The Space Between

by Jacobs Evan

  Eric lunged forward. He wrapped his arms around Dan. He went down to the mat.

  The crowd gasped, then cheered.

  Eric applied side control. But he was tired and slow. Dan quickly rolled away. He quickly stood.

  Eric got to his feet too. He knew Dan didn’t want to be on the ground. His best chance to win was on his feet.

  Dan jabbed. Eric returned the jabs. The crowd cheered for both of them.

  Eric’s punches weren’t landing. But he was closer to Dan. Then Dan stepped straight back again.

  Eric grabbed him. It was another takedown.

  The crowd was ecstatic.

  Eric was focused. He pressed himself against Dan. Keep him on the ground. Keep him down, he thought. There were zero thoughts about Danielle.

  Eric anticipated Dan’s moves. He could feel where Dan wanted to go.

  Just keep him there. Don’t let him move, he thought.

  Eric was going to win this round. Then he would win the fight. He would be the champion. Confidence built inside him.

  He went in for a chokehold. Could he submit Dan? His energy was drained. But he had to do something. Maybe he could keep him neutralized until the final bell.

  He brought his arm under Dan’s chin. Dan quickly rolled out of the hold. It had been a trap! Excellent move, he thought. Eric had left himself vulnerable.

  Suddenly Dan brought his arm around. At the same time he pulled Eric backward. Dan had Eric in a rear naked choke.

  Using all of his strength, Eric tried to sit up.

  Dan had too much energy. He pulled Eric backward again. His grip tightened around Eric’s neck.

  Eric stared up at the lights. Everything went blurry. He felt Dan’s cheek against his. Dan was breathing hard.

  Eric pressed himself into his opponent. He brought his hands up. Was there any way to get Dan’s arm off his throat? No. The grip tightened.

  The sounds of the gym faded.

  The lights faded.

  Eric had never been submitted before. Never tapped out. He’d only lost decisions. But it was happening now. He knew he should tap. Consciousness was fading.

  He couldn’t. No way would he tap out. Not because Dan would win.

  Eric was a fighter. Darkness was coming.

  CHAPTER 44

  Floating

  Everything went black. For a moment there was silence. He knew he’d lost the bout. Dan Bonum was choking him out. Everybody was a witness. Eric would lose for the first time.

  He didn’t care. Because at that moment he felt at peace. The outside world was gone. Prejudice didn’t exist. Hatred didn’t exist. Eric felt like he was floating. He was in a place where he could be himself.

  Dan was there too. He had beaten him. So what? It felt good to be with him—this special person. He was the bravest person he had ever known.

  “Match!” The ref’s voice cut through the darkness.

  Eric’s eyes popped open.

  The crowd. The ref. The lights of the gym. It was all in focus.

  Dan’s loosened his arm. He put his hand on Eric’s shoulder.

  “I love you, Eric,” Dan said through the cheers. “Great match.”

  Eric nodded.

  A doctor walked over. “Do you think you can stand?” he asked.

  Eric nodded again.

  Sensei Chen was by his side. He helped Eric onto the stool.

  The doctor examined him. He took out a penlight. The doctor had Eric follow his finger with his eyes. Everything checked out. “Drink a lot of water,” he said. “That was a great fight.”

  “Thank you,” Eric said. He stood up.

  Sensei Chen hugged him. “The ref thought you were losing consciousness,” he said. “So he stopped the match.”

  “Okay,” Eric said.

  “That was an incredible fight, Eric. I’m proud of you.” “Thank you, Sensei.”

  Eric was called to the center of the ring. He stood across from Dan. Dan smiled at him. He smiled back.

  The referee raised Dan’s hand. He had won the county tournament.

  Everyone cheered for both fighters.

  Eric started clapping. He hugged Dan.

  “Man,” Dan whispered. “You’re tough.”

  “You are too,” Eric said.

  They stared at each other. Eric shook his head. Six months ago he would never have predicted this future. But here he was. And it was okay.

  Dan turned and walked over to his team.

  Eric made his way to his teammates. Maddie and his mom stood with them. His dad was there too, smiling. He held out his arms. Eric went in for a bear hug.

  People smiled. It had been an unbelievable match.

  CHAPTER 45

  New World Order

  It was a few days later. Eric was at school. First period would begin soon. Lance and Liam were standing with him.

  “Melissa was at the tournament,” Lance said.

  “So was Michelle,” Liam said.

