Figuring You Out

Chapter Forty-Two

"Oliver," Coach states, straightening up from his bend position tying his lace, "I didn't expect you back today,"

"I'm not," I say, hoppling into the stuffy changing room, "I wanted to speak to the team, if that's ok,"

"You don't have to ask," he replies, his lips turning up slightly, I nod and move my crutches through to the middle of the room, passing a few of the lads who turn to me subtly but don't utter a word. I breathe out annoyance and push towards the middle of the cubic room, I eye Liam from the other side of the room but only recognise him from the back of his head- he either hasn't noticed me or doesn't want to, Dominic is whispering something to him whilst angling his head towards me. He gives a stiff nod and it's the most recognition I have had, "Guys," I start, a few around me turn but it's barely enough to grab their attention so I swallow the lump of fear from my throat and bang my crutch down defiantly, it echoes a low boom and a few more heads turn, but I can't help thinking I look like a wannabe Gandalf, "So," I say, clearing my throat at the attention.

"What's this about Oliver?" Dominic cuts.

"Let the boy speak, Garcia," Coach quips, he sighs and lowers himself onto the bench but sticks with the expression that he'd rather be anywhere but here.

"I know there have been rumours going around-" I start, but I'm struggling to drag the words out.

"About you being gay you mean? And about Liam being beaten up for it?" Bram snaps, from my left.

I turn to him, "What?" I breathe, I catch Liam's eye or rather I don't because it's swollen half of his face, his lip is cut in a sharp line and his hands are scrapped with cuts and the growing mould of bruises. I shake my head, in a questioning manner, I see him visibly exhale before stepping towards me.

"I got my arse kicked defending you," he says, quietly, but anger is bubbling through my veins again.

"And you're seriously standing here trying to play the hero?" I seethe, he scoffs and goes to turn but I grab him by the elbow my crutch clattering to the floor with an almighty clang, the rooms turning to a deafening silence.

"I'm not playing anything," Liam insists, his volume dropping.

"Bullshit," I state, defiantly.

"I stood up to those guys and lost for you," he booms, "So don't you dare accuse me of playing hero,"

"Would you rather me accuse you of organising an assault on your best mate?" I spite, he stands and breathes heavily amongst the icy silence.

The boys murmur in response this information clearly being new to them, "Oh you didn't tell them," I say, feigning shock.

"Boys," Coach warns, his footsteps echoing nearer, but my eyes can't leave Liam who's squirming in his spot.

"I made a mistake which I have apologised for and then I got a taste of my own medicine so I'd say we are fairly even," he states, turning again, I grab him roughly by the scuff of the neck, and begin tossing him around the room in a grapple, he claws at me as my shoulder juts his and he grabs me around my ribs and seizes me, I grunt in pain and back off as a foreign force tackles me to the other side of the room.

"ENOUGH!" Coach booms, I collapse back on the bench breathing heavily to ease the surge of dissipating pain in my side, "This team has suffered enough because of you two,"

Liam sits wounded on the opposite bench his scarred hands soothing his left shoulder, and his eyes sinking into mine with loath, "Now you two, sort out whatever you want to sort out or one of you is walking out of that door and never walking back in,"