A Dare With The Player

Chapter 5: The Girl Who Ran

“Another,” I muttered to the bartender who was wiping glasses.

He looked at me with a raised brow. “Haven’t you already had enough? It’s not even seven in the evening yet.”

I clenched my jaws, stopping myself from talking back at him. He is, after all, currently the supplier of my alcohol that I was in desperate need of.

I wouldn’t even be here in the first place if I didn’t get pissed off again, but I soon came to realize that being back in this city meant that would be inevitable.

Why? Because everything around me pissed me off. My father and his inability to let go, the people who acted so high and mighty in this godforsaken city, and every f*****g happy family around me. It’s like they were just rubbing it on my face.

“Another,” I said to the bartender again with much more conviction and he sighed before giving in.

Even with my fake identification card, he must know I am not of legal age yet, but I guess I should be thankful he didn’t brush me off. Surely, he must have seen my need for this from the way I bursted through that door and grumbled my way to the bar stool. I’ve had enough of my life here and I hadn’t even been here for a whole week.

I’m f****d. Thank God for alcohol, though.

I quickly downed the glass of whiskey, the smooth caress of its liquid fire passing my throat and burning it second by second.

It tastes like the soul and sweat of a tired 9 to 5 man coming to a bar after doing overtime, or the inevitable sorrows that haunt your past and the only way to forget it, at least for the moment, is to kiss the glass… over and over again.

“Ano-”

Before I could ask for one more glass, the bartender had already placed one in front of me.

“This one’s on me. You look like you need it,” he said with a small nod and I took the glass and raised it up before nodding back at him.

This time instead of downing it immediately, I found myself staring down at the liquid instead. Inviting and intriguing, the more I swirled it the more of its sweet perfume traveled around the room. It is not a scent that’s like candy, but that of nature… like the sweetness comes from earth itself.

“You’re holding fourteen years in your hand there, young man.” The bartender commented and I glanced at him with only my eyes.

“I reckon those years have been kinder to it than it was to me,” I replied apathetic before taking in the alcohol.

Every inch of the liquid fire contained my regrets; my choices, my past, present, and future. The whiskey was a metaphor for my life; at the beginning, smooth and pleasant, but as you get more of it, it becomes rough and hard to swallow and you catch yourself just trying to deal with as much as you could, determined to swallow every memory down.

An hour later and more people were coming into the bar, God knows how much I’ve had to drink. Fortunately, I did enough side jobs in Brazil and I had money to spare. My father also gave more allowance than a student could need, somewhat making it a way to cover up the unfortunate reality I had.

“You look like you need company…” A lady slides on to the seat next to mine on the bar, her perfume is strong as if she had bathed in it.

“And a kiss, perhaps.” She smiled, her red-tainted lips curving, and her amber eyes twinkling at me.

I scoffed. “Your lips could be as sweet as candy and your body as compelling as ecstasy, but you’ll never make me feel the way whiskey does.”

She became silent. I would think she would accept it as a rejection, but I’m surprised, or maybe not, that she continues to push herself onto me.

Her hand moved to my thigh and I quickly turned to her, eyes somewhat discerning what to make of her action. A woman in her mid-twenties, blatantly asking for the attention of a man she may or may not be aware wasn’t of legal age yet.

I paused in thought before coming to the conclusion.

The lips of a glass made me forget, but the lips of a woman numbed me even for just a few hours. Maybe it’s why I’ve been so reckless when it comes to the other s*x. I’ve heard it all - heartless, insensitive, inhuman.

Funny thing is… I don’t deny it.

“Meet me at the back,” the woman commented as soon as she caught the small smirk on my lips.

She stands up, her tight dress pulled up to her thighs and she doesn’t bother to adjust it, wanting the men to watch her walk away with her body on full display. Attention; it’s what we naturally craved for, whether or not we want to admit it. Science says it’s a part of us, innate.

The bartender gives me a quick look, something in his eyes tells me he isn’t too keen on me following the woman to the back. I appreciate his concern, but it’s unneeded. I leave a tip on the bar as I stand up, but just before walking towards the back, I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket.

I sighed, knowing chances are it would be my father asking where I was again after I left home annoyed at him.

Hey, it’s T. Want to hang out? We’re going to a Football convention at the stadium. Meet us there!

Oh. I wasn’t expecting that.

I pursed my lips as I stood by the bar, looking back and forth my phone and the way to the back where someone was waiting for me.

