"Are you serious!?" I was majorly pissed off now, how could coach do this to me!?

"Now son..." Coach put his hand on my shoulder but I shrugged it off angrily, I was not in the mood to be comforted.

"Don't touch me!" I grabbed my helmet and sprinted angrily onto the field, I just wanted to play the damn game.

"Link you alright?" I snarled angrily at whoever spoke to me and by the use of my nickname I assumed it was probably one of my best friends, they should be the ones who got it the most. "Link?" I felt someone's hand rest on my shoulder and I turned sharply to see my two best friends looking back at me : Rory and Ezra.

"What did coach want?" Rory asked me and I sighed, I was an eighteen year old male, the most popular guy at Eleanor Roosevelt High and yet I couldn't tell them what Coach just told me. "Nothing he's just ragging on me about my scores and colleges, the usual stuff. Now can we practice?"

They exchanged a glance, I hated when they had that look, the one where Lincoln Valentine was going to have a hissy fit and we better get ready to hold him down.

"Fine" I watched them put on their helmets as I followed suit, I couldn't lose the respect of my team.

Not after last year.

The practice was as crappy as I expected. No one listened or they gave me looks that seemed to second guess my every idea and I couldn't stand it. I was the captain and I was supposed to be respected and at the very least listened to.

At the end of practice coach tried to get me to talk to him but I wouldn't . He'd have to try much harder for me to even glance at him after his stupid suggestion.

Bloody idiot.

I walking into the schools deserted parking lot and climbed into my car, a white Holden which I got for my birthday last year, to be fair I paid for half but still the rest of the funds were the gift. When I got in I my my head against the back of the seat and groaned in frustration.

"Ballet lessons?" The coach wanted me to take ballet lessons down at the Spencer Dance studio which wasn't far from school and the girls that took dance used that space which is probably Coach is making me go there. Apparently Coach had read some stupid article about how ballet can help football players with balance and movement but I called bullshit.

I couldn't think of anyway to get out this.

I started the car and made my way home, I'm pretty sure I had plans tonight but I couldn't be bothered fulfilling them. I thought maybe I could blow off all these ballet lessons but whoever I was being taught by would probably be some strict old lady or some goody two shoes and I'd never get away with it.

It didn't take long for me to be in front of my house and I was still fuming when I walked inside. "Lincoln?"
"Yeah Ma?" I called into the house but nobody came and I assumed mum was out the back.

"Ma?"

I walked into the back room where my mother sat watching Tv, my little sister Katie slept next to her. "Hi sweetheart" I kissed her on the cheek as I sat beside her "Lincoln what's the matter?" She asked and I realised I probably was still donning my scowl.

"That stupid coach is making me take ballet lessons just because I messed up and it was last season for Christs sake"I huffed angrily and sunk lower into the couch. "Hmm..." my mother was always a silent type and never spoke unless she thought something completely through and would never offer me advice until she was certain.

It didn't take her long until she decided on her argument.

"I think you should." She started slowly and I turned sharply to her "what! Ma are you-" she held up a finger to silence me. "Yes Lincoln I think you should, appease your Coach and then you'll be finished and I won't tell anyone, neither will your Coach and I don't think you'll be telling Rory or Ezra anytime soon so who's to know?" I had never though of it that way and I supposed if no one needed to know.

"No one will find out from me Lincoln" she assured me and I nodded. The Valentines were good at keeping our secrets because we were like magicians: keep the facade , keep the secret or it breaks the illusion.

Especially when we had so much to hide

---

Well well a new story for your general amusement and this one will be a bit cliche and a bit not so because if you've read Howler or Spotlight you know I like to add a plot twist in somewhere or some very distinguishable feature.

L xx