Coming Out and Other Sports *Completed* (wlw)

Chapter Three

"So you literally ran into someone? During a varsity soccer game? While people watched?" Kayla asked, enjoying the explanation of my bruise way too much.

I shook my head and stirred my yogurt, "Yep, that's what I said."

"See, this is what happens when you take sports too seriously," Dad said to Kayla.

I swung my head to my dad, "Excuse me for having too much fun, Father."

Mom came down the stairs with her work briefcase in hand. She paused at the foot of the stairs, "The whole family is in one room, take a picture!" She came and sat between me and Kayla. "Alecia, why does it feel like I haven't seen you all week? Also, what happened to your forehead?"

"Because we haven't seen each other all week, and soccer. Soccer happened to my forehead."

"You really need to calm down with the soccer, Ally. How are you grades?"

I crinkled my nose at her calling me Ally, "Just like they were last week, Mom."

She turned to Kayla, "And you dear?"

Kayla and Dad made eye contact. He pressed his lips together. She sighed. "Two C's," she mumbled into her cereal.

Mom tilted her head, "Kayla, I know you can do better than that, when Alecia was a freshman she was getting straight A's."

Kayla continued to stare into her cereal. Dad scowled at Mom, but didn't say anything, I looked at my hands.

"Promise me you'll try harder?" Mom asked, trying to catch Kayla's eye.

Kayla nodded, "OK, Mom. I will." She got up and poured her milk down the sink. I quickly got my things together and started to evacuate the house.

"Come on Kayla, I need to get to school early. Let's go."

She looked at me with eyes that said thank you. Fifteen minutes earlier than usual, we hopped in my car. Kayla was a little more pale than usual and she stared vacantly out the window. "I hate it when she does that," she turned to where the back of her head was the only thing I could see.

"So, school isn't your thing. It's ok. Asking someone to be excellent at every subject is stupid."

"You're good at every subject," She said, still refusing to face me.

I scoffed, "No, I'm good at school. There's a big difference."

"Not in mom's eyes," her voice got thick.

"Woah, hey, are you ok?"

She nodded.

"Kayla, I can help you study if you want, what are you getting C's in?"

She looked at me, eyes shiny with tears, but seemed to be keeping them from falling with sheer willpower. "No, I need to do this on my own."

"Kayla that's ridiculous, it's ok to get help, Cheven still helps me write papers sometimes, and I help her with Calc. Everyone needs help."

Kayla stared at the glove box. I sighed through my nose, if she was going to be stubborn, then I couldn't help her. I squinted at the morning sun glaring off the dashboard of my car and turned off the highway onto the old country road my school was on. The parking lot was mostly empty, Kayla looked at the clock, "What am I supposed to do for a half hour until school starts?"