Page 12 of Another Love, Another Time
I’m pretty dang pleased with myself until I hear my coach call, “River, we’re not practicing pins yet. You should only be working on takedowns.” He walks over to us.
I get off the kid, and he jumps up. I turn to look at the coach. He’s been a coach for a while, so he knows who I am. “I’m sorry,” I say, “but he wouldn’t let me have my turn, so I had to put him in his place, Coach.”
I can see he wants to smile, but he can’t in front of this kid. “So, are you done putting him in his place?”
“If he’s done not giving me a turn, then I’ll be done too, Coach.”
Coach turns to the new kid. “You got a problem wrestling with a girl?”
“No, Coach,” the kid mumbles.
“Okay. You two quit wasting my time, and get back to work.” He walks off to oversee some of the other wrestlers.
“You had to snitch on me, huh?” the new kid grates.
“I’m not a snitch. Don’t put this on me. You are the one who didn’t want to take turns. Is that not true? I’m not getting into trouble because of you. I told him the truth. That doesn’t make me a snitch.”
“Forget this. Let’s get this over with.” He gets back into position. This time, he lets me do the takedown drills.
We get a few more minutes, and then we move on to reverse and then pin drills. The new kid and I don’t have any more problems. Hopefully, he learns that I’m not scared of him.
Okay, so I may have jumped the gun a little on how easy that was going to be. I know I’m going to be sore as a scab tomorrow. I jump out of the shower and see I have a missed text from Auggie.
Auggie: How was the first night of practice?
I pull on my pajamas for the night and pick up my phone to respond. I’m so sore I can barely lift the phone in my hands.
River: I had to put some new kid in his place. He thought he could walk all over me.
Auggie: Well, I’m sure you didn’t have any problem doing that. Did he learn his lesson?
River: I think so. You know I never back down from a challenge.
Auggie: Don’t forget to take some Aleve. You know you’ll be sore tomorrow.
River: I just did.
I send him a picture of the Aleve bottle and my water. Auggie sends me a GIF of Selena Gomez that says “Good girl.”
River: What did you do tonight?
Auggie: My mom had some work thing. Melissa was there and asked about you
River: I hope you didn’t tell her anything.
Auggie: I think she’s trying to be your friend. I don’t know why we can’t all be friends.
River: How’s school going?
Auggie: Really, River? Changing the subject?
River: I don’t want to talk about her. If you want to be her friend, that’s on you. I don’t have to be friends with her, and I’d appreciate it if you would keep my name out of your mouth when you do talk to her.
Auggie: Wow.
River: “Wow…” You miss me so much?
Auggie: (GIF of rolling eyes) You know I miss you.
