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"You are never gunna make it."
Coach Brunt never liked being told to do. Ever.
It got her blood boiling so bad and then bad things happened.
Carmen Sandiego stood on the boat, slowly sailing further and further out of port.
Brunt had tried to make the jump and pursue her but then, that phrase.
The woman in red even had the audacity to wave to her as she drifted further and further away into the late evening mist.
As the Coach watched, her blood boiled. Hot-blooded rage. Non of this rubbish mindful breathing that Cleo had been going on about could help her now. No.
She had missed her shot because of that phrase. Forever her nemesis - other people's low expectations of her.
"I will get you Black Sheep!" She roared.
The faint sound of laughing echoed back to her from Carmen and her crew.
Laughter. They were laughing. Laughing at her.
"Your never gunna make it Brunt! You just not ever gunna make the cut."
The smell of sweat and cheesy feet was overwhelming but this gym had practically been her home for the last few months and she wasn't complaining. It beat being at home.
"Come on Coach, don't be stupid! I'm the best player in this godforsaken team!" Even at seventeen she stood a whole head above the PE teacher.
"No Brunt! You are too aggressive! You could of broken that poor kid's neck out there! What in god's name were you thinking? I took a risk putting you on the team, first girl in seventy five years of this school and you blow it all in your first season! What is wrong with you?"
"Look, don't kick me off. I'll do better next game. 'specially if we're not against a team of godforsaken morons! That's that kid's problem. He couldn't hold his ground, that's all!"
Mr Coach (whatever his name was) pointed towards the door.
"You will never be a football player. End of. Time to get yourself a new dream coz this one ain't working out for you."
Brunt screamed, pure rage, and stormed from the hall.
She banged her way down the corridor and into the changing rooms, frantically clearing out her locker.
It occurred to her to ask if she would be able to use the shower's that one last time but she left it. Who gave a damn if she stank anyway?
No one. That's who.
"Coach kicked her off, finally. Stupid Cow. Said right from the beginning she'd never make it."
"Shut up Justin. She might hear you and then we'd have an angry bull on our hands."
The laughter echoed loudly off the stinking tiles.
Brunt rounded on the boys.
"Think it's funny do ya? Think it's funny? I'm telling ya right now you'll be sorry you ever laughed in the face of Brunt. You'll be sorry, you will!"
They swallowed nervously but Lance Williamson had never been one to go without the last word.
"Go home trash. Oh wait, you don't have one!"
The walk home was cold and dreary. Texas was cold and dreary perhaps four times a year and today just happened to be one of them but Brunt still took the long way home. (If you could call what she had a home.)
She wound through the crumby streets of downtown, trying to calm her anger.
She slammed her first into the wall. Window.
The glass shattered but it just made her angrier.
"Hey." Brunt turned to see a man lounging in the door of the building. Idly smoking a cigarette.
"This your window of summin'? I'll pay for it if you damn want me too but your gunna have to give me a couple've..."
"Nah. It's a rented property. Couldn't care less. Was gonna say you should put that strength into something other than windows!"
The man rounded the corner and entered the building. Brunt followed.
She was greeted again by the smell of sweat but this time it was mingled in with the smell of chalk and beer.
"Welcome to my boxing ring." The guy smirked showing cracked teeth. "I think you could be proper good at this. And," He paused, fumbling through his pockets. "This."
He pulled out a card, slightly creased but fancy all the same. Black with a large green n. No wait. She turned it the right way round. A v. Black with a large green v.
Coach Brunt suddenly realised how long she'd been standing on the dock. She could no longer see the sun sinking below the horizon anyhow so at least half an hour.
Turning, she made her way back up the hill to the car waiting for her at the top.
"What took you so long?" Professor Maelstrom looked slightly displeased. But on the other hand, he was scrolling through about a dozen messages from Bellum - mainly about robots or cats.
"Small trip down memory lane." Coach Brunt yawned theatrically and settled in her seat.
It was a long way back to Scotland.