Him & I

7

Tyler. Is. Captain.

"Tyler is captain?" No, no, that doesn't look formal. And because it doesn't, for the fifth time today, I tear off the paper, crunch it up and place it beside my feet  where the other four crunched up papers are.

Ever since practice begun, it's been tense. I mean, if tension were water, we'd be drowning, yet trying to act like it's okay. Just like the boys are still trying to work together. Coach Tanner's  trying to ignore the tense air, giving instructions, whistling and all  - while I'm still trying to write this goddam report.

It should be easy. It would've been easy, if everything was normal, the usual, like it used to be. If the boys didn't seem to be somewhat divided in twos. if Nathan remained captain. And of course, if Tyler never came. Though we're happy he's here. Atleast, I am.

It's not been made official yet. Coach hasn't announced anything about switching of captains but it's... I'm just gonna say it's quite obvious Nathan's no longer captain since for the past forty minutes, it's been Tyler heading the team.

"That would be it for today!" Coach states after an insanely loud whistle.

Coach Tanner's an extremely tall, dark skin man, with a body that looks like he could put you in your place any day - any time. He's got a voice that, well, goes with the body too. I feel there's nothing he would say that won't end with an exclamation mark in front of it when put into writing. Even if he were to say something as soft as 'you'll be okay', it'll still come out as 'you'll be okay!!'  And I find that sweet. He actually is sweet. He might appear tough on the boys but he does look out for them, he's even been a father-figure to Nathan for as long as I can remember, and a friend to me. I remember when I'd just been given the office of writing reports for school's football team, while I anticipated it and couldn't wait to begin, I also was scared. Things like, what if they don't like me and what if I'm not good enough, clouded my head at the time. But Coach made it all better. He made me feel enough.

The bell in school goes off. Even as we're outside, it's still loud enough to make you look towards the classic towering Eastwood High building. The bell indicates my free period is over so I've got to go, the boys on the other hand, never have to. They're usually given grace. All sports teams are given grace, the grace to skip whatever class any players might be having whenever their coach wants them out for practice, as long as they keep good grades at the end of the day. I'd always be the only one to leave when the bell goes off, but today, I hear coach telling them, in a dismissive tone, to just get to class.

One of the boys - Damien - spoke up on why the hell they've got to go so early. His words not mine, why the hell. Coach Tanner merely ignored him, and so did the other guys. They all just take a seat on the grass, well some of them, others stand as they pour out water from their bottles to their face. Some, all the way from their hair instead.

At this time, I would usually be on my way. Rush down the bleachers, chirp an inaudible 'bye' to them in which they only ever responded by saying my name out loud. You know, 'Yeah, Melissa'. As if trying to remind themselves that that's who I am.

I'd also say hi to my only friend on the team, sometimes even have a whole conversation with him, but with all I'm seeing, today doesn't look like the day to say hi to Nathan or remind Tyler I'm the girl from yesterday. He... probably already knows that too well, even. So I wait in my seat, watching from up here till every single one of them is gone.

Not every single one, anyway, there's this new boy who's staying back. He's tall, fair-skinned, skinny and on the phone. I might've waited for him to leave but the already cloudy sky turning darker makes me decide he doesn't know me, plus he's on the phone. Grabbing my leather brown jotter and searching for my water bottle before realizing I never brought it in the first place, I get off the soft-padded seat. Straighten out my skirt.