I Kissed A Girl

6: Confrontation

Third Person P.O.V

Those days of soccer training, particularly the wintry ones that permeated frost and ice upon grass and soil, were fun in their way and also demanding because of the willpower, the cold, and the stamina required. Soccer was chilly early starts and mud in places nobody mentioned, and the soccer team loved it. It became woven into the fabric of who they were.

Xavier had gotten to training rather early today. He deliberated all of last night, whether or not to confront Blackmon. On one hand, Blackmon's past was dangerous and on the other was he just being paranoid? Xavier skipped breakfast; he was too anxious. His teammates filed in and got ready for practice. He sat there on the locker room bench, waiting for Blackmon to come in.

Gale entered with Jonas in tow. As Gale passed Xavier, he eyed the guy that had punched him in the face yesterday. He headed over to his locker and without looking away opened it before stuffing his duffel inside. Gale was staring at Xavier so intensely one might have thought he was trying to make him feel guilty for the manual realignment his doctor had done on him.

Gale was livid, hysterical that a second year that he respected was responsible for the packing on his nose or the terrible bruising he was having from the meet and greet with Xavier's fist. Galand's face was his favourite feature about him, and the Modelling Agency's too. He had already made up his mind that he was going to make Sitch pay if it was the last thing he did.

Then Blackmon walked. His duffel bag was slung around his shoulder with a pep in his step. He was wearing a black hoodie and some basketball shorts with his dreads up revealing his fresh undercut. He watched as he dropped his stuff off in the locker room before heading out.

At first, he said nothing but as he went down into a sideways foot stretch, he started, "I have a feeling Coach is gonna make us do gassers until we can't stand up."

Blackmon turned to see who it was, and he laughed slightly, "Yeah, or until our legs fall off."

"I mean it is the last week before break." Xavier continued.

Blackmon was quiet because Xavier hadn't spoken to him since last year but decided it was best to continue conversing since he was bound to find out. He knew Xavier wanted something, the question was what. What did he have that Xavier wanted? "Yeah, Coach wants to send us off wrapped in bandages with a pretty bow for Christmas."

"At least Pops will get something this year." Xavier chuckled.

"Yeah," replied Blackmon and silence ensued between the two.

Xavier had broken the ice, it was now or never. If he was going to say anything, now was the time to, "So you and Mac, huh?"

Blackmon's face twisted in confusion, "Mac?"

Xavier tried again, "Mackenzie."

"Sorry, I'm clueless."

"The girl you were talking to in the library," he recalibrated. "Her. That's Mackenzie."

"Oh, you know Mackenzie?"

"Yeah man, we're friends," Blackmon nodded at Xavier's statement. "So something going on between you two?" It finally clicked. If Xavier was a friend that would explain how he knew her and that they met in the library the other day. He probably knew because Mac told him but if that was the case, how come wouldn't he know if something was going on between Blackmon and the girl he's met at least twice by coincidence?

Blackmon's chuckle rang out, a pure and innocent laugh with undertones of annoyance, "You into her or something, Sitch?" The question was rhetorical but of course, Blackmon knew, however, that the way Xavier acted would tell him a lot.

Xavier froze for a second too long before he laughed nervously and answered, "Nah man, I'm just a tad curious, you know?"

"Who did you say you were to Mac again?"

Xavier was sick of it, beating around the hedges. Blackmon was waiting his time. Mentally, Xavier imagined scraping the melanin out of Blackmon's skin and strangling him with Blackmon's deadlock. He wasn't getting any of his questions answered, "Look Blackmon, I don't want to repeat myself. Stay away from her."

"Someone woke up and decided to choose violence today," Blackmon grinned. "Sitch, it's the twenty-first century. The decision is Mac's to make. She's grown."

After all, that being said, he got up and walked off at the blow of the whistle and then conditioning began. At the end of the training, the Coach proposed a game. Both Blackmon and Xavier were on opposite teams. Xavier's blood had been boiling all practice. The way he felt Blackmon disrespected him would not go unpunished. He did warn Blackmon to stay away from Mackenzie. If anything happened now, it was all on Blackmon, Xavier justified.

During the game, Blackmon tackled Xavier and in the heart of it, he pushed Blackmon. The coach missed it so the match resumed. Xavier was pleased with himself and Blackmon who was annoyed just shook it off and continued.

Blackmon received the ball and just as he passed it to his teammate Jonas, Xavier slide-tackled him, Blackmon fell landing hard. The coach blew the whistle and issued a foul. A teammate went over to check on Blackmon and helped him up.

The ball was stationary on the penalty mark and the goalposts, crossbar and goal net were not moving. Blackmon was identified. The defending goalkeeper remained on the goal line, facing the kicker, between the goalposts, waiting for Blackmon to play the ball.

The other players have taken positions behind the penalty mark in the field of play and the coach signalled for the penalty kick to be taken.

Blackmon backheeled the ball, kicking the ball forward. The goalkeeper tried to block the ball, lunging in front of the ball. The soccer ball sunk into the back of the neck and Blackmon's teammates cheered him on.

The game continues, and Blackmon's team was feeding off the momentum of the point he scored. It's Blackmon versus Xavier. He stole the ball from Xavier who lost his balance and fell on his own accord. Blackmon passed the ball and his teammate secured them another goal. Blackmon realized Xavier was still down and out of good sportsmanship, he offered Xavier a hand which he boxed away.

A furious Xavier got up and marched away but not before he heard Blackmon's comment, "That's what I thought; he's a stalker," He scoffed.

Xavier's body veered around like fluid and pounced onto Blackmon's unsuspecting figure, his knee connecting with the centre of the young man's back. He fell over onto the arm he used to break his fall. Blackmon's face contorted as he writhed in pain. Xavier's heart black with a vengeance continued his onslaught. He rolled Blackmon onto his back before sitting on his stomach and sending his fist into his face. Blackmon fought back, changing the tides and sacked Xavier in the jaw before administering the final blow with his unharmed hand, a jab to the throat.

The coach blew the whistle when he took notice of the raw brawl in front of him. He ran onto the field. Xavier stumbled back catching his breath, his hand on where he received the jab. His fury surged again, "I don't want to hurt you, Sitch."

A feral cry erupted from Xavier, it's as if hearing his voice made him want to fight more. The teammates who saw them intervened, holding back Xavier before he inflicted any more damage. He was out of control. Coach stood between the two, furious at their childishness, "Morgan, Sitch, my office, NOW!"

To be continued...