Mom rested her hand on my shoulder.
“We’re so proud of you.”
“I guess.”
I ran a hand through my hair, which accidentally sprayed my family with sweat.
Laleh squealed.
“Sorry! Sorry. I better go clean off.”
“We’ll see you at home,” Mom said. Despite my sweatiness, she pulled me down to kiss my messy forehead. Dad did too. He held on to my neck and said, “Really, Darius. We’re so proud of you.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
I held his eyes, and he smiled and nodded at me.
He wasn’t back to normal yet, but he was getting better. The bags under his eyes had shrunk, small gray crescents instead of giant blue saucers.
“Love you,” I said.
“Love you, son,” he said back.
At the corner of the stands, Chip was talking to Trent, who was bouncing Evie on his lap.
I knew he was her uncle, but it was still deeply disturbing to see firsthand.
Next to them, a woman with light brown skin and dark wavy hair pulled Chip in for a hug.
Was that Chip’s mom?
Suddenly Evie’s complexion made sense.
I always thought Chip’s mom was white. I always thought Chip was white too. I didn’t realize he was Fractional like me.
I don’t know why finding that out made me so happy.
(I knew why that made me happy.)
Chip waved me over.
“Darius,” he said, “this is my mom. Sofia.”
“Hi,” I said. “Thank you for all the Gatorades.”
Sofia’s laugh was like a waterfall. She grinned at me.
She had her son’s grin.
“Thanks for keeping Cyprian out of trouble.”
“Sure.”
From Trent’s lap, Evie waved at me. I waved back and avoided Trent’s eyes.
“I better go get my stuff,” I said. “Nice meeting you.”
“Don’t be a stranger. Come for empanadas sometime. We’ve got more Gatorades.”
“Thanks.”
I was nearly off the field when I heard someone behind me.
“Where’s your boy toy, Dairy Queen?”
I shook my head and kept walking, but Trent jogged into my field of view. He must’ve passed Evie off.
“Hey. Which one of you is which?”
“Which what?” I said, because I couldn’t make any sense of his question/insult.
I knew I should have kept my mouth closed, but it was an automatic thing, and I couldn’t take it back.
“Which one’s the goal and which one’s the post?”
I shook my head and didn’t respond.
“Which one’s the plug and which one’s the socket?”
My face burned as Trent followed me, offering suggestion after ridiculous suggestion.
My neck prickled, and the sweat felt cold against my skin. Trent kept getting louder and louder until—
“Hey!” I paused and looked back. Chip had his arm out, blocking Trent from following me. “What the heck, dude?”
There it was again: heck. Like that was a word guys used.
“What?”
“Why are you always such a jerk to him? What did he ever do to you?”
“Nothing. I’m just teasing.”
“No you’re not. You’re being awful. And it’s gotten worse since I told you I liked him.”
Chip glanced back at me for a second.
I was frozen.
But then he turned around and said, “You’re supposed to be my best friend. Why don’t you act like you’re worth it?”
Trent’s mouth opened and closed. He looked from Chip, to me, and then to Gabe and Jaden, who had slowed down to wait for us and were watching the scene with their arms folded across their chests.
His face reddened.
I never noticed how much he looked like an angry baby with his face all red.
His overlarge nostrils flared.
“Whatever.” He tried to push past Chip’s arm, but Chip didn’t budge, so he turned and slouched back toward the stands.
Chip lowered his arm and let out his breath. His whole body depressurized in front of me.
Jaden and Gabe murmured to each other, but I couldn’t make anything out. I just stared at Chip, who nodded to himself, and then caught me looking.
He had this look in his eyes. I don’t know how to describe it.
It was like he was utterly lost.
But then he shrugged, and looked down at his feet, and walked past me toward the locker room.
What just happened?
ALL OF YOU
It was a quiet bus ride back to Chapel Hill High School, but at least it was a short one. Everyone was on their phones, or watching the traffic go by, or leaning against the windows with their eyes closed and their bags as pillows.