There was this unfamiliar feeling brewing inside of me, like I was stepping into uncharted waters.

I didn’t make friends. Well, I didn’t want to. When we abruptly left the country back to Brazil, I made sure to make myself secluded, away from everyone as much as possible. I built walls that were so high no one could ever climb it or tear it down. If there was one thing that I did make back there most of the time, it would be enemies.

So getting this invitation was a somewhat surprise to me and I was unsure of what to do. When I happened to turn to the bartender who was tending to someone else, it’s like he knew my dilemma and smiled at me. Did he really know or was I just thinking he did and coming up with an answer in my head to appease me?

Either way, I took it as a sign. I turned the other way around and got into my car, driving to the stadium.

I didn’t expect it to be like this after many years. Being with T and the twins, it was like there was an exhilarating side to it, somewhat refreshing since I didn’t make or have any friends. It was not like I needed to feel like I belonged somewhere, but it is what it felt like. The best part was sometimes it would feel like we were back to being those kids messing around with no fear or weariness about what is in store for us in the future. We were just…. Having fun.

“Go long, Ferreira!” T shouted as he positioned his arms with the Football ball in between his hands and I dropped whatever I’m doing to run to the other side.

In a split second, T has thrown his NFL ball and my eyes are glued to it, following it like it is my prey and computing its trajectory on the spot.

“Nice catch, mano!” He shouted out with a wide smile the second I got a hold of his ball.

At that moment, in an instant, a memory flashed in my head.

My father had just gotten home from homeschooling some kids and one of them had given him their old Football. When he stepped out of the car, he had this huge smile on his face as he shouted for me to move backwards. He threw the ball and I caught it instantly and he started shouting ‘good job’ to me. It was that day that I decided to play Football, and also how I met T and the twins.

But when my mother left… I have never touched a Football since.

I cleared my throat uncomfortably, readjusting my disposition before T came up to me so he wouldn’t find anything unusual.

“Dude, that was a f*****g good catch. You still got it. Have you been practicing still?” He asked with a pretty impressed expression.

I couldn’t tell him the truth. Where I’ve really been the past few years and why I left in the first place. I don’t really know why… but I just can’t find myself to be open about it. Embarrassed? Ashamed? Afraid of being judged or treated differently?

“Ah, y-yeah. You could say that,” I said with a soft chuckle before grabbing the Football back and patting it.

“So you finally got your limited edition Duke Football, huh?” I said, changing the topic the best I could.

I caught T pause for a second as he most likely noticed the way I flipped the subject in an instant. Fortunately, he lets it go.

Chuckling as he put his arm over me. “Yeah, this is my baby right here. I wouldn’t even dare bring it out like this or use it in the first place, but the funniest thing happened. When I got into the team, my parents and my sister had the same gift so I kind of just used one for pleasure and one for display.” He explained and you could see how happy he was.

There was a time I used to feel a little envious of his family. I always wanted a sibling, but now that I think about it, it was better that I was alone, so that no one else would have to feel the way I feel right now.

“Well, you deserve it. I’ll have to watch one of your games sometime,” I said to him and it was like a light bulb lit up at the top of his head.

He turned to me, his eyes widened and lips smiling ear to ear. “You have to join! You’re starting with Eastwood High for your last year, aren’t you? Join tryouts!”

Ah, s**t. That’s why he was so happy.

I chuckled uncomfortably. “Nah, man. I’m good. I leave all that to you, star player.”

“Aw, come on, man! You would absolutely kill it and it’d be like the old days. You and me, running in the field. I’d throw it to you and touchdown!” T said with so much energy and I wasn’t surprised.

He hasn’t changed one bit. Not even his physical attributes with his dark black hair and gray eyes as they just seemed to be the same from last I remember. He just grew… taller. His energy, his cheerfulness, that was the same little boy I was best friends with many years ago.

“Did someone say touchdown?” We turned around and saw the twins standing with a pleased smile on their faces and hands filled with different kinds of food from the venue.

“Yeah! I’m asking Cristiano to join the team again!” T said ecstatic and I wanted to bury myself underground.

“Oh yeah, that’s a great idea. Imagine the two of you back in the game. You might even beat mine and Ash’s duo back then,” Austin commented before biting into his footlong hotdog.

