The sharp brrring of the bell sounded, which meant that our lunch was over and that we needed to head to our next class. As I was walking towards my next class I heard my name being called, I knew that voice, it was the principal. I turned around to make sure that it was him and sure enough, it was. So I started running as fast as I could all I heard in that moment was my shoes hitting the floor. Unfortunately, I didn't see that there were cops as well and they were chasing after me. I got caught and the cops took me to the principal's office. He apparently heard from someone that I was drinking on school grounds (which was true). I denied it, but he didn't believe me because apparently someone like me can't be trusted according to my history of constantly getting into trouble.
“If you are telling the truth, about not drinking then you wouldn't mind taking a breathalyzer test?” He questioned. I looked at him like he was crazy, I wanted to run out of there but I knew that I couldn't because one: either way out I would get more time on my probation. Two: I would get tasered. Three: I had a kid. Four: I got another chick pregnant and I couldn't help her out if I was in juvie. Lastly five: both cops were guarding the door.
“You can't force me to take it,” I said.
He looked at me and said “I know that you want to be on the baseball team and I can make that happen, but if you don't want to take it then you’re right, I can't force you to take it. But I can suspend you and make sure you don't play baseball for as long as you go to this school.” As you can tell my principal is a jerk. So I took it. Lucky me it came out as 0.0 so the test didn't read the alcohol content in my system.
The principal looked at me like he thought I did something to the test, but he let me go. I left the school because I couldn't bare to stay there a second longer because I was getting very  angry. So I ran to my car and started punching the hood of it. I started to drive home. When I got a call from my therapist.
“Don't forget you have an appointment today.” He said.
“I'm not going.” I said curtly.
“Why not, what happened?”
“I don't want to talk about it just know that I'm not going in today.”
“Well, if you change your mind, then feel free to stop by.” He said sincerely.
I continued driving home. When I got there I ran to my room throwing my bag to the other side of my room, threw on my boxing gloves and started to punch my punching bag.

I got to school  and the principal called me up to his office once again.
“I told you that if you took the test that I would put you on the baseball team, and I keep my word. So I got you on the team.”
“Wait, what! Are you being serious right now?”
“Of course look there's your uniform and right behind you is your coach. I know that you love baseball and you want to get a scholarship to college for baseball. I'm hoping that your dreams are still the same.” He said with a smile.
I looked to my right and before me laid a white with blue and gold threaded uniform. I stared in astonishment, and I looked behind me and there stood my coach. He was muscular, looked like he was in his 30’s and was quite young looking.
“Hello Ryan, my name is Coach Brian. Welcome to the team son, make me proud.” He said with a smile spread across his face, his voice was rough but at the same time sweet.
“Of course coach, I wouldn't dream of bringing you or the team down. You won't regret this I will bring glory to the school's name.”  I said with a smile.
“Well then suit up, boy you got a game to win.”
“Yes, sir!”

We got to the baseball field at Maspeth High. We were defense for the beginning of the game everything was  going good until we striked out a player on the opposing team. He got really aggressive and started screaming and shoving my teammate. I got really mad and got in the middle of it. I started to shove him when he swung at me. Then I got really mad.
I screamed in his face “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!?!”
He said “Your little friend there is what's wrong with me, he thinks he's all tough and what not but when he decides to strike me out. That crosses the line!”
Then I said, “ It's not his fault that he struck you out, that's your fault. You can't really blame anyone for the lack of talent and sportsmanship that you have when you play baseball. That's your fault for picking to play a sport and a fight that you cant succeed in.”
He then swung at me again, I swung at him and soon enough blood was spilling from his face. And my knuckles looked just like his face, black as the night sky and blue as the ocean tide. Soon enough cops were all over me and pulled me off of him. They then arrested me and threw me into the cop car. I got to juvie and then I saw my coach he then bailed me out.
He turned to me and said “You stood up for your teammate, if that's not sportsmanship then I don't know what is.”

We got to my coach's house and he made me food. He looked at my with sincerity and I felt like he knew me not the tough Ryan most people know. No the real Ryan the one that cares about others.
“Look no matter what happens you are still on the team, I might not get where you're coming from but I want to be here for you. If you let me, I will take care of you.”
“I would like that a lot and if you gave me another chance I'll stop getting into trouble.”
“I don't care what you do, I don't care where you go, I don't care who you're with, I don't care what you want to do with your future. As long as you're happy, and safe I'll know that I did okay.”
“I would enjoy that and also if you let me be the real me I would appreciate that.”
We continued talking about our likes and dislikes for the rest of the day.

I finished my high school year, through all of those years I stayed with my coach, he took care of me and he understood me. I played baseball in and out of school. I guess you could say that's where my story ends but that's far from it.
I was supposed to graduate in five days. I had all of my classes and everything I needed to go to college. I had tried on my cap and gown it fit perfectly I had raised two kids in the process one which is now four years old and the other is three. They both have grown up with me by their side. I haven't gotten into trouble for a long time.
I was valedictorian of my class, I had straight A’s which is quite an accomplishment because Freshman year I had D’s and C’s.
I was proud of myself I was a teen dad, graduated with honors, got accepted to many colleges when they heard my story.
Three days went by and now my graduation is in two days. I’m looking back on all the memories I had here walking down the corridors looking back on all the good and bad. Saying goodbye to my teachers for the last time, walking out of my class on the last day of school, saying goodbye to all my friends because I knew that I might not see them again. The last bell ringing, walking to the principal's office to remember  all the times in there. Walking to my car, when I get home I say goodbye to my Coach.
Today is the day of graduation, putting on my baseball uniform knowing that this is the last time I will be in this uniform. My team is down my 3 points with only 16 minutes left in the game.
“The seniors on this team only have 16 minutes left in this uniform, 16 minutes left at this school, 16 minutes left to be an Argonaut. Make our school proud and have the incoming students have a legacy.” Coach says as he's looking at us.
We run out and we take lead and in the end the score is 21-17. I take off my uniform and put on my cap and gown. Go out to see my friends for the final time before we walk on the stage to become high school graduates.
I walk out to give my speech, my final goodbye. Then out comes my coach with my uniform and people following behind him.
“We are proud to announce Ryan Lopez as MVP of the baseball team, and extremely proud to announce that he has a full ride baseball scholarship to any school he wants to go to.” He says.
I walk off the stage with a smile knowing that not only have I made myself proud, but I have made my Coach, friends, kids, and hopefully my parents whom are looking down on me proud.  I leave the auditorium with scholarship, diploma, uniform,  and cap in hand. I start walking to my car when I hear a cop siren blaring, see the red and blue lights flashing, and when I turn around I see a cop.
“You're under arrest.” The cop says
I try to call my Coach but he didn't hear me. I was put into a cop car. When they realized that they had the wrong person they let me go so I started back towards my car. They left. After they left I heard a gunshot, then I looked at my arm then I heard another and I felt something cold, something sticky, looked down at my shirt and realized I was bleeding out. I looked up at the sky it was turning black everything was getting dizzy.
Then my Coach ran out and screamed “SOMEBODY CALL 911!”
My vision was getting blurry, I was getting dizzer. And then everything went black…
The End….
Or Is It?
The Renegade