Leopard Spots - 24. Chapter 24

As they strode towards school the next day, Doug stared at Liam, whose grin hadn’t slipped since they met up. “I take it he sent you an email.”

“At 9:32pm last night.”

“And you’ve remembered it down to the minute.” Doug rolled his eyes. “Certifiably insane. He obviously didn’t tell you to piss off.”

“Nope. We ended up exchanging a couple of emails, and I talked him into setting up an IM client. Can you believe he’s never used instant messaging? Anyway, after that, it was just general chatting about the Leopards and school. I slipped up once, and he’s worked out that I’m in Year 12, the same as him, but he didn’t seem concerned about that. More importantly, he never pushed me to reveal who I am.”

“What name did you tell him? He did ask, didn’t he?”

Liam laughed. “Actually no, he didn’t. Instead, he called me Alf.”

“Alf? What sort of name is that? Is it supposed to be short for Ralph or Alfred?” Doug scowled. “The guy’s crazy as well as being a loser.”

“He’s not a loser, and the more I find out about him, the more certain I am of that.” Liam grinned. “According to him, I picked the name. I signed that note as ‛Another Leopards Fan’, the initials of which are A.L.F, or...”

Doug rolled his eyes. “Alf. I get it. So instead of asking for your name, he makes up a stupid one and sticks it on you. Real nice.”

“Yes, that’s real nice! He clearly suspects I’m gay and hiding in the closet. He doesn’t want to intrude on my privacy, so he gave me a nickname and left it to me if I wanted to supply my real name. That’s being kind and considerate. He’s going to allow me to become friends without hassling me with questions I don’t want to answer.” Liam gave Doug a light punch to the upper arm. “This is going to work!”

“Until you come to your senses and realise you can do a lot better than him...” Doug gave Liam a wry smile, “I’m wasting my breath, aren’t I?”

Liam shrugged. “I get what you’re saying, but I’m not going to turn away from someone who’s there in front of me for an unknown person who may or may not show up in the future. And seriously, he’s not that bad a guy.”

“He pissed himself in Year 7. What kid does that?”

“You stood over him and threatened to beat his head in unless he gave you his lunch money. Who wouldn’t piss themselves in that situation?” Liam frowned as he thought back. “That was the start of it. First or second week of school, I can’t remember which. That was when we started picking on him all the time.”

Doug shrugged. “Your memory is better than mine. All I know is he’s weak and pathetic, and I don’t understand why I’m helping you.”

“Because you’re my best friend, even if you’re also Neil’s worst enemy.”

Doug gave Liam an evil grin. “That’s only until Clarissa finds out he’s gay. Then she’ll turn into the wicked witch, and he finds out what a bitch she really is.”

Liam was silent for a few seconds while he frowned in thought. “No, I don’t think so. She seems honestly concerned for him as a person, and it’s got nothing to do with wanting him as a boyfriend.”

Doug stared at Liam as the two approached the school gates. “You’re changing. I’m not complaining, just commenting that you’re not the same guy anymore.”

Liam shrugged. “We’re all changing. Coming out to you, the school, and finally my family has made a difference. I’m more relaxed now, more comfortable with who I am.” He chuckled. “And finding someone I can lust over where I’ve got a chance that it’ll become more than fantasies, that’s life-changing right there.”

“So you’re no longer lusting over me? I’m heartbroken!” Doug gave him a mock frown.

“I never said I was lusting over you!”

“You never denied it, either.” Doug smirked. “Just remember, if you put Neil and me side by side, there’s no comparison.”

Liam grinned. “You’re right. He’s gay, and you’re not, so he wins hands down every time.” He did a quick shuffle to the side to avoid the playful punch that Doug threw at him. “Anyone would think you’re jealous.”

The smile slipped from Doug’s face. “No...worried. You’re setting yourself up for a fall, mate. He’s never going to go out with you. And you shouldn’t want to go out with him, either. You deserve better. Much better.”

Liam sighed. “You keep telling me that, but until that someone else comes along, he’s what I want. I just have to work hard to get him.”

* * *

Oliver grinned at Jim as the two unloaded the sports gear from the back of Roger’s car. “Nervous?”

Jim gave him a sheepish grin. “Yeah. I didn’t realise it was that obvious.”

They were at one of the local primary schools for the first football clinic of the season. Roger and Tony were at the school office, filling in the paperwork required for the visit.

“It’s not, but I remember how I was last year, and I guessed you’d be the same. Relax. Primary-school kids are easy. Most just want to have fun, and Roger has a set of games they can play that will also build up their football skills at the same time. It’s tougher with the secondary-school kids, especially those in Years 8 to 10. The guys at that age like to assert themselves, and some aren’t interested in learning. They just want to kick the footy around and pretend they’re stars. Years 11 and 12 guys are better, but the skill levels tend to be wider, with some guys just going through the motions because they don’t really want to be there.”

“Is it just guys?” Jim hoisted two bags on his shoulders while Oliver closed the boot of the car.