Before I left, the twins were already part of the Football team in Eastwood High and they were, unsurprisingly, the best. I remember people back then saying they had some kind of psychic powers where they could communicate with one another in the field which made them know what to do and nobody could catch up. They were unstoppable and I looked up to the twins a lot back then.

“Impossible,” I told them with a small smile and just before any of them could say anything about making me join the team again I decided to beat them to it.

“Alright, huddle up though! Let me take a picture. The background looks good,” I quickly announced, pushing the three of them together and stepping backwards to check the framing.

“Join us!” T commented, about to walk up to me, and I shook my head.

“No, no. I’m fine. Now say ‘pin the tail on the donkey’!” I told them and they laughed as it was something we used to say as kids when our picture was being taken.

Just as I was taking the photo, fireworks lit up right behind them, making the background even more spectacular. I couldn’t help but smile as I looked at their photo and they felt the same way.

“Damn bro, when did you get so good at taking photos? Send me that later!” Ashton said as he gave me a pat on the back.

“Yeah, for sure. We should get going for now though. I think it’s starting.” I pointed out to the entrance of the stadium where people were beginning to line up to get inside.

Tonight was the first Football convention of the season where many fans and enthusiasts come together for all the sports reasons, and sometimes food, too. That’s obvious with the twins buying food in every single stall they see, but I can’t blame them. There’s something about a good hotdog and nachos during a game compared to when you normally eat it at a restaurant.

“Let’s gooooo!” The twins shouted energetically before running to the entrance.

T and I looked at each other and chuckled at the same time.

“I’m impressed you managed to deal with that for many years,” I joked to T and he laughed.

“Yeah, no thanks to you for leaving me.” He replied, patting me on the back and I know it was meant to be a joke as well, but it hit a soft spot for me.

I paused for a quick second and I thought he wouldn’t have noticed, but apparently he did when he became flustered.

“Ah, s**t, sorry. I- That’s not what I- um, I didn’t mean-”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I know what you meant,” I told him with a reassuring smile, but T was obviously still a little embarrassed for what he said.

“Thanks for inviting me tonight, by the way. It’s really good to be hanging out with you guys again,” I told him truthfully and this seemed to have made him feel better.

“Don’t you ever say thanks again or I'll pile drive you to the floor. This is what friends do and whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with us from now on.” He commented grabbing me by the neck and was about to choke slam me, but I got ahead of him.

T must have not been expecting it because I was easily able to overpower his strength. Pulling him away from me and turning around. In a split second, our roles were now reversed and he stared at me with a shocked expression.

“What the hell? Where did you learn to do that?!” He said completely shocked as I let him go.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know, it just came naturally, I guess.” I chuckled to make light of the situation.

I couldn’t tell him. It’s because I fought almost everyday.

“Yeah, well you’re going to have to teach me next time.” He told me with an amused smile.

“You got it, T.” We bumped our fists together before entering the stadium.

Times like these made me think being back won’t be so bad after all. I’m glad I decided to step out of the bar instead.

-

It was chaos, but like the good kind. The kind you just want to sit there and watch it all unfold right in front of you. I take it all in, but at the same time I raise my camera and snap a few pictures.

One of the twins accidentally dropping their popcorn, their shocked faces caught at the right second and then their look of dismay right after. T is laughing at the side, but he gets pulled into the mess and he starts to clean up their mess with them.

Another one is the mayhem that arose when a Football was thrown to our side. T is the first to jump up from his seat, his arms are stretched wide and almost touching the sky but all of a sudden a much bulkier man tried to take it away from him.

It’s obvious that T was the first one to get a hold of the ball, but the stranger wants to get the credit for it even when he just tried to take it away from him. The twins are furious and even though the stranger is ten times their size, they don’t back down.

“Let it go. He got the ball already.” I told the man who was more or less seven foot and was filled with tattoos all over his arms.

He looked at me like he was ready to tear my limbs apart. “You have proof, fucktard?”

I closed my eyes for a very quick second, my patience dwindling away and if I was alone, this man would have been in front of my fist minutes ago. Alas, I was not and I didn’t want to let my anger show in front of everyone.

I pulled out my camera and showed it to him and in full HD, there it was. T got a hold of the ball before the man could even stand up. It shut him up immediately and he walked out. Everyone laughed right after.

“That was f*****g awesome even though I was sure he would rip us apart,” Ashton chuckled nervously.

“It was a good thing you got the photos, man.” Austin let out a sigh of relief as we settled back to our seats.

