Everyday People by Jennifer Baker

Author:Jennifer Baker
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Atria Books

nouveau et ancien

The wrestling team has a 100 percent acceptance policy, and because Jackson is human, he qualifies for a spot on the junior varsity team. He is sixteen, and after four months of working out and practicing, his body is strong and firm. He is no longer tall for his age, and has evened into a healthy six feet no inches. He is taller than Daddy, who is only five-ten, but Daddy is stronger than him, though not by a lot. Jackson works out every day after school for two hours. Working out is lifting weights and running laps, trying to put weight on and turn it into lean muscle. His arms are muscular and taut, his stomach is even, and he can see the beginning of muscles peeking through the skin. He is not a good wrestler, but he likes the long bus rides to wrestling meets. He likes getting to see the river slide under the bridges; he likes the way the light in the trees spills into the quiet of the long rows of pine and oak that line the roads. He likes stepping off the bus into new places. At each school, he strips down and lets them weigh him. He then stands around listening to the sounds of bodies thumping mats and shouts ripping through the air in terse barks of command.

He wrestles at the 165 class. He handles his weight okay, but the other boys are faster and stronger than he is; their hearts are in it. He would rather be somewhere watching the sun track across the tops of buildings or reading. He writes in energetic bursts on the backs of napkins from fast-food restaurants when he gets spare moments. These he crams into the side of his backpack. The other boys don’t write. They stand with their hands on their hips, staring under their eyes at their opponents across the gym and chewing thick wads of gum to limber up their mouths. They are dark-skinned and curly-haired.

There is a pair of Italian brothers with English last names from their daddy’s side, Southern through and through. Their names bring cheers. They are known throughout the state. They are gifted athletes, and watching them is thrilling. The older one, Justin, has English with Jackson. He sits in the back with his head down. He has diabetes, and has a wire sticking from under his shirt. His arms are thick, his body tight, and everywhere there is muscle, no fat. He walks with a shuffle-footed swagger, smelling like sweat and something like cinnamon. His body makes Jackson’s hands itch. He has warm skin. He is always pulling Jackson into a headlock and farting in his face when he walks by. Justin is loud and eager for a fight.

The younger one is Heath, and his hair is very dark and shorter than Justin’s, but curly. His body is not as heavy as his brother’s, but he moves with the same shuffle-footed walk. He is shy and picks at his shirt when he talks.

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