“No, though we usually separate the guys and girls for the older age groups in secondary school. Today, it’ll be all mixed in together. We’ve got classes with the three older, primary-school groups. That means the oldest we’ll have will probably be twelve, and most will be younger.” Oliver picked up the last bag, and the two strolled towards the school office.

“Roger said we’ll be splitting up, each of us taking a different group.”

Oliver smiled. “That’s simply because of the numbers. When we do a secondary school, we’ll break up according to skill level. Last year, Roger took the advanced group, and I handled the rest. It’s going to be a lot easier this year with three of us. We’ll be able to split them into three more-evenly-sized groups. I had the larger group last year, and it got tough to handle at times.”

“What about the teachers? Do they help, or is it just us?”

“The teachers help out, but we’re here to lead.” Oliver snorted. “I couldn’t’ve done it without them. A few times last year there were guys in secondary that were pretty much the same age as me. They didn’t want to listen to what I had to say, and I needed the teachers to back me up.”

Jim nodded. “Thanks, Ollie. I know I should’ve spent more time getting ready for this, but there’s been so many things going on recently.”

Oliver chuckled. “Yeah, I know. Don’t worry. After today, you’ll be a pro. Your boyfriend has organised the schedule and started you with the worst, so it gets easier from here.”

Jim frowned. “I thought you said the secondary schools were harder?”

Oliver grinned. “They are, but primary-school kids never stop. Dealing with them is a baptism by fire, because you don’t get a break. Secondary kids can be smart-arses, but you don’t have to spend all your time entertaining them. Primary kids, on the other hand...” Oliver chuckled at Jim’s worried expression. “Make sure Tony has a few drinks organised for you at the end of the day. You’ll need them.”

“I can’t drink. We’ve got training tonight.”

Oliver winked. “We’ll see. I’m betting you’ll have a different opinion by the time we’re finished.”

* * *

Deon scowled as he tossed a CD onto Peter’s desk. “I’m sorry, Peter, but I couldn’t find Will. Can you please pass this on to him?”

Peter frowned at the disk and then looked up at Deon. “Sure, but can I ask what it is?”

“Videos my dad took of me last weekend. I’ve spent the last few days trying to determine what’s wrong with my kicking action, but I can’t work it out. I can’t see what I’m doing different between the kicks that go straight and the kicks that go off to the side. I’m hoping he can.”

Peter waved a hand towards his visitor’s chair. “Take a seat.” He moved the CD to one side and then smiled across his desk. “Talk to me about what’s going on.”

Deon ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not getting the accuracy I used to have. Last year, I was around the sixty-five percent mark, but at the moment, I’m sitting around fifty. Something’s going wrong, but I don’t know what it is.”

He didn’t need to explain the figures. Peter knew he was talking about the percentage of goals kicked from set shots, although that was not the only gauge for accuracy that Peter had available to him.

“Fifty’s okay, though you should be aiming for a figure higher than seventy. However, we haven’t played that many matches, so it’s too early to say that you’ve got a problem. Everyone has a few bad games. Overall, I’m happy with how you’ve been going.” He held up a hand to stop Deon from responding. “Yes, I’d like you to convert more opportunities to goals, but I’m not going to expect more than you’re capable of doing. There’s nothing obviously wrong with your kicking that I’ve noticed, so it could be that you’re just going through a dry spell.”

“It’s just so damned frustrating!”

Peter smiled. “And getting frustrated may be what’s making it continue. You tense up and you lose your natural kicking action. If you think too much about it, it can make it worse. I’ll pass on the CD to Will – I might even have a look myself – but don’t expect too much. Until he tells you otherwise, just relax. I’m happy with how you’re doing.”

Deon frowned. “Are you sure? I mean, I’m supposed to be kicking goals, but too many of my shots are going off to the side. I’m not doing my job if I’m not scoring.”

Peter chuckled. “Scoring is a big part of the job, true, but so is getting the ball in the first place. In that respect, you’re shining. You’re either breaking away from your opponent to gain uncontested marks, or you’re out-muscling them to take the mark while under pressure. One on one, you’re beating your opponents most of the time. The scoring will follow, because you’re getting lots of opportunities to try. Now, if you weren’t getting the ball, then Will and I would have something to yell at you about. But that’s not happening. Just keep going the way you are. Get that ball, and then go for the goal. It’ll happen, trust me.”

“Are you sure?” Deon’s expression indicated he wasn’t convinced.

“Yes, I am.” Peter smiled. “Try taking your mind off things for awhile. Training starts in two hours, so take a break and play a game or watch TV. Something that’s not related to football. Learn to relax again.”

The two were disturbed by a knock on the door. They both turned to see Dave poke his head into the room. “When you’re free, Peter...”

Peter glanced at Deon and then back at Dave. “I think we’re finished here, so come in and take a seat.”

Deon grimaced as he stood up. “Thanks Peter. It looks like my dad has sent me on a wild-goose chase.”