  “Really? I am so over Michelle. She’s not worth it.”

  They guys had talked about Melissa before. She was really pretty.

  “Good decision, bro,” Liam said. “Michelle is shallow.”

  “But Melissa? She’s nice,” Lance said. “And she thinks you’re hot. The girl could watch you wrestle all day. Those were her exact words, dude.”

  “Uh-huh,” Eric said. “I’ll have to talk to her about it.”

  “Sounds like she wants to wrestle with you,” Liam joked. “If you know what I mean.”

  Still the same old Liam. Just then, some cheerleaders walked by.

  “Looking smart, ladies,” Lance called.

  The girls looked at him and laughed. One of them told Lance to get a grip.

  “I would get with all of them,” Liam said. “Let’s hook it up,” Lance said. They high-fived.

  Eric rolled his eyes. These guys were crude. But they were his friends. Most of the time he didn’t agree with them. Unexpectedly, they were cool about Dan.

  People knew about Eric’s past relationship with Danielle. Nobody had asked him about it. Eric didn’t care if they did. He wasn’t embarrassed anymore. Fear didn’t control him.

  Learning this lesson was more important than losing the match. He’d earned Dan’s trust and friendship. His relationship with his father had improved. Fear did not stop important conversations about family, love, and identity.

  To be open and accepting was a better choice. Eric was someone who was not afraid.

  CHAPTER 46

  Roll Call

  Eric and Dan were rolling in the garage. They weren’t going all out. This was just practice. They were grappling on the mat. Like so many times before, they ended up face to face. Eric was on top. It was a stare-down.

  Dan applied a leg lock. Eric was trying to block Dan’s arms. He broke the stare. When he looked back, Dan was still staring. He smiled at Eric.

  “What are you doing?” Eric asked.

  “It seemed like you were trying to kiss me,” Dan said. He stopped applying so much leg pressure. Eric eased up on Dan’s arms.

  “Do you want me to?” Eric teased. He couldn’t help smiling.

  Danielle was gone. Dan was Dan. But there still seemed to be something between them. Maybe that was why it was so hard to let go.

  “Well, Eric,” Dan said. “You’ll never know unless you try.”

  Eric moved in like he was going to do it. Then he rolled over. He trapped Dan beneath him. Dan tried to apply a guillotine.

  They talked and rolled. It was a good practice.

  Being macho never felt right to Eric. He was happy to have Dan in his life. Someday he’d meet a girl. Maybe Melissa was the one. Maybe she wasn’t.

  Dan would meet someone he could love too. It would be awesome.

  Nothing was better than being comfortable in your own skin. It was the first time in his life he’d felt like that. His friend had taught him this. Dan was living his truth. And now Eric was living his.

  CHAPTER 1<
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  Reality

  What a week. I caught my mom using heroin. My boyfriend dumped me for some slut. Burning with desperation, I agreed to Genie’s plan to steal a car.

  If I made enough money from the deal, I could support my little brother on my own. I was terrified Jesse would be taken away from us.

  Genie was a friend from high school. She didn’t look down on me because of my mom.

  “Get. In. Now. Darlene,” Genie said.

  I froze, staring at her through the open car window. “Maybe we shouldn’t do this.” I had second thoughts. Maybe I shouldn’t jump into the Rolls.

  “What’s your problem, girlfriend? It’s too late now. Do you have any idea what will happen if we skip out?” She aimed a finger at her temple. “These guys play for keeps.”

  I forced myself into the car, stuffing my valet vest under the seat.

  Genie drove out the back parking lot exit.

  I twisted around to see if anyone was watching. I thought someone was staring at us. No one followed. We drove down the street. Genie was careful to obey the speed limit.

  “Were you trying to get us caught?” she said, keeping her eyes on the road.

  “No,” I whispered. “But what if we are?”

  She turned on the jammer. It would block any tracking device that might’ve been installed. That’s what her cousin Whitey told her when he dropped it off. I prayed it worked.

  “Darlene, Whitey wouldn’t let us get busted.” Genie snapped her gum.

  I ground my teeth—a stress habit. Reality hit. I had just committed a felony.

  Once on the highway, Genie seemed to relax. That helped. I stretched out my legs and took in a breath.

  Whitey was waiting for us to deliver the Rolls up in Ashland. Music blared on the radio. Genie tapped her fingers on the steering wheel.

  I gazed at a cross hanging from the mirror. What would happen when they couldn’t find the owner’s car?

