You Again (Completed) ✔️

17.

I sharpen the pool stick and turn towards my friends. "Let's get the game started. Antwon you're on my team. Liam you're on Frankie's team." Setting the balls up I move the black ball setter and break. The balls go in all direction and a ball goes into the hole. Leaning towards the hole of the table I look at the ball that went in. "Antwon we're small." I hit the ball again and I miss the pocket.

"Can you turn the radio on?" Liam asks. "I want to know what the weather is like."

"Sure," I walk over to the CD player and turn it on. "Why do you need to know what the weather is like?"

Liam lines up the shot "I have a feeling that Julia took Veronica to our secret place, but knowing my sister she won't be listening to radio to find out how the weather is." He looks at Antwon. "Do you remember the time when we took Julia to our spot and it rained?"

Antwon's face pales. "Yeah, she nearly fell slid down the dirt track and headed towards the rock cliff." He shakes his head. "The memory of that day haunts me. I don't want to go through something like that ever again." He hits the smaller ball into the pocket. Then he has another go and misses.

I pick up the bottle of beer and drink from the bottle.

Liam's phone rings and he looks at the caller ID. He looks at his brother and says. "It's Mom. She's probably wondering if we're going to be home for dinner." He answers the call and puts it on loudspeaker.

Liam: Hey, Mom.

Mrs. Harris: Are you going to be home for dinner?

Liam: I don't know. Why?

Mrs. Harris: I was thinking about asking Cole to join us. So, he and your sister can actually have a civilized conversation where Julia won't walk away from him. I know she's stubborn when it comes to that boy.

Me: Hey, Mrs. Harris. I'll be there for dinner. Thank you for helping me have a conversation with her.

Liam: What's for dinner?

Mrs. Harris: What do you boys feel like?

Antwon & Me: Pizza.

Mrs. Harris laughs.

Mrs. Harris: I should have known you boys would say that. Cole, if you don't feel like going home you could always spend the night.

Me: Thanks Mrs. H.

Liam ends the call and then picks up the cue. He hits the white ball and it hits a larger ball and it goes into the pocket. He hits another ball and it misses. Picking up his beer he takes a drink. "How has talking with Julia been going?"

I run my hand down my face. "It's not going anywhere, Liam. She keeps telling me that she's not ready to talk about it. I really didn't know all the things I did to her in high school has affected her so much."

Antwon slaps my back. "Now, you do. You have so much to make up for when it comes to my sister. I just hope it's not too late for you to make her change her mind about you."

I nod. "I hope so too. Do you think she's going to want to go the high school reunion in a couple of months?"

Liam laughs. "She's not going to want a repeat with what happened then. I'm sure she will boycott that thing."

Damn, I was hoping to show her that I have changed. Especially, with all the people that helped me make her life hell.

The music stops and a female gives us the latest news before saying. "There's rain on its way over. Please, drive carefully and have your headlights on, so other driver's on the road will be able to see you."