Chapter 24: Aftermath
*Sound Effects*
**Language**
'Thoughts'
"Dialogue"
(Point of View)
(1st Person - Coach Will)
Like every morning, I found myself tasked with the bulk of Carter's workload. Being the new guy, he consistently shifted most of the responsibilities onto me while he lounged around in his office, occupied with who knows what. Today, my duty led me to the storage room, where I had to count all the basketballs and various equipment to ensure we had an adequate supply. If we fell short, I'd have to place an order on behalf of the school.
*Sigh* I took a deep breath, refocusing my attention on the task at hand. This job often felt like a prison, but thinking about the progress we were making with the AAU team and the upcoming tournament finals brought a smile to my face.
As I meticulously counted, Coach Carter's sudden outburst cut through the monotony. He rarely raised his voice, so his yelling left me perplexed. I stopped counting and made my way to his office to ensure everything was alright, and upon arrival, I was met with a scowling Coach Carter. "What's going on?" I inquired, noting the frustration etched on his face.
"That damn Mexican kid came by and refused to join my team. Can you believe it!? If he's lucky, he might find a spot at some community college, but he just ruined his chances," he vented, his annoyance palpable. "Not only that, he had the nerve to lie to me! Claiming I called him over with a note, just like yesterday. What a load of nonsense. Then the kid ran off!" he concluded.
"I'll be right back," I stated firmly, disregarding Carter's frustrated yells, and made my way towards the history wing. I was well aware that Javi had a class there, as he frequently pleaded with me for an excuse to skip class and avoid the relentless teasing.
On my route, Coach's words reverberated in my mind, revealing that he had tried to recruit Javi yesterday and was awaiting an answer today. His comments also insinuated that he had no knowledge of my role as the coach of the AAU team; otherwise, he might have approached me directly. However, what perplexed me the most was his accusation that Javi had lied to him, as Javi had never struck me as the dishonest type. As I approached the building, I noticed a group of teachers hurrying in that direction, and an unsettling feeling settled in my stomach. I quickened my pace, breaking into a jog as I neared the scene.
I observed a group of teachers forming a barrier to prevent any students from entering the restroom. With determination, I pushed my way through and entered the restroom, where I found a school officer and several more male teachers already present.
"Coach, I'm glad you're here," greeted a colleague whom I had encountered briefly in the past.
"What's going on, Brian?" I inquired, my concern evident as I navigated past the teachers who made space for me.
"There was an altercation involving one of your players, Trevor. He, along with two friends, was assaulted in here. The friends sustained minor injuries, but Trevor's face is severely battered. They've taken them to the nurse's office not long ago, but an ambulance is on the way for Trevor," Brian explained as I surveyed the restroom.
I immediately noticed a damaged sink and bloodstains splattered across the floor. While I examined the scene, Brian continued to provide information. "The attacker was a small Mexican kid," he mentioned. "We're not certain about the details yet, but it seems to be related to the shoes found in the toilet," he added, gesturing toward the open stall.
Upon hearing about the shoes, my focus shifted towards the direction he had indicated. There, I spotted the Jordan 4's I had given Javi submerged in a toilet filled with urine. As the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, I inquired further, "Where is the student who attacked them?"
Brian appeared somewhat concerned about the student's safety and my potential reaction. "I just want to hear his side of the story," I reassured him. He reluctantly revealed that the student was currently in the principal's office.
"Thank you, Brian," I acknowledged before quickly making my way toward the principal's office.
I eventually reached the principal's office and turned the corner, entering the hallway leading to the office. To my immediate surprise, I spotted Javi sitting outside the office beside a school officer. His hair was tousled, and his hands were clenched, displaying dried bloodstains. He stared down at the floor, lost in thought.
"Javi," I said softly, causing him to raise his head. His face bore signs of cuts and bruises from the altercation.
I rushed over to Javi, who was sitting with disheveled hair and holding his bloodied hands tightly. Cuts and bruises marked his face from the altercation. As he began speaking with a trembling voice, "I'm sorry...the shoes-" I interrupted his sentence by enveloping him in a warm, comforting hug. I could sense his silent tears as I patted his back reassuringly and whispered, "I know. Don't worry; everything will be alright."
Turning my attention to the school officer, who seemed perplexed, I spoke with a stern tone, "What do the hell do you think you're doing? Don't you see this student is injured!?" I couldn't hide the anger in my voice.
The officer hesitated but tried to explain, "Yes, but..."
I didn't let him finish. "I don't give a damn! Now, take him to the nurse, or else it will be your ass!" I pointed directly at the officer, my frustration evident.
