Wrestling Against Myself (42 page)

“What were you doing anyway? Looks like you got in a good workout.”
 

“I was wrestling against myself,” Antonio said. “It's the best thing you can do when you don't have a partner. Besides, when you wrestle yourself, you always win.”

Courtney smiled. “If you say so.”

“I'm about done. Let me towel off and I'll meet you by the car.”

“Okay,” Courtney said. “I guess I can watch the football team practice some more.”

“I won't be long. Promise. I would hate to see you bored.”

Courtney smiled and then left.

Tony rolled up the section of the mat quickly and then made his way to the locker room. He removed his sweaty workout clothes and toweled off. During the season he would shower at the school, but he didn't see the point in doing so now, especially since he didn't have access to any soap or shampoo. He put his school clothes back on and made his way out the door.

As soon as he got to the car, Antonio threw his workout clothes and school books into the back seat before getting in. Courtney already made herself comfortable in the passenger seat. “Sorry I kept you waiting,” Tony said as he started the car. “I should have told you I was still going to grab some mat time.”

“It's okay,” Courtney said as she eyed the large wrestler. “I like to see you sweat.”

Tony laughed.

“What's so funny?”

“Nothing. When you said that, I could really hear the girl in you.”

Courtney had a perplexed look on her face.

“I meant no offense,” Tony said. “It's not like I was saying you never sounded like a girl before, but sometimes you hide it and try to blend in. You don't do it a lot around me, but I've noticed it at times. When you act like the real you, there's never a doubt that you're a girl through and through.”

“It's easy around you.” Courtney's eyes never left Tony's face. “You're the first person outside of my family I feel comfortable around. I don't have to fear you judging me or making fun of me, or worry you're going to tell me I'm going to go to hell.”

“I would never.”

“I know. I guess you're
right; I'm more myself around you. My mom and doctor think that as I grow more comfortable, I will show more of myself in public. Right now I'm making sure I don't get killed.”

Tony took his eyes of the road and glanced at the girl, only to see that she was smiling. “Not on my watch. I can't be the only one that you're comfortable around. What about your friend Penelope? I'm sure you're yourself around her.”

“Yes. But she's in Atlanta and I'm in Florida, so it doesn’t really count. We talk over the internet, and it's cool, but it's not like having someone sitting right next to you.”

“I suppose not.”

“You're still coming to meet my mom and dad after school tomorrow, right.”

“A wrestler never turns down steak.”

“Good. I better tell my mom to cook it every night then.”

Tony laughed. “That might get expensive.”

“It would be worth it,” Courtney said. “Besides, I wouldn't be the one paying for it, that would be my mom.”

Tony pulled into the girl's driveway. The route was becoming second nature to him and it wasn't an inconvenience at all. “Here you go. Madame.”

Courtney giggled. “Thank you kind sir. I'll make sure my mom gets the biggest steak she can for you.”

“Any steak will do. And don't worry, I don't know why, but parents love me.”

“It's easy to see why. I'll see you tomorrow.”

“Have a good night, do your homework, behave, that kind of stuff.”

Courtney gave a small wave as she smiled at the boy. She turned and headed towards the door. Halfway there, her steps turned into a skip as Antonio watched the skirt of her dress swish around her legs.

“She's a good kid,” Tony said to himself as he backed out of the driveway. “If people would give her a chance, instead of judge her on the circumstances, they might figure that out for themselves.”

Tony put the car into drive. He always had to resist the urge to stomp on the gas and spin the tires. He knew that the car had the power to do impressive burnouts, but he figured it was better not to tempt fate. Though his driving record was clean, he knew that could change if he gave into his teenage impulses. Instead, he thought about the girl and made his way home.

“Maybe, just maybe, all this could blow over before Christmas break. She doesn't show it, but it's got to be hard to feel like you're being judged and people are finding your life wrong. I doubt it's her fault. She is who she is, and that's not for anyone to judge. It's between her and God and that's where it should stay. She's like any other girl I have ever known. Maybe a little more shy around others, but that's to be expected. If it wasn't for Peter's brother knowing the truth and spreading it through the school, I bet no one would know about her situation, not even me. All she wants is to be herself, why can't people let it be? It's sad that people can't get beyond their own prejudices and see that she would be a great friend. Hopefully in time. I keep telling myself that, I hope it comes true.”

Antonio made it through another day of school. Knowing he was about to meet the parents of a new friend and that he wasn't going to have time to go home after school, he dressed up early. He got a lot of compliments about his pressed khaki slacks and dark blue dress shirt. He even went as far as to wear a pair of dark tan loafers instead of a pair of sneakers he usually wore. He felt good all dressed up and outside of a few comments about if he decided to become a preppy, it was a decent day.

The one plus side about him being dressed up from the start of the day was that the student body was focused on him and the talk about Courtney being a boy was non-existent. It was a nice respite. Antonio hoped the trend would continue in the weeks to come, but he doubted it.