“Not necessarily, but I don’t think you need to worry about it just yet.” Peter smiled. “Now, go and take a break. I’ll see you at training.”

Deon paused on his way out of the office to smile and nod his head towards Dave. Dave acknowledged him, but he didn’t smile. Instead, he slumped into the chair that Deon had just left.

“How are you feeling?” Peter asked as Deon closed the door.

“Okay, I suppose. I’ve had my first appointment with the new psychologist.” Dave didn’t look up as he spoke.

“Can you tell me how it went? You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Dave grunted. “He’s hopeful I’ll get better, but he said it’s not going to be easy.”

“Few things worth doing are easy.”

“We also talked about football...”

Peter waited. A faint frown appeared on his face when it looked like Dave wasn’t going to say anything more, but just as he was about to break the silence, Dave looked up.

“I asked him if I should play football. He didn’t want me doing anything that would get me stressed.”

“Football can be stressful.” Peter smiled. “We’ll go along with whatever you need, Dave. We’re all here to help you.”

“I said I might get more stressed, worrying if I would have a spot on the team in the future. We talked about it for a while, and he ended up leaving it up to me.” Dave dropped his head. “What do you think I should do? He did say I shouldn’t use the showers. That’s not a good idea at the moment.”

Peter kept a frown from his face. “Dave, this is your life. You’re the one who needs to be comfortable with what’s going on. How do you feel about playing?”

Dave’s shrugged. “I don’t know. I want to play, but I know I hurt Charlie because of this...problem. I’m dangerous. Maybe I shouldn’t play.”

“You played several games before your...breakdown.” Peter cringed as he said it. He didn’t think it was a good idea to keep referring to what had happened, but the conversation demanded it. “As long as we all keep an eye out for when your aggression levels start to rise too much, we can manage this. You love football, and I think playing might be good for you. If you want to play, we can give it a try for as long as we can. If it doesn’t work out, then so be it. But don’t give up without giving it a go. How does that sound?”

Dave sat there for several seconds, his expression blank, and then his head jerked up and down. “Okay.”

“It’s going to take time, Dave. We all understand that, but we’re all going to do what we can to help.”

Dave clambered to his feet. “I should get going.” His head remained bowed, and he didn’t look directly at Peter.

Peter stood up, too. “Feel free to drop in anytime, Dave, if you want to talk.”

Dave nodded and turned away. Peter watched, concerned, as Dave shuffled out the door. The amount of passivity that Dave was showing was worrying.

* * *

“Move it, Dad! Think about what’s going on and get in the right spot!”

Julie’s angry voice made Jim cringe. The criticism was justified, as he wasn’t having a good training session. That wasn’t the first time she’d yelled at him that night.

The combination of the endurance run on the Tuesday and the full-on nature of the primary-school kids during the day had left him drained. He pushed on, but it was hard work.

Ryan chuckled. “It looks like you’re the one she’s decided to pick on tonight.”

Jim grimaced. “Not without reason. I’m running on empty here.”

“As long as you’re recharged for Sunday, I wouldn’t worry.” Ryan glanced over to the southern end of the oval where Deon was lining up for a goal kick. He winced when the ball headed to the left. “Deon’s the one who’s got me concerned. He’s getting angry and frustrated.”

The conversation was interrupted for a couple of minutes as Julie had them run through the training exercise again.

“What was that about Deon?” Jim asked once they had finished, and it was the turn of Charlie and Jarrod to be under Julie’s spotlight.

“He’s getting frustrated with his lack of accuracy. He thinks it’s got something to do with his kicking action. He’s been spending hours, reviewing videos that his father and Marcus took on Sunday, trying to work out what he’s doing wrong.”

Jim shrugged. “Everyone has a bad spell. Look at me. I can’t do anything right tonight. I’m sure he’ll come good again.”

“Speaking of coming good again, Dave’s really tentative. I hope he starts to pick up soon.” Ryan shook his head. “I think the injury he gave Charlie last month is playing on his mind. He doesn’t want to do the same again.”

“Do you blame him? I wasn’t even sure if he’d be here. He’s supposed to be avoiding stress, and Julie yelling at you can be really stressful.”

Ryan frowned. “I don’t think she’s yelled at him at all, tonight. She seems to be taking it easy on him. Well, easier than usual; she’s still making him train hard; she’s just not yelling.”

“Dad, Ryan, stop jabbering and start paying attention. You’re supposed to be over here!”

Jim and Ryan both winced at Julie’s very loud and very public rebuke. It was time to get back to work.

* * *

The middle-aged man in the nondescript rugby top made a few more notes and then packed up his gear. He had seen enough of the Leopards training to make a decision.

The annual match between the VFL and one of the other state competitions was to be held at the end of May. In 2014, the match would be against South Australia. That man was one of the selectors responsible for picking the team to represent Victoria.

The rules were that AFL-listed players were not eligible. The official reason was because they couldn’t be guaranteed to be available if they had AFL duties that weekend. The unofficial reason was that the match was also a showcase of the best draftable players from the state competitions.

