Naked in School
Freedom to be Free
Naked in School
Freedom to be Free
On Tuesday afternoon, Drew went to the high school and met Coach Watson there, who introduced her to Coach Aberman.
“Hello, Drew,” Aberman said. “Coach Watson showed me some video he took on his phone of your play last week. He also told me that you’re enrolled in an on-line charter school. Since it’s public, you can be part of a public high school team.”
“I was happy to hear that, Coach. I love soccer and I’ve been playing in community leagues for five years.”
“And what I saw of your play here was quite good. Why couldn’t you just enroll in school here, if I may ask?”
“Kinda legal reasons. Something to do with guardianship issues and my lawyer is working those out. Maybe I can enroll after those are settled.”
“Ah. I understand completely. Listen, after seeing Coach’s clips and talking to him, I don’t think that I need to assess your skills like we do in our late summer team tryouts. How about if I just put you into a scrimmage match after the warmups?”
“Sure, Coach.”
“I’m pushing this a bit because you need to get an athletic physical and I need to register you on the team before you can play.”
“Oh, a physical. Right. I had a sports physical last April for my community soccer league. I have a copy of it with my soccer papers. Will that work?”
“It has a medical history and physical exam report?”
“Yes ma’am. My last high school accepted it when I brought them a copy.”
“Good. I’ll need a copy. Ah, the stragglers are all here now so let me get everyone started with stretching and warmups. Just pick a spot and join. I’ll introduce you when we’re done.”
One of the girls, Melodie, the team captain, Drew learned, led the stretching and a three-lap run around the pitch. The girls returned to the sideline after the run and began introducing themselves. One of the girls came up to Drew.
“Hey Drew, hi. Marjorie, remember?”
Marjorie had been one of the other girls from the Thursday pick-up game. She was a sophomore, a midfielder.
“Yeah, hi. Where’d you disappear to after the game?”
“Had to get home. Hey girls, come meet Drew. She was a fireball on the pitch when she played with our impromptu gang on Thursday. Even got a lit goal—and she was playing D then!”
Everyone crowded around to introduce themselves as the coach called for their attention.
“You’ve all met Drew. She’s strong at D and has some good O skills too, according to Coach Watson, who saw her play. So instead of concentrating on drills today, I want to see how you girls can execute our game plan we worked on last week for the upcoming Palmyra game. Scrimmage, O starters on D starters, and backups in your regular sub slots. And, because she’s fast, I want Drew in as right wing-back. Allison, you’re better as a number 8, so take that position for now. Drew, we play a 5-3-2. The game plan mostly involves the O, so just defend and follow Susan’s lead—she’s the D captain and a center back. Hit it!”
After just forty minutes of play, Drew had established herself as a solid player. Nothing that the O tried on her side could get past her defense—she intercepted three passes; stalled the opposition’s offense four times, allowing other defenders to break up their attacks; and stripped the ball from the opposing winger twice, leading to a breakaway once, where Drew scored in a play eerily similar to the one she had executed on Thursday.
The coach blew her whistle, calling a halt to the scrimmage after that goal.
“Gather ‘round, girls!” When they all jogged over to her, she asked, “What happened to our O out there? Melodie?”
She was a striker in addition to being team captain.
“Um, Drew happened, Coach. She’s faster than anyone we’re ever played against.”
One of the other girls, April, raised her hand; she was a backup defensive fullback. Aberman pointed to her.
“Yeah, Drew came at me like a race car when she charged me—when she got that give-and-go back, I went to block her but suddenly she wasn’t there, she just nutmegged me, spun around and kept running for the goal. We had three-on-one on her and she still scored.”
Drew raised her hand. “I had great help, That was a super cross that Robin sent me after the give-and-go.”
The coach smiled at Drew. “You blew our offensive game plan to shreds, young lady.” Drew started to apologize but Aberman stopped her. “No, that was good. We’ve never faced a defender as fast as you are with the kind of reflexes you appear to have. I also saw you do three advanced dribbling moves, changing direction against an approaching opponent—the Ronaldo chop, a roulette, and a scissors move—that left the D player flat-footed each time. And you said that you play both full-back and wing-back?”
