Page 21 of Coached By the Grumpy Gargoyle

"Coach, it's my..."

"Eli." I crouch beside him. "Let me see you."

He looks up through the crooked taped glasses. His collar has stretched low on one side, and he tugs it back into place, pulling the fabric close to his throat.

"Where did he hurt you?"

"It's okay. I'm okay." He looks past me toward the door Cole went through. "Please don't make me stop coming to practice."

I stare at him. He's still holding the towels. I realize this kid is afraid I'll take away the one thing he cares about. All this happened right under my nose, and I didn’t see it. Maybe I was blinded by my pride in my star player. My heart breaks and I hate myself for not seeing the signs sooner.

"You're not in trouble." I wait until his eyes come back to mine. "I should have caught this sooner. I'm sorry, Eli."

His face crumples for a second. He ducks his head, and I give him a moment before taking the towels from his hands and putting them on the bench.

"Come with me. We'll find Ms. Hale."

He gets up slowly. I rise with him and walk him out, keeping my pace to his as we head toward the guidance suite. The warmth spreading along my wings tells me Rory is still here before we reach the junction. For once, I'm simply relieved to feel it.

Her door stands wide on its worn doorstop. She's at her desk, pen in hand, and she comes up out of the chair the second she sees us. She puts the pen down and comes around the desk, her gaze on Eli's face.

"Cole had him against the lockers in the back bay. I walked in on it." Her hand finds the desk edge. "Eli says he's okay, but I'd like you to have a look at him."

She draws the visitor chair out for him, close to the couch. He sits without being asked, his hands tucked between his knees. Only then does she look up at me.

"And Cole?"

"He's benched Friday, and I'm taking a written report to Patricia tonight. I'll speak to Gene in the morning about removing him from the roster."

Her eyes hold mine. I wish I'd been standing here with her two days ago, putting my name beside hers when she asked.

"I should have listened to you."

Her mouth tightens, and she nods. Then she's crouching in front of Eli, asking him quietly where it hurts. He starts to answer, and I step back into the corridor, leaving the door open behind me.

At my desk, I write down what I saw and what Cole said. I have to stop for a moment when I get to what he called Eli. Even now, putting it in writing, I can hardly believe I heard those words out of his mouth. I finish the report, sign it, and take it to the admin suite.

The counter is dark, but Patricia Oakes is still in her office. She reads the report standing beside her desk, over the top of her glasses. When she reaches the end, she looks up at me.

"Where's Eli now?"

"With Rory. I'm taking him home when she's finished with him."

Patricia looks down at the page again. "Thank you for bringing this straight to me."

I nod and leave her with it. Gene will hear it from me first thing in the morning, before the building fills. He'll back me, though he'll be sick about Friday, same as me. We've both worked our asses off for that playoff, and now we'll go into it without Cole. I don't like thinking about the game. I like thinking about Eli trying to get through another practice with him even less.

On the way back, I stop in the locker room. The towels are still where we left them. It takes me a minute to right the bin and gather them up, and I keep looking at the lockers at the end of the row. I've walked past them for years. I never thought of a kid being afraid to go back there.

By the time I get back to the guidance suite, Eli's on the little couch with the throw over his knees and a paper cup of water. Rory sits in the chair beside him, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. He has more color in his face, though he still won't quite meet my eyes.

"I'm fine, Ms. Hale." He pushes the taped glasses straight with one knuckle. "Really. I'm okay."

She reaches over and straightens the corner of the throw where it has slipped off his knee. "You don't have to convince us. Sit for a minute."

I stay by the door while he drinks his water. When he lowers the empty cup, Rory gets up to take it from him.

"Thank you," Rory says to me over his head, quiet. Her fingers touch my forearm as she passes. I look down at her hand, then at her face, and for a second I can't manage an answer.