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stevenclarksonbooks · 2 years ago

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Chapter one - Between the lines

Elliot's Pov

I didn't have a lot going for me except for my grades. 6th form was supposed to be a little tougher on the syllabus, but I was having a more difficult time kicking around the football and keeping my breath steady. It was embarrassing because all I had to do was swing my foot and send the ball into the goal.

My father insisted on it, the football try-outs. He hoped that maybe it would push me into making more friends alongside the loud and boisterous Maude Foster.

Speaking of Maude, she sat on the bleachers right next to my father, screaming onto the field in what seemed like support.

"EYES! ON! THE! GOAL! YOU DIMWIT!" Her blonde pigtails bounced with each yell from behind her cupped hands. "Perhaps Elliot is due for an eye test, Mr Burton?"

My dad could only smile weakly. I felt a little embarrassed because I'd missed the goal twice. Everyone else got it on their first or second try. I glanced to my side where Bennett Harris and his boys stood, watching with taunting grins on their faces as they bet hands on my next goal, I believe.

It was then I decided that I didn't want to make the team, especially if Bennett was going to be on it. With that, my foot caught the ball hard, sending it soaring into the sky towards the crossbar. No one was watching, really. There was no anticipation of me scoring.

Except, I did score.

"Oh..." said Maude in surprise as my dad clapped beside her. A few others clapped as well, although reluctantly and unsurely. I felt my face go up in flames. I wasn't in elementary school anymore, and the attention only gave Bennett more leverage to make fun of me.

"Nice score, lil' Ellie!" Bennett yelled. "Would you want a participation certificate to take home?"

His friends burst out laughing, but I only rolled my eyes. That wasn't even funny.

"That's enough, boys," Coach Moore said. "Elliot, you may try out for the goalie position as well."

"Do I have to?"

Coach Moore gave me a pleading look and glanced at my dad. "Just get through today. I won't make you do anything you don't want, yeah? You know your old man's just worried."

I grunted softly and went along with the request, planting myself before the post. Coach blew his whistle and the try-outs continued. I did fairly well as a goalie, but it all went downhill when Bennett jogged around to kick the ball, running a hand through his chestnut hair.

I'm going to die, I thought.

His hazel eyes zeroed in on me with a smirk. "Tiring out, Ellie?"

"Wishing a little out loud, aren't we?"

Bennett harked. "Cute. I was actually concerned about you."

I didn't even see the ball as it shot like a bullet by my head, grazing my earlobe. My skin was on fire, and I wasn't sure if it was the ball or my own embarrassment. Either way, I was too stunned to speak. I didn't think Bennett was so skilled...

"How about now?" said Bennett, and I grabbed the ball to throw it at his head in annoyance. What a fucking menace.

Bennett's eyes widened as he dodged the ball narrowly, and everyone else around us erupted in shocked gasps or laughter.

"Strong arm there, Burton," Coach Moore said appreciatively. "Wish you had that in your legs. We'd have a good team."

"I'm done, Coach," I pleaded. "Can I please go now?"

With a pat on my head, he dismissed me and yelled at Bennett to play fair. I flipped him the bird and jogged off.

"You're full of surprises, aren't you?" Maude said as she tossed me a towel. "Was kind of hoping Bennett got hit. He's gotten cockier ever since puberty hit him."

I rolled my eyes. "He's older and got held back a grade. It's the only reason he looks slightly better than the rest of us."

"Hey now," dad said sternly and handed me a water bottle. "You know we can't fault him for that. He was having a rough time."

"Understandable but," Maude insisted, "he's always been an arsehole."

A loud groan cut through the air and the three of us looked onto the field to see Nigel, the other goalie, on his knees with arms around his stomach. Coach Moore barked at the boy who'd kicked, but he only laughed and ran off to join the group of boys on the side. I guessed it was Horton. Surprisingly, Bennett sneered and whacked him upside the head.

"Huh..." I said softly. "Guess he has his limits as well."

"We love morally grey characters," Maude said sarcastically. "Come on. We'll be late for our movie at this rate. You can ogle at him later."

My stomach dropped.

"I'm not ogling at him!" I cried out and looked at dad in a panic. "I'm not."

"He's good-looking," dad stroked his beard critically. "Bad head on his shoulders, though. It's a shame. Come on now, I've been sitting around too long to enjoy this any further."

Maude and I exchanged dubious glances as we picked up their bags and followed dad off the field. I suppose it was nice that he didn't seem to have a problem with me being potentially gay.

.............................................................................

Maude and I found ourselves in the arcade shortly after leaving the movie halfway. I was surprised it took her thirty minutes to decide on it. I didn't like the looks of it from the very beginning.

"Can't believe I wasted my life on that," Maude grumbled.

"Shelly did warn us," I said and pushed a coin into the slot to House of Dead 2. "Besides, it's not like we spent any money."

"A surprise we haven't gotten caught yet." Maude picked up the game gun. "How much of our pocket money do you reckon we've saved up?"

"There won't be much left of it if I'm unlucky."

We turned to a disgruntled Shelly with her arms wrapped around herself. Her red coils were barely held together under her hat, and her freckles seemed deeper with her reddening face.

