Enemy Match Chapter 3

Enemy Match 

Chapter 3

A gasp went up from the assembled students. Jake Prestwick was at me in a minute—in my face.

What did you do to Daryl? He yelled, eyes blazing.

Courtney Clubine and Mr. Detmar bent over Daryl trying to revive him. I heard someone say call 911. Was it really that bad?

Jake pushed my shoulder. What did you do? He screeched again.

Hold off, Prestwick, Van said coming up to us.

It’s OK, Van, I said. I turned to Prestwick. A few more of Daryl’s teammates were with him. They all glared at me. I didn’t do anything. I don’t know what’s happened.

What’s happened is you beat Daryl Peters at a game of basketball, Reed exclaimed, running a hand through his blond hair.

Yeah, do you know what this means? Van said under his breath.

I just shook my head. No, Van, what does it mean? I said a little more belligerently than I meant to. Van just looked at me.

Detmar stood up and came over to me. What happened? He asked gravely.

He just collapsed, I said. He was gasping for air and just looked up at me like he was going to say something then he just collapsed.

Well he’s unconscious now. We’ve called an ambulance and they should be here shortly. Now, Justin, you and Peters don’t get along very well, you didn’t do anything to him—hit him or anything, did you son?

I just stared at Detmar, incredulous. What are you asking? Did I hit him? Why would I do that? No, I didn’t hit him. But something is up with him. He’s not well.

We can see that, Justin, Van muttered. Come on let’s get you out of here, these guys don’t look happy about their star player losing to a—well.

Say it, Van, I muttered. Loser. You were going to say loser, weren’t you?

Well, no, Van said. I mean—I don’t know what I mean. But you’re not a loser, Justin.

Listen up, everyone, I called out, moving back so everyone could hear. I’m leaving now. You can come after me and pound the snot out of me if you want, I’ll be out in the corridor, I continued as I pointed towards the gym door. I glanced at Jake Prestwick and his gang.

But I beat your invincible friend—at basketball. Me—Justin Macdonald—pathetic wimp, I shouted. I know you’re all thinking it. Even my friends are thinking it. But yeah, it was me, I went on, continuing to back up towards the gym doors. Your hero isn’t so great now is he, if I could beat him at basketball. Just like I said I would do, on Facebook.

I reached the doors and went out into the corridor, seething with anger. Hit him? Why would I hit that jerk, I thought to myself as I headed to my locker. Why would Detmar even ask me a stupid question like that?

I reached my locker and heard footsteps coming along the corridor. I expected it to be Van but it wasn’t. It was Jake Prestwick.

Macdonald! He called out.

What do you want? Come to congratulate me?

I opened the door to my locker to look for a towel but Prestwick slammed it shut. He pushed me with both hands so hard that I went sprawling onto the floor.

What did you do to Peters?

Nothing, I said, getting to my feet and standing to face Prestwick. Van and Reed came along at that moment. Stand back, I blurted glancing at them. This is between Jake and me.

I turned back to see a fist coming at my face. Normally I would have ducked or turned but I let him hit me—full force on the nose.

Ahh! I screeched, blood spurting out of my nose onto my t-shirt. Another hit, this time on my chin. I went sprawling again, clenching my nose with my hand.

That’s enough! A voice roared.

Coach Detmar came along and stood between Jake and me. I slowly got to my feet.

You two, to principal Anderson’s office—now!

I glared at Van and Reed, then followed Jake and Mr. Detmar down the now empty corridor to the Principals’ office.

Mr. Anderson was still in his office when we followed Detmar inside the office. He was tall and dark skinned with a shaved head that glinted in the overhead lighting. He took one look at my face and handed me a tissue.

Are you OK, Justin, he asked, glaring at Detmar. Do you need to see the nurse? Ms. Sharpton is still here I think.

No I’m good, I  mumbled putting the tissue to my nose.

What happened? He asked Detmar.

These two were fighting in the corridor, he explained. Mr. Prestwick allegedly punched Mr. Macdonald.

Allegedly, I snorted. How else could it have gone down—oh yeah I did this to myself. Mr. Peterson, I said, still holding the tissue to my nose. These bozos think that Daryl Peters is invincible and now I come along and beat him at a game of basketball and now I’m Public Enemy #1. Prestwick’s just annoyed I won. That’s all.

Anderson looked between Prestwick and Detmar. Is this true, he said with a smile. Besides me and my friends, Anderson was the only one who knew what kind of a person Daryl Peters really was.

This—jerk did something to Peters, Jake said hooking his thumb in my direction. He’s on his way to the hospital now. He collapsed in the gym after the match was over—

Match? Anderson asked.

Justin challenged Peters to a match of one on one basketball and, well—Justin won.

Anderson turned to me and grinned. You beat Peters? At basketball?

Yeah, I said with a smirk. Unbelievable isn’t it?

Not really, Anderson said.

Jake and Coach Detmar jerked to look at Anderson. You’re not surprised Justin won? Detmar said.

I won’t lie, I am a little surprised but Justin’s right. Daryl Peters is not as invincible as some people around here like to think.