“Yes, Coach, stopper too in some formations my team used when we faced a team with a strong and balanced D and O. My speed out of the backfield gave our own O more attacking options.”
“I can see that. Your attack came on so fast that the D didn’t have much of a chance to organize an effective formation.”
Another girl raised her hand. “Drew, what was that crazy move you pulled to dribble around Marcie after your first steal?”
“Um, oh, you mean the roulette? I saw some clips of Real Madrid games from the early 2000s and this guy Zidane, a midfielder, had this cool dodging dribbling play. Using it, you can run past someone marking you as if she’s not even there. So I learned how to do it, both turning left or right.”
“Yeah, wow, you didn’t even slow down when you blew past her. Can you teach how to do that?”
Drew looked at Aberman who nodded. “Well, sure, I could, but you need to have very solid dribbling skills.”
Aberman nodded again, grinning now. “Girls, the Zidane roulette, also known as the Don-360 move, is a really advanced skill and I’d prefer if you get secure in your basics first. But if you want to spend your own time on this one, and Drew thinks you’re able to learn it, then have at it. Thanks, Drew. You certainly did showcase your abilities today, right, girls?”
They all cheered and Drew blushed. Damn, getting this acceptance is nice. A little like my old team, but those girls came from well-off families, so off the pitch I was always a pariah.
“Okay then, skills practice time,” the coach declared. “Captains, break down your groups into doing rondos now. Drew, go with Melodie’s group. The O could use to learn some better D skills.”
After practice, Aberman asked Drew if she could be at the school at 2:30 the next day.
“Bring your sports physical papers and birth certificate, or another proof of age...”
“Um, Coach, I only have a copy of my past middle school records for an age proof. The physical exam paper shows my age too.”
“That should work. We’ll get you set up in the school’s sports program.”
“Thanks, Coach!”
When Drew got back to her house, she told Connor about her practice session.
“I have to go in tomorrow to register for the sports participation,” she finished.
“Hmm. This might be almost the same as trying to register for the school itself, Drew. No guardian or parent. Let me call Wayne and see how to handle this, okay?”
“Good thought. Glad someone’s thinking.”
Connor called the lawyer’s office and he returned the call after an hour. Connor explained and then put Drew on the call.
“Connor was right in calling, Drew. Normally the school wants a parent or guardian to sign for them, but our state law has provided for children who are what the law terms ‘unaccompanied youth,’ those students who do not reside with a parent or legal guardian. I can email a document to you tomorrow morning which will formally certify that I can act in your behalf for you to join the school’s sports program.”
“Thanks so much, Wayne. Any other news?”
“Not yet. We’ve collected some of the items needed but still need at least two more weeks. I’ll let you know.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Drew got registered in the sports program without any fuss, thanks mostly to Gelb’s emailed document. Her medical record papers were accepted and copied and she was told that she was all set. Then she went off to practice.
The next two weeks went by with nothing of real importance happening. Drew continued practicing with the team; the coach was planning to have her play in games beginning in early November. They moved into the apartment in Mrs Neumann’s house and got it set up to their liking. Neumann’s chores were simple and easy for them; some light housekeeping and yard work were their main responsibilities. At church services, the teens met several kids who went to the school and struck up friendships. It was on the last Saturday of the month that the pastor called Connor with news.
“Connor, are you coming to worship with us tomorrow?” he asked on the call.
“We are, Pastor. You have some news?”
“I might. I’m waiting for one more phone call now. I’ll tell you what I’ve found at lunch then.”
“Sounds good; thanks.”
They couldn’t wait for Sunday.
After services were over, Connor and Drew went to the social hall for the light lunch which had been set up there and were talking to two of the older teens whom they had met several weeks earlier. They were quizzing their new acquaintances about the high school and the kinds of classes most kids took, when Pastor Richardson entered the room. He walked around the room, stopping at tables and chatting with the people there. Soon he approached Connor’s and Drew’s table.
“Hi there, Connor, Drew, Grace, and Stuart. Peace be with you all, this fine day of the Lord. May I ask how your week was?”
They all replied that their week was good.
“Except for a pop quiz in history on Friday,” Grace complained. “I think I did okay, though.”
