Coming Out and Other Sports *Completed* (wlw)

Chapter Nine

At practice the next day, Kendal and I began to talk onto the field only to be called back by Coach. "What part of 'benched' did you two not understand?"

Kendal scoffed and twisted her face in disgust, "We can't even practice?"

Coach looked at her, eyebrows raised, "No, you can't. Not unless you're both ready to be a part of the team. And being a part of the team includes getting along and not getting in knock-down drag-out fights."

Kendal rolled her eyes and sat on the bench. I walked up to coach, "You can't punish me for her behavior. She jumped me in your office!" I yelled with my arms outstretched.

Coach pinched the bridge of her nose, "I am reluctant to believe that Kendal Kwan instigated a physical fight with you for no reason. And when I walked in, you were the one getting ready to punch." Coach looked me in the eyes, "Neither of you are innocent."

I clenched my jaw and joined Kendal on the bench. Kendal spun a ball in her hands. Clenching and unclenching her jaws. She threw the ball down, got up and stormed off. I didn't last long after her. I drove home, stewing about how Kendal was taking away my last high school game, and I couldn't even figure out why.

I grabbed my soccer ball and walked to the park down the street from my house, still fuming. I kicked the ball around, launching it into the goal as hard as I could and pretending it was Kendal's face. "Whoo, you're really pissed at that ball!"

I turned and smiled at the sound of Hanna's voice. She sat on the bleachers, watching me. "Coach won't even let us practice." I said as the smile fell from my face. I pressed my lips together.

"At least you got to play the scout game!" Hanna said, trying to cheer me up.

I picked up the ball, tossing it from hand to hand, "Yeah but I just wanted to play this last tournament, you know? My last game with Cheven and Bev and Laura."

"I know," She said as she pulled me in for a hug. "She can't take this away from you though." She said, holding me tight.

She stole the ball from me and threw it out into the field, chasing after it. I grinned and chased her around the field, both of us laughing. She shot the ball into the goal and I playfully tackled her and brought her to the ground with me, "You're winning." I said, smiling and laying my back.

"Damn right I am!" She said.

Just as Hanna leaned in to kiss me, a car horn broke the moment. I looked up to see Kendal getting out of her car. "Oh what the hell is she doing here?" Disgruntled, I helped Hanna up and we walked over to Kendal. "What do you want?"

Kendal looked at me, her normally piercing eyes were soft and humble. "I want to play the tournament."

"Join the club."

She took a deep breath and extended and arm out, "Look I'm sorry. About everything." She turned to Hanna, who was watching her carefully. "Hanna, I'm sorry for dragging your name through the mud at school. I'm going to make it right. I promise." Kendal looked back at me, "Alecia, I'm sorry for punching you in the nose, you had just told me that you know about Alex and I, and I was already on edge about the team finding out, and then you called Alex hot and I just couldn't-"

"-Wait, Alecia, you left out that little detail." Hanna crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows at me.

"I called her hot, I didn't say I was going to do anything!" I said, defending myself.