Can anyone hear us?

14

As I was about to watch Aron get announced to the field, my phone rang. I left the stands and went outside the park.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Elizabeth. I need you home."

"Why, dad?"

"Because. Your boss emailed me about your job and I think you need to read it yourself."

"Can it wait? I'm at Aron's game."

"No, it's an emergency. You can't delay being a nurse."

"Fine. But it better be quick." I hung up the phone. Did I do something wrong? Am I fired? Promotion? So many questions rushed in my head that I didn't know what to think. But if my dad says it's an emergency, I know I should go home.

I rushed to get home. Opening the door, I saw my dad by a computer.

"Where's the email?" I asked. He moved behind me and shut the door, making sure to lock it. He blocked it with his buff shoulders and wide frame of a body.

"Dad, what are you doing?"

"There is no email." My mouth hung opened, shocked and confused. "I don't want you hanging out with those people."

"What? Why?"

"Aron is a good man. You know that. But he is on a mixed team. Fight break out all the time in a crowd like that."

"I'll be fine. And Aron was expecting me to watch him today."

"I don't want you going out! For your own safety."

"You can't keep me in here! That isn't fair! I'm an adult and you can't keep me in here."

"I'm your legal guardian and I can by law."

I went into the living room so I could be away from him. I knew he wasn't going to leave that door alone, so I called Aron. No answer. I tried again. No one. Again. Voicemail.

I looked around for something to do when I saw a glimpse of paper in my dad's Jean pocket. I ran over to him and yanked it out of his pocket.

"What is this?" I asked. He didn't respond. I opened the neatly folded paper and read it. It showed the Gators one game away from championships but it showed who they would be versing if they won. The AMF. My dads team.

"Your team made it to the championships?"

"Yeah."

"And if Aron makes it to the champs, you'd be versing him."

"Yes."
----------------------------
I came home from 'shopping' and knew Aron was at the game. And it looked like the coach and his wife wasn't here. Yay, the house to myself!

My excitement quickly vanished as I froze where I was. Peering up at the top of the stairs, I saw stuffing laid out. I slowly climbed each step at a time, watching the trail get longer and longer until it stopped at my door. Where would it come from?

Too afraid to look in my room, I looked in the coach's. Nothing there. Bathroom was empty. Aron's room was em-

I thought it was empty until I looked behind the bed. A black puppy was curled up on the floor sleeping. Anger filled my bones. Aron is using all his money to pay for a dog! I grabbed the dog in my arms and called Aron. No response.

I went into the jagged backyard and chained the puppy to the fence. It whimpered but I let it there until Aron would come home.

In my room assessing the damage, I realized I left Aron's door open. I grabbed the door knob but saw something yellow on his bed.

I picked it up, reading it.

Aron,
Congratulations! We have accepted you into Central Michigan University! The opening day is on December 14.

Blah blah blah. So, Aron applied to a college without me knowing? I crumpled the paper and threw it on his floor. He's keeping lies under my nose in my house.

----------------------------

Smack! The ball flew into the catchers hand. He's out. The coach was right, I wasn't as bad a pitcher as I thought. In the ninth inning, I was still pitching but with a slowly growing sore arm. Vex, an outfielder, had gotten hurt in the fifth in the field. Everyone is saying that he broke his ankle while running, but our team knows that the other player tripped him on purpose.

The game was close and hard leaving sweat dripping down our backs and our hair matted to our head. The ending score was 6-5 us. I'm kinda glad we only have one more game, even though it's champs. Then I will finally get a break.

I walked home alone because our team was dying for showers and rest. Coach wanted to go out to eat with his wife.

As I opened the door, dad sat slouching on the couch, looking... Neutral. Like he didn't care. Like normal.

I walked upstairs and looked around for Prince but he was no where to be found.

"Dad, did you go into my room?" I asked as he watched me from the hall, a grim smile on his face.

"Yeah. Why are you keeping secrets from me?"

"What do you mean?"

"The dog. College!" He raised his voice at the last part.

"You're forcing me to live with you, taking my money, and never supportive! Hell you even pushed me through a wall!" I yelled back.

"That's because, I'm,"

"You're what? Certainly not a father!"

He shut his mouth, sadness and anger in his eyes. "Your dog is in the local pound. Good luck. It's closed for today." He walked into his room. That was weird.

I can't leave Prince all alone. He is only a puppy and who knows what my dad did to him. I went out the door and it was already dark outside. I brought a flashlight with me and wore gloves.

Time to get Prince back.