Most of the Victorian players for the match would be coming from the non-affiliated teams in the VFL, with Port Melbourne and Williamstown being major contributors. The selector was at the training session because the word had been passed down that some of the AFL clubs would like to see Ty Flanders from the Leopards in the squad. The trip out to Lilydale that night had been to gauge his suitability.

He had been mildly impressed by the young man, but he knew there was a world of difference between training and an actual match. He had already decided that attending the game in Bendigo wouldn’t be a productive use of his time. Bendigo was the current whipping boy of the competition. They had gone winless in the 2013 season, and the start of the 2014 season didn’t look much better with losses in their first three games. Watching the Leopards play Bendigo was unlikely to properly showcase the talents of Flanders. He would wait until the following week before watching a Leopards game live.

With a final glance over the rest of the Leopards and not seeing anyone else stand out, he left the grandstand. He had been given the names of a handful of other Leopard players that might’ve been candidates for the state team, but none had managed to impress him.

* * *

“Thursday morning, no rain, and the last school day of a very short week. A wonderful day.” Doug shrugged. “I don’t really know why they bothered. They should’ve just given us the three days off and started the new term after the ANZAC Day long weekend.” Doug glanced at Liam as they strolled towards school. “Did Alf get to have a nice chat with his new playmate?”

Liam quickly glanced around. “Don’t use that name! If anyone overheard you and it got back to Neil, any chances I’d have would be gone!”

“Relax, there’s no one around. I did check before I said anything, though I don’t know why. You’re better off if this charade is aborted before it goes too far.”

Liam scowled. “Too far being that I convince him to be my boyfriend?”

Doug snorted. “No, that’s way beyond too far. Too far is having other people realise you’re acting like a fool.” He held up a hand. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m not going to mess things up for you, but I’m not going to stop wishing for this scheme to crash and burn.”

“Thanks, Doug. You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t complain about Neil.” Liam sighed and a soft smile appeared on his face.

“I take it from your expression that you chatted with him again last night.”

“I did. One of the things he did was apologise in advance for not being online Saturday night. He’s not going to be home, and he didn’t want me to get concerned.” Liam grinned. “I told him not to worry about it.”

“Can’t you see how pathetic he is? He has to apologise for having a life.” Doug frowned. “He has a life?”

“Yes, he does!” Liam glared at Doug. “Just because he didn’t want me to worry doesn’t make him pathetic.”

“You’ve had two online chats with him, and he’s so needy that he wants you to chat with him every night and thinks you’ll be upset if he doesn’t chat with you for one night. I think that qualifies as pathetic. Anyway, what’s he got on that means he can’t spend every minute of the weekend waiting for you to get online?”

Liam shrugged. “He’s spending Saturday, including Saturday night, with some of the Leopards, and then he’s going with them to Bendigo for their game on Sunday. He said he’s going to be one of the runners and he’d tell me all about it when he got back that night.”

Doug frowned. “Has he got a crush on one of the players? He seems to be spending a lot of time with them.”

“I asked him about that. Not about a crush, of course, about spending time with them. He stayed with them over Easter, too.” Liam grimaced. “He said he needs to get out of home, and the players are really good to him. One of them has sort of adopted him as a younger brother, and that’s the guy he’s staying with. One of Ollie’s housemates.”

“Ollie?” Doug glanced at Liam, his forehead wrinkled.

“Helena’s boyfriend.”

“Ah...right. It’s not Henderson who’s adopted him, I hope. That would be too gross.” Doug shuddered.

Liam snorted, his lips twisting into a half smile. “No. I asked the question since he already knows that I’ve got an interest in Jim, so that wasn’t giving anything away. It’s Todd, one of the defenders. I looked him up online while we chatted, and you wouldn’t want to mess with him. He’s much bigger and stronger than either of us. Probably both of us combined.”

“Are you trying to tell me something?” Doug frowned at his best friend.

“Just that messing with Neil will mean dealing with at least one of the Leopards players, and possibly more, given the way Helena jumped to his defence. Neil’s got friends. Big, strong friends.”

Doug shook his head. “I don’t know how. He’s such a lose...” he glanced at the beginning storm on Liam’s face. “Well, you know. So how did he get to be friends with them?”

Liam narrowed his eyes. “You really have no clue?”

“None.” Doug shrugged. “What did he tell you?”

“He hasn’t, and I haven’t asked. But I can guess. Like me, he probably tried to contact Jim Henderson. He just got in first. Jim was really good to me when we saw him over the holidays, and I can’t see that he’d be any different to Neil. Maybe all Neil needed was a bit of support, and the Leopards are giving him that.”

Doug grunted. “Can we change the subject? There’s only so much nauseating stuff I can handle at once. What are you doing this weekend?”

“I still haven’t seen the new Captain America movie, so I thought I’d do that on Saturday.” Liam grinned at Doug. “Do you know anyone else who hasn’t seen it yet who might want to join me?”

