The ProtectoR

Chaos in pitch

"Hi" Letha said nervously, pulling at her skirt. "Whoever gives ladies stuff like this to wear?" She grumbled.

"I think it's decent enough" Nathan chuckled.

"It's tight. Too tight "

"Remind me again, what a lady who affirmed she's not the ”Club-type“ is doing here?"

"This is all Rose's fault. Screw her." She grunted. "I can't believe I let her coax me into doing this. They'd selected her, and she had to play the friendship card...?"

Nathan laughed and glanced over to where Rose sat. She was staring at them, then she looked away, engaging the curly haired girl in conversation.

Nathan smiled. "Don't think too much about it, I think you'll do well"

"At least tell me you won't watch me disgrace myself?"

"I might be around for that part." He laughed.

Letha gave him a wide-eyed stare, and he waved her off. "Just kidding"

He went back to sit as the whistle was blown and the games commenced.

The crowd cheered and roared as Nicolas received the ball from Drew and passed it to one of his teammates.

The guy tore through the defense, he passed the ball over to another team mate, a pale guy with freckles on his chin .

He deftly headed for the opponents ball-hoop but was cut short by one of Cayden's guys.

The ball in the Rovers possession, they maneuvered their way, breaking through the Cats defences and scoring.

The cheers went up for the Rovers, with the winning lead.

The game went on, The Black Cats equalizing soon enough.

The crowd cheered.

Even Letha seemed to have forgotten all about her nervousness and apathy earlier, and had joined in on the frenzy.

Cayden monitored Drew as the ball was passed to him once more by Nicolas.

There was a malicious grin on his face as he stalked Drew.

Drew bounced the ball forward, passing it between Nicolas, then running forward to the other end of the opponents ball-hoop.

Cayden ran after him and Nathan stood from his seat.

He had a dreadful idea, a notion what Cayden was up to.

But what was he to do, run in and stop the match?

Nicolas stopped running and hurled the ball forwards, and it whirled in a projectile motion and Drew ran for it.

He reached it and leaped to catch the ball and drop it in the hoop when Cayden barricaded into him with such force that Drew was knocked head over heels, knee first into the marble floor.

A chilling scream rang out from Drew and he crouched and howled in pain as the hall went silent and the whistle was blown to halt the match.

Nicolas, fury on his face, dashed for Cayden and pushed him to the floor. "You piece of shit!!" then came on top of him in a series of punches, that Cayden returned back with his own.

The two coaches with the teammates managed to separate them.

"Cayden, what have you done?" The Red Rovers coach asked him. He was middle aged, and wore spectacles.

"I'm really sorry, it was an accident coach. I swear it. I never intended for that to happen " Cayden said, his face void of guilt whatsoever, filled instead with pitifulness and fake innocence.

It made Nathan's blood boil, and he clenched his fists.

Drew was carried out of the pitch by two of his teammates, towards the medic unit.

"It didn't look like that to me" The Black Cats coach said, a scowl on his face. A much younger man, with black hair, shaved beards, and sand skin.

"But I'm telling the truth Mr. Green. I didn't mean for this to happen. I was so focused on the game, I'm sorry I was careless "

"Let's hope for your sake, Drew doesn't develop serious injuries." Mr. Green said.

Nathan had had enough.

If he was going to do what he needed to, it'd be now.

He jogged over to where the two coaches were.

"Mr. Green, I'd like to replace Drew, for the second half" He said, confidently.

Mr. Green reviewed him. "You must be Nathan. Well, Drew did say you had some skills. Why don't you run up and change then, we're actually out of time."

And Nathan did so. When he came back, he went close to Nicolas and whispered. "We have to do something. You and I both know why he did that"

"The game is already a mess as it is Nathan, I'm not sure causing another ruckus is a good idea. The whole school is here " He replied, anxiously.

Nathan scoffed. "Right, the whole school is here. So we are going to let him get away with that? with humiliating Drew? I thought he was your friend....

"Come on, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Community service probably "

"Exactly "

"Right... so what do we do?"

"You take on his dogs. I'll have him myself " Nathan entered position beside Nicolas.

The whistle went off.

Cayden, reserving the almost inconspicuous grin on his face, dashed for the Cats ball-hoop, and with their line of defense rattled, he scored with assistance from another Rover.

The crowd booed this time.

But Nathan wasn't focused on any of that, winning was a thought of a past. The game was over for him. He had an assignment to do, and he always delivered on them.

He glanced through the crowd. Letha had retired, to a chair, her eyes feasted on him.

Rose stared at him as well, her hands crossed from where she sat afar off, but he couldn't make out her expression.