  I thought about the valet boss who hired us. Guilt crushed me.

  Genie’s words startled me. “I think we’re in the clear,” she said. “Can’t wait to see the look on Whitey’s face when he sees this beauty.”

  Excitement kicked in.

  I smiled at the thought of moving out of our apartment and having a safe place to live.

  “How much will we get for it?” I asked.

  “Bet we score at least fifteen each.” She moved to the music. “Whitey told me if I brought him a Rolls or a Bentley, he’d get a hundred grand for it.”

  “Wait. What? Whitey keeps seventy thousand, and we have to split what’s left?”

  “You don’t get it, do you?” She seemed bothered. “He has to pay the guy who’s gonna send the car out of the country. There’s also the middleman who’ll find a buyer.”

  “Oh.” I tuned to another station.

  “There’s more to this operation than you know. Fifteen grand isn’t enough for you?”

  “Of course it is,” I said.

  It was drizzling. Headlights from oncoming cars reminded me of flashlights. Jesse and I would flip them on under our covers whenever the electricity was cut off. That would never happen again.

  “I’m gonna throw a helluva party. Then I’ll hide the rest of the money till I start my own tattoo shop,” Genie said.

  I was surprised. She didn’t have one tattoo on her body.

  “Cool.”

  “What are you gonna do with your take?” Genie asked.

  I didn’t want to admit I was panicked my mom might get busted again. What if Jesse was taken away and sent to a foster home? I didn’t want Genie to know I couldn’t live with myself if that happened.

  “You won’t think I’m crazy?”

  Genie laughed. “I already think you are. But the good kind of crazy.”

  “I’m gonna put my take in the bank.”

  “You can’t deposit that much cash and not be reported,” Genie shouted. “Girlfriend, you’re not crazy. You’re out of your mind!”

  “Okay. Okay. No bank.” I bit the inside of my lip. Genie shook her head.

  She looked in the car’s mirrors—like fifty times. This went on for an hour. Then she said, “I’m getting tired. How ’bout you take a turn driving?”

  “Wait. You sure that’s a good idea? You know I didn’t pass my driving test.” My stomach felt tight.

  “What are you worried about?” Genie said. “You’re a good driver. You would’ve passed your test if that truck didn’t cut you off.” She shrugged. “It wasn’t your fault.” Genie pulled over at the next rest stop. “Quick. Get out and switch with me.”

  I got behind the awesome steering wheel. No car I ever rode in smelled or shined like this one. I felt like royalty.

  I shifted into drive and got back on the highway. The long hood and Rolls emblem led the way.

  Out of nowhere, flashing red lights surrounded the car. Screaming sirens sent me into a panic. It was the end of my world.

  Oh my God.

  I held on tight with wet palms. “Genie. Help. What should I do?”

  That’s when the cop following us ordered me to pull over. “You better pull over and stop the car.”

  “But, Genie …”

  “Do it, Darlene. Just say you want a lawyer.”

  Not one cop—more like five—shouted, “Get out of the car. Put your hands on your head.” Guns were drawn. “Get down on the ground. Spread your arms away from your body.”

  I heard Genie ordered to do the same on the other side of the car.

  The cop cuffed my hands behind my back. “You have the right to remain silent,” he began. He pressed my chest and face into the wet pavement. Little stones stuck to my cheek.

  “Officers, please,” Genie blurted. “I didn’t know I was riding in a stolen Rolls Royce.” She almost cried. “Darlene told me it belonged to her uncle. We were just taking it out for a ride.”

  I about puked up the last thing I ate.

  Here, Evan is recording a voice for his animated horror film, Insect.

  About the Author

  Evan Jacobs was born in Long Island, New York. His family moved to California when he was four years old. They settled in Fountain Valley, where he still lives today.

  As a filmmaker, Evan has directed twenty-six lowbudget films. He also has had various screenplays produced and realized by other directors. Evan co-wrote the film Knockout, starring “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Another film he co-wrote, A Father’s Secret, plays on the Lifetime Movie Network. He is currently juggling several movie and book projects. Evan recently started Anhedenia Films On Demand, which showcases his work in independent film.

  His third young adult novel, Screaming Quietly, won a Moonbeam Children’s Book Award bronze medal. This title is also on CNN’s “Autistic Characters in Fiction” list.

  Evan is also a behavior interventionist for people who have special needs. He works with a variety of students to make their days as successful as possible.