Shaped Me

Warriors

Chapter Two: Nile

Suiting up for the last game of the camp, I can't help but think about just how simple this summer has been. Most of the summer was spent with curly sue and some friends. That is still strange to say, friends. When moving to this town I did not expect to make friends let alone be here for the summer. However, here we are two weeks away from the end of the summer and the beginning of junior year.

" Yo Nile, you ready?" Jay asked putting his mouth guard in. It still surprises me how nice Jay is. During tryout for the summer league he shoulder checked me so damn hard I thought he was going to kill me. Gearing myself up for a fight I pulled my helmet off ready for him to do the same. Instead, his immediate response was to check if I was okay. In a moment's notice he went from someone I'm sure could beat me  to this cool dude. He has easily become a good teammate.

"Yeah man, we gotta win this."

"No other option." Fist bumping me he hit the helmet on my head before screaming. His voice echoing throughout the whole locker room. Jay is probably the best cheerleader anyone could have. He did not need much to happen before he was roaring around trying to get everyone hype.

"Come on 28," Coach called out informing me I'm the last person in the locker room. Even that has become normal. Throughout the past few months so much has happened that I tend to find myself just thinking about it all. Thinking about the way that everything has changed. When you have spent most of your life expecting the worst normal can tend to be scary as well. However, that is exactly where life is at, normal. Ever since everything with Darren and the court ended it was as if reality set in. I was in a coma. My father's abuse finally almost killed me.

I haven't admitted it to anyone but the thoughts spun in my head like a cd stuck on repeat. Every morning I woke up and without fail there the thoughts were. Luckily the nightmares have become few and far in between. In the beginning, I could not sleep without seeing Darren's face in my dreams. The moments leading up to the hospital replaying in my head.

"Okay team, warriors on three." Coach screamed. I definitely did not hear the play we're about to run.

"One. Two. Three. WARRIORS." The adrenaline coursed through my veins at the sound of the chant. Hockey has been my saving grace this summer, while it has been fun there was no shaking the weight of what happened. No shaking the fact that nothing would be the same. That I wouldn't be the same.  I usually talk about most of how I am feeling with curly sue but she's a worrier. In an effort not to worry her I usually talk to her mainly about the big things bothering me.

"This is the first play we're running." Filling me in on what coach talked about Jay knew very well that I was not paying attention. "Got it?"

"Got it. Thanks, man." Looking out in the crowd, I look for the sign. I had grown used to seeing the sign standing out in the crowd at every game. The first sign she ever made was bright Quickly my eyes find the black sign that looks almost like a chalkboard. The writing seemed to be in pink chalk and read "I date number 28". It was completely cheesy and completely Manny.

"You got a fan," Jay said staring at the sign and the girl holding it.

"Not a fan, that's my girl."

"Lucky man. Let's go win this." Jay spoke.

                                                                                      ________

"Way to go guys!" Coach screamed in the locker room his voice lighter than when he was yelling orders at us. When I first met Coach Morris at the beginning of the summer he seemed like this squirmy guy with no sense of direction. However, there is definitely a method to the man's madness. He has more heart than any coach I have ever had, including Uncle Mike.