Playing the Game

Chapter 7: Maybe Tonight

Chapter 7

Monday morning rolled around and I was back to trying (and failing) to talk to Elizabeth.

The conversations were dull and boring.

"Hey, so uh, thanks for Friday night. Chloe really likes you now." I smiled.

"Yeah anytime." Elizabeth muttered, quietly passing out the papers for the staff meeting.

"What movie were you seeing?" I tried.

No response.

And then:

"Sorry about blocking you in with my truck. I didn't even notice."

No response.

After twenty minutes, I tried again.

"So you play soccer? I saw you playing the other day at lunch." I said happily.

Elizabeth stiffened and she glanced up at me for the first time all morning.

"I used to. I don't anymore." She shook her head.

"What changed?" I asked curiously.

"Injury." Was her simple reply.

"Ouch, your knee?" I asked.

Elizabeth just nodded, continuing to pay attention to her phone.

She didn't say anything to me for the rest of the week.

She was silent and reserved and quiet.

But on Friday, I don't know what but something changed.

I was just sitting there, wearing my jersey and jeans and minding my own business.

And she finally spoke up.

"Charlie." She said to me, leaning forwards on her elbows.

"Yes?" I raised my eyebrows, looking up from the playbook.

"What you did with your sister last week... That was actually kinda sweet." Elizabeth said softly, her eyes meeting mine. "I know it sucks that she takes you for granted now. But she'll come around and see the benefits of having a brother to look out for her."

I nodded, wondering whether or not to test her boundaries right now.

"You told her you had a twin? What's up with that?" I asked curiously.

"Our dad got laid off about six months ago and he only just recently found a job teaching down here at UT. He's teaching psychology and coaching the softball team. But Tommy didn't want to move and leave behind the team. So he stayed behind and I came out here." I shrugged.

"That doesn't seem like reason for you two not to talk?"

Elizabeth shifted.

"When I got injured last year it was uh, well it was a disaster and really messy and Tommy kind of took the other guy's side and it just... Things haven't been good with us for a while, I guess." Elizabeth muttered.

"What happened?" I asked curiously.

But Elizabeth seemed to notice that she was talking too much because she just shook her head, her full lips pressed into a line as she shifted her seat. "Stuff." She muttered, reaching down to absently rub her knee.

I tried another option.

"So your dad's a softball Coach?" I raised my eyebrows, sincerely impressed. "Wouldn't have pegged him as that kind of guy."