The Bad Boy's Redemption. Joss Wood

‘It’s really not a good time, Will.’

      ‘It’s a very good time,.’ Will replied, laughter in his voice. ‘Tell the kid that his posse has arrived.’

      ‘What?’

      ‘Look in your review mirror, Mermaid.’

      Lu slid a glance to her mirror and laughter bubbled up in her throat. Walking down the pavement, dressed in their Rays training uniforms, looking as intimidating as all hell, were Jabu, Matt and three other prominent Rays players. Will and Kelby walked behind them. Will had his mobile in his hand.

      Lu swallowed down her emotion and turned to Deon, her face alight with excitement. ‘OK, Deon, this is a mega big day for you.’ She winked at Mak, who’d just caught sight of the players now coming to a stop outside her car. His jaw fell to his lap. Lu reached over and lifted Deon’s chin. ‘I know this is scary, but some special people thought that you might need someone to see you into school. Say hello to my friend Jabu.’

      Jabu ducked his head inside the car and as long as she lived Lu knew she would never forget the look on the little boy’s face when he saw his biggest sporting hero. The back door flew open and Deon tumbled into Jabu’s enormous arms. Jabu held him with ease and calmly ignored his shaking as he introduced him to the rest of his team mates.

      Lu looked at Mak, whose Adam’s apple was bobbing with restrained emotion. ‘Did you know about this?’ he demanded.

      Lu shook her head and sniffed. ‘Not a damn thing. Will must have organised it.’

      Mak pressed the heels of his hands against his eyes. ‘I’m really liking this guy, Lu.’

      Will looked at the commotion they were causing and grinned. He’d forgotten the enthusiasm kids could display—that wide eyed excitement. He’d felt exactly the same when he’d met his sporting heroes as a kid.

      Then Will looked at Lu’s face as she climbed out of her car and grinned at the emotions crossing it. Wonder, amazement, joy. Yeah, this was so worth organising.

      Kelby jammed him in the ribs. ‘Take that goofy look off your face, Scott. You look like a sap.’

      ‘I don’t do goofy,’ Will said through gritted teeth.

      ‘Well, you sure as hell are doing something!’ Kelby grinned as they stood a little way off from the rest of the team. ‘So what prompted this, mate? I mean, I’m not complaining...’ he gestured to a couple of sports photographers who were walking across the road towards them ‘...it’s great publicity. But it’s way out of your scope as caretaker coach.’

      ‘Uh...’ Will tugged at the collar of his shirt.

      ‘Could it have anything to do with the fact that you are doing my press photographer, who obviously has a very special relationship with this kid?’

      Will shuffled on his feet. ‘I’m not sleeping with her; we’re just friends, Kelby.’

      Kelby roared with laughter and slapped Will on the back. ‘Yeah, right! You’ve never done anything like this before.’

      Will gritted his teeth. ‘Kelby, we’re friends...like you suggested. That’s it.’

      Kelby’s laughter faded, surprise dominated and he shook his head. ‘Oh, my poor, confused young friend!’ He grinned again and slapped Will between his shoulderblades. Again. ‘You, dude, are ass-deep in woman trouble. I love it!’

      Will was thinking about punching him when he felt Lu’s approach. He looked around when a small hand rested on his bicep.

      ‘You arranged this, didn’t you?’ Lu asked, tears in her eyes.

      God, he did one nice thing and everyone got soppy!

      ‘Jabu and I had a chat about it. He was bullied at school so he knows what it’s like. The Rays also promote anti-bullying on their website,’ Will replied.

      ‘Thank you. I’m overwhelmed.’

      ‘No worries. It was easy enough to do,’ Will said. He caught Mak’s eye and shook his hand, brushed off his gratitude.

      It seemed as if a good portion of the school’s pupils were gathered around them when Jabu raised his hand and the crowd quietened. ‘OK—any rugby boys here?’

      Hands shot up into the air. ‘Who is your favourite team?’

      ‘Rays! Rays! Rays!’

      The Rays players smiled and after a minute Jabu lifted his hand again. ‘This is Deon. He’s a new boy here today and he’s our number one fan. We need our fans’ support, and sometimes our fans need our support. Deon needs our support today because it’s not easy walking into a new school. So, while we might not be here every minute of every day, we’re going to be looking out for him. And for when we’re not here we’re appointing our own boys to make sure he finds his way around OK.’

      Jabu bent down and had a quick discussion with Deon.

      ‘Eleven-year-old rugby players, step forward!’ he bellowed, and a number of boys belted out of the crowd to stand eagerly in front of Jabu and the rest of the huge players. ‘You show Deon the ropes and we’ll arrange that your team gets to train with us, at our field, once a month for the next three months. Deal?’

      ‘Deal!’ The piping voices bounced back.

      Lu lifted her hand to her heart and looked up at Will with shining eyes. ‘You’d do that?’

      ‘Apparently Kelby’s been asking Carter to do it as part of a community service programme but he wasn’t prepared to consider it. Old school. The other clubs do it with different schools all the time.’ Will shrugged. ‘It’s for an hour. It’s nothing.’

      ‘It’s everything to the kids,’ Lu said as the bell rang.

      But the children didn’t move. They were too busy jostling for the players’ attention and demanding autographs.

      Will grinned when he saw two boys, obviously St Clare rugby players, standing on either side of Deon to protect him from the crowd. ‘I think our work here is done.’

      A shrill whistle broke their eye contact and kids and adults all froze as a short, round man bustled down the steps, his face red with what Lu knew was fake annoyance.

      ‘What is going on here? Why aren’t you in class?’ Mr Klimt roared, but Will saw his face soften as her eyes swept over Deon and his new bodyguards. He placed his hands on his hips. ‘What are these big men doing here? Who are they?’ he demanded, faking displeasure.

      A collective groan rose from the crowd. One brave soul eventually dared to answer him. ‘Mr Klimt, they are Rays players! Jabu and Matt.’

      ‘Really? I thought they were ballerinas! Mr Johnson? Is that you?’ The crowd fell silent as short Mr Klimt looked up—and up—into Matt’s face.

      ‘Yes, sir.’ Matt over-exaggerated his grimace and some of the kids snorted with suppressed laughter.

      ‘And what are you doing on Friday afternoon, Mr Johnson?’ The principal demanded.

      ‘I don’t believe I’m doing anything, Mr Klimt...sir.’

      ‘Good. If I am not mistaken, I believe you still owe me two hours of detention.’

       SEVEN

      Later that afternoon Lu was in the players’ lounge, working on her laptop, when she heard low, masculine laughter and Will, Jabu, Matt and Kelby walked in. Everyone but the suited Kelby was now dressed in casual clothes, their hair wet from the shower.

      Lu was getting to know their weekly schedule; it was Wednesday, so that meant that after they’d returned to the stadium from St Clare’s they’d spent the morning watching a video analysis of their opposition