Ghosts that Watch Us

5

Between the end of afternoon class and the beginning of the art department meeting seemed the best chance, so Ellory left Delia in his office with a pile of exams to grade  and slipped out into the brisk autumn day. The weather was turning cooler, brisk winds and cloudy skies the markers for the beginning of hot chocolate season. He knew he would find Sean out on the fields, calling orders to the solidly built boys that sported rough-looking muscles and bruised skin of great patches of mottled purple and green. Uniforms perpetually stained with grass smears, they tussled and laughed with each other in loose groups, clacking their wooden sticks together and butting helmets. The noise of it all made Ellory scowl uncertainly as he grew closer, hands shoved snugly into his coat pockets.

As sure as the sun, Sean was standing on the sidelines, a clipboard tucked under his folded arms. He was smiling and talking amicably with another of the coaches, a whistle hanging from a long thread around his neck. Ellory trudged across the sodden earth, his loafers flaked with mud and blades of grass. The other coach whistled and shouted for the team to start a scrimmage. Sean turned at that moment and caught sight of Ellory, surprise lifting his brows over the reflective surface of his sunglasses. Ellory tried to suppress the skip his heart gave as Sean walked over to meet him halfway, but he couldn’t and he swallowed a bit nervously as the shouts and calls of the team sounded behind them. 

"Well, Professor," Sean said around a wad of gum, and Ellory was once again taken aback by how deep the man’s voice was. "Are you lost? Took a break from your books and your papers to watch us troglodytes scramble around after a tiny ball?” His amused grin was wide, the top row of his teeth nearly blinding in the harsh light.

Ellory set his jaw and stopped just short of him. "Very funny. You and I need to talk."

Sean shrugged, that irritating smile never leaving his face. "What about?"

Ellory lifted his chin towards the group of players on the field. "Your athlete. Chase Thompson."

"Oh, yeah, yeah," Sean said, glancing back at Chase, who was sprinting down the field. "Listen, he told me about your little discussion the other day. And I think it’s important to understand that he does a lot for Brown. He brings sponsors and fills seats on game days. It’s hard enough competing with the other schools in the division. So many of our students are full on geeks—.”

“Responsible students,” Ellory cut in.

“But Chase has talent,” Sean said with a grin. “He’ll probably be drafted by a European league by the end of the year. He’s a great kid."

Ellory managed to curb his eye roll. “I have to disagree with you.” Quickly, he explained what he'd overheard between Delia and Chase, that Chase had called Delia his 'b***h secretary' and that the boy had also stuck a finger in Ellory's chest in what "could easily be interpreted as a threatening gesture". He even sucked up his pride to tell Sean that he’d been left with a slight bruise, one that he’d carefully photographed in case of debate.

A frown appeared on Sean's brow as Ellory recounted his encounter with Chase. He turned to the field, focusing on the faraway figure of the boy. Ellory hesitated, flicking his eyes between the two, wondering if there might be some decency in the man after all.

"He may seem like a great kid to you, but that’s only because you give him exactly what he demands. I don’t function that way. You need to control your player," Ellory finished, smoothing down his tie. "He's rash and tries to intimidate with his size and strength, making excuses for his lack of work in the classroom. He has no business threatening me or calling Delia names for doing her job. Control him, or I'll take this matter to the dean."

A sharp wind tossed strands of Sean's hair free from the bun wrapped messily on the back of his head. Ellory spared him another glance before turning on his heel.

“You need to lighten up, Professor!” Sean called, and Ellory looked back at him. And even though Ellory couldn’t see through the silver glass of his Aviators, he had the nagging suspicion that Sean’s blue eyes were crinkled in mocking amusement. “Maybe if you yank that stick out of your ass, things won’t seem so grim all the time.”

Affronted, Ellory straightened and hastily buttoned his jacket before saying something he’d regret, turning back around and heading quickly over the sideline and up the hill to his building, Sean’s laughter following him on the breeze.