Ella was in tears the next day when a bunch of us came over to her place to surprise her. “Wow, y’all did not have to come see about me!”
Everyone stood around her, but I found a place beside her on the couch. I put my arm around her. I had never been a romantic, but all I thought of was getting to her. Honestly, I wanted her to myself, but Charli, Randal, Hallie, Blake, Landon, Brenton, Amir, and her sister made it a party. My boys made me look bad, bringing Ella gifts. When I called them on it, Ella kissed my cheek to let me know that just my presence was a gift to her.
After Ms. Blount fed us all, Charli and Hallie rose to leave. Ella tried to get them to stay. I so wanted her to want to just hang with me. Everyone could have left us alone, and I would have been satisfied.
Charli whined, “I would stay, Ella, but I need to study for exams.”
“Got you,” Ella said, “I need to study as well.”
Ms. Blount came into the room and said, “I heard the right word, studying. Good. Everyone has As, right?”
I was the last person who wanted someone to check on my grades. I had not applied myself this semester and the results were showing. Unless I scored an eighty or above in US History and math, I would get an F in those classes. Thinking about my situation got me down.
Ella walked most everyone out, but Randal and I stayed with her sister. The way Ella was smiling, I knew she was thinking something. I was not tuned in to her yet, so I had no idea what she was up too.
“Listen, big tests are coming up. I want to help you guys. I need to get some rest now, but tomorrow after church, let’s study. All next week after we are done with our practices, we’ll study. If you all work with me, I promise you’ll ace the tests.”
I was not looking forward to cramming. However, I had no choice. I remembered Ella explaining math to me in the hotel. I could really follow her.
The week of Ella cracking the whip and making sure we studied hard was intense. She assessed each of us to see where we were weak. She then worked with us individually to connect the missing links. I was proud of myself for understanding it all. I was doubly proud of her for passing on her knowledge so effortlessly.
“You are an impressive teacher,” I said to Ella after practice on Thursday. “Bring on the tests tomorrow. Thank you, Ella.”
“No thanks needed. You buckled down and decided to do this. You want it, and you made yourself learn.”
I replied, “I’ve always wanted to learn; my teachers just haven’t been this caring.”
Ella touched her arm. She didn’t appear to be hurting. However, I had to make sure.
“How’s that arm?”
“I find out tomorrow when I go to the doctor. I feel good though. The stitches just itch sometimes,” Ella said. She scratched around the dressing. “What about Shameek? Do we need to worry about him?”
“No, baby, seven of the Axes were arrested. Two are in jail, and five are in juvenile detention.”
Friday was a big day for me all around. I aced both tests, and since I did so well, I had a chance to get Bs. My teachers were so impressed that they were going to let me redo a few assignments. To get zeros erased would easily raise my grades.
Under the big lights of the football field, I felt that my dad could see me and approved of my performance. I hated that my mom wasn’t there to see me do my thing. However, I kept my head in the game. I could not control her or be down because she made a decision to live in another state. No, I had to stay focused, stay in my lane, and worry about me. With Blake executing on offense, and the defense rock solid, we held the other team to three points. We scored twenty-five. Our pitiful kicker missed two of the four field goals. We all hoped the new white boy would get eligible and save us in that area. If we were playing talented teams, we would need him to make extra points and field goals.
In the locker room, Coach Strong announced that he was so proud of us. We were into the second half of the season, and we were on a roll. We were still undefeated and doing everything in our power to stay that way.
Coach said, “Listen, men, I am overjoyed by your play. We always have a few things we can improve on. Special teams especially needs work. Tomorrow morning, let’s watch film. Then for those who are free, plan to go to a cheer competition.”
“A what, Coach?” Waxton huffed.
Knowing I was a leader on the team, I used my influence and said, “Dang, Wax, you heard Coach. Let’s go support the cheerleaders. They cheer for us every week. Let’s support them. What’s up?”
Waxton said, “I heard you, doc. I’m in. It’ll be nice seeing all those girls. Know what I’m sayin’?”
Lots of the guys gave him dap. I really didn’t care why they decided to go. It would just be neat for the squad to have us there.
At the competition, Ella could not cheer because of her arm. However, I loved sitting in the stands with my girl. I had to keep her uplifted. I could tell she really wanted to be out there with everyone.
I was actually surprised that cheering was so intense. The teams were super good. When our girls stepped out and saw the support, they smiled. They also did their thing, flipping and stunting and jamming on the dance number.
The announcer called Ella to the center of the floor. She was so stunned. I helped her up to her feet.