“Yeah, thanks for saving our asses. We owe you one,” T gave me a thankful smile.

“Don’t worry about it. That’s what friends are for,” I said and they all smiled.

I feel comfortable, something I haven’t felt in a long time. I myself am surprised I said that, but at the same time, I’m not because being with my friends like this was better than sulking in a bar with old men thirsty for validation from younger women.

I liked feeling like a teenager again.

But I should have known when there is something good, it comes back ten times worse.

We were just walking back to the parking lot when I felt someone hit the back of my legs. I immediately turned around and came face to face with a small boy, his eyes close to crying.

“Oh, we’re so sorry! Francisco, say you’re sorry to the young man!” A frantic mother quickly tried to make amends.

I stood there, fists and jaw clenched tightly as I watched the mother comfort her little boy.

Fuck. All I could think about was her. Damn it. Not again. Not again. Stop it, stop it. Get out of my head.

“Get out of my head!” I accidentally shouted out what was supposed to be only in my thoughts.

The fear and panic in the mother and child’s eyes were obvious, the mother pulling her son away from me before eventually running away from where I was.

Shit. I hope no one saw that.

I turned around and saw the twins were getting in their cars and I felt relieved, but I shouldn’t have at first because when I looked more to the side, T was there looking right at me a little frozen. Damn it.

“T, uh-”

“You ready to go, Ferreira? Loser buys the winner lunch on Monday,” he cut me off as he looked at me with a mischievous smirk.

It took me a few seconds to respond.

I cleared my throat and straightened my back. “You’re on.”

During the drive, I couldn’t help but be thankful for T acting like he didn’t see anything, but at the same time I was still feeling annoyed that it had to happen.

My grip tightened on the steering wheel as I remembered the mother and son and the way she looked out for her child. As hard as I tried not to think about my own mother, it was quite impossible and this angered me even more.

I stepped on the gas pedal and overtook all of them. In less than an hour, I was already home.

Tired and frankly not in the mood for anything else, I decided to head inside before the others could get here, leaving him a text instead.

Thanks for tonight. I’m absolutely dead beat. See you on Monday, T.

As I was walking to my room, sounds that were unusual immediately got my attention. My senses were immediately heightened because I could tell they were coming from my room as if someone was inside.

Were we seriously getting robbed in the first week we got here? What is this bullshit?

Annoyed, I hurriedly ran towards my room and pushed it open. What I saw confused me greatly…

It was a woman’s silhouette. It was hard to decipher because it was late at night and there were no lights besides the moon, but there was one thing that stood out for me the most and gave me an idea on who it was…

The eyes, the stark and strong green-colored eyes I vividly remembered from the party. They stared back at me the same way it did then - in shock and panic.

“Thalia?” I called out for her, but instead of stopping like I would expect other people would do, she instead continues.

Like a magician doing a disappearing act, she disappeared in front of me as she dropped down from my window.

Confused, but curious, I ran towards the window immediately.

“Thalia!” I shouted out for her, but she didn’t turn back.

She just kept running… and running, until she was no longer in sight.

Well… at least it wasn’t a thief?

During the remainder of the night, all I could think about was her and what in the world she was doing in my room. Could I also have been mistaken? Was I just hallucinating? Was it even really Thalia in the first place?

Things didn’t add up and suddenly, I no longer felt as agitated as I was earlier because I was too engrossed in my own questions.

I didn’t know that my answer would come a few minutes later as I was getting ready to close my eyes to sleep and I heard vibrating around my room.

I turned my lamp light on and grabbed my phone, but was confused to see that there wasn’t anyone calling nor was there a text. The screen remained black.

I quickly tried to find where the vibration really was coming from and when I looked under my bed, there it was.

“Jackpot,” I muttered to myself with a small smile.

As it turns out, it was most definitely not in my imagination because in my hands was the phone of the girl who ran…

Also known as Thalia Donovan who apparently trusted the world enough to not have a passcode on her phone.

I didn’t have plans to open it, honestly speaking, but it was already open when I picked it up. The most intriguing part? The last thing on the screen is of a video paused.

I bit my lip as I pressed play, unsure of what to expect until a familiar voice started talking.

“Well, well, welcome to the infamous Cristiano lair.”

My lips curved in amusement.

It looks like our little daredevil has gotten herself into another entanglement… This ought to be interesting.