how justified you think your actions are, can not go unpunished. As a result you will be suspended from school for 1 week and from hereby onwards, you are no longer allowed to be part of the school football team."

My eyes shoot up at that. The suspension was something that I expected but off the football team? I hadn't realised how attached I've become to the team.

"But Miss, I'm the captain, I need to be on that team. It was your idea to put me there in the first place."

"I'm sorry Chase but you should have thought about what you would be jeopardising before you hit the boy."

"So what happens to him huh?" I know getting angry at the headteacher is probably the worst thing I could do right now but this isn't fair. "What happens to the guy who insults me and my family?"

"Don't you think it's enough that you broke the poor child's nose." She retorts. "He'll be in detention for a week."

"Huh. Detention."

"Keep on going like that Mr Malroy and I'll make sure you never step foot into this school again. I've given you plenty of warnings and you've gotten in fights for smaller reasons. Why now do you want to argue with me?" She's no longer angry, just curious.

I don't tell her the truth though. Instead I grab my bag off the floor and walk out her office, through the front gates of the school, down the road, home.

I go home.