Doug chuckled. “I’m free Saturday night, if that’s what you’re asking. Sounds like a good idea to me. I’m enjoying this wave of superhero movies, at least most of them. I was never into Spiderman.”

“Me, neither.” Liam pumped his fist. “Yes! I’ve got a date for Saturday night.”

“Hey, it’s not a date!” Doug gave Liam a nervous look. “We’re just going to see a movie.”

Liam laughed. “Yeah, I know. I was just stirring you up. You’re not my type, anyway.”

Doug scowled and then rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I know. Your type is thin, weak, and dorky.”

“No. My type is gay. I’ll work out the rest after that requirement is met.” Liam smiled as his eyes went unfocused.

Doug bumped him. “Cut it out!”

Liam’s head jerked around, and then he went red. “Sorry.”

“That’s Saturday night sorted out. What are doing for the rest of the long weekend? Do you want to hang out at my place on Sunday?”

Liam shook his head. “Once I get my homework done, I’m free on Friday, but I’m trying to organise something else for Sunday. I need to get in some more driving hours before I go for my license, so I was going to see if I can convince my old man to allow me to go on a country drive for the day.”

“How many hours do you still have to get?” Doug asked. He knew that in Victoria learner drivers were supposed to have 120 hours of driving logged before they went for their license. His own logbook was filled with a record of his driving under supervision since he turned sixteen.

“I still need eighteen, but I’ve got a couple of months. If my old man doesn’t have any plans, I wanted to knock off six or seven hours on Sunday.”

“Six or seven...” Doug shook his head. “Why don’t you do what most people do, and lie? You’re close enough. If you miss by a bit, no one will know.”

Liam smiled. “But I want to go on this drive. I haven’t had a long drive, and it’ll be good experience for me.”

Doug shrugged. “If that’s what you want. Where were you thinking of going?”

“Bendigo.”

Doug frowned. “Why the hell would you.... Wait a sec!” Doug’s eyes narrowed. “Isn’t that where Four-Dork’s headed to on Sunday?”

“His name’s Neil!” Liam dropped the angry glare and gave Doug a sheepish grin. “But, yeah.”

“That’s a bad move, Liam. You’re supposed to be keeping away from him while you’re becoming online friends. Stalking him isn’t going to create a good impression.”

Liam sighed. “I know, but I thought if I could combine my driving practise with something useful...”

“Don’t do it! If he spots you there, you can kiss goodbye to any chance with him.” Doug shuddered. “I can’t believe I just said that. It’s almost like I want you to get him. See! Your obsession is driving me crazy!”

Liam smiled. “No. You’re just a good mate who wants me to be happy. Thanks, Doug.”

Doug scowled. “Promise me.... You’re not going to Bendigo on Sunday.”

Liam shook his head. “I’ll see what my old man says, since I’ll have to tell him why I want to drive all the way there just to watch a football game. We’ll need to stay away from where Neil is, but maybe I’ll get to see him.”

“It’s not going to end well, Liam. Don’t go.”

Liam didn’t respond. He knew it wasn’t a good idea, but he still wanted to drive to Bendigo to see the Leopards play...and to see Neil.

* * *

Neil stopped eating his lunch long enough to stare at Clarissa. “What is it?”

She smiled. “I’m sorry. You’re just so different from how you were on Tuesday. You’re a lot more outgoing and happier today. I couldn’t help wonder what made the change.”

He shrugged. “Stuff.”

Evelyn chuckled. “You might be happier, but you’ve lost none of your delightful eloquence.”

“Evelyn, stay out of this.” Clarissa glared for a moment before turning back to Neil. “I was only curious. You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. By the way, are you doing anything Saturday night?”

Neil narrowed his eyes while he swallowed a mouthful of sandwich. “I’m not sure.”

“Would you like to go see a movie? We’re going,” Clarissa waved a hand to include Evelyn and Mary, “and I thought you might want to join us.”

Neil stared at the three girls for a moment and then shook his head. “Sorry, but I’m going to be with some friends Saturday night. I don’t know what they’ve got planned, but I’m sure they’ll have something organised.”

“You could invite them, too.” Clarissa smiled. “Or, if there’s a party going on, maybe you could invite us.”

“I’m pretty sure there won’t be a party. We have to get up early on Sunday, so they won’t want a late night.” Neil’s brow wrinkled in thought. “Most of them have girlfriends and will probably have already made plans. I don’t know about the single guys.”

“What are you doing on Sunday that means getting up early?” Mary asked. “Sunday’s my day for sleeping in.”

Neil shrugged. “The guys are going for a long drive, and they invited me along. We’ll be gone for most of the day.”

Clarissa frowned and pulled out her phone. She started typing.

“Who are these guys?” Evelyn asked. “I know you said that most of them have girlfriends, but if there’s any good-looking ones who are single, I wouldn’t mind an introduction.” She smiled and winked.

“Er...I don’t know about that. Umm...I mean, I’m not sure...”

