Hissy Fit (The Southern Gentleman #1)(16)

“Yeah, Coach. I’ll be fine,” he said, then started off.

“Thanks,” Raleigh said. “I just didn’t have the power in my thighs to get him going, and his wheelchair battery is low. Something about the charge not holding? I’m not sure. But you saved the day.”

I winked at her, then turned to the other two individuals still standing there.

The superintendent was a big guy, almost as big as me. He could’ve just as easily helped, but then he might’ve gotten his shiny loafers dirty or something.

“Mrs. Sherpa. Mr. Powers.” I nodded my head at them.

Raleigh hissed in a breath, and I looked at her.

Her eyes were directed at something across the field, and then she was running.

I turned to see what was going on and cursed before starting off after her.

I did have to say, though. Raleigh was quick.

She only tripped over thin air twice before making it to Morgan’s side, who was down on his belly in the dirt.

I heard the tail end of the laughter and the not-so-sweet-natured ribbing that a few of the seniors were giving Morgan. More than a few of them were laughing and pointing, not to mention being so loud that even the other team was paying attention.

“Stop it now!” Raleigh growled at my team. “You should be ashamed of yourselves. Instead of laughing that he fell out of his chair, you should be helping him up!”

“Not my fault the dumbass didn’t pay attention to what was in front of him,” one of the boys muttered.

I arrived at Morgan’s other side, and together, Raleigh and I both maneuvered Morgan back into his seat.

“You okay, bud?” I asked him while Raleigh wiped his shirt off.

Morgan wasn’t looking at me. He was looking down at his hands.

I could feel him trembling.

He was angry and embarrassed, and it didn’t help that the boys continued to tease him as the rest of the high schoolers in the stands behind him laughed at their antics.

“Stop,” Raleigh ordered harshly. “All of you stop.”

Morgan turned so sharply that he was only on two of the four wheels and started motoring back to the entrance of the field—song forgotten.

“That’s why we’re losing!” I heard a player say from the back. “Ms. Crusie is here. Her and her bad juju, along with Morgan’s bad luck are not doing us any favors.”

It sounded like Camden, but I wasn’t sure without actually turning around and confirming.

Unfortunately, I was too focused on Raleigh’s devastated face to take my eyes away from hers. “Wait for me at the dugout, darlin’?”

Raleigh didn’t hesitate, looking away quickly. I had a feeling she wouldn’t be waiting for me.

The moment she was gone, I caught my sister’s eye in the bleachers and gave her a chin lift and nudged my head in Raleigh’s direction.

She didn’t miss a beat.

That’s what I loved about my baby sister. She was always quick to catch on, even though some of those times I didn’t want her inside my brain knowing my every thought.

The moment she was gone, I gave a quick look at all the parents.

None of them had said a word, and they were all waiting for me to give a pep talk that I’d been intending to give to their sons.

Well, I wouldn’t be doing that. Not after all the bullshit I’d just heard.

I turned to the team.

“I’ve never been more disappointed in a team of young men than right now.”

A few of the parents, as well as the players, inhaled deeply, surprised that I’d say that. I was a very positive person…normally.

Right then, though? I was fucking pissed.

“Coach…” Coach Casper from somewhere behind me said, sounding worried.

I turned my gaze on her and let her know with only a single look to shut it.

She closed her mouth and looked to the principal who was readying herself to interrupt. So I forged forward and let the boys know exactly what I felt about their actions.

“Johnson, do you know the definition of bully?” I asked.

Johnson, my smart nephew, blinked in confusion.

“Uh, a person that picks on someone?” he asked.

I turned to Banks. “What about you? What do you think bully means?”

“When you intimidate a person?” he offered.

I gritted my teeth, then pointed at Johnson. “You are a bully.” I turned to Banks. “You are a bully.”

I repeated that, over and over again, until I had pointed at every single person that I saw engaging in the torture of the kid.

And it was torture. Their pointing and laughing, although harmless in theory, was devastating to that poor kid. A kid that’d gone through quite enough and shouldn’t have to deal with the shit my team had just laid at his feet.

“A bully is not tolerated on my team. Now, every one of you will sit there and watch the junior varsity team play for you. Then, you will go take that uniform off and get out of my stadium. Think about what you did and meet me at the track on Tuesday. I don’t want to see or hear from you until then.”

“But Coach, there are still three innings…” Rhodes started.

I held my hand up, disgusted. “The junior varsity will play for you.”

With that, I walked to the younger boys—who’d won their game played before this one—and gestured the other coach over.