Chapter 14: Part 12

"I CALLED YOU...."I threw a vase at my dad

"It's not what it looks like.... can't talk to you when you like th.."He quickly dodged; the pot I threw at him.

"YOU ALWAYS HAVE EXCUSES!" I Shrieked. "DON'T THINK, I KNOW YOU STILL TALK TO ARDEN." I followed  my dad into the living room. Everyone was out, my mother was about to come back from work.

"You are making a mess; your mother will be back from work soon. Do you really want her to, come back to a messy home?"

"SHE WILL SURVIVE, BUT NOT SURE YOU WILL." I was still throwing things while he dodged. It's like I couldn't stop. All my suppressed, emotions were bubbling to the surface.

I turned around to grab the lamp. Then I blinked then, saw I was on the ground. He had his arms around my wrists.

"Look, I said there is a reason, and I will tell you when you are calmer. We don't want to upset your brother."

"He isn't going to come home. YOU IN NO POSITION TO MAKE DEMANDS............when you been a trash dad." My voice was shaking like a leaf in the wind: towards the end. After I said those words, his face never changed.

"Look honey, will try to be better. Please give me the chance to re-write my wrongs." he mounted on the couch: he sat on the couch, and patted the spot next to him.

I heard the keys turning in the lock. Both of us turned our heads towards the door. It was my mother. The house looked like a tornado hit it. Nothing was in its place, but the couches. I would have thrown them, but they were heavy.

I turned and glared at him. "You explain this to her."

I ran up the stairs, closed the door sat on the floor. What did I do? My mother never called me downstairs.

My guilt  opened the door, and tried to creep into my bed. My pride quickly pulled it out, of my bed and threw it out the room; and my pride started to comfort me.

"He deserved it. He never gave me attention."  I turned off the lights and stormed off to my bed. "But this got his attention for sure."

I don't know when sadness creeped, into my bed last night. I sure felt her presence later, that night.

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A couple of days passed it was uneventful. My dad stayed at a hotel, after our fight. He only came to visit, when my mother was at work. He would spend a lot of time with us at our home. If my mom came back early, he would start packing up to leave.

It's not like she cared, she paid him dust every time, she saw him. What surprised me was, he gave me gifts and tried to start up conversations with me. Sometimes even followed me to the gym to watch me train for Dragon Ball. I just tolerated him, but the was a small part of me that liked having him around.

We never officially apologized or talked about our fight. We both just brushed pasted it.

I follow Mr Fletcher's program like it was my bible. I worked out two times a day. I started at 4 in the morning. There third one form of workout was sparring with people at my Dojo. Not going to lie. I do feel my workouts in the mornings'. I must pull through, a lot of people to impress.

At school Lydia and Tolan stopped, talking to each other at school. She did try to sit with us but he paid her no mind, which I loved. We only spend time at school, because I was training intensely and so was he.  For his first game on Friday; with the seniors. He would normally skip few classes, together and hang out. Tolan did mention to me his grades were dropping, but he wasn't failing , but it did not look the best either.

I posted more pictures of Tolan and I on my IG.I also asked him to do the same. I noticed Tolan unfollowed Lydia, but she followed the both of us. I might lurk on her page time to time.

The days flew bye .It was my boyfriend's first game, with the seniors and my brother's last game at this school.

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Game day finally arrived

" I can't believe,  this is my son's last game in high school. Now he is going to go pro." My dad sounded so excited for my brother's future. I wonder if he also advertises my accomplishments, to my brother. The thought of him being  proud of me like he is of Arden is everything. I tried to catch my thoughts.

Than again it's maybe every child's dream for their father to be proud of them or at least ...I don't know like them.

My father briefly turned his head to me. He was driving so we can go watch the game. It was my mother's idea she notices the tension. Maybe this was a good thing,  since this was his  last night.

I just sat in the car and watched him grin ear to ear. "Did he say, he wants to go pro?"  I questioned my Dad.

"Of course he wants to go pro Jacky and I. Already set aside money for him." He attempted to reassure me in his idea's; something else caught my attention.

"Who is Jacky? "He never looked at me he kept his eyes on the road. " My long-term girlfriend I met in Nevada, when I moved there two years ago." he stated nonchalantly.

"YOU MOVED TO NEVADA." He jerked and the car sieved off the road. He quickly gained control "Hey, don't distract the driver."  He sounded annoyed "You acting like you don't know this ."