Clarissa didn’t look up from her phone. “Evelyn, settle down. They’re Neil’s friends, not ours. Don’t push.”

“But if they’re cute and single...”

“Leave it!” Clarissa stared at her phone for a moment and then started typing again. “Neil’s allowed to have his own life without us jumping into it.”

Neil blinked. He opened his mouth, but it was a couple of seconds before anything came out. “Thanks, Clarissa.”

She smiled up at him. “I’m hoping you’ll let us into your life, but that will be when you’re ready, not when we push.” She put her phone away. “I’m guessing you’re not going to be free any weekend soon, so how about we go out for a coffee after school one day? You pick when.”

Neil swallowed once. “You know I’m not looking for a girlfriend.”

Clarissa chuckled. “Yeah, and even if you were, I don’t think I would be at the top of that list. I killed that chance when I ran roughshod over you after Jerk Face dumped me. No, I’m asking just as a friend. A coffee together, once a week, to relax. How does that sound?”

Neil wondered what she was up to, but he didn’t see any harm. She had intervened to stop the bullying, and that appeared to be working. He didn’t believe it was a trick, and even if it were, he didn’t see how a cup of coffee together could trigger a disaster. He nodded. “That sounds good.” He thought for a moment. “How about Tuesday?”

Clarissa smiled. “Done!”

* * *

Clarissa caught Liam between their last two classes. “Neil’s off with his friends from the Leopards again.”

Liam nodded, wondering why she was telling him.

“He said he had an early start on Sunday, so I checked their website. They’ve got a midday game in Bendigo. If he’s keen enough to go to that one, I’m guessing he’s planning on attending all their games this season.”

“You’re probably right. He needs friends, and spending more time with the ones he has is a good thing.” Liam frowned. “Why are you telling me?”

“Because I agreed to share information.” She scowled. “And because it makes it harder for me to become friends with him. I don’t want to finish school and find he’s still a stranger.”

“We may not have a choice.” Liam shrugged. “I’m happy he’s able to connect with people. Hopefully, he’ll develop the habit of being able to relate to others.”

Clarissa stared, her expression stony. “There’s more to this than simple altruism. I know you, Liam. You’ve got a strong selfish streak. Going out of your way for someone else when there’s nothing in it for you isn’t normal.”

“Hey, that’s not fair! That’s from when I had to hide who I was. I’m different now!”

She narrowed her eyes. After a moment, she nodded. “Maybe, but I think there’s something in it for you, too. Why do you want to be so nice to Neil?”

Liam didn’t want her to dig, but he needed to give her an answer. Luckily, he had a ready response. “Doesn’t feeling guilty for what I’ve done count? You’re the one who pointed out last term what was happening. Ever since I realised you’re right, I’ve been trying to fix it. Is that so hard to believe?”

The conversation was cut short when the bell rang for their next class. Liam kept his sigh of relief to himself until Clarissa was out of eyeshot. He didn’t think he had convinced her, but he hoped he’d bought himself some time.

* * *

Todd grinned as Neil sped down the pathway towards the car. It was early on Saturday morning, and Neil had the same bag he’d used for the Easter long weekend, though it looked considerably lighter than on that occasion. Neil was followed out of the house by his mother.

“Morning, Mrs. Rosewood!”

She smiled. “Please, it’s Mary. I hope you have a good couple of days. Neil’s certainly been eager to go.”

Todd chuckled. “Sean’s eager to see him again, too. Sean’s AusKick starts at nine, which is why I’m here so early to pick up Neil. We’re going straight from here.”

Mary frowned in disappointment as she peered into Todd’s station wagon. “Sean’s not with you?”

“No. Lorraine’s taking him, and we’re meeting them there. Did Neil ask you about staying for dinner tomorrow night?”

Mary smiled. “Yes, he did, and yes, that’s fine. As long as Neil’s home at a reasonable time so he can get a good night’s sleep before school on Monday, we’re not fussed at what time you bring him back.”

“I’ll be aiming for nine, but I promise it’ll be no later than ten.” Todd grinned at Neil who was putting his bag on the back seat. “Say goodbye to your mum, and then let’s get going.”

“Bye, Mum!” Neil hesitated for a moment and then moved across to give her a quick hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“Be good and have fun!” Mrs. Rosewood waved goodbye but stayed where she was, smiling as Todd reversed the car out of the driveway. She only returned to the house after Todd headed off down the road.

“Did you chat with Alf last night?” Todd asked as he drove along the quiet suburban street.

Neil grinned. “Yeah. He’s a really cool guy. It wasn’t a long chat, though, because he’d gotten up early so he could attend the dawn service yesterday morning.”

“A local one or down at the Shrine of Remembrance?” It had been a few years since Todd had attended the traditional ANZAC Day dawn service at the Shrine, just south of the heart of Melbourne. He still remembered not only how hard it had been to get up that early, but also the reverence of the moment as the gathered crowd paid homage to the sacrifices of Australian men and women during times of war.

