Let's be honest, who else had to Google that word? ^^

Chapter 13: Machismo

After my friends helped me up the five of us walked to the principal's office. Xavier just walked in looking like he was about to explode  with most of the football team outside and I told my friends to rather wait with them. I took a deep breath and went inside the office thinking of my first day at school and how I am the unlucky kid.

"Would one of you two like to explain what happened?" Principal Georgeson asks angrily when we were all seated.

"It was simple misunderstanding that broke into a fight," Xavier shrugs might I add casually.

How is he so calm.

"Swift, can you agree?" Principal asks. I sigh and nod not knowing what to say. His answer is better.

Well it's not exactly I lie what Xavier said but it's not the complete truth either.

"Alright, since nothing too major occurred like any of Mr Rays previous fights,"  Principal narrows his eyes at the boy next to me before concluding with our punishment.

". . . So for two weeks, you will call off football practice, serve detention and help in the nurse's office for making her deal with you"

"WHAT?"  The idiot an I say at the same time before glaring at each other. No football for two weeks, he can't be serious?

"Not another word, you both are lucky to be the two best footballers and top students otherwise I would of called your parents or suspended you, understood?" 

I sink into my chair still fidgeting with my fingers that hurt so badly. Okay the principal is serious, I got worried the moment parents were mentioned, I would be off the team in no time if they find out what happened. I noticed something pass in Xavier's eyes but it disappeared quickly. Becky said he doesn't care what his parents think, I wonder then if that's true. I know I'm terrified of my mother when she gets angry, then you need to run and never look back.

As I walk out trying to sort the the blood that's wiped all over my hoodie - why today of all days I chose to wear red ? My head has a terrible migraine and I begin to feel dizzy. Thankfully I managed to regain balance and went straight to the nurse's office. Miss Reece the nurse put bandages around my fists and gave me a tablet for the headache before leaving to get something. I held my head in my hands frustrated and tired of my life.

"Hey Swift we came to check on you," Archer walks in accompanied by Brady and Diego, I look up and give a small smile.

"I'm fine," came my reply.

"Sorry we couldn't help you, the team was all in the locker room, we came too late," Diego shakes his head swearing in Spanish.

"Yeah, it's all our fault we should of been there for you," Brady grunts.

"No it's not, I am able to stand up for myself, no one else getting into trouble,"  I reply glancing around, "Do you guys have any idea where my other friends are?"

"Yeah, everyone had to leave the school, we're just lucky to be part of the football team," Archer explains. Right. School was dismissed

I get off the bed ready to leave and see the idiot himself walk in.

"Why did you do all of that?" I ask Xavier angrily.

"What do you mean why? You know exactly why,"  He answers hitting his shoulder on mine.

Talk about a cold shoulder,

Because damn that hurt.

I spin around and look at him fuming, "Listen here I don't know why you hate me so much and always find a reason to pick fights but you know what? I don't care anymore, if you wanted the attention so bad then there you got it happy? Mission accomplished"

I march out without glancing back into the empty hallway and start cursing a not so colourful string of words.

Today is the flippen worst fvckin actual day in bloody damn history!

Back to present  . . .

Everyone is already gone home, I get my phone which miraculously isn't damaged and check the time, football doesn't end until 2 and a 1/2 hours from now. I go to the first bathroom I see and check if I look suitable enough to face my mother. My hands are bandaged which I need to hide and my heads still hurts a little.

I take out my phone and dial my mother's number, she picks up after a few rings, "Hey mum do you think you can make it to pick me up now ?"

"Why honey what's wrong, isn't there practice?" She asks.

"No . . . Uh something came up, we're dismissed early,"  I reply.

"Well just you're luck,I'm already on the way," she replies.

I go outside and wait for her when it starts raining. I pull my hood over my head and try to find a good enough shelter. Just my day. I would say can it get any worse? But that never seems to help. I see someone walk out of the school, umbrella in their hand and recognise the boy as Jackson, I wonder what he's doing out of training?

"Hey Swift, are you busy?"  He asks walking towards me.

"Yeah I have a couple of minutes are you sure you can talk to me?"  I let out a dry laugh and sit down when he does on the staircase.

The boy sighs, "Look I understand completely why you hate Xray but he's been through a lot and doesn't like people taking over what he controls"

"Stop right there," I reply holding out a hand, "You're only defending him because he is your best friend but that doesn't give him a reason to control the whole football team"

"Okay yes I am defending him but only because he doesn't know how to deal with competition, he's a complex guy Swift, you need to understand that, when he's on a bad day he'll take off with anyone but there are days that he can be nice, he just has a hard way of expressing himself, don't take his nasty comments to heart,"  Jackson says.

"What about the post JK? That was clearly expressed," I argue recalling the nasty posts.

The boy stands up, "There two things Xavier doesn't do Swift, he doesn't lie and he doesn't spread rumours, someone else sent that video"

And before I can question further the boy walks away and my mother comes. Xavier does seem to have a Machismo.

The next two weeks are the worst. No football instead I have detention which sucks because we're versing Thornfalls soon and I'm not prepared at all.  My friends keep asking me if I'm alright which is really thoughtful but I don't like pity at all. Mum keeps whispering to dad on the dining table or whist I'm destroying the garage door by kicking the ball on it, both try to talk to me but I pretend everything is alright.

