Free In the Paint by Jeff Rud

to me with this, Matt,” he said. “That was a good decision. It doesn’t make up for what you did, but it’s a positive sign.
    â€œUnfortunately, I’m going to have to suspend you,” the coach continued. “It’s only fair that if McTavish has to sit out a game, you do too. You will be reinstated after the Churchill game. And like McTavish, this is your second chance — the only one you will get with me.”
    â€œOkay, Coach,” Matt nodded. “I understand.”
    As Matt walked out of the office, it felt as though a thousand-pound load had been lifted from his chest. It hurt that he wouldn’t get to play against Churchill, but he wasn’t hiding a dark secret anymore. And besides, Amar, Jake and Phil would all be suiting up. It would be great to see those guys play varsity together.
    Matt didn’t see Jackson and McTavish waiting by the boys’ washroom as he made his way down the hall after his first class of the morning. But by the time he did spot them it was too late. Jackson crossed the hallway and stood in Matt’s path while McTavish circled behind him. There were no teachers in sight.
    â€œHill, you’re a major kiss-ass,” Jackson said, his dark eyes brimming with bitterness. “Must be nice to be the coach’s boy, seeing as you get to play tomorrow and we don’t.”
    â€œI’m not playing, either,” Matt shot back. “I’m suspended for one game, just like McTavish.”
    Jackson looked surprised. “Who turned you in? Your little Chinese buddy or his wrinkly grandma?” McTavish laughed in the background.
    â€œI went to Coach myself,” Matt said. “I told him I was there with you guys on Friday too.”
    Both boys looked surprised. McTavish had a strange expression on his face, but Jackson simply appeared furious.
    â€œThen you’re even a bigger loser than I thought you were,” Jackson said, shooting out his right arm and shoving Matt off balance.
    Matt sidestepped the older boy and continued down the hall. He didn’t care what Jackson thought of him. At least he would be able to sleep that night.

chapter eleven
    It was a case of extremely bad timing. The one game for which Mark was able to make it home from Eton was the game against Churchill. And that was also the game for which Matt had been suspended.
    Matt couldn’t remember being more disappointed. He had wanted his older brother to see him play so badly, to see how much he had improved since the previous summer. Instead, he had to settle for going to the game with his mom and his brother and watching from the stands as the Stingers took on the visiting Churchill Bulldogs. When South Side emerged from the locker room, Matt waved to Jake, Amar and Phil from his seat beside his mom and Mark. Andrea Thomas glanced his way from her spot on the bench and waved. Matt nodded back at her, hoping his mom hadn’t noticed.
    Churchill traditionally had a strong team, and this year was no different. They had six wins and three losses heading into the game, while South Side had lost once in nine starts, second only in the middle school league standings to the perfect record of the Middleton Marauders and their star Tommy Layne. Matt felt that the Stingers were a better all-around team than Middleton, despite their loss to the Marauders, but Churchill was a deep, well-rounded squad that was capable of giving even a full-strength South Side lineup trouble.
    Without Jackson or Matt in the lineup, it was a long night for South Side. Churchill knew the Stingers were short of ball handlers and employed a full-court press for most of the game. None of the South Side guards, including Phil and Jake, who were seeing their first action with the varsity, could handle the pressure. South Side got off to a shaky start and trailed thirty to fifteen at the half.
    Despite being with his brother and mother, Matt wasn’t enjoying the game