The final bell rang. Outside of taking a few tests and having to be careful while he ate his tuna fish sandwich at lunch, the day was uneventful. “Thank God for small favors,” Antonio thought to himself as he made his way to the boys' locker room. It was Friday and he needed to check his weight. He would've done it after his workout on Thursday, but Coach Walker would have none of that and he knew it. For the first time in his wrestling career, Tony was worried about being too light and the coach wanted to make sure he was well hydrated when he stepped on the scale.

“Look who we have here,” Coach Walker said as his athlete walked into the office.

“Hey Coach,” Antonio said as he walked to the scale and balanced it on zero.

“It must be a girl,” Coach Lightfoot chimed in. “A guy doesn't get gussied up if there isn't a girl involved. So who is she, Tiny?”

“It's Courtney,” Antonio said as he began to get down to his socks and underwear. “I'm meeting her parents and thought it would be nice to dress up a bit.”

“Oh, Courtney,” Coach Lightfoot continued, using an overly sappy voice. “Anyone we know?” he asked his colleague.

“Courtney is THAT girl,” Coach Walker with a slight rise in his voice.

“Oh?”

“It's not like that Coach.” Antonio stepped on the scale. “It's more of an appreciation dinner. For looking out for her and all.”

“Besides,” Coach Walker interjected as he stood up and headed towards the scale. “Tiny don't date, he's going to become a priest.”

“I am not,” Antonio protested as he manipulated the scale. “Last year I dated Jennifer Jewel.”

“The little cheerleader,” Coach Lightfoot asked.

“One in the same,” Antonio replied.

“Tiny has a thing for smaller girls,” Coach Walker said as he looked over his athletes shoulder.

“Last year they were all smaller than me and I have nothing against taller girls, as long as they aren't in my weight class.”

“Give it a try, Tiny,” Coach Lightfoot continued to tease. “The larger the girl, the more there is to love.”

“Two-thirty,” Coach Walker didn't sound pleased. “Tiny, I thought I would never say this to you in a million years, but you're getting too small. Look at you, you hardly have an ounce of fat on you and there is no way you're going to drop another ten pounds and wrestle at two-twenty. If you don't quit this workout kick you're on, they're going to disqualify you.”

Tony hung his head, though he didn't know what he had to feel ashamed of.

“Stop working out,” Coach Walker said strongly. “And this time I mean it. I don't want you going for runs, or jogs, or weightlifting or anything else that would make you break a sweat. That includes rolling around with Carl or practicing your shots. I don't even want you walking to the mailbox to get the mail. In a few weeks you'll get your body fat comp tested and then you can pick up where you left off. Until then, watch some television and drink some milkshakes for Pete sakes.”

Antonio let out a heavy sigh. “Okay coach. No working out until I get my body fat tested. In my defense, it's nice to be able to see my abs.”

Coach Walker laughed. “You're doing good, Tiny. I'm proud of what you accomplished this summer and don't think that I'm not. Ever since those three wrestlers died from cutting weight, the county has put a tight leash on us about this body fat thing. It's not your fault, but remember, sometimes going hard means you go lighter, or not at all. After all the work you put in this summer, you deserve a little break before season anyway.”

“I suppose I do.” Antonio started getting dressed again.

“Do you know what you're having at this girl's house for
dinner?”

“Steak and potatoes,” Tony said with a smile.

“If they let you, have an extra portion of steak. Protein never hurt anyone anyway. Now, get out of here, and walk slowly for God's sake.”

Antonio cleared his throat.

“Sorry, I forgot. For Pete's sake.”

“Thanks Coach. I'll see you next Friday; maybe I'll put on five pounds.”

“Do your best,” Coach Walker said and then held the door to the office open so his athlete could leave.

Instead of cutting down the grass embankment and making it to the parking lot, Tony took the long way around and followed the concrete walkway. He figured there was no reason to risk getting stains on his slacks or scuffing his loafers. It took a few seconds longer than the usual short cut and that didn't bother him much. By the time he made it to the parking lot, it was empty, which wasn't unusual for a Friday. Since there was a game that night, not even the football players bothered to hang around. Off in the distance he saw his Firebird and that the window was down.

“Hey you,” Courtney said as Antonio settled into the seat. “I was beginning to worry about you.”

“I was being chewed out by the coach,” Tony said as he fired the car up.

“Why would the coach be mad at you?”

“For having a six pack,” Tony said solemnly.

Courtney's mouth dropped wide open. “You brought beer to school?”

Tony couldn't help but laugh. “Not that kind of six pack,” he said. “Ab muscles.”

“Your coach is mad because you have ab muscles. Don't we all have them?”

“Some more prominent than others. Coach thinks that I don't have enough body fat and we get checked. If your body fat is too low, they make you wrestle at the next highest weight class.”

“But I thought you were a heavyweight?”

“Exactly. If my body fat is too low, I'll be disqualified for the season and then I can kiss my chance at a scholarship goodbye.”