Robertson smiled. “I’m sure you did. But Grace and Stuart, I have to talk to Drew and Connor for a bit now...”
“That’s okay, Pastor,” Stuart interrupted. “They told us that they were gonna talk to you after lunch. We need to get going anyway. We liked your sermon, by the way. Probably we’ll be here next week. So goodby.”
“Bye, Pastor,” Grace said.
“The blessings of our Lord Jesus be on both of you, and be safe.”
“Thanks, Pastor,” they both chimed, waved, said, “Bye, Drew and Connor,” and left.
Drew and Connor waved back.
“May I join you now?” Robertson asked when they were alone.
“Sure. We’re ready,” Connor replied.
The pastor took a few sheets of paper out of his pocket as he sat down.
“Connor, we’ve managed to trace much of your family back to your great-grandfather and the good news is that you do have a second cousin in the area—in fact, right here in the borough.”
“I do? Who?”
“I’ll come to that. First, it isn’t who I think you expected, since you were searching for Martins. Second, let me go over your relatives, as best as my contacts were able to piece together in such a short time.”
“Okay.”
“Your great grandfather Christoph had two children that we know of, a son and a daughter. The son was your grandfather Hans and the daughter, your great aunt, was named Hannah. They’re both deceased; your grandfather died in the Vietnam War just before your father was born and his wife, your grandmother, remarried about five years later. That’s when she moved with her son, your father, to Massachusetts. She passed away, my sources learned, when your dad was nineteen. We couldn’t find any record of her husband, but since your father’s name wasn’t changed, it appears that he never adopted his stepson. That’s the history of your dad’s side, as best as my sources can reconstruct it.”
“Wow...” Connor sighed.
“Christoph’s daughter Hannah had three children, two sons and a daughter. The oldest, Matthew, is deceased; he died about ten years ago, and never married. The middle son, Jacob, moved away to somewhere on the west coast when he was young. He became estranged from the family for some reason and my sources don’t have any further info about him. The daughter, Eva, married one Frantz Ritter. He grew up in Lancaster and went to med school at Penn, then did a residency at Penn State University’s medical school at the Hershey Medical Center and then stayed on as a faculty member. Dr Ritter is also an attending physician with the Hershey Medical Center. Finally, they have a daughter, Jennifer, who’s a freshman in the high school here, and an older and a younger son. Your second cousins. They now live just outside of Elizabethtown, to the south.”
Connor sat back with a sigh. “Oh wow. I never knew any of that. Jeez. I wonder if this changes my status.”
“Not automatically, it doesn’t—I mean, the Ritters wouldn’t automatically be eligible to become your guardian. Those relatives would typically be a grandparent, an aunt, or uncle. But they’d have a clear path to doing so if they chose. Would you like to meet them? I’m sure your existence would be just as much a surprise to them as it was to you.”
“I don’t want them to feel any obligation, though...” Connor mused.
“Of course. Do you want to think about this?”
“Yeah. Drew?” Connor asked.
“It’s your call. You were looking for a second cousin here and found one. What did you plan then?” she retorted.
“Gee, honey... you know? Somehow I had the image of an adult guy kinda like my dad, I guess, and he could guide me.”
“Connor, that’s why I mentioned to you that who we found wasn’t who I thought you expected,” Robertson commented.
“So I have a cousin who’s my age—um, I mean, same grade as me. So strange...”
Connor sat with a far-away look.
After close to a minute of silence, Drew said, “Pastor, yeah, let’s think about this. It must be a shock, Connor’s world view needs realigning.”
“That was a very astute observation, Drew,” Robertson told her. “Why don’t the two of you digest this info and when you’re ready, let me know. If you want, I can arrange a meeting or simply let them know of your existence and let them take the initiative to make contact. Okay?”
Connor looked back at him. “Yeah. I need time to think. Thanks awfully much for finding this stuff out, Pastor. I need to wrap my head around this new reality.”
“Absolutely, son. God’s blessings on you both. Call me when you can and enjoy the day.”
He rose and laid a hand on a shoulder of each of them and walked out.
Connor heaved a big sigh and looked at Drew.
“This doesn’t change any of your plans, does it, sweetie?” Drew asked.