But—but, Jake spluttered. He must have cheated.

I didn’t cheat, I said then turned to Anderson. But I do think I won unfairly. Something’s happened to Peters. He may have been poisoned or something similar—I swear it wasn’t me.

He was fine when we started playing. But I think this was all a set up—I don’t know why yet.

What makes you say that, Anderson asked.

Because someone hacked into my Facebook account and issued the challenge to Peters. I wouldn’t be that dumb to think I could win against him. I never issued the challenge. But the fact that I did win makes me even more suspicious that something else is going on around here. And I’m going to find out just what that is.

An half hour later after Jake Prestwick (sort of) apologized for punching me—he got off with a two day suspension from school—I headed back to the gym. Van was there waiting with Reed and Melissa. They didn’t look happy. After my performance earlier—I acted like a real jerk—I wasn’t surprised they were annoyed at me.

Are you OK, Melissa said coming up to me. Van and Reed hung back.

I am now, I said, wiping my nose again and finding that the blood had crusted on now. I had a red streak down the front of my t-shirt that wouldn’t come out now.

I turned to Van and Reed. I’m sorry, guys, I said. I was a royal pain in the you-know-what earlier and was kind of rude to you guys. I apologize.

Kind of? Van said with a grim look on his face. Then he broke out into a smile. Yeah you were, but you’re forgiven. You beat Daryl Peters at a basketball challenge.  This will go down in the annals of PSC history.

Don’t celebrate too much yet—it was all a set up.

What do you mean?, Reed asked.

Come on, I’ll explain everything at Billy Burger. I’m buying.

Billy Burger was a burger joint in the downtown core of Port Salser. The owner, a former NHL hockey player Billy Braverman was in his 30’s and had come to Port Salser to open up a restaurant where all the teens could hang out and feel welcome.

Dotted around the restaurant were memorabilia from Billy’s days in the NHL, his jerseys from the two teams he played for, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the L.A. Kings. Pictures with famous hockey players and other celebrities were on the walls as well.

I ordered for everyone and then we all took our culinary masterpieces to the table in the back of the restaurant that was our unofficial table. A few minutes later two more of my friends, Raj Mistry and Jenn Vincent came in and joined us.

Raj was a newcomer to Port Salser having moved from Mumbai, India a short time ago. He was medium height with thick dark brown hair and he also sported a real cool looking moustache. He was dressed in his usual attire, board shorts, tank top with a famous rock band logo—and flip flops.

Jenn was the resident brain of our group of friends. She was tall—almost as tall as me and had long dark blond hair cascading down her back and had blue eyes. We had been friends since Kindergarten when I stood up to a kid who was bullying her. I pushed him into a mud puddle and got a two day suspension from school for the mishap. Jenn and me had been friends ever since.

Heard the news, Jenn said as she sat down across from me at the table and took one of my fries and popped it in her mouth. Oh, that looks nasty, she added noticing my swollen nose.

Yeah, compliments of Jake Prestwick. His way of congratulating me on winning.

Reed snorted while taking a sip of his pop and spilled some on his t-shirt.

I also heard Daryl is in the hospital, she added.

Boy news travels fast, I muttered. How did you find out?

I bumped into Courtney Clubine and Jori Prestwick—Jake’s sister—at the mall just a while ago. Courtney really laid into me—being as I’m your friend—and let me know what a dirty cheater you were.  And that Daryl is really sick.

I suddenly sat up in my seat. Courtney Clubine. You just saw her?

Well yeah, about 10 minutes ago. I just drove from there when Melissa texted me you guys were meeting here. Why?

Did she have a pink water bottle with her?

I—don’t remember exactly, Jenn remarked. Why, are you thirsty?

No, but the water bottle. I need to call the police. I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the local police station (I had them on speed dial—don’t ask).

I asked to speak to Officer Canning. Paul Canning was a family friend and was a respected member of the Port Salser Police Force. He had helped me on a bunch of cases over the last while.

Yes, Justin, he said. what’s up?

I related what had happened at the gym at school and how I had beaten Daryl Peters at basketball.

You—beat Daryl Peters? Really? Paul said.

Don’t sound so surprised, I muttered.

I’m only joking with you, Justin, he remarked. I know you and Peters don’t get along. So what’s going on?

Courtney Clubine had a bright pink water bottle she kept giving Peters water at the gym. I think it might be contaminated with something. Can you find her and check out the bottle. I think she’s at the mall. Or she was a few minutes ago.

OK, Justin. I know where the Clubine’s live. I’ll see if I can get someone to retrieve the bottle, but she may have washed it already.

I know, I said dejectedly.

But we’ll see, he replied. I’ll let you know. So you beat Daryl Peters at a sport. Wow! Never thought I’d live to see the day.

Shut up! I muttered.

Is that any way to talk to an officer of the law?

I hung up on him.

So what’s so important about Courtney Clubine’s water bottle, Melissa asked as she finished her last fry.

I think this was all a set up and somebody wanted Peters to lose that match. They hacked into my Facebook account and issued the challenge then made sure I would win. The only way Peters would win is if he was not on his game. I think someone poisoned him!