The football player and his teacher

Chapter four - You are a failure

Avery's POV:

I had to run with the turtle in our class. I mean Ashley. I don't want to offend her, but even turtles are faster than her. I don't know how she can be terrible at everything in our PE class. For a nerd, her physical skills are not good. I, on the other hand, am the best. That is the only subject where I feel valuable. Every other teacher tells me to study. As if I will do it. I am still passing somehow, so I don't see a problem. They can't suspend me from the team. The coach will get mad, and me too. Every player means something to the team. I will make sure that no one will kick me out. I won't study, but I don't plan to give up. One day I will be a professional player, and everyone will understand how wrong they were. It's not a lie that I have a long way to go there, but it's not mission impossible. That's why books don't always help. Look at Ashley. The nerd is studying all the time and still has failed PE. Sometimes you need skills. Something that I have. I might not be clever, but I'm not stupid. I know what I want, and I will achieve it. No matter if it takes me a couple of years. I don't know why it is so hard for people to understand. There is only one thing I want. The worst part is that my parents don't support me at all. They have never been to a single game of mine. Their work was always in the first place. As long as I don't fail, they are good. Honestly, I don't even care about my diploma. Good grades don't mean instant acceptance. I will continue doing what I do now. In my case, training is the only way to success. No one can make me study. There is no point in that. I mean, no one will say thank you for the effort. I hope that all the training will pay off.

I woke up and went to get ready. Honestly, I don't even know why I go to school. Also, I have to attend another detention. I can skip it, but I will have another one. As if it's not enough that I should spend two hours in a room with an annoying teacher. It's not that bad, but I have nothing to do there. Someone will say to do my homework, but I have no idea what this means. I don't do this kind of stuff. Maybe I can annoy the teacher so he can let me go if this is possible.

I got ready and went for breakfast. My parents were at the table. Well, I don't plan to talk with them. That's why I will eat standing up, far away from them. Let's say that I'm not in the mood for their lecture. I know what they will say. Poor people keep saying this to me every day, and it's not working.

- Won't you eat with us? - mom asked

- No.

- You know we have to talk about it.

- I don't know what you mean.

- Yes, you do.

- No, I don't.

- Avery, you have to study.

- Says who?

- Me and every teacher of yours.

- Your mom is right. Don't you want to graduate?

- I have my ways of doing it.

- It looks like they are not working.

- Drop it.

- Why don't you want to study? - mom asked

- Because there is no point.

- That's not true.

- It is. All you care about is my grades. You don't even know what I want.

- We do. You want to fail.

- No, I don't want that. You don't care about me at all. Otherwise, you would know that I have priorities. I want to achieve something, but no one can understand. No one cares about the effort I am putting into this.

- I want to have a successful child.

- And I want to have understanding parents. - I said and left

People take what I do as a joke. No one understands. I don't even know why I keep trying to explain. From now on, I will do what I want. No one can tell me how I should live my life. Soon, I arrived at school. The boys were waiting for me. We don't have practice today or a meeting.

- What is going on?

- You better catch the books. - Jason said

- Why?

- Teachers want to fail you. Man, we need you. The season started. Do something.

- Jason is right. You can't let them fail you. Especially mister Fitz. - Adam said

- Relax. I will be fine.

- You say this all the time. Think about us.

- Look, I had to argue with my parents in the morning. I don't want to do it with you too.

- But Avery.

- Forget it! - I said and left

Now I have a class with the incredible mister Fitz. He is the worst teacher of them all. I don't know what he wants from me. To pass his subject is like surviving a volcano eruption. It's impossible. I sat at my desk and pretended to listen to him. I can use the time to plan a strategy for the next game. I don't know if it will work, but we can try it. I was in the middle of it when someone came in front of me. It was mister Fitz.

- Mister Robinson. If you stop planning strategies and start studying, you might not fail.

- I focus on the good things.

- I suggest you give up. Without studying, you won't achieve anything.

- That's not true.

- Face the reality, boy. You are a failure. If you don't study, you won't build a career.

- Mister Fitz, how could you say that? - Ashley asked

- Are you defending him, miss Moore?

- No, but I know what it is like to have a goal. That's why I study so much. Not every career needs a book.

- Miss Moore, open your eyes. Without education, you won't have success.

- I won't be so sure. Artists don't study every day. Neither are people who do sport. Books are not the solution, and I learned this the hard way. It's a public secret that I am failing PE. I might study every day, but this doesn't help me. Your job as a teacher is to support us, not crush our dreams. Every person in this room is working hard on something. Because it's not connected with studying, it doesn't mean it's not valuable. All we need is patience, practice, and people who believe in us

- When he fails, you will understand how wrong you were.

- I believe that everyone will have success. You have to be more optimistic, mister Fitz.

- I am realistic.

- Many people who have studied the same as you get higher salaries. It's not about education.

- If you want to believe this, do it. People fool themselves every day.

That was the end. I can't believe that Ashley said all these things to him. It's not a lie that I am impressed. I have to say that it's rare for the nerd to talk back to teachers. Now I wonder what her goal is. All the time, she hides behind books. Maybe she is not that bad. I won't lie that people not believing in me hurts a little. I'm not that good, but I am trying my best. That's why I train so hard. I want to achieve something. It might not happen soon, but I won't give up.