“Not really. After my unsuccessful searching, I had about given up on the idea that I could find any relatives here,” he replied. “I wonder what they’re like?”
“Hey... how ‘bout this? I could ask at soccer practice if anyone knows Jennifer. There are a few freshmen on the team, and also, we practice with the JV. They’re mostly freshmen. Then you can get to meet her. Wouldn’t that be a better way of easing into them knowing about you?”
“Damn, that’s brilliant, Drew. Wow, I like that idea lots.”
At Monday’s practice, Drew asked whether anyone knew Jennifer Ritter.
“Oh sure,” several girls replied.
“I went to middle school with her,” April told her. “She’s cool; nice girl. Got rizz. Very social and popular with the guys too. Oh, and smart.”
Several of the girls there knew her too.
“That’s cool, ‘cause it looks like my boyfriend has something in common with her,” Drew invented.
She didn’t want to divulge any information about Connor being a family member.
“I’m playing in my first game tomorrow...” some of the girls cheered at that “...but we have an off day Wednesday. Could any of you set us up to meet with Jennifer after school then?”
“She takes the bus, but she could get the late bus, I’m sure,” April replied. “I’ll ask her. What should I tell her?”
“My boyfriend’s done some family research and accidently learned something about the Ritter family. That’s all I know.”
“That sounds mysterious enough to make her interested,” April told her. “I’ll let you know tomorrow.”
Later, Drew told Connor what she had arranged.
Drew’s first game at the high-school level was an outstanding success. The coach subbed her in at the 25-minute mark, after the opposing team had scored the first goal against them. Since their opponent had a strong offense and defense, she was asked to play stopper, a roving defensive position which she had practiced the prior week.
The first time two opposing offensive players challenged her as they approached the penalty box in their attack, she stole the ball and sent a high lob deep to Melodie, her streaking right winger, who found herself one-on-two plus the goalie. Drew’s pass had completely bypassed the opposing midfielders. Dropping the pass after its first bounce with her chest, Melodie trapped the ball with her foot and fired a screamer into the near side of the net, leveling the score. The play went so quickly that the defense didn’t have time to position themselves to prevent a shot like that—they had never faced an opponent who could make a pass like Drew’s. And Drew got her first high-school assist.
By the end of the game, Drew had managed four steals and broken up six other offensive plays. Their opponents quickly learned that she was a demon in the backfield; if they were to successfully penetrate as far as the penalty box, it couldn’t be anywhere near where Drew was marking someone. Drew’s team won the game, 2-1.
In the locker room, the coach called the team together to review the game. after acknowledging the two goal scoring players and complimenting them, she asked the team about the scoring setup for each.
“What was the key play for the first goal?”
Marjorie raised her hand and Aberman pointed.
“Drew’s steal. She’s sooo fast. Her tackle nutmegged their striker and then Drew got onto that ball in two steps and put a pass practically in Melodie’s pocket... if she had one.” Laughter. “For Melodie, it was a three-touch, chest, trap, and shoot. They had no chance.”
“Exactly. This is how a strong D opens many scoring opportunities. Congrats on your first assist, Drew.”
Cheers and applause.
“I’ll embarrass Drew a little more by pointing out how strong a D player she is; while she was on the pitch, you girls had their O completely shut down. Good work.”
More cheers.
“Now let’s look at the setup for goal two...” Aberman went on and the team discussed that play and other elements of the game which the coach wanted to highlight.
Walking home later, Connor praised her play.
“Shit, honey, you played an awesome game there. You were mostly playing in front of the defensive line, it looked like.”
“Yeah, stopper position. Or ‘destroyer’ some call it ‘cause I stop or destroy any O attacks that come my way. I pick up the O players who come across the midfield and steal the ball or intercept passes and then pass to set up counterattacks.”
“Yeah, you made that nice pass early on, that got that goal.”
“That’s the counterattack idea. Oh, and we’re set to meet Jennifer tomorrow after school.”
“Oh, and I heard a new term, ‘nutmegged.’ What’s that?”
Drew laughed. “Yeah, lots of soccer terms come from the Brits. That’s when a player kicks a ball through the opponent’s legs. My first coach said it’s from Cockney slang. They use rhyming in their slang so it’s leg, meg. You can use your imagination for the ‘nut’ part,” she giggled.