“Ella Blount, on behalf of all the cheerleaders here today, we present you with a bouquet of roses. The violence you endured was gutwrenching. However, we are thankful you are all right.”
Many surrounded my girl. I was happy for her. I didn’t know much about the sport, but I knew everyone wanted to win. For the other teams to be so caring was cool.
Our girls came in second place. Lockwood Lions fans let out joyous screams. Ella looked over at me and I hit my chest. I had nothing but love for my girl.
“I’m telling you, Ella, your girls did great,” I said into my cell. Amir was just dropping me off at the Strong’s home. “Though they could’ve done better if you were out there with them.”
“You’re too good to me,” she said.
“I’m just glad things are working out,” I told her.
Her life was great at home. Since she moved back home with her mother and sister, and since the shooting, she had been feeling the love that she deserved to feel all along. She was such a sweet person, and I was happy that people were not playing with her heart.
As soon as I hung up the phone with Ella, my phone rang. It was Coach Strong. While Landon and Blake found it irritating to have someone checking on them, I was overjoyed.
“Hey, Coach,” I said into the receiver with excitement.
In a strong tone Coach said, “Steele, where are you? I need to talk to you about something real important. I don’t need you to dilly-dally around after the cheerleading competition.”
“I got you, sir. Amir is dropping me off right now. I’m in your driveway.”
“Oh, okay, great. Come on in.”
It was just a weird feeling I got that all was not right. Just when I thought everything was good, I had a sick feeling life was going to change. Things were too perfect. The Strongs were okay with me staying there. Blake and I were getting along like brothers. The Axes were dealing with the police. And my girl and I had each other. Now there seemed to be drama.
It could not have been my grades. We had just taken exams and I had done well on them. What was the problem now? Did Mrs. Strong change her mind? Did she want me to go? I hoped that was not the case because she had pleaded with me to stay.
Trying to stay cool, I took a deep breath. I did not want to second-guess the situation and stress myself out for nothing. I rang the bell and hoped I was wrong.
“Come on in,” I heard Coach calling out.
I opened the door. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine what he wanted. However, when I looked across the room and saw the face staring back at me, I was numb.
“Mom?” I called out.
She stood to her feet, rushed over to me, and threw her arms around m
e like I was the lost child she’d been looking for. I instinctively pulled away. I guess inwardly I was a little salty with the fact that I was here all the time, struggling for the last couple of weeks trying to figure out where to live and how to get food to eat, and she left me to do just that. Now she seemed sorry. Why?
“What’s going on? Why are you here?” I said with attitude.
“Son, be respectful of your mom,” Coach butted in and said.
I nodded. He was now like a dad to me. However, he could not make my distaste go away. I could not help that my heart was having trouble being warm to her.
“It was so nice talking to you,” Mrs. Strong said to my mom. “We’re going to let you two have some time. Bradley, come on.”
She pulled her husband out of the family room. Clearly, he wanted to stay. Coach was an all right dude.
My mom could tell Coach was having trouble leaving, so she said, “Thank you both for taking care of my boy.”
As soon as they were gone I looked at her and said, “Seriously, Mom, I don’t mean any disrespect, but things are okay for me. What’s going on? Why are you here?”
She rushed up to me and said, “I made a mistake. Leo, I shouldn’t have left you, baby.”
I turned away, but she grabbed both of my hands. “I’m your mom, but I’m also human. I know I’m supposed to make the wise, smart choices, but I didn’t make one this time. I let this guy say all the right things to get me away from the only thing in life I care about, and that is you.”
“What do you expect me to say, Mom? I’m stable right now.”
“I know, I know. Coach said you can stay with him until I get myself together.”
“And where you gonna go? It’s tough out there being on the streets. I know, Ma, I’ve been doing it.”
“There’s a homeless shelter downtown that I’m able to go to.”
“And we plan to help your mother get on her feet,” Coach Strong interrupted. He and his wife came back into the room.
“The cancer center needs some nurse’s assistants. I made a few calls, and your mom has an interview tomorrow,” Mrs. Strong said.
“And I’m going to take your mom to the shelter and get her settled,” Coach explained, sounding like I should be happy about all of this. “As soon as space opens up at this new apartment complex the government is funding, we’ll get her moved in.”
“You don’t seem happy, Leo. What’s wrong?” my mom asked, rightly sensing my distance.
“I just don’t know, Mom. This is a lot. How do I know you won’t take off again? Leave me? I know I’m supposed to be a man, but I’m still your son.”
