"Who's the only person you've pissed off in the past few days?" Spencer shook his head in disgust. "I can't believe that asshole would do something like this."
"Killian?" Kam didn't want to think badly of the guy, but he was the only one on the team that didn't seem to like him. And the condition his room was in was too much to be considered a little fun hazing. "You think he'd do something like this?" Kam motioned toward his messy room. "It's a bit extreme don't you think?"
"The guy's a jerk, Kam. He was one before you even arrived, and now he's worse because you are here." Spencer ran a hand through his light brown hair. "I say we call campus security and report this."
"Yeah, okay." Kam pulled his phone from his pocket and made the call.
After that call, he phoned his dad down at the police station. Caleb was shocked and angry. He came over right away. There really wasn't much they could do. It was a dormitory after all and nothing had been stolen. Kam filed a report and told them of his suspicions, but they couldn't prove it and Kam really didn't want to make a big deal of it. He got it. Killian didn't like him and feared for his position on the team. Kam, being the nice guy that he was, didn't want to make the guy anymore miserable.
Spencer helped him pick up his room, and his dad stayed behind when Kam had to get to practice to finish cleaning up. His other dad, Seth, was on his way over with a new TV and mirror for the bathroom.
"You okay, man?" Spencer asked as they walked together toward the indoor practice facility.
"Yeah, just mad." Kam pulled the hood to his sweater down farther over his eyes. "I mean if it was Killian, that's just fucked up. I get that he's upset that I'm here, but if he's a good player they won't pull him out of the lineup. I can't take his positon if he's better at it than me."
"But that's just it, Kam." Spencer held the door open when they reached the building. "He's good but not as good as you. We all know it. He's been struggling at the plate since last season, and from what I've seen at practice it hasn't gotten any better."
"I get that, but it's still pretty shitty." Kam tossed his bag in his locker. "I'm just here to play ball not make enemies."
"I know, Kam." Spencer gave him a one-armed hug. "The rest of the guys like you and with you on the team we stand a better chance of making it to the College World Series."
"Thanks, Spence." Kam patted him on the pack.
"Ah, look at the two queers," Killian sang out nice and loud. "Should have known you were a dick smoker, Kemp."
Kam jerked around ready to punch that asshole in the face, but Spencer grabbed his shirt and pulled him back. Killian ignorance pissed him off more than his room being trashed. Kam knew way to many gay people to not be offended by Killian's words. It was people like that who poisoned the world.
"Don't let him get to you," Spencer whispered close to Kam's ear.
"Hey, dipshit, it's Kline-Kemp. Get it right." Kam smiled over at Killian. "And besides, I'd rather be a dick smoker than a fucking pussy."
The locker room filled with laughter. Killian's nose flared and his face turned a bright red as he glared at Kam. His fists were balled up, and he took a menacing step toward Kam.
"On the field in three minutes, ladies." Henson stepped out of his office and stared right at Killian.
Killian looked from Henson, then back to Kam. Kam just smiled and waved once the other man realized there was nothing he could do.
"Kline-Kemp, get dressed. Then get your ass out on the field." Henson didn't even bother to look at Kam as he walked past him back to his office.
Kam quickly changed, then headed out to the indoor practice field. It was an Astroturf field they shared with the football team. It was large and perfect to use when the weather was bad. It was the same field they'd be using during the winter.
Coach Johnson ran through some drills with all the infielders. Kam was taking turns with Killian. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife, it was so thick. Killian did not like him, and the feeling was mutual. There was no doubt in his mind that Killian trashed his room, but Kam couldn't prove it.
"Let's do some batting practice." Coach Johnson pulled in a few of the outfielders to hit some balls. "Fletcher, you're out. Kline-Kemp you're in."
Kam hustled out to his positon and was down and ready when the ball was hit. This went on for a good half hour. Not once did Johnson pull him from the positon. He could see Killian standing off to the side foaming at the mouth he was so pissed.
A ball, hit foul, neared the third base line. Coach said not to worry about it, so Kam got down and ready for the next hit. The batter hit a hard ground ball between second and shortstop. Kam ran toward the ball, but before he could reach it, something hard hit him right in the head. It hit him with so much force he fell to his knees, but he still stopped the ground ball from getting past him.
"Killian, you asshole!" Kam heard Spencer shout. Spencer rushed at Killian but Coach Johnson stepped between them, holding Spencer back.
Kam moved to sit on his ass to catch his breath. The ball hit him right on the side of the head, hard. Lights flashed before his eyes, but nothing too serious. Kam was a shifter and really didn't have to worry too much about lasting damage to his head, but he had to play the part as if it might. Already his vision had cleared up, but it still stung like a bitch.
"What the hell is going on here?" Henson came running toward Kam. "You okay?"
Henson rubbed at the side of Kam's head with his large, warm hand, and Kam nodded.
"Look at me." Kam slowly turned his face up to meet Henson's eyes. "You sure you're okay?"
"Yes, sir." Kam gave him a small smile. "It'll take more than that to hurt me."
Henson's hand lingered on his cheek, and Kam found himself leaning into his strong touch. An all-encompassing warmth surrounded Kam, and he wanted nothing more than to have Henson wrap his arms around him, but that so wasn't going to happen out here in front of the other players and coaching staff. Henson gave him a small smile, then just like that his eyes hardened and the only way Kam could explain what he saw in the older man's blue eyes was pure rage.
"Fletcher, what in the hell did you think you were doing?" Henson jumped to his feet, walked toward Killian and stood close enough to glare down at him. "Did you think that was funny? Did you think hurting your teammate would score you brownie points with me? Huh?" Henson shouted.
"No, Coach." Killian stammered. "It was an accident."
"Accident my ass." Henson waved his hand indicating to all the players to move in close. "Listen up, guys. I only want to say this once. If I have to repeat myself"-Henson looked at Killian-"you'll be riding the bench all next season. We are a team. No one person is more important than the other. If we want to win, we need to work together, be a family. You need to be able to trust each other on and off the field. Treating each other like shit won't accomplish that."
Henson let his gaze drift from one face to the next. "In my opinion, you boys have what it takes to win it all this next season but only if you work together. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir," the entire team answered together.
"Good, now let's call it a night." Henson turned his stare onto Kam. "Kline-Kemp, let's get you checked out."
Kam didn't argue when Henson took him by the arm and led him off the field. Henson took him to be looked at by one of the trainers.
"I know you don't need to, but we have to keep up appearances now, don't we," Henson whispered next to Kam's ear, then stood. "Come find me when you're done here. We have some things to discuss."
Kam lay back on the padded table and stared up at the ceiling. The ache in his head had gone away, but a new pain started to make itself known. Kam reached down and rearranged his dick. The hard cup he had on wasn't allowing his cock to straighten out completely.
It had been a long day. First he has a run in with Henson while he was openly flirting with a woman just to annoy him, then his room gets trashed, and to top it off he gets beamed in the head with a fucking ball by a pissed off teammate. Could his day get any worse?
Chapter Eight
It took all PJ's self-control not to beat the shit out of Killian Fletcher. The kid made it abundantly clear he didn't like Kam from the moment he heard that Kam would be joining the team. Both men played the same position, and PJ knew it wasn't going to be a hard decision to decide who would be the starting shortstop. PJ wasn't playing favorites-Kam was the better player-and after today's stunt Killian was lucky to still be on the team.