I sat toward the back, watching Chip as he stared out the window.
Something had happened.
Something I’d hoped for. Something I’d never actually expected.
What was I supposed to do now? What was I supposed to say?
Would I even see Chip anymore? Soccer season was over now, and soon enough wrestling would consume all his time.
Were all the guys going to ditch me now?
I didn’t want to go back to being lonely Darius, whose only real friend was half a world away.
I wiped my eyes.
Coach Bentley leaned across the aisle. “You okay, Darius?”
“Yeah.” I sniffed. “Just gonna miss this is all.”
“Me too.” She smiled. “You did great this season. And the next one will be here before you know it.”
“Thanks, Coach.”
* * *
I cleaned out my locker, which was mostly just spare kit, extra deodorant, and a couple crumpled papers I had forgotten about at various points during the season.
(I didn’t really get the point and purpose of paperwork.)
The guys were all bro-hugging each other, the kind where you shake hands, do a one-armed hug with your hands smooshed between you, and slap the other guy’s back. For some, like Gabe and Jaden and Christian, it was their last season at Chapel Hill. I saw Gabe wipe his eyes a couple times, and Jaden actually gave me a regular hug instead of a bro-hug.
“It’s been awesome, man,” he said. “I’m glad we got to be friends.”
“Me too. I’m sad it’s over.”
“Over?” Jaden cocked his head to the side. “You’re stuck with me now. Fractional Bros for life.”
“Does that make us cousins or step-bros?”
“Don’t make me do math after a game.” He jostled my shoulder. “Seriously, though. Let’s hang out. I’ll teach you to actually play Mario Kart instead of driving off the side.”
I almost laughed at that.
Almost.
“I’d like that.”
On our way out, Coach Bentley had us line up, and she shook our hands and congratulated us on a season well played.
We still had our big post season party to look forward to, when we’d all dress up, and Coach would give out awards for Most Valuable Player and Most Improved and announce next year’s captain.
Supposedly, the food was super good, because Coach Bentley was friends with a chef at one of the fancy restaurants downtown, one that was inside a hotel but not run by the hotel, which I guess makes a difference in the world of fancy downtown restaurants.
“Proud of you, Darius,” she said as she shook my hand. “Chin up.”
I blinked away my tears and nodded. “Thanks, Coach.”
* * *
The sun was setting over the Student Lot, painting Chapel Hill’s beige walls in fiery pink. The clouds were rolling in, the air chill with the promise of rain.
Cyprian Cusumano was sitting on the curb, with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hand.
I flopped onto the ground next to him, tucked my cold hands into the pockets of my hoodie, and stared up at the clouds. I didn’t think I could look Chip in the eye.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
Chip laid back and sprawled next to me.
“I think I did.” His voice was low and soft. “That’s the guy I want to be. And I don’t think I have been, very much, before.”
I angled my head a little closer to him. “How come?”
“I don’t know.” He drummed his legs with his fingers. “I’ve known Trent for as long as I can remember. When my parents were going through their divorce, he was the one who let me sleep over at his house so I didn’t have to hear all the fighting. And after Evie was born, he was the one who taught me how to take care of her. To change diapers and stuff. You should see him with her. He’s like a completely different guy.”
Chip thumped the ground with his fist. “He was the only guy who ever saw me cry. Who let me feel like it was okay to cry in front of someone. Until you.”
Trent was Chip’s Sohrab.
“So now what?”
“I don’t know. I don’t want to lose him. But you were right. He’s kind of an a-hole. And I want him to be better than that.” Chip blew out a breath. “I want me to be better than that.”
“I think maybe you already are.”
Chip turned to face me. His eyes were misty.
“I really am sorry. I messed everything up.”
“Not everything,” I said.
And then I said, “I really missed being your friend.”
“Me too.” Chip chewed on his lower lip.