The Young Blood

6.

Soon we had gone through most of the day, and reckon I had done quite remarkably to avoid drawing any attention. I met with Rachael back for the last class.

"My schedule just says 'gym' what is that? Is it shorthand for gymnastics?"

"Right, Gym..." Rachael said. "That was the bit I was afraid of."

"Why would you be afraid of it?"

"Because it means sports, and locker rooms."

'What is a locker room?"

"It's where people get dressed and change into their gym uniform. We should see the coach for yours."

We went down by the Gymnasium and the coach, a tall strongly built woman saw me. She asked for my size and Rachael answered for me, making an excuse that Russian measures were different. That accomplished, Rachael showed me to the nearby locker rooms.

Other girls were already busy undressing all within view of one another without any concern for modesty or shame. I sort of stared for a moment before Rachael pulled me into a small booth, closing and locking it behind us.

"You need to put your uniform on before we're late."

"Ah, I see... Do people these d— I had to stop myself from saying these days. "Are people in America so shameless?"

"You get used to it, I guess?" Rachael shrugged. "I won't look, it's alright."

"Well, we are sisters, I suppose there shouldn't be so much prudishness between us?"

Rachael choked on something.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah, yep. We should just hurry." Rachael had turned to a bright shade of red. And here I thought I was prudish for this era.

I changed away, getting into what Rachael called shorts and a t-shirt. And Rachael did the same, I had not looked her way, it still seemed such an unseemly thing to do, look upon another's nakedness.

We came out and joined all the other pupils, both male and female, settling in a line within the Gymnasium; a large open construction where lines of various colors had been painted on the floor.

"Alright people, just like last week, we're still doing Soccer, the exam will be in two weeks, you know what to do."

I did not, and so approached the coach. "Excuse me, what are the rules of this game?"

"You've never played soccer?" She seemed surprised, perhaps it was a common activity in this time?

"No... I have not..." I said, thinking of an excuse. "My mother disapproved of it, sports were too unladylike."

"Damn, that sucks, kid."

The Coach lady explained to me the rules of Soccer, it was very different from what I had expected, it seemed like the old English football of my days but without the hooliganism.

"I can do this."

"Alright, you're with the yellow team." She tossed me a stinky yellow piece of garment that rank of sweat and body odor. The other pupils had theirs in yellow or green. To my chagrin, Rachael was wearing green.

I took the position assigned to me and found myself facing Katrin, that terrible ill-mannered girl. She gave me a wicked smile.

The coach blew a whistle and the game began, as soon as it had that blackguard Katrin went for me, kicking at my leg and tripping me!

I fell down on my bottom and she ran away laughing. "Payback's a bitch!" She showed me her middle finger.

I let out a growl, I wanted to tear that little spoiled brat's throat.