Jennifer was curious about this meeting but also a bit concerned. What could an unknown guy have found out about her family? And why? So she brought a friend with her; April also told her that she’d come as well. They had arranged to meet at the picnic tables near the tennis courts. Connor and Drew were waiting when April walked up with two other girls. Connor and Drew stood up to introduce themselves.
“Hi, April, you remember Connor; our loudest fan at the last few games,” Drew said. “Who’s Jennifer?”
“Me,” the black-haired girl said. She was about five feet six inches tall and curvy but not buxom. “This is Stacy, my BFF and bodyguard.”
Everyone laughed.
“And I’m Connor Martin, Jennifer and Stacy. Drew and I’ve decided that we’re tight.”
Jennifer looked at Connor hard. “Martin? There were Martins in Mom’s family; I saw it in her old photo albums.”
Connor heaved a great sigh of relief. “Yeah, that’s what I had found out this past weekend. My family history. My great grandfather Christoph had a granddaughter Eva. Is that your mom?”
Jennifer’s hands shot up to her face. “OH! Jeez, yeah...so that makes you my... um...”
“Second cousin, Jennifer. I found my long-lost family,” he said as tears trickled down his cheeks.
He sat down on the bench and looked up at her, she was still somewhat in shock.
“You okay, Jen?” Stacy asked.
“Um, yeah, I am now,” she said. “Just really, really surprised. Connor?”
“Yeah?” he stood back up.
“Let me look at you for a sec, okay? I want to fix this in my brain...”
They stared intently into each other’s eyes for a half-minute and then Jennifer reached out to Connor and they came together in an embrace.
“I feel it,” Jennifer said. “You do feel like family to me; it’s weird but it feels right. I want to know ... ah ... where are you from? One part of Mom’s family, an uncle, is out west somewhere and another uncle died when I was little. She’s told me that she had a cousin but has no idea where.”
“That was my dad. His mom had moved to Massachusetts when he was a baby and that’s where I grew up, not knowing anything about my family except the names of my great grandfather and his son.”
“Oh, this is so exciting! You’d be my only cousin! I really have so few relatives. Dad is an only child and his parents are in a nursing home. You gotta come meet my parents, okay? With your folks? Maybe Saturday, Dad’s off this coming weekend...”
“Woah, Jennifer, slow down,” Connor laughed. “Sure, love to meet them. And I can tell them my whole story. But it’s just me... Me and Drew. My dad’s gone and I have no idea about my mother—she divorced Dad when I was little and Social Services could find no trace of her...”
“Oh! You’re an orphan then?” Jennifer interrupted.
“I am. It’s part of my story.”
“Drew? Where do you fit in—Connor said you’re his girlfriend?”
“I am. It’s part of Connor’s story too, but we came here together from Massachusetts,” Drew told her.
“April says you’re quite a good soccer player too,” Jennifer continued.
“Thanks, April. You’re pretty good as well,” Drew demurred.
“Ha! Not in your class, Drew.”
“Yeah, I heard other kids talking about how good a soccer player the new girl is,” Stacy put in. “But I haven’t seen you around school.”
“Doing on-line school for now but hope to be able to switch to this high school,” Drew responded.
“You too, Connor? You gonna try to switch to the school here too?” Jennifer asked.
“That’s the plan, when some legal stuff is cleared up,” he replied.
“Let’s exchange numbers. I’ll ask my folks about you and Drew coming over on Saturday and I’ll let you know,” Jennifer said. “I got a ride home so I don’t have to wait for the late bus. Don’t wanna keep him waiting.”
“Sure. Wonderful finally meeting a relative,” Connor smiled.
“Likewise,” Jennifer replied and tentatively held her arms up so Connor gave her a light hug.
“Bye; hope you’ll get to come Saturday. Bye, Drew. This was an exciting surprise.”
Jennifer left with Stacy.
April looked at Connor, then Drew. “Wow, just wow,” she said. “That was an honor, to get to see long-lost family members find each other.”
“It was kinda emotional too,” Drew added. “But rewarding.”
“Rewarding is the right word,” Connor said. “Thanks, April, for being a good facilitator. And you, Drew, for the idea. Can I hug you both?”