"Well dad I am, HOW WAS I suppose to know? If you never respond. When I contact you. The only way I can get your attention is when I throw items at you"

"Bree well you now know. This is your brother's night please let's not fight."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want to upset, your precious son." I crossed my arms and locked my eyes with the road.

"This is your brother's, last game why don't you want to wear his jersey. We can turn back. Back if you want to get it." He suggested  " Plus it would be better than that plain shirt you wearing."

"Look I had the conversation with him. We talked and he does not care. So, you shouldn't care either."  I snapped at him.

"You don't have to be rude." My Dad said

"You didn't have to be absent either. But you did as you pleased."  I snapped on him. He tried to say something, but i turned up the radio. So, it can drown out his voice.

he deserves it, don't cave

He parked the car and passed me money. I looked at him "I don't want to sound ungrateful, but what is this for?"

"My weak attempt at an apology. Plus, I am going to stay an extra day, to hang out with you .... if you want.'' I took a sharp breath, took the money, and got out of the car.

I fast walked away from the car. I pulled out my phone. Shot a text.

Hello answer me. I arrived at the game

I shot a text to Tolan. I followed my dad to the back of the car "I'm glad we get to spend time together dad. Regardless of all the mean stuff I said to you." I said to my dad.

"Oh yeah honey." He weaved his hand dismissively, as he went to the back of the car.

I turned around and looked at my dad, he was pulling out a Go Arden sign. A woman walked pass "Wow you must really be proud of your child."

"Yeah he makes me extremely proud, sometimes the only thing that keeps  me alive." When my dad said that my heart fell out of my chest.

"Dad, I think I'm going to watch the game with Lia." Before he could respond, I disappeared into the night.

As I was walking out of the parking, lot trying to find Lia. I heard a groggy voice calling my name.

"Bree, Bree I hope you have a fun night."  Then Ally giggled and disappeared into the crowd.

I rolled my eyes and kept walking.

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"Hey Bree. Why do you look confused."? I looked back to see Analia. She was wearing Ace's  jersey . I hurried towards her to get the tea.

" You look good. ''I stated as I gave her hug.

"Thanks, why aren't you wearing Tolan's jersey? "She questioned

"I thought he would, give it to me at the game. Since he never offered." Analia pulled a face of confusion. " I tried texting and calling, but he is not answering me. Maybe they are not allowed, to use their phones." I tried to comfort myself

"That can't be the case. I was texting back and forth, with Arden couple minutes ago." My bestie confessed.

"Wow." She started to rub, her  arm. "You know there, is only one thing to do right?"

She shrugged "Watch the game. I promise I will buy you, any snacks you want."

I give her a coy smile, "No let's go to the boy's locker room." I pulled her towards, the boy's locker room. She just sighed but followed suit.

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"I don't think we should be here. Bree. Who is going to say anything? I am Royalty at this school." Analia rolled her eyes as soon as the words left my mouth. "My brother is the best player, to ever grace the field and plus all the players rock with me."

I see the boy's locker room I knock on the door. "I am coming in, make sure you decent!" Analia tries to pull me back, but I walk in anyway.

They all cheer, when I walk in. They start to yell as well

"OOh BEN COME IN HERE.BREE WANTS TO KNOCK OUT THE REST OF YOUR TEETH."

"LEAVE ME ALONE. I DON'T WANT NO SMOKE." Ben yelled back from, the side of the showers. A huge smile played on my face. I was about, to mock him until. I saw my brother smiling, in the corner of the room. I blew him a kiss, he acted as if he caught it. Than he threw it to the ground, and stomped on it.

He still had a playful-half serious smile on his face; so in response I threw up a middle finger.

"YOU HERE TO GIVE YOUR BIG BROTHER A HUG." My loser brother yelled from the far side of the room. This was the first time, he acknowledged me today.

Then he looks to my right to give a small salute; I am guessing to Analia. She just gave a wave back

"Don't get jealous. I am here to wish, THE WHOLE TEAM good luck."

"No, she is going all sappy on us." Chris joked they started, to throw me, with towels and shirts. I prayed they were all clean.

"Stop." they did as I requested "play well it's your last game." So I held my hand, on my chest, my eyes were starting to get teary eyed, and I stood on the bench with my short self.

"Go out there, and make history. Go OUT AND MAKE THIS SCHOOL PROUD."

"You aren't slick we know you just looking for Tolan. " Ace came out of the shower. He had a towel, around his waist. He walked towards, Lia and gave her a hug.

This boy is interrupting, my award-winning moment.

