Work Text:
My home life sucks. My mother is a poor old woman living in a messy, broken down apartment. We barely have any money to our name because my mother barely gets any money from the jobs they let her do. We live in the industrial area of Stilwater, near the docks; it’s not really the highest end real-estate- who am I kidding, it’s the lowest end real estate. There’s trash everywhere, the air is polluted from the industrial part of the city and the place we’re staying at is shitty and broken down.
I really don’t like my home, so I am trying to avoid it as much as I can. Luckily, there are things in this city that a 15-year-old can do to pass his time. Which is why I signed up last year for the fencing class in my high school. So far, it’s been an amazing and fun learning how to sword fight with Coach MacTavish. He’s such an awesome human being. He’s so big and tall and muscular, also, nice to me all the time; I think he sees me as his prodigy. My god, I so wish to be exactly like him when I grow up.
I told him everything about my life situation and he’s pretty aware and has always offered to help me as much as he could. In fact, all the other pupils have to pay to get their fencing equipment, but Coach MacTavish paid for me, because he’s aware I’m poor.
After a year of training every day after school and learning now to have a proper posture, how to attack, how to defend and keep myself safe from enemy attacks, Coach thinks I am finally ready for the next step in the fencing career; the regional championship. I am so excited for this step forward.
For my entire life I struggled to find myself something that motivates me enough to get up in the morning and start the day. For my entire life I’ve lacked any motivation to continue growing up and living my life. I was always in a lot of trouble with school because I refused to study. For me, fencing in the first thing I life that I actually care about and actually want to succeed in. I want to be a national champion even as an adult now. I want to one day motivate kids to do this the way Coach motivated me to dedicate my life to this. Finally, for the first time since as long as I can remember, I finally have a purpose in life and feeling that I belong somewhere.
My mom has signed the permission slip last night and today I am ready to give it to Coach. I already have all the information I need, the regionals take place in Traverse City, on the coast of the mainland Michigan, and we leave tomorrow, precisely we’re meeting at school’s gate at 7 in the morning. My bag is already packed to go.
I walked into Coach MacTavish’s office to which the door was one.
“Ah, Darius, how are you, my boy?” The Coach looked up from his paperwork and smiled when I walked inside his office.
“Uh, I’m doing good, Coach. I am just here to bring my permission slip.”
“Ah good, always on time, I see.” He took the permission note from my hand as I was reaching it out to him. Coach looked at it for a second “Everything seems to be in order. See you tomorrow at 7 a.m.?” He asked, as he placed the slip inside his first drawer.
“Yes, Coach. I have to go home now to get ready for tomorrow.”
“Very well, my boy. I expect to see you in time tomorrow morning.”
“Always, Coach. Thank you for allowing me to compete.” I said, and left his office.