After this class, I walked in the halls. Ashley was with a book in her hands as always. I walked up to her. It took her some time to realize I was in front of her.

- Hello.

- Hey. What do you want?

- Thanks for defending me.

- I didn't do it for you.

- What do you mean?

- Let's say that it's not only you who have goals.

- What is yours?

- Do you care?

- No.

- Then I don't need to answer you.

- I will go.

- Good.

- Bye, single lady. - I said and left

That's why I am not nice. Whenever I try to be a good boy, no one thinks I'm serious. I don't know how I will prove to mister Fitz that he is wrong.

During the lunch break, I went for food. The boys were already at the table. I looked up and saw the nerd reading. Does she take a break? It's not like I care. I won't waste my time with books. I grabbed my tray with food and sat next to Adam. Everyone looked at me. Did I miss something? This time, I haven't done anything.

- What?

- Did Ashley talk back to mister Fitz? - Jake asked

- From where do you know?

- The whole school knows it.

- Who knew that the nerd could get mad? - Ben said, chuckling

- She was right. I mean, what mister Fitz said wasn't good. After all, he is a teacher. It doesn't suit him to talk like that. - I said

- Someone said that she defended you.

- Will everyone stop talking about it? I didn't defend anyone. That was my opinion. - Ashley said

- Hey. - I said

- Also, don't forget that I don't like you.

- But I am better than you in PE.

- So? At least I am not failing. No wonder why mister Fitz said this to you. He wasn't right, but you didn't prove him wrong.

- Are you on his side now?

- I guess that you have problems with hearing.

- No, I don't.

- Yes, you do. Anyway, I won't waste my time with you. I'm not the one failing.

- But at least my friends are not books.

- What?

- What you heard.

- I have friends.

- Where? In the imaginary world of the history book.

- At least I listen to my friends.

- I do it too.

- No, you don't. I will go now. Unlike you, I don't like being late.

- This is not over!

- It is for me! - she said and left

- You two need to chill. - Jason said

- She is annoying.

- What if you two date? - Adam asked

- I better jump off a bridge.

- Don't say it. You never know what will happen.

- True, but I know I won't date her.

I talked with the boys until the end of the lunch break. Later, I walked to the rest of my classes. When they finished, I went into the detention room. I don't know why teachers hate me so much. My backpack is with me, but I won't do my homework. Instead, I will plan new strategies. If I play well, someone might notice me. The chances are not high, but I don't care. I made some strategies. Honestly, they are not the best, but we can try them. That way, we'll see which one works the best. I'll show them to the coach tomorrow. We have practice, which is perfect.

After my detention, I walked home. To my surprise, mom and dad were at home. They don't look in a good mood. It's not like I care. I was about to walk into my room, but they stopped me.

- You are not going anywhere, young man. - mom said

- What now?

- Mister Fitz said that you weren't paying attention in his class.

- He called you?

- Yes. Apparently, you don't pay attention in any of the classes.

- So? I have more important things in my head.

- If you don't study, we'll ensure you won't be on the football team.

- What? You can't do that.

- Yes, we can. It's your choice. I don't know why you don't want to study, but I suggest you do it.

- You can't force me.

- Then enjoy your last days on the team.

- Why are you doing this to me?

- Because you are wasting your time. Football doesn't pay bills.

- That's not true. There are many successful football players.

- They had luck. You need to study.

- No, I won't do it. You can't do anything. Even if you suspend me, I still will find a way to play.

- Why are you so naive?

- WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S IMPORTANT FOR ME? - I said and left

I walked into my room. I took all the papers from the detention. There must be an unbeatable strategy. I am missing something, but I don't know what. I wish that I could train. The thing is that I don't have a place for that. The school is still open, but I don't think someone will let me go there. Soon, there was a knock on the door. It was my dad.

- Hey.

- Go away!

- Can we talk?

- No.

- Please.

- If you are here to judge me, you better leave. I already had a crappy day.

- What is all this?

- Strategies.

- For what?

- The football team. I'm trying to find the perfect one.

- Did you do it?

- Not yet.

- Look, I understand that you want to focus on this sport, but you can't leave everything else behind. At least try to graduate.

- I will graduate.

- Are you sure? If teachers fail you, I don't think you can do it.

- If you are not here for support, leave.

- Avery.

- Please. I want to be alone.

- You know you can talk to us.

- You never listen.

- That's not true.

- It is. All you care about is my grades. Also, you have never come to a single game of mine. Neither tried to understand me. Why would I talk with you?

- I understand it's hard for you, but you can't stop studying.

- Leave.

- Avery, please.

- I SAID LEAVE!

- Ok, don't get mad. - dad said and left

I hate everyone. The teachers are playing on my nerves, the same as my parents. Why can't at least one person understand me? All I want is to play football. It's not that much. I know I can do it. What I need are time and practice. That's why I train so much. I want to be the best. If I could, I would've moved out a long time ago. The problem is that I have nowhere to go. I don't know what to do anymore. I can talk with the coach, but he can't help me. No one can. For everyone, I am a failure. Because I don't study, it doesn't mean I am stupid. I have other priorities. I hope that one day someone will understand and support me. I don't need anything else.