Connor got two warm hugs.
When they returned home, Connor contacted Robertson to tell him about making contact with Jennifer.
“And she’s gonna ask her folks to meet me Saturday,” Connor concluded.
“That was an excellent idea, going through the daughter.”
“It was. That was Drew’s idea.”
“Tell her she did well.”
“Oh, I did. I’m gonna call Wayne now too. Maybe this info will help him with his part.”
“I’m sure it will. Blessings on you, son, and keep me informed,” the pastor said.
Connor called the law offices and left a message for Wayne. That evening, Jennifer called Connor.
“Mom and Dad are excited to meet you and Drew,” she exclaimed. “They were amazed at how you located us, actually.”
“I had wonderful help, Jennifer. The Lutheran pastor here had his clergy group canvassing their church membership. Some of the older folks apparently remember our grandparents and the ministers and pastors were able to put the parts together.”
“Nice. Anyway, can you come for dinner? Come at five and we’ll eat a bit after we get the intros all done. Maybe two hours later.”
Connor laughed and Jennifer joined in.
“Oh and Connor? You can call me Jen; all my friends do.”
“Sure thing, Jen. See you Saturday.”
The next day at classes, Connor’s phone buzzed; it was Gelb.
He picked up the call. “I’m in class now, when’s a good time? ... Two hours. ... Yeah. Can do. Bye.”
“When can you talk?” Drew asked.
“He’s got time at one p.m.”
“Okay. Damn, I really don’t like this e-class much. It’s so, um, static. I much prefer being active and being in a classroom with others. I hope we can get to do that soon.”
“Me too, honey.”
After Connor had spoken to Gelb, he told Drew about their conversation.
“He was very pleased that I had found relatives and told me that if they were to agree, getting my guardianship assigned to them would be almost trivial. The hardest part would be the switching states and that’s ‘cause of, guess what, the money involved. Apparently the state gives stipends to guardians. That’s how my group home was run—the operator got money for each kid there.”
“What’s the other option for you?” Drew asked.
“Long shot was emancipation but he said that would be very hard. I have some money but no real income source, and a somewhat shaky residence situation, since Mrs Neumann could decide not to continue our free rent. He was looking at other options too.”
“Huh, wonder what he’s found for me so far.”
“That’s still a question but he said not to be concerned.”
“Okay. Still, I wonder.”
“Hey, want to call Lydia? See about what’s been happening back there?”
“Somehow that seems not so important now, sweetie. New life here and new friends. I’m having a blast with the team, too. Yeah, I’ll call her this evening, I guess.”
Drew had a quick call to Lydia that evening and learned that there hadn’t been many changes at Drew’s former school, Program-wise.
“Lots more kids are refusing to take part when they get called,” Lydia told her. “Oh, they get stripped and all, but they try to group up with friends for protection so they avoid the worst of those Requests. Know what they do? Your friend, um, Connor, invented it. They get a harmless Request from their friends so when someone asks them to do a nasty, they say that they’re already doing a Request. The school officials aren’t real happy about that but haven’t come up with anything to stop it.”
“Sweet. I’ll tell Connor. He’ll be glad to hear that.”
“How ‘bout you? Are you still okay?”
“I am. Got onto the team here and had my first game this week. Got an assist too.”
“Way to go, girl! I wish you coulda stayed here; you would have been great for the team.”
“Yeah, Lydia, in some ways I wish too, but I’m better off not being there.”
“I know, but it makes me sad, though.”
“Thanks for that. Okay, gotta go, and it’s been nice catching up.”
“Yeah, till next time, Drew. Be safe.”
Connor was pleased to hear that his “Request dodge” tactic was still being used.
Drew played in two additional games that week, Thursday and Saturday, and she scored a goal in one and had two assists in the other. Her coach decided that her stopper position was a natural for her because it put her in a great position to either initiate or perform strong counterattacks. Drew was so mobile in front of the defensive line that attacking players had a difficult time to organize effective attacks—they had just a single chance to attack, if they could get the ball to a player who wasn’t near Drew, because of her ability to intercept any pass that wasn’t a scorcher.
Copyright © 2024 Seems Ndenyal. All Rights Reserved.