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p_r_i_s_c_aTitle: Bullying at school
Character: Jason (OC), Casey Connor
Word Count: 651
Prompt: First words: never again
Finished: 17.01.2023
Note: This story is part of my 'Homeland' universe, where Casey and Zeke are married and have adopted two children. All stories can be read as stand-alone ones.
:::
„Never again! They are such pricks!“
„Jay?“ Frowning, Casey looked up from his book when his son rushed past him, banging his room's door close behind him. „Jason! What's happened?“
He got up from the couch and knocked at the door before opening it only a crack. „What are you doing at home? It's baseball practice this afternoon, isn't it?“
The boy huffed without turning around. „I will never go there again.“
„Okay.“ Casey stepped closer. „Anything you want to talk about?“
„No! That would be a waste of time. Like... Like Baseball. I'm not going to practice anymore.“
That sounded pretty different from what he had told them only some days ago, when he had talked about it, to go into the baseball camp for senior highschool students this summer with excitedly sparkling eyes. „Coach Miller says I have enough talent for it,“ he had said when Casey had dared to remind him that most of the boys there would be about two or three years older than him. „Maybe next year I can already play for the team.“
Slightly worried, Casey hesitated, but when Jason refused to say more, he nodded. „Okay. But you know where to find me, in case you change your mind.“
He turned around to leave the room, but Jason held him back. „Back then, when you went to highschool, dad has told me that the jocks often bullied you because... you were different. How... could you deal with that?“
Inwardly cringing, Casey dropped down onto the desk chair. „Well, it wasn't always fun, but it also taught me to fight for what I want.“ He eyed the boy thoughtfully, who was still staring at the wall in front of him. „So... someone from the team is bullying you?“
Silence for a while. „No! They are okay. At least, I thought they were. But today...“ He sat up, looking at Casey now. Fighting back the tears in his eyes. „ Some senior players bullied a junior at lunchbreak in the cafeteria. They teased him at first, then they started to push him around, threw his comic into the trash can.“ Jason bit his lower lip. „It was pretty mean, he is new at school, and he didn't know that it was their table he sat at.“
Casey pulled his face; some things would never change. „Well, I guess not all the jocks are like that. I remember Stan; he was the quarterback of the Hornets and quite okay. Sometimes he even took my side and stopped the others before it got out of control.“
Jason sighed. „I didn't stop them. I mean, they are the team's best players, and I looked up to them. But now... It all feels so wrong! How can I continue playing Baseball? Maybe, one day, when I am part of the team, will I be like them?“
„Don't worry!“ Casey stepped forward, putting an arm around his son's shoulder. „I know, that would never happen. You would be one of the good guys. The guys who know that being a Baseball star doesn't mean you have to bully others. Like Stan, who always was respected by the others, even by coach Willis, though he never overstepped the lines.“
„So, you think I shouldn't quit Baseball?“
„I think it's never a good idea to make overhasty decisions. You know, dad and I will always back you up, no matter what you do. If you want to play Baseball with all your heart, don't let anything get in your way. But if you decide to crave out a career as a pianist...“
„A pianist?“ Jason burst into laughing. „Oh, God!“
„Whatever!“ Casey grinned. It felt good to hear him laughing again. „So, what do you think? Wanna go to Joey's for a pizza? Guess, we can need something to cheer up the mood.“
Character: Jason (OC), Casey Connor
Word Count: 651
Prompt: First words: never again
Finished: 17.01.2023
Note: This story is part of my 'Homeland' universe, where Casey and Zeke are married and have adopted two children. All stories can be read as stand-alone ones.
:::
„Never again! They are such pricks!“
„Jay?“ Frowning, Casey looked up from his book when his son rushed past him, banging his room's door close behind him. „Jason! What's happened?“
He got up from the couch and knocked at the door before opening it only a crack. „What are you doing at home? It's baseball practice this afternoon, isn't it?“
The boy huffed without turning around. „I will never go there again.“
„Okay.“ Casey stepped closer. „Anything you want to talk about?“
„No! That would be a waste of time. Like... Like Baseball. I'm not going to practice anymore.“
That sounded pretty different from what he had told them only some days ago, when he had talked about it, to go into the baseball camp for senior highschool students this summer with excitedly sparkling eyes. „Coach Miller says I have enough talent for it,“ he had said when Casey had dared to remind him that most of the boys there would be about two or three years older than him. „Maybe next year I can already play for the team.“
Slightly worried, Casey hesitated, but when Jason refused to say more, he nodded. „Okay. But you know where to find me, in case you change your mind.“
He turned around to leave the room, but Jason held him back. „Back then, when you went to highschool, dad has told me that the jocks often bullied you because... you were different. How... could you deal with that?“
Inwardly cringing, Casey dropped down onto the desk chair. „Well, it wasn't always fun, but it also taught me to fight for what I want.“ He eyed the boy thoughtfully, who was still staring at the wall in front of him. „So... someone from the team is bullying you?“
Silence for a while. „No! They are okay. At least, I thought they were. But today...“ He sat up, looking at Casey now. Fighting back the tears in his eyes. „ Some senior players bullied a junior at lunchbreak in the cafeteria. They teased him at first, then they started to push him around, threw his comic into the trash can.“ Jason bit his lower lip. „It was pretty mean, he is new at school, and he didn't know that it was their table he sat at.“
Casey pulled his face; some things would never change. „Well, I guess not all the jocks are like that. I remember Stan; he was the quarterback of the Hornets and quite okay. Sometimes he even took my side and stopped the others before it got out of control.“
Jason sighed. „I didn't stop them. I mean, they are the team's best players, and I looked up to them. But now... It all feels so wrong! How can I continue playing Baseball? Maybe, one day, when I am part of the team, will I be like them?“
„Don't worry!“ Casey stepped forward, putting an arm around his son's shoulder. „I know, that would never happen. You would be one of the good guys. The guys who know that being a Baseball star doesn't mean you have to bully others. Like Stan, who always was respected by the others, even by coach Willis, though he never overstepped the lines.“
„So, you think I shouldn't quit Baseball?“
„I think it's never a good idea to make overhasty decisions. You know, dad and I will always back you up, no matter what you do. If you want to play Baseball with all your heart, don't let anything get in your way. But if you decide to crave out a career as a pianist...“
„A pianist?“ Jason burst into laughing. „Oh, God!“
„Whatever!“ Casey grinned. It felt good to hear him laughing again. „So, what do you think? Wanna go to Joey's for a pizza? Guess, we can need something to cheer up the mood.“