“The one in Melbourne. His family goes every year. He has a great-grandfather who served in World War Two, as well as a couple of uncles who are currently in the Australian Defence Force.”

“That sounds like a nice family tradition. I went when I was eighteen, but I haven’t been since. It’s something I’d recommend that everyone does at least once, though. It helps us remember who we are as a nation.”

Neil was silent for a moment. “I think I have a great-grandfather who died in Changi prison, but I’m not sure. Mum doesn’t like to talk about it.”

Todd took his eyes off the road for a moment so he could reach out and put a hand on Neil’s shoulder. He squeezed once to offer his support before returning his hand to the steering wheel. “What else did you guys chat about?”

Neil immediately perked up. “We started exploring our tastes in music and books, and while we didn’t have a lot in common, we have a great time poking fun at the other person’s opinions. Nothing serious; it was all very light-hearted, but I really enjoyed it. I think he did, too.”

“What sort of music is he into?” Todd wasn’t really interested in the answer, but he was fishing for clues to confirm the identity of the note writer. The information about the dawn service was helpful, but he didn’t see how he could easily follow up on that lead.

“Indie bands and heavy metal; more the former. I’m more mainstream in my tastes, and he accused me of being a sell-out to the establishment.” Neil grinned. “I told him that while indie bands can be okay, I prefer to keep my hearing, so I don’t listen to heavy metal.”

Todd chuckled. “What did he say to that?”

“He said he’d take me to a concert one day, maybe after our exams, and he’ll fix my hearing for me.” Neil sighed. “It’s almost like he’s invited me out on a date. I’m hoping by then it really will be a date.”

Todd’s face froze as he tried to avoid giving away his concerns. He was thankful that Neil wasn’t looking at him, because he didn’t think he was being successful maintaining a neutral face. While Neil’s final exams were more than six months away, Todd could see that Neil was starting to fixate on this mystery guy just as he had earlier fixated on Jim. If, as he suspected, Neil found out that it was one, or more, of his bullies, Todd didn’t know how Neil would react. The worst-case scenario wasn’t one that Todd wanted to encounter.

“Are you going to chat with him tonight?”

Neil shook his head. “I’d love to, but I told him I wasn’t going to be able to, as I’d be at your place.”

“You told him you were staying with me?” Todd didn’t know if that was something to be concerned about. He felt uneasy, but he couldn’t put a finger on why.

“Yeah.” Neil frowned. “Was that wrong?”

Todd took advantage of having to make a turn across traffic to pause before answering. “I don’t think so. I just thought you were trying to keep school life separate from the Leopards.”

Neil grimaced. “I am, but this guy’s different. He’s already a Leopards fan, so he knows I’m involved with the club. He knows you’re a friend of mine and that I stayed with you guys over Easter.” He frowned. “I don’t remember telling him that I wasn’t at home last weekend, but he asked me if it’s the same place I stayed over Easter.”

Todd pounced. It was the first solid lead Neil had revealed. “Are you sure you didn’t tell him?”

“Pretty sure.” Neil grinned. “I can always check the chat logs when I get home tomorrow night. I’ve kept them all so I can reread them if I want to.”

“If you want to chat with him tonight, you can use my laptop. You can have the room to yourself while you’re online.”

“Nah, it’s okay. I told him I wouldn’t be around, so he’s probably made other plans for the night. If it’s okay with you, can I keep that as an option for the future?” Neil’s expression was partway between hopefulness and pleading.

Todd smiled. “Sure.”

* * *

Jim looked up as the front door slammed. A moment later, an angry Deon marched through the lounge room on his way to the kitchen. Concerned at what had upset Deon, Jim stood up and followed.

“What’s wrong?” Jim asked.

Deon had opened the fridge. He reached in, pulled out a bottle of beer. He stared for a moment, growled and then put it back. He flung the door closed. “Fuck!”

Jim stepped forward. “Deon?”

Deon glared. “Why the fuck do we have to have a game tomorrow? I want a drink!”

Jim stared for a moment and then waved a hand towards the kitchen table. “Sit down and talk to me.”

Deon dropped into one of the chairs. He slammed a fist onto the tabletop. “Fuck!”

“What’s happened?” Jim asked as he slipped into the chair opposite.

“Pamela wanted to go out tonight. I told her I couldn’t because I needed to go to bed early. She then said...” Deon glared at something unseen.

“What did she say?” Jim tried to keep his tone calm and quiet, but he wasn’t sure it was getting through to his young housemate.

“She asked me if I was going to bed early because it was with Denise!”

Jim winced. He had stopped asking how things were with his ex-girlfriend. The last time Deon had spoken about it, Denise was coping and seemed to be moving on. Jim believed that Deon’s mother was still visiting Denise regularly and that Denise had been starting to see a counsellor to help her get over the fact that her boyfriend turned out to be gay. Jim had thought that part of his life was over and that both he and Denise had moved on, but it didn’t appear to be that simple.

