The Bad Boy and the Other Bad Boy

Chapter 16

JAX: 

Everything was blurry. I viciously swiped a hand across my face. 

The warm lights of Coach's house shined over their lawn. I stood there for a while in the cold, quiet night air. 

This felt like giving up.

This felt weak. 

But I was tired. So so tired. 

And then I was knocking on their door, moths fluttering under the porch light. Coach opened the door in a Bulls hoodie and sweatpants. He took in the rapidly forming bruises on my neck with staring eyes, then wordlessly stepped aside to let me in. 

Mrs Coach appeared behind him, wrapped in a thick fluffy nightgown. I heard her intake of breath when she saw me, her hand going to her mouth. 

Coach led me to their kitchen and sat me down. Their house was very warm. Mrs Coach bustled around, pulling things out from the fridge. She handed me a bag of frozen blueberries wrapped in a tea towel. Soon the sound of an electric kettle boiling water filled the room. 

"Thanks, " I managed to croak. I held the bag to my throat. 

Coach watched me impassively. "What happened, son?" He said quietly. 

My eyes found a small dent in the wooden floor. "Fight, " I said. "Sorry to impose. "

"Nonsense. " He said, but to one which I didn't know. Both, maybe. 

Mrs Coach returned to press a glass of ice water into my hand. On the table in front of me she placed a bowl of green and white ice cream. She placed a hand gently on my shoulder, then turned and left the kitchen. 

I ran my tongue around my mouth. I could still taste blood, from where my own teeth had cut the inside of my cheek.

Coach sighed and shifted his elbows on the table forwards towards me. "Jax. " He said. "Why doesn't your mother go to the police? Why don't you?" 

I bit down on the inside of my cheek, drawing fresh blood. I clenched my hands together. "She um. She doesn't have a job. And also - we don't know who on the police is corrupted. "

Coach looked down and nodded slowly. After a long while, he sat up and pushed the melting ice-cream and the water towards me. I gratefully took the glass, chugging it in a few seconds. 

Coach got up silently and left. I turned around to follow him with my eyes, then shrugged and began eating the ice-cream. It was pear and vanilla, I think. Felt good as hell on my throat. 

Coach returned with a towel and some clean clothes - all some form of football jersey or branded sweatpants. 

"Lost property, " He said. "Keep it. Your room is up the stairs, first on the right. It's got an en suite. Me and Mrs Coach will be downstairs if you need anything. " 

He knuckled my arm and turned to leave. 

"Coach. " I said suddenly. 

He turned back. I was silent, my mouth twisting, heart thudding. "Thank you. " 

He nodded. "No problem, Jax. It's nothing. Turn off the lights when you go, ok?" He smiled at me and left the room. 

I sat there alone for a few moments, then got up stiffly and walked out, flicking the lights off as I left. 

I was exhausted, but something in me wanted to stand under the shower and let the water run over me, as if it would remove the bruises he had made around my neck. Inside my huge Cobra jacket pockets, I had a toothbrush and toothpaste, a razor, a bit of soap in a ziplock bag, all of that - I was always staying at other people's houses.