So many of my teammates hated their parents having short leashes on them. If they walked a day in my shoes, having no one care where you were, they would learn to appreciate what they had. Life on your own was no picnic. I proved you could make it, so no one had excuses. However, having a silver spoon or parents there was a real boost to a great start in this hard life.
“And I care about you too, son. It was eating up at me. I know I don’t deserve to ask for your forgiveness, and it may even take you a while to trust me again, but that’s my mission. That’s my goal. That’s my aim.”
“Leo, why don’t you go and wash up for dinner,” Mrs. Strong said, seeing my mom and I were at an impasse. “Mrs. Steele, please join us. I have plenty and would love for you to stay.”
“No, thank you,” my mom said to Mrs. Strong. I could see I had hurt her feelings. “Coach, if you don’t mind getting me to that shelter, it looks like I’ve worn out my welcome here.”
Coach reluctantly nodded. My mom walked over to me. She tried to give me a kiss on the cheek, but I was not feeling it. Coach wanted to sock me, but I had to be true to me.
I went and washed up, even took a shower to relax and think. The guilt of being too hard on my mother just kept eating away at me. For so long, all I wanted was for a parent to care. She altered her whole life to come back and be with me. I was resisting.
My family was just the two of us. She was the last link to my dad. Right now I had the power to make us whole. I learned so much over the last couple of weeks. I knew education was the key to everything, and I was no longer going to be the class clown or the tough one and not get the knowledge that I needed to be successful. Just like I was working out my muscles, I also needed to work out my mind. It took Coach no time to come back. Over dinner I just played with my food. He kept watching me, and I hated that I was letting him down.
Finally, I said, “Coach, if you don’t mind, can you take me to the shelter?”
“No problem at all. Let’s go.”
“You guys better eat first,” Mrs. Strong suggested. I happily obliged because I was really hungry.
When I got to the shelter, my heart broke. Seeing people down on their luck was tough. Most, if you asked them, would probably admit they made bad choices; however, it was still not cool to see anyone struggle.
There were a bunch of cots. People looked like they had not bathed lately. However, they seemed to be good-hearted folks who just needed the shelter to help them turn things around in their lives.
The lady at the desk looked at me and said, “No visitors after eight o’clock.”
I took the knapsack off my back and said, “No, ma’am. I’m here to stay. Do you have one more bed?”
“Just one more. You’re lucky.”
After walking around searching for ten minutes, I saw my mother on her cot, reading. I touched her back. She looked up and smiled real pretty at me.
“Leo, what are you doing here, son?”
“I came to be with you.”
“No, you’re not. You’re staying with the Strongs. You don’t need to be in here.”
“Mom, I’m your son. Until I go off to college, wherever you go, I’m going. I love you, Mom,” I declared.
“But you’re gonna make me feel bad that I can’t provide for you the way I need to. Let me just get on my feet. That big beautiful house Coach has with his sweet wife is perfect. They want to take care of you. Look where I’ll be for the next few weeks,” she said, looking around at the humble place.
“Mom, having you back here wanting to take care of me is all I need.” I gave her a big hug.
She was broken in my arms. Repeatedly, she said she was sorry. I let the tears I had been fighting go. I told her I was thankful. I was thankful for so much. Thankful that it worked out just the way it was supposed to. I had grown up since she left. I was thankful that this whole ordeal made me appreciate this life. I had the chance to make something out of nothing. Now my family was together.
I believed my dad was looking down on us, smiling wide, and happy we were trying. The love I felt in my heart and the conviction I had to strive hard daily and be the best me I could be, made me feel at peace. Though our life was a tad unstable, we had a roof over our heads, and we had each other. For those blessings, I was completely satisfied.
STEPHANIE PERRY MOORE is the author of many YA inspirational fiction titles, including the Payton Skky series, the Laurel Shadrach series, the Perry Skky Jr. series, the Yasmin Peace series, the Faith Thomas Novelzine series, the Carmen Browne series, the Morgan Love series, and the Beta Gamma Pi series. Mrs. Moore speaks with young people across the country, encouraging them to achieve every attainable dream. She currently lives in the greater Atlanta area with her husband, Derrick, and their three children. Visit her website at www.stephanieperrymoore.com.
DERRICK MOORE is a former NFL running back and currently the developmental coach for the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is also the author of The Great Adventure and It’s Possible: Turning Your Dreams into Reality. Mr. Moore is a motivational speaker and shares with audiences everywhere how to climb the mountain in their lives and not stop until they have reached the top. He and his wife, Stephanie, have co-authored the Alec London series. Visit his website at www.derrickmoorespeaking.com.
ore, Yell Out / Do You
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