The Rookie and Me (COMPLETE)

sixteen- Tyler

I glare at my sister and say, "What the fuck is your problem, Talia? You don't even know them and you're sitting here treating them like dirt!"

She glares back at me and says, "Tyler, don't be stupid. You know that girl is only after you for the money. A young, single mother? Use your freakin' brain, Tyler! You just signed a 4 year, $30,000,000 contract. You think she didn't know that before she threw her cat your way?"

So many emotions are running through my head right now. Anger, disbelief, but mostly disappointment. The fact that my sister is sitting here judging Ali after having a 5 minute long interaction with her, one of which Ali barely spoke two words and was perfectly polite, just pisses me off. Talia doesn't know anything about Ali or Cameron. She has never cared who I've dated before, so why now?

"Just wait until Dad hears about this. He's going to be livid. You better prepare yourself now for another one of his two hour long lectures." Talia says in a hateful tone.

"You know, I don't know what I'm more disappointed about... the fact that you could judge a book by its cover so easily or the fact that you think so little of me."

"What are you talking about, Tyler? I never said anything about you. This is about her." She says as she points to the ceiling.

"No, this is about me. You think I'm not smart enough to make my own decisions, clearly. Last time I checked, I am an adult. I don't need you telling me who I can and cannot fall in love with." I stand up and start walking toward the kitchen, only to have Talia grab my arm as I try to pass by her.

"Love?! Tyler, you cannot be that dumb! Tell me you're not that dumb..." She says looking up at me.

I sit back down on the couch and sigh, "Yeah, I said love. I haven't said it to her yet, but yeah, I am falling hard for her. We haven't known each other long, but she is everything I have ever wanted in life. I have the house, I have the career... maybe now I want the family."

Talia shakes her head in shock and disbelief, "You're too young to even be thinking about starting a family right now. And she already started one for herself. You can't seriously tell me that you want somebody with that kind of baggage. To support and raise another man's child. Just because mom and dad raised us to give back to charities doesn't mean you are obligated to take care of those two. Pick an organization to give back to, not some random gold digger!"

I am at a loss for words hearing the hatred spew from my sister's mouth. Talia has never been the type of woman to hold her tongue, but she has never been so disrespectful to me about my life and the choices that I have made throughout it. She has been supportive of my dream of becoming an NFL player, so why is it that she can't even think to begin supporting my new dream? I've made it. I have worked my ass off since I was a child to get to where I am today in my career. Is it so wrong of me to want to share my success with a beautiful woman and her son?

"Talia, I'm twenty-three years old. The same age you were when you got married. Don't you dare tell me I'm too young to be in love or want a family." I furrow my brows when I think of the comment that she made about Cameron, but try my hardest to keep my cool, "And just so we're clear, I do not consider Cameron to be baggage at all. You don't know anything about them or where they came from. That boy is one of the sweetest kids I have ever met. How dare you even say something like that."

Talia rolls her eyes, "No matter what you feel, it doesn't change the facts. You don't know what it takes to raise a child, let alone raise somebody else's child. I mean, is there even a baby daddy around? Think of the drama that is sure to come when the baby daddy finds out she's bringing his child around a complete stranger and letting him sleep over already. How long have you even known this girl? Two weeks? What kind of mother allows her child to stay the night with her latest plaything before she even gets to know what kind of person he is?!"

Did she really just go there? Accusing not only Ali, a woman that has only spoken three words to her, of being a bad mother. But also accusing me of being a threat to Cameron? Out of all of the things she could have said, she wanted to go there. She knew it would set me off the second she said the words. Where does she even get the nerve to say things like that? How could she possibly think I would ever do anything to hurt a child? Cameron and I have gotten along great ever since the night that I met him. He's such a sweet, goofy little kid. I can't imagine why anyone would ever want to harm him in any way. It didn't stop his own dad from leaving a mark on him, but I could never lay a hand on him. I want to scream at Talia for even thinking those thoughts, let alone saying them outloud. I want to tell her every single detail that Ali shared with me of the abuse she endured for years and saved her son from, but it's not my place. It's not my story to tell. And quite frankly, it's none of Talia's business.

Before I lose my temper, I stand up and point to the front door. "You need to leave. Right now. Get out."

Talia looks at me with disbelief written all over her face. "Excuse me? You can't be serious."

I look her right in the eyes and say, "I'm as serious as a heart attack. Now get the fuck out of my house."

She stands up and huffs and puffs all the way to the door. She grabs the door knob and turns to look at me, "Just so you know, I am telling mom and dad about this little situation and it will be dealt with."

She slams the door on her way out and I make my way upstairs. I knock on the guest bedroom door and wait for Ali to answer. She opens the door, tears streaming down her face.