He focused back on his target, he definitely didn't need her approval or opinion on this matter.

And when the ball came hurling towards Cayden again, as he ran for it, towards his next unstoppable goal, Nathan dashed as well.

When the ball neared Cayden, Nathan forced energy into his legs and jumped, reaching an unbelievable height and kicking the ball straight into Cayden's face.

Cayden staggered and grunted in pain, almost blacking out, then he felt his nose, blood was trickling from it.

He roared in rage and ran for Nathan, who hopped and double-kicked him to the floor.

The crowd had erupted in a boisterous cacophony of noises.

The ball court had turned upside down, the two teams hammering into each other with fists, and kicks.

Nicolas took on two of Cayden's guys, elbowing one in the gut, and shoving the other to the ball-post.

The students had begun chanting Nathan's name.

Order wasn't to be restored until much, much later.

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

The Dean pranced around his office desk, his mood as sour as one who'd tasted stale vinegar.

"I ought to expel you guys from this school this instant. We will not condone this madness in Galewood. Since you have pretty much decided to be antelopes going at each other.

"This is a school for humans, not animals."

He stopped and stared at the frazzled group, in his large but tangy office. "What's it going to be guys? Expulsion or suspension?"

Nathan spoke up. "I apologize for what happened Mr. Blueberry. It was just a brief moment of emotions running high. It won't happen again "

Mr. Blueberry stared at him. "Nathan, the day Mr. Swack came here, requesting....if not ordering, that you be enrolled,

" even when the session had fully commenced and admissions were closed, I conceded. That day is still fresh in my mind like the bread I had for breakfast this morning.

"Don't make me regret that decision, by entering my black book.

"You guys are going to observe a week of community service. As for you Nathan, your punishment will be special, for starting the fight. You may all leave."

They all filed out one by one from his office, the games forgotten almost entirely.

Nathan and Nicolas walked together. Nicolas had sustained little bruises to his head, but Nathan didn't have a scratch.

Cayden on the other hand, had his lips bruised, his forehead swollen. His nose barely escaped being broken.

He stopped and turned back to Nathan, his stare daggers. "You know I'm starting to wonder what you are, and what you're actually doing in this school?"

Nathan stopped.

Was he on a clue? If so what did he already know? Or was he trying to pry information from Rose?

He swallowed. It didn't matter anyway, he had to watch him more carefully now.

"I don't care what you do" Nathan looked him in the eye. He really was getting tired of the guy. "Don't let me see you attempting anything silly with Rose."

Cayden laughed and touched his nose in pain. "Says the guy who stalks her all the time" He said it more loudly, drawing confused stares from the guys passing.

Shit.

"Get a grip on yourself dude. I don't know what's with you and her, but I'm assured you aren't half the man you're supposed to be, with you here whining.

" If you so much as want to be with her, get your balls together and go do the needful. Piece of advice " Cayden patted him roughly, before strolling ahead.

"What was he talking about.?" Nicolas came up beside him.

"It's nothing. He's bluffing" Nathan replied before leaving.

He reached the hallway and located his locker. The students walking across all stared, or whispered to one another, or approached and engaged him.

His new found fame and recognition, was one of the strangest feelings he didn't know how to respond to. He found he was becoming more awkward by the minute.

He retrieved his books from the locker and into his bag. His punishment included being off from classes for the rest of today.

He might as well go home.

He closed back the metal plate and locked it, then turned to see Rose along the corridor, leaning on one of the lockers, and watching him.

He smiled and walked up to her.

Her hair had gone back to it's usual style, some of it in front of her face, making her whole hair to be in between her ears.

But he wasn't going to gawk at her, or the fact that there was no denying her beauty. "Now who is refusing to stay away? And keeps staring instead?"

"I'm just wondering, how a bodyguard hired to protect me , is now the center of attention in the entire school.." She responded.

He raised a brow. "Are you jealous?"

She scoffed. "Me? Jealous? Naa... I'm just worried you don't know what you've gotten yourself into. You now have a target on your back.

" I mean, you must have had a hell of a cocky training to enjoy getting into trouble? I told you to stay clear, and stay away " She said, what looked like concern on her face, in the brown of her eyes.

"You keep repeating those words. I'm soon to wonder if it's going to be your mantra "

She shook her head. "You can get yourself killed if you want to. Just don't reveal to anyone that you're my bodyguard or anything.

"Word has already gotten out my Dad brought you here. I think that's all I can take "

She started walking away.

He scoffed. "You're really heartless, aren't you?"

She stopped and turned. "I didn't do anything wrong. You're the one beating people up, and you're trained to do so."