when i turned 18

Into the Night {Chapter 2}

The day began with my dad storming into my room, clad in his old soccer cleats and uniform. I was genuinely surprised he still fits into that thing.

"Morning, Andrew. I'm surprised you're not already awake. Get ready; we've got a fun day ahead of us!"

I stretched and let out a groan, "Who's driving?" followed by a yawn.

He smiled and said, "You obviously, I'm too cancerous for the wheel."

Surprised by my Dad's quick humor, about his condition, I widened my eyes before responding, "but not for... soccer cleats?"

He laughs as he exits my room.

I got up and headed to the bathroom to shower, washing my hair and body.

Deciding to shave my little mustache that's been growing, considering it hasn't helped me pull.

I got dressed, opting for a white tank top and grey shorts. I also put on soccer cleats, assuming we're doing something soccer related today.

As we drove to the soccer field, my Dad couldn't contain his excitement, reminiscing his glory days. Despite his illness, he seemed lively as ever.

Arriving at the field, we were greeted by a group of Dad's old teammates, who were just as eager to see him. They shared stories and laughter, and for a moment, it felt like nothing had changed.

As we were kicking the ball around, my Dad began breathing heavily. One of his teammates shouted, "What, Markus?? Gonna let a little cough let you LOSE??" He slyly jokes.

Dad laughed, "In your dreams, Gomez!"

Despite his denial, I could tell he was getting tired. I purposefully kicked the ball deeper into the field, so he could take a moment to rest.

What I didn't intend to do was hit someone in the face. Yeaaaah, oops. The ball smacked into a girl's face, and I hurried over to her, while Dad and his friends chuckled.

"Man, Pierce! Your son's got game. He definitely did that to get her attention!" Dad grinned as he sat in the grass, waiting for me to come back with the ball.

I approached the girl, offering my assistance, though immediately feeling a wave of nerves as I took in her beauty. Her short red hair, freshly dyed, framed the most captivating green eyes, and her pale skin, though not ghostly, added to her allure.

"Are you okay?" I asked, my voice stumbling a bit.

She brushed herself off and flushed a reassuring smile. "Don't worry! It happens. Yeah, I'm good."

Relief flooded through me, and I managed a smile. "Well, uh, do you play?"

She looked puzzled for a moment. "Play what?"

I mentally judged myself. "You fucking idiot, be more specific."

"I meant soccer," I clarified, gesturing towards her well-worn cleats.

Understanding lit up on her face, and she let out a grin. "Well... duh."

Chuckling, I replied, "Right, that makes total sense."

She extended her hand, "I'm Cassidy. And what's the name of my abuser, huh?"

I laughed, "Ah, very funny. Though to me, it seemed like you purposefully walked in the ball's direction. Anyway, I'm Andrew."

We exchange smiles and shook hands, and she skillfully tossed the ball to me with her feet. "Maybe, maybe not. We may never know."

I quipped, "Maybe we should.. hang, sometime?"