Michael Griffo - Unwelcome

Nakano felt Michael’s grip around his ankle tighten and in the next second he was being hurled sideways with such force that when the back of his head hit the bottom of the pool, he thought he was going to black out. This wasn’t just a game; this was a fight and one that Nakano was losing.

Michael couldn’t believe he was winning; he really had the upper hand. After all those years being bullied, being afraid and weak, he was finally the stronger one, the one with the power, the one who could push people around, and he was happy to admit that it felt good. At least for a while anyway.

The third time Nakano kicked his leg, he was able to break free from Michael’s hold and when he did, the force of the movement made Michael stumble back a bit and lose his footing, his arms rotating furiously to create two little whirlpools on either side of him. He placed his foot on the bottom of the pool to regain control and was about to push off to hurl his body into Nakano’s, but what he saw made him stop. Nakano had decided to change the rules and not fight like two teenagers. He wanted to fight like what they were, two vampires who didn’t particularly like each other.

Fangs hanging over his lips, eyes black as hate, Nakano lunged forward, and before Michael could swim out of the way, he felt two powerful hands around his neck. Immediately he was hurtled back in time, back to that other place that had caused him so much pain, back to being the victim, and he felt his body and spirit grow weak. He saw foul things in Nakano’s eyes, things he didn’t ever want to see again, things he didn’t think a person would willingly latch on to, and he knew a bit too late that even though he had more power than he ever had in his life, there were still people, things, more powerful than he.

Somewhere in the distance he heard screaming voices, chanting, gruff and persistent. He wanted to hold on to those voices, use them to pull him up and out and away from this fiend who was attempting to kill him, attempting to finish what he had foolishly started, before it was too late. He felt Nakano’s thumbs press harder onto his throat, push into his larynx, and he felt pain. He was a vampire. He wasn’t supposed to feel physical pain, he wasn’t supposed to be able to die—or could he? He had no idea; he wasn’t sure of anything anymore except that he had to fight back and he had to fight back now.

He managed to wedge some fingers in between his throat and Kano’s thumbs and instantly the pain was relieved; it wasn’t gone, but it gave Michael a chance to regroup and regain his strength. Pushing upward, Michael was able to lift himself so both he and Kano were now vertical instead of horizontal. He looked right into the eyes of his opponent, the black lifeless eyes, and he saw his image. It was clear and strong and it wasn’t alone. Ronan was right beside him.

Underwater, Michael turned his head to the left and then the right, but Ronan was nowhere to be found, except he was everywhere. “Use me, Michael,” he heard Ronan tell him. “My power is within you.” He then realized the image wasn’t literal, Ronan wasn’t physically present but a part of him, emotionally and spiritually. It was all the strength he needed. Using the force that Nakano was exerting to work against him, Michael released his grip just slightly so Kano, caught off guard, perched forward, giving Michael the mere second he needed to swing both his legs up and push them into Kano’s stomach. Michael didn’t wait to see where Nakano landed, he sprang up out of the water and let the air race back into his body. It was over. His first fight was over and he had won. Yes, he had some help, but he still won and that’s all that mattered. Nakano, however, was not ready to concede defeat.

Climbing the ladder, Michael was about to step onto the gym floor when he felt a hand grab at his bathing suit and toss him back into the pool. He was so startled that he didn’t hear Blakeley’s whistle blow or the splash he made when he jumped into the pool to prevent Nakano from coming after Michael. It was due either to exhaustion or to fear of retaliation that Kano didn’t fight back against Blakeley. He still wanted to teach Michael a lesson, but he knew if he let himself go and used his full strength against his teacher, he would suffer the consequences at the hands of Brania and the others. He was furious, but he was trying not to be stupid.

“I turn my back for one second and this is what happens!” Blakeley shouted. “You act like a bloody animal!”

Just as Michael emerged from the water, he saw Nakano pointing a finger at him. “He started it!”

The American? Blakeley found that hard to believe, it wasn’t like him; he was, oh, what was the right word? Bookish, refined, whatever the word, he wasn’t a bully and he didn’t pick fights. Nakano on the other hand did. “Apologize.”

Nakano was dumbfounded. “What?!”

It was Blakeley’s turn to point a finger. “You know the rules in my pool! You start a row, you apologize.”

“I told you I didn’t start it!”

“Tell it to somebody who bloody well cares! Apologize right now or you’re off the team!”

Glaring at Michael, Nakano wasn’t able to conceal his hatred. It could be felt and Michael knew there was no way Nakano was going to apologize, so he had to make a choice: He could let Blakeley continue to think Nakano was the initiator or he could admit the truth. It was an easier decision than he thought. “I started the fight.”

Oh, how Blakeley hated to be contradicted. “What?!”

“I’m sorry,” Michael said. “It was me, I started it.” Michael couldn’t see Ronan, but he knew he was proud. “Nakano, I . . . I’m sorry.”

That isn’t good enough, Nakano thought. “What about you?” he asked Coach Blakeley.

The gym teacher wasn’t sure he heard Nakano correctly, so he thought he’d give him a chance to rephrase his question. “Would you mind repeatin’ that?”

I don’t need this anymore, Nakano thought. It’s like I always suspected; they’re all jealous and I am way too good and way too mature for this. “You know something? I quit! I’m done playing with the boys!”

First everyone was speechless and then Fritz broke the silence the only way he knew how, with his trademark laugh. Nakano had barely fled for the locker room before, one by one, the rest of the students joined in and the gym was filled with laughter instead of shouting. Blakeley made a feeble attempt to quiet everyone down, but even he knew it was pointless, the students needed this release after such a tense situation, so being more practical than professional, he joined in. And when the laughter finally subsided, he announced the new revised team rosters. “Ciaran!” Blakeley shouted. “You’re taking Nakano’s place on Team A.” Ciaran tried to act indifferent but wasn’t entirely successful, gladly accepting the whoops of congratulations from his friends, and when Ronan grabbed him by the shoulder, he didn’t pull away.

“Welcome to the big time, brother,” Ronan said.

“Thank you,” Ciaran said. “Or I guess I should really thank Michael.”

Michael wasn’t at all sure that he deserved thanks. In fact, at the moment he wasn’t sure what he deserved. Blakeley was sure of one thing, though; he needed another swimmer. He studied his clipboard and then cried out, “Bhattacharjee!”

A slight Indian boy with a thick mop of black hair and reddish skin the color of sun-faded brick stepped forward from the crowd. “Yes, coach?”

“Amir Bhattacharjee, you’re the newest member of Team B,” he announced. “This is your chance to make something of yourself. Don’t screw it up!”

The cheering continued, and since he and Ronan were of different species, Amir thought it was safe to whisper to himself, but he was wrong. Ronan heard his words as clearly as if they were shouted. “Don’t worry, Nakano, I’ll make our people proud.” Ronan didn’t make the same mistake and silently remarked to himself, Oh, well, one vamp out, another vamp in.