Array
(
[text] =>
THE DIM, BUZZING WARMTH OF THE Holloway wraps around me like a familiar blanket. It’s always the same here. The clink of glasses, the chatter of voices rising and falling, and the faint smell of beer and burgers lingering in the air. But tonight, it feels lighter and more alive.
We’re celebrating the win and I have to admit that it feels good. The game ended 3-2, it was close but after Felix’s goal, I managed to score from across the box, then Carson finished off the match with a free kick goal, which I now know as his specialty.
Felix is sitting across from me, his arms crossed and his face drawn just like the moment we got here. The others are laughing though, clapping Hassan on the back as he tells some over the top story about the saves he made. Even Jack, the team joker, is in full swing, making Carson almost spit out his drink from laughing too much.
But still, I can’t fully tune in. My thoughts keep drifting to other stuff.
To her. Carmen.
I swirl the drink in my hand, staring blankly at it as the image of her walking away from the game flashes in my mind, and I can’t help but wonder what made her leave? Was she bored? Annoyed? Did someone say something to her? Or was it something else?
I try to brush it off. I know it’s none of my business. But then I think about how Jude Walker might be the reason and my stomach knots. If there’s even a chance she’s involved with someone like him then. I know what ending up on that path looks like. I’ve seen it firsthand.
The thought makes my jaw tense even though I barely know the girl. For some reason, I just feel like I have to step in. I have to protect her in a way.
“Oi, Connie,” Jack’s voice cuts through my thoughts, snapping me back to reality.
“Huh?” I blink, looking up to find him grinning at me with mischief in his eyes per usual.
“You zoning out already?” Carson teases, nudging my arm. “Proper lightweight you are.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I mutter, shaking my head, but the corners of my mouth tilt up despite myself.
“Or he’s zoning out because he’s thinking about a girl?” Jack suggests.
First it was Carson, now it’s Jack with this bullshit?
“Stop projecting yourself onto him,” Felix speaks up, “we all know you want a girl but relax, yeah?”
“The fuck is up your ass,” Jack huffs, leaning back with his arms crossed.
He’s not wrong. But that was weird. Him defending me like that? But also his whole mood is off. Especially after winning a match.
“What’s up with you, Cap?” Carson asks, raising a brow. “You scored the first goal of the game then assisted Connie’s goal. You should be buzzing.”
I notice how his jaw tightens as he shrugs and looks away.
Maybe this had something to do with Carmen leaving the game early? Probably some sort of sibling fight.
“I need a drink,” Felix grumbles under his breath, pushing his chair back abruptly. We all watch as he walks away, his shoulders tense.
“Christ,” Jack winces. “Seriously, what’s up with him?”
“Who knows,” Hassan replies with a shrug. “He’ll cool off.”
The conversation shifts to our next game and who our opponents are but I’m only half listening. My eyes scan the room instead, uninterested with the conversation. The bells on the doors ring, pulling my attention there, and my heart almost drops at the sight.
I can barely recognise her with all that makeup she’s wearing, plus the short red dress and high heels, but when I hear her laugh, there’s no doubt in my mind. That’s my sister. That’s Cora.
But that’s not her. It’s like she’s a different person.
Narrowing my eyes to focus, I recognise the girls with her. The same girls that were picking on her last year. What the fuck?
I watch as they go up to the bar, my eyes widening when she orders a beer. Alcohol? Since when did she start drinking alcohol I force myself to stay calm, not wanting to march towards her in front of all these people.
How long has this shit been going on? Her coming to the bar, hanging out with those girls, and dressing like them?
Once I see her towards the bathroom, I quickly stand up and follow after her, not bothering to give my teammates an explanation.
Just before she can enter the girls bathroom, I place my hand on her shoulder and turn her around. Her red eyes widen once meets my face, taking a step back in shock but the smell on her lingers in the air.
“Weed?” There’s no anger in my tone, no judgment nor disappointment, just sadness. “And now you’re ordering beer?”
“Everyone does it, Connie,” she huffs, her arms crossing over her chest.
“You’re thirteen, Cora. Thirteen,” I mutter in disbelief, shaking my head. “And hanging out with those girls? What has gotten into you?”
“Nothing!” she practically screams, blinking away the tears pooling in her eyes. “Nothing, okay? I’m fine.”
I take a step closer. “Cora, you can speak to me, you know?”
“What is there to talk about? That I finally have some friends and now you wanna ruin it for me?”
“I’m not trying to ruin anything for you. They’re shit friends and clearly a bad influence, how can you not see that?”
“You’re not my dad.”
“Cora-“
“My real dad doesn’t give a shit if I smoke weed or dress like this or hang out with those girls. So why should you?”
“Because this isn’t you,” I sigh.
“Yeah? And how would you know,” she scoffs. “You’re busy with your new school and so caught up with football that we haven’t had a proper conversation in weeks. It’s like you only want to talk to me when dad’s home and since he hasn’t been, I’m just not on your mind.”
The thing is, she’s right. Only about me being busy the past couple of weeks. Coach keeps giving us more and more practice, plus I have tests to study for and assignments to complete. What she’s wrong about though is me only wanting to speak to her when dad’s home. That’s not true. Not at all. I practically raised her, whether dad was around or gone.
“Don’t say that,” I scoff lightly, shaking my head at her words.
I open my mouth to speak again but her eyes dart to whoever is behind me and she’s quick to say, “My friends are here. Please, Connie, just leave. Don’t embarrass me.”
I don’t get a chance to reply before she walks off, brushing her shoulder against mine.
“There you are,” one says, “we thought you got scared and ran off or something.”
“Me? C’mon,” my sister laughs.
“Who’s that sexy ass man you were just talking to?”
“Oh, my gosh! Girls look at him!”
“Chill. He’s my brother,” she huffs, pulling them away and back to their tables.
I want to do something so badly. I want to pull her out of here and tell her how terribly wrong all of this is. But I can’t. She won’t forgive me if I did that infront of her ‘friends’, so instead I go back to my table and sit my ass down.
“What was that?” Carson asks with a grin on his face.
“Needed to piss,” I mumble.
“That badly?” Jack chuckles. “If you need to wear diapers just say so.”
“So he can get them from you?” Hassan snorts.
I don’t laugh, nor smile. Instead, I’m glancing back. Relief washes over me when she leaves the cup of beer untouched. How the fuck did they even serve her? She’s a child. A child that can come here to hangout and eat burgers but not to drink alcohol.
If I’m the reason she’s doing this then… I don’t even fucking know, I failed again, I guess.
[text_hash] => 717fdac7
)