d have. I sit up on my bed, pushing the blankets aside. I bury my face in m

. I walked back into the room, opened my dr

with my blue jeans and sneakers. I'm tying the laces of my sneak

s it, George?" my mom screams. "I gave you yesterday

d in a plane crash when he returned from a business trip; his plane disappeared, n

you squander all of it on alcohol. I

oo!" No one seemed to

olds her ground. "You don't tell

George, it isn't your

s my

ike. I dropped my bag on the

t calmly, shoving him away

y; it isn't your fight,

to him, squaring him down to his level. I didn't see his fist swinging to my face i

, leaving the house and slamming the door b

across the room as she returns wi

the kitchen counter and sit

She brings out two eggs from its cra

ied eggs and bacon. She opens the refrige

eating. She grabs her plate and sits beside me. "W

capable of caring for us, and I was still heartbroken after your

divorce him? Sounds like an easy way out." She

gned his. I'm his source of income, remember? A

houlder before walking over to her and placing a kiss on her cheek. "Take care, Mom, and don't fo

I close the

*******

n the bench, tying my laces, thinking of my mom. If that son of a bitch touches her, he would wish he had neve

and who punched you?" he

stepdad," I rep

him off this time?" he as

was him who pissed me off", I complain

. I look at his hand and then at him. "Well, come on, don't leave me hanging,"

the tournament is coming up, so we must practice hard enough. Some of you are going to play while some aren't,

for Coach to blow his whistle. "Don't fuck u

you," Coach b

our legs. Dave and I stand side by side, watching Ben dribbles through our mid

es the ball to me, and I control it, pushing it forward. Ben uses his body

o bully is going to stop me from playing my game. Carter and Dylan finally collect the ball from one of Ben's guys and cross it inside to Troy. Troy's the new p

kick the ball when I wasn't on the ground again. Someone shoves me, and I

bones to see if any were broken, fractured, or dislocated. Dave appea

heard laughter behind me, and it didn't

imp", he whispered to his friends, and t

him by his chest, "Why did you do that?" I ask

about, " he says, giving us an in

time with enough force to send him fa

his knuckles as he does, trying to make me feel threatened. I'm

glaring at Benjamin. "Practice is over," he says as he walks to his of

ou playing games with me, boy?" he shove

." I have been watchi

comes from behind me, hitting him on the head. He turns back to look at me, his eyes filled with rage. "I've ha

m one last time before picking up my bag and heading to the locker room. I didn't understand

Benj

ec