The Fight

Chapter 5: Damon

School ended and a group of students walked together to an old soccer field that was no longer part of school grounds. Damon and his gang stand towards the back of the property against a stone wall that blocked off an apartment complex. Damon is staring at the ground, he looks conflicted. He starts biting his nails, he feels a hand on his shoulder, it’s James.

“What’s wrong?” James asks quietly. Damon shakes his head in response and shoos James away. Damon reflects on his interaction with Austen in Stats class… The sad look on Austen’s face after Damon mentioned his friends… god, why do I feel guilty? Damon looks up to see CJ and Austen talking across the field. Austen nods to CJ and CJ makes his way towards the group. 

“What was that?” asks Corey. 

“I was giving him a heads up that I will stop the fight if it begins to get out of hand.” CJ responds. 

“Good thinking…” Damon says lowly. Everyone looks back at him with worried looks. 

“What’s going on with you?” Asks Torey, “You’ve been so adamant on this fight. Why do you look sick?” Everyone stares at Damon waiting for his response. 

“I… I just had a weird interaction with him today…” Damon pauses looking at everyone who didn’t seem convinced. “Just left me with a weird feeling. Just ignore it. I want to keep with this plan.” They all nod half-heartedly. CJ walks over to Damon, pulling him away from the group. 

“I don’t think James should fight him.” CJ almost whispers, Damon looks at him suspiciously, what the…? 

“Do you think I should fight him?” Damon asks CJ. 

“I don’t think fighting is necessary.” CJ responds.

“This is how is usually handle the wild cards… Why the sudden change of heart?” Damon asks looking at CJ’s mannerisms. CJ seemed worried and uncomfortable. 

“I don’t know. Just don’t feel like this is a good idea.” He says flatly. Damon stares at him, he’s keeping something from me… this isn’t like CJ… 

“We’ve got the whole school watching now, so I don’t think it matters anymore.” Damon says back carefully. CJ nods in agreement looking around the groups of students waiting for the fight to start. Damon looks over at James and Corey who are watching James, probably discussing what type of fighting Austen will lean towards. Damon looks over to Austen who is looking into the sky absentmindedly… this kid is seriously daydreaming before a fight? Austen suddenly looks at Damon, they stare at each other for what felt like a lifetime. Damon sighs breaking eye contact and looking back to James. 

“Jamesy!” Damon yells. Everyone in the field goes quiet and looks at Damon. He stands tall feeling powerful. “Let’s get this over with.” James smiles and nods. 

Everyone makes a circle around James and Austen. Austen keeps his hoodie and beanie on while James strips to just his school pants and shoes. Austen looks annoyed when James does this. James and Austen nod at each other. 

James puts his fists up, he lunges forward to punch Austen. Austen moves to the left quickly leaving his foot out. James trips and falls to the ground. Austen suddenly pounces on top of him holding him down. Austen pulls James’s arms behind his back holding his wrists in one hand and pushing his face into the dirt with the other. James kicks and squirms almost getting free. Austen lets go of one wrist quickly but pulls the other arm up and out; James lets out a scream and everyone goes quiet. 

“Stop please! You’re gonna dislocated my shoulder!” James pleads. Austen lets go instantly and stands up. James rolls over groaning. Austen puts his hand out towards James. Damon’s heart stops for a moment, this is new. James grabs Austen’s hand and stands up. Damon and the rest of the gang runs up to them. Austen and James shake hands. 

“I was expecting something a little more bloody to be honest.” James laughs wiping mud off his face. 

“Well we’ve got such pretty faces. I wouldn’t want to ruin that would I?” Austen smirks. James turns red and grabs his shirt quickly. Austen looks over to Damon. Damon doesn’t say anything but people were waiting to hear what he had to say.

“Looks like we will leave you alone.” he says flatly, feeling so… s****y. 

“I have your word?” Asks Austen, his voice pitches up slightly. 

“Yeah… you do.” Damon turns away quickly and begins walking away. He could feel eyes watching him walk away and heard the commotion of his friends trying to figure out why Damon shrugged it off so quickly. Corey catches up to Damon. 

“That’s it? No laying down the ground rules?” Corey asks trying to stop Damon from walking. 

“That’s right.” Damon replies trying to walk away still. Corey pulls Damon close to him. 

“What’s going on? You’ve been acting weird since lunch.” Corey asks, his eyes filled with concern and worry. 

Damon sighs pulling his arm away from Corey. “He’s in my stats class.”

“So he’s a super nerd like you?” Corey asks looking at Damon unsatisfied with that answer.

“No.” Damon says annoyed. “I don’t know. We got on the subject of our group and… well…he just looked so sad about not having friends. It hasn’t been sitting with me right.” Corey pauses for a moment and busts up laughing.

“Aww, dude… you’re such a softy.” Corey shakes his head, they start walking again. 

“Well now I am goddamn disappointed he isn’t indebted to me.” Damon huffs. Corey keeps shaking his head and rubs his forehead.

“You’re a freaking mess Damon.” Corey laughs.

“That must be new for you.” James says loudly hanging his arms around Corey and Damon. Damon rolls his eyes. “What? You’re like the master of planning out everything. I didn’t have to pick my classes for the last five years. You do it for me.”

“That’s because you are always trying to take unnecessary classes.” Damon says flatly. 

“Damon’s upset cause there’s finally someone he can’t control.” Corey says to James.

“I can’t control anyone.” Damon spits back annoyed.

“Dude you literally have everyone in this school under your thumb. Including the teachers.” Corey says flatly. “But hey look at the positive of it.” 

“What positive?” Damon asks sourly.

“He won’t have biased towards you because I doubt he knows that you’re the son of the Black Dragon Gang leader.” Corey replies back. Damon and Corey look at each other. Damon feels some relief, I didn’t even think about that. Damon looks away feeling somewhat lighter. “Told ya to look at the positive.”

“So why are you concerned about what Austen thinks about you?” James asks.

“Damon is gonna play hero and befriend him.” Corey smirks.

“No I am not and no I won’t” Damon says back quickly pushing the other two away from him. Damon walks ahead, I never said that. I just feel bad. 

“Then why did you look so relieved?” Corey yells back at Damon. Corey and James laugh loudly.