Deon gritted his teeth. “I thought she trusted me. She knows that nothing’s going on with Denise, but she’s acting like a jealous bitch!”

“Deon, maybe it’ll be best if you stopped seeing Denise. I know you did it for me, but if it’s hurting your relationship with Pamela, maybe–”

Deon slammed a hand onto the table, cutting off Jim. “I didn’t do it for you!”

Jim focused all his attention on Deon, trying to understand what the younger guy was feeling. “Can you tell me about what you mean?”

Deon glared and then seemed to collapse into himself. “Denise needed my help. I looked at her, and I saw my mum after my dad left her. I had to do something, I couldn’t just walk away. I did it for her and for myself.” He looked up. “I’ve got no interest in Denise; I just needed to help her. Why can’t Pamela understand that?”

Jim paused before responding. “Maybe she does, and it’s just an excuse. Have you two been having any problems, recently?”

Deon grimaced as he ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. She seemed a bit put off because I spent a big chunk of time last weekend with my Dad and Marcus getting those videos and then more time while I tried to analyse them. She then wanted to go out tonight, but I said I couldn’t. But even before that, she’d get snarky at times when I had other things I had to do.”

“What other things?”

Deon shrugged. “Training. Going for a run. Getting ready for a match.”

Jim nodded slowly. “Football. You started going out with Pamela in January, didn’t you?”

“That’s right.” Deon frowned. “What are you saying?”

“That for the first couple of months your commitments were light, but they’ve ramped up, and more of your focus is football. That happened to correspond to when you started helping out Denise. Between the two, that doesn’t leave a lot of time for Pamela...”

“I still make time for her!”

“But is she your priority?” Jim grimaced. “I went through something like this with Denise when we started going out. You need to sit down with her and sort out your priorities, Deon. You’ve got two major things in your life: football and Pamela. If you want both, you’re going to have to work out a way to balance the two. Football’s not very forgiving. If you don’t put in the effort, you’ll drop off and all you’ll ever be is another generic player. If Pamela can’t accept that you’ve got another love, another passion, then you’ll have to decide which one is more important to you.”

Deon stared across the table. His mouth was open and his eyes were wide. “But...”

Jim shook his head. “Pamela’s a nice girl. I really like her, and I think she’s good for you. But if she can’t handle the place that football has in your life, then you’ll need to make a choice. I hope it doesn’t come down to that, but if you want to dream of the AFL, then she’ll need to dream with you or it won’t happen.”

Deon sighed and dropped his head. “I think you might be right. I thought Denise was the problem, but it’s not her. It’s the Leopards Pamela’s jealous of.” He looked up. “Do you think she realises this?”

“Probably not.” Jim smiled. “But you won’t know until you talk to her.”

Deon made a face. “What do you think I should do?”

Jim shrugged. “It’s up to you, but if I was in your shoes, I’d be ringing her and saying that you’d like to take her out for an early dinner. You’ll need to be back by nine, but she can have you until then.”

Deon stood up and pulled out his phone. “Thanks, Dad.” He headed to his room, his phone already held to his ear.

* * *

Neil lay in Todd’s bed, staring at the ceiling. Todd was on the air mattress next to the bed, as he had been the weekend before. It was only nine-thirty, but they had an early start the next day, and everyone wanted to get a good night’s sleep.

Neil was thinking. Something had changed, and he wasn’t sure what it was. He wanted to be certain before he took the step he was contemplating.

As he had each time Neil had stayed, Todd had undressed while Neil was out of the room. He was already in boxers and a T-shirt when Neil had returned from cleaning his teeth. This time, though, it felt different. Neil was trying to work out why.

After a few minutes of quiet reflection, Neil heard Todd roll over. Taking a deep breath, he made a decision. “Todd?”

“What is it, Neil?”

“You need to get a good night’s sleep. You’ve got a game tomorrow. Why don’t you get in the bed? You’ll sleep better up here.” Neil held his breath while also steeling his resolve.

“You’re not taking the airbed. I’ve told you that. You’re the guest, and you get the bed.” Todd’s tone was firm.

Neil swallowed once. “I know. I’ll stay here, too.”

There was a long pause. “Are you sure?”

Neil wasn’t, but he felt that his attraction to Todd had somehow become muted. He didn’t know why, but he was reasonably confident he could handle the temptation. “I’m sure.”

There was a noise from beside the bed, and then Todd stood up. He stared down at Neil for a moment, though his face was in shadow and Neil couldn’t make out the expression. Neil smiled up at his friend and then rolled away. He felt good, even though he knew having Todd lying next to him was going to make it difficult to get to sleep.

Todd’s hand rested on Neil’s shoulder for a moment. “Thanks, mate.”

Neil closed his eyes. The scare that Dave’s breakdown had inflicted was retreating, and Neil found he could start to trust himself again. Unlike the first time he shared the bed with Todd, though, Neil found his thoughts wandering away from the hunky guy next to him. Instead, he wondered if he would ever get to do the same with his new friend, Alf.