Who Cares Who Wins? (boyxboy)

Chapter 5. Cannon Fodder.

Clifton's POV.

After having lunch with Xander I headed towards the changing rooms, following the little map that he had drawn for me.

I wasn't sure what reception I would be given in the wake of my face off and bad words with Trevor after our first lesson, but I wasn't particularly bothered either. I had met boys of his type before. Allow them to bully you once and they will have you under their thumb before you know it. Bullies don't like confrontation. It's like making the sign of a cross to a vampire. Scares them shitless and I was confident that's how I had left Trevor.

I allowed myself a wry smile as I was quietly pleased with myself that Xander was reacting to my charm offensive in a positive way.

At first it was only because I was sharing a room with him that I was bothering to befriend him. After talking to him at lunchtime I found we had much more in common than I had realised. Anyway, I hated being on bad terms with anyone for no reason at all. Sharing personal space with someone you didn't get on with was no fun at all.

I had sensed already that he was being victimised because he was different and he certainly didn't conform to the public schoolboy image that one usually expected. He definitely stood out.

The fact that he was of mixed race didn't come into the equation at all. I'm not racist, and I didn't want to be accused of being one either, so if we didn't get on it would be because I just didn't like him.

I was no stranger to bullies. At my old school, one of the boys in the main dormitory was very much like Trevor. The thing was he was extremely bright and he knew it. He had a circle of friends that were similar to him and anyone not deemed to be as intelligent as them were ridiculed and verbally bullied. No violence was used, they just used the power of words to belittle and humiliate others.

They were bright, and not stupid, so having any physical altercation with a member of the rugby team was never likely to happen. They saw us as retards, all brawn and no brain, and we were very much excluded from any of the social gatherings and functions that they organised.

They were all entitled little brats from hereditary wealthy families and wanted for nothing. They looked down on the few of us from new moneyed families and took real pleasure in reminding us of their social standing.

Xander would not have fitted in there either, regardless of how intelligent he might be. It would be purely because of his colour.

As soon as I walked into the raucous changing room the noise immediately abated as everyone turned to look at me.

"Well lookee here!" Exclaimed Trevor, as he stood up to face me. "The poof lover has decided he does want to be part of our team after all. A bit late aren't you? We're all changed and ready to play."

I ignored him and walked over to an empty bench to get changed.

"Been having a quick shag with Alice, have you?" He called after me. A gale of laughter rang out from the other boys, cutting the tension that had quickly formed.

"Right! My pretty little Ladies!" Dickie bellowed as he strode purposefully into the changing room. "Outside now and start warming up.... Nice of you to join us Mr Stuart. You're late. I hate tardiness and when my class starts I expect every boy to be changed and ready at the allotted time. Be late again and you will be doing extra training for an hour.... Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes Sir!" I shouted back at him as I pulled my rugby kit out of my bag. "Pity you didn't see fit to advise me of your rules before now or get one of the other team members to enlighten me. Great way to make someone feel welcome."