"Oh no..." I whispered. "I'm sorry. Did you get fired?"

Shelly only sighed and pulled her hat off to toss it away. "Not yet. Horton says he saw you guys sneak out the back. It depends on whether he actually has the evidence needed to get me fired. I've been dismissed for the time being."

"Nonsense!" Maude cried out.

"I doubt he's got the time to follow us around," I reasoned.

Maude stared at me. Hard. I tried to stand my ground, but it only took a few seconds before I crumbled under her gaze pathetically.

"What?" I huffed. "You expect me to take whatever he and Bennett throw at me?"

"I'm confused," Shelly whispered.

Maude turned to her with a matter-of-fact look. "Elliot, here, reported Horton for having porn in his locker."

"I doubt he knows it was me."

"Of course he knows! What kind of guy would report anyone for that unless he wasn't getting some for himself!"

"Ever thought of thinking things through before you do them, Elliot?" Shelly said sullenly and he groaned. I felt exasperated. The least I asked was for my friends to be on my side when it came to Bennett and his croons. Regardless of how mild it was on most days, they were still bullies, and needlessly so. I did nothing to deserve it.

"I'll take the fall if things go south, Shelly," I promised and took her hands with a pleading look. "I promise I will. Just don't take my pocket money."

"You reckon the law would allow Shelly to get fired without due payment?"

I glared at Maude as Shelly only seemed to get more upset at the thought of it. Maude suddenly remembered that she had to be home to gut some fish and disappeared, leaving our game waiting for a player to join in. I handed Shelly a gun, suggesting that shooting some zombies could help her cool off.

It was chillier in the evenings, especially around London. My bad luck had rubbed off on my scooter as well, and I was left dragging it back home on the end of the cul-de-sac. It screeched lightly against the pavement, and I wondered if I caused people too much inconvenience at times.

I'd gotten used to walking alone ever since mum passed away some months ago. She was the one to walk me to school and back, and it was one of the things I took for granted. Dad insisted on dropping and picking me up ever since, but I vehemently denied it. Walking to and from school was the only way I could preserve her memory.

I saw the lights on the house from a few blocks away. Dad and I couldn't get around to taking off the Christmas lights. It felt wrong somehow. Mum loved Christmas lights just as much as she loved walking.

The house was warmer than the outside. I dropped my bag by the door and found dad in the kitchen chopping away some vegetables. I wordlessly washed my hands at the sink and helped him with making dinner. I wasn't completely talentless and could cook better than dad at times. It was sometimes a necessity if I didn't want both of us to be sick the next day.

"Are we making spaghetti?" I asked.

Dad nodded. "Rough day today. I shan't overcomplicate things tonight."

I appreciated it. It had taken the two of us a while to get the hang of cooking.

We ate quietly, as we normally did the past few months. The silence had gone from awkward to comfortable now. It was a reminder of mum's absence in the beginning. Still, I didn't realize how well dad and I connected in the stillness. A lot of our communication was non-verbal.

Bouncing brows, discreet head nudges, and the occasional smile and wink for an inside joke.

Dad threw a few curious glances at me before I finally spoke up.

"I might've gotten Shelly in trouble today."

Dad pursed his lips. "Will you take responsibility for it?"

"I've promised it," I said. "I suppose if mum was here, she'd have been more upset than you."

Dad shook his head and patted his mouth with a napkin. "As most mothers would be, but I'm not too concerned. You're turning out all right."

I smiled and continued to eat. It didn't take much to bond with dad. There was a lot of unspoken trust between us. Perhaps it came from mum's passing and having to grow up quicker than I would've liked, but I was glad we were coping well without the bitterness getting in our way.

But I still had to make sure of something.

"About...what Maude said back at school," I started carefully but was cut short.

"You know that's not something I worry about, Elliot," he said gently. I felt relieved. "Although...I really hope she wasn't serious about it. Bennett's got a lot of growing up to do."

I shook my head quickly. "I don't fancy anyone, really. I think Maude just likes drama."

Truth be told, that sounded like a lie to me even if I didn't want to admit it. I guess there was some fascination with Bennett, but it ended when he changed after his parents' divorce. I was surprised to see him in the same year as Maude and I when we started school in September, and that's when we found out what happened.

Either way, Bennett and I were two different people. I couldn't imagine how hard the divorce was on him, but I didn't go around picking on people when mum died. Even though I was so angry and bitter for weeks, I kept myself in check because it was what mum would've wanted.

Dad cleaned up when we were done, and I offered to wash the dishes. He only ruffled my hair gently.

"I'm starting to realize that sports aren't what you want to do," he said softly. "I appreciate you trying it out for my sake."

"It was nothing."

He smiled from under his moustache and told me to get some rest. I would've gotten up and left, but I couldn't help watching his back as he stood at the sink to wash the dishes. A man as large and tall as him...suddenly looked so frail under the singular dim lamp light. His arms moved slowly, and he stared out of the window into the garden where mum's flowers still grew. And I realized that I never knew him that well before mum's death. Perhaps he'd changed a lot after it, and mum wasn't the only one I lost that day.

My chest started to hurt, so I finally turned away and left.

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