With a reluctant expression, the officer complied and helped Javi to his feet, ready to take him to the nurse. Before they left, I emphasized, "Make sure you take him to the other wing." My intention was to ensure that Javi wouldn't encounter Trevor and his friends, avoiding any further conflicts or confrontations.
After dealing with them, I entered inside the office. Entering, I observed the school principal, a venerable figure of authority within the institution. He was an older white man, his salt-and-pepper hair exuding an air of wisdom earned through years of experience. His neatly combed gray hair framed a weathered face, etched with lines that told the story of his long and dedicated career in education. His attire was always impeccably chosen, a reflection of his professional demeanor, and his eyeglasses perched on the bridge of his nose added an intellectual touch to his appearance. He had a complex expression as he was on the phone with somebody.
He looked over to me and nodded before saying "I will handle it" and hanging up before turning back to me. "Coach William it's good that you got here fast, I already contacted Coach Carter and he will arrive here momentarily. As for Trevor's mom, she will be here soon as well" he said.
"Okay, I will wait for them" I said with determined expression as I sat down waiting for them.
Within a minute, Coach Carter burst into the room, panting heavily as he clutched his sides. He quickly sat down and asked for a glass of water. A couple of minutes later, a blonde-haired woman entered the room. She seemed to be in her mid-30s, her face flushed red with anger as she wore a angry expression.
Once everyone was assembled, the principal began, "Now, since everyone is here, we can start." He then turned to the mother and asked her what course of action she wanted to pursue. She promptly expressed her desire to press charges against Javi and have him expelled.
However, before she could elaborate further, I interjected, "Could you please provide us with the details of what happened?" I hoped to gain a better understanding of whether they were aware of the complete story.
"What more is there to know?" Coach Carter responded impatiently. "The kid attacked Trevor out of nowhere, for no reason. It's that simple," he declared, giving me a quizzical look.
I turned to the principal, expecting him to contribute further, but he remained silent. I decided to share the discovery of a pair of shoes in the restroom stall, suggesting that it was likely connected to the incident. However, their apparent disinterest in delving into the specifics of who was at fault hardened my expression.
"So, here's how this is going to work," I stated firmly, leaving them all startled.
"We will conclude this as an act of self-defense—Javier was merely protecting himself from Trevor and his friends, who initiated the confrontation. Trevor will receive a warning, and we will move forward as if nothing happened," I declared.
Coach Carter erupted, shouting in anger, joined by the mother's cries.
"What on earth do you think you're doing!?" Coach Carter bellowed, with the mother screaming in agreement.
"If you don't agree, then I'll make sure to expose all of you," I continued calmly, leaving them even more shocked.
"Don't act like you're above accepting bribes, Carter. I've seen you do it before. I know that's why Trevor initially made the team instead of Javier. I was always suspicious from the start, wondering why you'd choose someone who clearly wasn't as talented over a more skilled player. However, I delved into things, and everything fell into place," I asserted.
I then turned my attention to the principal. "I'm aware that you've tampered with grades for Trevor and numerous other athletes to maintain their eligibility in exchange for payments," I stated sternly.
"As for you," I said, addressing Trevor's mother, "Everyone here knows that Trevor was the one who provoked the fight with Isaiah. Yet, he faced no consequences, while Isaiah was removed from the team. This isn't the first time you've engaged in such behavior, covering up for your son. And if this misconduct gets exposed, along with the payments, Trevor will not only lose his place on the team but also any chance of stepping a foot on a college campus."
I leaned back, waiting for their response.
The room was filled with a heavy silence as they absorbed my accusations. Shocked expressions gradually gave way to a reluctant acknowledgment of the situation's gravity.
Coach Carter, knowing that the truth about his actions was at risk of being exposed, finally conceded, "Fine, we'll go along with your version of events."
Trevor's mother, clearly torn between her anger and the fear of her son facing consequences, reluctantly nodded her agreement.
As they reluctantly agreed, I made sure to have everything documented in writing, ensuring there was no room for later denials or alterations to the story.
"Coach," the principal stated as I rose from my seat and headed toward the door.
"You're fired," he declared calmly.
With the resolution in place, I turned around, a sense of finality washing over me. "I didn't want to be a part of this corrupt school anyway," I declared, my voice laced with disdain.
I exited the principal's office, leaving behind a chapter of my life that I was more than willing to move on from. I didn't know what I'd do from here on out, whether I'd continue coaching or embark on a different path. However, I knew that my integrity mattered more than anything else, for those who stand for nothing fall for everything.
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A/N: Coach Will the goat frfr lol. I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Make sure to leave a review, or drop some stones below if you want to support the story!
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