ʀᴏᴏᴋɪᴇ | ᴋᴏ ✔︎

2

       I wake up and run to the grocery store down the street and with the my last ten bucks, I buy some food to make Kevin some breakfast, but when I get back, my mom is finally awake. I try and ignore her and make my way to the small, untidy and filthy kitchen. I feel her eyes burning holes into the back of my head as I clean up as much as I can, leaving enough time to make my brother his breakfast and get him to school on time.

       "Where is my money?" My mom finally speaks up, but knowing this is our very own routine now, I ignore her. "I asked you a fucking question!" My mom closes the distance between herself and I, grabbing my wrist and spinning me around. She slaps me hard, my head recoiling to the side.

"I didn't take your money."

"Liar. Where is it?" She leaves, walking towards my bedroom and I abandon the kitchen as I go after her. I don't interrupt her as she destroys my room, searching for anything she can find. I simply watch her to be sure that she doesn't find my stash. She eventually gives up, brushing by me as she makes her way back to her couch. It's hers because it's so filthy that my brother and I wouldn't dare sit on it.

       I return to the kitchen and make Kevin's breakfast, setting it at the small table in the corner, and just in time too, as my brother comes waltzing out.

"Morning, Lo."

"Morning, kid. Sleep well?" I watch as he glances at our mom, who is still oblivious to his presence. My brother's shoulders slump as he sighs, his head hanging low as he nods. "Eat up, I'll drive you to school"

       The rest of the time in the house is silent, both Kevin and I knowing that any little thing can set off our mom. He finishes eating, before grabbing his backpack and we leave, heading to my not-so-trusty truck. After ten minutes of smacking the dash, it finally starts and I drive Kevin to school.

"Thanks Logan." He mumbles, his hand on the handle, ready to leave before I stop him.

"Hey. Are you okay?" He doesn't say anything, only nods again before he leaves.

       I sigh out, putting my truck back into drive and I head to my last few classes before Vicki and I go to The Reign and sign our contracts. It's been a couple weeks since my captain texted me, telling me about the rumor she had heard. In those weeks, I lost hope that it was true, until a few days ago, when they called me themselves and set up a meeting for me and Vicki to drop by.

       I obviously won't be getting a big, fat paycheck, but it's still more than I make working my two jobs - barista at a small café and a waitress at the run-down diner in town.

       I haven't told my mom, I would love to but I know that she wouldn't care, or if she did, she would only forget about it the next day. My mom wasn't always like this, she was once the stable parent, but that was when my dad was around. I thought we were this happy little family and that nothing bad could ever happen to us, but in reality I was just a naïve little child with her head in the clouds. Now, with my dad gone, I see the world for what it is - a hopeless pit of darkness and despair. The only person in the entire planet that I trust, is my younger brother, Kevin. The hardest part of my day is not to burden him with all the problems around us, he's too young for all that to be put on his shoulders, but he's not blind either. I know he notices things, he's insanely intelligent and I have no idea where he gets it from.

       My inability to trust stems from my father, who I viewed as a hero in my young age. Like most kids when they look at their dad. Only, my world came crashing down when he told us he was leaving. He had another family, a family that he obviously loved more than he ever cared for Kevin and I because we haven't heard from him since that day. Not even a single paycheck to help mom to feed us, at least that's what our mom tells us, who knows if that's true.

       I pull up to my University campus, feeling out of place yet again. I kill the engine, grab my bag from the backseat and jump out, locking the truck behind me. I sigh as I approach the building, my only sense of relief being that I'm almost finished with this place.

______

"Are you ready to go?" My captain asks as we exit the building for the last time. During the day I heard most people talk about how bittersweet today is, and that they'll miss being here. Not me. Not even a little. I couldn't leave this building fast enough.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I inform Vick as she climbs into her car, which starts a lot quicker than my old truck, only adding to my sense of embarrassment.

       I eventually meet her at the stadium we've agreed to meet the club bosses at, surprised when the security guard lets us walk right through, obviously expecting us.

       We wait in the small waiting area outside the offices, until Vick is called in first. I wait for almost an hour before she comes out, grinning from ear to ear.

"You are now looking at the newest member of The Seattle Reign." she flexes which makes me chuckle before she tells me that they're waiting for me. With one last breath, I open the door and step inside, ready for my life to change forever.

       The talk with the club is very basic, going over wages for rookies, formations, the roster, etc. The only thing that caught my attention and stuck with me was when the coach, Laura Harvey, brought up the rumor of my nationality.

"I know there's a few Nations that you can choose to represent without any kind of backlash, especially given that you haven't come up through any of the US Under's age groups, but I only ask that if and when you do decide on a country, you let me know. I don't like to be blindsided."

"Yeah, of course."

"It's something you should seriously consider. Representing any country will further enhance your game."

       After that, it was boring again. I signed my first contract for the year, an additional year to be triggered if the club want to keep me. I'm determined to make sure that they do, I can't leave Seattle. It would mean leaving Kevin alone with my mother, and I can't do that.

       Leaving the stadium, Vicki and I climb into our seperate vehicles and go our seperate ways home. My journey home is longer than it is if I was still at Uni, but I don't mind. I let my thoughts travel, my life finally coming together. I worked my ass off to pay my way through University, though I still have debt I was still excited at the prospect. I continued to work my ass off to get this opportunity and now that it's here, I can barely believe that it's happening.

       I pull up to my house to see a black sedan already outside. Not recognizing the vehicle, I exit my car and lock it up. I glance inside the sedan and see that it's empty. I approach the front door to my home, unlocking it with my keys and stepping inside. I immediately notice the man on the chair beside the couch. He's kitted out in a tailored black suit, white shirt and black tie. Black polished shoes. He looks like an undertaker.

"Can I help you sir?" I ask him. He glances around the living room, my mom's couch filthy as always. Ashtrays full, lighters and empty vodka bottles litter the table and the floor.

"I'm with Child Services. There's been a complaint."