Everything isn't alright.

My thoughts are all muddled up. I'm so confused and irritated why can't I get a break? Oh that's right I caused this by myself.

"Evening champ how was school?" Dad asks coming into my room and sitting on the bed next to me.

I stop playing with the football in my hand and sigh, should I tell him? My father has always been closer to me then my mother, you see we have different views, she wants me to become a teacher for maths and chemistry when I'm done with school, because I love those subjects and doesn't understand why I want to go pro football. Dad on the other hand tells me to l follow my dreams and passion.

"Dad, you remember that I'm on the boys team right?" I ask playing with my fingers.

"Yeah I remember, Danny what happened?"  His tone became very serious, "Did one of hurt you because if they did -"

"No, don't stress, but what if a boy is - how do this? He hates me"

My father gives a breath of relief, "Well maybe he's just jealous, you know how boys can be when it comes to sport, they're overly competitive"

I shrug, girls can also be like that, "What do I do? He's making being on the team a misery for me"

"You love the game don't you champ? Then don't give it up for some bully, but give this boy a chance talk to him and figure out why he dislikes you, well what do your teammates think of him?"

"Well most say he's really tough but they're afraid of him, they also say he's arrogant, mischievous, misunderstood and complex," I say thinking of Jackson's words.

"Misunderstood huh? That's your answer isn't it," Dad says getting up and ruffles my hair, "Night Daniella"

"Night dad," I reply thinking of everything occurring today. Misunderstood. That's a new light.

The next day is Saturday and I decide to go to the café and think in peace alone from anyone I know, plugging in my earphones, I take one of my The chronicles of Narnia books because I love those and haven't read it in a while. Randomly choosing I pick The horse and his boy before leaving and taking a nice walk by myself clearing my head. That's just what I needed sometime to myself. When I get there its empty, so I take a seat near a window and start reading already aware of what I'm ordering.

"Hello, what may I get you?" I hear a familier voice say.

Too familier.

Great, what happened to spending time away from people I know.

I look up and see the idiotic devil himself. Flip I forgot he works here. God just kill me now. By lightning or something just please. Maybe Xavier won't recognise me with the glasses and no cap. I take a deep breath clutching the book to prevent my fist from flying.

"Um . . . Hello?" He clears is throat snapping me back to reality.

"Oh, yeah um . . . I'll take a cinnamon bun and cappuccino special," I reply quickly.

I continue reading when he goes, thinking about of leaving Earth and go on an adventure with Shasta and a horse called Bree. I still can't understand how Xavier is a waiter, I've seen him come to school in so many fancy cars, dressed always in designer clothes and has a huge mansion. Weird stuff honestly.

"Your order," he says arriving with the food. The wafting smell of the cinnamon and cappuccino is divine.

I show a fake smile, "Thanks," I say before trying to get back to the story again, when I hear a chair scraping.

Wait.

That's Xavier pulling the other chair of the table and raking a seat opposite me.

Huh?

"Don't get too hyped up, my shift just ended and I'm hungry," He says with a boyish grin. Who asked? I just nod in reply and take a bite of my breakfast, if he doesn't talk to me I might just not kill him.

"We've met a couple of times, you're new right ?" He asks me. Why is he still talking? Xavier is just lucky I don't have a knife right now.

I nod again.

"So what brings you here without your friends?"

Stalker much? He is like this fly that keeps pestering you until you swat it. "I want some quiet time," is my short reply not wanting to make conversation.

"How is the new school"

That's it!

I answer back now,"I've been here for two months, I'm not really new anymore so you can stop playing nice and leave me alone"

"What  I don't understand why you're being so rude. I saw you sitting alone and thought it would be nice to get to know you," He says scratching the back of his neck.

He looks nervous. Is he nervous? This is gold.

"Fine whatever but on the social status needs like me and jocks like you don't mix apparently," I roll my eyes at the stereotype.

He looks at me with calculating eyes and I show no emotion, "You're different you know that? Most girls are all over me but you couldn't care less, Rose"

"Rose? That's not my name," I say confused. Where did that come from?

"I know but figured you always wear red, at first I wanted to call you Infared, but you wouldn't prefer that would you?" He shrugs unfazed.

"Really infared? Says Xavier Rays himself," I give out a heartless chuckle at the irony.

"Hey it was that, Crimson, Scarlet or Rose okay?" He replies looking at his phone and frowning, "I have to go, don't miss me too much Rose"

"Woah hold on you came to sit by me and stop it with the Rose thing," I say holding out my hand.

"Ever heard of Faute de mieux,"  He says standing up and I frown, "I'm kidding, chill"

He walks up to me and takes my hand planting a kiss on it before I could pull away, "Au revoir, Rose"

Get it planting ?

Anyway . . .

What the near queen heaven just happened ?

Xavier was being completely different today. He was even nice to me when I took of with him. It's like swapped the narcissist, egotistical persona with a friendly, charming one. Maybe he's being drugged. That explains it. The whole encounter is just so unnatural.

And what the heck is Faute de Mieux ?

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Hiya

How's it going? What's your favourite café food?

Yes, I know what I wrote and I'm cringing and here is the TURNING POINT.

Things are about to go down.

Share you thoughts, I'd love to hear!