"Do you guys want privacy." Another player suggested. Suddenly all the boys cover, their eyes. I laughed, at their poor attempt. Lia buried her face in Ace's chest.

What, were they dating?

"Yeah, they are the next, Arden and Violet."

She lifted her head, at lightning speed. "Don't you ever compare me to her." Her voice was chilling, it causes the room to be silent.

"Um .... Tolan went, with coach. To talk about something." Ace started to fill the silence.

The coach walked in and looked at us; he had a sour look on his face. Lia took my hand and lead me out. The room before, he could say something.

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We continued, to walk in silence. I didn't say a thing.

"Do you think, he did it on purpose?" I decided to break the silence.

"What are you talking about Bree?" I shot her a look, of don't play dumb. "Him not giving me his jersey. That's what I am talking about Lia."

As soon as she wanted to answer, we both heard.

"Bree, Bree, Bree come over here!"

I swear. I heard a sigh, of relief from her.

I looked back to see, who was calling me. It was Colton, he was sitting in the middle of the bleachers. I looked at Analia, and was asking her  with my eyes.

'You want to sit with him?' she nodded, and we made our way to him.

"Bree you look good." I gave Colton a hug. He always gave the best hugs.

"Hey I'm here to. " Analia made a sarcastic remark to make her presence known.

Colton chuckled "Of course, how could I forget. I felt a type of way that, you never called me, to hang out. I thought we were friends."

"Well according to Bree, you were running after Arden. Plus, the phone works, both ways. "Analia said snarky.

Lia and Colton continued, going back and forth with each other. I sat the left of Colton, while Lia sat on the right. The reason for this was Colton refused, to be left out of our conversations, he wanted to be dead center.

My hand was busy making, deep dives, like Lia does in swimming. In this gummy bear packet. I turned my head  to look at Colton.

"Why are you wearing a  black jersey, when our school colors are  blue and white?"

"I am here to support Arden not your school." Colton snapped back at me with cobra speed. "Plus, Lia is the one representing the school, with her new boyfriend's jersey." Lia was not paying attention to us, so Colton nudged her  and repeated his sentence.

She tried to act surprised, but she failed hard. I needed to ask her about  that relationship.

Nevertheless continued to tell her that she looked, cute in his jersey.

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The game was about to start. I looked around. Everyone wore team, colors and had banners. As I look down at my white vast. I just felt like a piece of copper surrounded by gold. I felt  like I was disrupting the vibrations of support.

They were wearing homemade t-shirts, and jerseys and flags supporting, Cousins, friends, boyfriends, or brothers

brothers

"HEY BREEEEEEEEE." I never thought in a million years, that I would hate the sound of my own name. But this Lydia girl made it possible

I wanted to give her a reply, then I heard the whispers. I turned to look around then I saw a girl pointing at me. Lia knows exactly what was going on.

"What are you wearing." Lia asked, her voice sounded as stable like a boat  in a storm.

"OH, this is Tolan's jersey, I am wearing his jersey." Lydia said that last sentence a bit louder. Then she looked at me "Players give their extra jersey's,  to people they care about, but since you are not wearing any jersey. Guess your own brother doesn't care about you either."

I don't know why, but those words stung nobody cares about me. I could hear the whispers grow louder and her friend giggles.

" Who even are you? Never mind just get  out my line of sight." Colton defended

"Excuse me" Lydia sounded shocked, at the sudden way she was welcomed.

"You heard him. Now dash."

I heard Analia and Colton continue,  defend me. She walked away, but sat two seats, in front of me and I could see the back of her jersey clearly. It said TOLAN

I kept looking at his name, and I felt so stupid. But in a sick twisted way I told myself. I deserve and it lessened the Pain. Like I left my brother high and dry, I should have worn his JERSEY. SO, I ALLOWED MYSELF TO FEEL ALL THE FEELS.

Then I felt a slight movement, on my left side Lia took off, her Ace's jersey. Lia reached, her hand across, Colton's lap to hold my hand.

"You don't deserve this. You did what you, thought was right at the time." She squeezed my hand; I could see the sincerity in her eyes. It's like she could read my mind.

I mouthed to her thank you. I turned to look at Colton.

"Did you perhaps bring a long  Arden's jersey like they do in shows and movies." I placed my head on his shoulder.

"No sorry." Than he placed a kiss on my forehead.

"It was worth a shot." He said

"Analia can you, still buy me the snacks you promised?" She placed her head on his shoulder too.

"Just say when."

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