New Kid

Chapter 5

"How vas your first day, honey?" my mom asked with a smile, looking up from her "dinner". Personally, I don't consider 5 pieces of roasted asparagus a meal, but I'm also not an 110 pound supermodel.

"Really good actually," I said genuinely. "I'm trying out for the rugby team tomorrow."

My dad stopped shoveling food into his mouth and looked at me, "YOU'RE playing RUGBY?"

"Uhm, I was going to try out..." I replied embarrassed.

"Son," my father started. Oh boy, he was going to give me the 'don't set your expectations TOO high' speech. "I'm so proud of you. I used to play rugby in university, want to go out into the yard after dinner? I'll teach you the basics, it's really not too hard."

SCORE. I could at least go into the try out knowing what rugby IS.

"Sure dad," I said with a smile, "that'd be really great."

- - - - -

I don't know what was going through my dad's mind when he said rugby wasn't too hard. That's like saying swimming across the Atlantic Ocean with 50 pound weights tied to your legs isn't "too tricky".

But I learned it, a bit at least. Scrum, ruck, openside, knock on, grubber. Rugby, it's just a sport. I could do this.

Now to deal with the meathead jocks...oh boy, can't wait. Not.

- - - - -

"Has anyone seen my Calvin Klein deodorant?" a boy stood called out as he stood on one of the locker room benches. The room grumbled their "no's" while getting ready. "God, I'm gonna stink after practice. I HATE not smelling fresh!" the boy whined, stomping his foot.

I felt an elbow jab into my side and looked to see a skinny blonde boy looking back at me. "That's Kirk," he said, gesturing to the boy on the bench, "he's our team captain."

THAT was the team captain?! King of the jocks!?

"Oh er...brill. Is the team tickety boo?" I said in my British accent, forcing a smile. Thank god for Google.

"Oh hey, you're that new British kid ever...Mason? I'm Addison, my sister's been talking about you like you wouldn't believe! And...tickety boo?"

Wait, someone's been talking about me? A GIRL has been talking about me!? Pinch me.

"It means is it any good? And nice to meet you, right I'm Mason, call me Mase though. And blimey, who is your sister, mate?" A bit too British? Probably.

"Eh, we're okay. All our good seniors on the team last year graduated, so we'll see how it goes. And her name's Peyton," Addison said while tying up his shoes, seeming unfazed by the British terms. "She's out there watching today, I think."

PEYTON'S BEEN TALKING ABOUT ME?! I honestly might faint.

"Outside, boys!" Kirk called out, interrupting my thoughts. "Yoga and confidence acting exercises before we play any rugby!"

I had a feeling these "jocks" weren't exactly like ones back home...

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Sorry, this wasn't a SUPER eventful chapter, I'm trying to honestly get my mind working on how things are going to play out in this story, I write it pretty much on the spot! I hope you still liked it, though!

For the record, I'm going to start including British terms in Mason's vocabulary that everyone might not understand, so I'll always keep a little glossary at the bottom of the story of words in the chapter that not everyone might know. :)

Thanks again for all the support!

BRITISH TERMS:

"brill"- Short for "brilliant" (I'm sure everyone knows this one!)

"tickety boo" - If something is going well with no problems.

"blimey"- Exclamation of surprise.

"mate"- Friend.