Deacon won’t be so lucky, though. There’s no way to hide the fact he lives with us, and to be honest, it’s too much trouble to try. Holt, along with everyone else on the team, is going to get an introduction today. And it’s not like we’ve been hiding him on campus. He’s been kicking it with Felix all day. Austin will automatically mark him as an enemy the moment he lays his eyes on him. And with him open on the field …shit.
“It’s not something you should need to worry about,” I tell him, feeling like an absolute dick for dragging him into this. “But we have problems with a few guys on the team. It doesn’t mean you need to be involved in our problems, though.” Living with our crew doesn’t mean he has to take sides. He can try and stay out of it if he wants to. Keyword being try. “You’re new here. There’s no reason to rock the boat early on. But you should have a heads up because there’s a chance you’ll be targeted for living in the house. For being associated with us, whether you want to be involved or not.” I tilt my chin toward Julio and Felix beside me. “Holt and his friends may not give you a choice.”
Deacon’s expression darkens. “Petty bullshit problems or real shit?” he asks, taking me a little by surprise.
“Real shit,” Julio answers for me.
Deacon nods. “Alright. I’m taking sides. Pull me in.”
I snort. “You can’t make that decision without knowing what you’re getting yourself into. And I can’t give you all the details. Some shit isn’t mine to share.” Like what happened to Cecilia.
He shrugs. “Kasey and Dom vouched for you guys. That’s enough for me. I don’t need to play nice with anyone else. I’m here to play soccer. If people want to fuck with that, I know where my loyalty lies.”
I level him with a considering gaze. “Just like that?”
He nods, hazel eyes determined. “Just like that.”
Voices echo through the locker room as the door opens. We were the first ones here since most of us take morning classes, but it looks like the rest of our team has finally arrived.
“We’ll fill you in and figure things out after practice.” Julio says, shutting his locker and turning to me. “For now, focus. We don’t need any distractions with Holt on the field, and we have a game coming up against the Crown Point University Hawks. They’ve had a killer season so far. We all need to have our heads on straight the moment we walk onto that field. Understood?”
We all mutter our agreements.
“Good. Now get dressed and get your asses on the pitch.”
With that, Julio heads out, probably to go talk to Jameia—our assistant coach—and see what the plan is for today.
“You good?” Felix asks as soon as Julio is out of earshot.
“I will be,” I tell him.
The corners of his mouth lift. “How are we playing today’s practice?” he asks with a glint in his eyes.
I swear, the guy lives for this shit, so it’s no surprise that his grin widens when I tell him, “Savage, my man. We wait for Holt to strike first,” and he will. “And then we play fucking Savage.”
Both my shins are bleeding,but Holt doesn’t look any better. He’s got a bruise forming on his left cheek, and a trail of blood drips down his right elbow. He’s been keeping that arm close to his side, too. A clear indication he doesn’t want it jostled, so I know it hurts like a bitch.
Good.
We’re halfway through practice, and shit is already ugly on the field. I can’t take credit for the shiner. That one was all Deacon. He’s been giving Holt a run for his money. From the moment Coach blew the whistle, Deacon’s been on him.
I’ve got to hand it to the guy. For a freshman, he’s a quick study.
Deacon Hunt analyzes the way each and every player plays, scrutinizing their position. How they move. Which direction they lean into when they move in for a steal or aim for a goal. It’s fascinating to watch, and it’s clear that no one on the field knows what to do with him.
The way his mind operates doesn’t come as a surprise. Not when you really think about it.
Hunt was a quarterback for Suncrest U before his transfer to PacNorth. He’s used to taking in the entire field, making note of everyone’s position, the directions they’re moving in. He’s had to get comfortable with taking in massive amounts of information before making split-second decisions and that skill of his shows.
Deacon will make the starting lineup before the season’s end. I have no doubt about it. Which is damn near unheard of for afreshman. This is only day one, and he’s already performing at a high level. The only question now will be where to put him.
Soccer isn’t like football. One player doesn’t determine the play. But there are certain positions that can play to his strengths. Positions like mine. Not that I’m concerned.
We usually play 4-4-2 or 4-3-2-1 formations, so there are anywhere from three to four midfielders on the pitch at any given time. Watching the way Deacon’s mind works, he’d be a killer attacking midfielder like myself. The only problem there is that an attacking midfielder provides support and opportunity for the striker to score, and right now, that person is Austin fucking Holt.
The division in the team is palpable, and I wish I could say it came from me, but Julio is right. We need our heads in the game if we’re going to have any shot at beating CPU.
During practice at least, me and my boys are making an effort. I’ve passed that asshole the ball multiple times but Holt doesn’t follow the play. He’s aggressive, causing us to respond in kind as he takes cheap shots that interfere with advances that should be resulting in goals.
