The Heart of the Team

Chapter 26

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Somehow my week managed to get a whole lot worse.

I had shuffled into my third class of the day, history, already worn out by the day, to see Mrs. Lams writing 'End of Unit project' on the board.

I groaned and moved to sit down between Bertrum and Ham.

"Why must they always do group projects?" I muttered, sliding down in my seat.

"To kill us all slowly." Squints said, turning around in his seat.

"That.. doesn't seem right." Smalls said.

None of us could respond because Mrs. Lams called the class into order, "Today we will start brainstorming your end of America pre1900 history unit. You will be assigned a partner and a time period to research."

"Oh god save us." Ham muttered.

She pulled out a paper and began to read off name pairings, "- Hamilton Porter and Scott Smalls, the industrial revolution"

Ham grinned, "Yes!" And high fived the hand Smalls' held out behind him.

"- Bertram Weeks and Micheal Palledorous, The years leading up to and following the american revolution."

Squints flashed a look back towards us as Mrs. Lams called, "And that leaves Elizabeth Callway-Havery-"

"Um, actually it's just Havery-" I cut myself off at her glare.

"-And Jordan Phillips, the civil war and how it changed america."

My eyes went wide "Wait- you can't-"

"No switching topics or partners, now go join your partners and start brainstorming. You may move desks if you need."

I sighed and grabbed my books as the boys muttered 'good lucks'

"If I'm not back by the end of class, assume I'm hiding the body." With that I moved over to where Phillips was already sitting in the corner, glaring at me.

"So, I say we do a timeline of the war and stuff and it can be on a poster or something." I said, sitting down next to him.

So, for somewhere around half an hour we managed to work somewhat civilly, both quietly taking notes.

That peace was shattered when we started comparing notes.

"-So, even after the civil war and the emancipation we're still being oppressed. I think that should be the main thing we're showcasing, the disrespect society has for us black folks." I finished saying.

Phillips scoffed, "Disrespect? Listen to yourself, you're insane."

"I'm insane?" I asked, shocked.

"Yeah, you're not a slave, you can go to school and you're not stuck on the plantation, be grateful."

"Congrats?? You did the bare minimum of making sure that another human being doesn't live in slavory??" I was practically yelling.

"Yeah. You're lucky so shut up! You aren't a slave, you aren't dying, all that shit on the news is made up you can shut up about the 'black oppression'!"

What happened next I'm still not entirely sure about.

According to Ham and Bertrum I was 'super badass' and that 'Phillips got what was coming to him'

According to Smalls I almost tore his face off, and according to Squints I ended up even more a legend than after Benny out ran the Beast.

All I really remember was Phillips being an asshole and then I was outside the principal's office with several broken fingers that no one would give me Ice for.

Everything after that was still kind of fuzzy, I remember trying to explain what happened to Mom and Dad, the former was disappointed and the latter proud of me. Then we were driving to the hospital because the nurse wouldn't even wrap my hands for the bleeding.

At some point before we got there, or maybe it was after we were leaving I passed out.

I woke up sometime later, back at home in my own bed to a knock on my door.

"Yeah?" I asked, groggily, looking down to realize both of my hands were covered in bandages, and a few of my fingers with splints.

"Guys she's awake!" A voice called from the hallway.

The next thing I knew the Sandlot boys, plus Aelius, Millie and Quinn flooded into my bedroom, taking seats just about everywhere there was space.

I sat up against my head board as they all began to chatter at once, with the exception of Millie, who handed me a glass of water with a smile, and Aelius, who pressed a kiss to the side of my head.

Once they had explained what had really happened, no one talked about what had happened, instead we all just sat, talking, laughing and playing games, enjoying eachothers company.

Later, long after the sky outside had gone dark everyone filed out.

Only Aelius lingered, and only just long enough to kiss me one last time, murmuring, "My girlfriends a badass."

"Your girlfriend broke her fingers because she forgot how to punch in a fit of rage." I pointed out.

"Shhh. I'm proud of you, but try not to break your fingers the next time you punch racists."

I giggled, kissing him again, "I love you."

I froze, realizing we'd never said it before until he grinned back, "I love you too."

Thank Yall for 2K, because school in my district started back up again I'm going to do my best to keep updating some what regularly, so sorry in advance if  things end up late.